This week's Bible study is part one of Luke chapter 8

The Sower and the Seed With the Family of Christ

[Luke chapter 8, verses 1-21, part 1 of 3]

Good day, everyone! As we continue our in-depth study of the writings of the apostle Luke in their order of appearance in the Bible, we'll be starting on chapter 8 of Luke's gospel. Since this is a fairly lengthy chapter comprised of 56 verses containing quite a bit of subject matter, I will be breaking this chapter into 3 parts just to make sure we don't miss anything. So without any further introductions, let's begin at verse 1.

“After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; Joanna the wife of Cuza, the manager of Herod's household; Susanna, and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means. While a large crowd was gathering and people were coming to Jesus from town after town, he told them this parable: 'A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path; it was trampled on, and the birds of the air ate them up. Some fell on rock, and when it came up, the plants withered because they had no moisture. Other seed fell among the thorns, which grew up with it and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up and yielded a crop, a hundred times more than was sown.' When he said this, he called out, 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.'” (Luke 8, verses 1-8)

As I said in a previous study on Luke's gospel, Jesus had the 1^st century equivalent of an entourage, many of whom Jesus had healed. At least three of them, who are listed above, were bankrolling Jesus' ministry. You can be sure that these three women and their families are in some of the choicest palaces in heaven right now! People were being healed by Jesus from all kinds of diseases and ailments, including “evil spirits”. This is a carryover from some much older translations than the New International Version used for these studies, and this phrase describes what we now call mental illness. Back then, nobody knew what else to call it, I suppose. But now the apostle Luke changes the scenery when he does a 'flash forward' to the Parable of the Sower and the Seed. Back then the economy was largely agricultural, and I'm sure Jesus chose this setting as a teaching tool because it was something everyone could relate to. So Jesus tells the crowd and the Twelve the story of the seeds and what happened when they fell where they did. When Jesus finishes his tale, the apostles ask him about the meaning of this parable of our Lord's, which is where we will now pick up, beginning at verse 9.

“His disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, 'The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of God have been given to you, but to others I speak in parables, so that 'though seeing, they may not see, though hearing, they may not understand'. This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is the Word of God. Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the Word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. Those on the rock are the ones who receive the Word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in a time of testing they fall away. The seed that fell among the thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked with life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart who hear the Word, retain it, and by persevering produce a good crop.'” (Luke 8, verses 9-15)

Jesus was quoting from the Bible as it was written back then, long before the New Testament came along. “Though seeing, they may not see, though hearing, they may not understand”, is from the Book of Isaiah chapter 6, verse 9. Our Lord and Savior was quoting this verse as a direct affront to the religious establishment of his day, and the collection of Pharisees and teachers of the law who were following Jesus' every move. This was occurring because, as we saw in an earlier study of chapter 6, verse 11, these opponents of Christ were looking for a way to refute Jesus' ministry, not realizing the impossibility of any such thing ever occurring!

I need not comment at length about the meaning of this 'parable', since Jesus was pretty specific in his explanation to the apostles. But what does need to be examined here is this – which kind of seed are we? Which seed do I want to be? Does this aspiration line up with where I am in life, and with what kind of person I aspire to be? Because, you know, if we find upon self-examination that we're anything but the seed that falls on good soil, then we have some work to do. Because the keyword in verse 15, the last sentence of the above quote, is 'persevering'. Being a follower of Jesus means that sometimes believers have to put up with derision, being excluded or rejected, and with verbal assaults, particularly on social media. To put it in a not-so-nice way, true followers of Christ sometimes have to put up with a lot of crap. It goes with the territory, so we must prepare ourselves for that. If those who worship Him in spirit and in truth happen to live in a Muslim country or in some other repressive regime such as North Korea, their faith can get them executed. You can bet the darn farm that every one of those Christians who fearlessly believe over in those countries is walking in the Spirit! On that note, let's close out today's study beginning at verse 16.

“'No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, he puts it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light. For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even that which he thinks he has will be taken away from them.' Now Jesus' mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd. Someone told him, 'Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.' He replied, 'My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice.'” (Luke 8, verses 16-21)

As you probably suspect, verse 16 is where the saying “let your light shine” originated. Those who are walking in the Spirit, and who are followers of Jesus rather than main stream religion, have this light within them. I think Jesus was saying that those who are true and sincere believers have a responsibility to let others see that light shining. We are charged with the responsibility of letting the light of Christ shine through us, so that others who see may be inspired, even compelled to follow the example we set. Not all of us can be pastors or evangelists, but we don't have to win souls from a podium or a pulpit to be considered as soul winners. Leadership by example can be even more effective, and especially when mentoring people.

