You Are the Light of the World - Part 2

SLIDE 1

Dismiss Kids / Elders Prayer

SLIDE 2

Introduction – Continue our Covenant Sunday Theme, Be the Light

Before we gathered here this morning, I want you to think about something you probably did without even realizing it. You turned on a light. Maybe several lights. In fact, when you go home today, I want you to try something: count the lights in your house.

Go ahead—walk through each room and count them. You'll be surprised. We have over 40 lights! The bright overhead lights in your kitchen. The soft lamp on your nightstand. The little nightlight plugged. The ambient lighting in your living room. The spotlight over your reading chair. The porch light that welcomes you home.

Some lights are bright—they illuminate entire rooms, allowing you to cook, to work, to see clearly. Some lights set a mood—they create warmth, comfort, ambiance. Some lights are very dim—but they shine faithfully through the night, keeping us from fearing the dark, providing just enough light if we need to get up at 2 a.m.

Here's what strikes me: each light has a purpose. Not every light needs to be a floodlight. Not every light needs to illuminate a whole room. But every light matters.

SLIDE 3

Now, let me read you something Jesus said to a crowd of very ordinary people gathered on a hillside:

Matthew 5:14–16 (NIV) — "You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven."

Did you catch that? "You are the light of the world."

Jesus is looking at fishermen, farmers, tax collectors, people who've been pushed to the margins—people who thought they weren't much good for anyone—and He makes this extraordinary declaration. Not "you might become the light" or "try really hard to be a light."

You are the light of the world.

Each of us may be different lights—some of us are bright, some of us set a mood, some of us are like that little nightlight that just faithfully glows in the darkness. But we are all essential. Just like in your home, where you need different kinds of lights for different purposes, the world needs each of us shining exactly where God has placed us.

Last week, I asked you to turn to your neighbor and say those words: "You are the light of the world." Today, I want you to do something even harder. I want you to say it to yourself. Go ahead—whisper it, or just think it clearly: "I am the light of the world."

Does that feel uncomfortable? Maybe even presumptuous?

That's because we've been conditioned to think of ourselves as small, insignificant, not particularly useful to anyone. We look at others—the ones with the big platforms, the loud voices, the impressive ministries—and we think, "They're the bright lights. Me? I'm barely a flicker."

But Jesus isn't grading lights on brightness. He's declaring that every light matters. You are not a question mark. You are a period. You. Are. The light.

The world needs you. Not a better version of you. Not a future you. The world needs you, exactly as you are today, to shine in your unique way.

SLIDE 4

Point One: Understanding the Source of Our Light

Now, before we go any further, we need to understand something crucial: we're not the original light source. We don't generate light on our own. Just like that lamp in your living room doesn't produce light by itself—it needs to be plugged into a power source—we need to be connected to the true source of light.

Jesus made this clear in John 8:12 — "When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.'"

Jesus is THE light. He is the source. We are reflections. We're like the moon—the moon produces no light of its own, but it reflects the light of the sun. And in the darkness of night, that reflected light is still powerful, still necessary, still beautiful.

John 1:4-5 — "In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The darkness has not overcome it."

Think about the different lights in your home again. A lamp can be beautiful, but until it's plugged in, it's just a decorative object. Once it's connected to power, it fulfills its purpose.

You don't have to manufacture light. You don't have to work up enough spiritual energy to glow. Christ in you IS the light. Your calling is simply to stay connected to Him and stop covering up the light He's placed within you.

Point Two: The Bowls That Hide Our Light

SLIDE 5

Jesus says something that should make us all pause and think: "Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl."

Of course they don't! That would be ridiculous. Imagine going home today, turning on every light in your house, and then covering each one with a bucket or a basket. You'd be sitting in darkness, wondering why you can't see—all while surrounded by hidden lights that are actually turned on!

And yet, that's exactly what we do. We allow certain things—certain fears, certain comforts, certain excuses—to act as bowls that hide the light Christ has placed within us.

Let me name some of these bowls. As I do, ask the Holy Spirit to show you which one might be covering your light.

SLIDE 6

The Bowl of Fear

This is perhaps the most common bowl. We're afraid. Afraid of rejection. Afraid of saying the wrong thing. Afraid of being labeled as "one of those Christians." Afraid that if people really knew us, they'd see we're not as put-together as we appear.

But listen to what God says repeatedly throughout Scripture. 2 Timothy 1:7 — "For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind."

Fear is real. I'm not dismissing that. But it doesn't have to control us. 1 John 4:18 tells us that "perfect love casts out fear." When we're rooted in God's love for us—when we understand that our identity isn't based on people's acceptance but on God's acceptance—fear loses its grip.

