Still Lit

Recap

We've traced light from Genesis to Revelation and acknowledged its significance. We've seen Jesus arrive as light in person. And we've landed on the extraordinary claim that he makes to his followers that you are the light of the world.

This is the final episode in this little series on light and if it’s true that we are the light of the world, but sometimes we don’t feel like that’s the case, then the question isn't how do I become the light, the question is what’s getting in the way?

If each of us living out our identities of lights of the world was inevitable, Jesus wouldn’t have addressed it, so obviously stuff can get in the way. Let’s look back at what he said…

Show Yourself

Matthew 5:14-16 (NIV)

You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Okay let’s go line by line…

You are the light of the world - it’s an identity. Once you know Jesus, you become this. Not manufacturing your own light but letting his light in you shine out.

A town built on a hill cannot be hidden -  the town on a hill is communal. I wonder if it’s the church together? Jesus says it cannot be hidden, that’s not an instruction, it’s a statement. A town on a hill is visible, that’s just true. Which means the church is visible, whether intentionally or not, by the very fact that people watch the church. They look to us as the church. Is the church going to behave differently to the world in this situation? People are looking at the church, the question isn’t whether they see us, it’s what they see when they do.

Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. - the lamp is more individual. One person, one choice, and it’s able to be covered. But once something is lit, it goes in a prominent place where it’s visible (like the town), not under a covering, otherwise it isn’t serving its purpose.

In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. - And then Jesus applies it to our lives - so go, shine, be visible, do good deeds, outwork your identity as the light of the world, and your father in heaven will be glorified. 

What are those good deeds? What does it look like to be light? I think we know that instinctively don’t we? You know what light looks like. You’ve felt it - when someone shows up for you at just the right moment, or told you the truth you needed to hear in a way you could hear it, or just made you feel less alone in a really tough time in your life. 

We all carry light. My aim isn’t to tell you what to do, it’s been to remind you who you are - the light of the world. Within you is the light that gave light to the earth, ushering in creation, before the sun even existed, that’s no small thing.

It’s in you, will you let it shine before others?

Are You Under Cover?

If we aren’t shining out there in the world, it’s not that we don’t have the light to shine, it might be that we’re under cover. So this begs the question, if we aren’t shining, what’s covering us?

I want to leave you with a few possibilities but also invite you to spend time with God in worship and allow him to reveal what the cover might be. That’s one of the things light does - it reveals.

So a few things that could be covering your light…

Fear of people’s opinions - Jesus is talking about a lamp on a lamp stand, a town on a hill - visibility can be scary sometimes. It means we stand out. It means people will have opinions of us. That means people might (will) have negative opinions of us as well as positive ones. The threat of that can cause us to hide the light that we are. Let your light shine.

Exhaustion - when we forget the light comes from God, and try to do the good deeds bit out of our strength, we’re trying to bring our own lamps to the party. They’ll never shine as brightly as God, they won’t last long, and they will leave you tired. Don’t hear what I’m not saying though, I’m not saying that rest is a form of hiding. It isn’t. Intentional rest and time with Jesus is refuelling. There's no shame in needing that. The invitation to you today is to rest and connect back to God, remember he is the source, and operate out of his strength. The best place to start is to invite him into the things that you do, even if you’re already competent at them. Your competency is nothing compared to his power.

Timidity - We don’t think our light is much good. It doesn’t seem as bright as the other lights, it’s a pretty insignificant light actually. Well 2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. You are powerful because the Spirit within you is powerful. God doesn’t give brighter lights to certain people, maybe they look brighter because they’re on the lamp stand with the basket more removed.

Track the story of the light back - it’s no insignificant thing. It came first in the creation of the world, ushered in order and life. Was not overcome. God’s light protects and guides. It reveals and empowers. That light is in you because God’s Spirit is in you. Which means your light is no small thing. The invitation you have today is to start living like you believe that.

And then there are the baskets we don't always name. Mistrust: maybe something happened, and you're not sure God is who he says he is, so you’ve pulled back. Ask God to remind you of who He is. Or maybe it’s apathy. Nothing dramatic, life’s just got full and faith has taken a back seat. The invitation for you is to come to God and be reminded that you have a purpose. 

Ephesians 2:10 (NIV)

For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

You’re the light of the world.

The light that spoke creation into existence, that guided a nation through a wilderness, that walked into the world in human form and the darkness could not overcome it, that light is in you. Not because you're impressive or have it all together, simply because you’ve accepted Jesus’s invitation to live in His Kingdom. The Kingdom that is full of grace, and mercy and power, and ruled by the source of the light, God himself.

Things can cover us that stop the light being seen. But Jesus also mentions being on a hill or a lamp stand - we can intentionally position ourselves so our light is seen. Not in an everyone look at me kind of way, but in a here's my good deeds, let my father in heaven get all the glory, kind of way.

That's what we're invited into. Freedom, uncovered and positioned on purpose. And when we live like that, our lights shine in a world that desperately needs it.

I hope this little series on light has encouraged you. As always, lets end with a question.

Question

Which basket did you most resonate with? And how might God be inviting you to begin to lift it off?

Prayer

Thank you Lord for making each of us into the light of the world. Thank you that it’s who we are. Help us today by showing us our baskets, and give us the courage and the grace to lift them. So that others they may see our good deeds and glorify you. In your precious name Jesus, Amen.