“There is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be made known or brought out into the open. Therefore consider carefully how you listen.” I can sum this quote up in one short sentence: There is no such thing as concealment from the Lord! If there is anyone reading this who has something from their past that any of their current family or co-workers don't know about, Jesus was telling us that one of two things will happen. That which has been hidden, whether by individuals, businesses, corporations or entire governments, will be found out either in this life or in the one to come. But, it is guaranteed to be found out. The degree of the offense, I suspect, will be directly proportional to the consequences. That's what Jesus meant by, “Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even that which he thinks he has will be taken away from them.” Anyone who thinks they are getting away with something in life is actually not. Enough said.

“Someone told him, 'Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.' He replied, 'My mother and brothers are those who hear God's word and put it into practice.” This is part of the good news of the Gospel! To be sure, Jesus' crucifixion, death and resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith, by which we are justified through grace. But there is also unconditional equality! The word 'family' is no longer confined to our immediate relatives, as tradition is transmuted to include all of humanity as one gigantic family, with Jesus Christ as the head of the heavenly household! So to close out today's lesson, we become family members first by embracing the risen Christ and his shed blood for the forgiveness of sin, and second by putting our fresh new faith into practice by making sure that the light of Christ that now shines within us is seen by as many people as possible. And what is sin? A more modern synonym would be 'offense', whether intentional or otherwise. But by changing ourselves from being like that to being one from where the light of Christ shines from, we will be fulfilling our mission in life, each in his or her individual way. And that's what makes God the happiest of all.

This week's Bible study will be the 2nd half of Ephesians chapter five

Treating Each Other Well

[Ephesians chapter 5, verses 15-33]

When we left off last week at verse 14, the apostle Paul was exhorting and encouraging the Ephesian church to remain as “the light in the Lord”, and to live as “children of light”. Today we will finish up the latter half of the book of Ephesians chapter five, where we find Paul continuing to elaborate on the meaning and intent of his writing. So let's take up where we left off, beginning at verse 15.

“Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord's will is. Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit. Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.” (Ephesians 5, verses 15-21, NIV)

Paul's words, “Be very careful, then, how you live”, could be an entire sermon in and of itself, but I will save that for another time. For now, this an admonishment and a warning to those aspiring to live for Christ as I do: Live carefully! This doesn't mean we are expected to somehow live carefree lives, blissfully disconnecting ourselves from the world and the people around us, as if we can somehow insulate ourselves from everything that exists outside of our comfort zone. Instead, reject isolation, ignorance and fear! “Do not be foolish”, Paul wrote, “but understand what the Lord's will is”. Knowing God's will for our lives is easier than some people think. All we have to do is ask in prayer, ”OK, Lord, I want to serve you but I'm not sure how to proceed. Could you please point me in the right direction?” Is there anyone reading this who is not sure about the answer to that question? Let me use shopping (perish the thought since I despise materialism) as an example. If one walks into any given store, whether big or small, looking for a certain item, do we not ask for directions from an employee rather than wander aimlessly all over the store searching? Of course we do, unless you've been there before. Has any of us ever asked for directions to find any given item in a big-box store and been turned away by the employees? I think not, and since this is true for some company that wants to sell you something that you may or may not need, why should Jesus, who has what everybody needs, be any different? He has already given us the ultimate gift by dying for our sins on the cross. So if you're not sure if He will answer your prayers don't worry, he will, provided that you are asking for the right reasons. He already gave his life for you, so why would he turn you away for anything else?

Paul also wrote, “Make the most of every opportunity”. That doesn't give us an excuse to be greedy or opportunistic, nor to pursue great wealth for its own sake – which in the end turns into a self-made trap from a spiritual standpoint. Don't take unnecessary chances, which at times can be tantamount to courting disaster. We are to repent of our constant partying, and all the immoral things that go with it, Paul wrote. If we want to get our fill of something, being filled with the Holy Spirit is devoid of all the unwanted side effects of all those other things. We are to be thankful at all times and in all circumstances, no matter what happens to us. And if bad things do happen, and sometimes they still do anyway, that doesn't mean God is mad at us. Being mad at someone is a human emotion, which is why God doesn't think like that. But sometimes bad things can happen in order to strengthen us because that's one way God builds character. Finally, “submit to one another”. This does not mean we are expected to be human doormats – far from it! What it does specifically mean actually refers back to what Jesus said in all four gospels, “Love your neighbor as yourself”. Let's all pause here for a moment and examine ourselves. Are we obeying this commandment? I certainly hope so, because anyone who is not isn't saved yet. Still others have dedicated their lives to the Lord and are saved, but they have back-slid in this area and are leading selfish lives. Remember that this is “job one” for any true Christian. Serving Christ is the opposite of serving oneself. As we continue our study, then, Paul also continues this topic and extends it into the home, beginning at verse 22.

“Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing of the water through the Word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.” (Ephesians 5, verses 22-27, NIV)

The first sentence in this passage of Scripture is one that has been abused and misused over the centuries as an excuse for the husband to be a tyrant and a dictator in the home. Having once been raised in a home similar to this, I am speaking from experience. Let me be absolutely clear that under no circumstances is there ever an excuse for abusiveness by either spouse towards each other or towards the children. If any of my readers is in an abusive relationship, for your own sake get some help! Remember there is no shame in asking for help. Get away from that situation, otherwise you will be placing yourself in harm's way sooner or later. Plus, this works both ways, as Paul wrote so perfectly. Guys, it's difficult for the ladies to have a relationship with someone they are afraid of, so back off and simmer down! And ladies, you're not going to have a long-term relationship with anybody when you sit at home watching TV and getting drunk after he goes off to work. We are living in hard economic times, so waiting on a husband who will be a good provider is strictly pie-in-the-sky as far as reality is concerned. When choosing a spouse, find someone in whom you can trust enough to pool your resources. If anyone is hesitant about trusting a potential spouse with money, I would advise my readers not to marry that person, and to seek another instead.

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church”, proves further that loving relationships work both ways. Don't nag each other, don't pick fights or start arguments, don't keep score on perceived wrongs or injustices, and never, ever be abusive. If we want to be followers of Christ, the devotion thereof starts in the home. Let's all be “without stain, wrinkle or blemish” before the Lord. That means acting as if He were standing right there next to us, because you had best believe that's exactly where He is. And now let's conclude today's study of Ephesians chapter five.

“In this same way, husbands are to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated their own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church – for we are members of his body. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united with his wife, and the two will become one flesh. This is a profound mystery – but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each of you must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband”. (Ephesians 5, verses 28-33, NIV)

Treat your wives' bodies as a part of your own, and wives must do the same for their husbands. If you want a formula for a successful marriage, this is it. But most important, we are to care for ourselves and have the same regard for ourselves, and for each other, that Christ has for the church. If your marriage is such that either spouse would lay down their life to save the other, that is my definition of a strong marriage. And we are to do so knowing that we are members of the body of Christ, meaning we treat others as ourselves because that is Christ's command to us all. “Love your neighbor as yourself”, starts in the heart, not the mind. But it also means that, as the redeemed of Christ who are saved from hell, we have become the greater Family of God, having been adopted into that family by the supreme sacrifice of Christ. Since we have become Christ's relatives by legal adoption, which we examined in my earlier study of the book of Romans, we are to act as such. No person who lives an immoral life can be a part of the Family of God. But they can still be saved if they repent of their sins and turn away from their immoral, sneaky and deceptive ways. There isn't much time left before the end of the age, so I urge you all to turn to Christ now before the opportunity ends. Let him teach you what real love means. Once you experience that, you'll never go back to your old life again, and you'll be saved forever.

This week's Bible study will be the first half of Ephesians chapter five

From the Darkness to the Light

[Ephesians chapter 5, verses 1-14]

Last week we finished chapter four, where we found the apostle Paul giving a healthy dose of tough love to the early church at Ephesus. Taking up where we left off, if we want to be real Christians having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ instead of mere sect worshipers who think their denominational affiliation will get them into heaven, we can start by watching our language. We can only assume that there must have been a problem with this issue within that particular congregation for one reason or another, the details of which have been lost to history and the passage of time. But what Paul was writing back then is just as applicable today, and probably even more so due to the saturation of mass media. All we have to do is watch a movie on cable TV, and we find dialogues often filled with profanity. I had my own cable TV turned off 4 years ago, and I haven't missed it at all. There is so much good Christian stuff to watch on the Web that's free anyway! The apostle John wrote that we are to be “in the world but not of it”, and having your cable TV disconnected is one good way to do exactly that.

Today as we study the first half of chapter five, we find the apostle Paul continuing his commentary as he changes his tone from one of chastisement to one of encouragement and exhortation, a pattern that is noticeable throughout Paul's writings. But he also warns the Ephesian church to steer clear of distasteful behavior and of wicked people, and to be ever mindful of who they represent. We are to be representatives of Jesus Christ and full time ambassadors for him, and we should live our lives accordingly. Paul charges us all with that very responsibility, beginning at verse one of chapter five.

“Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God's holy people. Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. For of this you can be sure: No immoral, impure, or greedy person – such a man is an idolater – has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of such things God's wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Therefore do not be partners with them.” (Ephesians 5, verses 1-7, NIV)

We are to be acting as God's dearly beloved children because that's exactly what we are. As Christ gave himself up as an offering, so are we to emulate Christ by living our lives as a “fragrant” offering unto Him. We can do this by willfully living lives that are free of evil and devoid of any form of impurity or immorality. We must also not harbor any greed (none!), which is contrary to the Spirit. In a world that is driven by greed, that can be difficult to accomplish sometimes. Success has been mistaken for financial gain in our world of today, and it is wrongfully defined by the acquisition of assets and material goods, the overwhelming majority of which people don't need anyway. The reason for this is that we are bombarded on a daily basis with advertising of all kinds, some of it truthful and some false. It is the equivalent of having a door-to-door salesperson coming to your door every 3 to 5 minutes for your entire life, that's how out-of-control this problem has become. Is it any wonder that so many people are literally programmed like robots to buy, buy, and buy some more whether the customer can afford it or not? It is up to us to willfully resist this media barrage of BS pitchmen. If I do watch TV, I mute the commercials. It's cheaper than buying a 'TeVo'.

Make a conscious choice to become a non-materialistic person. You can save a whole lot of money simply by refusing to buy any more than one absolutely needs (although I admit it would be nice to sell more books than I do, it's not critical to me). Those desiring to live for Christ and to devote their lives to him can use this single issue as a good starting point. Drive used cars instead of new, buy at least half your clothes at thrift stores, and buy the house brands at the grocery store. Live modestly and simply, and be as self-sufficient as you can. I've been doing this successfully for many years, and I encourage all of you to do the same using whatever methods work best for you.

Also, please note that the apostle Paul compared greed with idol-worship, as he did impurity and immorality. Any time we put anything in our lives ahead of God, that is the very definition of idolatry. This can be other things, other people, or it can be when we insert ourselves into situations involving unsavory, devious people. It can also be idolatry when it comes to money, the hoarding of wealth, and the pursuit of material gain (“he/she who dies with the most toys wins”). “Do not”, Paul wrote, “be partners with them”. In 21^st century lingo, that saying goes far beyond the bedroom. Do not be partners in marriage, nor in business, nor in those you associate with either in or out of the workplace, and absolutely never in illicit affairs of an intimate nature. If you do and yet still are a believer in Christ, that would be the very definition of an impure life. In that case, just because you “believe” will be an insufficient reason for you to be spared from hell unless you stop all that other stuff you are doing. As I wrote last week, it's time for us to clean up our act. This is very serious subject matter that I am writing about. The guilty individuals know who they are. As we keep that in mind while maintaining our great reverence for the Lord (or “fear of the Lord”, as the Old King James incorrectly translates), let's continue now starting at verse eight.

“For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the life consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. That is why it is said: 'Wake up, oh sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'” (Ephesians 5, verses 8-14, NIV)

Being the “light in the Lord”, as Paul wrote, is a clear reference to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit as he defined it in his letters to the Roman and Corinthian churches which we have already studied. It is also a reminder of the beloved Sermon on the Mount as it is written in the fifth, sixth and seventh chapters of Matthew's gospel. I quote from chapter 5, verses 14-16. “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” The apostle John wrote of Jesus in chapter one of his gospel, “In him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (John 1, verses 4-5, NIV)

Are we living our lives as “children of light”? That's the first step in receiving Holy Spirit baptism. Also, if you have been seeking it or praying for it to happen and it has not yet happened in your life, do not be concerned! It doesn't necessarily mean God isn't listening to your prayers, it just means God is waiting for exactly the right moment to baptize you in the Spirit and to give you the desires of your heart. Just remember what Paul wrote in another epistle, “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

“Find out what pleases the Lord.” Then, simply do it. Sometimes having a really great walk with Christ through your life can be as simple as that. As you begin doing this you will notice that you no longer have time for all the stuff that used to bug you to death, such as problematic people. What happens in this case is that all of the negative and unwanted stuff in our lives gets replaced and supplanted by the positive power of the Holy Spirit. Finally, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” If your neighbor's home gets burglarized and you find out who did it, turn the perpetrators in. By the same token, this doesn't necessarily mean we should become serial tattletales and vicious snitches either. Remember, we will be judged in the same way we judge others, so watch out for that. In the meantime, simply seek and find out what you can do in your life that is pleasing to the Lord. Then do it, but remain in a constant state of communication with God. Seeking dialogue is one sure way of pleasing God. It's also the best way to find out what he wants you to do next in life. Jesus said, “Ask and you shall receive, seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you”. You will be pleasantly surprised at how well this works when you apply it to real life. And that's when you know that you are truly living for Christ.

