There is an 'I' in the 'I AM' (Part 2)

This a true story that I read some time ago in the Naval Institute magazine and they published the story and is a story about a battleship that was maneuvering its way on a very dark and foggy night.

The light tornado reported to the captain that the ship seemed to be heading on a collision course with another vessel and the captain gave the order is said signal the other ship and told him that they must to avoid collision change course 20° or the return signal comebacker and service it is advisable that you change course 20°.

The captain said look, tell them I am Capt. so-and-so of the X, Y, and Z battleship you change course 20° temperature response while I am Siemens second-class someone saw and you must change course 20° by the time the captain was furious and is he who does this second-class seaman think he is, how dare he talk to a Capt. Beltway and he yelled at his signalman and he said the reset send this message.

I am a battleship and am ordering you to change course 20°. Then came the response.

I can change course.

I am a lighthouse and my beloved friends, for the past 2000 years, ever since the Lord Jesus Christ declared himself as God's Messiah as the light of the world, humanity has been defying has been denying and has been demanding and screaming that he needs to change course.

Sadly, those who are denying and refusing God's Messiah are on a collision course on that great day of judgment.

In John chapter 8 verse 12. If you have your Bibles are content to it. John chapter 8. There, Jesus declared himself to be the light of the world, but there's something very important about the timing of this when he declared himself to be the light of the world. It was a celebration of the feast of Tabernacle God's people were celebrating the day where they remembered how God protected them how God guided them by a pillar of fire in the wilderness to take them all the way until they got safely into the promised land not we commenced a series entitled there is and I and the IM and in the last message we saw the first declaration. When Jesus said I am the bread of life and the reason he used the word IM in order to remind them that he is the same one who appeared to Moses at the burning bush.

You remember when Moses said to him when he commissioned them to go and get his people out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.

And he said who do I tell them sentiment these are gone. Tell them I am sent you and Jesus was trying to explain to his people that he is the same IM the pre-incarnate Christ to appear to Moses and the burning bush.

He is the one who told Moses to go until the people of Israel that my name is Diane and we saw in the last message. How are you now provided for his people from heaven manner food to sustain them physically in the wilderness and now Jesus is saying I am the bread of life. I am the one the only one who can provide you eternal life. While the manna from heaven sustain them physically. The manna of God. Jesus himself the son of God is spiritually sustaining them spiritually guiding them and spiritually take them all the way to heaven and here in chapter 8, he tells them.

I am the light of the world for simple words, in which Jesus telling us that he is the divine light of Yahweh in human flesh that he is the source of all light and all of humanity at all times that he is the only one who can banish the darkness of sin and guilt and shame that he's the only one who can banish the darkness of death and the grave. That is the only one who can banish the darkness of addiction and slavery to sin. Therefore everyone everywhere needs to turn to him to avoid the judgment day to avoid the collision course must turn to the light of the world, but also Jesus was reminding them of something else. He was reminding them of the fact that when they were in the land of slavery in Egypt.

God, in order to teach Pharaoh a lesson he kept on sending one plague after another, 10 of them. One plague after another.

And while the Egyptians were plagued by those plagues, the people of God will protected the people of God that watched over and the nine flight number nine plague was that of darkness. It got so dark in the land of Egypt that they couldn't see each other. It was so dark you can even see their hands in front of them and so the only thing they could do is to sit in place for three days in the darkness at the same time, God's light was shining in the community of God with the people of God living and I'm telling you now as it gets dark outside the community of God. The children of the living God must shine brighter than ever before.

Not only that, the pre-incarnate Messiah provided them and guided them all the way to the promised land, but he protected them in the middle of the darkness of Egypt.

He protected them with life. Those of us who have experienced Jesus the light of the world who have come to him and believed in him and put our trust in him as our only Savior and Lord cannot avoid but see and observe how darkness is engulfing our culture, how darkness is engulfing our society, how darkness is engulfing the world the forces of darkness seem to be gathering with such speed. The forces of darkness that nobody would fight with each other and almost kill each other. Now for some reason they are united together against the Messiah and his anointed children is my personal opinion that the evil one. Satan is sensing his time to be thrown into the lake of fire is drawing nigh in his eyes. He since that is happening. He is now stirring up all of the forces of evil. All of the forces of darkness, against the believers. But here's the good news the gospel is all about good news.

Here's the good news. Satan could never, never, never, never harm those who belong to Jesus Christ. I'm going to tell you more about that in the next message and that is why I often appeal to anyone who would listen to come. While yet there's a chance come to the light of the world before it's too late, come to him now. Don't wait until it's too late, come to him come to the God's anointed Messiah, even Jesus the Christ before the day of judgment to the light of the world before complete darkness and golf you turn to the light of the world. The only light of the world who can save you now and eternally come to the only powerhouse who can redeem you come to the powerful light who can pluck you out of the model of life in which you change course now before it's too late change course change course come to him and he will bring you to a safe harbor. John's Gospel in chapter 1 verse nine John the Baptist said the true light that gives light to every man was coming to the world that was his testimony.

