What does it mean to let your light shine?
Dale Foster and I were about 14 years old when we decided to explore a cave we had discovered in the woods not far from my home in Colbert Heights, Alabama. We had heard that it went for miles back under the mountain. We took our flashlights and some paper and pens and started on our adventure. We were going to map this cave. You had to crawl through several passages and our plan was to stay to the left and follow the left wall. We were way back in there for a long time and had crawled through some pretty tight holes when we noticed our flashlights weren’t as bright as they should be. It takes a lot for reality to hit a 14 year old boy. But the light began to dawn on us. We were about to be in the dark. Dale wisely suggested that we turn one flashlight off and just use one at a time and head back out of there. So whoever had their light on was the leader. Once or twice we turned them off to see just how dark it was. Crawling on your belly under a mountain of rock in the total darkness far from the entrance has an effect on your nerves that you don’t want to experience very long.
I think about Jesus words to those who are condemned. Matt 22:13 "Then the king said to the servants, ’Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ Hell is a lake of fire with no light, a place of worms that won’t die but eat you forever. Hell is the dark place where all your worst nightmares come true.
In the movie Ghandi, the Hindus and the Muslims are at war and at one point a man comes to Ghandi and says, “I am going to hell!” Ghandi asks him, “Why do you think you are going to go to hell?” Then the man falls down before him and says, “I killed a Muslim child.” Ghandi replies, “I know a way out of hell. Find a little child whose parents have been killed and raise him as your own son, only be sure he grows up a Muslim.” It is a clever plan, but it is not the way out of hell. Jesus has given us the only way out of hell. He said, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father, but by me.” Jesus offered proof of his plan by dying on the cross and carrying all our sins with him and three days later rising victorious over sin and the grave. Jesus knows the way out of hell. He’s the only one who does. He is the light who has come to shine in our darkness.
When God began creation the Bible says, “The earth was without form and void and darkness was upon the face of the deep.”
But the word of God spoke and the first recorded command of God was given: “Let there be light, and there was light.” The word of God, the light of the world, chases away the darkness. God introduces light and life and order and beauty into the darkness and formless chaos. Wherever God’s presence comes, light and life come too. Wherever God withdraws his presence, darkness, death and destruction follow. God has a way out of hell, a way out of darkness into eternal light.
I love the song that goes:
Jesus is the answer for the world today, above him there’s not other, Jesus is the way.
The very essence of hell is the absence of God’s presence. Listen to 2 Thess. 1:7 the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, 8 dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 And these will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, 10 when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed- this includes you- for our testimony to you was believed.
Those who reject the light shall go into the utter outer darkness, shut out from God’s presence; those who know God and follow the light will enjoy eternal life, and marvel at His glory and praise Him in His presence forever. Light or darkness, these describe the ultimate destiny of every man, woman and child. Jesus is the only way out of darkness. He is the light we need.
Listen to Jesus words about himself: John 8:12 Again therefore Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world; he who follows Me shall not walk in the darkness, but shall have the light of life."
John 9:5 "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
In fact John introduces Jesus to us at the beginning of his gospel with similar words. John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 9 There was the true light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.
Aren’t you glad you know where the light is? Aren’t you thankful that God hasn’t left us all here in the darkness of sin? God’s word is a light for our path, and Jesus, God’s Son is the light of God’s presence. Whether anyone accepts this or not doesn’t change the truth. Jesus is the light of the world. God is calling you and me to come to that light and to walk in his light. Listen to God’s Word:
John 3: 19 "And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their deeds were evil.
20 "For everyone who does evil hates the light, and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed.
21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."
It is an amazing thing to see what happens to us when we come to know and follow Jesus. We not only see the light, by following Jesus we become the light for others. Did you know that? You and I become the light for others. But it is only by following Jesus. So how is your light shining today?
John 12:35 Jesus therefore said to them, "For a little while longer the light is among you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness may not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.
36 "While you have the light, believe in the light, in order that you may become sons of light." These things Jesus spoke, and He departed and hid Himself from them.
