Shine in the Darkness: The Light Has Come! | Rev. Roberto Chaple

Hey, man. Good morning, church. My name is pastor Roberto and I have the blessing and the privilege to share god's worth with,

God's people this morning and we are in advent believe it or not.

Looks like it was the beginning of the year yesterday and hearing advent already. And this is part of the advent series that we have been doing.

Shine in the darkness the light shines in the darkness if we look at the news and social media which is nowadays is almost the same right?

Social media and news if you look at the news on social media it's easy easy to learn that we are surrounded by what darkness,

So many stress so many tensions so many so many bad news so many fear anxiety economic fructulations and everything so many violence that we're surrounded with.

That it looks like we're surrounded by darkness. But as in everything, advent reminds us that it all depends where we look at.

If we look at the world around us then we see darkness but reminds us I mean look at those that happened relook at the lights so we have here on Sunday depends when you look where you look at. If you look at Jesus you will see the light.

Because Jesus is a light of the world. So, one of the things that the three of the things I actually reminds us the advent, the advent messages that we're doing. It's number one, the light has already come.

The light is here not that we're waiting for the light. Yeah, he's coming back again. He already come. Number two, the dark, the light, dispels the darkness.

A number three which is the probably the one he we don't like. Too much. He calls us to be the light.

So it's not only that the light has come it's not only the the lightest spurs a lot darkness is that he told us that we are the light of the world now if you think why would Jesus compare us to the light,

Now, think about this. The speed of the light. Just Google it.

The speed of the light 186 mph,

Now is there's one thing interesting about the speed of light is that the speed of light is constant.

It doesn't go lower it doesn't go faster it's a constant speed so what

Do you get it already or do I need to translate it for you? When Jesus calls me that i am the light of the world it means that in my commitment I have to be consistent.

That's what it means that I am the light of the world. We are called to be consistent in our commitment.

Normal number two the light travels forward and never backward,

That's the second reason that Jesus compares us to the light not only is a constant speed but also it always goes forward. Never goes back.

Work never to back out in our commitment with Jesus and the all thing that is interesting about being compared that we are the light of the world church is that darkness has no speed.

Darkness is simply you know what? The absence of light.

We are cold to be light not to be darniest. Wait, there's more on that later.

Now last Sunday Pasovika Priest powers the sermon say entitle darkness is over and she preached on that

Very famous passage from Isaiah written,

700 years before Jesus came where he was a nausea was prophesized that the people walking in darkness have seen great light.

And those having a living in the land of big darkness and light dawn on them.

The word of god is the lamb to my what?

Term decisions. Any so so delight onto my what?

Long-term decisions. So, in the word of god, lights of allows us to make wise short-term decisions that will put us in a good position in a long run.

That is the power of the light you see light is true confidence order direction hope we'll learn of that in in last week and if we follow Jesus,

Darkness is over. But we just have to follow Jesus and that is going to come back later as well.

So, today, we're talking to these out of the season about the light has come, how the light has come, and we go to the gospel of John.

John yes the disciple the beloved disciple

That disciple that was really close to Jesus I really follow not only followed him but follow him really close closely that was with Jesus and some of his intimate moments they are in the spiritual depth

Of his ministry John was there with Jesus and and John recording his gospel chapter eight verse 12 that Jesus when Jesus spoke again to the people Jesus said

I am the light of the world whoever follows me will never walk,

In darkness. Now, remember that phrase, whoever what?

All those away say follow me. Okay.

Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but we'll have the light. Lord, this is your word. We thank you for it.

So, may we hear your voice today. Speaking into the deepest part of our heart, changing our will, and putting in us to this position and the passion to go and do your will and do it your way.

In the name of Jesus. Amen.

Now Jesus starts this you see when Jesus spoke again to the people what John says this happens right after the feast of the tabernacles.

If you're familiar with the visual photographs you can go back to it when you go back home and use after you have your lunch and you have your whatever on healthy you eat today.

Or healthy you can Google or you can really search the feast of the Tabernacles.

They used to like candle sticks as a symbol of the pillar of fire that got used to guide his people through the wilderness.

In the book of Exodus you can read about that in excess from 13 21.

