Welcome to Waymaker Church! We are so excited to have you join us today! We exist to Encounter, Live for, and Advance the Kingdom of God!

This morning we are wrapping up our three-part series The Coming King. Over the past few weeks, I have shared with you about the battle of two kingdoms and the signs of his coming.

Our anchor verse for this series is found in Isaiah 60:1–2 which says, “Arise, shine; For your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you. For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, And deep darkness the people; But the Lord will arise over you, And His glory will be seen upon you.”

It is easy to look around and see the darkness in the earth, along with the gross darkness on the people. The truth is that as people choose to reject the knowledge of God darkness and depravity abound. Romans 1:21-32 gives us a picture of what that looks like.

The foundational issue of darkness is the rejection truth. When people profess to be wise apart from the knowledge of God, they become fools. As we recognize the signs of his coming, we know that these things will take place in increasingly greater ways. Many will turn away from the truth.

What are we to do? Arise and Shine.

Yes, the spiritual battle rages. Yes, it is intensifying seemingly by the day. Yes, darkness abounds, but I can also tell you with the utmost certainty and confidence that God will not be overcome. His kingdom's purposes will prevail. We do not need to be afraid. The darkness in this world pales in comparison to the strength of His glory!

We don’t need to focus on the darkness in the world. We need to shine! You see Isaiah went on to say in Isaiah 60:3-4.

The evidence of the kingdom in your life will draw people. They won’t be drawn to you as a person but to the Jesus that is in you. When you arise and shine, they will begin to see a difference and desire it.
When they see you in a situation and know that you should be stressed, but you seem to be at peace. They will ask how is that possible and you are able to tell them the promise of God in Isaiah 26:3 “You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.”

Living out the truth shines the light. Our greatest need is to keep the fire burning by devoting ourselves to prayer and worship. The priests in the temple were responsible to keep and maintain the fire burning on the altar daily.

To arise and shine you and I need to stoke the flame of the Spirit in our lives. We need to continually tend to the flame in our hearts so that we will burn for the Lord. The more intense the flame the brighter the light.

Letting our light shine is simpler than you might think. It is not about having it all together. It is about the work of the Holy Spirit in us. When we submit to his leading, we will shine.

We shine when we surrender.
– Psalm 85:9 "Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, That glory may dwell in our land.”

We shine when we turn From Evil
– Psalm 34:14–15 “Depart from evil and do good; Seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous, And His ears are open to their cry.”

We shine when we know God’s will
– Psalm 25:12 “Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses.”

We shine when we walk in Wisdom
– Proverbs 9:10 “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”

We shine when others see his provision in our lives.
– Psalm 34:9 “Oh, fear the Lord, you His saints! There is no want to those who fear Him.”

We shine when others see His Protection in our lives
– Psalm 34:7 “The angel of the Lord encamps all around those who fear Him, And delivers them.”

We shine when he gives us Fulfilled desires.
– Psalm 145:19 “He will fulfill the desire of those who fear Him; He also will hear their cry and save them.”

There are many more areas concerning Health, longevity, happiness, prosperity, riches, honor, and life. The goodness of God in our lives reveals His glory. When we seek His face and follow His ways, the world will see the glory of the Lord in your life, and be drawn to it.

As I close this message, I want to remind you of the importance of your pursuit and life before the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:20 reminds us, “Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”

If you have placed your trust in Christ, you are an ambassador of the kingdom of God.

Share your story. Revelation 12:11
“And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.”

Share the gospel. Romans 1:16
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

Pray for people. Ephesians 6:18
“praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—”

Study the word so you are equipped. 2 Timothy 3:16–17
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

Serve. Ephesians 2:10
“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.”

Serve through outreaches. Matthew 25:40
“And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’”

Walk in love & love your neighbor. Mark 12:30–31
“And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.””

Learn to hear his voice. Psalm 29:4
“The voice of the Lord is powerful; The voice of the Lord is full of majesty.”

Live a life of obedience. John 14:15
““If you love Me, keep My commandments.”

Lead your family well: Ephesians 5:22–29
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church.”

Raise your kids and grandkids in the fear of the Lord: Deuteronomy 6:7 “You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”

I can’t guarantee that everyone will turn to the Lord, but you can be an effective witness simply by the way you live your life. To Arise and Shine is to allow the effects of the kingdom in your life to be seen by all.