Sermon: You are the Light of the World
Bible Passage: Matthew 5:14-16
I. Background discussion
1. God is light (1 John 1:5; Ps 27:1; Isa 60:19-20)
2. Jesus is light (John 8:12, 9:5; cf. 1:4-5)
3. Israel is light (two important verses)
a. Isa 42:6 “I, the LORD, officially commission you; I take hold of your hand. I protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people and a light to the nations, to open blind eyes, to release prisoners from dungeons, those who live in darkness from prisons
b. Isa 49:6 The LORD said to me, “I have a greater task for you, my servant. Not only will you restore to greatness the people of Israel who have survived, but I will also make you a light to the nations—so that all the world may be saved
4. In all three uses, the predicate “light” represents missional transformative quality!
5. Such as purity, truth, goodness, divine revelation, spiritual guidance, and salvation
6. In the same way, darkness represents corruption, lie, wickedness, and sinfulness (cf. John 1:4-5)
7. The world without Jesus is in a state of darkness
8. What characterizes God and Jesus, and what was prophesied on Israel is now conferred on the disciples of Jesus, i.e., the church
II. Verse 14a: “you are the light for the world”
1. The pronoun “you” represented initially the disciples of Jesus; through them now it represents “Christ-followers” “the church”
2. Translation of verse 14a: “You are the light destined for the world”
a. (it does not mean “the light that belonged to the world)
b. (but it expresses a purpose or benefit—it is a genitive of purpose or benefit)
3. Let’s look at different possible translations of verse 14a
a. You, my followers, [the church] carry the characteristics of light such as purity, truth, and goodness for the benefit of the world that is characterized by darkness, corruption, lie, and lack of direction
b. You, my followers, [the church] are the repository of God’s qualities that are meant for the benefit of the world
c. You, my followers, [the church] are equipped to influence the world that is filled with the characteristics of darkness
d. You, my followers, [the church] are now appointed to carry God’s light to the dark world
i. The primary property of light is to shine
ii. When light shines, what is hidden is exposed, brought to awareness
iii. Lights helps those who are groping in darkness to find guidance
e. Here, Jesus asserts that He has appointed Christians to benefit sin infested dark world
f. If the world is not to be left in darkness, Jesus-followers must fulfill their calling
III. Two validations from real life to affirm what Jesus just announced about His disciples:
1. “A city located on a hill cannot be hidden”—visibility
2. “People do not light a lamp and put it under a basket but on a lampstand”—influence
3. Christians must not withdraw from the world, but they need to make intentional effort to be visible to influence the society
a. Christian spirituality does not happen in seclusion, but is always lived out in community to make difference
b. Jesus expected His followers to be active in the society (“no one lights up a lamp and keeps it under a bushel!”)
c. The followers of Jesus are appointed for influence and visibility, not to remain hidden
IV. Verse 16 “In the same way, let your light shine before people, so that they can see your good deeds and give honor to your Father in heaven”
1. “In the same way” is a correlative adverb referring to what precedes—the city on the Hill and the lampstand
2. “Let your shine your light before people”—needs to be visible and influential
3. There needs to have an intentional effort (place yourself to be visible)”
4. The followers of Jesus must play a visible role in the society
5. “Let your light shine”—i.e., the truth, purity, transformation, etc., that you have received from God through Jesus must be lived out
6. RESULT: “They might see your good works”
a. The pronoun “they” refer to non-Christians
b. “might see”—the non-Christians might take notice of the followers of Jesus Christ
c. “Good works” refer to works as a result of their relationship with Christ
d. Your “good works” is a kind of counter culture
7. “They might glorify your Father, who is in Heaven”—the shining of light and good works is for the glory of the Father
a. “Your Father in Heaven”—Christians reveal who they belonged to
b. The church is the pointer to God the Father
V. Observations
1. A local church is God’s light bearer
2. The quality that the disciples carry is not for their benefit, but it is for the benefit of the world
3. If there is darkness in the society, it is because God’s light-bearers have isolated or in disobedience of keeping the light hidden
4. Jesus did not intend seclusion for His followers
5. If the world is not to be left in darkness, the disciples must fulfill their calling to represent the kingdom
6. Crossroad Church needs to become the church for the city and church for the nation
Take Away:
Move from seclusion to public because God has placed something in you that this society needs