All right, Matthew chapter five,
titled the lesson this morning, you are the light of the world.
Our master here has been teaching us that believers must be useful
in the world. And the two examples that he
gives us are everyday things we can all understand. Salt and
light. Last week we looked at salt,
this morning we'll look at light. And he says in verse 14, you
are the light of the world. And naturally speaking, light
is very useful, isn't it? Light is so useful there'd be
no life without it. It's impossible for there to
be life on this earth without sunlight. Nothing could grow.
Light lets us see where we're going so we don't hurt ourselves.
We see all the obstacles and know the way to go to get where
we want to go. Light lets us see ourselves as
we are and lets us know when it's time to wash our face and
comb our hair. Sunlight is a natural disinfectant. Light is so useful. Now, the
Savior says here, you are the light of the world. But we know
that the Lord Jesus Christ is the light of the world, don't
we? He said, I am the light of the world. Without Christ, there
can be no life. Look at John chapter 8. Christ
is the light and the life of the world. John 8. Verse 12. Then spake Jesus again unto them,
saying, I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall
not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Christ
is both the light and the life of the world. Now look at John
chapter 9. Only in the light of Christ can
we see where we should go. The only way we can see that
we should go to Christ is in his light. John 9 verse 5, our
Lord says, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of
the world. And then to show what he's talking
about, he gives this blind man sight, verse six. When he had
thus spoken, he spat on the ground and made clay of the spittle.
And he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay and said
unto him, go wash in the pool of Siloam, which is by interpretation
sin. He went his way therefore and
washed and he came seeing. The only way we can see is in
the light of Christ. And now that this man could see,
now that he had light, he knew where he should go. He knew he
should be a follower, a disciple of Christ. You know this story,
how upset the Pharisees were by this. Look at verse 25. They
kept questioning this man. And he answered and said, they
called the Lord a sinner. And he said, well, whether he
be a sinner or no, I know not. One thing I know that whereas
I was blind, now I see. Then say, said they to him again,
what did he to thee? How opened he thine eyes? He
answered them. He said, I've told you already.
And you did not hear. Wherefore would you hear it again?
Will you also be his disciples? This man knew he was going to
be a disciple, a follower of Christ because he had light.
He knew where to walk. Verse 35. They excommunicated
him and Jesus heard that they'd cast him out. And when he found
him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the son of God? He
answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on
him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and
it is he that talketh with thee. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. The Lord,
this thing about light is believing. It's seeing Christ. He had light
to see who Christ is and believe him. And he worshipped him. Not
like the Pharisees did through the law and the ceremonies. He
worshipped the Lord Jesus Christ. He had light to see. Now look
back at John chapter three. Only in the light of Christ can
we see what we really look like. It takes the light of Christ
to show us we're completely sinful. completely ugly and defiled in
our sin. John 3 verse 17. For God sent
not his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the
world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not
condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already because
he's not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God.
And this is the condemnation, that light has come into the
world and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds
were evil. For everyone that doeth evil
hateth the light, neither cometh to the light lest his deeds should
be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh
to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they
are wrought in God. Now, the Lord Jesus Christ reveals
true righteousness. Only in his light can we see
he is true righteousness. And in his light, in the light
of who he is, we see how unrighteous we are. The light of Christ reveals
true beauty, the beauty of holiness. And only in His light can we
see our ugliness. Now, that makes the self-righteous
stay away from Christ, doesn't it? They don't want to come to
that light and be exposed, have all their sin exposed. But that
light makes sinners who believe Christ. And this one that says
the doeth truth, the one that doeth truth is the one who believes
Christ. Well, that makes that person
run to Christ the light. because they wanted to be seen.
