When do you put the light on? When you need to see better in whatever action you're taking - the key word being action. Keeping the light on means keeping the action or activity going. When the light is off, there's darkness.
In the farewell discourse of Joshua, Moses' successor who led the conquest of the Promised Land, he throws down the gauntlet to the leaders of the twelve tribes. He knows they have become too cozy with the gods and culture of the surrounding nations. What ensues is the pointed jabbing of Joshua and the phony bluster of the tribal leaders - quite amusing really. Joshua wants them to keep faith in God alone, the one who had kept the light on for them through their many trials in the Exodus from Egypt, the wandering in the wilderness, and the conquest of the Promised Land.
In Matthew, Jesus confronts those who are focused only on the second coming, not on the active work of ministry. (Matthew has a very real interest in this within his faith community.) By focusing on the wrong thing, the light is off for the right and important things which Jesus has called us to do in his name.
Find out more about this. Check out the full sermon below with the video, or the downloads of the Fairfielder and the sermon text below the video panel.
In the farewell discourse of Joshua, Moses' successor who led the conquest of the Promised Land, he throws down the gauntlet to the leaders of the twelve tribes. He knows they have become too cozy with the gods and culture of the surrounding nations. What ensues is the pointed jabbing of Joshua and the phony bluster of the tribal leaders - quite amusing really. Joshua wants them to keep faith in God alone, the one who had kept the light on for them through their many trials in the Exodus from Egypt, the wandering in the wilderness, and the conquest of the Promised Land.
In Matthew, Jesus confronts those who are focused only on the second coming, not on the active work of ministry. (Matthew has a very real interest in this within his faith community.) By focusing on the wrong thing, the light is off for the right and important things which Jesus has called us to do in his name.
Find out more about this. Check out the full sermon below with the video, or the downloads of the Fairfielder and the sermon text below the video panel.
| 11-09-14-ff-answers.pdf |
| 11-09-14-keep_the_light_on.pdf |