And yet many rejected the light and preferred to stay in the darkness of sin and rejection of God's plan.

Every time I think about those who rejecting the light of the world. Those who rejecting Jesus and those who not receiving him as the light of the world to light the life always think of the story about the better one in the Middle East and others better one in the tent walk up a number of them out and he was hungry. So what does he do. He lights a candle and he goes in a grab a ball of dates that he has thereby his math and start eating so he picks a bite from the first date and then he puts it near the candlelight and he sees this worm just wiggling in the inside. The date, so I tossed it out because reaches for a second date takes a bite from it, puts it near the candlelight sees that Woodley worm. He tosses it.

He did that with the third and the fourth, what would you do, he's hungry. The dates are filled with worm what would he do so he decided that he will blow out the light of the candle and he dictates worm and all world and all beloved today. There are many people who are rejecting the light of the world. The only light you could save them.

Today there are so many people who are blowing out the candlelight and eating the world's worms. There are so many people quote ignoring the light of the world. The only one who can forgive their sins and redeem them and forever. Take them to heaven. Turning away from the only light of the world who can truly assure them of heaven here and now and that is why you and I must never grow weary.

We must never grow weary of lovingly, lovingly, lovingly tell people about the light of the world come to Jesus the light of the world not to fear Jesus heartily feel like to embrace Jesus a lot of the work to confess your sin to Jesus the only one who was the light of the world. He's the only one who can forgive you and redeem you and change you and assure you of eternity here and now, 40 years, the light of the world. In fact, Dr. Luke said in chapter 1 verses 78 and 79 because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace. Jesus said I am not by definition like those two things light radiant energy and light shows the way. Clearly it's rays break through the ESA and its effect renders the invisible to be visible. That's the purpose of life and when Jesus said I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life here and forever.

As I said today were facing the darkness of moral relativism where facing the darkness of biblical relativism that is preached in many a church today where facing the darkness of sexual relativism and perversion and photographic addiction and the rest of it today where facing the darkness of a devalued life both outside of the womb and inside the womb and in the midst of this engulfing darkness. We hear the voice of Jesus the Messiah saying what, in fact, if you read little earlier that same chapter just go up verses 1 to 11 you read the story of how these self-righteous Pharisees that were coming to Jesus with big stones in the hands and a woman who was caught in adultery underrated to stone her to death often wonder why just the woman was a man we can't commit adultery by yourself they can to test Jesus, Moses search you must be stoned what you say. I mean very stone him. She was on Jesus didn't answer them.

By the way, you know what he said he didn't say anything. He just sat on the ground and he started writing. Robert doesn't tell us what Jesus wrote. I have a hunch, a big hunch that he was writing the sins the hidden sins. The secret sins of these hypocrites. He was writing down okay small you was writing their sins on the ground were you surprised to see when they looked at this rule so the stone walkway and the started walking away one after another, one after another because Jesus said now after he wrote what he wrote.

The grandson those of you without sin. For the first 30 stones why the light of the world expose their sin and that one about the stone.

This woman, but here's an important thing that I don't want you to miss Jesus turned to the woman in the sector go now and leave your life of sin is anybody condemning know all gonna sit on the going to the new year I will forgive you going to forgive you these self-righteous sinner straightened darkness and kept their sins secret in the darkness of their hearts, and yet this woman who sin been exposed to the light of the world was justified. She was forgiven by the light of the world. The one thing that you need to know about the light of the world. Jesus is filled with grace is grace all know know know he's not winking at sin is not ignoring sin. His not so often sin.

He died for that sin is not rationalizing sin.

He forgives the confessed sin.

The every sin that is confess to him because he knows it anyway and that woman went home, forgiven, justified, set free. Listen to me because there is a false perception about Christians in society at large. Some people think that this is a bunch of goody-goody's who think they're better than everybody else and you know this of the holy ones. None. The only thing difference between Christians and non-Christians is the Christian confessor say they confess that they agreed with God on this side of sin, forgive me and now they receive the light of the world that are sort of in a collision course with the lighthouse of God are those who think they are good. Those who think that they don't need forgiveness. Those who think they don't need to confess those who think that the good is going to work out why they're bad and will be all right here, please. This is important after you come to Jesus and receive him as the savior of your life after you receive his forgiveness from his hand.

You cannot go back and live in darkness. It's an impossibility. This woman could not habitually sin after her forgiveness. Now that she has received the light of the world in her heart. Now that her sin has been exposed to the light and forgiven and washed by the blood of the lamp. Now that the darkness of her sin has been damaged by the light of the world. She could not habitually sin again. Listen to me when the light of the world. Jesus comes into your life. Habitual sin goes out when the light of the world.

Jesus comes into your life.

