You are the light of the world!

We know what happens in the darkness: you stumble around, you can't see where you are going and you are not sure of where you are. You need light.
This is the condition of people not following Jesus. They are in darkness. They stumble around without hope and without God. And sometimes it is dangerous to be in darkness. What our sin-darkened world urgently needs, is light.

One day Jesus pointed to a group of ordinary people. He said to his disciples – a collection of simple fishermen, tax collectors, and the like – "You are the light of the world."
Matt 5: 4 – 16: "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.

Jesus says God's people, is the light of the "world." He says God's people are to give light to "everyone in the house." He says their light is to shine "before men." The people of Christ’s church must be used by the Lord to lead the world, other people, from darkness into light.

As we all know, even the smallest of lights chases the darkness away. For instance, in complete darkness the flicker of a match can be seen from 30 kilometres. If the light does not shine, it is not because of the darkness. Darkness cannot put out a light. Darkness gets darker only because the light fails. There can be no such thing as secret discipleship, for either the secrecy destroys the discipleship, or the discipleship destroys the secrecy.

I want to challenge everyone associated with this congregation. As a Christian and as a household I want you to find someone who is not a Christian. Maybe it is someone in your own family. Maybe it is someone you work with. Maybe it is a neighbour. Maybe it is someone you have daily contact with. Pick an unbeliever and as a follower of Jesus, or a Christian household, love them with the claims of Christ. Let the light of Christ’s love shine through you.

Jesus combines the light that must be shone with good works that must be done. Many of you have done that. When we go to someone who is hurting or sick or grief-stricken and we love them and support them and enfold them – it makes unbelievers think about what is missing in their lives. They see our love and want to be part of our circle and our Christian family.
Being the light of the world, is to bring people from darkness to light, because the light of Jesus shines through us!

“Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, anoint our lives, our testimony as Christians and the ministries of our congregation, in order to become light to those hurting themselves as they stumble in the darkness without Jesus. Amen.”