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Woodstock Mountain Bike Fellowship

What Does the Bible Say About Night Riding?

So, you might be wondering, what does the Bible have to say about riding bikes through the woods at night? The fact is, the Bible has a lot to say about darkness and about light.

One night while I was riding on my favorite trail, a well known Bible verse came to mind. For those of you who have ridden with me before, you're probably thinking that it was something like Psalm 38:17 - "For I am about to fall, and my pain is ever with me." But no, actually I was thinking about Psalm 119:105 - "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path."

But Isn't the Bible Out of Date?

Some of you are probably thinking: What does this old book have to say to my today?

Some people view the Bible like this - way out of date, replaced by newer and better things. It has little or no value for me in today's world.

But consider this: while some things have changed, the fundamentals are still the same.

While people would like to believe that our society has evolved to a higher plane of existence, we are actually more confused than ever about right and wrong, good and evil, and the purpose for our society. We live in a society that has broken free from its moorings, foolishly assuming that they can re-define truth every year and with every new fad.

Individuals are still the same. One of the things that I love about the Bible is the fact that it gives a highly accurate description of human nature. It doesn't skirt around the issues of pain, suffering, sin, and death.

I've always liked Ravi Zacharias' thoughts about the most important questions about life. Everyone who is intellectually honest needs to seek answers for questions about origin (where did I come from), meaning (why am I here), morality (what is my framework for life), and destiny (where am I going).

I dare say the each of us has wrestled with these questions before. Ask yourself where you have gone to seek answers - did it give you light, or did you simply walk away with more questions?

And very clearly, our universe hasn't changed much in the past few thousand years. In fact, the sun is very old, but I dare say it provides some of the best light around.

In fact, for a book that was written thousands of years ago, it says some strikingly contemporary things about our universe. For centuries, the Bible was the only book that used the words "In the beginning" to describe a creation of our cosmos. Many philosophers throughout the ages ridiculed the Bible for departing from the normal expectation that the universe has always been here. But now we know better. The universe had a very definite beginning in an explosion of heat and light (sound familiar?). Even time itself began at that point, something also spoken of by the Bible in 1 Corinthians 2:7 "we speak of God's secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began."

The Bible is just a book of overbearing rules

Some of you may have another view of the Bible. You've read the Bible and found that it is filled with rules, regulations, and consequences that seem designed to weigh you down and trip you up. When I try to keep the rules, they restrict my freedom, and when I mess up, I feel crummy. How can you tell me that this is "light"?

The fact is - you're right! The Bible does contain many rules and standards of holiness. Take just a few from the top ten list:

  • Have no other gods before me - If we really consider what we worship (where our attention rests), we've all broken this one.
  • Don't misuse God's name - even if I don't have a foul mouth, I don't always speak God's name with reverence and awe.
  • Keep the Sabbath holy - do I set aside time to worship and seek God each week?
  • Honor mom and dad - did I ever whine or express anger toward them?
  • Murder and adultery - Jesus said that if I hate someone or lust for a woman, I've broken these.
  • Stealing and lying - don't lie to me and say that you've never stolen!
  • You shall not covet your neighbor's bike - need I say more?

There is absolutely no question that the Bible exposes our true nature, which is utterly dark when compared to God's absolute holiness. The book of Romans says it best: "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law, we become conscious of sin." (Romans 3:19, 20)

This is the bad news of the Bible. Fortunately, it is directly followed by good news: "But now, a righteousness from God, apart from the law, has been made known... This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe." (Romans 3:21, 22)

When you dig into it, every religious system in the world is a system of works and rewards. Everyone, that is, except the one described by the Bible. It is the only one that is light.

But which one is true light?

That leads me to a different question that people often have. There are many choices for a source of light - how can I tell which one is really right? They all seem to have some degree of legitimacy - there are just too many from which to choose. How is the Bible different from all the others?

This topic would constitute an entire study in itself, but let me give you a few thoughts:

Original documents: Look for a moment at ancient documents that we consider reliable:

  • Pliney the Younger (one of the most famous Roman historians): 7 copies over 700 years
  • Swatonius (the other famous Roman historian): 8 copies over 800 year
  • Julius Caesar (with its history and drama): 10 copies over 500 years... of all of these, none within the first 300 years
  • Tacitus - one copy
  • Plato - 7 copies
  • Aristophenes - 10 copies

The Bible: 5000 Greek manuscripts of books in the New Testament from the first millennium, with two dozen full copies dating to the first 150 years after Christ. The accuracy of the Old Testament was sustained by scribes who not only memorized every word, but where every word appeared on the page. Its accuracy was sustained by the discovery of the 2000 year old Dead Sea scrolls.

Prophecy: The Bible is the only religious book that makes specific, detailed predictions. And it is always right.

Prophecy: Constant efforts have been made by skeptics to undermine the facts in the Bible. But it seems that every time people set out to sink the Bible, it changes their lives. That's what happened to Sir William Ramsey, one of the greatest archeologists of our time. And Frank Morris, the father of American jurisprudence. And more recently Josh McDowell and Lee Stroble, who both set out to disprove the Bible and ended up writing "Evidence that Demands a Verdict" and "A Case for Christ" respectively.

And as I said earlier, it speaks very accurately of our human condition and gives a reasonable description of the origin of the universe.

Light helps us to see truth. Our culture has come to the point where we value seeking above finding. Don't be deceived by the notion that it is nobler to seek the truth than to believe you have found it.

The Bible as a light to our path

So how is the Bible actually like a light to our path? Here are some thoughts for you to consider tonight as we ride together:

  • You should never go faster than the distance of your light. If you outrun your lights, you'll gain new intimacy with trees and cliffs.
  • Even though you might wish to see further down the trail, you will find that the circle of light around you is pretty limited. It is adequate to meet your needs, but it doesn't give you any extra information that you really don't need.
  • If you can ride with a group of people (and stay together), their lights will benefit you as well. Sharing the light of others makes your ride more confident, faster, safer, and more enjoyable.
  • When you get a chance, it's pretty neat on a night ride to just stop every now and then, turn off your lights, and just listen to the sounds of the night.

Just like when we're on a night ride, we need something to guide us through life. If we find ourselves headed down the wrong path, it can be a real bad deal. We are often seeking wisdom for the journey, and the best place to look is in the revealed truth of God. A few things that we find about the enlightenment from God:

  • It's a bad thing to charge through life going too fast. We often need to take our time and stay within the enlightenment that He has given to us. In our fast paced world, we need to just slow down and seek God, sitting quietly and listening for Him. In fact, there are times when the journey is greatly enhanced by some quiet time. "Be still and know that He is God."
  • God has promised that His word is a lamp unto our feet and a light for our path. He has not promised us that we will have a brilliant floodlight showing us the distant future or the worlds of people around us (remember Peter on the beach asking about John). He has designed to give us guidance, but also desires us to walk by faith. "For we walk by faith, not by sight" I Cor 5:7; "and without faith, it is impossible to please Him." Heb 11:6
  • Fellowship is a good thing, because we can share our insights with one another. There is enlightenment in a multitude of counselors, and good brothers sharpen one another (and hold each other up). There are many times when a lone Christian will walk down the wrong path - choose your walking companions carefully and they will brighten your path.
  • Finally, it's important to start your ride with a battery that is charged up. If you don't, your light will quickly fade and you'll be left groping around in the darkness. "Seek first the Kingdom of God, and all these things will be added to you" Matthew 6:33
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