Reflecting God's Light

August 10, 2025 A.M. Matthew 5:14-16

I quote Matthew 5:16 a lot but I honestly believe that it is one of the most important Verses in the entire Bible.

A. You see, John 3:16 is a powerful Verse because it tells us WHY God sent Jesus into the world, “For God so LOVED the world” and it also tells us of our NEED for SALVATION. “That none should perish.”

B. And then another important Verse is Romans 10:9 and it goes right along with John 3:16. It tells us how to be SAVED. How that we can keep ourselves from perishing. Confess with your MOUTH the Lord Jesus and BELIEVE in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead. “Thou shalt be saved”

C. But Matthew 5:16 tells how that we can GUIDE OTHERS to Jesus and also how we can GLORIFY GOD.

You all ought to know it by heart. Matthew 5:16,

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

By letting our light shine, those around us can see our GOOD WORKS and by our GOOD WORKS we GLORIFY our FATHER GOD. The purpose for others seeing our GOOD WORKS is NOT for them to say how GREAT WE ARE. It’s not so that they will ADMIRE US. It is so that others will SEE God’s Grace in us. His UNMERITED FAVOR in us. God’s MERCY to us. God’s BLESSINGS upon us. Our LIGHT should shine BRIGHTLY and it should Glorify our Father in Heaven.

Let’s go ahead and read Matthew 5 Verses 14-16.

“Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

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.

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Benjamin Franklin wanted Street Lights. You see London, England had been lighting their streets for over 300 years and he wanted Philadelphia to have street lights too. So Benjamin Franklin didn’t call a town meeting or try to persuade the people by talking about it. He DID something about it. He hung a beautiful lantern on a long bracket in front of his own house. He kept the glass polished and carefully trimmed and lit the wick every night just as it was getting dark. The lamp helped the people see the pavement ahead and it made them feel more secure at night. It caught on pretty quick. Others started putting lamps out in front of their houses. The LIGHTS made such an impact that Philadelphia began installing STREET LAMPS in 1757. Benjamin Franklin let his light shine.

This morning I want to bring a message on the LIGHT of God that we are to shine in this DARK WORLD. But before we do let’s go to the Lord in Prayer.

Brother _____, would you lead us?

I. First of all, we are called to REFLECT the Light of God.

As I was reading this it kind of struck me. We’re NOT called to be individual LIGHTS in of ourselves but to be MIRRORS. We are called to REFLECT the light of God.

Listen, God’s LIGHT SHINES upon all of us. God has given each one of us the breath of life. He has given each one of us AIR to breathe, WATER to drink and FOOD to eat.

God has given us our LIFE and He sustains that LIFE. Now do we take all of this in and do our own thing or de we REFLECT some of that LIGHT back out to the world?

In John Chapter 8, Jesus is inside the Temple Complex, and in Verse 2 it tells us that He was teaching the people. Now we’re not sure what the SUBJECT MATTER was or what point He was trying to make, but all of the sudden an interruption. The SCRIBES and PHARISEES from the TEMPLE DRAG a woman to the front of the crowd, right to the feet of Jesus and ask HIM what should be done. “What are we going to do with this woman caught in the very act of ADULTERY?” “Should we STONE HER? Because that’s what the Law of Moses called for?”

Well, first of all these scribes and pharisees didn’t really care about JUSTICE or the Law of Moses. Listen, if they really cared about JUSTICE, they would have came DRAGGING the man along with her. It does takes TWO to TANGO if you know what I mean. No, listen, this was all done to try to TRAP Jesus.