Lights as People, And People as Lights*

Last week we talked about a festival of dedicated lights, Hanukkaah, with us as the light of the world. In putting up Christmas lights, we can remember in the past that when one light on the string went out, the whole string would go out. Today, if the fuse or circuit breaker flips off, the whole string of lights fails to work. What is the effect that one life can have on others? If one of us is not shining, it affects all the other lights. Like the Christmas lights, if we are not connected to the Source that gives the light, than we cannot shine. In the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart, which is always shown at Christmas time, an angel gives the lead character a gift: the gift of seeing how others' lives would be affected if he was not here. Jesus told us that we were the lights of the world to be placed high on a candlestick, not hidden, so our light would give light to all in the house. The good works that we do as those lights is seen by other men, and God is glorified as a result (Mt. 5:14-16). We are to be lights, and that light is seen by others. Jesus told us what affected our light: "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single (meaning "good fulfilling its office, sound. Root meaning: s a particle of union), thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness?" (Mt. 6:22-23). We see the spiritual darkness of the times in whih we are living. We have to be diligent in maintaining the purity of our "eye", our spiritual sight and understanding, if we are to be people as lights. In our analogy of the string of Christmas lights, we see that there is the importance of unity - one light with the others, and all lights unified with their source. The apostle Paul wrote of the spiritual unity of believers in the Body of Christ - unity with each other, and unity with our Head, Christ: "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace...there is one body...one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all..." (Eph. 4:1-5). The Body of Christ has a problem in their lack of unity with each other. This affects how our lights shine. The Lord sent apostles, prophets, evangelists, prophets and teachers to perfect and equip the saints for the work of the ministry (as the light of the world, and the bringing of the Gospel to others): "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ...no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine...But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Eph. 4:11-16). As all parts of the Body are needed to function together, people as lights also function together in unity, and impact each other by doing so. Most central of all is the need to be connected to, and grow into, our Source of light, Jesus, the Light of the World. Jesus told His disciples: "Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, and ye are the branches: He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me, ye can do nothing...Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear mush fruit; so shall ye be my disciples...If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's command, and abide in his love." (Jn. 15:1-10, excerpt). Jesus told them that this was so His joy might remain in us, and our joy, in turn, may be full. For those who do not abide in the vine, Jesus, those "branches" would bear no fruit, wither, and be cast forth and burned. The commandments of Jesus that we are called to abide in, the Word of God, keeps us connected to Him. Paul wrote that it is the Spirit of God who works in us to be like an epistle "known and read of all men". (2 Cor. 3:2-3). The Word of God is no longer on tablets of stone, but written on the tables of our hearts. Our sufficiency to be lights that impact others is not of ourselves, "but our sufficiency is of God". (v. 3-5). It is God "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (v. 6). Paul wrote of the greater glory (meaning includes "splendor, brightness") that is unlike the previous glory of Moses that came from the letter written and engraved in stones. That former glory passed away, but the ministration of the spirit is a glory that excels and remains (v. 7-11). It is also interesting that v. 18 from this chapter mentions an image, specifically a mirror image: "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." A mirror image that we gaze upon changes us. Paul also mentions this mirror image in 1 Cor. 13:12. In Gal. 3:1, Paul referred to "evidence" (meaning in the Greek to depict or portray openly. root meaning: engrave) of the crucifixion of Christ that the Galatians had seen with their own eyes. I believe that these are references in scripture to the Shroud of Turin, which is a mirror or reversed image. Many who have gazed at it have had their lives changed. Our lives should also impact others. As we abide in Christ, and as we are joined together in the unity of the Body of Christ, the Spirit and faith, we also are the lights that are the light of the world. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 12/12/21 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.