Letting your light shine for all the world to see

Being the Light of the World

by Rev. Paul J. Bern

We've all heard or seen the expression “let your little light shine”. This is a truism that dates all the way back to the time of Christ, and it is documented in all the Gospels in one way or another. The apostle Paul also mentioned it in his letter to the church at Ephesus, more commonly known as the book of Ephesians. However, I am posting this commentary because I am becoming increasingly aware that much of the world has turned to darkness, because the light of justice, truth, empathy and compassion is being snuffed out all over the world. The ultimate Light, that of Jesus Christ the Son of God, never goes out. The apostle John, the half-brother of Jesus, wrote about it in his story, known simply as the Gospel of John: “In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.” (John chapter 1, verses 4-5, NIV) Two thousand years later, things are much the same as this. The reason some evil people stay that way is because they prefer the darkness to the light. They percieve the Light of Christ, but they despise it because evil people are dark-natured. They naturally gravitate towards things like murder, kidnapping or hostage-taking, sexual or other physical assault, and all kinds of thefts. They cannot be trusted under any circumstances. They are dangerous and they are prevalent. Such people should be avoided at all costs.

The apostle Paul also wrote on the topic of the Light of Christ, and I quote: “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) and find out what pleases the Lord. Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: 'Wake up, oh sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.'” (Ephesians chapter 5, verses 8-14, NIV) When any person becomes a believer in and follower of Jesus Christ, they become an entirely new person. Without Christ, one is in darkness because they rely only on their five senses, which can decieve us. But with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, our senses are taken to a higher level with the addition of a Spiritual sense known as discernment. A discerning spirit within any given individual is not easily taught because it takes a lifetime to acquire one. You've heard or read that the best things in life are those that take the longest time. Discernment is one of those things, a subject that I myself have yet to master. But I continue to learn from the Lord daily.

The “fruit of the light”, Paul wrote, consists of all goodness, righteousness, and truth. This lines up with what I wrote back at the beginning of this post and vice versa. Paul then wrote, “Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.” I can think of one person who has been in the news off and on for the last year or two who has made it his mission in life to do exactly that. Of course, I'm talking about Mr. Edward Snowden, the former NSA contractor and government whistleblower who blew the lid off of the NSA's and FBI's massive secret collection of people's mobile phone data. Secret spying of American citizens is prohibited by law. As such this domestic espionage can be defined as deeds of darkness, and Mr. Snowden, who is a modern-day hero as far as this preacher is concerned, has gone out of his way to expose them just as the apostle Paul said and wrote. Those who take videos of police brutality against citizens are another modern-day example of following this precept of Paul's. But then Paul wrote, “But everything exposed by the light becomes visible......This is why it is said: 'Wake up, oh sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you'.” What light was Paul referring to here? The Light that is the person of Jesus Christ, of course! It is said that the only thing the Roman soldiers who were guarding Jesus' tomb saw when Jesus rose from the dead was a blinding light. When the dead in Christ arise with the rapture of the Church, we too will be instantly transformed into Spiritual beings of light. This is likely to happen in our lifetimes. Now there is something to look forward to!

Last but certainly not least, let's examine what Jesus himself had to say about walking in and being a part of the light we are discussing. I quote from the Gospel of Matthew: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” (Matthew chapter 5, verses 14-16, NIV) If we are in fact “the light of the world” in the sight of Christ, shouldn't we be acting like it? And if we are the light of the world in Jesus' sight, how much more will we be for the Father? Whether we get a good or positive reaction from others that we try to do this for or not is besides the point. Because ultimately, we're not doing this for them, nor for ourselves, but for God, because He is watching us. A city at night cannot be hidden. Let's not hide the light that exists inside each of us (whether we realized that up until now or not is besides the point). Those who refuse to let His light shine, or who won't let it in at all, dishonor God, themselves, and even their family and friends. Since we are all God's unique and distinct creations, let's honor God by expressing our thankfulness and gratitude towards Him for creating us and for keeping us alive all these years. After all, what else can we do?