Flipping the Switch - John 8:12-30

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 

 John 8:12



There is something about light. It makes the boogey-man run away. It allows us to see where we are driving in the middle of the night. It brings freshness to a new day. Light is equivalent to hope and joy. A single light bulb in a dark room can transform even the furthest corners.

But light – true light – is not limited to what is illuminated on the outside. Having a life filled with light doesn’t mean that one will never have darkness, struggles or obstacles, but rather having a light filled life means always having a central core of understanding whose you are.

When we are inconvenienced for a day or several without electricity – as many were this summer- we find we are nearly at a loss by not having lights in our homes. We unconsciously walk into a room and flip the switch expecting the light to emerge, and when it doesn’t we are shocked and a little outraged. What would happen if we began to feel outraged when we didn’t experience the light of Christ in ourselves or in others? How different would our approach to evangelism or to sharing God’s love be if we assumed that the light of Christ already existed in another friend? If in fact the switch just needed to be flipped in his or her life?



In reality, we have all been born with a desire to be in the light. We crave it. We need light both externally in our lives to function but more importantly inside our spirits to help us truly see; to truly love; to truly feel; to truly be children of God.



As we approach our friends, let us not be leery of how to share God’s love with them, but rather let us look at their lives as needing someone to help “flip the switch” so that they might know the light of Jesus and their lives can also be bright and full of all of the good stuff – even in a very dark world.



Scripture
John 8:12-30


Quote of the Day 

(with some explanation)

Helen Keller was born deaf and blind. She could not see or hear and yet she had one of the more profoundly impactful lives in the world – without ever seeing the light many of us take for granted.

She said, “I can see, and that is why I can be happy, in what you call the dark, but which to me is golden. I can see a God-made world, not a man made world.” 

By not being constrained by what the outside world showed her, she was able to experience true happiness and beauty lit from within – lit with the light of Jesus.

Calling all Little Miss (or Mr.) Sunshines

I can see clearly now the rain is gone
I can see all obstacles in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me down
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day

"I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash

One of my favorite days of the year, is the first day of sunshine after a long series of snowy, cold, icy Ohio winter days. The sun will break through and bounce off of the snow covered lawns and ice draped trees. The brilliance of the light is magnified as it shines against the white and crystal world.

Unfortunately, these days of sun-filled splendor are few and far between from October through April in Ohio. We struggle through endless days of cold, grey, dark winter blues and we long for the brief moments of warmth and light when the sun breaks through the clouds and we are once again blessed with a sun shiny day.

The darkness of the world can close in on us and try to envelope each of us through lies about who we are and who God is, but if we embrace the lightness of God we will not fear the darkness.

the LORD turns my darkness into light. 

2 Samuel 22: 29

God shines light into all of the dark places of the world revealing the destruction the darkness is trying to cause. By embracing the light God offers each of us, we have built in bright, sun shiny days. Through our relationship with Jesus, our light comes from within to shine brightly even in the darkest of situations.

God's light helps us to see clearly the next step on our journey and how He wants us to reveal His light to others.

God gave you the light to not only shine in the places of darkness in your life, but to also be a ray of hope to others who do not have the light of Christ in their lives.

He is calling you to be a little Miss or Mr. Sunshine to your corner of the world.

How will you make it a bright, sun shiny day today?

Scripture

2 Samuel 22 (a song of David)

Quote of the Day

Oh yes I can make it now the pain is gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is that rainbow I've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day

Look all around there's nothing but blue skies
Look straight ahead there's nothing but blue skies "I Can See Clearly Now" by Johnny Nash

Question of the Day

What is your favorite thing to do on a sun shiny winter day?

All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is that rainbow I've been praying for
It's gonna be a bright bright bright bright sun shiny day

Look all around there's nothing but blue skies
Look straight ahead there's nothing but blue skies

2 Days....Shining a Light in the Darkness

"Words which do not give the light of Christ increase the darkness." Mother Teresa

Our words have power. They can build up or they can destroy.

Think about a time when someone gave you a compliment...Maybe that person told you that you were pretty or that you were smart or that you were strong or that you were brave.

How did those words make you feel?

Sometimes a compliment can embarrass, because we don't necessarily believe what the other person is saying, but in reality those words are intended to build you up; to show you the reflection of God that shines through you.

What about when someone has thrown words of hate at you? Maybe that person told you that you were stupid, or that you were fat, or that you were weak.

How did those words make you feel?

In one word: awful.

Words of hate tend to stick with us more than words of love. We remember when someone is nasty towards us - unable to let the pain of the moment go. The words pull at us like gravity - forcing our feet to the ground when all we want to do is run away.

But those kind words - words of love - can begin to heal the pain caused by the evil words; we just need to hear ten times more of the kind words than we hear the nasty words.

Those are the words you hear...but what about the words you say?

Your word bank should be filled with kind and generous words to give and to share with those around you. Think how different your world would be if you consciously chose to share words of kindness each day - each hour.

If you spoke every kind word which came to your mind and stifled every nasty thought, what impact could you make in the lives of those you see every day?

Darkness loves evil. It feeds on the pain that negative words and mean spirits put into the world; creating a place where it is difficult to see or to be. But love feeds on the words of light. Love grows when we share kindness.

In a dark room it only takes one small candle to light all of the corners and show the way. The same can be said for words of kindness - one kind word to someone in pain might be the ray of hope they need to step out of their darkness and into the light of Christ.

With your words you have a choice to share the love of Christ or to allow the darkness to overshadow your world.

You can be the light of Christ. The choice is yours.

Scripture (click below for the link)

Matthew 5:13-16 (Let Your Light Shine)

Fun Fact...Top Ten GUMY Memories

#2....Session on Stewardship -2009

Last year we had stewardship campaign in the church which included lessons being taught in all of the Sunday School Classes, Worship Service and in GUMY. During our session on stewardship we talked about how we as a youth group and a church are supporting various ministries across the globe. After talking about the Compassion International Child we sponsor, we began to discuss the Liberian Children's Fund and the kids that we as a collective church body sponsor. When we walked down the hall we talked about how different it was for the kids in the pictures versus us and how important it is for us as a community to support those less fortunate than we are.

As we were making our way back to the fellowship hall, one student asked how many kids we were sponsoring in Liberia. I told him about 127. Then he asked, "How many people go to church here?" I told him about 150 give or take on a Sunday morning. Then he asked, "So why don't we sponsor 150 kids?"

Which is a pretty good question I didn't have an answer to....

Question of the Day

It is Friday...so what is your favorite thing about Fridays?

 

You can be Christ's light....one kind word at a time.