Matthew 5:14-16 Amplified Bible
14 “You are the light of [Christ to] the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good deeds and moral excellence, and [recognize and honor and] glorify your Father who is in heaven.
The Word of God for the Children of God.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.
Light is quite remarkable if you think about it.
It travels at 186,000 miles per second and behaves as if it were both a solid particle and a wave of energy.
It always overcomes darkness–in fact, the darker the night, the more impressive even the slightest glow.
And it exists by constantly giving itself away.
Jesus calls us to be light in a sin-darkened world.
We are light when we live all of life in the way God calls us to live.
We are light when we treat our neighbors with integrity, and when we treat bullies with kindness (though without letting them get their way).
We live as light when we represent a cause that may not be popular but is right.
In fact, Jesus explains that it is impossible for Christians not to be light.
We are either his followers—his light—or we are not.
A candle under a bowl goes out.
A city on a hill lights the countryside.
Authentic Christians outwardly His radiate righteousness, truth, and grace.
Jesus says of us, “You are the light of the world.”
This imagery suggests that the life God’s Spirit kindles within us, while powerful and delightful, is meant not only for us to enjoy.
It’s a life that’s to be given away for others.
In fact, a candle placed under a bowl will soon suffocate and die.
Our lives, rather, should have a giving quality about them and be marked by an outward flow.
After all, this is the quality of the life of the Father within us, who so loves the world that He gives and keeps on giving. “
Of course, this light does not come from within ourselves.
We are the light of the world only to the extent that Jesus, the true light of the world, lives in us.
When we were lost in darkness, Jesus came to us, full of grace and truth, and drew us into his light.
How will you shine the light of Jesus into your world today?
Inescapable, Irresistible Light
Matthew 5:14-16 The Message
14-16 “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
When you are living for Jesus Christ, your very presence sometimes will bother and mightily offend the darkness others because His light is shining out of you.
When in this age too many are trying too hard turn off all the lights, to take every opportunity at avoid giving any offense You may even try to hide it too.
But it shouldn’t be that way.
Just stand still in any room you are standing or sitting in
Just let His light shine for people to see.
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world—like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden.
No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket.
Instead, a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house” (Matthew 5:14-15 NLT).
We’ve all heard the well-worn excuses, eye rolling rationales and the so-called reasons as to why people don’t come to Christ.
But here’s the reason that most people don’t come to Him.
This, by the way, is according to Jesus Himself:
“God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil” (John 3:19 NLT).
The reason people don’t believe is they don’t want their sin exposed.
They don’t want to acknowledge their shortcomings.
They surrender to their darkness
They do not want to surrender their darkness .
But it is inevitable that the darkness will surrender because it has not the ability nor the power to overcome what it can never hope to understand. (John 1:5)
And the more godly a Christian is, the more obviously this surrender will take place just by the life they live, that believer’s great example – loving neighbors.
1 John 1:6-7 The Message
6-7 If we claim that we experience a shared life with him and continue to stumble around in the dark, we’re obviously lying through our teeth—we’re not living what we claim. But if we walk in the light, God himself being the light, we also experience a shared life with one another, as the sacrificed blood of Jesus, God’s Son, purges all our sin.
Jesus went on to say,
“All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants” (verses 20–21 NLT).
Few things are harder to put up with than the sudden revelation of a bright light of a Christ like life which will command an entire room with its good example.
And when you live it, it really stuns the senses, it really gets people’s attention.
Light not only exposes what the darkness hides, light also shows the way out.
John 1:1-5 The Message
The Life-Light
1 1-2 The Word was first,
the Word present to God,
God present to the Word.
The Word was God,
in readiness for God from day one.
3-5 Everything was created through him;
nothing—not one thing!—
came into being without him.
What came into existence was Life,
and the Life was Light to live by.
The Life-Light blazed out of the darkness;
the darkness couldn’t put it out.
And in the same way Christ came, the light that shines from us not only shows people their shortcomings and their sins, but it also shows them the way out.
The darkness must surrender.
The darkness will surrender.
Sin must surrender its power over the Children of God.
Sin will surrender its power over the Children of God.
The revealed Word of God to light the narrow way for the Children of God.
It shows them the way to the inevitability of Jesus Christ as their forever Savior.
In the name of God, the Father and God the Son and God the Holy Spirit,
Let us Pray,
God of light and life and peace, I bring before You a world that is ravaged by war and suffering, disaster and distress, through the actions and attitudes of selfish men. I pray that the light of Christ would illuminate a dark world that has chosen to turn its back on the One Who is the true Light of the world and Who brings life and love to all who believe. I pray that You use me in the corner of the world where You have placed me, to bring the light, the life, and the love of Christ to a hurting world. Keep me ever mindful that without You I can do nothing, but in the strength and power of Your Holy Spirit, I am thus enabled to reveal your path to salvation and act as Your hands, Your feet, and Your heart, to those in need. In Jesus’ name I pray, AMEN.
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.
Loving God, Living God, Loving Hope, Living Hope, Loving Living Life His Way! "Many things are possible for the person who has hope. Even more is possible for the person who has faith. And still more is possible for the person who knows how to love. But everything is possible for the person who practices all three virtues." - Brother Lawrence (1605-1691), Practicing the Presence of God (1692). 