4.12.51a 11.17.2025 Matthew 5.14-16 You are the Light of the World

Start:

Entice: What a pleasure to join you here this week to discuss what it means to be a Christian,

to belong to Jesus,

to be called

and

included in His Church.

This call has never been easy, even in amid a culture like ours which has historically been very friendly to various expressions of the Christian faith. Admittedly the 21c is eroding people’s grasp of the Bible, and impacting historic denominational ties.

I understand your circumstances and one of my goals this week is to encourage you, individually and collectively, to embrace your primary call as disciples of Jesus who wear His name. 

Engage: How do you feel right now about your Christian life and your life in the Church? Are you somewhat fearful of the future? Are you concerned about familiar traditions which seem to be eroding amid a changing cultural environment? Join the club! I know of no denomination or brotherhood that is not going through difficulties and sometimes the differences are so divisive that someone leaves.

I don’t think Jesus particularly likes it but that is our context.

For years the Christian Church/Church of Christ proudly described itself as non/undenominational. That meant we wished to follow the NT when it came to

organizing our congelation(s),

defining worship,

and 

clarifying doctrine.

That is not what most people mean in 2025 by non-denominational. Rather than being interdependent the term now means “we are an entity unto ourselves” our “Our Sr. Pastor has all the power”.

That is not what the NT teaches, and it is certainly not what I signed up for. 

Expand: What scripture does teach is that we are called to be the light to the world. The body called to project this light, the group organized to illuminate the darkened world is the Church—in its many manifestations, tribes, groupings, bodies, and denominations. The issue is not horizontal alignment or ministry plans, or any of that. The issue is Jesus, who said…

John 8:12 ESV

12 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.”

Our job is to make sure that the light of the world is seen in that world. So, it is not a contradiction when Jesus also says.

Matthew 5:14–16 ESV

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 16 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.

Both are true. But for the world to experience the former, for the world to see Jesus as the light of the world requires that we be the latter. We must reflect His light in the darkness. 

Excite: A Sunbeam a sunbeam….Jesus wants me for a sunbeam. 

Or perhaps This little light of mine…I’m gonna let it shine. These children’s songs remind us that 

Explore:

The nature of the Church is to publicly bear witness to Jesus

Expand: Regardless of the situation or environment we have three alternatives. 

Body of Sermon: The first alternative is to 

1 Whine.

1.1 Circumstances.

1.2 Geography.

And the next alternative, also very popular is to 

2 Decline.

2.1 Not an action, nor a reaction but rather inaction.

2.2 It is not “natural” or sensible.

2.3 It undermines the validity of the call to discipleship. 

Following.

Observing.

Doing. 

The final alternative, that Jesus highlights in this text is that we can 

3 Shine.

3.1 Intentional.

3.2 Effectual

By shining we are living out the consequences of the call.

In shining we are bringing glory to God. 

Shut Down

All of us have tangled tribal relationships. In small town USA being a member or attender of this Church or that one does not mean that you don’t have family or friends who belong elsewhere. The important factor is not geography or worship style or even history. The real issue is living, loving, and serving Jesus. 

In this one instance Jesus uses this analogy that we can all relate to. We’ve all been in the dark and felt the anxiety or fear that is the result.

What are you doing to light up the world around you?

Are you hiding your light?

What lamp stand are you using and how prominently is is displayed? 

If you are not yet a Christian, well I’m sorry to say, you’re in the dark. I sure hope that Christian people around you are shining as brightly as they can so that you see the reflected light of Jesus in them. Let me say this again, clearly and bluntly. If you do not know Jesus you’re in the dark. I have tried to shine some light into your darkness. You’re going to have to walk to the Light, to Jesus the Light of the world.