"Let There Be Light"

It’s easy to remember some of the “last words” of famous and infamous people.

The “last words” are those last utterances of people before they exit the stage into oblivion.

Like Civil War Union General John Sedgwick who looked across the field at a bunch of Confederate snipers.

He turned to a soldier at his side and said, “They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.”

Those were his last words.

But what about famous “first words?”

You know, those words, that launched some new venture or discovery.

We remember Neil Armstrong’s first words when he stepped on the moon: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

Then we have Alexander Graham Bell’s first words spoken on the telephone in 1875: “Mr. Watson, come here – I want to see you.”

Mr.Watson was Bell’s assistant.

Many famous first words were spoken as a result of advances in communication itself, like the telephone.

Another example is the telegraph.

Samuel Morse was the first person to send a message over a real telegraph line on May 24, 1844.

From the old Supreme Court Chamber in the Capitol building in Washington D.C., Morse sent the first message – a Bible verse.

He sent Numbers 23:23 to his associate waiting on the other end of the line in Baltimore.

He sent these words: “What hath God wrought?” or “What has God done?”

More first words followed as communication technology advanced.

The first words spoken over a wireless radio were spoken on December 23^rd, 1900, from a station on Cobb Island on the Potomac River by Reginald Aubrey Fessenden who said:

“One, two, three, four. Is it snowing where you are, Mr. Thiesen?”

The first words that ended the era of silent movies was spoken in 1927 in the movie “The Jazz Singer”.

Al Jolson’s clever line was “Wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothin yet.”

Let’s dial the clock forward a little bit.

The first email was sent by computer engineer Ray Tomlinson in 1971.

He sent the email to himself and this is what it said: QWERTYUIOP

What does it spell? Nothing

Those are the top letters of the keyboard.

Of course, important first words aren’t confined to the appearance of new communication devices.

The first words a child speaks are anticipated for months by parents who can’t wait to hear what junior actually wants.

The nine most common first words for babies are dada, daddy, mama, dad, mommy, mom, cat, no and dog.

If they say “money” first, then you actually have a teenager, not a baby.

I.“Let There Be Light”

Genesis 1:3 = And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.

First words announce that something new has begun.

And no first words, in fact, no communication at all would have been possible without the first words ever spoken: “Let there be light.”

The first recorded words in the history of the universe were spoken not by humans, but by God.

God spoke those words at the beginning of a brand new project called creation.

God’s words signify a major shift from the existing formless chaos on the earth toward order and goodness represented by God’s illuminating presence.

In Genesis 1:3 God seems to be launching a new and transformational technology just by speaking a word.

Having just come through Advent and Christmas, we can easily make the connection to the fact that the light that God has spoken into the creation project reveals God’s character to us:

God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. (I John 1:5)

The Gospel of John takes this understanding further by connecting the Incarnation of God in Jesus to both God’s Word and to God’s presence as revealed in light.

Like Genesis, the book of John begins with “In the beginning” and says that Jesus was God’s ultimate “Word” spoken to the creation.

Jesus came as a light to pierce the darkness of sin and death.

John 1:4, 5 = 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.

Jesus’ life – God’s very life – was the light of men.

When you read Genesis 1:1-5 and John 1:1-5 next to each other, it’s easy to see how the themes run together.

God speaks and the darkness and chaos of the earth are put in their places.

John was not the only one to pick up this theme of light that echoes all the way back to God’s first words.

The Apostle Paul gave the Thessalonians the following reminder:

You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. (I Thess. 5:5)

He then reminds them that another day is coming.

So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. (I Thess. 5:6-8)

We are encouraged here to step into the light and live in it so that we might move out of the chaos of sin and into God’s ordered way of life for us.

Who do you think is more foolish:

            The child afraid of the dark or

            The man afraid of the light?

God’s first words were about light and the need for light.

This is also the theme for the Incarnate Word of God in the New Testament, the incarnate Word of God being Jesus.

II. Where’s The Light?

God’s famous first words “Let there be light” are great words for us as we begin a new year.

As people created in God’s image, we are called to recognize the separation of light and darkness in our own lives.

We need to recognize that which is dark and that which is light in our lives.

For example, we live in darkness when we continue to engage in habitual sins.

We live in darkness when we take advantage of the people around us.

We live in darkness when anger takes control of our lives.

We live in darkness when we refuse to deal with un-confessed sin in our lives.

If we find our lives are out of control, it’s the darkness that’s holding us back from living consistent well-ordered lives.

If God said, “Let there be light,” why is there so little light in the world?

John 3:19 = This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.

                                                            John 3:19

There is some pleasure in sin but the pleasure only lasts for a short time.

And after the pleasure of sin come the consequences.

It is very difficult for some to step out of the dominion of darkness into the kingdom of light.

One reason is that in the light our deeds are exposed and we experience shame.

It is a humbling experience to step out into the light.

But it is also a freeing experience.

Burdens are lifted from us that God never intended for us to carry.

III. Walking in the Light

I John 1:7 = . . . if we walk in the light , as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin.

The Word that became flesh brought the light of God into the world in person.

No matter where we’ve been hiding in the darkness, God is inviting us out into the light.

The dark pattern of sin in our lives can be broken by confessing our sins.

I John 1:9 = If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

After we confess our sins we can choose obedience.

We don’t have to be disobedient.

I John 2:3, 4 = We know that we have come to know him if we obey his commands. The man who says, “I know him,” but does not do what he commands is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

If we are truly saved, there has got to be some desire within us to resist sin.

There has got to be some desire to walk in the light.

We will not always get it right; there will be times when we sin.

But we don’t always have to get it wrong.

God’s famous first words “Let there be light” may also be some of his last words at the end of the old creation and the start of the new.

At the end of this age, God will create a new heaven and a new earth.

Revelation 22:5 = There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.

There will be no more night.

There will be no need for daylight savings time.

IV. Be the Light

God is ultimately the source of all light.

Scientists and engineers have done some pretty amazing things with light.

One of the most amazing inventions is that of the laser.

Laser is actually an acronym which stands for “light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation.

So laser light is light that has been amplified by radiation.

A laser is so powerful that it can destroy a bulldozer.

Yet a laser is so precise that doctors can use it to perform delicate surgery on the human eyeball.

But it’s important that they remember to change the power setting from “Bulldozer” to “Eyeball.”

The message that this dark world needs to hear is that there is light, spiritual light.

If you are a Christ-follower and you are passing through a dark tunnel, there is light at the end of the tunnel.

If you are not a Christ-follower and you are passing through a dark tunnel, it’s only going to get darker unless you repent of your sins.

It only gets darker unless your step out into the light through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

If you are a Christ-follower, God’s word for you as you begin a new year is “Be the light.”

Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. . . let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”  (Matt. 5:14, 16)

Let Jesus shine through you.

Be the light!