SLIDE 7

The Bowl of Inadequacy

"I'm not qualified." "I don't know enough." "I'm too broken." "My life is too messy to help anyone else." "I'm just a small light—I can't make a difference."

Can I tell you something? God specializes in using inadequate people. In fact, that's His favorite kind.

1 Corinthians 1:27-29— "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of this world to shame the strong. God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him."

Moses said, "I can't speak well." Gideon said, "I'm the weakest in my family." Jeremiah said, "I'm too young." David was a shepherd boy. Peter was impulsive and denied Jesus three times. Paul called himself the chief of sinners.

And yet God used every single one of them. Not in spite of their weakness, but often through their weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:9 — "But he said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.'"

Your weakness, your brokenness, your story—that's not disqualifying you. That's exactly what makes you relatable and real to the people around you who are struggling.

You might not be the floodlight. You might be the nightlight. But that person stumbling in the darkness? They don't need a floodlight—they need just enough light to take the next step. And you're exactly the right brightness for them.

SLIDE 8

The Bowl of Comfort and Convenience

This is a big one in our culture. We live in a world designed for isolation. We can have everything delivered. We can work from home. We can entertain ourselves without ever leaving our living room. We can order groceries without speaking to anyone. We can attend church online in our pajamas.

And while there's nothing wrong with these conveniences in themselves, they can become a bowl that keeps us from the very thing Jesus is calling us to: being among people.

The writer of Hebrews warns us: Hebrews 10:24-25 — "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

We need to be intentional about being with people. Jesus modeled this perfectly. He could have stayed in heaven and shouted instructions from the clouds. He could have appeared to people in dreams and visions. Instead, John 1:14 tells us, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us."

He moved into the neighborhood. He ate meals with people. He walked dusty roads. He showed up at weddings and funerals. He was present.

Think about it: lights in your house are positioned strategically where they're needed. The porch light is outside because that's where people need to see when they arrive. The kitchen light is in the kitchen because that's where you prepare food. The bathroom nightlight is plugged in where someone might need to walk in the dark.

You can't help people from a distance. Light has to be present to be effective.

SLIDE 9

The Bowl of Busyness

"I'm just too busy. I don't have time. My schedule is packed. Maybe when things slow down..."

I get it. Life is full. Schedules are demanding. But here's what I've learned: we make time for what we value.

Jesus, who had only three years of public ministry and literally the most important mission in human history, was never too busy for people.

Mark 6:31-34 tells us that Jesus and His disciples tried to get away for rest, but when they arrived and saw the crowds, "he had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. So he began teaching them many things."

Jesus had healthy boundaries, yes. He withdrew to pray. But He never used busyness as an excuse to avoid people who needed Him.

We have to ask ourselves: Are we busy with good things or God things? Are our schedules so full that there's no room for divine appointments?

Sometimes being a light means pausing. Slowing down. Making space. That lamp in your house? It's not busy doing fifty things. It has one job: shine. And it does it faithfully, consistently, without distraction.

SLIDE 10

The Bowl of Comparison

"I'm not like her—she's so gifted." "He's a natural leader—I could never do what he does." "They have this amazing testimony—my story is boring." "Look at their platform, their influence—I'm just nobody."

Here's the truth: you're not supposed to be like anyone else.

Remember what I said at the beginning? Your home needs different kinds of lights. Imagine if every light in your house was a spotlight. You'd be blinded! Imagine if every light was a dim nightlight. You couldn't function!

1 Corinthians 12:17-20— "If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body."

The reading lamp doesn't compete with the ceiling fan light. They have different purposes. Both are essential.

God made you uniquely you for a reason. Your personality, your experiences, your gifts, your sphere of influence—someone out there needs exactly what you have to offer.

SLIDE 11

The Bowl of Past Failure

Maybe you tried to share your faith once and it went terribly. Maybe you had a friendship blow up when you invited someone to church. Maybe you said something you regret. Maybe you feel like you've failed God so many times that surely He's done using you.

But God is the God of second chances. And third chances. And seventy-times-seven chances.

Peter denied Jesus three times—and Jesus restored him three times and made him a pillar of the early church.

John Mark abandoned Paul on his first missionary journey, and Paul was so upset he refused to work with him again. But years later Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 4:11, "Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is helpful to me in my ministry."

David committed adultery and murder—yet God called him a man after His own heart.

Your past doesn't define your future. 2 Corinthians 5:17 — "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"

That light in your house? Maybe the bulb burned out once. So you replaced it. You didn't throw away the whole lamp. You just put in a new bulb. God is always ready to give you fresh light, a fresh start.

Point Three: The Intentionality Required

SLIDE 12

Look again at Matthew 5:16. Let your light shine – Jesus is saying you have to be intentional. We have to be intentional about being among people. We have to resist the gravitational pull toward isolation and comfort.

