Let's take our Bibles and turn
back to Matthew chapter 5. Matthew chapter 5. Continuing in the Sermon on the
Mount, the Lord is coming now to a blessed revelation. of His people. Of course, all
His revelations are blessed of His people. Last time we looked, we looked
at verse 13. He said, You're the salt of the
earth. Well today, I'd like to look
at verses 14 to 16 for a moment. He said, You're the light of
the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither
do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick,
and give it light unto all that are in the house. Let your light
so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and
glorify your Father which is in heaven. You know, when we
turn on a light switch, immediately, Everything's working. Light bulb
illuminates and we're able to see. We're able to see that which
was previously dark. And we say we have light. And light is a mysterious truth. When we see an object, We see
it because of light. We're not actually able to see
light. Light is invisible. It's a mysterious thing. If you
tried to describe light, just go ahead and stop. I'm going
to give you the definition of light in just a second. But you
can't see light. Light is what makes objects visible. Light stimulates sight. It makes things to be seen. Without
light, without something for light to shine upon, for something
to receive it, you can't see. But I'm telling you, you cannot
see light. Now to get to the very heart
of the definition are the revelation of light. This is what I love
right here. When God's Word makes something
so plain, you say that's it. That's the definition. We won't
go any farther. I'm going to give you the definition
of light. 1 John 1.5 This then is the message which we have
heard of Him and declare unto you that God is light. And in him is no darkness at
all. God is light. God is the very essence of light. How much light? All light. Physical and spiritual. What we see naturally around
us. or what we see spiritually, in
the heart, can only be attributed to Almighty God, who the scripture
says, is light. The Lord set forth in John 8.12,
I am the light of the world. What does that mean? Well, He's the fountain of which
all natural intellectual, spiritual understanding perceives. He that followeth me, he that
accompanies, believes and trusts me. Not in his works, not in his
will, not even in his own faith. He that followeth me, shall not
walk in darkness, in ignorance, or the error of unbelief, but
shall have the light of life. What does that mean, he shall
have the light of life? That means he'll have Christ.
That's what that means. He'll have the Lord, who is the
light of this world. God is light. He said, as John
9, 5, as long as I'm in the world, I'm the light of the world. Now
listen to this. He said, as long as I'm in the
world, I am the light of the world. Now it's true that Christ
is ever the light of the world. There's no evening with the Lord. There's no sunset with the Lord. The Son of Righteousness, as
the Son of Righteousness, He never sets. He's the light. But
here, He sets forth and means that while He was in this earth,
on this earth, in the days of His humiliation, finishing the
work of the Father in the redemption and salvation of His sheep, those
days would come to an end. That is, I'm not going to be
on this earth forever doing what I'm doing right now, redeeming
my sheep. He did that one time. And then
He left. This is what holds you in place.
Turn to Acts 1. This is what happened. I can
just, just, what an amazing passage of scripture. Acts 1, 8 and 9.
The Lord talking to his disciples and he's telling them this is
what's going to happen in just a few days. Now you just wait.
You wait. Acts 1, 8 and 9, you shall receive
power after the Holy Ghost has come upon you and you shall be
witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea, Samaria, unto
the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these
things while they beheld, he was taken up and a cloud received
him out of their sight. Now he was here for a while. He said, as long as I'm in the
world, I'm the light of the world. Meaning, I myself personally
will be the one speaking, going around teaching, performing miracles.
But then we have Him revealing something to His disciples concerning
their place. Their calling. And not only of
just them. He was teaching on the Sermon
on the Mount here. He was talking to some people.