God guided his people at night with a pillar of fire. So, in the face of the tabernacles, Jesus,

Then goes and say I am the light of the world right after a fist that was related to what,

To the light so in the minds of the people when when they heard Jesus.

And whoever follows me will never walk in darkness it is it really connected very well to them the fact that his ancestors,

1000 years earlier at night how to pillar a fire that they had to what follow,

So that they can get to save destination. So number one that is the first officer or the of the scripture. A number two.

The fairy cease the haters hm you know they're always out there are they,

You know if you go to you're going to do ministry is like the catch up with the fries they part of the package.

Haters are part of the package in ministry. You know, the Pharisees, they were questioning Jesus authority.

What authority do you have to say that and then Jesus responds to the Pharisees when they question his authority by saying I am the light of the world,

As you see authority is about two things number one jurisdiction and number two power,

If you have authority, you have jurisdiction. It means location. There is a location in which you have.

Influence those who are sleeping can say with me influence. Oh, come on.

Wake up usually burst. Come on. Lights is about territory but also about influence.

So Jesus by saying that he was he was saying to the faresies jurisdiction jurisdiction is access influence is power and by saying I am the light Jesus say I have both.

I have jurisdiction and I have power.

To exercise transformation execute transformation in you see the light has both imprints and jurisdiction we church,

Sometimes we have jurisdiction but do we have power to transform?

So, when Jesus calls us a lot of the world says, you church, you have jurisdiction.

Brandon, your neighborhood, your job, your co-workers, your friends, your family. That is your jurisdiction. Now, the question is, you have juriction. Now, do you have influence?

That is what the light has. Influence is the best exercise of authority.

Sometimes we have soon we claim so much authority that we tend because we want because that authority feels good in our ego it is just me,

Right? Authority feels good in our ego and sometimes it got once wonders and what do you want authority if I want you to have is what influence?

So how can I live in such a way that I will have authority to the next level which is what influence,

That is doesn't matter if you recognize it or not. I am influencing you. I am shaping your way to Julie by the way I live.

That is what been the light of the world really means. I am. The light of the world. Say Jesus.

You see the light came over 2000 years ago people leaving darkness not because of lack of light but because people walk away from it.

The light has already come it's like ice cream to the headache Jesus to darkness,

Any somebody here knows what ice cream it looks like. It's like Tylenol to,

Pain in the in the pain in a bones like a welcome to aging right?

Jesus is to darkness with us for he needs to headache there's only one thing that can they can treat darkness and that is Jesus,

I am the light of the world what the seed mean to be the light of the world you see when we read the gospels,

When we read the gospel not one not two not three,

Four, different witness of what Jesus said, what Jesus did, how Jesus lived, when we read the four gospels, we see Jesus walking and bringing influence and transformation everywhere he went.

Around him.

Sometimes we'll read the gospels and it looks like Jesus was walking in the in a war zone.

So many people suffering for so many things and then still everywhere Jesus went he brought what? Light.

He was dispelling darkness everywhere he went. There are only two teams church. I just told you a part you like. I'm about to tell you the part you're not going to like. Are you ready?

There is only two teams. The Gators and the rest of the world.

No I'm kidding. There is only two teams.

If you're live if our lives don't destroy the darkness you know why? It's because we're part of it.

Oh that didn't like you didn't like that right? I told you. You were not going to like it. I warn you about it. So if our lives do not disperse the darkness around us.

Is only two teams folks,

It's because we are part of the darkness. So, be light.

That when I wake up in the morning, the devil complains.

Oh, come on. There he goes again. Get him a stab so that he can stay as leaving longer.

Is leaving in such a way that the devil complains every time I get up in the morning,

That's what being like us being the light of the world is so all about being light is leaving in such a way that everywhere we go darkness runs for cover who wants that,

I want to leave in such a way that I'm going to be a headache for the devil.

I want to live in such a way that everywhere I go lord help me that everywhere I go darkness will run for cover just like Jesus did the only way,

To be light. It's to follow the light. Is that simple? The only way to walk in the light.

Is to follow the light that's why Jesus went on and said whoever knows me will never walk in darkness that would,

No it's not what it says on the screen.

Whoever what? Follows me. We'll never walk in darkness. You see, then and now, in the feast of the tabernacles.