My deeds are his deeds. They wanted to be seen. He is
all my righteousness. I am righteous in him. That's
what Christ the light reveals. Now look back at Genesis chapter
one. Christ, this spiritual light is so important and so useful
that he is the first thing almighty God revealed in creation. Genesis
one verse one. In the beginning God created
the heaven and the earth. And the earth was, and that word
was is became. God didn't create something that
was without form and void. The earth became without form
and void. And darkness was upon the face
of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon
the face of the waters. Now between verses one and two
must have been when Satan fell from heaven to earth. And when
he fell, sin entered the earth. Darkness entered the earth. It
became the opposite of light. It became dark and void without
any form, without any good. And the spirit of God moved upon
the face of the waters. In verse three, God said, let
there be light. And there was light. And God
saw the light, that it was good. And God divided the light from
the darkness. And God called the light day
and the darkness he called night. And the evening and the morning
were the first day. Now, when God said, let there
be light, that light is the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, let Christ
appear. It's not the sun and the moon.
They weren't created to the fourth day. This light that appeared
is the Lord Jesus Christ. In the book of Revelation, the
apostle John tells us that the second creation is going to be
a whole lot like this first day of creation. John said he saw
heaven. He saw a new Jerusalem. He said
it didn't have any need of the sun or the moon. For the lamb
was the light of it. Christ is the light of it. And
this part of the creation story is a picture of the new birth.
All men are born in darkness under the power of this darkness. And the power of darkness makes
it so we can't see Christ. We just can't see him. We can't
see his beauty. We can't see the need in him. We can't believe
him because we're under the power of darkness. And the only way
we can be delivered from that power of darkness is for Christ
to If He appears to us, all light or all darkness is going to be
gone because it's impossible for darkness to be where light
is. Darkness can never be where light
is. If Almighty God says, let there be light, let Christ appear
in their heart, the darkness, the power of darkness is going
to be gone. The darkness of ignorance and
unbelief is going to be gone and we're going to believe Christ.
If God says, let there be light, Darkness is gone. Christ has
appeared. We have light and life. Now there's
nothing more useful than Christ the light. There's nothing we
need more than Christ the light. He is the light of the world. All light and life is in him.
Well, all right then. How can our Lord in our text
say, you, you who believe are the light of the world. If he's
the light of the world, how can I be the light of the world?
Well, believers are the light of the world by reflecting the
light of Christ. Just like the moon reflects the
light of the sun, God's people reflect the light of Christ.
God's people are the light of the world. This illustration
kind of falls down if you think about it too much, but if you
take a candle and light that candle from the flame of the
sun, you take that candle, it lights up the darkness everywhere
you go. Now the fire, on the end of that little bit of candle
is the exact same fire of the sun, isn't it? It's not as big,
it's not as bright, but it's the same fire, isn't it? Same
light. And that light will light everything around you. That's
how believers are the, it'll get rid of the darkness around
you. That's how believers are the light of the world. And I
want us to see three things. I think these things are three
very important things for God's people to see. about being the
light of the world. Number one is this believers
are to be lights to the whole world around us. Back in our
text in Matthew 5 verse 14, the Lord says, you are the light
of the world. A city that sit on a hill cannot
be hid. Now, if you build a city on top
of a hill, you can't hide it. Everybody down there in the valley
can look up there and see it. It's up there above everything.
And especially at night when that city's lit up, you can't
hide it. It just dominates the valley
and everything for miles. You're going to be able to see
the light of that city set up on the hill. You know, they used
to build lighthouses. They built them as close to the
shore as they could and they built them as high as they could.
So the light could be seen as far out in the ocean as possible.
That's what the Lord's telling us to do here. If you believe
Christ, Christ, the light of the world is in you, Christ in
you, the hope of glory. And we're to let that light shine
in the darkness, to dispel the darkness of ignorance and the
darkness of unbelief by preaching the gospel and doing it publicly. So the whole world, as many people
as the world as possible can hear it. You're the light of
the world by going into all the world and preaching the gospel.
And that's what we do here. We preach the gospel publicly,
right here in the public worship service, on the radio, on the
internet, so that people who are in darkness can hear Christ. Our Lord described John the Baptist,
the greatest preacher ever lived, he said, the greatest prophet,
as a burning and a shining light, preaching the gospel where God
gave him the opportunity. We spread this light of the gospel
by inviting people to come hear the gospel. We spread this light
by telling people who Christ is, who the Savior is, whenever
the opportunity presents itself. Now, you know, you don't have
to be obnoxious about this, but if the opportunity presents itself,
be ready to give an answer why you have a good hope in you.
