JESUS' SERMON ON THE MOUNT SERMON SERIES12. You are the Light of the World
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We had to move house last week. In every room, as a lamp, what do you find? That's right, you find these 1 lira plastic lamps with no light bulbs. The previous renter does not leave even one bulb for you. And when I put a bulb in, half of the lamps didn't work.
In the entrance hallway they have these recessed lights. The florescent tubes were there but most of them were burned out. I replaced the tube but then the starter is not working. I don't want a dark house. Especially with my bad eyes! I want light!
Light is good. In countries with little sunshine in winter months, many people who struggle with depression have benefited by exposure to bright light in the morning hours.
Light is good. We depend on it for life. We need sunshine to raise our crops. Without sunlight we are cold and we get sick easier. Damp and dark places grow molds.
We use light and darkness metaphorically to contrast good and evil. Often the villains in cartoons and movies are dressed in black and the heroes in white. This isn't a new theme. We see it in the Bible.
Ecclesiastes 2:13 Then I saw that wisdom excels folly As light excels darkness.
Wisdom is compared to light and foolishness is compared to darkness.
Psalm 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
This verse is a good example of Hebrew poetry where a pair is given. A statement is made and the same idea is expressed in different words and sometimes expanded on in a second statement. They are parallel. This form is used to elaborate meaning. In this verse words give light. What does that mean? Light is parallel to understanding. So the Bible equates light with understanding.
Here is another one.
Psalm 37:6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.
What is light equated with here? Righteousness. And what is the brightest part of the day compared to? Justice.
In the Bible, evil is equated to darkness.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Many of those who were listening to Jesus preach the sermon on the mount were peasant farmers. They understood the importance of light for their lives. As the sun was risen over the surrounding hills dotted with towns and villages Jesus said to them:
Matthew 5:14-16 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.
Who is the "you" that Jesus is talking about? Yes, it is the subjects of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus has been talking about the kingdom of God. It is the subjects of the kingdom of God that are poor in spirit, that is the ones that feel their need of God. It is God's people who mourn because of sin. It is God's people who are meek. It is God's people who hunger and thirst after righteousness. Those are the ones that Jesus said are the light of the world.
Jesus' hearers saw the towns on the surrounding hills. The righteous are like a city on a hill. Everyone see them. In our day, people shut themselves away from the light of the gospel in Jesus. They don't want to look and they don't want to hear. Why?
John 3:19-21 "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
So people will say to you, "Don't tell me about your religion. That is a private matter. I don't want to be disturbed." But you are a light on a hill. Your unselfish life is the gospel they will see. It cannot be hidden.
The good works of the righteous are displayed before a sinful world sitting in darkness. People can see the unselfish love displayed by God's people and compare them with their own lives, absorbed in selfish interests and sinful pleasures. They can appreciate their qualities and choose to do the same. They will recognize a power that is not natural and understand that it comes from God. The good works of the righteous are as light to a dark room.
The poor peasants who listened to Jesus generally lived in one room homes with a single lamp. It was not like the lamps we have now, but an oil lamp like this. I bought this in Israel and it is reportedly from the 1st century. Of course people make imitations and you never know if it is real or not. But a lamp like this would be put on a lampstand and was the only light in the house. Jesus said,
Matthew 5:15 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.
The light is manifest in unselfish love. But humanity has no light, no unselfish love of its own. Humanity must receive this from God. How is that accomplished?
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Jesus is the sinless one. He is the light and life of humanity. We must have the unselfish love of Christ in our life or we have no light. He is the source of the light. Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven." A new principle must be active in the life. When you receive the Spirit of Christ in your life, then you can do truly good works. You cannot manufacture good works on your own because it is mixed with self.
Jesus did not say, "Work to make your light shine." He said, "Let your light shine." If the Spirit of Christ is in your heart, it will be impossible to conceal it. You will be different. You will not go through life complaining of hardship and trial constantly. The unbelievers can do that. You have hope, you have joy, you have Christ in your heart. You are different. You have unselfish love as a motivating principle in your life. If a person who claims to be a believer is not a light to those around them it is because they do not have the light in them. They are not connected to the electricity of God's love through Christ. The vital power has left them.
Jesus said, "You are the light of the world." Jesus did not say that you are one light among many. He said you are the light of the world. There is no other light besides Jesus. Jesus said,
John 9:5 "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
You are the channel of blessing to the world. God uses human beings to enlighten the world sitting in sin and darkness. It is Christ in you that enlightens the world.
The world. Jesus speaks about a worldwide work. His message is for all people in all nations. This gospel of the kingdom of God must be preached to all nations. The message is God's message. It does not belong to one nation or one ethnic group. His words break down national and ethnic pride. So many people refuse the light because it is not their culture, their nation and their religion. They refuse the light because it does not originate with themselves. Their ethnic and national pride keep them from entering the kingdom of God.
How is it with you this morning friend? Are you different from the surrounding people? Are you going through life miserable and depressed? Are you complaining constantly about your circumstances? Do you feel like this 1 lira light with no bulb and no electricity?
Do you wish you had hope for a brighter tomorrow? You will not find this hope in yourself. You will find it in Jesus. Receive the light of Jesus into your life. Ask for it from God and He will give it to you. Won't you pray with me right now that God will give you the Spirit of Christ in your life? You will then be a light in a dark place. You will then be full of hope and joy, even if your life is hard. You will be a subject of the kingdom of God. You will be the light of the world.
