The Kind Of Light That Glorifies GOD

I. INTRODUCTION:

  1. SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 5:14-16 = "Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 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. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
  2. THE SUBJECT OF THE LESSON IS "THAT WHICH GLORIFIES GOD"
  1. The Lord uses "light" as an illustration to make it easy for us to understand what He is wanting his disciples to know.
  2. Light dispels darkness:
  1. Darkness is removed where there is light.
  2. Darkness makes possible the hiding of things and light has all things open and visible.

I Corinthians 4:5 = "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God."

  1. JESUS USES LIGHT AS AN ILLUSTRATION OF WHAT HE AND HIS DISCIPLES SHOULD BE IN THE WORLD:
  1. Jesus is the light. John 8:12 = "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."

Note: Those the follow Christ, "walking in His steps" (I Peter 2:21), will reflect out the light of Christ in their lives. That is why it was said of Peter, "Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee" (Matthew 26:73).

  1. The Lord’s disciples are " A chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:" = I Peter 2:9.
  2. They had come out of darkness and now should not have any fellowship with the darkness, but reprove it. Ephesians 5:8-11 = "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light; And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."
  3. The disciples must realize that in God there is no darkness at all. 
    I 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."
  1. THUS, THE QUESTION WHAT KIND OF LIGHT GLORIFIES GOD?
  1. It should be a bright pure light that is strong and steady.
  2. It should be a cheerful light that is conspicuously evident to all.
  3. How does God’s Word describe the light we are to give forth before the world.

II. DISCUSSION:

  1. A PURE LIGHT:
  1. This best shown by how the Lord wants The Church to be before the world and Him. Ephesians 5:27 = "That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish."
  2. The weakness, frailty and imperfections of Christians dim the purity of their light and hinder their usefulness before the people of the world.
  3. They can not radiate out the light of God "in whom is no darkness as all" 
    (I John 1:5), and be a party to the activities of worldly darkness 
    (Revelation 3:15-16).
  4. ILLUSTRATION: The abnormal deposits (Carbon) on the wick of an oil lamp, or even a candle, dim their brightness and render it unfit for the best light until cleaned off.
  1. A STRONG LIGHT:
  1. A light that will endure and be dependable: Matthew 10:22 = "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved." (Also see Revelation 2:10).
  2. The kind of light implied by what Paul wrote in Ephesians 6:10-16. Note his words in verses Ephesians 6:10-11 = "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil."
  3. The kind of light that comes from one that is grown in the Christian graces as given in (II Peter 1:5-7) =[Faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, brotherly kindness and charity]. Then notice Peter’s words in the following II Peter 1:8 = "For if these things be in you and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ".

COMMENT: One that has grown in the knowledge of our Lord will bring forth in their life a strong light of good works that will be productive of good and not evil before our fellowman.

  1. The kind of light that is not easily moved or tossed about with strange doctrines. Ephesians 4:14 = "That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and for, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive."
  1. A STEADY LIGHT:
  1. A light that is dependable and can be relied upon. Acts 2:42 = "And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers."
  2. A steady light will come from one that is securely connected to the source of light and that is the Lord. It can not be sort of one moment on and the next moment off. Matthew 6:24 = "No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon."
  3. The kind of light that is both steadfast and unmovable. 
    I Corinthians 15:58     = "Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord."
  4. James speaks of this unreliability this way. James 1:6 = "For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed." Notice how this ties in with the expression of Paul in Ephesians 4:14 = "Carried about with every wind of doctrine, …"
  1. A CHEERFUL LIGHT:
  1. Philippians 4:4 = "Rejoice in the Lord away: and again I say, rejoice."
  2. The Christian, of all people in the world, should be the happiest.
  1. To fret; To pine away; To be sad; To be gloomy; or even to grumble should not be listed among the characteristics of a Christian.
  2. An unhappy disposition has been removed from the Christian by the prospects of a heavenly home beyond this world of sin, pain and death.
  1. Peter writes in I Peter 1:5-9 = "Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: that the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, thought it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory: receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of yours souls"
  2. The Lord said: Matthew 5:10-12 = "Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for their’s is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye; when men shall revile you and persecute you and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you."
  1. A CONSPICUOUS LIGHT: (Matthew 5:15-16).
  1. The presence of the light is readily noticeable – "On a candlestick".
  2. A light that is not hid – "Put under a bushel".
  3. The light we give forth is for everyone – "Unto all that are in the house".
  4. The light of our lives is for the purpose of glorifying the Father – "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:16).
  1. A LIGHT THAT IS EVER INCREASING:
  1. Solomon wrote in Proverbs 4:18 = "The path of the righteous is as the dawning light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day."
  2. As a Christian moves onward closer to the Lord, the light of his life will become brighter and brighter.
  3. Paul said it this way – "I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" = Philippians 3:14.

III. CONCLUSION:

  1. WHAT KIND OF LIGHT DO YOU MANIFEST TO THE WORLD?
  2. IS YOUR LIGHT:
  1. Pure?
  2. Strong?
  3. Steady?
  4. Cheerful?
  5. Conspicuous?
  6. Increasing?
  1. YOUR LIFE HAS A TREMENDOUS INFLUENCE OVER THE CHARACTER OF OTHERS THAT HELP SHAPE THEIR DESTINY.

CONSIDER: What Jehovah said through the prophet Malachi 2:6 = "The law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found in his lips: he walked with me in peace and equity, and did turn many away from iniquity."

  1. GIVE PRAYERFUL THOUGHT TO THE LIGHT OF YOUR LIFE AND USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO DO WHAT IS NEEDED TO REMOVE THAT WHICH KEEPS YOUR LIGHT FROM SHINING BRIGHTLY.

Hebrews 12:1 = "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us."

SONGS:
"SEND THE LIGHT"
"LET THE LOWER LIGHTS BE BURNING"

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