I was talking to my brother this week and he told me a customer
of his was talking to him. I don't know what happened to
make this man ask this question. But he asked Jonathan, do you
believe in Christ like I do? And Jonathan says, well, that
depends. If you believe Christ is all,
if you believe that salvation is all Christ without anything
added to it, if you believe that, then you and me believe the same.
But if not, we don't. That's a pretty good answer,
isn't it? If you believe Christ is all we do. But I tell you,
the Lord makes it clear to us here, it's possible for us to
cover up that light. How do you cover up that light?
It's by staying silent. When the opportunity arises to
tell people about Christ, we just stay silent. That's covering
up the light. And I'm not trying to make anybody
feel bad about themselves. I know that everybody doesn't
feel like you can explain the gospel as well as somebody else.
I would remind you, we all don't have to be Charles Spurgeon.
You can just tell folks what Christ has done for you. Be like
that demoniac. The Lord told him, you go home and you tell
your family and your friends what great things God's done
for you. We can all do that. And even
if you don't feel like you really have the opportunity to do that,
you can invite them to come hear the gospel. Used to be we'd give
them a tape. Now I reckon you give them a
link, text them a link to a message or something, you know, Give
them a bulletin, do something. That's letting the light shine
out in the world. A believer is also a well-lit
city set up on a hill that people can see by the way we conduct
ourselves. You're just like a city up there
on the hill. People are down and about after watching the
city, aren't they? People are watching you. People
are watching God's children. And a believer is the light of
the world by standing out in contrast to this dark world,
by living a life of integrity and honesty and morality, by
just having common courtesy and decency. If you do that, you
don't have to be a theologian. You'll stand out from this world.
I promise you, you will. And what we hope is this, that
people will take note, just like they did the disciples. He's
moving, Jesus. That's what we hope. Look at
Philippians chapter two. Philippians, the second chapter. Verse 15. That you may be blameless and
harmless, the sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked
and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the
world. holding forth the word of life
that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I've not run in
vain, neither labor in vain. A believer is the light of the
world out there on the job. Simply by having a good work
ethic. We were talking, Dan and I were
talking about young men, young children learning to work. I
tell you, if you learn a good work ethic, you'll stand out
from this world. Be someone that's easy to work
with. Be somebody who always does a good job. I'll tell you
how you cover up that light. By doing a bad job. By being
lazy. By finding every excuse that
there is not to work. By always complaining about the
man. Look how bad this boss is. He's keeping us down. He's not
paying us enough. He's mistreating us. That's covering up the light. I knew a man one time. He was
very, very vocal about the gospel he believed. He believed the
gospel. But his co-workers told me I would never go to church
with him. He is such a bad employee. If that's what his religion produces,
I don't want anything to do with it. They actually told me that.
That's covering up the light. God forbid that we be that way.
Believers are the light of the world around them by confessing
Christ. following him, following his
way. All right. Number two, believers
are to be lights shining in our home. Verse 15, back in our text,
Matthew five, 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. Now here, the Lord's talking
specifically about a candle lighting a house. We're not talking about
the city up there on the hill. We're talking about a home being
lit by a candle. We let the light shine in our
home and dispel the darkness that's in our home. And if you
don't think there's darkness in your home, now take account.
