The Light of the City

Q: What does the Bible say about the light of God?

The Bible states that the light of God is found in Christ, who enlightens the hearts of believers. The light of God is depicted in Scripture as the illuminating presence of Christ, who brings understanding and spiritual insight to His people. As John 1:9 mentions, Jesus is the true light that enlightens every man coming into the world, signifying that it is through Him that we receive an understanding of God and His grace. This light is not merely physical but deeply spiritual, as described in Revelation 21:23, where the city of God has no need for the sun or moon because the glory of God and the Lamb illuminate it.

Q: Why is the light of Christ essential for Christians?

The light of Christ is essential because it is the source of spiritual understanding and guidance, necessary for faith and life. The light of Christ is foundational to the Christian faith as it provides illumination that leads believers out of darkness into spiritual understanding (Colossians 1:12). This enlightenment is an act of God, as 2 Corinthians 4:6 declares that God, in His sovereignty, has shined light into our hearts, giving us the knowledge of His glory. Without this light, Christians would struggle to grasp the truths of redemption and grace, relying instead on their own works, which ultimately lead to spiritual emptiness. The importance of this light is also seen in Ephesians 1:18, where Paul prays that the eyes of our understanding be enlightened to know the hope of God's calling.

Q: How do we know that God gives light to His people?

We know God gives light to His people through His Word, which reveals Christ as the source of illumination and understanding. The assurance that God gives light to His people is rooted in the Scriptures themselves, which assert that Christ is the source of all spiritual illumination. In Hebrews 10:32, we read about believers who endure afflictions after being enlightened. This enlightenment refers to a divine revelation that only God can provide, highlighting His sovereignty over spiritual insight. Furthermore, 1 John 5:20 emphasizes that the Son of God has come to give us understanding, confirming that we are in Him who is the true light. These passages collectively affirm that God's act of enlightening our understanding is essential for a genuine relationship with Him.

Q: What is the relationship between the glory of God and the light of the city?

The glory of God is the very light that illuminates the city of God, which is the church, as seen in Revelation 21:23. The city of God, as described in Revelation 21:23, requires no sun or moon because the glory of God illuminates it. This illustrates the profound reality that the church, represented as a city, is wholly sustained by the light of God's glory, with Christ as its central figure. The glory of God signifies His presence and the fullness of His attributes, which are reflected in the lives of believers. The relationship between God's glory and the light of the city emphasizes the idea that spiritual vitality and understanding within the church come directly from God, indicating that all knowledge, purpose, and direction stem from Him and are intimately connected to His glory.