This brings us to our text today in Matthew 5. Here are Jesus words to his disciples. Last week we looked at the beatitudes and followed the sequence from poverty of spirit to persecution for the name of Jesus. We discovered kingdom growth in our lives as Jesus pronounces blessing after blessing on the one who follows this path of light. First we see ourselves as poor in spirit, and we mourn for the sins in our lives and in the world, then we meekly submit to the will of God and develop an appetite of hunger and thirst for God’s righteousness. From there we express mercy and maintain a pure heart which clears our vision to see God. We go to work building God’s peace in the world around us and as we do we build a reputation as sons of God. We find God’s blessing even when those who reject Jesus persecute us for it. We find joy in standing up for Jesus. We join the company of all those in the past who stood to shine their light for the Lord. And Jesus says next:
Matthew 5:13 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men.
14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.
15 "Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house.
16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
Notice Jesus didn’t say you could be the salt and light of the world. He said that you are the salt of the earth, you are the light of the world. It’s not optional for the Christian. In fact, part of what defines us as followers of Jesus is that we are light. We are to influence the world and expose the truth that Jesus is the Lord, that he is the Son of God. We do this by our lives and our teaching. Paul tells Timothy, 1 Tim 4:16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers. When we live by faith in Jesus and our lives are consistent with our confession our light shines brightly. When we don’t, we not only hurt ourselves, we influence others and we dishonor the Name of Jesus.
I remember hearing a great speaker at a youth rally talking about how important it is that we who claim the name of Jesus as Christians walk obediently. He said, “If you are a Christian and you are going to dress and talk and act like a Christian, please don’t tell anyone that you are one! Your life makes it hard to share the faith with anyone who hears you. Young ladies, don’t try to look like Brittney Spears, who is quickly becoming the new Madona, try to look like someone who dresses for Jesus. What you wear shouts what you believe a lot louder than your words. Young men, don’t try to talk and strut to impress the girls, do what you do to impress the Lord! When your mouth and attitude show others that you want attention for yourself, you can’t honor the Lord at the same time. Nothing helps the church more than obedient Christians! Nothing hurts the cause of Christ more than disobedient ones! Jesus wants you and me to shine for him! If you are not going to shine for Jesus and influence others for him, you are hurting us all! If you will trust Him and seek his will, you will shine! Your life will be a glory to the Lord and a blessing for us all!
Melvin Newland tells about a true event: There he stood in the Golden Corral restaurant, with Thousand Island dressing dripping from his hair, glasses, face, and all over his coat, tie, and pants. I’m not talking about a little bit of dressing, I’m talking about 2 gallons of it.
What had happened was that a waitress carrying a 2 gallon container of Thousand Island dressing for the salad bar had paused for just a second while coming through the swinging doors of the kitchen, and the doors had caught her and knocked her forward, launching 2 gallons of dressing that landed all over this guy.
He went crazy! He started shouting and cursing at her. “You’re so stupid! I can’t believe anyone could do such a stupid, stupid thing! This is a brand new suit and it cost me $300.” His wife chimed in, “Yeah, you’ve ruined my husband’s new suit, and it’s the first time he’s had a chance to wear it.” He screams, “I want to see the manager!”
Thoroughly shaken, she went to get the manager and the manager comes out. Now picture this – here’s a guy with 2 gallons of dressing dripping from him and the manager asks, “Is there a problem?”
The guy goes crazy again. “Problem? She just ruined my new suit! It cost $300 and I want a new suit!” The manager says, “I’m very sorry sir and we will certainly be glad to get your suit cleaned. Accidents do happen and we are really sorry.”
The guy shouts even louder, “Cleaned! I don’t want it cleaned! I demand a check for $300 right here and now!” Well, to avoid a bigger scene, the manager went to his office and wrote him a check for $300 and brought it to him. Justice is served.
This happened at noon on Sunday. Now why would someone be wearing a new suit on Sunday? Do you suppose he had been to church? Maybe he listened to a sermon on letting your light shine before others so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven?
Or let me tell you another true story. This one I personally know. Her name is Elizabeth Kurauski. She worked for Burger King in a small town in New Hampshire. Every day Elizabeth would personally invite her coworkers to come to church with her. One person she invited was Doris Tillson. Whenever Elizabeth invited Doris, Doris would mock her and laugh. In fact, on a few occasions she got several others to join in with her and made Elizabeth so upset she wept. But she never retaliated, and the next day, she came in and invited them again. Doris couldn’t believe it. She apologized to Elizabeth for being so mean and Elizabeth said, “I just wish you would come once.” Doris visited. In a few months Doris was baptized into Christ. Elizabeth let her light shine. God was glorified and Doris was saved and Elizabeth was blessed. Will you let your light shine too?
