Shine Your Light

Matthew 5:13–16 KJV 1900

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 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 bushel, 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.

Main Idea

Jesus teaches that a true disciples is called to live with distinctive influence as the salt of the earth and with visible witness as the light of the world, because the life He gives is never meant to be hidden or blended into the darkness. Since Jesus is the Light of the World and has made us His people, we must shine by reflecting His light with courage, consistency, and compassion so that our community sees the reality of Christ and God receives the glory.

Sermon Introduction

There is something about darkness that makes people feel uneasy. Darkness can make a familiar place feel unfamiliar, a normal season feel threatening, and a steady heart feel uncertain. And the reason darkness feels so heavy is because it tries to convince you that nothing can change.

Years ago, I read an illustration about a young boy in Scotland named Robert Louis Stevenson. Before streetlights were automatic, lamplighters would walk the streets at dusk, climbing ladders and lighting each lamp. Stevenson watched as the man set each lantern aflame, and he cried out with wonder, “Look! There is a man out there punching holes in the darkness.”

That is a child’s way of describing an ordinary job, but it is also a powerful picture of what light does. The darkness did not have to be persuaded to move. It did not have to be argued with. It did not have to be negotiated with. One flame after another, the light simply showed up, and every time it did, the darkness had a hole punched into it.

Beloved, that is exactly what Jesus is teaching in Matthew 5:13–16. We are not called to blend in until nobody can tell the difference. Neither are we called to hide our faith under the cover of comfort and convenience.

Jesus says a city set on a hill cannot be hid, and a candle is not lit to be put under a bushel. Light has a purpose, and it has a placement. When God saves us, He does not just change our destination, He changes our distinction. He does not just rescue us from darkness, He sends us back into dark places with His light shining through our lives.

So today, we are going to hear the call of Christ to shine. We are not to shine for attention or applause. Not to shine so people will talk about us. We shine so that men may see our good works and glorify our Father which is in heaven. This is the word of the Lord to every believer in this hour: do not curse the darkness. Do not blend into the darkness. Shine your light.

I. Maintain Your Distinctiveness (Matthew 5:13)

A. Good Purpose (Matthew 5:13a)

Matthew 5:13 KJV 1900

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

"Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted?"

Jesus begins with identity before assignment. He does not say, “Try to become salt.” He declares, “Ye are the salt of the earth.” In other words, if we belong to Christ, He has already placed a holy distinction on our lives.

Before we can accomplish our "what," we must first understand our "why." Why am I here? Why has God called me? Why did God choose me out of all the people he could have called to do the work? And the burden of the text is this: the world does not need the church to be louder, trendier, or more impressive. The world needs the church to be salt. The world needs believers who preserve what is right, season what is bitter, and expose the rot that sin produces. Salt is not flashy, but it is faithful. And when it is present, decay cannot go unchallenged.

The Lord is calling you to shine your light!

B. Good Use (Matthew 5:13b)

Matthew 5:13 KJV 1900

13 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.

**"But if the salt has lost **

This is a sacred commitment to give God the best of our lives so that our presence makes an impact in an unsavory and unrighteous world that is sick with the rot and decay of sin. Salt was valuable in the ancient world because it preserved what would otherwise spoil. And Jesus is saying, “My disciples are to have a preserving influence.” That does not mean we control the world. It means the Lord uses our character, our convictions, and our compassion to slow the spread of corruption and to make righteousness believable.

Beloved, salt does not work from a distance: it must touch what it influences. God has placed us in our families, our neighborhoods, our workplaces, our church, and our city so our lives can have holy contact with a rotting world. This is not about arrogance, but it is about assignment. The Lord does not call us to withdraw into private faith. He calls us to live so close to the needs of people that God’s goodness becomes tangible through our obedience.

