“Living in the Life of Light”

Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24

Last week, we took a look at what the Light of Christ means for our lives, that it is our call to ministry, that it is the proof that God has a glorious plan for our lives, and a challenge was offered to each person to take a step in Christian faith. Was anyone able to shine the light that they carry in the world to illuminate a life? How did it go this week?
(Note: Several people at each church offered invitations, and 2 folks at one church brought guests!)

The truth is that people are drawn to the light, regardless of how bright and how consistent. When I was growing up, summer evenings always seemed to have a special significance when the fire flies were out. My brothers and I would follow their light, blinking and moving and then blinking some more, until we could catch them in a jar and proudly take the prize to show our folks. We would then sit enthralled for quite some time, watching them light up the jar, and more importantly, our lives. The smiles in the darkness of those evenings were nothing short of infectious.

The light wasn’t continuous, and it wasn’t especially brilliant, but it certainly was effective in its call to my brothers and me.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-15

Walking and living in the light of Christ involves a responsibility to not only serve others well, to not only walk in the Christ Light, but to also hold each other accountable for our walk.
The first item in the list that Paul offers to us today is that we are to respect those who work hard in faith, and to show respect to those who call us to account. We don’t always understand why or even what others may be doing, but if they are working for the kingdom, then we are to encourage them in their efforts. If we are admonished for something that we have done by a church leader, we can certainly discuss the situation with them, but we are to consider their decision in a respectful and loving manner. This respect and obligation to each other is not only vital, but it is to be extreme. It is the way that we share our light with other believers.
Take the case of the current situation in our own Annual Conference. There is a great divide within our community over a significant issue of faith, and it’s growing greater every day. We should certainly be engaged in the discussions and to always present our view of the call of scripture, but it must be done in as civil a manner as possible. No name calling, no trading insults, no hateful confrontations – just honest and accurate representations of what scripture is telling us.

The second item comes out of our consideration of the first – “Live in peace with each other.” If we truly show respect for each other, peace will naturally follow. And think about it – if we are to be the united and only Body of Christ, how can we not live in peace with each other? Peace does not mean total agreement, it does not mean never questioning a motive or action, it does not mean that everyone does the same things in the same way. Peace comes from a respectful attitude toward the other members of the Body – it is the result of helping each other carry the light of Christ.

The next series of items continue in this theme of relationship.
#3 – “Warn those who are idle.” Again, not berate and not belittle. Warn! And it doesn’t mean that we have to be busy every moment of every waking hour! We need some relaxation time every day, but when we develop a tendency to routinely waste our time on frivolous matters, we desperately need the challenge to put those things aside, and to get back in the game. Our inclination, though, is to see this as a scolding, and we seldom react in a positive way to it. But if the challenge is true, why not take it as a constructive suggestion? Why not readily admit that our friend is right, and thank them that their love for us is great enough to even bring the issue up? Idleness is not about shining our light in the world – it’s about intentionally covering it up.

#4 – “Encourage the timid”. Remember Matthew 5:5 – “Blessed are the meek”? Remember Matthew 25:40 – “Whatever you did for the least of these … you did for me.” The timid will include the bashful, the shy, the fearful, the emotionally challenged, the withdrawn. Don’t ignore them. Don’t treat them in a condescending way. Don’t pass by them on the opposite side of the street! Instead, why don’t we work to inspire them! Reassure them! Reinforce their self-confidence! Help them to be all they can be, and to do all that they can do! “Whatever you did for the least of these …”? Even the timid deserve to carry the Light!

#5 – “Help the weak”. Have you ever felt weak? Unable to do those things that you would like to do – unable to do the things you need to do? When I came down with mononucleosis during my radiation treatments, there were a lot of things that I couldn’t do – like mowing the lawn, climbing a long flight of stairs, walking more than a hundred steps (give or take), and nearly anything that required any exertion whatsoever. Diane had just given birth to our second son, and Nathan kept her kind of busy, but our neighbors and friends from church came to our aid, and even though I wasn’t real comfortable with the fact that I couldn’t do the routine things that I had always done, I had no choice. And the help that the “weak” received from the “able” was greatly appreciated, and obviously memorable. They not only carried their own light, but they helped me carry mine.

#6 – “Be patient with everyone.” Not just the ones who make patience easy, but EVERYONE! This will undoubtedly be the most frustrating task any Christian is called to carry out. We can’t just be patient to those who are patient with us (not that any of us would ever need the patience of others!), but we are called to maintain control of our emotions regardless of the situation. In Galatians 5:22, we read that two aspects of the “fruit of the Spirit” are patience and self-control. And verse 25 tells us that “Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit is the ultimate Light carrier, and we are to keep up with him!

These first 6 efforts are about our relationships with others. Respect, peace, counsel, encouragement, assistance, and patience. But I think we all can agree that they aren’t easy to do – just one or two of them is hard enough, but all 6?? Without the Holy Spirit working with and through us constantly, we will surely fail, but the presence of the Spirit in believers is never in question! We always have that support and encouragement to help us in life.
If our relationships with others is a tough row to hoe, consider the next list, which is about our personal attitudes and efforts in our relationship with God.

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:16-22



#7 – Be joyful always
#8 – Pray continually
#9 – Give thanks in all circumstances
These 3 truly go together, because they are all about knowing Jesus Christ in a personal way. Without the Lord at our side, how could we possibly be joyful all of the time, or be able to live our life in a prayerful way, or be thankful regardless of our personal situation? The honest answer is that we can’t! It is Christ who gives us that everlasting joy. It is our desire to remain in constant touch with the Lord that keeps us prayerful. It is because of the bounty that comes to us in faith that makes us justly thankful.
We aren’t always happy, we aren’t always walking in perfect faith, and it is seldom that we are focused on the many blessings that come our way. Our joy and connection and thankfulness, though, will always be the most obvious and outward signs of a committed disciple of Jesus Christ, and they are the unmistakable light for both believers and nonbelievers alike.

And how do we see the leading of the Holy Spirit in our lives? The next 5 are important in this regard for our consideration this morning.
#10 – Do not put out the Spirit’s fire;
#11 – Do not treat prophecies with contempt
#12 – Test everything
#13 – Hold on to the good.
#14 – Avoid every kind of evil.
We could spend the rest of the morning discussing these in detail, but suffice it to say that these are the challenge for all Christians today. To follow the leading of the Spirit, no matter where we may have to go; to accept prophecy, or the true word of God, without question; but at the same time, to test, to ensure, that the direction of our walk and the action of our lives are being given in a faithful manner; to cling to the things of God and to totally reject those that are not. These all come back to the call to “pray continuously”, for that is the only way to know if we are on the right track. The Spirit’s fire!

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24

If our heart is right, if we avoid taking advantage of both the kindness and ignorance of others, if we strive to the best of our abilities to walk in the Lord’s light and in his word, and to carry his light wherever we go –
then we’ll be headed in the right direction. Is it easy? No. Will we ever be tempted to do otherwise? Yes. Will our relationships with others be perfect? No. But should we always work to make them better? Without question!
Paul writes that “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – will always keep his word for our lives – “I will be your God, and you will be my people.” He tells us that over and over, and we must believe that the Lord will be with us through thick and thin, in good times and in bad, in the light of day and in the darkness of the night. And the reference to our spirit, soul and body being kept blameless? That, too, can only come from a life lived in the light of Christ.

Living a life in the light – one of constant temptation and failure, but also one of glory and blessings that are never ending.