Look here in the book of Revelation
and we come almost to the close of this 21st chapter. I think
we'll look at one other thought here next week. And I had intended
on being gone this coming weekend, but tonight's temperature, where
I was hoping to be, is going to be 23 degrees. Tomorrow's
high is 38. Today it was 39 with a 22 mile
an hour wind, which made the wind chill factor 30 or 20 No, 31. And 100% chance of snow
today. And I'm just too old for that. I'll bask here in this liquid
sunshine. So I call my brother. Let's detain our trip again. Revelation chapter 21, and I
would like to read verse 23 and spend some time tonight on the
light of the city. the light of the city. And the
city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine
in it. Now I just need to remind myself,
when I'm reading about this city, I'm reading about the church.
This is just another way of saying the body of Christ. It's another
way of saying the church of the living God. It is a city, But
it is an assembled city. It is a special city. It is a
city of God. It is a city created by God.
It is a city directed by God. He is the mayor. He has all oversight
over this city. And this city has no need, as
it says, no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine
in it. For the glory of God did lighten
it, and the Lamb is the light thereof." Now, this commentary
on what the city has from a negative standpoint does not have the
sun or moon, but from a positive standpoint, has the light of
God, has the glory of God, has, as it says there, the Lamb is
the light thereof, explains a lot about the spiritual nature of
this body. It does not depend on physical
things. This city, the oil in the lamps,
is not from the flesh. It is not provided in the acts
of people. The light of this city is provided
by God. It always has been, it always
will be. The light the first believer
had on the face of the earth was not the light that he gathered
in himself, but it was the light God gave to him as he gave him
Christ. And that's the spiritual truth
about this light that this city, the church, has. It has never
been physical light. It has always been the gift of
spiritual light. Some in this city have more light
than others. That's not the issue. And the
people who have more light have never looked down upon the people
who have not seen all the light. And the people who have not seen
all do not feel jealous of those who have seen more. Because they
understand that this light, even as any aspect about God, is sovereignly
given. We glean from those who have
been given more light and rejoice in that. We glean from those
who centuries ago were privileged to sit all day long and study
the word of God and God gave them light and we enjoy and appreciate
that. We don't feel jealous about what
God gave to them because we get to glean from it. Nor do we find
that they ever look down their noses and made fun of those who
didn't see what they saw. Again, all of this is sovereignly
given. He opens eyes sovereignly. And we get everything, we're
just learning to see more of it as we look through a glass
darkly. Now, the sun and the moon are
physical light. The presence of Christ is the
spiritual light that we need. Now, this principle, we are We
are examples of these principles. I have heard you say on a sunny
day, I feel brighter today. It feels better today. And on
a cloudy day, you know, I just feel just a little bit down. Now, if we lived where it was
24, 7, 365 days a year, cloudy, we probably would not have the
disposition that we might have. We live on this principle. Light
is important. We live on this principle. When it, when I woke up this
morning and heard that rain, oh, I wasn't expecting this.
I wasn't planning for this. I was hoping against this. But
it was there. And the day before, when I woke
up at 4.30, it was light, beautiful. Well, there is one thing about
having some dampness out. The kids are willing to stay
closer to the school, and they're not near as rambunctious when
it is cloudy. So there are positive things
about that. But we are examples of this principle. We notice that there's a difference
in our disposition when it shines, when the sun shines, and when
it doesn't shine. And this is typical in the church. There's never a cloudy day. The songwriter put it, a cloudless
day. Now we may have cloudy days,
but not in this spiritual relationship that we have with the Lord Jesus
Christ. It is light ever. for time and for eternity. The light is never shut down. We have the privilege of waking
up in the night seasons to the light. We have the privilege
of walking in the day seasons in the light. It is never turned
down. We always have the same privilege
to come before our Lord at any time, 24 hours a day, and still
enjoy the same light that God has promised to his church. Would
you turn with me to the book of John, chapter 1? This light
is the difference between Christ and religion. If a body doesn't have light
and is trying to make light for itself, It is going to be very
active but non-productive. That's religion. There's gonna
be an activity because there's just no light there and we're
gonna try to create it. I have an opinion about the old
revival meetings. When I saw people go to the old
time revival meetings and go for two weeks and at the end
of two weeks be no better off spiritually than they were when
they went, and they claim to be believers. They just couldn't
manifest the light. They couldn't get to the light.
I think it was Brother Marvin Stonerker and I were visiting,
and he said, people reading through the Bible, that's great, but
he'd rather have a person read one verse of scripture with understanding,
than 10,000 without understanding a word about it. That's the quality
of the light. Have one verse of scripture with
some understanding, some light about it. That's a wonderful
thing to think about. One verse of scripture that God
has revealed that we have some understanding about is better
than having read the whole thing and say, well, that's it for
this year. I'll start again in January.
John chapter 1 verse 9, we have these words about the Lord Jesus
Christ. And I have to remember, I want
to remember, I want to bring to our attention again that this
book was not written to lost people. This book was written
to the church. And if we keep that in mind, some of the verses
