#224 Light of the World Series# 1, Light

Little Black Submarines
By: Pastor Cheryl Thomas

Song  

• In my humble estimation the song is about depression
• little black submarines
• dark thoughts that bomb you and drag you under into a sea of depression.
• pick you up /let you down I wanna go to a place and hide, I had plans, dreams visions but they all disappear to the back of my mind
• stolen friends, and disease –black submarines
• so overcome by the little black submarines that I can no longer see
• “I should have seen it glow, but everybody knows, that a broken heart is blind

I can imagine that there are many among us who have had a season or seasons in their life when it feels like all hope is lost… when I cant see the forest for the trees, when I cant see or hear from God because of these little black submarines… All is dark…  

Illustration: trip Cuba travelling at nite… in country pitch black as electricity on reserve, eerie and though of what it must have been like before electricity.  

Most of us do not remember a time before electric lighting and, therefore, do not fully appreciate what a change that made to daily life.  

Another Light that we may take for granted, is Jesus. The coming of that Light changed the world forever.  

It is hard for us to appreciate His impact on the world because we have no recollection of the world before Jesus.  

Unless you read history books, the only hint of the impact made by Jesus – the Light of the World – is provided in the changed life of those who have truly been converted by Him.

If you look in the dictionary, the first definition for “light” is “something that makes vision possible.“ In other words, light makes it possible for us to see.  

Without light, we are hopelessly blind – blind to our surroundings, blind to our situations and circumstances, blind to even ourselves. Light makes it possible for us to see clearly – things as they really are. 

Did you know that an absence of sunlight causes blindness?  

• Animals who live out their lives in a complete absence of light are commonly blind, even eyeless.
• Mules kept in mines also become blind.
• Horses kept in dark stables and denied sunlight become blind.
• Those who live in dungeons, cellars, prisons, mines, and similar places that are denied sunlight lose their sight.
• darkness was considered “the second to last plague” (Exodus 10:21), and the location of “weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 8:12)
• Light is an important environmental factor for regulation of mood. 

Neuroscientists at the University of Pennsylvania kept rats in the dark for six weeks. The animals not only exhibited depressive behavior but also suffered damage in brain regions known to be underactive in humans during depression.  

The researchers observed neurons that produce norepi­nephrine, dopamine and serotonin—common neurotransmitters involved in emotion, pleasure and cognition—in the process of dying. This neuronal death, which was accompanied in some areas by compromised synaptic connections, may be the mechanism underlying the darkness-related blues of seasonal affective disorder.
By Lisa Conti on August 1, 2008, http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/down-in-the-dark/ 

People claim that 500 to 1500 BC were the dark ages… but the world was in darkness until Jesus the Light of the World came to earth.

They lived in darkness because the God of this world has blinded the minds of them which believe not 2 Corinthians 4:4

• Before Jesus, most of the world was spiritually blind.
• We were unable to see spiritual reality.
• We were blind because we had rejected God
• We had become futile in our thinking, and our foolish hearts were darkened.
• We were spiritually blind and, therefore, spiritually lost.
• As Jesus said, in John 12:35, “he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.” 

We lost sight of who we are, where we come from, why we are here, and where we are going. 

This is the condition of mankind until Gabriel steps on the scene and announces a better word.  In  Luke 2: 8-80 the angel Gabriel visits Zechariah with a word from God.

Luke 1:11-17English Standard Version (ESV)

You know what Zacharias does here?

• He questions God.
• He doubts God.
• He gives the Creators messenger a lesson on biology (I am old man and my wife is an old woman)

This is GABRIEL MAN

• He is one of only two angels ever named
• His name means STRONG MAN
• He appears four times twice to Daniel, Zechariah, and Mary
• The same Gabriel who came in quick flight to daniel, who stood astride a great chasm when a voice said “Gabriel make this man (daniel) understand the vision.”
• The Same Gabriel would visit a young virgin six months later to pronounce she would carry the Messiah

^{NOW MAYBE ZECHARIAH SHOULD BE AFRAID
19} And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰ And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you

did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

It is easy for us to sit back and be arm chair critics and say OMG what are you thinking Zach…
If I had an angel visits me I wouldn’t be giving him a biology lesson…

What do we know of Zechariah and who he was in the context of his people group?

• Priest
• Married
• Both Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth from a priestly line (verse 5)
• Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in Gods eyes careful to obey all of Gods commands and regulations, but they had no children (Verse 6-7)
• They felt shame, sadness and disgrace due to inability to bare children (verse25)
• We know that he felt surrounded by enemies, who hate nothing but hate for them (verse 71)
• That he was holding out for the promises spoken long, long, long, ago by the prophets (verse 70)
• We know the people waited (verse10) outside while the incense is being burned a great crowd stood outside praying.
• Perhaps praying to get delivered from this dark regime that surrounds and imprisons them (verse 79)
• That they longed for peace (verse 79)

But Zechariah’s response is more telling.

