The 
ight House
Sunday School (Light of the World)
Light of the World
(Matthew 5:14-16)
Last week in Sunday School we discussed “Salt of the Earth”. This week we discussed “Light of the World”.
Read Matthew 5:14-16
Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
(Matthew 5:14-16)In scripture, there is a connection between light and knowledge and with darkness and ignorance. There is also a connection between light and the children of God (the saved) and a connection between darkness and the unsaved. Therefore there is also a connection between knowledge and salvation and ignorance and the unsaved.
For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
(2 Corinthians 4:6)This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:
(Ephesians 4:17-18)What does light do?
If you were in a huge indoor football stadium with only one other person who was seated at the far side of the stadium and all the lights were out and you light a lighter, the other person would see it and instantly know where you were and could find you by that tiny light. No amount of darkness can conceal the tiniest light, but the tiniest light can penetrate the heaviest darkness. Light always wins out over darkness. In fact the darker the darkness, the brighter the light seems to shine.
Darkness conceals things. Objects in the dark can not be seen. Light however, illuminates those things so that they can either be seen more clearly or even for the first time.
Before modern technology gave us sophisticated radar, GPS, and other navigational systems, sailors used the stars to guide them. Lights are used as points of reference to show us where we are and which way to go.
As children of God, by living a dedicated life in accordance with God’s word, we are all these things to the world. The world in the context that the bible often refers to is all of that which is in spiritual darkness. . The world is that which is not of God, which includes those people that have not been saved. They are in darkness because they have not come to the knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. That doesn’t mean they have not heard of him. Most lost people have certainly heard of Jesus, yet they are blind to all that he is and all that he has done to give every man a way to salvation.
The bible teaches us that it is not God’s will that any would perish but that all would come to repentance. Before one can be saved they need to humble themselves like a little child and confess their sins and repent and call upon the Lord to save them. Before a person can do any of this they must first learn some things.
We the born again who have already received the gift of salvation are the light that helps them to see these things. It’s not just by verbally witnessing to them although that is certainly a great thing to do when God opens the door and provides the opportunity. We can be a light and witness simply by living our live before them in a godly way (having the characteristics of the beatitudes written about in the first part of chapter 5 of Matthew (remember the lesson on “Salt of the Earth”). A person having those beatitudes as character traits stand out just as a light in the dark stands out. When something stands out there are two responses that people usually have,
For the sake of those in the second group, we endure the persecution of those in the first group. Sometimes those in the first group will even move to the second group when God begins to deal with their heart.
Those people who seek to learn more about what they see that is different in God’s children, will begin to see things they had not seen before (remember the characteristic of light of exposing things). While they seek, we help them to see and discover things they had not known before, all the while they are already on a journey of coming out of the darkness (remember that light guides). Eventually they come to the knowledge of the truth and someone is able to lead them to Christ and then they move out of the darkness and into the light and become a light themselves for others.
It should be noted that the light people see in us is the light of Jesus shining through us. Here in the 5th chapter of Matthew Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world, but in another scripture, Jesus tells us that HE is the light of the world.
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.
(John 8:12)So how is Jesus the light of the world and we, the born again the light of the world also? Jesus is the light SOURCE. The light people see in us is the light of Jesus. Think of it this way…. The moon does not give any light of it’s own, it simply reflects the light of the sun even though the sun is out of sight. Just like the moon, we are luminaries, reflecting the ling of the SON.
Jesus spoke about letting our light shine and not keeping it hid. A city on a hill can not be hidden. That city is the church (the blood bought church). Some may try to destroy that city, but Jesus said I will build my church upon this rock and the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it. While some may want to tear it down, it continues to shine and be seen for all who wish to enter in.
And I say unto you, Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. 10For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened.
(Luke 11:9-10)I know a man that if you ask him if he is saved, he will say, “That is between me and God”. I don’t know if the man is saved or not. I’m no man’s judge. However it is obvious that if he is saved, he is not letting his light shine before men. If he is saved, he is hiding his light under a bushel. How can you full fill the duty of being a witness to others and let your light shine, and be the salt of the earth, and lead others to Christ if you keep your salvation a secret? Like I said I can not say if this man is saved or not, but I can say this when God saved me, he put a desire in me to tell everyone about Jesus and let them know what He has done for me. It’s not an obligation, but a privilege to share the gospel with others.
Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;
(Psalm 107:3)Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf.
(1 Peter 4:16)Whosoever therefore shall be ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation; of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he cometh in the glory of his Father with the holy angels.
(Mark 8:38)I don’t know of any Christians that would say they are ashamed of God. It is very easy to praise the Lord when you are in the presence of other Christians who love the Lord. A better measure would be how one exalts Him in the presence of sinners or strangers where it may be less comfortable because you don’t know what they might think. Do you say grace over your meal and thank God for your food when you are dining in public. Even if you do say grace in a restaurant, do you hurry it along so not to draw much attention? How about when you have lunch at work; do you say grace in the presence of your coworkers who you know are not Christians or do tell yourself it will make them uncomfortable, when in reality it is you that it would make uncomfortable? We give little thought to these things sometimes without realizing the severity of what we are doing. Then we come to church on Sunday morning singing about how we love Jesus.
In order to be a light unto the world we must not be ashamed of our salvation or of our relationship with God. The very same thing that we may subconsciously not want others to see may be the very things they need to see and it be a way that God will speak to their heart
Next week we study on the Law. Keep reading Matthew chapter 5.
Carl
I may not look like much, but I cost a bunch!