If we've got children, there's darkness in our home. That's
what we've given them in their heart, their natural heart. The
way we dispel that darkness is by letting the light shine and
teaching our children the scriptures, so that our children know the
meaning of those scriptures. So they know how Christ is revealed
in those scriptures. Look at Luke chapter eight, Luke
eight, in verse 16. No man when he hath lighted a
candle, cover it with a vessel or put it under a bed, He sets
it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. For nothing is in secret that
should not be made manifest, neither anything hid that shall
not be known and come abroad. Take heed, therefore, how you
hear. For whosoever hath, to him shall
be given, and whomsoever hath not, from him shall be taken,
even that which he seemeth to have. Light this candle, light
the light of Christ in your home and let the light of Christ shine
in your home. So everybody there understands
the meaning of the scriptures. So we understand in our home,
at least in the head, salvation is all in Christ, that Christ
is without anything we do being added to it. Let it be known
in our homes. Christ is our only hope. Beginning
with me, the head of the home. everybody else in it. Christ
is our only hope. We let the light shine in our
homes by conducting ourselves at home like we're a child of
God. We make our homes places where
Christ is King. You know, every time a new couple
gets married, this is always my prayer for them, that this
will be a home, a new home for them where Christ is King. In
this home, let Christ be talked about. Let this be a place that
prayer is made. Let this be a place where there's
love and kindness and forgiveness, where there's thoughtfulness
about it for each other. Let this home be a place where
we're not just selfish and we think about others. If the Lord
will enable us to do that, the light is shining in our home. But unfortunately, we can put
our candle under a bushel. I'll tell you how we do it. It's
by going home and never talking about the Lord at home at all.
It's by going home and never talking about the messages that
we've heard. It's going home and never opening
our Bible. Just wait and we'll have it here
and open it here in the church building. But at home, we don't
open it. We don't read it. We don't talk
about it. We go home and we never make our children tell us, what
did you hear in Bible class today? What was your lesson? They say,
I don't know. Well, make them tell you. Make them think about
it and tell you. Because if we don't, you want
me to tell you what happened? They got the message. They got
the message that what happens here is not all that important.
They got the message that what we do out there in the world
is more important. We put our candle under a bushel
by acting differently at home than we do out in public when
other believers are around. I warn you, if you do that, your
children will see it faster than anything. and it'll sour them
on the gospel faster than anything. They'll get the message. They'll
get it loud and clear. What you claim to believe in
church is not real. They'll get the message. They understand
this is just a show for public. They'll see it. If you act different
when you're in private. We put our candle under a bushel
by acting all sweet and loving and kind and faithful at the
worship service, but we get home alone We act mean and harsh and
unloving to our wives and to our children. They'll get the
message. They'll get the message. It's
not real. And they can't see your so-called faith. They can't
see your so-called light because your unloving, harsh actions
are speaking too loud. That's how we put that light
under a bushel. God help us to be lights shining in our homes
where Christ is seen. And then thirdly, believers let
our light shine in the world by our actions. Verse 16, Matthew
5 in our text, let your light so shine before men that they
may see your good works and glorify your father, which is in heaven.
Now, if we would let our light shine in the world, our actions
has got to match our words. Our words have to match our doctrine. They have to. Now, You've heard
this statement, I know. Someone says, I'd rather see
a message than hear one. Have you heard that? Well, I
wouldn't. Not at all. I would a whole lot
rather hear a message preached in the power of the Spirit, preached
from God's Word. Because faith comes by hearing,
and hearing by the Word of God. So I'd a whole lot rather hear
a message. I'm afraid of what we'd see if somebody sees a message
in a preacher or in a believer, aren't you? But we have to admit,
unfortunately, this is true, that there are times we can't
hear. We can't listen to what is really
a good, sound, solid message because of the way the man conducts
himself outside the pulpit. God forbid that we cover up the
light that way. See, good works is what the Lord
is talking about here. Good works make it a whole lot
easier for people to hear our preaching. Now, what are good
works? Well, they're works that are
done in faith. Faith for Christ. They're works
that are done for the glory of God. They're works that are done
for the good of God's people. Our ladies this week fixed a
meal for the family after a funeral. Those were good works. Those
were done in faith and love for God and for His people. Good
works are showing love for Christ. Showing love for God's people.
God put this love in our hearts. If you feel love for somebody,
it acts. It acts. You know, a young woman
never, ever, ever has to wonder if a young man loves her or not.