Illustrative Story: Meat Cured in a Smokehouse

In the old days, before refrigerators and freezers were common, families had to preserve meat in a way that would keep it from spoiling. One of the trusted methods was curing and smoking meat in a smokehouse. When the hog was slaughtered, the meat was cut and prepared, and then it was rubbed down with salt. Not a sprinkle. Not a pinch. It was covered, worked in, and pressed down, because the salt had a job to do. It was drawing out what would ruin the meat and driving the cure deep into the fibers.

Then the meat would be hung in the smokehouse. A slow fire would burn, and the smoke would rise day after day. The process took time. It was not rushed. It was not convenient. But if the salt was good, and if the smokehouse was tended, the meat would be preserved. It could last through seasons when there was no fresh supply. It would feed a family when the weather turned cold and the work was hard.

Beloved, that is what Jesus is saying about the disciple who stays distinct. The world is rotting with sin, but God has positioned His people like salt in the middle of it. When we live consecrated, when we stay faithful, when we keep our witness clean, the Lord uses our lives to slow decay and preserve what is righteous. But if the salt is no good, nothing is cured. If the salt is compromised, the meat spoils anyway. And Jesus is warning us: do not lose your savour. Stay distinct, stay useful, and let the Lord preserve lives through your faithful witness.

The Lord is calling you to shine your light!

Cross references (KJV): Luke 14:34-35; Revelation 3:15-16; Matthew 6:33, John 15:6; 1 Corinthians 9:27; James 2:17

Luke 14:34-35 "Salt is good... if the salt have lost his savour... it is neither fit for the land."

Revelation 3:15-16 "because thou art lukewarm... I will spue thee out of my mouth."

Matthew 6:33 "seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness."

John 15:6 "If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch... and burned."

1 Corinthians 9:27 "lest that by any means... I myself should be a castaway."

James 2:17 "faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone."

II. Make Your Witness Known (Matthew 5:14-15)

Jesus moves from the quiet power of salt to the undeniable presence of light. Salt often works without being seen, but light works by being seen. And the Lord speaks with plain authority: “Ye are the light of the world.” He does not tell the disciple to manufacture light. He tells the disciples to live out what God has already made them to be. This is identity before assignment again. Christ has called His people out of darkness, and now He calls His people to be seen in the world so the world can see Him.

Beloved, some of us have been tempted to keep our Christianity respectable but quiet. We will attend worship, but we will not testify. We will sing, but we will not shine. We will sit in church, but we will not serve with conviction. But Jesus will not let His disciples live hidden. He says light has a purpose and light has a placement. If God lit us, He intends to position us.

A. City on a Hill (Matthew 5:14)

Matthew 5:14 KJV 1900

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

“Ye are the Light of the World, A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.”

The Lord gives an image of an exalted, city that shines for all to see. A city built high was seen from a distance. Travelers could find direction by it, and strangers could locate safety by it. Jesus declares, that is what His people are meant to be. We are not hidden in a lowly valley. We are not meant to be invisible. We are set on display, not for pride, but for purpose.

The temptation of our time is to hide and make excuses for not boldly and openly sharing our light. We tell ourselves that faith is private, that truth is offensive, that conviction will cost too much. But Jesus says a city on a hill cannot be hid. When the Lord has truly changed you, the evidence of that change is meant to show up. It does not show up in arrogance, or arguments, but in divine authority.

When we shine in a dark place, people will notice. When we live clean in a crooked world, people will ask questions. When we keep joy in a bitter season, somebody will wonder why. But we are not shining for attention: we are shining on assignment from the Light-giver. We are simply punching holes in the darkness because Christ has made us light.

The Lord is calling you to shine your light!

Cross references (KJV): Philippians 2:15; Ephesians 5:8; 1 Peter 2:12; Isaiah 60:1-3; 1 Peter 2:12; Isaiah 60:1-3; Proverbs 4:18; John 13:35

Philippians 2:15 "among whom ye shine as lights in the world."

Ephesians 5:8 "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light."

1 Peter 2:12 "that... they may by your good works... glorify God."

Isaiah 60:1-3 "Arise, shine... and the Gentiles shall come to thy light."

