DESIGNED TO SHINE
Matthew 5:14-16
Preached At Greater Faith Church-Baptist
Waukegan, IL on Wednesday, May 16, 2007
• Text: Matthew 5:14-16
(v.14) Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
(v.15) 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.
(v.16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, which is in heaven.
Subject: DESIGNED TO SHINE
I what to leave with you a few thoughts from Matthew’s Gospel that I think would help us in our evangelist thrust as we continue in our monumental task of winning 500 souls for Christ in 2007.
We find in our text ... Matthew 5:14
Jesus giving what is known as the Sermon on the Mount.
Well, in an effort to help us understand ... I think that it would behoove us every now and then when reading the scriptures to ask ourselves: who, what, when, where, how and why -- in order to glean a better understanding and to UNCOVER the truths that lie within.
Well ... in keeping with that let us look at the who of this particular text
notice that in (v.14) that Jesus said ... “Ye are the light of the world.” Well, I think that it is important for us to understand that Jesus was not talking to just any ‘ol body.
Nawl ... don’t get it twisted, although He did not call out any particular names (Ye)... He is however talking to a particular group of people.
Let me help you... 5:1-2
(v.1) And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: (v.2) And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying
Notice that He saw the multitudes... but He did not start teaching until His disciples arrived.
Why ... because Jesus being God, knew that some of those folks that followed Him did so only out of curiosity.
In fact, the Bible helps us understand this fact in Matthew 4:23 ... which tells us that Jesus had become famous not for what He was about to do, DIED on an old rugged cross but for His miracles.
Watch this ... notice that the Bible does not say anything about these people (talking about the multitudes) believing ... Nawl they were too busy receiving.
(4:24) tells us that the multitudes brought unto Him all sick people; devil possessed people; lunatics was being healed; and those who had the palsy (tremors, the shakes)
So we understand the WHO in our text...
We discovered that Jesus was not talking to any ‘ol body, although there were as the Bible records multitudes are around ... He is only talking to His disciples and He says to them in Matthew 5:14 ... “Ye are the light of the world.”
WHO: YOU
WHAT: A LIGHT
to put this is proper context ... Jesus is saying to His disciples ... You and you alone are the light of the world.
Well ... what is HE saying ... HE is saying, in this cold, dark dismal world -- if there was only one light ... let that light radiate from you.
Don’t worry about the multitudes. Don’t worry about your surrounding. YOU ... I’m talking to YOU. Greater Faith, don’t worry about what other churches are doing, don’t worry about who left this church to go join another, don’t worry about the multitudes ... you and you alone are the light of the world. You are the light of this community.
Jot this scripture down in your margins Philippians 2:14-15 listen as I read Paul’s instruction to the church at Philippi
(v.14) Do all things without murmurings and disputings: (v. 15) That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, (WATCH THIS) in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;”
WHO: YOU
WHAT: A LIGHT
WHEN: ALL THE TIME
Walk with me (v.14) “...A city that is set on a hill (watch this) cannot be hid.”
That simply means to me that we are required to shine all the time. We are required to yield our selfishness, our ambitions, our fears and even our pride ... in order to be used by GOD to transmit HIS Glory through us to this dying world.
WHO: YOU
WHAT: A LIGHT
WHEN: ALL THE TIME
(v.14) Notice that Jesus uses a metaphor to describe us as a city that “cannot be hid.”
I think this would be a good place to pause to talk about pride. In your shine-ing-ness let us understand that we are not light in and of ourselves... we are simply “Luminaries” -- reflectors of God’s light.
Which simply means that just as the moon reflects its source of light from the S-U-N. We too are only reflections of our one true light (GOD’s S-O-N) JESUS CHRIST.
You look puzzled ... let me help you.
You see ...the moon does not generated light in and of itself. However, it reflects light from the SUN. You see ... the moon is dark and it depends on the SUN in order for it to shine.
Well what are you saying ... I’m saying that yes, you, and you alone are the light of the world ... however, in your shining you and you alone cannot and do not generate light from yourself.
So just in case some of you get caught up in your shininess and starting to admire just how shiny you are ... I think this would be a good place for a humility check to remind yourself that it ain’t you that is doing the shining -- it is God shining through you.
WHO: YOU
WHAT: A LIGHT
WHEN: ALL THE TIME
WHERE: EVERYWHERE YOU GO
Walk with me (v.15) 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.
There are times when I want to set the right mood ... I light a candle, burn an incense or put a scarf and over the lampshade in an attempt to set the right atmosphere ... you know a little ambience.
