The Light has Risen Out of the Darkness

Verses:  Matthew 4:12-17

My thoughts about the verses:

Jesus learns that John has been imprisoned.  He leaves and goes to Capernaum to begin his teachings.  It is in these days that Jesus begins teaching that the Realm of God is near.  I wonder how many people realized how close they were to the Messiah.

Jesus is the light that the world needs to overcome the death and darkness of the world.  Every day we are bombarded by the evils of the world.  We face situations where we have to choose between God and doing evil deeds.  It is through the light that we are able to come to understand our need for salvation.

Without Jesus in our life we are living in darkness.  Our life is being led to a death that never ends.  Yet, the light has broken the darkness.  We can overcome the sentence of death that we are all sentenced to receive by the one and only judge.  Yet, the judge, God, will overturn that sentence if we will accept Jesus in our life.  If we choose Jesus as Savior we receive the gift of everlasting life.

We have to understand at the time Jesus walked the Earth people did not fully understand what was happening.  They had the impression that the Messiah would be a King that would finally defeat those that had held them captive.  They were not expecting a Messiah that would cleanse them from their individual sin.  You can almost imagine the looks on the people faces when Jesus was talking.  Many must have thought here is just one more prophet telling us the Realm of God is near. 

Yet, there were those in the crowd that understood what Jesus was saying.  They understood that Jesus was the promised Messiah.  They understood that the gift that they were receiving was not of a nation’s survival but, their own survival.  Jesus was what they had so long waited for.

We can hear these words today and understand that the light that is come into the world was for each and every one of us.  We have the choice to accept the light.  For those that accept the light we will never have to fear the darkness of death.  We also gain a responsibility that God calls us to do.  We are to share that light with others. 

Sharing the light is one of the most important things we as Christians can do.  Those that understood what Jesus was saying shared that story with others.  They came to understand and accept Jesus as their Messiah.  They didn’t have to witness Jesus in person.  They were able to see the change in those that had accepted Jesus.  That light continued to pass from one generation to the next.

Today we are that light.  In all you do make sure to pass the light to those around you.  Let people see that through their darkest moments if they would ask Jesus in their life all would change.  Let people see that you are a new creation that does not fear death.  Through your example you can share the light and you can guide people to the saving grace of Jesus.

Prayer:

We praise you God for your love.  We thank you for the gift of everlasting life.  We thank you for bringing the light to end our darkness.  Help us to accept your free gift.  Help us share the light to those that are walking in darkness.  In the name of the Risen Messiah we pray.  Amen

Questions:

Have you accepted the gift of salvation?  Have you accepted the light that leads from the darkness of death to everlasting life?  Are you sharing your story of everlasting life with those around you?  Are you sharing the light so people can find their way out of the darkness of death?