Proverbs 4:18 "the path of the just is as the shining light."

John 13:35 "By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

B. Candle on a Stand (Matthew 5:15)

Matthew 5:15 KJV 1900

15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

“Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.”

Jesus gives a household picture that everybody can understand. In that day, when a candle was lit, nobody covered it with a measuring basket. You do not light something to hide it. We elevate it so it can spread light high and wide. And Jesus is telling us the same truth in spiritual form: when God ignites our life with His grace, He did not do it so our witness would be smothered by being scared, ashamed, compromise, or convenience.

Jesus is speaking first about an ordinary lamp in an ordinary home. But the Bible also uses lampstand imagery in worship. In the tabernacle and later the temple, God commanded a lampstand to provide light in the holy place, near the table of shewbread, so ministry could be carried out with clarity and reverence. The lampstand was not decoration. It was illumination. It was a reminder that God’s presence brings light.

And here is the lesson for us. The formality of worship is not enough to lighten this dark world. The instruments of the sanctuary have their place, but God has chosen to use His people as living lamps in the streets, in the schools, in the workplaces, and in the neighborhoods. You can have the artifacts of worship, the programs of worship, the routines of worship, and still have no light in your life outside the building. But Jesus says light is meant to spread, and it is meant to reach. The candlestick is placement. The bushel is obstruction. The question is this: what have you allowed to cover your light.

Beloved, God wants to use our lives to bring light into this dark world. Not just your Sunday language, but your Monday living. Not just your church smile, but your daily sacrifice. Not just your worship attendance, but your visible obedience.

The Lord wants yo uto shine your light!

Cross references (KJV): Matthew 5:16; Ephesians 5:11; Romans 12:1; Exodus 25:37; Psalm 119:105; Revelation 1:20

Matthew 5:16 "Let your light so shine before men..."

Ephesians 5:11 "have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them."

Romans 12:1 "present your bodies a living sacrifice..."

Exodus 25:37 "And thou shalt make the seven lamps thereof: and they shall light the lamps thereof, that they may give light over against it."

Psalm 119:105 "Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."

Revelation 1:20 "the seven candlesticks... are the seven churches."

III. Magnify Your Father (Matthew 5:16)

Now Jesus lands the whole paragraph with one sacred purpose. Salt preserves and light reveals. But both metaphors are headed toward the same destination: the glory of God. The Lord is not merely shaping our behavior, He is aiming our witness. Jesus is teaching the crowd, that when their lives are lived with purpose and intentionality, God is glorified.

And do not miss the wisdom of Jesus’ words. He does not call us to be showy: He calls us to shine our light. He does not tell us to perform; he calls us to live. The gospel never produces secret disciples who hide the evidence of grace. But it also never produces spotlight Christians who crave attention. The disciple lives in a holy balance: visible enough to be seen, humble enough to be forgotten, so that God is the One remembered.

A. Seen Works (Matthew 5:16a)

Matthew 5:16 KJV 1900

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

“That they may see your good works…”

The interesting thing is that Jesus says, they will see our good works, but He did not say they will see us doing the work. That is a word for this generation. We often misunderstand the nature of our work for the Lord. We treat ministry like a stage, service like a brand, and sacrifice like a marketing campaign. But Jesus calls our works “good” not because they draw attention to us, but because they reflect the goodness of God.

Good works are not self-promoting; they are God-proving. They are designed to be a beacon for the lost traveler, not a beauty contest where we parade around for people to admire us. The disciple has an audience of One. Our work and worship are first offered unto God. And yet, in the providence of God, people will still see the fruit of a life that is obedient, compassionate, and consistent.

Beloved, the Lord is not asking us to advertise our holiness. He is asking us to adorn the gospel. He is calling us to live in such a way that the world cannot deny that something is different, something is real, and something is holy about the Christ who lives within us.

The Lord wants you to shine your light!

