Living in the Light

My first camera was a Brownie Flash 20 made by Kodak. It required a roll of 620 film which was available in either color or black and white. If you wanted to take a picture indoors, you also needed to buy and then insert a small light bulb that would flash as you pressed the shutter button. This was referred to by the ingenious name, "flashbulb." The sad part of using flashbulbs was that they had a lifespan of one use. Then they were trash.

In our scripture passage for this weekend we read that we are instructed to live in a spiritually dark world as "children of light." This light is the presence of Jesus within us, the one who claimed while on earth to be "the light of the world."

Unfortunately, the obsolete flashbulb still exists. This would be the person who begins to follow Christ with great enthusiasm which then just as quickly subsides. It is going up like a rocket and coming down like a rock. What is lacking is that continuing evidence of transformation called perseverance.

Living a life that imitates God in His love for you will probably not make you a bright star. You need not be a celebrity to keep on shining. As Charles Spurgeon said, "By perseverance the snail reached the ark." None of us wants a life that consists of one flash of brilliance followed by worthlessness. There is a lot more that Paul wrote to give us the description of how this can be done, and that is the theme of my message this weekend, "Love that Dispels Darkness."

Pastor Paul A. McArthur

Attention Ladies, esp. those needing child care – read below, and call Karen Christner

Ephesians 5:1-14

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.

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, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.â€