Series: More Than A Name “Walking in The Light” 1 John 2:7-12 This morning we continue in our study “More Than A Name” where we are being reminded that there is more to being a Christian than simply identifying as a “Christian.” There are many people who live in America today who self-identify as Christians. In fact, 65% of the US Population claims to be Christian. However, if that is true, then why does our land and why do our laws not better reflect Jesus? If we are truly Christians, then why do we still allow abortion, accept the redefining of marriage, pervert God’s plan for sexuality, and justify the sin in our lives and in our country? If we are truly Christians, then what are we doing to help the poor, the orphans, the widows, and those in society who have been forgotten and rejected? Sadly, the same sort of questions could be asked even within the Church today. If we are truly Christians, then why are we not meeting together to worship Jesus on a regular basis? Why do we come for worship only when it is convenient for our schedule and there’s nothing else more important going on? If we are truly Christians, then why are we content on being served instead of serving one another and building up the body of Christ? If we are truly Christians, then how are we reaching out to the sick, the hurting, and the grieving to be the hands and feet of Jesus? If we are truly Christians, then why is there so much self-righteousness, arrogance, and apathy in the Church today? Acts 11:26 tells us that the followers of Jesus in Antioch were meeting regularly to learn and to grow and they were first called “Christians” there. It is interesting to note that the term “Christian” didn’t come from the church, but from the world. They heard their message of faith in Christ, saw the evidence of the change that Jesus Christ had brought to their life, and, though they couldn’t see Jesus’ physical life in front of them, they could see His life through these believers. Because of this, they were called Christians. It was through their life that they were identified as belonging to Jesus. In fact, this is the very definition of “Christian.” The word “Christ” is a reference to Jesus, and the suffix “ian” means “relating to, belonging to, or resembling.” To be Christian means that we belong to Jesus, we are in relationship with Him, and thus our life becomes a reflection of Him to the world. So, here is the question for many in our culture: If we are truly ‘Christians,’ then why do we look and live so differently than Jesus? Our text this morning once again calls us to examine ourselves to make sure that we are in Christ. You can know with certainty that you belong to Jesus by this one simple way – You are walking in the Light. Show Text John starts out with an interesting word of commandment. He is giving a reminder about God’s commands concerning love. Many people identify themselves as Christians because they have some sort of belief in God. Some might even say that they love God. Perhaps they would say, “Well, I’m not perfect. I’ve done a few things I regret, but I’ve always believed in God. I’ve seen Him do some things in my life, and I know that He’s there.” You can express all sorts of wonderful sentiments about God, but the proof of our love for God is seen in the way that we love others. In Matthew 22:36-39 Jesus was asked, “ ‘Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?’ And He said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, 2 and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ ” This was the summary of the old commandment – love God supremely and love others sincerely. However, John explains that it isn’t just an old commandment, it is a new commandment. This word “new” doesn’t mean “new” as in recent. It means “new” as in quality or application. What John is saying is that our calling to love one another is not based on an old law, but based on a life. John says this new commandment is “true in Him,” meaning that this new way of love is found in Jesus. It is embodied in Him, and as Christians we are now called to love like Him. And what does this look like? John 3:16 tells us plainly. Loving others like Jesus means that we willingly give ourselves for the glory of God and the good of others. When we read through the Gospels it is remarkable to see how Jesus loved people. His love for others is seen in the way that He put their needs above His own. His love for others is seen in the way that He always put the will of the Father above His own. It is seen in the way that He showed patience with Peter, mercy to doubting Thomas, and even kindness to betraying Judas. His love for all people was seen in the way that He dealt respectfully yet directly with the tax collectors, the woman at the well, and even with the Pharisees. His compassion was repeatedly seen as He ministered to the woman caught in adultery, took time to touch the lepers, and went after the wild man called “Legion.” He was so gentle that He held babies in His arms, so comforting that He gave hope to the women who wept as the soldiers led Him to Calvary, and so generous that the lad who had volunteered his lunch was sent home with 12 baskets full of food. His love was evident to all. The question for us to consider today is simple: Is the love of Jesus evident through you? Once we get to 1 John 3 & 4 we are going to talk a great deal about loving one another, but before we get there John has something important to say. The key to loving well is not found in pursuing love. If I am trying to love like Jesus I am not going to do it by striving to pursue some manmade version of love. The key to loving like Jesus is simple – we must be in continual relationship with Him. Here in 1 John 2, John shows us that there is a direct relationship between love and light. You can’t love like Jesus unless you are walking in the light; if you are walking in the dark you may have some form of love, but it will never be the love of Jesus without the light shining in and through you. It is all about walking in the light. What does this mean, how can we do this, and what is the result? Each of these questions is answered in this text. I. The Person of Light (vs. 8) If you are in a place of total darkness, the first thing that you are likely to look for is a source of light. John immediately points us to the fact that the light is a Person. **ILL: Little boy saying, “My mommy is the light of the world.” He knew that the light was a person, but he had the wrong person in mind. John wastes no time. He says, “The TRUE Light is already shining.” Please understand that John isn’t talking about a vision, a movement, a trance, some spiritual sense of enlightenment, or any other new-age way of thinking. He is talking about a Person – Jesus. The coming of Jesus into this world has been clearly described as Light entering the darkness. We do live in a dark and fallen world. It is filled with sin, chaos, confusion, wars, disease, death, and destruction. The Bible simply calls it all “darkness.” The good news, though, is that Jesus came to bring light into the darkness. Nearly 700 years before the birth of Jesus Isaiah 9:2, 6 prophesied, 3 “The people who walk in darkness will see a great LIGHT; those who live in a dark land, the LIGHT will shine on them…For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” Then for four hundred years God went silent. There was no fresh word from God and no sign of His movement until God brought life to the virgin womb. Then in Bethlehem, Jesus was born. John 1:9 says of Jesus, “There was the TRUE LIGHT which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.” John understood that without Jesus all men are left wandering aimlessly in the dark. We are aimlessly wandering in our own sins, with our eyes darkened to our reality and our minds darkened to our need for Jesus. Jesus came to this darkened world to open eyes and hearts, to shine light on our need and point us in the way that we should go. Jesus said it emphatically in John 8:12, “Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the LIGHT of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the LIGHT of life.’ ” Friend, you don’t have to walk in darkness.