In his first message of the series, Pastor Phyl spoke on the Light of the Universe, which is God, a natural light, which is both physical, and expected.
Today, he draws our attention to the invention of the personal flotation device, which has undergone many transformations to become the life jacket we know today. It is originally credited to one Captain Ward, an inspector with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, who created a cork vest which provided both weather protection and buoyancy. However, in 1900, Gustave Trouve patented a life jacket, powered by a small maritime battery, which allowed the device to inflate, to receive and transmit messages and to launch a distress flare. It is this battery that also gave it the ability to power a light, which could shine out in the darkness, much like the light in our memory verse from 2Corinthians 4:6.
In the second part of his series, Pastor Phyl speaks of a second type of light: The Light of Humanity, which is Christ Jesus. Looking at Psalm 27:1, he shows how all through the scriptures, there is the theme of Jesus being the carrier of light to the world.
Isaiah prophecies about a great light dawning in the land of deep darkness, and we see this prophecy fulfilled in Matthew 4 when Jesus hears about John the Baptist being arrested. This is the same man who is spoken of in the Gospel of John. John the Baptist was clear when he said that he was not the light, but came so that he may testify to that light.
Jesus is the source of spiritual light to the world. Without Jesus, salvation would not be achievable, and the New Covenant would not have been ushered in. The Old Covenant, which was only between God and the people of Israel would still be in place. Jesus, in bringing in the New Covenant, opened the curtain to us, and allowed us, too, to enter the holy of holies.
This is shown in Psalm 27:1, where the light of salvation; the light of the New Promise is revealed to us. In the Old Testament, the Holy Spirit dwelt on men, but in the New Testament, under the New Promise of Jesus, the Spirit dwells in men.
Jesus gives us the power to stand, to witness, and to quicken our mortal bodies. He gives us the light of forgiveness and atonement. In 1John 1:5, it is made clear that in coming to Christ, we must have a repentant heart, and acknowledge what we’ve done wrong, and then we may ask for forgiveness.
Finally, Jesus brings us the light of reconciliation. Pastor Phyl illustrated this with the use of the word “Atonement”. Separating out the word, it gives a literal meaning for God’s will for us. “At One Ment” – We are meant to be at one with God, but because of Sin, this is not possible. Jesus came so that these two (Us and God) could be brought together once more.
In closing, Pastor Phyl returned to the life jacket analogy, asking us if we are using our life jacket. When we are trapped in the darkness, he reminds us that Jesus is bigger than anything we may feel like we’re drowning in, whether it is financial circumstances, disaster, illness or bereavement, or even a work situation. Things can seem incredibly hopeless when you are in the darkness, but Jesus came to shine a light in our lives. He wants us to walk in the light.
So, are you using the light on your life jacket?
Scriptures: 2 Corinthians 4:6, Psalm 27:1, Isaiah 9:2, Matthew 4:12, John 1:6-14, 1 John 1:5-10, John 1:9-12
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