Series: Jesus Manifesto
Message: Getting Out of the Darkness
Preacher: Paddy McCoy
Reflection: Japhet De Oliveira
Live Wonder: Zan Long
Live Adventure: Zan Long
Live Beyond: J. Murdock
Live Purpose: Lydia Svoboda
Editor: Becky De Oliveira

Refresh: Begin with prayer. Ask for the Holy Spirit to open your heart to new understanding and for God’s character to be revealed.

Read: Colossians 1:11-14 in The Message (MSG). Note 1–3 insights or questions. 

Reflect: Once again, the Message paraphrase has not failed to deliver an outstanding rendition of the Biblical text. You can sense clearly just how much this meant to Paul. He understands how complex life is and what holds us back from joy every day. The negative narratives of our lives that we have been sold limit hope. These narratives seek to suffocate us, removing the air we so desperately need, also known as freedom in Jesus. They have a grip on our lives that at times it appears impossible to break. The metrics of success and joy are constantly shifting. In the moments when you think you have success and joy, the bar shifts and you are drawn back down to ground zero. 

We sometimes face these failings in a short burst. You were not going to lose your temper today—and you slipped up. You wanted to talk to that person at the office who looks like they are carrying the world—but you just could not find the right time and another day has gone by. You were going to spend the extra hour practicing your sign language in order to connect with the deaf person at school—but you binged on Netflix instead . . . again. 

All of these are simple mistakes you can try to fix the next day, yet they can weigh on your heart and mind. They build guilt rather than conviction. The more difficult mistakes are those with lingering consequences on your or those you know and love. Gambling your life savings away. Cheating on an exam. Bullying your friends or colleagues. Hurting those you love.

Paul understands the daily struggles we face and the negative narratives that tell us we are alone—that we must accept our lot in life while we spiral further into the abyss. If not for the encounter that Paul had with Jesus, he would likely have been in the same predicament himself. Instead, Paul’s words to those feeling discouraged are “Never give up. Jesus will take you out of this pit.” Rescue from the pit happens when you renew your faith and life in Jesus. He changes your relationships. He heals the broken hearted and gives you permission to live in joy despite the daily messes you face. 

Recalibrate: What negative narratives have you heard people face and how can they change them? 

Respond: Thank God for the freedom you have in His name. 

Research: Read Romans 7 and Psalm 51.

Remember: “The Son paid for our sins, and in Him we have forgiveness” (Colossians 1:14, ICB).

Japhet De Oliveira is administrative director for the Center for Mission and Culture at Adventist Health in Roseville, California.

Pick your child up and show them where the light switch is in their room. During the day let them turn the switch on and off. When it is night time and dark do the same thing again. Go through your home turning the lights on as you enter each room. This is what love does. Love turns the lights on so we can clearly see what is around us.

Play a game of Spot Light Hidy at your house. If you are playing alone, place your toys around your room. Turn the lights out so it is very dark and go find your toys. If you are playing with friends, they will hide in a room and turn the lights out. When you come into the dark room you have to find your friends. The last friend found is the next finder. How much easier is it to find things when the light is switched on? This is what Jesus does. Jesus brings everything out into the light so we can see. Not only does He turn the lights on but He knows how to make something good out of our mess-ups. All we have to do is give them to Him and together we can do something amazing.

Have you ever met someone that you thought was a really good person only to find out that they weren’t truly good? It can be really tough to learn that not everything is as it first seemed. We build up trust with people because of who they say they are and how they act. But when it turns out they weren’t so trustworthy, it breaks not only our trust, but our willingness to trust others in the future.

In Verse 12, Paul mentions the “saints in the light” who inherit the good will of the Father. It’s a good thing to be with the saints in the light. But if there are saints in the light, it also must mean that there are saints in the dark. Seemingly good people who say they do good, but actually aren’t following God the way they claim. It’s something to look out for in others as we also look for it in ourselves. Staying true to our word. Making sure we follow through on our promises. 

Jesus was that person for the disciples. He showed them what it meant to walk in the light and pointed out when people walked away from the light. Jesus still shows us that today in His Word. By looking to Him in the moments when we are tempted to do things that are not good and honorable, we see that it’s possible not only to be people of the light, but to stay in the light. 

It doesn’t feel good to have someone break our trust, and to show us darkness. But if we follow Jesus, we can be sure that we won’t stay in darkness for long.

“Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.” We can’t get lost in the trap of making God’s work about ourselves. We do that when we think we can be good enough. “I’m kind of good—I’m better than that guy. So I should be able to do this thing for God.” No, there is nothing that could possibly qualify you for heaven or for God’s work apart from God Himself. His work can only be done by Him, but He wants you to experience joy so He says, “Take of My Spirit. Allow me to work through you so that you can experience the joy of my work. I’ve made the impossible possible. Just keep looking at Me.”

Zan Long is GRC director for faith development for ages 0-17. She lives in Sydney, Australia, and serves at her local church in nearby Kellyville.
J. Murdock is associate pastor at Boulder Adventist Church in Boulder, Colorado, where he focuses on youth and young adult ministry.
Lydia Svoboda is a junior theology major at Union College in Lincoln, Nebraska.