that we run into are going to be so easy to be understood here,
just logically understood, whether we understand them or not. But
John 1, verse 9, it says, that was the true light, the Lord
Jesus. John was not the true light. He was not that light,
but he was sent to bear witness of that light, verse 8. That
was the true light that lighteth. Now, this is an important verse.
This light lighteth, and he lighteth every one of his. Now, we have
here, he lighteth every man that cometh into the world. We find
as we read through the scriptures that this is not, Christ does
not lighten everybody that is born of Adam with the knowledge
of Jesus Christ. So we have to go back and say,
who's this written to? Everyone that God chose in Christ
before the foundation of the world, God will, in Christ Jesus,
give them light. And Jesus Christ is the light
that enlightens people. It's the light is turned on.
And that means having an understanding about Christ and redemption and
grace and God's position and place in things that He rules
over all. That takes a lot of light. God
has had to turn on a lot of light for natural man to comprehend
those five things. the grace of God, the redemptive
work of Christ, the position that God holds, the righteousness
of Christ, the blood, shed blood, atonement. My goodness, people
have studied the Bible for years and years and years and have
never come to any conclusion about that. And God can reveal
that to his people and they have some understanding about God's
redemptive work and who did it and how it's being accomplished
and walk away and say, thank you God. Without that light you
gave me, I would have never come to these conclusions. I would
have continued to try to produce my own life and I was working
my full head off to do it. And there was no more peace about
it when I was finished than when I started this light of the Lord
Jesus. Ephesians chapter 1. Would you
turn there with me? As we think about this light,
and the light of the city is God, is glory of God, and the
glory of God is Christ. He is the light of this city.
He was the light in the days of Abel. He was the light during
the days of Moses, David, down through the ages. through the
dark ages, through the Reformation period. Tim and I got into a
discussion the other day about the Reformation period. And there
were people here that believed the gospel before the reformers
came around. They just come to a conclusion
that some people had already had already. God was dealing
with people and giving them the light before the Reformation. And some of those guys never
got past very far They were dealing with these people pretty harshly
that had the light already. They already understood that
salvation was by grace and not by works. They already understood
that the accepted church had gone haywire. They already understood
those things. Here come along a group of people,
thank God, God opened their eyes. But God had light here in this
world in every generation. And they were willing to pay
with their lives because they had the light for no other reason. They weren't self-sacrificers. They had light. God had given
them the light. This light of Christ, the glory
of God is the person Christ Jesus. Now here in the book of Ephesians
chapter 1, we read these words about this light that God gives
to his people, gives to the church. It is absolutely essential that
this be there. And when it is there, it cannot
be taken away. It is impossible for those who
are once enlightened to lose the light. They would have to,
and Paul is just using this as an example, as a figure of speech.
They would have to crucify Christ afresh. Not going to happen. Not going to happen. You've either
got the light or you are working for the light, trying to get
the light and fell away. But those who have the light
will never fall away. There's just an attraction about
it that God creates in the hearts of people that prevents them
from ever losing their anchor. The Lord. Ephesians 118, scripture
share this. The eyes of our understanding
being enlightened. There's the light. The eyes of
our understanding being enlightened. We were in darkness. God came
along through the gospel and enlightened us. That's why he
says the sun and the moon are not the light of the church.
Physical light is not the light of the church. Physical research
is not the light of the church. Physical doings is not the light
of the church. It's done. That's the light of
the church. It's Christ. He is the light
of the church. He is what causes people to enjoy
their position and they don't look down their nose if they
have a little more than others and they don't feel jealous if
they don't have as much. This is the body of Christ and
it works in unison. The eyes of your understanding
being enlightened that you may know what is the hope of his
calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance
in the saints. We have been, God's church has
been given some understanding about some things. God's people
understand. Now, just brought to my attention
day before yesterday's audit, the guy in California has done
it again. He's made another prediction.
We're just a few months off this time, October 21st. Well, I wonder
if he's gonna go hide in his motel again. The church understands
it is not necessary to know the day nor the hour. That's some
light we've been given. We just don't need to know. If
Christ be our center, if Christ be our theme, if Christ be our
hope, if Christ be our message, if Christ be our gospel, then
we don't need those things. We don't have to have those as
attractions. Christ is the light and he enlightens
his people and they have some understanding about them. They
will trust God. And when he says, you don't need
to know something, you know what? OK. Daniel was told that. God told him, sum it up. You're
not going to write about it. John was told that. Paul was
told that. You know what? He didn't write
about it. He didn't say, well, I'm going to put it right over
here on the side, and I'm going to try to get away with it. No.
I wasn't to write about it. John wasn't to write about it.
Daniel wasn't to write about it. Paul wasn't to write about
it. And guess what? When God said not to write about
it, that's all it took. And that's the truth about this,
the light. God's people are drawn to the
