The distinction between light and darkness begins very early in the history of this world. Like from the beginning. And by the beginning I mean Genesis 1:3-5. At this time however, distinction between light and dark is not sin, but the contrast is stark. Day and night wereseparatedby light or lack thereof; however, the contrast would take a new narrative in chapter 3 when the fall changed everything.

From that time on, sin has come to be described as darkness, or theabsenceof light. This makes sense, because sin makes us want to hide, and there is no easier place to hide than in the dark. It is where our guilt, our shame and our pleasure in badness runs rampant. Every one of us was born in darkness. Born to love evil and war against the light.

God on the other hand is defined as light, and in whom can be nodarknessat all (1 John 1:5). Many of our L3 passages in the last two weeks have gone to greatlengthsto show this comparison and teach us about the much-older-than-we-are struggle between darkness and light. 1 John 1:6-7 lays out the bottom line for us.

If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.

There is no such thing as having a foot in both worlds. You can't be in darkness and light and the same time. They are opposite. Dark either overwhelms the light or the light cuts through the darkness. There are many who want relationship with God (salvation and ongoing) but don't want to give up a lifestyle or habit. The verse is clear. We can say we have fellowship with the Light and walk in darkness, but it is a lie.

If you have been cleansed by the blood of the Son, you are free from darkness; it has no hold on you. It can never reclaim you. But you can choose to let the dark hide your light for a time. Like Paul in Romans, we are no longer slaves to sin, but we can sure act like we are at times. We are not children of darkness, but sometimes our light is very dim.

So what do we do if our walk is clouded bydarkness? Run towards the light. Get in the Word. Let the Spirit convict you of sin. Confess. Make things right. Be in the Light. Let the Light shine through you. Be a child of light, a city on a hill, so that all may see you and glorify your Father in Heaven. Our God is in the restoration business. He is continually at work, sanctifying us and building us into what He has created us to be - sons and daughters of light.

Brian Tryhus
FBC Family Pastor

Over this past week, we read through the first chapter of the Gospel of John. As Joe said this weekend, John's Gospel starts out in a different way when compared with the other three Gospels (aka the "synoptic gospels"). He describes who Jesus is and what His incarnation accomplished. Here's a list of some of what we can learn about Jesus from John 1:

• Jesus (the Word) was in the beginning with God (1:1, 2).
• Jesus (the Word) is God (1:1).
• Everything was made through Jesus, and without Him, nothing was made that was made (1:3).
• Jesus' light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (1:5).
• All who receive Jesus have been given the right to become children of God (1:12).
• The Word, Jesus, became flesh and dwelt among mankind (1:14).
• Jesus, in the flesh, reveals the glory of God (1:14).
• Grace and truth come through Jesus (1:17).
• While no one has ever seen God, He has been made known through Jesus (1:18).
• Jesus is the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world (1:29).
• Jesus is the Son of God (1:34).
• Jesus is the Christ (literally, "the Anointed One," or "Messiah") (1:41).
• Jesus is the one about whom Moses and the prophets wrote and prophesied (1:45).

This chapter is packed with powerful truth about the person and the work of Jesus. As we continue through John's Gospel, we will see these descriptions and titles developed as Jesus begins His ministry to mankind, and His journey to the cross for our redemption.

In the Son,

Bill Horn
FBC Worship Arts Pastor