Transformative Power of God's Marvelous Light

 

Summary

In the sermon, the focus is on the transformative power of God's "Marvelous Light" as described in 1 Peter 2:9. This light is not just a metaphor but a profound spiritual reality that changes everything about a believer's life. A true Christian, unlike a mere professor of faith, is a marvel because they are transformed by God's Spirit, becoming a new creation. This transformation is so profound that it makes the believer a marvel to themselves and to others. The sermon emphasizes that this light is marvelous because it comes from God, revealing truths that are invisible to the natural eye and bringing a new understanding of life and eternity.

The sermon draws a vivid contrast between the darkness of ignorance and the light of God's truth. Before experiencing this light, even those raised in Christian environments may live in spiritual darkness, unaware of the true power and meaning of the Gospel. The light of God, however, breaks through this darkness, bringing freedom and joy. This light is described as marvelous because it reveals the reality of God, heaven, and spiritual truths that are otherwise hidden. It is a light that transforms the believer's perception, allowing them to see the world and themselves in a new way.

The sermon also highlights the permanence and increasing nature of this light. Once received, it cannot be extinguished by any force, and it continues to grow, leading the believer closer to the fullness of eternal life. This light is a foretaste of heaven, already present in the believer's life, and it calls them to live in a way that reflects their heavenly citizenship. The sermon concludes with an invitation for those who have not yet experienced this light to seek it earnestly, assuring them that God will reveal Himself to those who sincerely seek Him.

Key Takeaways:

1. The Marvel of Transformation: A true Christian is a marvel because they are transformed by God's Spirit, becoming a new creation. This transformation is profound, making the believer a marvel to themselves and others, as they live a life that is both earthly and heavenly. [01:35]

2. From Darkness to Light: Before experiencing God's light, even those familiar with the Gospel may live in spiritual darkness. The light of God breaks through this darkness, bringing freedom, joy, and a new understanding of life and eternity. [05:35]

3. The Excellence of God's Light: God's light is superior to any human wisdom or effort. It is a divine illumination that reveals spiritual truths and transforms the believer's perception, allowing them to see the world and themselves in a new way. [14:40]

4. The Permanence of Divine Light: Once received, God's light cannot be extinguished by any force. It continues to grow, leading the believer closer to the fullness of eternal life, and is a foretaste of heaven already present in their life. [30:40]

5. An Invitation to Seek the Light: Those who have not yet experienced God's light are invited to seek it earnestly. God promises to reveal Himself to those who sincerely seek Him, offering them the transformative power of His marvelous light. [36:08]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:14] - Introduction to Marvelous Light
- [00:39] - The Marvel of a True Christian
- [01:14] - God-Made vs. Man-Made Christians
- [02:10] - The Enigma of God's Grace
- [03:18] - From Darkness to Marvelous Light
- [05:15] - The Angelic Deliverance
- [07:01] - The Marvelous Light of Experience
- [09:05] - Understanding the Light of God
- [11:29] - The Origin of Marvelous Light
- [14:40] - The Excellence of God's Light
- [17:29] - What the Light Reveals
- [20:36] - Seeing into the Heart of Things
- [25:06] - The Change Produced by the Light
- [30:40] - The Eternal Nature of the Light
- [36:08] - Invitation to Seek the Light

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: Marvelous Light

Bible Reading:
1 Peter 2:9

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Observation Questions:

1. According to 1 Peter 2:9, what are the four descriptions given to believers, and what is their purpose?
2. In the sermon, how does the speaker describe the difference between a true Christian and a mere professor of faith? [00:39]
3. What does the sermon say about the state of those who have not yet experienced God's light, even if they are familiar with the Gospel? [03:18]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon explain the transformative power of God's "Marvelous Light" in a believer's life? [01:35]
2. What does the sermon suggest about the permanence and growth of God's light once it is received by a believer? [30:40]
3. How does the sermon describe the contrast between human wisdom and the divine illumination provided by God's light? [14:40]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you felt transformed by God's light. How did it change your perception of yourself and the world around you? [01:35]
2. Before experiencing God's light, have you ever felt like you were in spiritual darkness despite knowing the Gospel? How did you seek to overcome it? [03:18]
3. The sermon invites those who haven't experienced God's light to seek it earnestly. What steps can you take this week to seek God's light more intentionally? [36:08]
4. How can you ensure that the light of God continues to grow in your life, leading you closer to the fullness of eternal life? [30:40]
5. In what ways can you live out your heavenly citizenship in your daily life, reflecting the marvelous light you have received? [01:35]
6. Consider the areas in your life where you rely on human wisdom. How can you invite God's divine illumination into those areas? [14:40]
7. How can you share the experience of God's marvelous light with others who may still be in spiritual darkness? [06:43]