A Festival of Dedicated Lights*

Although Hanukkah, which means "Dedication", is not one of the original feasts ordained by God, Jesus observed Hanukkah, which is also called the Feast of Dedication, or the Festival of Lights. It was at the Feast of Dedication, that Jesus told as clearly as possible when asked by His questioners: "If thou be the Christ, tell us plainly." (Jn. 10:22-24). Earlier, Jesus had told His listeners, "I am the good shepherd." (Jn. 10:10-18). Though the devil meant nothing but evil and destruction towards men, as the Good Shepherd, Jesus came to give His life to protect the sheep. Jesus came "that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." (v. 10). Jesus also said: "And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd." (v. 16). At the Feast of Dedication, Jesus continued this revelation: "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. I and my Father are one." (v. 27-30). He identified Himself to the questioners by the works of His Father, which He did in His Father's name. His questioners did not believe Him, Jesus told them, because they were not of His sheep. This was His message at the Feast of Dedication: those who hear and follow their Good Shepherd, and are saved from the destruction of the devil. Although the works are before their eyes as a testimony, there are those today also who do not believe the miracles of Christ, the works He did and continues to do in His Father's name. Why did Jesus bring this message at the Feast of Dedication? There are those who believe, but do they understand the importance of being "dedicated"? We are living tabernacles or temples of God by the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. A tabernacle is not just a physical building. It is a dedicated and consecrated place, both physically and in our case, spiritually, for the presence and worship of God. Numbers 7 describes the dedication of the Tabernacle of the congregation: "And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it, and all the instruments thereof, both the altar, and all the vessels thereof, and had anointed them, and sanctified them." (v. 1). The twelve leaders of every tribe brought offerings of silver, gold, oxen, bullocks, rams, lambs, and goats to be given to the Levites. For twelve days, the offerings of each leader or prince were made on a certain day for the dedication of the altar of the tabernacle. (v. 10-11, 84-88). When this was done, the LORD gave Moses the pattern for the construction and lighting of the lamps of the gold candlestick (Num. 8:1-4). Aaron did this as the LORD had shown Moses. Then Moses was commanded by the LORD: "Take the Levites from among the children of Israel, and cleanse them...Sprinkle water of purifying upon them...and let them wash their clothes, and so make themselves clean." (Num. 8:6-7). The Levites were the tribe of priests from among the children of Israel, to serve in the tabernacle. We also have been called to be priests, as we will read later. We are cleansed by the washing of the Word of God. The Book of 1 Maccabees of the Apocrypha tells the events surrounding the cleansing and re-dedication of the temple in Jerusalem, which had been defiled by the pagan enemy. When they saw the condition of the temple, they fell down on their faces and repented before God. Judas Maccabee had the defiled altar torn down and re-built with new stones, and the temple furnishings brought in: "They made also new holy vessels, and into the temple they brought the candlestick, and the altar of burnt offerings, and of incense and the table. And upon the altar they burned incense, and the lamps that were upon the candlestick they lighted, that they might give light in the temple." Judas and the whole congregation then ordained eight days of dedication to begin from the 25th of Casleu from year to year. Priests of "blameless conversation", who loved the Word, were chosen to restore the temple sacrifices and praises (see 1 Maccabees 4:36-59). In the dedication of Solomon's temple, the fire and glory of the LORD filled the temple so that the priests could not stand to pray. The whole congregation worshiped and praised: "For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever." (2 Chron. 7:1-3). Solomon offered thousands of animals in sacrifice to dedicate the house of the God. They kept the dedication of the altar for seven days, and assembled together on the eighth day. (v. 4-9). The LORD then appeared to Solomon by night, assuring the king that He had heard Solomon's prayer, and He had "chosen this place to myself for a house of sacrifice." (v. 12). This dedicated place would be a place where the LORD would hear, and the curses would be broken (see also Rev. 22:3). With this in mind, the LORD promised: "If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. For now I have chosen and sanctified this house...". (v. 13-15). We are the temple of the Holy Spirit. As we cleanse and dedicate this living temple to Him, our hearts and souls, He fills this living temple with His fire and glory. We are called to be priests and kings in the Kingdom of God, and must dedicate and sanctify ourselves accordingly. The call is to be a holy nation. God wants all of His people to be holy. Moses first saw this priesthood as God called His people to keep His covenant: "...then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth is mine. And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and a holy nation.' These are the words which thou shalt speak to the children of Israel." (Ex. 19:5-6). Peter confirmed the same truth regarding the believers in Christ: "Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ...But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light." (1 Pet. 2:1-10, excerpt). Jesus spoke of us being salt and light in the world as He preached about the blessing of those who are "pure in heart", the peacemakers and the persecuted: "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid...(but put) on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Mt. 5:8-12, 14-16). Dedicated light in us is like the light that illuminates the holy city of heaven: "And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the LORD God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever." (Rev. 22:1-5, excerpt). Let this season cause us to be dedicated lights. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 12/5/21 message to the church. To contact us, submit a prayer request, give a praise report, or to support this ministry: P.O. Box 154221, Waco, TX, 76705 OR Everlastingcovenant@ymail.com. You can also find us on Facebook, Twitter, and endtimeschool.com.