But can I tell you that same type of attitude as filtered into our style of witness.
Don’t believe me ... listen to this.
How many of you have said or have heard somebody say that they are waiting on the right day, the right time, the right qualification or situation to witness to a certain someone. I KNOW THAT I AM GUILT.
But can I tell you that style of witnessing is not biblical. Why ... because tomorrow is not promised to you let alone that person that God has put into your heart to witness too.
We cannot wait on the right mood, situation, or qualification or try to set the right ambience to tell somebody about Jesus.
(vv. 14-15) is simply telling us that we (HIS DISCIPLES) need to be visible all the time and everywhere we go.
(v.15) Not only are we suppose to be “visible all times” and “everywhere we go” we are also required to transmit.
Well ... lets pause for a second and deal with this word transmit.
Transmit ... simply means to (1) send something; (2) to pass something on; (3) or cause something to spread from one person, thing, or place to another.
Well ... what are you saying preacher. I’m simply saying that the metaphors of a city on a hill and lamp on a lamp stand ... Jesus is telling us that we are designed to transmit, that we are designed shine.
Why ... well Paul help us with that in Romans 2:19 where it says that we are “...a guide of the bind, a light of them which are in darkness.”
So...
- Don’t put your light under a basket
- Don’t wait on a certain mood or situation to allow God to transmit His Glory through you.
WHO: YOU
WHAT: A LIGHT
WHEN: ALL THE TIME
WHERE: EVERYWHERE YOU GO
HOW: LET IT
Walk with me ... (v.16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, which is in heaven.
You see ... Christ is the true and original light. John 8:12 Jesus said “...I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall (WATCH THIS) have the light of life.”
What are you saying ... I’m saying that God is the source of your LIGHT ... all you got to do is LET HIM SHINE. LET HIM RADIATE. ALLOW HIM TO TRANSMIT HIS GLORY THROUGH YOUR LIFE.
Well ... I don’t know about you but shining is one thing but LET IT -- is another.
Why ... because LET IT requires some action on my part. LET IT requires that I do some denying of myself.
You see ... let it means:
- not to prevent something
- not to hinder something from happening
- give somebody permission to do something
Well what are you saying ... I’m saying that when it comes to shining ... don’t be a LET DOWN ... just LET GO and LET GOD SHINE THROUGH YOUR LIFE.
WHO: YOU
WHAT: A LIGHT
WHEN: ALL THE TIME
WHERE: EVERYWHERE YOU GO
HOW: LET IT
WHY: TO GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN
(v.16) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, which is in heaven.
And that is all I want to tell somebody tonight that
- you are designed to shine
- you are a city on a hill that can not be hid
- a lamp on lamp stand
- that you and you alone are the light of the world.
Even though rocks can cry out if God wanted them to ... but that is not how HE designed it. No God designed you to shine. -- Evangelism is up to you!
I’m reminded here of the first three songs that I was taught as a little boy and I think that they will help us understand this sermon just a little bit better.
The first being...
- HE GOT THE WHOLE WORLD IN HIS HAND - well, that song taught me who God is
- YES JESUS LOVES ME - well, that song taught me what God has done for me
And because of who GOD is and what HE has done for me ... the last song taught me what I can do for HIM. I’m sure some of you remember ... it went a little something like this THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE, AM-A-GOANNA LET IT SHINE (X3)
Then my momma taught me to start naming places that I was goanna let it shine... the first place she taught me All in my home ... am-a-goanna let it shine (went room to room)
Well ... she knew that shining wasn’t meant for just home alone, so the next place she taught me was everywhere I go ... am-a-goanna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
You know ... one thing that I discovered is that everywhere means everywhere
Yes, even at that Family Reunion
- even at grocery store
- even at our work place
- even when we go over mommas house
- even to that 30 something year old son that still
living in your house eating up all you food, wasting all of your electricity -- that you know good and well ain’t saved. Yes even to him -- you are required to be a guiding light.
And that is all I want to tell somebody tonight ... as we reach the masses and win 500 souls for the Lord.
- Don’t be afraid ... to be a witness
- God is the source and the strength and the power of your light
- Don’t wait for the right mood
- Don’t wait for the right ambience
- Don’t wait for the right qualification or situation
JUST LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE-LET IT SHINE (X3)
Church -- we are designed to shine so ...
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father, which is in heaven.
WHO: YOU
WHAT: A LIGHT
WHEN: ALL THE TIME
WHERE: EVERYWHERE YOU GO
HOW: LET IT
WHY: TO GLORIFY YOUR FATHER IN HEAVEN
AMEN!
