By Ronald E. George Jr. at the Fayetteville
Baptist Church
A man had built a prosperous business through zealous toil and honest
dealings. As he advanced in age,
he felt concerned about the future of his enterprise because he had no close
relatives except three nephews. One
day he summoned the young men and said, "I have a problem, and whoever
comes up with the best solution will inherit all that I possess." Giving each of them an equal sum of money, he instructed them
to buy something that would fill his large office. "Spend no more than
I've given you," he directed, "and be sure you're back by
sunset."
All day long his nephews sought to fulfill
their mission. Finally, when the
shadows lengthened, they obediently returned to make their report.
Their uncle asked to see their purchases.
The first dragged a huge bale of straw into the room. When it was
untied it made a pile that nearly hid two of the walls. After it was cleared
away, the second brought in two large bags of thistledown, which when
released, filled three-fourths of the room. This was even better than the
first.
The third nephew stood silent and forlorn.
"And what have you to offer?"
asked his aged relative. "Uncle, I spent half of my money to feed
a hungry child and gave almost all the rest to the church.
With the little I had left, I bought these matches and a small
candle." Then he lit the
taper, and its light filled every corner of the room! The kindly old man
realized that here was the noblest of them all.
He blessed him for making the best use of his gift and gave him all his
possessions. From Bible
Illustrator.
A poor little boy once heard his Sunday School teacher say Jesus was
the light of the world. He took
her remark quite literally. After class, the boy said to his teacher, "If
Jesus really is the light of the world, I wish He'd come hang out in my alley.
It's awful dark where I live."
From Bible Illustrator.
Instead of trusting Christ, modern-day thinkers insist on using human
wisdom alone for answers to eternal questions.
The tragedy of this situation was graphically
illustrated in a humorous skit performed by Karl Vallentin, a Munich comedian.
Walking on a stage where everything was dark except for a small area under a
street lamp, he began to look for something on the ground.
He told the policeman who came on the scene that he was trying to find
a key, whereupon the two continued the search. Finally the officer asked,
"Are you sure you lost it here?"
"Oh, no," said Vallentin as he pointed to a corner, "It
was over there, but here is where the light is!"
From Bible Illustrator.
Are people really concerned about
those who are living in darkness?
Scripture Text:
2Cor 4:3 (NIV) And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those
who are perishing. 4 The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers,
so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who
is the image of God. 5 For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as
Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said,
"Let light shine out of darkness," made his light shine in our
hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face
of Christ.
Is
the gospel veiled?
Have you seen the gospel?
Chances are if you saw the gospel you saw it displayed in another’s
life.
An artist once made a sketch of a wintry twilight.
The trees were laden with snow; and a dreary-looking house, lonely and
desolate, stood in the midst of the drifted field. It was a bleak and depressing picture. Then the artist took some yellow chalk and with a few quick
strokes put a light in one window of that home. The effect was almost magical.
The entire scene was transformed into a vision of comfort and cheer.
Likewise, the birth of Christ brought the
luster of hope to this dark world. You'd
think From Bible Illustrator.
Is
it veiled to who are perishing?
It has been said: "The stars do not
shout; they only shine." Any Christian, however obscure, can be a light
to those around him and thus attract and guide men to the harbor of peace.
"Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and
glorify your Father in heaven." --Topical Illustrations
You are the light. Since Christ lives and dwells in you.
Lift
the veil.
Turn on the light.
Are you holding the light in the right place.
I can remember as a young boy wanting to help my Dad.
Dad could fix anything. In
the darkness of the basement I was often asked by Dad to hold the light. I would soon loose my attention and shine the light in the
wrong place. Dad was quick to
remind me to hold the light. Then
as a coal miner we would use our lights as means of communication when we were
working. Underground in the mines
you could see how strong the darkness is if there is no light.
In the darkness you would be totally lost. With no hope of finding your way unless someone would turn on
the light. If you waved your
light in a circle it meant to come here.
If you waved the light up and down it meant ok or yes. If you shook your light from side to side, it meant no or
stop. We always knew to never
shine your light in another’s eyes. This
would cause pain and the one to whom you were talking to would look away.
There is a lot of communication down today in the way we shine our
light. Think about it.
John 9:5 As
long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.
Matt 5:14 (NIV)
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 Neither do people light a lamp
and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light
to everyone in the house.
The
veil covers the eyes of the minds of
unbelievers. In
the absence of light there is darkness. Without
light there is no life and the people perish.
Gravity pulls you down and so does the flesh.
It is a natural occurrence that was a result of the first sin in the
Garden of Eden.
Christ
lifted the veil?
God became flesh and dwelt among us.
He went out to were we were and turned on the light.
We must be willing to go out to where they are.
What
is the light?
The light is the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of
God. The light is the good news
of who God is. Only Christ who is
truly God in his exact image could reveal him completely.
Anything or anyone who is less than God would present an image that is
less. But, Christ is the light of
the world. Anyone who dares to
turn on the light of God must know and have him as their source of life.
How
to lift the veil?
1.
We must preach Jesus.
What do you preach? With
our attitudes and actions what do we say about Jesus?
2.
We must preach Jesus Christ as Lord.
Practice what you preach.
If we would only be as faithful in our religious life as many are in
their earthly and business life, fewer souls would be stranded on the reefs of
eternity. One night the keeper of the lighthouse on a rocky coast was taken
ill and was unable to attend the light. The machinery became disordered and
the light failed to revolve. A storm swept the dangerous coast and the
keeper's boy, a mere lad, climbed up to the lamp and during all the long hours
of the stormy night turned with his own hands the lantern. In the morning, it
was learned that two vessels with seven hundred souls on board had been able
to make the harbor by the aid of the revolving light that had been kept in
motion by the often tired, but ever vigilant boy. Unconsciously, the faithful
boy had been the means of saving hundreds of lives, and all because he kept
the light where it could be seen. --Topical Illustrations
3.
We must become servants of Christ by serving others.
Are you willing to serve or do you demand your rights?
4.
We must let the light to shine out of
darkness and in the darkness.
5.
We must light the darkness with the knowledge
of the glory of God in the face of Christ.