Shining Light in Darkness: Embracing the Gospel

Devotional

Day 1: Intentional Light-Shining in Challenging Conversations

In our journey of faith, we are called to shine our light intentionally, even when faced with daunting topics like the existence of the devil and demons. Jesus acknowledged these forces, but our focus should remain on the gospel's core message: coming to Christ by grace through faith and knowing Him personally. This means that even when discussing difficult subjects, we should not be swayed by fear or intimidation. Instead, we should let the light of Christ guide our conversations, ensuring that His love and truth are at the forefront. By doing so, we can help others see the hope and forgiveness available through Jesus' sacrifice and resurrection. [00:34]

"For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true)." (Ephesians 5:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a challenging topic you often avoid discussing. How can you approach it with the light of Christ, focusing on His love and truth?

Day 2: Adaptability in Evangelism

Paul's approach in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 teaches us the importance of adaptability in evangelism. He became "all things to all people" to win them over to Christ, showing flexibility in his methods while remaining true to the gospel's truth. This adaptability is crucial for us as we seek to connect with people from various backgrounds. By understanding and respecting different cultural contexts, we can effectively communicate the love of Christ without compromising the gospel. This approach requires us to be open-minded and willing to step out of our comfort zones to reach others with the message of hope. [02:26]

"To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some." (1 Corinthians 9:22, ESV)

Reflection: Identify a cultural context or group you find challenging to connect with. How can you adapt your approach to share the gospel with them effectively?

Day 3: Understanding Halloween Through a Biblical Lens

Halloween is often viewed as a singular entity, but it is actually a collection of different practices and traditions. While some aspects may have pagan origins, it is essential to discern what is truly evil based on God's Word, not mere associations. The Bible should be our guide, and we must avoid adding to it with man-made rules or fears. By understanding Halloween through a biblical lens, we can engage with the world around us without compromising our faith. This perspective allows us to participate in cultural events with discernment, using them as opportunities to share the love of Christ. [10:58]

"Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath." (Colossians 2:16, ESV)

Reflection: Consider your views on Halloween or similar cultural events. How can you use these occasions to engage with others and share the love of Christ?

Day 4: Bridging the Gap Between People and God

Our church's approach to events like Halloween is to use them as opportunities to bridge the gap between people and God. By hosting events like Boo Bash, we aim to show that we are ordinary people who love Jesus and want to share His love with others. It is crucial to avoid sin and reduce the distance between us and those God loves, using every opportunity to shine the light of Christ. By being approachable and relatable, we can create spaces where people feel welcomed and valued, ultimately leading them to a deeper understanding of God's love. [20:01]

"Conduct yourselves wisely toward outsiders, making the best use of the time. Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person." (Colossians 4:5-6, ESV)

Reflection: Think of a community event or gathering you can participate in. How can you use this opportunity to bridge the gap between people and God?

Day 5: Reaching Those in Real Darkness

Our mission is to reach those in real darkness—those struggling with depression, anger, and loneliness—and offer them the hope and light of Jesus. We are called to create lifestyles that draw us closer to others, even when they think differently than we do. By doing so, we can be a bridge to Jesus Christ, bringing His light into the lives of those who need it most. This requires us to be compassionate and understanding, willing to listen and support those who are hurting. By embodying the love of Christ, we can make a significant impact on the lives of those around us. [33:15]

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed." (Luke 4:18, ESV)

Reflection: Identify someone in your life who is struggling with darkness. How can you offer them the hope and light of Jesus today?

Sermon Summary

In today's gathering, we explored the concept of shining our light more intentionally, even as we navigate topics that might seem daunting, such as the existence of the devil and demons. Jesus himself acknowledged these forces, and while they may seem intimidating, our focus remains on the gospel's core message: coming to Christ by grace through faith, knowing Him personally, and having our sins forgiven through His sacrifice and resurrection.

We delved into Paul's approach in 1 Corinthians 9:19-23, where he emphasizes becoming "all things to all people" to win them over to Christ. Paul was flexible in his methods, adapting to different cultural contexts without compromising the gospel's truth. This adaptability is crucial for us as well, as we seek to connect with people from various backgrounds and help them understand the love of Christ.

We also addressed the topic of Halloween, recognizing that it is not a singular entity but a collection of different practices and traditions. While some aspects of Halloween may have pagan origins, we must discern what is truly evil based on God's Word, not mere associations. The Bible is our guide, and we should not add to it with man-made rules or fears.

Our church's approach to events like Halloween is to use them as opportunities to bridge the gap between people and God. By hosting events like Boo Bash, we aim to show that we are ordinary people who love Jesus and want to share His love with others. We must avoid sin and reduce the distance between us and those God loves, using every opportunity to shine the light of Christ.

