Light

Matthew 5:14-16 (KJV)

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushelb, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.[1]

This promise just like the last one comes at the end of the beatitudes and is contingent upon our living according to what we have heard and lived in those nine areas.

Salt slowed corruption, seasoned and created a thirst for the gospel and the life of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Light has a totally different purpose and is just as important.

In fact it appears that these two types run parallel to each other, like a train on the track will not continue unless both tracks are in line with each other, so the effective witness will not continue unless we are both salt and light as we walk in this world. Well you say, I am a young Christian so I probably do not have salt and light. That is not necessarily so, a dim light is still light and salt depending on the amount has different intensities, so the new Christian while walking according to the gospel does have some salt and light, even though it may not be as much as others

All the time that the wickedness is being slowed, the word being seasoned and the thirst being created, those same people are being able to see the way

There is also a difference in purpose between salt and light. Ye are the salt of the earth the land, the people the relation to others.

While ye are the light of the world. And this pertains to the systems, political, economic, social etc. We are the preservation, the seasoning and the thirst builders for those we are around and at the same time we are the reflective light for the systems of this world so that they can see how to operate properly

Light does not say anything, but it shows for everything. Its purpose is to reveal what is really there. When there is light we see things and without light our eyes would not work. They take light to work.

Light can also have a meaning referring to the understanding being opened, such as the light just came on, which means that you now understand what is being said.

Now we must realize that we are not that light, but we are a reflection of that light, just as the moon reflects the light and has no light in and of itself

So if the life of Christ is not being lived out in our lives, then how are we being light to those we love, work around or are associated with.

How do we reflect that life?

First of all what is the source of the light?

John 8:12 (KJV) 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. [2]

John 1:1-4 (KJV) 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. [3]

He is the word and the life of Christ is the life of men

So we see that the light comes from Jesus Christ and He came to give light to them that sit in darkness and he also was the Word of God. We know that. Christ is the Word.

Psalm 119:105 (KJV) Thy word is a lampl unto my feet, and a light unto my path.[4]

The word is then broken down into two categories in the next verse commandment—and law, but what is the difference? A law will pertain to all, such as the speed limit or thou shalt not steal, whereas a commandment may only apply to an individual or a group of individuals.

Proverbs 6:23 (KJV) 23 For the commandment is a lampc; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

Psalm 119:130 (KJV) 130The entrance of thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple. [5]

Here is proof that the scripture will open our understanding, but there is a significant point that we must look at here. It specifically states that the entrance of, which implies an entering into you of those words, which shows that you received them.

It takes more than just coming here, and as Bro Jack says “to sit, soak, spoil, aand split”, it takes more than just listening and paying attention. It takes more than just reading the Bible or good books. It takes more than coming to Sunday School, or all the services that we have.

IT TAKES RECEIVING OR SHOULD I SAY BELIEVING WHAT YOU YOU HAVE HEARD. RECEIVING IS THE OPPOSITE OF REJECTING AND THERE ARE MANY WAYS THAT YOU CAN REJECT THE WORD. THREE THAT ARE EXPRESSLY SPOKEN OF IN THE SCRIPTURES, THE DEVIL COMETH AND TAKETH THE WORD AWAY, (IT IS NOT IMPORTANT TO YOU, SO YOUR MIND DOES NOT MEDITATE ON IT BUT ON THE MULTITUDE OF THINGS THAT YOU WANT TO BE DOING, BUYING, GOING OR EATING), OR IT IS REJECTED BECAUSE OF PERSECUTION BECAUSE OF THE WORD, ( YOU DO NOT FEEL LIKE ITS WORTH IT), OR YOUR CARES FOR WORLDLY THINGS ALONG WITH RICHES CHOKE THE WORD( YOU DO NOT HAVE TIME TO LET THE SEED GERMINATE AND THE UNDERSTANDING BE ENLIGHTENED). THESE THREE ARE ENOUGH FOR ALL OF US TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH SO THAT WE WOULD BE BUSY ALL THIS NEXT WEEK.

Psalm 4:6 (KJV) 6There be many that say, Who will shew us any good? LORD, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us. [6]

Luke 1:79 (KJV) To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. [7]

Not the way of a set of laws, but the way of peace

God lifts up the light of his countenance upon a community, when he raises up a people to love and serve him in that community

That is how the community will see good, God’s chosen ones are to be showing the good things of God.

The light is to be given to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

We know that those who are in darkness are those w\o Christ and that they are in the paths of death.

We are to be a light unto them, so why do we avoid their company. Not always being around them, but as we cross paths are we willing to be that light or do we snub our nose and avoid them.

One last thought is that He will guide our feet in the way of Peace, not confrontation, condemnation, or intimidation.

We are not here to prove we are the only ones, or to prove we’re right and they’re wrong.

We are not here to threaten them with hell or to bribe them with heaven.

We are here to reflect the light and allow God to use that light to draw them to salvation, not a creed, not a denomination, not to a belief system, but to the ever loving God who has and wants to show us mercy.

Some of you have seen the light and tasted the salt of your wife, your husband, your parents, or your friends and you have refused to be drawn.

Make no mistake God will not force you to come, but you must come willingly.

You have a choice to make salvation and death to your sin, or refusal and a life of eternal death.

Have you made that choice? Who will you serve? Who are you serving?

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b a bushel: the word in the original signifieth a measure containing about a pint less than a peck

[1] The Holy Bible : King James Version. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995

[6] The Holy Bible : King James Version. Oak Harbor, WA : Logos Research Systems, Inc., 1995