Where is the Light?

Posted on January 27, 2015 by Graeme Wilson in Freedom Fighters

Where is the LIGHT?

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵ Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. ¹⁶ In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that^[a] they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:14-16 English Standard Version (ESV)

Here is another identity blog for you.  We are still on the Sermon on the Mount, and right after Jesus tells those who are kingdom people that they are the salt of the earth, he tells them, “You are the LIGHT of the world.”  Wow!!!

Again, we must learn this truth that we do not become, or we will one day be, we are.  We are the light of the world.  We are the salt of the earth.  Look, if you are a child of God, Jesus is telling us that we are already the light of the world.  Notice that he doesn’t say we are a light in the world, no he says we are the world’s light.  I like this.

So, just as we thought about salt, we need to think about light.  Jesus is telling his listeners that since they are light, they should not go into hiding.  Look, many of us use all kinds of excuses for not living our lives out before our unbelieving friends as the light of the world.  I can remember one time early in my marriage that after we had been to a family gathering with my side of the family, my wife saying, “You sure are different when you are around your brothers.”  It was true, I would act one way with my unbelieving family and another way when I was not with them.  This statement from my wife, as painful as it was to hear, was the best thing she could have done for me that day.  I am the same now whether I am with family or not.  I am letting my life shine men.

Not only are we not to hide our light, we are not supposed to put in under a bed or bushel.  Hear the light is not hidden, it is just dimmed.  It doesn’t penetrate the darkness, it does not expose the darkness, it doesn’t overwhelm the darkness.  One of the best illustrations of light for me comes every year at Christmas time when our Christmas Eve service always ends with a candle lighting.  One light begins by getting lit, then exposing itself to another candle, then that candle reaching out and lighting the next, until each candle is lit.  A once darkened room now has the light of the candle shining all in it.  Each face in that room is known because the candle sheds light on each person’s face.  Awesome picture of what Jesus states that we are, LIGHTS OF THE WORLD.

SO, how effective is your light shining?  It is easy to tell.  Are those who you are living life around, seeing your light and glorifying your Father who is in heaven?  So, you are the Light of the world, just let your light so shine before men, stop that hiding of your light, stop that burying of your light, let it shine before ALL men (women and children too).  Doug Barger is the Director of Men’s Ministry at Bethesda Mission. You can write Doug at dbarger2030@comcast.net

Daily Bible Reading: Isaiah 14-16; Mark 4:21-41 

Think About This: The fear of man strangles us, because we can never please everybody; but the fear of the Lord frees us, because it challenges us to live and serve for an audience of One. Paul Chappell

This Week’s Verse to Memorize:  Be of good courage, and let us be strong for our people and for the cities of our God. And may the Lord do what is good in His sight. 2 Samuel 10:12