Toward the Light / Luke 11:33-36
Contents Jesus said, "The lamp of your body is the eye. If your eye is good, your whole body will be full of light; if it is bad, your body will also be dark." This is a metaphor for saying that if there is light, you can move freely, but without it, you will be quite uncomfortable. Let's take a look at some basic and important truths related to light through the text.
First, we need light.
All plants and animals on Earth need light to survive. Without light, you cannot live even for a moment. This is why God first created light when He created the heavens and the earth.
People are no exception. Even if we put aside the most fundamental problem of survival, without light, it will cause a lot of trouble in our lives. Darkness brings inconvenience to people's activities. You have to fumble around with your hands and be careful with every step you take. Darkness also encourages sin. Most of the sins are committed under the guise of darkness. As a result, darkness naturally creates fear. We pay close attention to whether something bad is going to happen when it's dark around us. If this condition persists, most people will probably have neurosis and be unable to lead a normal life. We need light.
Second, we must strive for light.
Fireflies emit light, although faintly on their own. But man does not have such a light. And man must have light to survive. Therefore, we must put all our efforts into getting the light. Light drives away darkness.
There are many kinds of light that people need. First, there is the light that illuminates the darkness of the material world. Humanity could not be satisfied with the light of the sun floating in the sky. So, while devising this and that, I was able to make an embers, whether by rubbing wood or hitting stones against each other. As a result, you can start a fire to warm your body and heat your food, as well as to illuminate dark surroundings. This was a great achievement for mankind. I developed it and made a lamp, and I made a lamp. Just think of how hard Edison went to invent the light bulb. Such efforts became a catalyst for the achievement of human civilization as it is today.
Knowledge is also the light we need. For even intellectual ignorance is darkness. Illiterate people who cannot read are called black eyes. How difficult and uncomfortable is life for these people? Studying is an effort to dispel this darkness. So, you have to work hard when you get a chance.
Finally, and most importantly, there is spiritual darkness. It means being ignorant of God and of one's soul. It means the state of losing the discernment of Joe and falling into sin. It is mentioned in verse 35, "Therefore see that the light within you is not dark," and this is what Jesus is most interested in.
The Lord continues to answer those who seek a visible sign from heaven. Don't even think for a moment that the sign I'm talking about, the sign foreshadowed in the story of Jonah, is vague or secret. No one hides by lighting a lamp. So is the sign I am giving you. Jesus is speaking a powerful sign of his resurrection. Even if the target is clearly visible, it is possible to go blind. It's like being unable to see when your eyes are dark. If their spiritual eyes were dark, they would not be able to discern any heavenly signs.
This spiritual darkness can only be driven out by light.
Jehovah God is light.
“The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1)
“God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5).
“There will be no more night, and there will be no need for lamps and sunlight, for the Lord God shines on them…” (Revelation 22:5)
Jesus Christ is the light of the world.
“There was the true light, the light that came into the world, shining to every man, and he was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him” (John 1:9-10).
“Jesus spoke again, saying, I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12).
“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world” (John:5).
The Bible, the Word of God, is light.
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).
“For a command is a lamp, and the law is a light, and the reproof of instruction is the way of life” (Proverbs 6:23).
Longing for God and His Son, Jesus Christ, and seeking the teachings of His Word, the Bible. You will find the true light. Your ignorance of God is not because God does not exist, but because you are in spiritual darkness. No matter how bright the sun is, it cannot open the eyes of the blind.
Third, we must make good use of the light we obtain.
A Christian who has accepted the true light of Jesus Christ is the light and lamp of the world. The reason people light a lamp is to light up the darkness in the house. No one lights a lamp and hides it. The reason that Christ saved us and made us a light is to illuminate the darkness around us. Are we really doing well in that role? Or is it like a lamp placed under a horse? The old Palestinian houses were very dark, with only one small window less than 50 cm in diameter. At that time, there were no matches to light the lamp, so it was not easy to light it again once it went out. Therefore, it is said that in peacetime, the lamp was placed on the platform, and when going out, it was lowered from the platform and placed on a horse made of clay to keep it safe until it came back.
The original mission of the lamp is to be visible. Likewise, Christianity is about being seen by people. As someone said, there is no hidden disciple, and if you are not known to people, you lose your qualifications as a disciple, so if you are a disciple, you cannot hide it. Our faith should not be shown only in the church. Our faith should be shown more in our social life outside the church.
“You are the salt of the world; if salt loses its taste, what is it salted with? After that, it is of no use, except that it is thrown out and trampled on by men. You are the light of the world, and a town on a hill cannot hide it. “Man does not light a lamp and put it under a lamp, but put it on a lampstand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and give glory to your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5:13-16)
“The path of the righteous is like the brilliance of the sun, shining brighter and brighter” (Prov 4:18)
“You were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9).
“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord is upon you” (Isaiah 60:1).
We must also be careful not to obscure the light within us.
“The God who said, “Out of darkness shall shine light,” has shone in our hearts the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 4:6).
If the light within us is dark, the light of the gospel and the light of the glory of Christ cannot shine.
Just as there is no darkness at all when we look at the light of the sun, so God has no darkness at all. Those who walk while looking at the sun cannot see the dark shadows. Likewise, those who look to God do not live a life of darkness. But those who live with their backs to the sun always have no choice but to live in darkness. We are a sunflower life that always looks to God only. Those who look to God cannot sin.
Someone asked this question. “How far is the devil from Jesus? How long does it take for the devil to come to us and how long does it take to leave us? The room brightens in an instant. That doesn't mean the darkness is gone forever, but when you turn the lights off again, it gets dark instantly. There is no distance between light and darkness. The time when the devil comes to us is fleeting. The devil is never in the ten thousand miles of Jangcheon. But when there is the light of Christ, the devil disappears immediately. Likewise, without the light of Christ, the devil comes to us in an instant and steals, kills, and destroys us.