We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as
it is day; night is coming, when no man can work. While
I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:4-5)
The Son of God spoke these words to His disciples, prophesying
of a time that was still in the future. After the light
of the world was no longer in the world, a time called “night” would
come when no one would be able to do the work of God. What
was He talking about? What was the light of the world?
According to the Master’s own words, He was the light
of the world. But He also said in Matthew 5:14 that His
disciples were the light of the world. So, according to
His prophecy, “night” would come when neither
He nor His disciples were in the world. At that time, no
one would be able to do the work of God. But when would
this happen? Has there ever been a time when Jesus was
not on the earth and also had no disciples on the earth?
Will there be in the future?
When
our
Master
finished
His
mission
on
earth
and
ascended
to
His
Father,
the
work
of
God
was
left
in
the
hands
of
His
disciples.
They
were
His
Body
on
earth,
the
dwelling
place
of
His
Spirit,
carrying
out
the
deeds
prepared
for
them.
Their
primary
task
was
to
serve
each
other
and
build
each
other
up
until
they
all
became
like
their
Teacher
in
every
way.
They
were
a
witness
of
the
coming
Kingdom.
Their
life
together
showed
what
it
will
be
like
when
Messiah
returns
and
the
whole
earth
obeys
His
commands.
Once every nation has seen this demonstration, the end
will come. At that time, according to Revelation 19:7-8,
the Church, the Bride of Messiah, will be ready for Him.
She will be clothed in righteous deeds, the works that
He prepared for her.
So,
if
the
Church
did
the
works
of
God
in
the
beginning,
and
will
be
doing
them
at
the
end,
what
did
the
Master
mean
by “night, when no man can work”? Could
there have been a time in-between when the light went out?
Surely this prophecy must have a fulfillment. The Son of
God Himself spoke it. Did the works of God ever stop being
done? Could this be what Revelation 2:4-5 was talking about?
I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love
you had at first. Remember then from what you have fallen,
repent and do the works you did at first. If not, I will
come to you and remove your lampstand from its place, unless
you repent.
What
was
going
on
at
the
end
of
the
first
century
when
this
was
written?
If
the
churches
had “abandoned
love,” and
God
is
love,
did
this
mean
that
they
had
abandoned
God?
If
they
weren’t
doing
the
works
of
love
they
did
at
first,
does
that
mean
they
weren’t
doing
the
works
of
God?
If
God “removes
your
lampstand,” does
that
mean
you
are
no
longer
the
light
of
the
world,
as
far
as
He
is
concerned?
Is
it
possible
that
the
people
this
was
written
to
disregarded
it?
Did
they
not
have
ears
to
hear
this
warning
that
the
Spirit
spoke
to
the
churches? 
What if the light of all the churches actually went out
at some point in history, between the bright beginning
recorded in Acts and the glorious end prophesied in Revelation?
Could such a thing be possible? In John 8:31, Jesus said, “You
are truly My disciples if you keep obeying My teachings.” Did
He mean that if the churches stopped obeying His teachings,
then they wouldn’t be His true disciples anymore?
It was His true disciples who were the light of the world.
If there were no more true disciples, would the light of
the world cease? What does it take to be His disciple?
We
know
that
He
said, “None
of
you
can
become
my
disciple
if
you
do
not
give
up
all
your
possessions.”
We
also
know
that
the
twelve
apostles
left
everything
to
follow
Him
and
that
they
taught
others
to
do
the
same.
The
first
church
in
Jerusalem
lived
this
way
in
obedience
to
His
commands:
All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed
that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared
everything they had. With great power the apostles continued
to testify to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and much
grace was upon them all. There were no needy persons among
them. For all who owned lands or houses sold them, brought
the money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet,
and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. (Acts
4:32-35)
This
sharing
did
not
come
from
mere
external
obedience,
out
of
a
sense
of
obligation.
Obviously,
they
had
a
deep
concern
about
each
other’s
pressing
needs.
It
was
greater
than
their
consideration
for
their
own
future
security.
This
was
the
result
of
God’s
love
being
poured
out
in
their
hearts
by
the
Holy
Spirit.
These
deeds
of
care
were
the “works
of
God” that
had
been
prepared
for
the “light
of
the
world” to
do
in
the
sight
of
the
watching
world.
So if the light of the world ceased, as the Master predicted,
how would we know? Would there be no more true disciples
on the earth? How could we tell? Would it be that they
didn’t obey His commands? Would they no longer give
up their own possessions? Would they stop sharing everything
they had and start becoming rich? Would they start to have
poor and needy people in the churches? How disobedient
would they have to get before God no longer considered
them to be the light of the world?
If
the
churches
stopped
being
the
light
of
the
world,
what
would
they
be
like?
If
they
no
longer
had
God’s
love
in
them,
would
they
start
loving
the
things
of
the
world?
Would
they
get
involved
in
the
world’s
politics?
Would
they
fight
in
the
world’s
wars?
Would
they
persecute
people
who
disagreed
with
them?
Would
they
claim
to
have
God’s
light
in
them,
when
really
it
was
darkness?
If
all
the
lampstands
of
the
first
century
churches
went
out,
as
Revelation
2:4-5
warned,
it
would
explain
a
lot
of
things
in
history.
It
would
explain
Christianity
becoming
the
state
religion
under
Constantine.
It
would
explain
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