• Sixth
Sunday after the Epiphany.
with 1 Peter 2:9-12 and John 1:35-42
with 1 Peter 2:9-12 and John 1:35-42
www.FirstChurchBville.com
@FirstUMCBville @kerrfunk
•
Fill in the blank: Fish gotta ___, birds gotta ___
Christians gotta ______
Christians gotta ______
(ǝuᴉɥs
'ʎlɟ 'ɯᴉʍs :sɹǝʍsuɐ)
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Sunset last night occurred at 6:08pm. It occurred at 5:19pm on New Year’s Day.
The light is coming into the world!
When do we notice it? When it’s dark.
The light is coming into the world!
When do we notice it? When it’s dark.
We crave the light when it’s dark.
The
book of Revelation written in a time of darkness,
and the church is the lampstand, the bearer of light.
and the church is the lampstand, the bearer of light.
•
It is said without risk there would be no love, and without pain there would be
no joy. And so it is in the world’s darkness that God’s light can truly shine.
What
is that darkness? Ignorance, intolerance, prejudice, hatred, death.
Hopelessness, failure, confusion, loneliness, despair. I’m not good enough. The
problems are too great. I’m a failure. I can’t do anything right. Bad things
always happen to me.
But
we remember that in Jesus there is a light that the darkness cannot overcome,
that in him there is no darkness at all, and that Jesus came to seek and save
the lost.
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Advent: the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.
Simeon proclaimed that Jesus came as a light for revelation to the nations.
Jesus later declared I am the light of the world, who follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.
Simeon proclaimed that Jesus came as a light for revelation to the nations.
Jesus later declared I am the light of the world, who follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life.
As
God let our ancestors through the wilderness with pillar of fire,
so Jesus came to lead us by means of divine light.
so Jesus came to lead us by means of divine light.
•
Remember that Jesus is the SUN (Sufficient, Unique, Necessary)
and like our sun, comes into the world every day, day after day. Comes not based on human merit, and empowers us to behold and nurture and distribute life, love, hope, beauty.
and like our sun, comes into the world every day, day after day. Comes not based on human merit, and empowers us to behold and nurture and distribute life, love, hope, beauty.
Christ
came that those who dwell in spiritual death and darkness might have eternal
life.
Christ
came as light of the world to reveal the way to abundant life.
•
Christ has no feet or hands but yours.
Individual Christians as well as congregations have the calling and responsibility
to be bearers of the light, like the moon to reflect the light of the brighter source.
Individual Christians as well as congregations have the calling and responsibility
to be bearers of the light, like the moon to reflect the light of the brighter source.
“Little
children, let us not love with words or speech but with action and truth.”
“Let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven.”
“Let your light shine before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father who is in heaven.”
•
Therefore, as God’s choice, holy and loved, put on compassion, kindness,
humility, gentleness, and patience. 13 Be tolerant with each other
and, if someone has a complaint against anyone, forgive each other. As the Lord
forgave you, so also forgive each other. 14 And over all these things
put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. 17 Whatever you do,
whether in speech or action, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus and give
thanks to God the Father through him.
•
Hymn 188 Christ is the World’s Light
1 John 3:18-24
(CEB)
18 Little
children, let’s not love with words or speech but with action and truth. 19 This
is how we will know that we belong to the truth and reassure our hearts in
God’s presence. 20 Even if our hearts condemn us, God is greater than
our hearts and knows all things. 21 Dear friends, if our hearts don’t
condemn us, we have confidence in relationship to God. 22 We receive
whatever we ask from him because we keep his commandments and do what pleases
him. 23 This is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his
Son, Jesus Christ, and love each other as he commanded us. 24 Those
who keep his commandments dwell in God and God dwells in them. This is how we
know that he dwells in us, because of the Spirit he has given us. ò
Matthew
5:13-16 (CEB)
13 “You
are the salt of the earth. But if salt loses its saltiness, how will it become
salty again? It’s good for nothing except to be thrown away and trampled under
people’s feet. 14 You are the light of the world. A city on top of a
hill can’t be hidden. 15 Neither do people light a lamp and put it
under a basket. Instead, they put it on top of a lampstand, and it shines on
all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine
before people, so they can see the good things you do and praise your Father
who is in heaven. ò
Revelation
1:20 (CEB)
20 As
for the mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and the seven
gold lampstands, here is what they mean: the seven stars are the angels of the
seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches. ò
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