Cross references (KJV): Titus 2:7-8; Ephesians 2:10; James 3:13; 1 Timothy 6:18; 1 Peter 2:12; Matthew 6:1

Titus 2:7-8 "In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works..."

Ephesians 2:10 "created in Christ Jesus unto good works..."

James 3:13 "shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom."

1 Timothy 6:18 "That they do good, that they be rich in good works..."

1 Peter 2:12 "they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God..."

Matthew 6:1 "Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them..."

B. Superior Worship (Matthew 5:16b)

Matthew 5:16 KJV 1900

16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

“And glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

Here is the summit of the sermon. The Father is the goal. Jesus says the end of visible discipleship is not reputation, it is reverence. Not applause, but adoration. Not celebrity, but glory. The disciple shines so that the Father is seen as worthy.

This is why our good works must be welded to good motives. Because it is possible to do the right thing with the wrong heart. It is possible to serve and still seek self. It is possible to give and still crave glory. But Jesus says the light is supposed to land on the Father.

And here is a picture that helps us feel it. When you hear George Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue played well, you may appreciate the skill of the pianist, but your heart is captured by the beauty of the piece itself. The music is so masterfully written that it pushes you beyond the performer and makes you think about the composer. You may say, that pianist played it wonderfully, but what you really walk away saying is, Gershwin wrote something magnificent.

Beloved, that is what Jesus is after. When people see the love in the church, the generosity in the believer, the purity in the young man, the patience in the mother, the forgiveness in the wounded, the courage in the tempted, the consistency in the servant, the world may notice the life, but the Spirit of God will direct their hearts past the performer and toward the Author. Past the vessel and toward the Maker. Past the disciple and toward the Father.

So shine, but shine with humility. Serve, but serve with holiness. Give, but give with gratitude. Speak, but speak with grace. Live so that when the world is done watching you, they end up worshiping Him.

Cross references (KJV): 1 Corinthians 10:31; Matthew 6:9; John 15:8; Isaiah 42:8; 1 Peter 4:11; Colossians 3:17.

1 Corinthians 10:31 "whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God."

Matthew 6:9 "Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name."

John 15:8 "Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit..."

Isaiah 42:8 "my glory will I not give to another..."

1 Peter 4:11 "that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ..."

Colossians 3:17 "do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father..."

The Lord wants you to shine your light!

Saints, before we leave this house, I want you to hear the Word of the Lord one more time: Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. God did not light you to hide you. God did not save you to silence you. God did not redeem you to reduce you. He lit you so the darkness would have to back up.

So I came to tell somebody tonight, This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine. Not when it is convenient, but when it is costly. Not when I feel strong, but when I feel stretched. Not when people clap, but when nobody sees. This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine.

When temptation tries to cover it, you tell it, This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine. When bitterness tries to dim it, you tell it, This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine. When fear tries to hush it, you tell it, This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine. When compromise tries to smother it, you tell it, This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine.

Because I am not shining for attention, I am shining on assignment. I am not shining so they will praise me, I am shining so they will see Him. I am not shining so my name will be lifted, I am shining so the Father will be glorified. This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine.

Somebody in here needs to make a decision right now. You have been living under a bushel. You have been hiding behind excuses. You have been quiet when God called you to be courageous. But today, the Lord is calling you back to your witness. This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine.

And if you are here and you do not know Jesus, hear me clearly. You cannot shine the Light until you come to the Light. But if you come to Him, He will save you, He will change you, He will forgive you, He will fill you, and He will light you. And when He lights you, you will not have to announce it. Your life will testify. Your walk will preach. Your works will point. And they will glorify your Father which is in heaven.

So lift your head, believer. Straighten your back, disciple. Set your heart, servant. We are the salt of the earth. We are the light of the world. We are not hiding. We are not backing up. We are not blending in. We are shining out.

Say it with me, church: This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine. Say it again: This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine. One more time with faith in your voice: This little light of mine, I am going to let it shine.