REMEMBER THE FATHER OF LIGHTS
Below are notes to a sermon preached Sunday morning, Dec. 26, 1999, at Gospel Light Baptist Church, Albany, Georgia:
REMEMBER THE FATHER OF LIGHTS
By Michael D. O’Neal Pastor, Gospel Light Baptist Church Albany, Georgia
Scripture Reading: James 1:17-25
Text: James 1:17
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
Introduction: Many of us take time to look at lights at this time of the year. There are beautiful displays of lights in public parks, in the streets of cities and towns, and on the yards and in the homes of ordinary people. Some of them are simple, while others are large, complex, beautiful, and expensive.
I would like to take the opportunity on this last Sunday morning of the millennium, to remind you to honor, glorify, and meditate on “the Father of lights” at this time of the year. I don’t know that I have ever heard a message preached from this text, but I hope it will be a blessing to you.
By the way, the most consistently impressive light display of all time is that which we behold in the heavens. GOD is the one who draped those lights across the night sky. For the Bible says,
Genesis 1:16 And God made two great lights; the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night: he made the stars also.
I. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIGHTS, THINK OF GOD
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
“… from ABOVE …”
A. The Lord is defined as light
* 1 John 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
B. The Lord dwells in light
* 1 Timothy 6:15-16 Which in his times he shall shew, who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings, and Lord of lords; 16 Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to whom be honour and power everlasting. Amen.
* In Rev. 1:12-13, Jesus appeared in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks, which are the seven churches.
C. The Lord distributes light
* Revelation 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.
D. The Lord divides light from darkness
* Genesis 1:4 And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.
* 2 Corinthians 6:14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?
II. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIGHTS, THINK OF GLOWING
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
“… the Father of LIGHTS …”
The things of God GLOW! For instance,
A. The Son of God glows
* 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. The scriptures of God glow
* Psalms 119:105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.
C. The saints of God glow
* God is the Father of lights in that He is the Father of every believer!
* Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
* Matthew 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
III. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIGHTS, THINK OF GIFT GIVING
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
“Every good GIFT and every perfect GIFT …”
A. God gave light at the creation
* Genesis 1:3 And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
* He gave this world to mankind. What a wonderful gift! And we have turned it into a haven of wickedness … a garbage dump!
B. God gives light at conversion
* Acts 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.
* 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
C. God gives light in comfort
* Psalms 18:27-28 For thou wilt save the afflicted people; but wilt bring down high looks. 28 For thou wilt light my candle: the LORD my God will enlighten my darkness.
D. God gives light in comprehension (of the scriptures)
* Psalms 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
The greatest gift of all, the Lord Jesus Christ, was given to this world with a bright light shining in the east!
IV. WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE LIGHTS, THINK OF THE GUARANTEE
James 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
“… no VARIABLENESS, neither SHADOW of TURNING.”
People are concerned that there may be power failures with the coming of the new millennium because of the Y2K bug. I’m glad that God’s light never goes out!
A. He is consistent in His affection
* Love brightens a person like a light.
* Couples often find the stars to be romantic.
* A candlelight dinner is supposed to signify love and romance.
* God’s light of love never goes out!
* Romans 8:38-39 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, 39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
B. He is consistent in His awareness
* We don’t know what is going on when it is dark.
* God’s light is such that He always knows what is going on.
* Psalms 139:12 Yea, the darkness hideth not from thee; but the night shineth as the day: the darkness and the light are both alike to thee.
C. He is consistent in His ability
* If there is an electrical outage, we will either notice the lights flickering, or they will go out altogether. When that happens, we say, “The power has gone out!”
* I’m glad that God’s light never goes out!
* It reminds me that His POWER never goes out!
* He has power to SAVE you this morning!
* He has power to sustain and strengthen you!