Devotional

Day 1: The Marvel of Transformation
A true Christian is a marvel because they are transformed by God's Spirit, becoming a new creation. This transformation is profound, making the believer a marvel to themselves and others, as they live a life that is both earthly and heavenly. The transformation is not merely a change in behavior but a deep, spiritual renewal that affects every aspect of life. It is a journey from the old self to a new identity in Christ, marked by a growing understanding of God's love and purpose. This transformation is a testament to the power of God's Spirit working within, making the believer a living example of God's grace and mercy. [01:35]

2 Corinthians 5:17-18 (ESV): "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation."

Reflection: Think of a specific area in your life where you have experienced transformation through God's Spirit. How can you share this marvel with someone who might need encouragement today?


Day 2: From Darkness to Light
Before experiencing God's light, even those familiar with the Gospel may live in spiritual darkness. The light of God breaks through this darkness, bringing freedom, joy, and a new understanding of life and eternity. This transition from darkness to light is a profound experience that opens the eyes of the heart to the reality of God's presence and love. It is a journey of liberation from the chains of ignorance and sin, leading to a life filled with hope and purpose. The light of God not only illuminates the path ahead but also reveals the beauty and truth of God's promises, transforming the believer's perspective on life and eternity. [05:35]

Ephesians 5:8-10 (ESV): "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), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord."

Reflection: Identify an area in your life where you still feel the shadows of spiritual darkness. What steps can you take today to invite God's light into that area?


Day 3: The Excellence of God's Light
God's light is superior to any human wisdom or effort. It is a divine illumination that reveals spiritual truths and transforms the believer's perception, allowing them to see the world and themselves in a new way. This light is not just an enhancement of human understanding but a complete reorientation of the heart and mind towards God's truth. It provides clarity and insight that surpasses human reasoning, guiding the believer in making decisions that align with God's will. The excellence of God's light is evident in its ability to bring peace, wisdom, and understanding in situations where human efforts fall short. [14:40]

Psalm 36:9 (ESV): "For with you is the fountain of life; in your light do we see light."

Reflection: Consider a decision you are currently facing. How can you seek God's light to guide you in making a choice that aligns with His truth and wisdom?


Day 4: The Permanence of Divine Light
Once received, God's light cannot be extinguished by any force. It continues to grow, leading the believer closer to the fullness of eternal life, and is a foretaste of heaven already present in their life. This light is a constant source of strength and hope, providing assurance of God's presence and promises. It is a light that not only sustains the believer through life's challenges but also deepens their relationship with God. The permanence of divine light is a reminder of the eternal nature of God's love and the unshakeable foundation of faith that believers can rely on. [30:40]

Isaiah 60:19-20 (ESV): "The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. Your sun shall no more go down, nor your moon withdraw itself; for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended."

Reflection: Reflect on a time when you felt God's light sustaining you through a difficult period. How can this assurance of His permanent light encourage you in your current circumstances?


Day 5: An Invitation to Seek the Light
Those who have not yet experienced God's light are invited to seek it earnestly. God promises to reveal Himself to those who sincerely seek Him, offering them the transformative power of His marvelous light. This invitation is a call to open one's heart to the possibility of a life-changing encounter with God. It is an encouragement to pursue a deeper relationship with the Creator, trusting that He will illuminate the path and provide guidance and wisdom. Seeking God's light is an active pursuit that requires faith, humility, and a willingness to be transformed by His love and truth. [36:08]

Jeremiah 29:13-14 (ESV): "You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, declares the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile."