light. Christ is the light. The glory of God is Jesus Christ. And there's no need for physical
light. We don't have to have lessons
in ethics taught by some professor or hermeneutics. There we go. Mike and Marilyn
and Nancy and I spent, what was it, two hours, two and a half
hours wasting our time. Now I'd walk out on hermeneutics. Now I can't even remember what
that means. It made such an impression. The putting together of a message
or something like that. Don't tell me what's important
in a message, give me what's important in a message. That's
the important, give me Christ, lest I die. He's the light. I need the light. He is the light
of the world. He lightens his people. And here,
the eyes of your understanding being enlightened. We're dead
in trespasses and sin. The light went out in Adam. Thank
God he comes and enlightens us. He's the only one that has the
ability of putting light on the candle. No one else can do it. He must do it. This is an act
that God alone can do Hebrews turn with me to Hebrews 10 Hebrews
10 as we look at this light and it's always been this way When
the church and I think Maybe that's some of the issues there
in in Corinthians. It wasn't Galatians the Church
of Galatia They're trying to get the light another way trying
to stir the Church of Laodicea and Well, we know there's light. We can manufacture it. We can
get it pumped up. We can produce it. We can get
plants out there in the congregation. And when we preach some dead
dog story and get tears flowing, we can get those people to move.
That's nothing more than a hypocrisy trying to create light. It's
impossible to do. You can get the results of it.
It's not lasting. It's short-lasting, not long-lasting. But the light of God is eternal. Once created, it will never go
out. It gets brighter the more we
approach the Lord. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 32, After you were enlightened, it
tells us here. Hebrews chapter 10, verse 32.
But call to remember the former days in which after ye were enlightened,
ye endured a great fight of afflictions. After, there's a place. Now I
don't know when God does this. It's not my business to know.
I'm not interested in knowing. I just know that it's going to
come after God's people hear the gospel. There is an enlightenment
that God alone can give and he will enlighten every one of his
elect and it will be a light that will guide them through
this life and ready to enter that life. That light is Christ. Christ is the glory of God. He
is the leader. He is the one that leads his
people. He is the good shepherd. He leads
his flock. He is the light to go out into
the hinterlands. He is the light in this world.
He is the light for the people of God. And he opens up his light
through the scriptures. We'll not learn about Christ
outside of the scriptures. We can talk about him, but it
better be scriptural-based, because that's the only place we'll learn
about the Lord Jesus Christ. Nature will not teach us about
Christ. Now, it'll point us to God, but
that's not enough. The devils believe there's a
God, but that's not enough. All right? Here it says there
in verse 32, called to remember it's the former days in which
after ye were illuminated. And that's the same word. These
words or verses that I've read are the same word. For the glory
of God will lighten. It's an illumination. And God's
glory is the illumination of the city. And everybody gets
to enjoy the same light. Guess what? There's not red light
and blue light and green light and pink light. And all the lights,
people are not looking at different colored lights. They're looking
at the same light with the same truth, the same word, the same
glory. Everybody from every side gets
to see the same person Christ Jesus, the glory of God. In 1 John chapter 5 and verse
20, we have this thought about to know God, what it is, the
enlightenment, to know God, God revealing himself, Christ revealing
himself to his people. It's the light of the church.
It's the light of the city. Ever has been, ever will be.
There will be no other light. It's not a creed, it's a Christ.
It is the Christ of God. It's not memorizing, it is Christ
is the light. We are enlightened by Him and
thank God He reveals His Word, opens His Word up. Biddy it may
be, small it may be, but that's much better than never seeing
a thing. 1 John 5, verse 20, And we know that the Son of God
has come and have given us an understanding. That's that light. Given us an understanding. We sit down with God's people
wherever they're from, we sit down with them, and the understanding
is He is the Savior. And He saves without our works. And we start comparing notes
and everybody that has this says, yes, that's right. We have the
same story. We have the same view. We have the same Christ. It doesn't
matter. I would venture to say If I went
down and visited with Lance Heller and he was interpreting for me,
those people would say the same thing about Christ if they've
seen Him. I could guarantee it. He is the
only Savior. I was saved without my works.
I'll be kept without my works. I will see God alone by Jesus
Christ and him alone. And I am riding along on his
coattails. That's what the church agrees
on. Why? He's the light. We don't depend on physical things. We don't say, I used to have
several bars here, years. I, you know, you look back, I
didn't mean a thing. I didn't know anything. I'd listened to
all those lessons, or they thought I did. Didn't mean a thing. Got
my pen, got my ear bars. You can get them down there.
Lots of them. Still, not know a thing. That's
not the light. The light is Him revealed flesh
and blood hath not revealed this unto you, but my Father which
is in heaven. And when that takes place, that
light is not put out. That's the light we'll go into
glory with. Jesus Christ as our Savior. here in 1st John 5, 520,
and we know that the Son of God has come and has given us an
understanding that we may know Him that is true. And we are
in Him that is true, even in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is
the true God and eternal life. God gives the light. This is
about the true God, and this is about eternal life, and it's
found in one person, the Lord Jesus Christ. No wonder he says,
there's only one name under heaven given among men. There's only
one door. There's only one way. It is to
