Darkness on SermonAudio

The sermon explores the biblical metaphor of believers as 'children of light' and 'little lights' in a dark world, drawing from Ephesians 5. It outlines three essential steps for Christian conduct: acknowledging one's past condition of spiritual darkness to maintain humility, aiming for the present reality of union with Christ which naturally produces goodness and righteousness, and continuously testing all actions against the Word of God to determine what is acceptable to Him. The preacher emphasizes that Christians are secondary sources of light, reflecting Christ rather than generating their own, and warns against pride or artificial religiosity. Ultimately, the message calls for a life of progressive illumination through Scripture, enabling believers to navigate moral complexity and stand distinct from worldly darkness.

As you hear these words that provide you another aspect of Jesus exposing sin and hypocrisy among the people, among the leaders he had chosen to be a faithful light in the darkness, do you have ears to hear the call of the Gospel to you today? Praise your Lord Jesus Christ for His willingness and faithfulness to confront sinners, to send his servants to the ends of the Earth calling sinners to repent and come to Him and not only be invited, but a part of that glorious marriage! Praise Jesus for His blessing you His people with salvation and His righteous robes, welcoming all who believe to His feast.

A ten-part sermon series on the Christian's chief enemy, the person and works of the devil.

Christ's mission as the second Adam is to reverse the effects of the fall by restoring the image of God in humanity. In Mark 5, the man possessed by a legion of demons represents the most extreme example of human desecration found in scripture, his humanity nearly extinguished by demonic forces. When Jesus arrives in this Gentile territory and delivers the man, he restores not merely his sanity but true humanity, demonstrating the transforming power of the gospel. There are three responses to Christ in this episode: The transformed man who longs to remain with Jesus, the fearful townspeople who beg Jesus to leave, and the demonic forces who recognize Christ's absolute authority. Apart from Christ, all humanity operates in a kind of spiritual insanity, suppressing truth and surrendering the will to the kingdom of darkness. Salvation entails the restoration of a right mind, true freedom, and genuine life. Those redeemed are called to live as witnesses to the gospel's transforming power while awaiting the return of Christ to complete the restoration of all things.

Pastor Jeremiah Gabbard | 2Cor. 4:3-7 "What Satan seeks to blind men from, God uses to regenerate men with—the light of the glorious gospel of Christ." The sermon explores the transformative power of the gospel as a source of spiritual light for those in darkness. It outlines four key truths from 2 Corinthians 4, emphasizing that the message is hidden to the lost and that Satan actively blinds minds to prevent belief. The preacher argues that humanity's primary need is not information but spiritual reconciliation through faith in Jesus Christ. By contrasting spiritual blindness with the illuminating work of God, the text highlights the necessity of preaching Christ crucified. The message concludes with an urgent call for individuals to accept this free gift of salvation and for believers to share this light with others.

THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD 1.    In the Green Pastures 2.    In the Dark Valleys 3.    Even into Glory

Work While It Is Day Dented by Grace, Enriched for the Work This teaching centers on Jesus' words in John 9:4–5: "I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day… As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." Jesus lived with a clear awareness that He had been sent by the Father, given an assignment, and given a workable opportunity to fulfill it. In the same way, because Christ now lives in His people by His Spirit, believers are called to recognize that we too have been sent and must faithfully work while the opportunity remains. Psalm 104:19–23 helps illuminate Jesus' reference to working "while it is day." God appointed order within creation: the moon for seasons, the beasts for the night, and man to go out to his labor during the day. Jesus was using that ordinary reality to teach spiritual urgency. Daylight represents opportunity. Darkness limits the work. Therefore, while God gives us light, strength, relationships, open doors, and influence, we should use those opportunities for His glory. This is not frantic, restless activity; Scripture also teaches God-given rest. It is simply recognizing that our present opportunities will not last forever. John 9 then gives a living illustration of the works of God. The man born blind was not blind because of some specific sin committed by him or his parents. Jesus redirected the disciples from asking, "Who is to blame?" toward seeing what God intended to reveal: "that the works of God should be revealed in him." The disciples saw a problem; Jesus saw a platform for glory. The man had lived in darkness all his life, yet there came a God-appointed day when Jesus passed by, saw him, healed him, and ul

The sermon explores God's sovereign power to raise up unexpected servants and His faithful provision for them during times of darkness. Using the example of Elijah, the preacher illustrates that God is never limited by human circumstances or resources, often choosing unlikely sources like ravens and a starving widow to sustain His people. The message encourages believers to trust in God's daily providence rather than worrying about the future, emphasizing that obedience leads to divine sustenance even when it seems impossible. It highlights that while trials may accompany blessings, God ultimately restores what is lost and rewards those who seek His kingdom first. The central theme is that salvation and provision are entirely of the Lord, requiring total dependence on His word and timing.

Are monitoring spirits taught in Scripture? In this episode of NAR to Christ, Dawn Hill examines popular deliverance teachings concerning monitoring spirits and compares those claims with the Word of God. She considers teachings from Ryan LeStrange and Tiffany Buckner, including claims that monitoring spirits work through people, jealousy, procrastination, relationships, and other circumstances. Dawn explains why the biblical reality of Satan and spiritual warfare does not establish the modern doctrine of monitoring spirits. She also warns that such teaching can create fear, suspicion, and an unhealthy focus on demonic activity. Rather than demonizing people or interpreting ordinary struggles as evidence of demonic spirits, Christians are called to submit to God, resist the devil, trust God's sovereignty, and rest in the sufficiency of Scripture. Believers in Christ have been delivered from the domain of darkness, sealed by the Holy Spirit, and equipped by God to stand firm in biblical spiritual warfare. For more from Dawn Hill, visit: https://servantsofgrace.org/dawn-hill/

~~~~~~~ No 27 in the series - The Epistles of Peter. ~~~~~~~ **Considering 2 Peter 1:16-21** For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, .....We have also a more sure word of prophecy; .....holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost. *1/ Peter and the Apostles made known the power the coming of our Lord. 2/ They were NOT following cunningly devised fables. 3/ They WERE eye witnesses. 4/ They point to a word more sure than visions.* **Sermon Summary:** The sermon establishes the absolute authority and reliability of Scripture by contrasting it with human fables and subjective visions. Drawing on 2 Peter 1, the message emphasizes that the apostles were eyewitnesses to Christ's majesty, particularly at the Transfiguration, rather than promoters of invented stories. It argues that while spiritual experiences like Paul's visions are significant, the written Word remains a more sure foundation for faith and doctrine. The preacher urges believers to treat the Bible as a divine light that exposes the darkness of the human heart and reveals Christ clearly. Ultimately, the text affirms that Scripture is God-breathed, historically verified, and sufficient for guiding the church without reliance on private interpretation or extra-biblical revelations.