Getting Used to the Dark

And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness. You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous. Whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother. (1 John 3:3-10 ESV)

Vance Havner was a special voice to the Church. He was born in 1901 and lived until 1986. I listened to a sermon of his on an old cassette tape. Remember those with a high hissing sound in the recording?

He preached a sermon called, “Getting used to the Dark.” He talked about eating a restaurant with a friend when all of a sudden the power went out. At first, everything was pitch black, but after a while his eyes began to adjust to the darkness. Things didn’t seem quite as dark as they were when the building lost power.

It was a strong sermon about how the Church has got used to the darkness around us. Isn’t that true? Sin doesn’t seem to shock us. This battle between light and darkness is not new to us. It has been around since the beginning. John addressed the issue of false teachers coming into the Church and trying to destroy people’s faith with wrong doctrine.

You cannot continue to Sin
“No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.” v.6
Sin always separates. The aim of Satan is to break the fellowship between you and God. Why is fellowship with God so important? 1 Corinthians 1:9 teaches us, “God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ.”

There is so much truth packed into this Scripture. Before I’m called to preach, I’m called to fellowship with Christ. Before I’m called to witness to others, I’m called to fellowship with Christ. Before I’m called to do my job or earn an income or even attend Church, I’m called to fellowship with Christ. It is the most important part of my life. Why do you think that is?

One might say that spending time with your spouse or children is the most important thing in life. Someone may argue to make yourself happy and do the things you enjoy is what matters in life.

Not for a believer! The most important thing we can do is fellowship with Christ. Why? Because how much better of a husband and father am I going to be if I am spending quality time with Jesus? How much more will I enjoy life and the blessings of God if I am first spending time with Christ? How much happier will I be if I am happy with Christ first? No wonder Jesus tells us in Matthew 6:33, “But seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you.” So when I allow sin in my life and I continue on sinning I am interrupting the most important aspect of my life…the sweet fellowship with Christ.