The Lighthouse Fellowship - Matthew 5:14-16
Notes
Transcript
Intro: Jesus Is For Us, We Need To Be For One Another.
Intro: Jesus Is For Us, We Need To Be For One Another.
Cause leads to community, which leads to Christ.
Creating a community that people want to be a part of.
Renewing the culture towards the true, the good, and the beautiful.
Taking on Jesus’ cause.
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4:18–19, NASB95)
Luke 4:18–19 (NASB95)
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.”
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it. (John 14:12–14, NASB95)
“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. “If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.
Come To Me!
Come To Me!
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:28–29, NASB95)
“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:1–3, NASB95)
The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He restores my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake.
Find Rest, Find Safety, Find Shelter
Find Rest, Find Safety, Find Shelter
The captain of the ship looked into the dark night and saw faint lights in the distance. Immediately he told his signalman to send a message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south.”
Promptly a return message was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north.”
The captain was angered; his command had been ignored. So he sent a second message: “Alter your course 10 degrees south—I am the captain!”
Soon another message was received: “Alter your course 10 degrees north—I am seaman third class Jones.”
Immediately the captain sent a third message, knowing the fear it would evoke: “Alter your course 10 degrees south—I am a battleship.”
Then the reply came: “Alter your course 10 degrees north—I am a lighthouse.”
The Lighthouse
The Lighthouse
The Lighthouse in Alexandria - one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. At a height of about 400 ft, it was visible for up to 29 miles.
Built on the western edge of the Nile River Delta.
Alexander the Great built the city to provide a military base, harbor facilities, and trading center with which to control Egypt and the East.
It was divided into three districts: Jews in the northeast, Egyptians in the west, and Greeks to the south.
An earthquake damaged the lighthouse in AD 796, and it was completely destroyed some 500 years later, but was the 3rd longest surviving ancient wonder. The Pyramid Of Giza is the lone survivor.
Let Your Light Shine
Let Your Light Shine
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14–16, NASB95)
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.
vs. 14 - You is emphatic and applies to His followers.
From where does that light come? Jesus
In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4–5, ESV)
In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12, ESV)
Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”
The Lighthouse is entrenched upon the Rock
Are we leading people to Jesus?
From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy. (Psalm 61:2–3, NASB95)
From the end of the earth I call to You when my heart is faint; Lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For You have been a refuge for me, A tower of strength against the enemy.
shipwrecked sailor - did you not tremble with fear? Yes, but the rock didn’t
Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
vs. 14 - You (plural) are the light (singular). This is the whole community shining together.
for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:8–10, NASB95)
for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light (for the fruit of the Light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.
We shine individually, as we shine together.
Bring the kids up: Led flashlight - multiple LEDs that create one beam together.
Purposeful.
Unity
vs. 14 - Of the world - It is for the world, not a closed fellowship.
The world is dark and God is calling us to be the light.
so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, (Philippians 2:15, NASB95)
so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world,
skolios - Crooked; warped from dryness
meander off the straight path
the light to lead them back on the right path.
diastrepho - Corrupt/perverse; twist or turn so as to distort. To seduce or mislead
Satan and his lies
the light to reveal the truth of God.
Light has always been a biblical metaphor of truth, purity, healing, revelation, and God’s presence.
So that the world might be saved
He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6, NASB95)
He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant To raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light of the nations So that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
vs. 14 - Cities were often built of white limestone and gleamed in the sun and they were built on a hill so you could find them.
We should be noticeable.
What’s Lighthouse’s reputation? Do people know who we are and what we represent?
vs. 15 - On the lampstand - same word used in Revelation and others as a symbol of the Christian church.
The metaphor changes to the local church.
The lamps must be trimmed and always ready. The church must be ready!
vs. 15 - Light to all in the house - a reference to the family, the kingdom of God, a household. Church
We need to have our act together before we can be a witness to the world.
Are we a light to one another - Fellowship.
Are we truth, purity, healing, revelation, and God’s presence to one another?
Shine into me
Shine through me
Let me reflect your glory
vs - 16 - Good Works
In such a way - It must be visible - as they observe it.
Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation. (1 Peter 2:12, NASB95)
Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles, so that in the thing in which they slander you as evildoers, they may because of your good deeds, as they observe them, glorify God in the day of visitation.
Works that bring glory to God.
Then, they will also glorify our Father in Heaven.
The Lighthouse - A Harbor Of Safety In A Storm Tossed World
The Lighthouse - A Harbor Of Safety In A Storm Tossed World
The Lighthouse Leads to the Safe Harbor
poor - those who recognize their spiritual helplessness.
The light is a ray of hope: Good News - we are saved!
The Lighthouse Warns of Danger
captive - What dangers may take us captive and make us slaves?
The light is a source of strength: God can keep you free from those things
The Lighthouse Drives the Darkness Out
recovery of sight - released from the lies of Satan.
The light is the glowing illumination of understanding the truths of God.
The light is a beacon of truth that pierces the darkness.
The Lighthouse Guides to Safety and Restoration
those distressed and have lost hope due to oppression.
those bruised, crushed, or downtrodden.
battered and beaten by the storm. Limping into the bay.
The light is a beam that guides to the pulse of love and saturation of healing.
A Safe Place To Weather the Storm in the presence of God.
A place to rest and refuel.
The light is a radiation of joy.
The light is the envelopment of the Shekinah glory of God.
The Lighthouse - A Harbor Of Safety In A Storm Tossed World
Are we a ray of God’s hope?
Are we a source of God’s strength?
Are we a beacon of God’s truth?
Are we a beam that guides to the pulse of God’s love and healing?
Do we radiate the love, joy, and peace of Christ?
Do we dwell in the shekinah glory of His presence?
Is what God is doing here so powerful that others can’t wait to join us?
Thus says the Lord of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’ ” (Zechariah 8:23, ESV)
“Thus says the Lord of hosts, ‘In those days ten men from all the nations will grasp the garment of a Jew, saying, “Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.” ’ ”
