The Light of the World

Intro

Candlelight service at Christmas Eve

Matthew 5:13–16 ESV

“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.

Salty and Lit

Salt preserves, adds flavor, heals

Light illumines the darkness and shows our path

You are going to stand out from the world

What if I don’t fit in?

You won’t

No personal faith

Your faith is to be shared and on display for all to see

You are

It is not about you, it is God in you

He has lit the lamp, you, so that you can shine

He won’t hide you under a bushel, no

Salt doesn’t have to try to be salty, it just is

Light doesn’t have to try to shine, it just does

You have a duty

If you are a Christian then you must go and do as Christ did

Make disciples and teach God’s commands

Simply being an onlooker doesn’t cut it

He didn’t light your lamp to be hidden

Excuses

I don’t know enough

Who does?

Make an effort to learn

Rely on the Holy Spirit

I’m not ready

That’s not an excuse, that’s a judgement upon yourself

What steps are you making to be ready?

I’m too old / I’m too young

This has never been a problem in Scripture

Don’t let God ask you what happened to your light

I didn’t want to offend

I was worried what others might think

I didn’t know what to do

What have you done with the talents God gave you?

Remember THE Light

John 1:1-5 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 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.”

Jesus is the second person of the Trinity, the Word of God, for whom and by whom all things were made, the radiance of the glory of God and He has placed His light in you

Jesus left His comforts so I could have life

I will give of my comforts to spread His message