• Perhaps he was blind to the significance of the message, unable to hear unable to see.
• Perhaps all his dreams and plans slipped to the back of his mind.
• Perhaps he stopped praying for a son all together perhaps he even stopped praying for the prophesied Messiah… as we don’t hear Zach declare God has answered my prayers
• God is deaf to my cry, I will never have a son, I am old
• When will he fulfill his promise of a messiah
• Will we ever hear a prophetic voice again, it has been 450 years since heard a prophetic voice.
• Is God still there? Does he still speak? Does he even care?
• Little Black Submarines… I should have seen it glow but everybody knows that a broken heart is blind…
• Isaiah 9:2 – describes the people before the birth of Christ as those who walk in darkness.

Proverbs 13:12English Standard Version (ESV)

¹² Hope deferred makes the heart sick

• hope – an expectation of good

• Deferred- protracted, drawn out, delayed

• Sick- worn down in strength, sick, to be pained, to become wearied

Proverbs 17:22- a broken heart drieth the bones
Psalm 69:20- reproaches have broken my heart
Proverbs 15:13- A glad hearts makes a cheerful face but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed
Proverbs 18:14 – A crushed spirit (heart) who can bare- like David in Psalm 38

If we are honest with ourselves there have been times for all of us when it seems as if God has pressed the mute button.  

Maybe that is you today? You’ve prayed and prayed and prayed – but it seemed like God never heard, or that God was ignoring you, or that God was telling you “no.”

• Maybe like Zechariah you’ve stopped praying.
• Maybe you’ve stopped believing.
• Maybe you’ve stopped hoping.
• Maybe you are heart sick and weary
• Maybe you feel God’s actions are arbitrary; determined by chance, whim, or impulse, and not by necessity, reason, or principle”.^[1]

• Perhaps you have being praying for a loved one who is blind to the goodness of God lost in a depression
• Perhaps you have you wondered why does healing and answered prayer appear so random

Let me say with Gabriel, “God has heard your prayer.” He will answer.

Psa 31:22 But you heard the voice of my pleas for mercy when I cried to you for help.

Phil 4:6 Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.

Col 4:2 Continue in prayer and watch in the same with thanksgiving Colossians

Romans 8:26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Romans 8:26

1Th 5:17- Pray with out ceasing
And even if you have stopped praying, even if you have stopped believing, we read in 2 Timothy 2:13 that even when we are faithless, he remains faithful. God has something better in mind for you than you can ask or imagine.

God accomplishes his purposes. God fulfills his promises. Just because 450 years had passed for Israel, God had not forgotten.

Just because Zacharias may have stopped praying, and just because he doubted God, this did not stop God.

In those periods where we loose hope and you feel bombarded by little black submarines, don’t grow weary continue to seek the Lord and to pray. If we give up, how will that improve our situation? If we stop praying for loved ones who today are far from God, how will that help them?

Jesus is the LIGHT OF THE WORLD

TRANSITION: In the angel’s message to Zechariah we find two rays of hope.

1. WE CAN COUNT ON GOD TO BE THE LIGHT AND HOPE IN THE MIDST OF PERSONAL IMPOSSIBLITIES
2. WE CAN COUNT ON GOD TO BE THE LIGHT AND HOPE IN THE MIDST OF HUMANITIES IMPOSSIBILITIES 

1. WE CAN COUNT ON GOD TO BRING HOPE IN THE MIDST OF PERSONAL IMPOSSIBLITIES

Zechariah and Elizabeth were facing the impossible situation of being childless late in life. To be childless in those days often brought a lot of shame and sorrow to a couple.

These 2 righteous people have lived with the deep disappointment of never having the child they longed for. And now they are well along in years – past the age of being able to have children. Humiliated, hopeless and heartbroken.

God stepped in late in the game. And brought hope where there was none. Hope, Zechariah. Hope, Elizabeth, after all these years.

Psalm 121:1 – “I lift my eyes to the hills – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of Heaven and earth.”

Impossible situations often seem less impossible when we look up!

Look up!

Does anything seem hopeless to you today?

 Faced with an impossible situation at work?

 Up against an impossible situation in a relationship?

 Burdened by an impossible situation in your family?

 Troubled by an impossible situation financially?

God specializes in hopeless cases. He’s the expert at taking impossible situations and turning them into blessed possibilities.

He takes what looks like a dead end, and creates new possibilities.

He gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. Romans 4:17

AND HE NEVER CHANGES

1. The same God who brought a child to a hopeless elderly couple is still God today.

And he still specializes in hopeless cases – Your prayer has been heard!

2. He wants to light up your world and dispel the darkness of the seemingly impossible situations in your life. So look up, LIGHT HAS COME INTO YOUR WORLD.

TRANSITION: The message of hope from Gabriel doesn’t end with the news of a child for Zechariah and Elizabeth. The message of hope is for everyone.

1. WE CAN COUNT ON GOD TO BE THE LIGHT AND HOPE IN THE MIDST OF HUMANITIES IMPOSSIBILITIES

Humanity was in a hopeless situation

They were a people who walked in darkness Isaiah 9:2

A darkness as black as night and it covered all the nations of the earth…Isaiah 60:2

It may seem today like it’s been a long time since God broke through in history to reveal the progress he’s making on his plan. (Even Zechariah asked, “How can I be sure?”

1. The same God who waited almost 1500 years between the Exodus and the birth of Jesus Christ still has His plan in place.

Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born and the government will be For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.

Jesus Christ THE Light changed the world forever:

He transformed timeJesus Christ is the central figure of history. More books have been written about Jesus Christ than any other person in history.

He saved lives- The world before Christ was a world without hospitals, a world without charity, a world without respect for the sanctity of life. Hospitals were an innovation of Christianity.

He taught us compassion- The whole concept of charity not a charity prescribe by the law but charity that is heart born was a Christian innovation. The teachings and example of Jesus Christ have inspired the greatest acts of generosity, hospitality, self-sacrifice and service for the poor, sick and needy over two thousand years.

He set captives free– before the advent of Christianity every culture-practiced slavery and human sacrifice – even the highly esteemed Greek and Roman civilizations.

He blesses Nations  -The positive impact of Jesus Christ on the world cannot be overstated. Everything from education to human rights, from public health to economic liberty – the things we cherish most and many of the blessings we take for granted – all can be traced to the spiritual and the cultural revolution begun by Jesus Christ.

Because of Christ all can seek to be educated- Dr James Kennedy said, “Every school you see – public or private, religious or secular – is a visible reminder of the religion of Jesus Christ. So is every college and university.”

The Rule of Law-. The very first statute, the first written restriction on the powers of government was the Magna Carta of 1215. It was written by the Arch Bishop of Cantebury saturated with Scriptural principles.

Jesus is Inspirational-The life and teachings of Jesus Christ have inspired the greatest literature, the greatest art, the greatest examples of architecture, the age of exploration, world missions, the rule of law, the separation of powers, checks and balances, representative government, the sanctity of life, compassion for the poor, blind and needy and so much more that we take for granted.

Jesus THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD has been the most powerful agent in transforming society for the better across 2000 years. No other religion, philosophy, teaching, nation, or movement has changed the world for the better as Christianity has done.

• 2 Corinthians 4:6
  For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

YOU LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Col 1:12 Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light:

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid… Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Mathew 5:14-16

He continues to be the light of the world the hope of the world through you and I.

CONCLUSION
God’s not dead. He’s very much alive and very much concerned about you. You are never forgotten.

Our hope should be supplied by Jesus and in the unwavering love of God to renew creation. But the truth about these hopes is that they’re based on our desire to fix people and problems in this world. We want to control our hopes. And while some of these hopes may be answered, there are some that won’t be until God restores creation. 

We need to let God take care of the details while we keep our eyes on the future. Because our God works in unexpected ways. We should do what we can in this world, but we should place our hope in Christ’s plan. In the meantime, we should continue to look forward to the future and dwell on that reality to help us during troubled times. 

Remembering that God is not arbitrary. As arbitrary presupposes capriciousness, which can never describe the God who is revealed in Christ Jesus.

God is both transcendent “the holy/wholly other God” and imminent/incarnate.

His ways may at times appear mysterious and we may never completely understand God; yet, at the same time, we do completely understand God insofar as God is revealed to us in Jesus. That God loves, that cares for the souls of mankind

God’s promises will be fulfilled in His own timing and in His own way. And more than that, our disbelief does not keep God from accomplishing his purposes.

Let us light our part of the road/illuminating the way forward for those who surround our lives.

In those periods, when the little black submarines infiltrate our mind remember look to the light be the light …let us not grow weary but continue to seek the Lord and to pray. If we give up, how will that improve our situation? If we stop praying for loved ones who today are far from God, how will that help them?

• 1 John 1:5
  God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

The God who said to all who feel hopeless, “Never will I leave you. Never will I forsake you.” (Heb. 13:5)

John 8:12
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world [every man]. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of Life.”²

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