Ultimately, our mission is to reach out to those in real darkness—those struggling with depression, anger, and loneliness—and offer them the hope and light of Jesus. We are called to create lifestyles that draw us closer to others, even when they think differently than we do. By doing so, we can be a bridge to Jesus Christ, bringing His light into the lives of those who need it most.

Key Takeaways

1. Shining:** We are called to shine our light intentionally, even when discussing challenging topics like the devil and demons. Our focus should remain on the gospel's core message: coming to Christ by grace through faith and knowing Him personally. [00:34]
2. Adaptability in Evangelism: Like Paul, we must be adaptable in our approach to sharing the gospel, becoming "all things to all people" to win them over to Christ. This means being flexible in our methods while remaining true to the gospel's truth.

3. Understanding Halloween: Halloween is not a singular entity but a collection of different practices. We must discern what is truly evil based on God's Word, not mere associations or origins. Our guide is the Bible, and we should not add to it with man-made rules.

4. Bridging the Gap: Our church uses events like Boo Bash to bridge the gap between people and God, showing that we are ordinary people who love Jesus. We must avoid sin and reduce the distance between us and those God loves, using every opportunity to shine Christ's light.

5. Reaching Real Darkness: Our mission is to reach those in real darkness—those struggling with depression, anger, and loneliness—and offer them the hope and light of Jesus. We are called to create lifestyles that draw us closer to others, even when they think differently than we do.

** [00:34]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:34] - The Reality of Spiritual Forces
[01:07] - The Core of the Gospel
[01:41] - Paul's Approach to Evangelism
[02:26] - Becoming All Things to All People
[03:12] - Flexibility and Focus in Ministry
[04:18] - Different Approaches for Different People
[05:26] - The Law of Christ: Love
[06:07] - Being Approachable in Evangelism
[06:53] - Creating Spaces for All Backgrounds
[07:38] - Doing All Things for the Gospel
[08:25] - The Purpose of Big Days
[09:39] - Understanding Halloween's Complexity
[10:58] - Association vs. God's Word
[12:18] - Avoiding Man-Made Laws
[13:29] - The Danger of Adding to God's Word
[14:48] - Matters of Conscience and Freedom

Sermon Clips

1) "Whatever you believe, I don't care. I'll teach you what I think. But at the end of the day, what matters most is coming to Christ by grace through faith and knowing him personally and relationally, having your sins forgiven because you believe that he died on the cross to pay the penalty for your sin and then he rose from the dead. That's the gospel. And that's the big deal. Okay, so let's just contextualize this. This is a little deal." [01:07] (19 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

2) "I must preach the gospel. I must help everybody understand Jesus Christ. I must intentionally shine my light. And on some levels, I don't even really get a choice in the matter. Verse 20. To the Jews, he's going to explain. Now to the Jews, I become like a Jew so that I might win Jews to those under the law as under the law, though not myself being under the law, so that I might win those under law." [02:26] (21 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

3) "I do all things for the sake of the gospel. I do all things for the sake of the gospel. I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may be a fellow partaker in it. Guys, that's the ambition, at least, of our church. We want to do all things for the sake of the gospel. That means we're always going to tilt the table, man. Imagine you could, if you could just lift a pool table, and you're playing pool with somebody, and you see your ball going the wrong way, and you just kind of lift the table and tilt it so that, you know, you win the game." [07:38] (28 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

4) "Association is not how Christians determine what is wrong. God's Word is. Association. Let me say it again. Association is not how we determine what is wrong. God's Word is how we determine what is wrong. What do I mean by association? That means when I hear a concept, if I think of this other thing that is evil, I say this thing is wrong. It's also evil." [11:30] (24 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

5) "We don't travel beyond what is written. You can get this right from 1 Corinthians 4, 6. This is a big thing in this church. Paul says, you should learn from us not to go beyond what is written. Don't be glorying in different ones that think they have special insight, and they're talking about this thing. And so you think they're cool, so you're kind of devoted to them. No, never do that. Never go beyond what is written. Why? Because what is in God's word is enough. It's enough." [12:18] (23 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

6) "Jesus won and the devil gets nothing. So if you hear from anybody, oh, that's the devil. That's the devil's day. Precious, did the devil make any days? When he makes a day, he can have a day. But he cannot have October 31st because this is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice in it and be glad. It's God's day. Devil, you can't have it. I don't care what you do on it. It's God's day. Jesus won and the devil gets nothing." [23:06] (27 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

7) "Avoid sin. Reduce the distance in your life. This is why we try to reach all people through things like big day. So here's my challenge to you. There is real hard darkness that people are in right now. Like in this season. And can I tell you, dude, it's not like about ghouls and crypts. It's about depression. It's about spiraling downward anger. It's about people feeling so lost. And lonely that they just want to get rid of themselves. That's real darkness. And it's really there. And you and I have the opportunity." [32:42] (36 seconds) (Download raw clip | Download cropped clip)

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