Darkness or Light? – Acts 26:18

Every person on this earth is in one of two kingdoms – the kingdom of darkness or the kingdom of light. Every person is either on the way to heaven or hell; there is no in between. Every person belongs to one of two families – the family of Satan or the family of Christ.

In this message, we consider the kingdom of darkness versus the kingdom of light, and how you can be rescued from darkness.

The Kingdom of Darkness (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13)

Acts 26:18 “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

Col. 1:13 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”

What is this kingdom like?

It is a Place of Darkness

1. Satan is the Master: John 8:44 “Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.”
   1. Who Satan is
      1. Satan and his demonic host are described as “the rulers of the darkness of this world” (Eph 6:12)
      2. Satan is called the “god of this world” (2 Cor 4:4).
      3. Satan is called the “prince of the power of the air” (Eph 2:2).
   2. What Satan does
      1. Satan Binds You
         • Satan “worketh in the children of disobedience” (Eph 2:2)
         • Satan takes unsaved men captive “at his will” (2 Tim. 2:26)
      2. Satan Blinds You
         • Satan takes “away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved.” (Luke 8:12).
         • Satan blinds “the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.” (2 Cor 4:4)
2. Sin is the Chain: “Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.” (John 8:34) (Also Rom. 3:10, 23; 5:12) There are many chains of sin that bind the unsaved such as:
   1. The chain of addiction – The word ‘servant’ means ‘bondslave’. Addiction comes in many forms – drugs, alcohol, pornography etc… These things do not make you free; they enslave you.
   2. The chain of immorality – “free love” as the world calls it is not free at all. Living outside of God’s design of Christian marriage is not freedom but bondage.
   3. The chain of deceit, blasphemy, anger and so on. Every sin is like a chain that binds you, keeping you in bondage.
   4. The chain of religion – many are deceived into thinking their religion will help them with their sin problem. They think they can compensate for their sin by doing good things, by working hard. But in reality, this simply becomes another form of bondage. Good works and religion cannot set you free (Refer Eph. 2:8-9; Titus 3:5; John 14:6).

It is a Place of Damnation

1. Tormenting Darkness
   1. Matt. 8:12 “But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
   2. Matt. 13:42 “And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.”
   3. Illustration: The rich man in hell (Luke 16:19-24)
2. Eternal Darkness Hell is called:
   1. “the blackness of darkness for ever.” (Jude 1:13)
   2. “the mist of darkness…for ever.” (2 Pet. 2:17)
   3. The challenge is clear. Choose darkness in this life and you will have eternal darkness in the life to come after death.

The Kingdom of Light (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13)

Acts 26:18 “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

Col. 1:13 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” What is this kingdom like?

It is a Place of Light

1. Jesus Christ is the Master
   1. John 1:4 & 9 “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”
   2. John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”
2. Righteousness is the Yoke
   1. Matt. 11:28-30 “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
   2. 1 John 5:3 “…his commandments are not grievous.”
   3. Challenge: Everyone has a master and it will either be Christ or Satan. Who will you choose?

It is a Place of Life

1. Abundant life now – John 10:10 “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”
2. Eternal life in the future – John 17:3 “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.” Romans 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

The Way of Deliverance (Acts 26:18; Col. 1:13)

Acts 26:18 “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

Col. 1:13 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:”

How do I escape the kingdom of darkness?

1. What You Must Do
   1. Repent (turn) – Acts 3:19 “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;”
2. Receive (trust)
   1. John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”
   2. Rom. 10:9-10, 13 “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

What Christ Will Do

1. Christ will Save You – Col. 1:13 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness…” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Rom. 10:13)
2. Christ will Transfer You – Col. 1:13 “…and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” The word ‘translated’ means to remove from one place to another, to transfer (word used to describe deportation of a conquered people to another land).
3. Christ will Cleanse You – 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”
4. Christ will Forgive You – Eph. 1:7 “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”
5. Christ will Transform You – Eph. 2:1 “And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;” 2 Cor. 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

Conclusion

Will you receive Christ as your personal Saviour right now?

Sermon Audio Id: 42421112131239