Was a matter of really life or death,

If they could not follow the pillar of fire there would be dead in the in the wilderness

So they can relate how essential it was to follow the light because following the light wasn't a matter of death leave it live or death for them,

If Jesus would have lived in the 21st century, I believe he would have been Cuban. I mean,

He talked a lot. He talked a lot so I believe he was Cuban.

Who would have like plan he would've like Cuban sandwich she would've like come on come on.

Anyway, if Jesus would have lived in the 21st century,

He would have compared us to some examples that we have today even in modern time with all those state-of-the-art technology that we have still following the lights is a matter of life and death.

You see exposure to natural light. Do we have a picture of that? Exposure of national light. It's essential for mental health.

You want to get somebody crazy put them in the darkness.

The gator states.

Yes.

The sunset says 75 heading southern border line you see Florida the sunsets right there,

National light.

Following national light is essential for human existence. Mariners, you see sailors, they at night when they are deceived, what do they follow?

Yes.

You see if you move closer to the light you're safe but you know if that light becomes small and small and smaller small you're in trouble. Because then you're moving away from it.

So following the light when you are at sea at night is a matter of life or death. You see emergency lights do we have do we have any?

Exit lights. You see those? They have battery. In case we lose power, they stay on. Because they will save your life.

And to in order to we save you have to what? Follow the light. Otherwise you might be fried.

Some of you may say I know it but hard.

What did they tell you in case of a crash and that there's there's an equation what do you have to do follow the floor light,

And if you don't follow the lights,

You're in trouble. Following the lights is a matter of life or death again. You see pilots when they're landing their plane. You know what they used to really land the plane? I really put it safely where it belongs.

They follow the rail lights.

They follow the wrong way lights you see the pilots,

Have some time hundreds of people on their planes and the life of those hundreds of people in their planes the life of those people depend on a simple fact that the pilot really follows the light,

Anybody has children here?

Anybody is a leader here. I tell you, if you have children, if you have people under your supervision, if you're a leader, you are a pilot. The life of those people that really follow you of your children depend on the fact that you follow the light.

And let them play land that plane safely,

And of course anybody in the house that has never ever got a traffic ticket for running at red.

Light. I've never had there is easier to ask who has never had a traffic ticket for running a red light.

Those I mean I'm proud of you guys if you haven't if you had never traffic lights it's a matter of life or what?

Or dad sometimes the the light sometimes Jesus tells you the light tells you to what? Sometimes the light tells you to what?

Just follow the light.

Everybody I know that has Rona red light and gotta take it for it they swear it was pink say what's not red it was pink.

So

Following the light. Over 20 centuries later, following the light is a still a matter of life or death.

That's why Jesus said is not enough for you to know the light.

You're dead. You're fried. If you don't what?

Your lost if you don't. Follow the light. That's why Jesus didn't say whoever knows me but whoever follows me,

Will never walk in darkness. So, the question is not if we know Jesus. The question is do we follow Jesus?

Because we know what a red light means do we stop when we comes we know what a green light means we know what what the traffic likes we know that the street lights mean we don't want we know what the lights mean do we follow them,

So that is what Jesus was saying it's not enough to know the lights you have to follow the light.

But you describe discipleship here it goes at theological tip if you want to explain what discipleship is disciples your ears to know Jesus and then what?

Follow Jesus.

But not all. Follow. Jesus.

Yeah you don't like me for saying that. I know. Many know Jesus but not all follow Jesus. Churches don't grow.

Because sometimes churches are full of people who know Jesus but they don't follow Jesus.

People sometimes we are in the church for years and we are not transformed not because we don't know Jesus but because we don't.

Follow. The light. So, that is what Jesus was trying to tell his people.

For the Easter lights walking in the wilderness it was essential not that just the new the pillar of fire they had to really follow it if they wanted to really get to save destination as I said Jesus chores message,

I mean not as short as Pasovic is Pasoviques are really short messages are they?

It's it's enough information, okay? It's a compliment, pastor. So, Jesus, shortest message, was his most effective message.

You see that's a that's a message message for pastors who sometimes preach over 20 minutes.

Please don't look at the time now.

You know what Jesus chord is a message was? That two letter message. Follow. Me.

Follow them follow him,

You see?

