Category: A Light in the Darkness

“6 Then Peter said, ‘Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.’ 7 Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. 8 He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God. 9 When all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 they recognized him as the same man who used to sit begging at the temple gate called Beautiful, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.”
Acts 3:6-10 NIV

From being stuck in a stall to the freedom of the open pasture: freedom. A calf that is stuck in a stall may not know what it is like to be free, perhaps even be content at the current state. Content for just being satisfied since the circumstances are as such one can only accept their lot in life. But the rising sun that comes with healing in his wings bought us freedom. No longer bound, no longer being slaves to sin and death. Like the lame man who was healed, his own frolicking like a calf that has found new freedom leads to becoming a testimony of Jesus’ gospel salvation to all around him. Is there then a more appropriate gate that is called Beautiful because of this salvific event? So let’s pray that there will be even greater experiences of freedom that lead to the greater testifying events of salvation.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, in you there is true freedom! As the lame man was taken from the very disability that held him down, by your healing he was able to jump and praise God leading to being a witness of wonder and amazement of your gospel. Have your way with us, in Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Song: Let’s sing to the Lord the song “Jesus” by Chris Tomlin (click here).

– MK

20 Just then a woman who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years came up behind him and touched the edge of his cloak. 21 She said to herself, “If I only touch his cloak, I will be healed.” 22 Jesus turned and saw her. “Take heart, daughter,” he said, “your faith has healed you.” And the woman was healed at that moment.
Matt 9:20–22 NIV

“The Hebrew word kanaph is here translated “wings.”… It is also used to refer to the corner or the hem of a garment…Malachi states the sun of righteousness will appear with healing in His garments; that is, His arrival will be associated with the healing and restoring of His people. The sun of righteousness, God Himself, will possess healing in His wings. It was assumed in ancient Israel that the hem of the garment of righteous men contained healing properties. Yet the healing that Malachi refers to in this passage is not merely physical healing, but a spiritual restoration from sin and from separation from the Lord.” [Fries, Micah, Exalting Jesus in Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi (Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary), p. 269]

Prayer: Lord Jesus, we acknowledge the great example of the bleeding woman who desperately sought after you with profound faith in you. We believe you for any and every healing whether it is physical, mental, emotional, or relational.  May there be spiritual restoration so that all things in our lives will be directed toward worshiping you. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Song: Let’s sing to the Lord the song “Living Hope” by Phil Wickham (click here).

– MK

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 8:12 NIV

“The second thing implied by his being a rising sun is that he brings security where there was danger. When it is dark, there is more danger because you can’t see the path in front of you. You might fall off a cliff or trip over a log or bang your head against a branch.

When the sun finally rises, you can move with security. That’s the way it is with Jesus. He points the way to go again and again. He shows up the danger and the foolishness of many choices before we make them. He guards us from many evil forces that only have power in the dark.” [John Piper’s sermon on Malachi 4]

Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you that we can walk in the light of your presence, our true place of safety. May our eyes be opened so that we can clearly see your leading. We pray that choices that reflect your glory will be made in each step of our walk with you. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Song: Let’s sing to the Lord the song “Way Maker” by Leeland (click here).

– MK

This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
John 3:19-21 NIV

“The ancient man approached God (or even the gods) as the accused person approaches his judge. For the modern man, the roles are quite reversed. He is the judge: God is in the dock. He is quite a kindly judge; if God should have a reasonable defense for being the god who permits war, poverty, and disease, he is ready to listen to it. The trial may even end in God’s acquittal. But the important thing is that man is on the bench and God is in the dock.”
[C.S. Lewis, God in the Dock: Essays on Theology and Ethics]

Prayer: Lord let your light shine in all aspects of my life. May anything that is offensive and unbiblical be exposed so that only what is of you and what is done for you will remain. I pray in the name of Jesus, amen.

Song: Let’s sing to the Lord the song “The Awesome God You Are” by Matt Redman (click here).

– MK

Let’s read aloud together:

“Surely the day is coming; it will burn like a furnace. All the arrogant and every evildoer will be stubble, and the day that is coming will set them on fire,” says the Lord Almighty. “Not a root or a branch will be left to them. 2 But for you who revere my name, the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its rays. And you will go out and frolic like well-fed calves. 3 Then you will trample on the wicked; they will be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day when I act,” says the Lord Almighty.
4 “Remember the law of my servant Moses, the decrees and laws I gave him at Horeb for all Israel.
5 “See, I will send the prophet Elijah to you before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. 6 He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.”
Malachi 4:1-6 NIV

We proclaim Christ. In Christ alone God has fully and finally revealed himself, and through Christ alone God has achieved salvation for the world. We therefore kneel as disciples at the feet of Jesus of Nazareth and say to him with Peter, ‘You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God,’ and with Thomas, ‘My Lord and my God.’ Though we have not seen him, we love him. And we rejoice with hope as we long for the day of his return when we shall see him as he is. Until that day we join Peter and John in proclaiming that ‘there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven by which we must be saved.’ [Cape Town Commitment 4. We love God the Son, Section C]

Prayer: Lord Jesus, our sun of righteousness, we proclaim as your people that in you alone is salvation and you are the Christ, the Son of the Living God. So we kneel and bow our hearts as disciples sitting at your feet. May there be greater salvation moments as we continue to confess that you are our Lord and our God. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.

Song: Let’s sing together to the song “How Great is Our God” by Chris Tomlin (click here).

– MK