Reflection: What is one specific way you can seek God's light more earnestly in your daily life? How can you create space for God to reveal Himself to you in new and transformative ways?

Quotes

"Everything about a true Christian is marvelous he is a Marvel to himself and a Marvel to all who are around about him mere professors man-made Christians people who have made themselves Christians by their own free will apart from the spirit of God Have Nothing marvelous about them you can make professors of that sort by the score and you can see them dissolve by the score for what manade man can unmake and what is merely natural has its season like the leaves on the trees and by and by it Withers away because it's time to fade has come but a true Christian is a god-made man a twice born man and he is a partaker of the divine nature he is a mass of Marvel no s for he is dead and yet he is alive he is one who lives here and yet his life has gone away up yonder he is one who is a citizen of Earth and yet his citizenship is in heaven he is a true man but he is more than a man for God Has Lifted him up above the level of other men given him a life which other men do not possess revealed to him Secrets which others do not know and prepared for him a place into which the ungodly can never enter the longer he looks at himself the more he wonders at God's grace and at what God's Grace has done is doing and will yet do for him he is a riddle to himself an enigma made up of a thousand enigmas probably he does not fully understand all that has happened in any single day of his life and there are certain days in which God's dealings with him quite stagger him and though Faith seeth all things to be plain yet to Mere human reason things often appear to be in a snar and intertwined and he knows not what to make of them everything about the true Christian is marvelous as Angels know who often desire to look into the things which concern them and as he knows who is our leader and Commander who is a man wondered at and whose faithful followers are all wondered at still he himself is the greatest Marvel of all and among the many Marvels that surround him is The Marvelous Light in which he dwells." [00:36:23]

"Those of us who are now in Christ lived at one time in the gross darkness of ignorance I mean even those of us who were brought up in Christian families and knew the letter of the Gospel well we did not know its inner meaning and we never felt its power we were in darkness though indeed there was a certain measure of Light which had come to us which made us responsible for our wrongdoing yet still our heart remained in Gross darkness and by and by this Darkness was attended with much misery there came to us a little light just sufficient to make our Darkness visible so that we perceived the darkness in which we dwelt and we began to sigh and cry like prisoners shut up in an underground dungeon to whom light and fresh air cannot come then everything about us seemed to Blacken and the Gloom around us deepened we were in the dark as to our apprehensions of the future we knew that we must die yet we feared to die we clung to life yet sometimes we did not desire even even life itself but said with job my soul chooseth strangling and death rather than my life the prospect of annihilation would have seemed almost like heaven to us if we could thereby have got rid of our sinful sorrowful being clouded with apprehensions of the wroth of God and of judgments yet to come upon us I know that I'm talking about something which many of you understand it was a thick Egyptian night in which you were then enveloped a darkness that might be felt and you tried your utmost to escape from it but you could not for it was in you your soul was in darkness The Light Within your spirit was quenched and all around you seemed to darken and darken and darken as though an eternal midnight was surely descending upon you." [00:49:56]

"Well at that time it happened unto me and I know that it also happened unto some of you as it did to Peter that the angel of the Lord suddenly smote us on our side and a light Shone into our prison house and we arose scarcely knowing what we were doing but we GED our garments about us and followed our Angelic leader while the prison Gates which had formerly shut us in opened open before us of their own accord and we found ourselves to be free and in broad daylight too although for a time we could scarcely realize those blessed facts we saw what we had never seen before we enjoyed what we had never even hoped to enjoy I as in an instant we possessed what we thought must be forever denied to us and we scarcely knew how to contain our joy but we made our way as fast as we could to the house of Christ's disciples who had prayed for us a four time and now we gladdened them as we told them the story of God's delivering and enlightening Grace and so showed forth the Praises of him who had called us out of Darkness Into His Marvelous Light truly it was Marvelous Light to us at that time many days have passed since then with some of us but it is Marvelous Light still and as we look upon it now it is not any less marvelous than it was at the very first it is of that Marvelous Light that I'm going to speak and as I tell of my own experience of it I pray God to grant that some of you who have never known its power in your own Souls may be made to rejoice in it." [00:55:35]

