Let It Shine, Let It Shine, Let It Shine

Intro:

There is a popular Christmas song entitled Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. In that song, the writer tells us not to go out in the storm since they have no place to go so he suggested everyone to stay at home and let the weather takes place. But today, it’s the opposite. We have a chant that every Christians should know whether the world outside is too dark, cold and lonely, we need to fill this world with the light that comes from Jesus as the true souce of light of this world.

Last week we have heard our pastor preached about being salt and light of a Christian and what are the effects of these attributes to the world. Today as we continue to expound the meaning of being light of this world, we are here to know our responsibilities of being light to this dimmed world.

Matthew 5:14-16 is our monthly text that our church is now using for the whole month of October primarily for the reason of reminding us that we have our function and purpose to us, to our family, to our nation and to the whole world. From these verses, Jesus was able to give us our purpose so that as long as we live as follower of Christ we are called to SHINE.

1. We are called to Spread it in the world. – v14a “You are the light of this world”

Jesus is the true souce of light when He mentioned in John 8:12 “ "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." The light that we need to spread and reflect to this dimming world is coming from Christ. He said that we will have the light of life. How can we have that life? By reflecting what is in Jesus by following Him.

A. We Christians must spread this light of ours to others by our testimony.

Illustration:

Ephesians 5:8 says “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light”. We are called to live this calling to this dying world.

Philippians 2:15 “so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky”

B. We need to spread it through our trials

Psalm 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation— whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life— of whom shall I be afraid?

Illustration about the moon. The moon can only be seen once everything turns to be dark. The beauty of the radiance of the moon can be appreciated once it is full moon when you can only see its reflection from the sun. Same with us as Christian, whom shall we fear when we know we can reflect more God’s light to people.

C. Spread it through our talk

Psalm 119:130 “The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

1 John 1:5-6 “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth.”

As Christians, our light should be telling us the truth. Illustration on LED bulbs that the claim 50,000 hrs is not true as a whole package. The first one to breakdown is the electronic part of the bulb which is LED driver. Application: As Christians, we should don’t lose that drive to keep on burning with God through our talk.

2. We are called not to Hide – v14b, 15a “A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.”

So when Jesus told His disciples and now that we are told to be the same, He meant that this light should not be hidden. This light should be burning and not to be covered, it should be seen by others.

As Christians, our lives become a public figure ready for others to see and not to be privy on it. When we became the children of God, our lives began to be an open book ready to be read by others. Hiding our true identity is hated by God. Even in the Parable of the Talents, the 3rd person was satisfied to hide his talent and that is the cause of God’s wrath on him. Even in the Parable of the 10 virgins, Jesus wanted to say that our lights should be burning until He comes!

Illustration:

Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb in 1879. Twenty-two years later, in 1901, one of the newfangled gadgets was hung and turned on in the Livermore, Calif., Fire Department. It’s still there, and still on. The old bulb has almost never been turned off in 109 years.