This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. – John 3:19-20 NIV
Imagine you’re sound asleep in a dark and quiet room. You’re comfortable. You don’t want to be disturbed. Now imagine some happy morning person bursts into your room and opens your room darkening curtains, allowing sunlight to flood the space. You open your eyes for a second, but the brightness is too much. Quickly you close your eyes and bury your head under the covers, trying as hard as you can to keep the light out.
At this point, some will realize the value in the refreshing sun light. They will throw back the covers and allow their eyes to adjust to the brightness as they rise, ready to start a new day. Others will grumble from under the covers – pleading with their assailant to close the curtains so that they can settle back into the darkness.
This is an analogy of what happens when the truth of the Gospel is exposed. When the light of God’s Word, the Good News of Jesus’ saving sacrifice, shines on a world content in their darkness.
BAD NEWS – Every one of us is sinful and no matter how good we think we are, we will never be good enough to be in the presence of the Almighty God. God is a just God – and sin cannot go unpunished. The wages of sin is death! (Romans 6:23)
GOOD NEWS – But because God loves us, he provided a way for us to be redeemed. He sent his one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the price for our sin. He died so that we could live. The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus. (Romans 6:23)
CHOICE – To avoid the final judgement of hell, you must acknowledge the ugliness of your sin, turn from the darkness and run to the light of Jesus. You must choose to follow him as your Lord and Savior. The alternative is to put your faith in something or someone else and hope it works out – though the Bible clearly says it won’t. Salvation is found in no one else. (Acts 4:12)
“Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on them.” – John 3:36 NIV
So what will you do? Will you see the light of Jesus and embrace him or will you bury your head under the covers to flee from him? Your answer to this question has eternal consequences. You must decide now. The curtain is open and the light is shining. Don’t hide from it and fall back to sleep. The next time the curtain is opened, it may be too late.
“But about that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. Be on guard! Be alert! You do not know when that time will come. It’s like a man going away: He leaves his house and puts his servants in charge, each with their assigned task, and tells the one at the door to keep watch. Therefore keep watch because you do not know when the owner of the house will come back—whether in the evening, or at midnight, or when the rooster crows, or at dawn. If he comes suddenly, do not let him find you sleeping. What I say to you, I say to everyone: ‘Watch!’ ”- Mark 13:32-37 NIV