"Imagine if you can the condition of a man who has lived all his lifetime in a coal mine suppose him never to have had a brighter light than his flickering candle and then after a while to be brought up the shaft and to see the brightness of the Sun at midday I can scarcely picture his amazement you may fancy what it would be like but you can hardly realize it or suppose a worst case still that of one born blind who had heard of a thing called light but could never imagine what it was like till a skillful oculist took away the film that was blinding him and his eye was open so that he could perceive the light it would be very difficult to describe all the emotions of one who had never enjoyed the light before but certainly such a person would be full of wonder and amazement it would be indeed Marvelous Light to him you who have never been converted who never were regenerated do not know any more about the light of God than the man in the coal mine knows about the Sun or that man born blind knows about the light of day perhaps you talk a good deal about it and possibly you write about it and you form judgments about it and they are just as wise and just as accurate as the verdict of blind men would be concerning colors of which they have no no conception you say sometimes concerning the gospel it is all nonsense there is no such thing as the light of Truth just because you never saw any which is a very poor method of argument." [01:18:39]

"Secondly we perceive that it is Marvelous Light when we consider its origin our text tells us that it is God's light who hath called you out of Darkness Into His Marvelous Light what is God's light can you imagine how that light existed before he made the Sun or the moon light Shone on this world before the sun and the moon were created for light comes not from them except as God has stored it up in them or continually supplies it to them but there is always light in God he is is the great light Creator yet I never read that the light which God created in the world was called His Marvelous Light God made the light but it was not his light even then there is another light which is natural to him a light of brightness and knowledge clear and Heavenly a light such as mortal man attains not unto except as the Supreme gift of the grace of God shall visit him it is this light which rests upon the people of God there is a light which lith every man that cometh into the world but God's Marvelous Light comes only to his Chosen and gladdens only those whose eyes have learned to look to Jesus and who find their souls confidence and salvation in him who is the very light of God." [01:34:40]

"This illuminated man sees God whom ordinary human eyes can never see he looks back into the ages past and gone and he sees god making all the worlds that ever existed while those who are reckoned as wise men but who are without that light spin ingenious but worthless theories about how those worlds grew these men have such wonderful theories that it really seems surprising that they do not themselves make a few worlds since they profess to have found out so many ways of making them but the opened eye sees that the worlds were framed by the word of God and it sees God's hand in all the histories of all the centuries and it even sees God's hand in the things recorded in the newspaper that most startle us the man who has his eyes opened sees heaven and hell eternity and everlasting life he sees them not with dull Optics Like These Eyes of ours which after all do not really see for it is the soul behind the eye that really looks out through the window and perceives what is to be seen but in this Marvelous Light Of God the soul sees without any Optics and without any glass it is flung away its telescope for it is comes so near the object upon which it is gazing that there is no need of any intervening medium it walks and talks with the angels and what is far better it speaks with God himself this is indeed Marvelous Light which has made us to see the things that to ordinary mortal eyes are invisible and it is such Marvelous Light because it enables us to see them so clearly." [01:46:03]

"A further characteristic of this light is that it enables us to see right into the heart of things by this world's light you only see that such and such a thing is you see the appearance it presents but this light lets you see into the innermost Heart Of Truth and what is better still it brings the truth right into your soul by this light you not only see the doctrine of election but you also know yourself to be elect you see the great truth of redemption and you know yourself to be Redeemed by this light you see regeneration and you feel the pulsing of the life of God within your spirit and though mortal eye hath not seen Heaven neither hath the ear of man heard its rapturous harmonies nor has the true conception of Heaven entered into the heart of man yet the spirit of God brings Heaven down to us and raises us up to heaven so that we sit among the heavenlies in Christ Jesus and our conversation is in heaven from whence also we look for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ all this proves that it is a glorious light is it not." [02:03:36]