Look at Jesus's ministry strategy. He was always:

Going to where people were — synagogues, dinner parties, wells, hillsides, marketplaces

Creating spaces for conversation — asking questions, telling stories, engaging

Being present in the moment — not rushed, not distracted

SLIDE 13

Mark 1:35-38 shows us something interesting. After a powerful day of ministry, Jesus gets up early to pray. Peter finds Him and says, "Everyone is looking for you!"

What does Jesus say? "Let us go somewhere else—to the nearby villages—so I can preach there also. That is why I have come."

Jesus was intentional. He had a mission. He wasn't content to just stay where He was comfortable or where He was popular.

We have to go. We have to be among people.

People can't see light that's hidden in a closed room. They need us to show up.

Think about your home again. Lights are positioned intentionally. Nobody puts a lamp in the closet with the door shut. You put lights where they're needed—by the door, in the hallway, over the workspace.

Where is God asking you to position yourself? Where is your light most needed?

SLIDE 14

Point Four: The Impact of One Light

Maybe you're thinking, "But I'm just one person. I'm just a small light. What difference can I really make?"

Let me tell you about the power of one light.

Go into a completely dark room—no windows, no light at all. You can't see your hand in front of your face. Everything is disorienting. Now light one candle. Just one.

What happens? Everything changes. Suddenly you can see. You can navigate. You can find your way. One small flame pushes back the darkness.

SLIDE 15

1 Corinthians 3:6-7 — "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow."

You don't know whose life you'll change by simply being faithful where God has placed you.

That nightlight in the hallway? It's just a small light. It might cost $5 at the store. But when your child wakes up scared in the middle of the night, or when you're stumbling to the bathroom at 3 a.m., that little light is everything. It's exactly what's needed in that moment.

You might be a small light. But to someone in darkness, you're exactly what they need.

Your job is to be faithful. God's job is the results.

SLIDE 16

Conclusion: Removing the Bowl and Stepping into the Light

So here's where we land today.

Jesus has declared that you are the light of the world. Not will be. Not could be. Not might be if you get your act together. Are.

The question isn't whether you have light. You do—Christ in you.

The question isn't whether you're bright enough. God designed you exactly as you are—whether you're a floodlight, a spotlight, a reading lamp, or a nightlight—you're exactly what someone needs.

The question is: What bowl is covering your light?

SLIDE 17

Is it fear? Is it inadequacy? Is it comfort? Is it busyness? Is it comparison? Is it past failure?

Here's what I want you to do. Right now, in this moment, I want you to talk to God. Close your eyes if that helps. Ask Him: "What bowl am I hiding under? What's keeping my light from shining?"

Now, here's the challenge. This week—not someday, not when you feel ready, not when life slows down—this week, I want you to intentionally remove that bowl. Pick one specific action:

If it's fear, have one conversation you've been avoiding. Text that person. Make that call. Take that first step.

If it's inadequacy, share your story with someone—your mess, your struggle, how God met you there. You don't need to be an expert. You just need to be honest.

If it's comfort, step outside your routine. Go somewhere new. Strike up a conversation with a neighbor you've only waved to. Accept an invitation you'd normally decline.

If it's busyness, clear something from your schedule this week and create space for a divine appointment. Say no to something good so you can say yes to something God.

If it's comparison, stop looking at what others are doing and ask God, "What's my unique assignment? Where do You want my light to shine?" Then do that thing, even if it seems small.

If it's past failure, try again. Reach out to someone. Offer help. Be vulnerable. God has given you a fresh start.

Remember: you don't have to do everything. You don't have to be every kind of light. You just have to be the light God made you to be.

SLIDE 18

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 — "For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God's glory displayed in the face of Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."

We're just clay jars. Ordinary. Breakable. Imperfect. Like a simple lamp from a discount store. But we carry an extraordinary treasure. We're plugged into the power of the living God.

SLIDE 19

When you go home today, I want you to actually count those lights. Walk through your house and see how many there are. Notice how different they are. Notice how each one serves a purpose.

Then I want you to remember: that's how God sees His church. Different lights, different purposes, but all essential. All needed. All valuable.

And when you leave here today, you're not just going back to your week. You're being sentas light into your workplace, your neighborhood, your family, your world.

The world is dark. People are hurting. They're stumbling. They're scared. They're looking for hope, for truth, for love. And you—yes, you—carry exactly what they need.

You might not light up a stadium. But you can light up a room. You might not reach millions. But you can reach the one person God puts in your path. You might not change the world. But you can change someone's world.

So go. Remove the bowl. Position yourself where God is calling you. Stay plugged into the source. And let your light shine.

Because you are the light of the world. Be the light!