Matthew 5:14, Stop Hiding Your Light...

Psalm 16:8 “I have set the Lord always before me: Because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved.”

Introduction...

a few years ago my wife and i were in Fredricksburg on a little get away...

and that is a tourist town...we were walking on the sidewalk and i am one that has always walked with confidence...you know head up and chest out...

i act and look like i own wherever i am ....

however, Nikki said if i could have seen how people were looking at me and how heads turned when i walked by...

we know its not because of who i am, because i didn’t know them and they didn’t know me...

but it was because of the confidence, i try to give off...

i know who i am and whose i am....

i am not perfect but i serve a perfect God...TALK, PREACH.......

i have had people ask me if i was a preacher and i wasnt even in a suit...

they said it was something they saw in me...

i said all of that because the God that I serve, is hopefully the same God that you are serving faithfully...

the saviour that i talk and tell folks about hopefully the same saviour that you are telling folks about...

you have heard the saying, what’s in a man will come out...

that saying is derived from Matthew 15:18 “But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.”

if Christ in in your heart, it will show...and if anything else is in your heart it will also show...TALK, PREACH.......

so i pray that everyone under the sound of my voice in here today, that you are in Christ and that you have allowed Christ in you...

John 14:20 “At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you.”

so if christ is in you and He is the light of the world...

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.”

so that means we have the light within us and we need to stop hiding out light...

I heard a preacher say one time that we are like the moon, we just simply reflect the light of the sun...TALK, PREACH.......

the bottom line is that as a true follower of Jesus, doing the will of God, there is a light within us because of Christ and we need to let our light shine and stop hiding it...

people will be drawn to that marvelous light but instead we dim it and push folks away...TALK, PREACH.....(true meaning in that light)...

let’s look at the context of the text....

Text/Story...

here in chapter 5, Jesus gives his famous sermon on the mount...

the most notable of this sermon is the beatitudes...

The Beatitudes are a set of teachings by Jesus found in the Gospel of Matthew (5:3-12), which outline the qualities and attitudes valued in the Kingdom of Heaven. Here are the eight Beatitudes:

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

These verses emphasize the spiritual and moral values that lead to true happiness and fulfillment. 

the sermon on the mount goes from chapters 5 thru 7...

The Sermon on the Mount is by far Jesus' longest explanation of what it looks like to live as His follower and to serve as a member of God's Kingdom. In many ways, Jesus' teachings during the Sermon on the Mount represent the major ideals of the Christian life.

For example, Jesus taught about prayer, justice, care for the needy, handling the religious law, divorce, fasting, judging other people, salvation, and much more. The Sermon on the Mount also contains both the Beatitudes (Matthew 5:3-12) and the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13).

Many of Jesus' teachings are commands for His followers to do better than what society allows or expects. He makes it clear that His followers should live noticeably differently from others and hold themselves to a much higher standard of conduct

we should live noticeable different....how do we do that?

because of whose we are and because of who we have let into our lives fully...Jesus, the light of the world...

and this is what He is pointing out here in our text for the day...

we need to stop hiding our light that is withing us, why? Jesus’ words...Matthew 5:14 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”

it was written that Jesus never challenged us to become salt or light. He simply said that we are — and we are either fulfilling or failing that given responsibility...TALK, PREACH.......(salt reference in v13)

church we need to stop hiding our light and just let it shine....

as the song writer say, everywhere i go, up and down the street, all in my home...let it shine, let it shine, let it shine....

let’s go a little deeper into the text...

Points...

Jesus gives the Christian both a great compliment and a great responsibility when He says that we are the light of the world, because He claimed that title for Himself as He walked this earth 

Exalting Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount Learn from the Example of Light on a Hill (5:14)

Charles Spurgeon said, “Christ has lighted us that we might enlighten the world

at the time the disciples may not have understood all of this but us having the completed word should...

Christ is the light of the world and he now has call us the light of the world giving us some responsiblity..

once again we are not here for our own pleasure but to be part of the body of Christ and fulfill the purpose God has given us...

i know you may be tired of hearing it but that purpose is to live and fulfill the Great Commission...TALK, PREACH......

but we must not get a big head because like i said earlier, it is not us, we are just reflecting the light from the SON...

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible Chapter 5

His disciples only as they shine with His light upon the world, in virtue of His Spirit dwelling in them, and the same mind being in them which was also in Christ Jesus.

church “ye are the light of the world....”

stop hiding your light....

stand tall and boldly and let it shine...

my God gave it to me, so guess what, i am gonna let it shine...

Next,

if you truly are in Christ and Christ in you, the Rude Boys had a song called, ‘It’s written all over your face” they said you don’t have to say a word...

well if you are true with it, look what Jesus said in that B clause of the text...

Matthew 5:14 “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.” ..

i like that metaphor...

Such a city is prominent and can’t be hidden. If you see such a city from a distance, it is hard to take your eyes off of it. In the same way, Jesus wanted the people of His kingdom to live visible lives that attracted attention to the beauty of God’s work in the life.

Exalting Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount Learn from the Example of Light on a Hill (5:14)

In what we say and how we live, we will reflect the light of him who is the Light of the World...

people are watching the church and watching you...you proclaim to be a child of God, you have put yourself in an a elevated place and can not hide...TALK, PREACH......

let’s also look it at this way...

Exalting Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount Learn from the Example of Light on a Hill (5:14)

God gives us an influential position, like a light on a hill that guides people safely home. This light is not for a few; it is for the world. It should attract. It should give direction. It should stand out near and far.

Psalm 119:105 “NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.”

as you stand out just know that the light that we are reflecting will help others as it has helped us...

church stop hiding your light...

Conclusion..

Matthew B. The Influence of a Kingdom Servant (5:13–16)

The Christian’s life and influence is to be visible and obvious, not secret or hidden. We must not camouflage our devotion to Christ, but humbly do all we can to allow its truest colors to be seen where we live.

but if you choose to hide your light just know Luke 9:26 “For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and of my words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when he shall come in his own glory, and in his Father’s, and of the holy angels.”

the only time you hide something is when you are ashamed of it...

but i am grateful that i follow a man that was not ashamed of what he did for me...

he didn’t hide his love for me or for you...

he let them spit on him...TALK, PREACH, CLOSE........