It was that message sure the two word message that activated the process of discipleship multiplication in the world and extension of the kingdom,

Follow me. Because at the end of the day, being a disciple, that's what it is all about.

Following Jesus and then sometimes we have excuses and then after that we have what? Morals Jesus.

Not to follow Jesus. Nothing new. More of the same. You will find them the gospel that Jesus called some people and told them the shortest message.

Follow me and steal they say master our follow you but first are you familiar with those passages,

And the you know what Jesus answer was? No thank you. If I am not going to be your first don't follow me.

There were several people that put excuses to Jesus yeah I will follow you but first meeting you are not the first.

So follow in Jesus is putting tears of what? And nothing else.

So, if we want to be the light, we want to, we need to remove the things that are in that first place. So, that we can let the light in.

How much have we left to follow Jesus?

How much have we left to follow Jesus? You see, the light is always moving. The light is always moving. Jesus designed his ministry around movement.

You see he was moving what?

From town to town from village to village for this feast for this celebration for this meal at this guidance invited him Jesus was always a moving

As a representation that his body his church is not is not called to be an institution it's called to be a what?

A movement. Because a light is always moving. You see the church.

Schools really remove all kind of vaccination because stagnation is when we when we hold them past traumas or when we hold to past victories.

All pastor you you remember those golden years when we used to have,

This and that and that and that. I'm going to say in it. Do you remember these golden years? You see a stocknations, happens when we hold to either a hurting or a glorious past? But we're still holding to it.

That's extag nation. You see movement comes when we cling to Jesus.

He's always moving like the light he's always onto something new he's always on the oh you like the past weight I'm doing something new that is going to take you from glory to glory,

That is what following Jesus is all about there is no growth without what?

Movement. There is no growth without movement. In the Bible, you will find a lot of people who got stuck in their ways and they got lost in ministry,

So you have a neighbor maybe she or he could be sleeping knock on him and tell you don't get a stop because you can get lost come on wake him up.

Come on, wake her up. Don't get stuck because you can get lost. Get lost in history.

In Christian life grove happens as we go Abraham had to leave his hometown and his family and really follow god and learn to trust god as he went,

He really got to get on the move. God didn't send chariots to take his people from midget. Did he,

No he told his people what?

Move follow me and you will get to the promise land only if you follow my direction the pillar fire and the cloud during the day,

Israel didn't see that the shore there in the Red Sea resort.

Waiting for a two open up. Was it that way?

No what did they have to do there was an Israelite that had to really stick their feet on the water and only when they followed only when they obeyed only when they moved the Red Sea opened,

Miracles happen as we follow Jesus.

You see that is the the wonderful thing even Joshua he did not rent a wrecking ball to take down the walls of Jerica did he.

No what do they have to do they have to move around not one not five how many times seven times,

Move around follow resurrection the disciples got to witness the most wonderful miracles that Jesus did all his teachings only because they were decided to what,

To follow,

That only happens as we follow. They talk like Jesus. They thought like Jesus. They began to leave like Jesus on eventually to die like Jesus. Only because they were,

They followed him. You see? Whoever follows Jesus.

Will never walk in darkness.

And then Jesus ends up saying yeah whoever follow me will never walk in in darkness but we'll have. The lights,

Of life. You see the lights was the first thing that god created. Hmm, you wonder why?

Biggest there is life because there is light.

Because everything else in creation depends on what,

Online all the process of photosynthesis all the process of everything that happens in creation depends on what?

A light. That is how important we are to this world.

Everything depends on the role of the church. The light activate processes of life.

And today god wants to snap to look just at events scattered events in our lives Jesus wants us to look at patterns.

Events that become patterns in our lives that sometimes they tell us that we're leaving in what? In darkness.

Because maybe we know Jesus.

But we're not following him yet. So today is the day where Jesus can dispel the darkness.

And that is only there's only one way that's going to happen is if we are ready to leave stuff behind.

And follow Jesus. Today is the day to go from knowing Jesus.

To following. Jesus. Lord, thank you for this morning.

And thank you for your word. Your word is challenging. Your word is really moving us forward, lord.

It is through your word that you created the universe.

So lord may your light dispel the darkness around us. May your light.

Activate processes of life. So that we can live the bondum life. That you have given us.

Hey man thank you pastor Roberto.