We Are The Light Of The World Series

Introduction:

A. Today we return to our series called “Transforming Truths.”

1. I pray that our attention to these simple, foundational truths has been a blessing to you.

2. So far in the series, we have been reminded of such important truths like the fact that we are loved by God, and forgiven by God, and saved by the grace of God – thank the Lord!

3. And we have also been reminded of truths that call for us to do something, like the fact that we are accountable to God, that we have a purpose, that we don’t have to be afraid, and that we can overcome temptation.

4. Looking ahead to next Sunday, which will be our annual Friend Day, I thought that it would be good to be reminded of this important truth – We Are The Light Of The World.

B. The story is told of a young boy who spent one summer traveling Europe with his parents.

1. As they went from city to city, they often visited historic cathedrals.

2. When the boy returned, his Sunday School teacher asked him what he most liked about the trip.

3. The boy reported that what he liked most was the stained glass portraits of the disciples that he saw in the churches they had visited.

4. He said that those stained glass windows reminded him that a Christian is a person that the light of Christ shines through.

C. And how right that young boy was!

1. We are the light of the world! That is the truth.

2. You remember the children’s song – This Little Light of Mine? “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Hide it under a bushel…NO!”

3. Is the light of Christ shining through you? I hope so.

4. Do we have our light hidden under a bushel, or have we let Satan blow it out? I hope not.

5. Is our stained glass so dirty that no light is coming through? I hope not.

D. Today’s sermon is so basic and yet so central to our lives as Christians.

1. This truth is so simple and straight forward. Why do we often make it so complicated?

2. This truth also reminds us of the importance of our mission and the confidence that God is placing in us.

I. The Need For Light

A. I don’t think I need to convince you that we live in a world of darkness, and that there is a great need for the light of Christ, do I?

1. The Bible has always used these kinds of terms for the plight of humankind.

2. Matthew tells us in Matthew 4:16 that when Jesus began his ministry, he was fulfilling what was said through the Old Testament prophet Isaiah, “the people living in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.” (Isaiah 9:1,2)

3. Jesus said of himself, “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.” (Jn. 12:46)

4. When Paul was commissioned by Christ as recorded in Acts 26:16-18, Jesus said to him, “Now get up and stand on your feet. I have appeared to you to appoint you as a servant and as a witness of what you have seen of me and what I will show you. I will rescue you from your own people and from the Gentiles. I am sending you to them to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

5. Later, when writing to the Colossian Christians, Paul said, “For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13)

B. People without Christ today still live in darkness.

1. Whether they are living a life given over to rampant sin or not, they are still in darkness if that don’t have Christ in their lives.

2. Even those who live very moral lives, and are following some other kind of spiritual path, if they don’t have Christ they are in darkness.

C. Sometimes we think that our world is darker today than ever, and I’m not sure that is true.

1. The world has always been a dark place.

2. Satan has been busy throughout the history of humankind, leading people into darkness.

3. In our society today, many have come to accept evil and immoral things as if they are good and acceptable, but that has been the case in many other societies in other times and places.