In the entrance hallway they have these recessed lights. The florescent tubes were there but most of them were burned out. I replaced the tube but then the starter is not working. I don't want a dark house. Especially with my bad eyes! I want light!
Light is good. In countries with little sunshine in winter months, many people who struggle with depression have benefited by exposure to bright light in the morning hours.
Light is good. We depend on it for life. We need sunshine to raise our crops. Without sunlight we are cold and we get sick easier. Damp and dark places grow molds.
We use light and darkness metaphorically to contrast good and evil. Often the villains in cartoons and movies are dressed in black and the heroes in white. This isn't a new theme. We see it in the Bible.
Ecclesiastes 2:13 Then I saw that wisdom excels folly As light excels darkness.
Wisdom is compared to light and foolishness is compared to darkness.
Psalm 119:130 The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple.
This verse is a good example of Hebrew poetry where a pair is given. A statement is made and the same idea is expressed in different words and sometimes expanded on in a second statement. They are parallel. This form is used to elaborate meaning. In this verse words give light. What does that mean? Light is parallel to understanding. So the Bible equates light with understanding.
Here is another one.
Psalm 37:6 He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light, And your justice as the noonday.
What is light equated with here? Righteousness. And what is the brightest part of the day compared to? Justice.
In the Bible, evil is equated to darkness.
Isaiah 5:20 Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness; Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Many of those who were listening to Jesus preach the sermon on the mount were peasant farmers. They understood the importance of light for their lives. As the sun was risen over the surrounding hills dotted with towns and villages Jesus said to them:
Matthew 5:14-16 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.
Who is the "you" that Jesus is talking about? Yes, it is the subjects of the kingdom of heaven. Jesus has been talking about the kingdom of God. It is the subjects of the kingdom of God that are poor in spirit, that is the ones that feel their need of God. It is God's people who mourn because of sin. It is God's people who are meek. It is God's people who hunger and thirst after righteousness. Those are the ones that Jesus said are the light of the world.
Jesus' hearers saw the towns on the surrounding hills. The righteous are like a city on a hill. Everyone see them. In our day, people shut themselves away from the light of the gospel in Jesus. They don't want to look and they don't want to hear. Why?
John 3:19-21 "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 "But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God."
So people will say to you, "Don't tell me about your religion. That is a private matter. I don't want to be disturbed." But you are a light on a hill. Your unselfish life is the gospel they will see. It cannot be hidden.
The good works of the righteous are displayed before a sinful world sitting in darkness. People can see the unselfish love displayed by God's people and compare them with their own lives, absorbed in selfish interests and sinful pleasures. They can appreciate their qualities and choose to do the same. They will recognize a power that is not natural and understand that it comes from God. The good works of the righteous are as light to a dark room.
The poor peasants who listened to Jesus generally lived in one room homes with a single lamp. It was not like the lamps we have now, but an oil lamp like this. I bought this in Israel and it is reportedly from the 1st century. Of course people make imitations and you never know if it is real or not. But a lamp like this would be put on a lampstand and was the only light in the house. Jesus said,
Matthew 5:15 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.
The light is manifest in unselfish love. But humanity has no light, no unselfish love of its own. Humanity must receive this from God. How is that accomplished?
John 1:4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.
Jesus is the sinless one. He is the light and life of humanity. We must have the unselfish love of Christ in our life or we have no light. He is the source of the light. Jesus said, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of heaven." A new principle must be active in the life. When you receive the Spirit of Christ in your life, then you can do truly good works. You cannot manufacture good works on your own because it is mixed with self.
Jesus did not say, "Work to make your light shine." He said, "Let your light shine." If the Spirit of Christ is in your heart, it will be impossible to conceal it. You will be different. You will not go through life complaining of hardship and trial constantly. The unbelievers can do that. You have hope, you have joy, you have Christ in your heart. You are different. You have unselfish love as a motivating principle in your life. If a person who claims to be a believer is not a light to those around them it is because they do not have the light in them. They are not connected to the electricity of God's love through Christ. The vital power has left them.
Jesus said, "You are the light of the world." Jesus did not say that you are one light among many. He said you are the light of the world. There is no other light besides Jesus. Jesus said,
John 9:5 "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."
You are the channel of blessing to the world. God uses human beings to enlighten the world sitting in sin and darkness. It is Christ in you that enlightens the world.
The world. Jesus speaks about a worldwide work. His message is for all people in all nations. This gospel of the kingdom of God must be preached to all nations. The message is God's message. It does not belong to one nation or one ethnic group. His words break down national and ethnic pride. So many people refuse the light because it is not their culture, their nation and their religion. They refuse the light because it does not originate with themselves. Their ethnic and national pride keep them from entering the kingdom of God.
How is it with you this morning friend? Are you different from the surrounding people? Are you going through life miserable and depressed? Are you complaining constantly about your circumstances? Do you feel like this 1 lira light with no bulb and no electricity?
Do you wish you had hope for a brighter tomorrow? You will not find this hope in yourself. You will find it in Jesus. Receive the light of Jesus into your life. Ask for it from God and He will give it to you. Won't you pray with me right now that God will give you the Spirit of Christ in your life? You will then be a light in a dark place. You will then be full of hope and joy, even if your life is hard. You will be a subject of the kingdom of God. You will be the light of the world.