The darkness of sin has the advantage. When the light of the world. Jesus comes into your life. Routine sin is no longer committed thoughtlessly when the light of the world. Jesus comes into your life. Darkness cannot stay there for very long. So the question is what is that mean that Christians become perfect visiting Christians become sinless. Absolutely not. Not at all. But here's what it means. Listen carefully when we are tempted and fall in the dark pit of sin. Jesus immediately shines his light and snatches us out of the pit, and picks us up and brings us back to the life at the moment we fail and try to Jesus. Jesus says get up go don't stay in the darkness of sin for Jesus said I am what I often say there's nothing more frightening than being lost in the darkness really is and I meet people, living in fear and the groping the groping for fear of seeing the fear of death. They fear they fear all sorts of things groping in the darkness, and not always remind me of something happened to me back in 1981 I was giving series of speaking engagements in Switzerland. My host said look study in my chalet sin that the jewel mountains up very high. Near the French border sister my chalet and I was staying there by myself and it was summertime. So I was coming and going. I lecture finished teaching and come back and still light outside until one night I was delayed. After I spoke electric. Some people want to talk to me and it was dark out the darkness. I cannot explain it to you unless you've seen it.

This thing is way up there in the mountains and the road is so narrow, barely one car can go by, but sometimes you get two cars and here I'm going around and around, giving my sense of direction so many of you know added to the darkness and for two hours. I kept going kept going and finally I said, Lord, you've got to help me.

I'm about to run out of gas. I had forgotten that I left some lights inside a very frugal almost on the lights off, even when I'm adjusting somebody else's house but this time I left some of the light song never been more happy that I left the lights on and I kept driving. Following that faint light until I got home, you better believe I gave a prayer of thanks. It was a shout of thanks.

It's frightening to be lost in the darkness happen spiritually.

The reason people fear death and reason people fear life. The reason people fear all kinds of stuff is because they are living in darkness.

Sometimes they don't. Sometimes they don't know. Maybe somebody here today is running away from the light of the world you might be a churchman or church woman. You may be a religious person but you might be even think that you're a good person you haven't done anything really big wrong carrion good is going out why your bad some of you don't want to give up the darkness of sin in your life don't want to submit to the Lordship of Jesus. Some of you will be terrified as you groping darkness and you don't know how to get out of this today.

You can. Jesus said what and this is the good news of the gospel all gospel good news. That's what the Christian faith is all about. It is good news. And this is a good news. Jesus can shine his light and set you free. Jesus the light of the world is shining his light to every corner of your life and saying come to me, don't stumble in the darkness, beloved, I know there's some people who know Jesus knowing we are not about to give up your secret sin, whatever it may be you don't want the light of the world.

Jesus, to shine in every part of your life. Beloved, I wanted to remember this when the living beam of the light of Christ coming to every corner of your heart and your mind and your life is going to write you and set you free.

Is not that the content you is not that the shame you just like he did with that woman. Anybody can then you know neither do I go sin no more, and Alexander the great was a region of Macedonia at the age of 60, he became a victorious general at the age of 80 he become a king at the age of 20. He died before he turned 33 after he conquered the known world at the time, but his father also Philip of Macedonia was a military genius when his dad was a brilliant man. One day Philip took his teenage son, Alexander, to go and buy a very famous horse, a very well-known horse and while this horse was well-trained, but he was also renowned for being a vicious animal for how to control the father and the son together with the other people will as a watch how unmanageable that animal wants Alexander the great brought that he was. He saw something nobody else was able to see he notice that the horse was frightened of his shadow and that is why is bucking and he would not let anybody ride him and so examine the great immediately turn the horses face toward the sun. S. UN and as long as the horses face toward the light of the sun. He not only was able to mount him but ride him and keep him under control. He's no longer afraid of his shadow.

He can see his shadow because the shuttle had fallen behind and I thought about this and I thought about this as I realized how many people today I living in darkness because they're afraid of their shadow and it is only when you turn your face toward the sun as all of God. Only when you do that day in and day out, moment by moment in your life and in my life. Only then will see our shadows fall immediately behind us. Jesus said I am what and those who come to me. Those who keep their eyes focus on shall have the light of life. Not only this life, but be assured of eternity in heaven with my beloved friends.

So whatever darkness your intraday only you know nobody in this world knows it. But you, but God can banish it today. He can banish that darkness today by turning to face the light of the world, even Jesus the Christ father back in the 1400s Archbishop Cranmer wrote these words of God to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets ahead. We thank you that we can come to the light of the world from whom no secret can be hit not darkness could hide in as we are open books to you. I pray Holy Spirit that you would come and visit every heart is bowing to for you. Let your light shine in us father remind us of fresh that your life does not mean to blind us. You lied Kim to guide us and leaders and healers to forgive us.

Father, I think for every heart that is turning to you, even at this because you are good God and you do not leave yourself without a witness, for we pray this in Jesus name, amen. Thanks for listening to this message from Dr. Michael. You sat recently featured on leading the way. If you'd like to know more about us, please visit LTW.org that LTW.Ward