Text: John 1: 1- 12
Intro: John 1:4 Jesus is the source of both natural and spiritual life. When the sun goes down there is physical darkness over
the land; but twenty-four hours a day there is spiritual darkness here.
    A. Men and women without Christ are blind to the things of God.
    B. In the Lord Jesus Christ there is life, and the life that He gives is the light of men. In fact, His life is the only thing that
        can kindle light in the heart of an individual.
    C. According to the meaning of the Greek word for “comprehended,” it would not destroy or change the meaning of verse
        5 of our text to read it: “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness could not put it out.”
    D. No writing of man or revelation from God has made the struggle between good and evil more dramatic than the gospel
        as given by the apostle John.
        1. In the book of John, we are shown the wisdom of God on the one side and the foolishness of man on the other.
        2. We are shown eternal life on the one hand and eternal death on the other.
        3. We are given a picture of spirituality on the one hand and sensuality on the other.
    E. But more than any thing else in John’s gospel, we have the contrast of Light on the one hand and Darkness on the other.
    F. Darkness and light cannot exist together physically.
        1. The moment you bring light in, darkness is gone.
        2. The minute light is taken out, darkness will come right back in (Col 1:13).
I.  “AND THE LIGHT SHINETH IN DARKNESS”
    A. The Scriptures speak of a “literal darkness” and a “spiritual darkness.”
        1. Literal darkness.  (Ge 1:2). And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
            (Mt 27:45) Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour.  (2 Pe 2:4)  For if God
            spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be
            reserved unto judgment;
        2. Spiritual darkness: (Mt 4:16) The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region
            and shadow of death light is sprung up.  (1 Pe 2:9) But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation,
            a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous
            light.  (Ro 13:12) The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us
            put on the armour of light.
    B. When Adam sold out to Satan, the world was plunged into spiritual darkness.
        1. Satan is the god of this age … 2 Cor 4:4,  In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which
            believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
            a. The light is shining, but the Devil has blinded their eyes so they cannot see.
        2. Every person born into this world is born into spiritual darkness (Col 1:13).
    C. From the Cross, Jesus prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.
        1. In other words, “Father, forgive them, for darkness has surrounded them; darkness has engulfed them, and they do
            not know why they are killing me.”  (1 Cor 2:8) Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it,
            they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
    D. What else but darkness would explain why people will destroy their bodies by submerging them in a sea of alcohol and
        drugs?
        1. What else but darkness can explain why our hearts will grow hard and resist what we know is moral and right?
        2. Truly, we live in a world of darkness, under the curse of Adam – because sin has touched each of us…  Ro 5:12,
            Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all
            have sinned:
        3. The darkness of life constantly encircles us, constantly struggling for our very souls.
II. AND THE DARKNESS COULD NOT PUT OUT THE LIGHT!
    A. Praise God! Into the pitch-black darkness of our little existence, the Light has shined… John 1:12,  But as many as
         received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
        1. John 12:46 I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
    B. What was that Light?  It was the Light of Glory; it was the Light of heaven; it was the Light of God in the face of Jesus
         Christ. “And the light shined in darkness, and the darkness could not put it out.”
    C. It was not that the darkness did not try to put out the Light.
        1. Herod laid his evil scheme to try and put out the Light (Matt 2:16).
        2. Pilate moved against his own conscious and the counsel of his wife and condemned Christ to die on the cross, but
            Pilate and all his power could not put out the Light (Matt 27:19-26).
    D. In those first centuries, Roman rulers sent thousands of Christians to death in a blood bath, but they could not put out
         the light… (Mt 5:14) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.  (Mt 16:18)  And I say also
         unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
    E. Theologians dreamed up their diabolical heresy that Jesus was only a man, a great prophet, but they could not put out
        the light of truth.
        1. Modern churches have devised their new morality in an age when folks “do their own thing,” but modern churches
            cannot put out the light.
    F.   Nothing can put out the light, for the light of Jesus, the light of glory goes on shinning in our hearts and in His true N.T.
          churches…  Mt 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
III. WHERE JESUS IS- THERE IS LIGHT.
    A. (John 8:12) Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in
        darkness, but shall have the light of life.
    B. A writer of days gone by relates a childhood experience of watching an old lamplighter light a long row of kerosene
        lamps along a city street. He and his mother peered through a window into the growing darkness and watched, as the
        lamps were lit-one by one. The lamplighter came closer and closer as he walked up the street toward their little window.
        Suddenly he cried out, “Mother, look he’s punching holes in darkness!”
    C. That is exactly what God has been doing for centuries.
        1. He’s been punching holes in the darkness of this world.
        2. Every time a soul is saved - a light has been lit ( Psalm 18:28) For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will
            enlighten my darkness.  (Proverbs 20:27) The spirit of man is the candle of the LORD, searching all the inward parts
            of the belly.
        3. Every time a N.T. church is established - a light has been set on a hill.
    D. Men, like worms, have run from the True Light.
        1. Jesus described it very well when He said (John 3:19) And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world,
            and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
    E. Thank God! His love kept on loving; His grace kept on giving; His mercy kept on reaching; and His Light just keeps on
        shinning - For nothing can put it out.
    F. Throughout the history of man God has been illuminating the darkness of the world.
        1. Look yonder at the foot of Mount Sinai- We see a people dancing, singing and perverting all that is moral and right.
        2. They plunged into the darkness of depravity.
        3. But wait! What is that I see coming down the mountainside?  It is Moses, his face illuminated with the light of the
            Presence of God.  It was God’s light shinning in darkness.
    G. Throughout the Old Testament times there were glimmers, pinpoints and even bursting rays of light showing promises of
         a coming One that would be a light to all the nations.
        1. The promise was that the “people who were sitting in darkness would see a great light.”
        2. By the time Isaiah announced the promise, it was clear that the “Light of the world, would be a person.
        3. He would be the Anointed One of God… (Isa 7:14) Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin
            shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
        4. That promise was fulfilled two thousand years ago… (Mt 1:21) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his
            name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.  (Lu 2:6-7)  And so it was, that, while they were there, the
            days were accomplished that she should be delivered.  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in
            swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.
 IV. The Church Sets as a Light On a Hill
    A. Mt 5:14,  Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
        1. The seeds of Jesus’ teaching found fertile soil in simple hearts that had been prepared by humility.
        2. He left truths that are still punching holes in the darkness of man’s meaningless existence…  (2 Cor 5:18) And all
            things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;
            (1 Tim 3:15) But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which
            is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.
    B. Nothing can put out this “light that sets on an hill!”
        1. Satan has tried hard to put out the light - but the church is still here and preaching the same true gospel that Jesus, Paul
            and others preached.
        2. The powers of hell cannot destroy the church… (Mt 16:18)  And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon
            this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
        3. Jesus will have a true church waiting for Him when He comes for her… Re 19:7, Let us be glad and rejoice, and give
            honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready.  Eph 5:27, That he might
            present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and
            without blemish.
    C. This very hour the light of God’s presence is shining upon you- and reveals to you His divine will for your life… “not
         willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  (2 Pt. 3: 9).
        1. Listen to what verse 12 of John. 1, says,  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons
            of God, even to them that believe on his name:
        2. And to the saved… John 3:21,  But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that
            they are wrought in God.