"This Marvelous Light makes a wonderful change in a man's character that is to say if it really comes to him because you know there is some who go into the inquiry room and kneel down and cry a good deal and all the good that can possibly do is to take away some of the Superfluous fluid from the brain for there is no heart in their repentance it is mere excitement and nothing else but it is a very different thing to have the light of God to have the Holy Ghost really shed abroad in the heart do not any of you be satisfied with saying I am converted happy day mind that you are converted be sure that it is heart work Soul work and that the spirit of God has wrought it not the preacher not an excited evangelist not a book you read but that God himself has come to you and made you a new creature in Christ Jesus for unless this is the case I shall not be able to speak of the changes I have spoken and which to my intense Joy I have seen in hundreds and in thousands who have passed from Darkness to light and from the power of Satan into the kingdom of Christ." [02:46:35]

"One change that always takes place as the result of receiving this light is great joy the joy is not always as great in all to whom the light comes but still it does bring great joy wherever it shines talk of true happiness it is nowhere to be discovered till the light Eternal breaks in upon the mind and heart and then Heaven has begun below some of us have our full share of pain of body and depression of spirit yet in our work worst moments we would not change places with the happiest worldling that lives not even when most depressed and weary would we exchange our position even for a minute for that of the greatest emperor in the world who does not know that inner light I can truly say and so can many of you I would not change my blessed estate for all that Earth calls good or great and while my faith can keep her hold I envy not the sinner's gold." [02:56:09]

"Lastly it is Marvelous Light because it will never go out as it is the light of God the devil cannot blow it out if all the devils in hell were to try to blow out one single spark that is in a True believer's Heart they might puff till they died of puffing but they would never put that spark out God has lit it and they cannot quench it our Lord Jesus Christ said my sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me and I give unto them eternal life and they shall never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life if you do not keep this everlasting life it is quite clear that you never had it if you really have eternal life it must be eternal life and it shall abide with you forever but what is better not only shall you never lose it but it will continually increase if you have God's marvelous life though it seems only like Starlight now it will be like Moonlight soon then it will be daylight and soon it will be noon tide for to whomsoever God has given a little of this Divine Light more is sure to follow for the light of God which is given to us by the Holy Ghost here is the very light of Heaven it has only to be fully developed you have all the element of Eternal happiness within your own Spirit now if the Holy Ghost has truly enlightened you and made your character like that of the Lord Jesus Christ as to death well at the moment of death you will leave your body behind and you will leave with it all tendency to sin the root of Eternal blessedness is in you now if the Lord has really looked upon you in love and you have looked to Christ by faith you have the upspringing plant of Grace some of you have leaves and buds so all that will happen to you in heaven is that the buds will open and the flower will be perfected but it is all there now Christ said I give not I will give but I give unto my sheep eternal life you have eternal life if believe in him the same life that will develop in glory is in you now." [03:03:36]

"Pray God to develop that life intreat the Lord to increase it think a great deal of it value it highly suffer not your body which is its Temple to be Dishonored by sin God dwelleth in you the life Divine is within you so I beseech you live as those should live who are not only HS of heaven but who have the life of Heaven already abiding in their hearts come my brethren and sisters let us rejoice and be glad as we thus think of this Marvelous Light which is to be our light forever and ever for up there the Lord God giveth them light and he giveth light to us even now and it is his light and there cannot be any light better than his so in it let us rejoice and magnify his name I wish that some here who have not this light could be set a longing for it Mr bunan says that even if we do not invite The Sinner to come to Christ if we spread a good table before him it makes his mouth water and that is the next best thing to an invitation does any poor soul begin to say I do not know anything about that light I'm not going to deny that it may exist but I should be a fool if if I were to go upon negative evidence I wish I did know it well you may know it do your soul this piece of Justice go and pray to God to make you know it Go and bow before him and say Lord if thou DST indeed reveal thyself to Men by thy spirit in Christ Jesus reveal thyself to me he will hear you I'm sure of that even if he did not there would be this reflection on your mind that having listened to the testimony of one who has no motive for deceiving you you have at least given enough Credence to it to try it and test it and you will feel all the easier in your mind even if the experiment should fail but it will not fail for never did a soul in honest G less heartiness seek the light and love of God and seek in vain nor will you do so go then to God through Jesus Christ and this Marvelous Light shall break in upon you God grant it for Jesus Christ's sake amen." [03:27:12]

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Transcript
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