Never has to wonder. Young men, old men, all men are
real good at showing it. We'll find a way. You don't have
to be a poet like Shakespeare, but buddy, we find a way. If
love is in your heart, it's going to leak out on you. And it's
going to be shaking you. Good works are works that are
done to help and to comfort God's people, especially when you've
got to go out of your way to do it. But now look at 1 Peter
2. This is so important that remember
the goal of these works is not for us to get praise or recognition
and for somebody to say, oh, look at all the good works they're
doing. No. That's the way a Pharisee conducts himself, isn't it? The
goal, the believer's goal of these good works is that God
get the glory, not us. 1 Peter 2, verse 12. Having your conversation honest
among the Gentiles, that whereas they speak against you as evildoers,
they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify
God in the day of visitation. What are these good works that
the evildoers may behold? Here's how. Verse 13. Submit
yourself to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake, whether
it be to the king, a supreme or under governors as under them
that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for
the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God that
with well doing, you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish
men as free God sets you free, you're free from the law, and
not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the
servants of God. Honor all men, love the brotherhood,
fear God, honor the king. Servants, workers, be subject
unto your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle,
but also to the froward. Four, this is thankworthy. If
a man for conscience sake toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. See, that's how we conduct. That's
how we let this light shine in our good works. It's by conducting
ourselves in a way that shows devotion to Christ. But we put
that light under a bushel by acting contrary to these things. This is especially true in our
day. It's gotten to be real popular
to talk about things that ought not be talked about in mixed
company. Really in any company, but in mixed company, they're
just things you don't talk about. We put that light under a bushel
by talking about it and laughing about it, just filthy things. And posting them is bad enough
we do it in the lunchroom. There are 10 or 12 people around.
But posting those things, filthy things on Facebook or social
media for thousands of people to see, that's putting your light
under a bushel. And we might think, no, it doesn't
make any difference. They're just words. Well, let
me step back here a second. I'm not telling you to be a prude.
Laugh at what's funny. I'm not telling you to be a prude.
I'm not telling you to go around with a dour look and nothing's
ever allowed to be funny. I'm not talking about that. But
someone says, they're just words. It doesn't make any difference.
Well, let me give you a story. Lot. Lot and Abraham, uncle and
nephew, together. And they had to part ways. Parted
ways over the herds. The herdsmen were fighting. Money
came between them. Riches came between them. And
Abraham could have chosen wherever he wanted to go. He's the senior.
He's the man now. But he said, Lot, you choose
where you want to go. I'll take the road. And Lot surveyed the
place. He said, I'll take this well-watered
plain. Abraham took the rocks and the mountains where it seemed
like nothing to feed his sheep. And Lot went down there and sought
him, and there he lived. And he took his daughters, his
wife and his daughters down there. His daughters married men from
that place. And those sons-in-law perished
and sought him because they wouldn't believe Lot. Lot told them, God
said he's going to destroy this place, and I believe him. They
didn't believe Lot, and they perished in that place. And I'll
tell you why they did. Because for years, Lot lived
in that city and put the light under a bushel. The actions of
the people in that place, scripture tells us, grieved his Holy Spirit.
But they didn't know it. He never told them. Lot didn't
attempt to shine any light in that dark city. And he had opportunity. Lot was a leader of that place.
He sat in the gate. He was a leader of that place. Never shined any
light in it. And he put that light under a
bushel at home, too, in front of his sons-in-law. His sons-in-law
got the message. They saw how Lot conducted himself.
They learned business and riches and pleasures in this life are
the most important thing. They learned it from watching
Lot. They never heard tell of this God that Lot believed. And when Lot told his sons-in-law,
get out of this place, God's going to destroy, and I believe
God. Scripture says he seemed as one that mocked to be. Lot,
what are you talking about? They couldn't take Lot seriously
in this matter of God's wrath, and they perished because of
it. Lot had to live with that the rest of his days. God helped us not to put the
light of Christ in the gospel under a bushel. Make it shine
out everywhere. For God's glory and for the good
of His people. All right, hope the Lord will
bless that too.