But not only them in particular, but to all of His people. Every believer. Every believer
that's ever walked this earth. This is what the Lord says concerning
them. Ye are the light of the world. Not that they're the source or
the power of the light. But the Lord revealed to them
that they would be the light bearers. Have that treasure in
earthen vessels. You're the means of God's instruction
and revelation to mankind. God is light. And Almighty God has given unto
His people a message, a treasure, a teaching, an understanding,
a new heart of the gospel. And they manifest the light. And the Lord says concerning
them and what they're doing is, you are the light of the world. He said, while I was in this
world, I bore, set forth, witnessed of myself, the light. While I
was in the world. Now just think with me for just
a minute. When the Lord was in this world, He said, that's what
He says, as long as I'm in this world, as long as I'm in this
world, I am the light of the world. I'm the prophet. I'm the teacher. Now what did
He teach concerning man's depravity? What did He teach? He's the light
of the world. As long as I'm in the world,
I'm the light of the world. What did He teach? Matthew 23, 20 said, Woe unto
you scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like unto
white and sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful, but outward
or within full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. Now did the Lord teach that there
are in this world the natural inclination of the carnal heart
of all men is that we are depraved? Did the Lord teach that? Is that
what we teach? He set forth God's electing grace. This is what He taught. John
15, 16. You've not chosen Me, but I've chosen you. And I ordained
you that you should go forth and bring forth fruit, and that
your fruit should remain. And whatsoever you ask of My
Father in My name, He may give it to you. Did He teach electing
grace? Did the Lord teach that? Did
the Lord say, you didn't choose me, I chose you? Is that not
what we preach? Is that what we declare? What
did the Lord teach as the light concerning particular redemption? What did the Lord teach? Now
I know what the world teaches. They said that the Lord Jesus
Christ died for everybody. I know what they teach. What
did the Lord teach? As the father knoweth me, even
so know I the father, I lay down my life for the sheep. Husbands, love your wife. I just
quoted this a while ago. Love your wives. As Christ loved
the church, as Christ loved the church, as Christ loved the church
and gave himself for it. What did the Lord teach? We are
the light of the world now. Is that not our message? Is that
not the revelation that we set forth concerning Him who is the
light? He preached irresistible grace,
irresistible grace in regeneration. John 6.37, All that the Father
giveth me shall come to me. All that the Father giveth me
shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will no wise cast
out. Do we not herald the same truth? He spoke the message of
the preservation of the saints. My sheep, hear my voice, I know
them, they follow me, I've given to them eternal life, they shall
never, never, never perish. Neither shall any man pluck them
out of my hand. Is that not the message that
we preach? Concerning these vital issues
of truth. Concerning Him who is the light.
Well, as there are some in this world who are declared to be
the light of the world, and every believer is said to be the light
of the world, let's consider this question. How did they come
to be the light? He said back in Matthew 5, ye
are the light of the world. How did they get to be that?
Did they make themselves that? Did they just create something,
you know? Well, the scripture sets forth that God purposed
and ordained to make them so. That's how they became light.
Jeremiah 1.5, Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee.
Before thou camest forth out of the womb, I sanctified thee.
I ordained thee a prophet unto the nations. That's what he said
also concerning Saul of Tarsus. He saved him on the road to Damascus.
He sent him in there. He's blinded. He sent a preacher
over to talk to him and Ananias the preacher said, Lord, we've
heard about him and what does the Lord say concerning Saul
of Tarsus? Go thy way. He's a chosen vessel
unto me to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings and children
of Israel for I will show him how great things he must suffer
for my name's sake. for everyone that God has ordained
to be a light in this world. Every believer. Every believer
is a light. Every believer manifests. Every believer is just... I can
go back, you know, reference the first message. What's the
evidence of it? Every believer is going to set
forth the glory of God. They're faithful. They're faithful.
They're faithful people. Christ redeemed them, the Spirit
of God has taught them, regenerated them, and now the scripture sets
forth Ephesians 5 to walk in love as Christ also has loved
us and given himself for us, an offering, a sacrifice to God
for a sweet-smelling savor. Whenever the Lord is pleased
to do so, The Spirit of God crosses their path with the Gospel in
power and mercy. God calls them out of darkness,
gifts them, teaches them. When that light shines in our
heart, there's a knowledge of the presence and therefore the
conviction of sin. But with that conviction, there's
a knowledge of satisfaction by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. God's justice has been satisfied
and the law has been honored. And I'll tell you what there
is, there's a desire created within that new heart to walk
in a consistent way as a light. And the scripture says back in
Matthew 5, you're the light of the world. A city that's set
on a hill cannot be hid. The city set on a hillside, especially
in the darkness of night. I remember one time I was driving.
