December 1st, 2024
by Kathy Wood
by Kathy Wood
By the word of the Lord, spoken through His prophets, we have exited the Old Covenant and are deposited into the New. I can almost hear a sigh of relief from those sojourning with us in The One Story Bible Reading Plan. But take note, it would be wise always to keep one foot firmly planted in the Old Covenant, for it is all one story, inspired and directed by the same God we find in the New Covenant. He is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore (Hebrews 13:8).
That said, in the first few pages of the New Covenant Gospels, we immediately revisit our ancient friends from the Books of the Prophets through prophecy fulfilled (Isaiah 9:2).
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14 ESV
Don’t miss it! We begin the New Covenant the same way we did the Old Covenant (Genesis 1:3-4): Divine Light enters deep darkness. Only now, this Divine Light has a name, Jesus, or as His early followers would refer to Him in Aramaic, Yeshua. He enters the darkness as a man.
Yeshua became this living, breathing light that tabernacled with us such that we, as believers, might see how to walk out the ministry of awakening and become agents of illumination that would reflect and magnify His light to the world.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16 ESV
If you’re like me, this scripture carries with it memories from the days of old-school children’s church, singing this song:
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m gonna let it shine.
Don’t let satan blow it out!
I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!
Letting our light shine as this choral suggests is such a charming, almost gentle idea for a child. But, I pray you will allow me to be bold and forthright about the type of light Yeshua was referencing. He was not making a slight-of-hand suggestion to His disciples but rather setting an expectation and commission for them to arise and shine for the hour was dark and the world was in desperate need of awakening.
“And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed."
John 3:19-20 NLT
Given that Israel and the world were steeped in sin, I would go a step further and suggest that Yeshua was presenting this word as a prophetic warning not only for His disciples and what they would encounter but also Christians today.
In 2024, one might think we would have garnered insight from our Hebrew ancestors regarding the consequences of sin and defiling a holy God. Thousands of years have passed, and yet our nation and the world make Sodom as well as fallen Israel look virtuous (Ezekiel 16: 51-52 should sound familiar). If we as Christians–God’s blood-bought church–are tucked away in that cozy, comfortable, and complacent slumber, how does the world awaken to sin? Is this why it is so dark outside?
When the church is not actively evangelizing and making disciples, the world and the enemy fill the void with darkness.
I harken back to my mother’s disruptive strategy and implore you and me to view the call to arise and shine as mission-critical. Our Savior, Jesus–Yeshua has equipped us both individually and corporately as His church to arise and shine…
This ministry of awakening can only be accomplished under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit within us and through obedience and submission to our King of Glory, Jesus–Emmanuel, God with us.
Church, we are the light of the world. This is who we are and are called to be–a light on a hill for a desperate and dark world to see.
That said, in the first few pages of the New Covenant Gospels, we immediately revisit our ancient friends from the Books of the Prophets through prophecy fulfilled (Isaiah 9:2).
“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.”
John 1:14 ESV
Don’t miss it! We begin the New Covenant the same way we did the Old Covenant (Genesis 1:3-4): Divine Light enters deep darkness. Only now, this Divine Light has a name, Jesus, or as His early followers would refer to Him in Aramaic, Yeshua. He enters the darkness as a man.
Yeshua became this living, breathing light that tabernacled with us such that we, as believers, might see how to walk out the ministry of awakening and become agents of illumination that would reflect and magnify His light to the world.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
Matthew 5:14-16 ESV
If you’re like me, this scripture carries with it memories from the days of old-school children’s church, singing this song:
This little light of mine,
I’m gonna let it shine.
Hide it under a bushel? No!
I’m gonna let it shine.
Don’t let satan blow it out!
I’m gonna let it shine.
Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!
Letting our light shine as this choral suggests is such a charming, almost gentle idea for a child. But, I pray you will allow me to be bold and forthright about the type of light Yeshua was referencing. He was not making a slight-of-hand suggestion to His disciples but rather setting an expectation and commission for them to arise and shine for the hour was dark and the world was in desperate need of awakening.
“And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed."
John 3:19-20 NLT
Given that Israel and the world were steeped in sin, I would go a step further and suggest that Yeshua was presenting this word as a prophetic warning not only for His disciples and what they would encounter but also Christians today.
In 2024, one might think we would have garnered insight from our Hebrew ancestors regarding the consequences of sin and defiling a holy God. Thousands of years have passed, and yet our nation and the world make Sodom as well as fallen Israel look virtuous (Ezekiel 16: 51-52 should sound familiar). If we as Christians–God’s blood-bought church–are tucked away in that cozy, comfortable, and complacent slumber, how does the world awaken to sin? Is this why it is so dark outside?
When the church is not actively evangelizing and making disciples, the world and the enemy fill the void with darkness.
I harken back to my mother’s disruptive strategy and implore you and me to view the call to arise and shine as mission-critical. Our Savior, Jesus–Yeshua has equipped us both individually and corporately as His church to arise and shine…
- standing boldly in truth, tempered by God’s love
- sharing an uncompromising Gospel
- living out and teaching a biblical worldview
- reflecting and magnifying our holy Abba Father
This ministry of awakening can only be accomplished under the influence and power of the Holy Spirit within us and through obedience and submission to our King of Glory, Jesus–Emmanuel, God with us.
Church, we are the light of the world. This is who we are and are called to be–a light on a hill for a desperate and dark world to see.
Posted in The Bible reading Plan
Recent
Arise, Shine, Our Light Has Come
December 1st, 2024
Arise, Shine, Oh Israel
November 20th, 2024
Fear Not: Three Practices to Overcome Anxiety in Times of Uncertainty
October 16th, 2024
A Posture of Prayer: Three Ways Hannah Teaches Us to Talk to God
May 20th, 2024
How to Read Narratives (Descriptive vs. Prescriptive)
May 1st, 2024
Archive
2024
January
February
May
November
December
No Comments