the light. It is to the light. It is to
the light. And he enlightens, gives the
light. And he does it sovereignly. And
even among the church, he does it sovereignly. He gives the
light, the understanding about God. Back up just a moment there
in Colossians, just a little bit in Colossians. Colossians
chapter one. The city had no need of the sun.
Boy, keep it out there. Don't let it through the door.
We don't want the physical. We don't want the physical. We
don't want the moon, we don't want the sun. We don't want physical
things involved. We want spiritual things. Give me Christ, lest I die. Don't
give me programs. Give me Christ. Don't talk about
physical things. Talk about spiritual things.
Give me Christ. Keep the rest out. That's our
whole goal. Keep the sun and the moon out.
Keep the physical out. Keep Christ in. Don't get involved
in the issues of this world. Keep Christ. He's the light. They're just a smoldering, stinking
thing. They have no light in them. All right? Colossians. Colossians chapter 1, verse 12. Colossians chapter
1, verse 12. Giving thanks unto the Father
which hath made us meat. in the partakers of the inheritance
of the saints in light, who hath delivered us from the power of
darkness and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear
son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness
of sins. Look at the implications of having
the light. Forgiveness of sins, redemption
through his blood, translated out of the kingdom of darkness,
translated into the kingdom of his dear son, the implications
God has for all those he reveals the light to. And they're glorious,
gracious, spiritual blessings. It really would be a dismal place
not to have light. In fact, there would be no life.
if there was no light. That's just common. Throw a big
wash tub over a part of your lawn. Put a piece of black plastic
over it. Sometimes that's what we want
to do, kill that stuff. No light, no life. Life is dependent
upon the light. And our spiritual well-being,
the church's spiritual well-being is it upon the light of God and
there will be no light inside if he has not put it there. We can't grow it. We can't produce
it. Everyone in the city knows the
one person who is the light. God and Christ will be the everlasting
fountain of knowledge and joy to the saints. A couple verses
left. Join me in 2 Corinthians chapter
4. 2 Corinthians chapter 4. We don't need the physical. We
need the spiritual. We need Christ. That's why The
food is Christ. The scriptures are Christ. We
need him. It's the diet the church needs. When the church has this diet,
it's like manna. Now, only the people who don't
know will complain about the manna. Only the mixed multitude
complained. We don't like it. We want the
melons and the leeks and the flesh pots of Egypt. But that
was the perfect meal. It provided everything those
people needed. And only those who don't like
it will complain. And those who know this is my
life will say, thank you. Thank you for dropping it in
my path. 2 Corinthians 4, verse 6, this light, this gracious
light of God, 2 Corinthians 4, verse 6, for God who commanded
the light to shine out of darkness, and we love that word commanded.
He is absolutely sovereign over it, and if he hadn't have been,
we'd have never succumbed to it. We'd have never seen it.
It'd have never come our way. Well, I just love being outside
and having your back turned and someone looking this way. Did
you see that lightning? No, I missed it. Well, that's the way it is
if we're not pointed the right direction. If he's not in charge
of the light, we'll just never see it. It's always behind us.
Oh, I missed that. It was really pretty. You should
have seen it. Well, Well, thank God he turns
us around and says, I saw him. And he's beautiful. In fact,
he's altogether lovely. Every aspect, every characteristic,
every purpose of God is lovely in Christ. Verse six, it says,
for God who commanded the light to shine out of darkness has
shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Shined in our
hearts. Hasn't done much for our flesh.
The only thing God does for our flesh is bind it, keep it under
a little control for us. But that inside, that part that
was darkened in Adam has been made to have light. He commanded
it. And then finally, turn with me
to 1 Peter. 1 Peter chapter 2. 1 Peter chapter 2. We think about
there's no need of the sun or the moon. The glory of God is the light,
and the Lord Jesus is the light in the city. 1 Peter 2, verse
9, But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a peculiar people, that ye should show forth the praises of Him
who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light, which in time past were not a
people, but are now the people of God, which had not obtained
mercy, but now have obtained mercy. No need of the physical
sun or moon. No need of physical things for
the church. They will not feed it. The church
is not fed with physical things. Now our bodies are, and I'm not
going to put down, and we're going to continue to have potluck
dinners. But the spiritual food is what
feeds us. We can go away and say, I was
fed. God fed me today. And go away
better than we came instead of going away worse than we came.
the spiritual food, the light. And that's what God does for
his people. And he lightens every person that he intends to lighten. And they will have this view
about God. They'll have the view about Christ.
And old things are passed away. Behold, all things become new. We have a view of God now that
we never had except by rote memory of some verse of scripture. Oh,
I know God is light. Well, I didn't know it wasn't
light like it is light. All right, we'll stop there.

The Light of the City

What does the Bible say about the light of God?

Why is the light of Christ essential for Christians?

How do we know that God gives light to His people?

What is the relationship between the glory of God and the light of the city?

Sermon Transcript

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The Light of the City

What does the Bible say about the light of God?

Why is the light of Christ essential for Christians?

How do we know that God gives light to His people?

What is the relationship between the glory of God and the light of the city?

Sermon Transcript

Comments

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