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This analogical illustration comes from years of setting up and operating an Annual Christmas Light Show at different venues. 

√ The first sermonic example is personal. 

√ The second sermonic example can easily be used by almost anyone who has seen a Christmas Light Show.

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First Sermonic Example:

For years the church offered an annual Christmas Light Show at what we called “Faith Farm” — a 15-acre farm that was purchased years ago and was used for a number of different church events. The light show was very similar to what you would see on “The Great Christmas Light Fight” — without the “fight.”  It was an opportunity for the community to watch a twenty-minute musical light show featuring great Christmas music, a lighted and narrated nativity story, and two well-known secular Christmas songs (Charlie Brown At Christmas, and Frosty The Snowman). It was a “drive-in, park, and watch” opportunity.  

Year after year, as we were setting the light show up on the property, cars would drive down the major thoroughfare past the light show. Often the light show would be in operation as we tested the various props for the opening night, and days ahead of the opening night, it would be in full operation to make sure all was working properly!  

If you were driving down that major roadway, past the farm with the light show operating, you would have no idea that anything was happening other than flashing Christmas props. It is only as you get closer that you begin to hear the music and realize that the lights are syncopated to the music!

From afar, the observer sees random lights flashing on and off. When the observer begins to hear the music and sees that the lights are syncopated to the music, the lights and music combined begin to make sense. Then the art is realized. 

Likewise, some of the actions and decisions of Christians are seen from afar as “random” — “I guess that’s how they live, I don’t get it!” It is only as you “get closer” and begin to hear the truths and principles behind what you see with your eyes, that you see what is actually taking place.

It is only as some “get closer” and begin to hear the truths and principles connected with a believer’s life, that they understand that life and living are not random, cut orchestrated — purposefully syncopated.

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OR Flip The Perspective . . . . — 

[Try It! Click on this link and turn off the sound.]

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Second Sermonic Example:

I do not know if this experience has been yours, but you can probably identify with it.

If you were driving by a Christmas Light Show — a musical light show — like you see on the “Great Christmas Light Show Fight” — without the “fight” — and you were far enough away so that you were unable to hear the music, you might not understand what was actually taking place.

The music is syncopated with those lights, but you can only see the flashing of the light. You might well think that what was taking place was just a “random” series of lights and props turning on and off.

However, as you begin to get closer and closer, as the music is just beginning to be heard, you are slowly realizing that there is a connection between the music and the lights! When you are finally close enough, you grasp the fact that the lights and the music are syncopated. The visual and auditory art form is fully and finally realized. But it takes getting close enough to hear the music and the connection with the action of the lights.

Likewise, some of the actions and decisions of Christians are seen from afar as “random” — “I guess that’s how they live, I don’t get it!” It is only as you “get closer” and begin to hear the truths and principles behind what you see with your eyes, that you see what is actually taking place.

It is only as some “get closer” and begin to hear the truths and principles connected with a believer’s life, that they understand that life and living are not random, cut orchestrated — purposefully syncopated.

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Key Biblical Thoughts:

• lights in this world
• testimony
• growth
• draw near to God
• sanctification
• witness
• light so shine
• children of light
• light of the world
• glory cloud
• see your good works

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Othe Information & Links:

Another example is the Grand Haven, Michigan Musical Fountain & Light Show