Opening illustration: Robert Lewis Stevenson, peering out of the window saw a workman come by and light the gas lights along the street. When asked what he was watching, the young boy said, “I see a man making holes in the darkness.”
Let us turn to Matthew 5 and see how we as believers can make big and bigger holes in the darkness around us.
Introduction: Our light must shine, by doing such good works as men may see. What is between God and our souls, must be kept to ourselves; but that which is of itself open to the sight of men, we must study to make suitable to our profession, and praiseworthy. We must aim at the glory of God.
In John 9: 5 Jesus said, “As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When Jesus commanded His followers to be the lights of the world, He demanded nothing less than that they should be like Himself.
How to make holes in the darkness?
1. Shine to GUIDE (v. 14)
Light is a very common metaphor in the Bible. Along with darkness, light is often used to contrast knowledge and ignorance. Here, it almost certainly stands for the world’s opportunity to perceive the truth about Jesus. The world is “in the dark” about God, but Christians “turn on the lights”. Light allows people to see. Christians allow the world to understand how much God loves them and what Jesus has done to restore their relationship with him.
On the estuary of any river we may see the line of lights which marks the channel for the ships to sail in safety. We know how difficult even the city streets were when they were no lights. A light is something to make clear the way. So then the Christian must make the way clear to others. That is to say, the Christian must of necessity be an example. One of the things this world needs more than anything else is people who are prepared to be foci of goodness. Suppose there is a group of people, and suppose it is suggested that some questionable thing should be done. Unless someone makes his protest the things will be done. But if someone rises and says, “I will not be a party to that,” another and another and another will rise to say, Neither will I.” But unless they had been given the lead, they would have remained silent. There are many people in this world who have not the moral strength and courage to take a stand by themselves, but if someone gives them a lead, they will follow; if they have someone strong enough to lean on, they will do the right thing. It is the Christian’s duty to take the stand which the weaker brother / sister will support, to give the lead which those with less courage will follow. The world needs its guiding lights; there are people waiting and longing for a lead to take the stand and do the thing which they do not dare to take and to do by themselves.
Illustration: One of the great things about camping out in the country is that you can get away from the city lights and really see the stars. When you are away from the city, a full moon is bright enough to find your way around in the night. The sky is full of light from the stars. In a world of darkness, we are those who have come from darkness into light and we are to reflect the light we have found in Jesus. But Jesus’ point is that we are not just to shine our lights in our own little circle of influence, but we are to shine them so that every place of darkness is either brought to the light or is exposed for what it is.
G. Campbell Morgan said that the church did the most for the world when the church was the least like the world. Today, many churches have the idea they must imitate the world in order to reach the world. A nation will not decay and collapse because of the people who peddle pornography or illicit drugs, but because of Christians who are no longer as salt and light. Sinners will act like sinners. When saints begin acting like sinners, their compromise hurts not only themselves and their families and churches, but also contributes to the decay of the entire nation. Are you convicted yet?
2. Shine to WARN (v. 15)
A light is often the warning which tells us to halt when there is danger ahead. It is sometime’s the Christian’s duty to bring to his fellowmen the necessary warning. This is often difficult, and is often hard to do it in a way which will not do more harm than good; but one of the most poignant tragedies in life is for someone, especially a young person, to come and say to us, “I would have never been in the situation in which I now find myself, if you had only spoken in time.” It was said of Florence Allshorn, the famous teacher and principal, that if she ever had occasion to rebuke her students, she did it “with her arm around about them.” If our warnings are given, not in anger, not in irritation, not in criticism, not in condemnation, not in the desire to hurt, but in love, they will be effective.
A bushel - Greek, a measure containing nearly a peck. It denotes anything, here, that might conceal the light.
The light which can be seen, the light which warns, the light which guides, these are the lights which the Christian must be.
Illustration: One dark night a friend of ours was driving through Amish country when he suddenly encountered a black horse carriage slowly clattering down the road, half on the shoulder and half on the blacktop. Only a swaying kerosene lantern glowed in the back to warn him of its presence. It was an unnerving experience. As he drove past, still feeling the effects of a rush of adrenalin, he realized how easily he might have smashed into the rear of the carriage. He concluded that since Amish drivers have never driven automobiles, they don’t understand the danger automobiles and trucks pose to them in the dark.
3. Shine to GLORIFY God (v. 16)
It is not sufficient to have light - we must walk in the light, and by the light. Our whole conduct should be a perpetual comment on the doctrine we have received, and a constant exemplification of its power and truth.
Men are to see our good deeds. In Greek there are two words for good. Agathos – means a thing is good in quality; Kalos – means that a things is not only good but is also winsome, beautiful and attractive. The good deeds of Christians must not only be good but also attractive. There must be a certain winsomeness in Christian goodness. It is further to be noted that our good deeds are meant to draw attention, not to ourselves but to God.
Praise, or honor God, or be led to worship him. Seeing in your lives the excellence of religion, and the power and purity of the gospel, they may be won to be Christians also, and give praise and glory to God for his mercy to a lost world.
We learn here:
• That religion, if it exists, cannot be concealed.
• That where it is not manifest in the life, it does not exist.
• That “professors” of religion, who live like other people, give evidence that they have never been truly converted.
• That to attempt to conceal or hide our Christian knowledge or experience is to betray our trust, injure the cause of piety, and to render our lives useless. And,
• That good actions will be seen, and will lead people to honor God. If we have no other way of doing good - if we are poor, and unlearned, and unknown yet we may do good by our lives. No sincere and humble Christian lives in vain. The feeblest light at midnight is of use.
Illustration: It is said of Robert Murray McCheyne, a godly Scottish minister of the last century, that his face carried such a hallowed expression that people were known to fall on their knees and accept Jesus Christ as Savior when they looked at him. Others were so attracted by the self-giving beauty and holiness of his life that they found his Master irresistible.
It was also said of the French pietist Francois Fenelon that his communion with God was such that his face shined with divine radiance. A religious skeptic, who was compelled to spend the night in an inn with Fenelon, hurried away the next morning, saying, “If I spend another night with that man I’ll be a Christian in spite of myself.”
Application:
• Who are some of the “lights” God used to draw you to Him? How did they impact your life?
• Take a few minutes to do an honest self-check on how bright your light for Christ is. What steps can you take to brighten the witness of your actions in the week ahead? Be specific. Check up on yourself!
• List out some of the people who need to see the light of Christ in your life. Pray for specific opportunities to encourage, bless, and serve them today.
You are the light of the world. As you live out this goodness visibly in front of the people of the world, your life will point them to Jesus where they too can find life that is real life.
