Lights Out

Revelation 21:23
The City had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the Glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.

One of the most feared things in a city is a “Black Out.” When a big city experiences a power outage chaos soon ensues. There is looting, home invasions, robberies, rape, and all kinds of mayhem because criminals feel safe under the cover of darkness. They can hide in the dark and they know that the buildings are defenseless with no alarm systems.

In many cities, it would appear that we have power outages. Anarchy seems to be the order of the day, violence in the streets, disrespect in the House of Representatives, rudeness on the stage, criminal activity in our schools, murder at Clark Atlanta and Yale University. Much of this is happening with the Lights on. Therefore the Power outage doesn’t have anything to do with electricity but has everything to do with Power. When we turn away from God it leads to a Power Outage. Through our disobedience we tell God he is not welcome and he leaves the city because we don’t allow him to dwell within us. God is a “gentleman” he will not stay where he is not welcome. Even Jesus told the disciples, “If you enter a town and you are not welcomed there then shake the dust from your feet.”

Some of our cities are dark because we turned the Lights off. The old folks used to sing this song, “This Little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine, all in my home, I’m going to let it shine.” What happens when we don’t let our lights shine at work, at home, in the sinners face? It’s lights out!

Comedian Jack Black caused a “black out” the other night when he prayed for Satan at the VMA’s. It was supposed to be a joke but God was not laughing. We’ve allowed the devil to come in because he feels most comfortable when the lights are off.
In the fulfillment of all things when Satan’s 1,000 years of reign are over God will return with a new city where there will be no need for lights.

Until then, we need to turn the lights on. How do we turn the lights back on?
Through our own individual witness. Our witness is how we live our lives for Jesus. By the way we live people ought to be able to see Christ in us. But the word witness also means Martyr. We have to be willing to die so that others may see the resurrected Christ in us. Polycarp is said to have known the Apostle John, and to have been instructed by him in the Christian faith. Polycarp, in his turn, was known to Irenaeus, who later became Bishop of Lyons in what is now France. Polycarp was denounced to the government, arrested, and tried on the charge of being a Christian. When the proconsul urged him to save his life by cursing Christ, he replied: "Eighty-six years I have served him, and he never did me any wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me?" The magistrate was reluctant to kill a gentle old man, but he had no choice.

Polycarp was sentenced to be burned. As he waited for the fire to be lighted, he prayed:

Lord God Almighty, Father of your blessed and beloved child Jesus Christ, through whom we have received knowledge of you, God of angels and hosts and all creation, and of the whole race of the upright who live in your presence: I bless you that you have thought me worthy of this day and hour, to be numbered among the martyrs and share in the cup of Christ, for resurrection to eternal life, for soul and body in the incorruptibility of the Holy Spirit. Among them may I be accepted before you today, as a rich and acceptable sacrifice, just as you, the faithful and true God, have prepared and foreshown and brought about. For this reason and for all things I praise you, I bless you, I glorify you, through the eternal heavenly high priest Jesus Christ, your beloved child, through whom be glory to you, with him and the Holy Spirit, now and for the ages to come. Amen.

The fire was then lit and shortly thereafter a soldier stabbed Polycarp to death by order of the magistrate. His friends gave his remains honorable burial, and wrote an account of his death to other churches.

1. Reading and Living the word. God’s word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my pathway.

2. Lift up Jesus, Jesus is the light of the world.

3. Make sure your church or business is a light on a hill and not light under a bush. We ought to illuminate our communities with our presence through philanthropic and humanitarian efforts.

4. Transform your community by literally lighting up dark places. Wherever criminals feel safe hiding, throw some light on it. When there were shootings at a night club 500 yards away from us we threw some light on it and we will continue to do so.

When God comes back to take over the city there will be no need for lights because God’s glory will illuminate it. There will be no sun or moon because God’s Glory which is greater than the lamination of the sun and the reflection it gives to the moon. The Lamb is the Light. Jesus is the Lamb that was slain for our sins. When he was crucified the sun refused to shine and the earth was covered in darkness because two suns (sons) couldn’t shine at the same time. Whenever we crucify Jesus we kill the light. Maybe our cities, our business, our homes have experienced “black outs” because we have killed the light. Turn your lights back on! Lift up the name of Jesus because he is the light of the world, shining through us.

Dear God, help me to lift up Jesus through my behavior. May people see his light shining in me throughout the day. This little light of mine I’m going to let it shine in the sinner's face, I’m going to let it shine, at work I’m going to let it shine, all in my home I’m going to let it shine. God use me to give light to others until you come back and light the whole city up.

In Jesus Name,

Amen.