I was going from central Louisiana and I was driving to Tucson. And I left one morning real early.
And by the time I got to El Paso, Texas, it was the middle of the
night. And I topped a hill out in that
desert. And I looked down on El Paso,
Texas. And I mean it was just black,
but right there, way, way over. Texas is a big place if you're
driving across it. But out there in the middle of
nowhere was just lights all over the place. I mean just out there
in the middle of a desert. He said concerning his people,
you're the light of the world, a city. that's set on a hill,
set in this world and it cannot be hid. Neither do men light
a candle, put it under a bushel, put it on a candlestick and give
it light into all that are in the house. Whenever you're going
to see something and if there's light in the darkness you can't
help but see the light. If your eyes are Healthy. This is the church. You cannot
help but see it. Now some see it with a thankful
spirit unto the Lord. Some hate it, reject it, have
no love for it. But I tell you this, it's not
hidden. It can't be hid. You don't light
a candle and put it under a bushel. The power goes out at the house
in the middle of the night, and I'm telling you, buddy, everything
gets black right now. What am I doing? Hang on. I know
there's a lantern around here somewhere. Once I sit and turn
it on, I can't help but see now. I can see. You don't light a
candle and you put it under a bushel. You put it on a candlestick,
and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. And then
the Lord gives this exhortation. Let your light so shine before
men that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father
which is in heaven. Let your light so shine that
they may see your good works, the works of God's Spirit that
is wrought in the heart of those that love Him. And glorify your
Father which is in heaven, that is that the Lord may be glorified
for His mercy and compassion in the salvation of His people.
No believer looks at himself or another believer and pats
them on the back to talk to them about what a great job they're
doing. That believer will be the first
one to tell you, I am what I am by the grace of God. Look at
Philippians chapter 2. Philippians chapter 2, 14 to
16. Philippians 2, 14-16, Do all
things without murmuring, disputing, that you may be blameless and
harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked
and perverse nation, 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 have not run in vain, neither labored in vain.
That's what the Apostle Paul was telling his son and the Lord. Do all things... Brother Henry
Mayhan wrote this and I wanted to jot it down. This is a quote
from Brother Henry. Do all things without murmuring,
or grumbling, or finding fault with God or the brethren, that
we might not be accused of hypocrisy or insincerity by those around
us. What he's saying is this, don't
treat others with, you know, insincerity or hatefulness or
something and be accused by men that say, I thought they were
a Christian. That's what he's saying. Shine before men as those
who have been enlightened by God's Spirit, and take heed to
set forth the gospel, the word of life, and let your conduct
be such, as Paul was saying, that I may rejoice with you in
the day of Christ's glory. The scripture has set forth that
we shine. You are the light of the world. You are that which manifests. the light of the Lord Jesus Christ. Shine as lights in this world
to glorify the Lord of glory. Be as a cheering influence to
those that know Him. And seek to warn and guide those
who oppose themselves. I'm going to close with an illustration
that I heard from Brother Henry. And I thought it was so good.
It's not meant to be funny, but it almost has some humor to it.
But it's so true. He said there was a ship captain
that was out at night and he was sailing. And he saw a light
out there and he sent a message. And he said, give way. I'm on course. And a message
came back, and it said, no, you give way. The captain sent back
a message, and he said, this is Admiral Johnson. He said, this is a battleship.
He said, you give way. And the message came back. The
man said, this is John Smith with the U.S. Coast Guard. This
is a lighthouse. You give way. You're the light
of the world. God has set us forth in this
world to set forth the light himself, to be a guide, to be
a warning. That's what that lighthouse was. That's a guide and a warning.
Don't come this way. There's rocks here. This is what
we do. We set forth Him who is the light. May Almighty God bless our understanding,
the message of Him who is the light, that has manifested the
glory of God in the redemption and salvation of His people for
His sake and for our eternal good. Amen.