Bay Area Lighthouses

INTRODUCTION

OPENING STORY: IN THE LATE 1840’S, CALIFORNIA EXPERIENCED SOMETHING HISTORIANS CALLED THE GOLD RUSH. PEOPLE CAME HERE, PRIMARILY FROM THE EAST COAST, LEAVING FAMILY, FRIENDS AND JOBS TO STRIKE IT RICH. THIS WAS BEFORE THE ADVENT OF THE CONTINENTAL RAILWAY, SO THE TWO PRIMARY OPTIONS WERE STAGE COACH OR SHIP. IF YOU TOOK THE ROUTE OF A SHIP YOU SAILED ALL THE WAY AROUND THE TIP OF SOUTH AMERICA (BEFORE THE CANAL WAS BUILT) AND UP THE PACIFIC. BUT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. THERE WERE NO LIGHTHOUSES IN CALIFORNIA MAKING THIS ESPECIALLY DANGEROUS…ONE COULD NOT SEE. IN 1851 AND 1852, TO REMEDY THIS, CONGRESS PASSED A SERIES OF BILLS REQUIRING LIGHTHOUSES IN CALIFORNIA TO BE BUILT. IN 1853, THE FIRST OF THESE WAS BUILT RIGHT HERE ON ALCATRAZ ISLAND, THUS PEOPLE COULD ARRIVE SAFELY BY SHIP, BECAUSE THEY COULD SEE. NOW WE ARE IN A DIFFERENT KIND OF GOLD RUSH AS THE BAY CONTINUES TO EXPAND ATTRACTING PEOPLE LOOKING TO MAKE IT BIG IN THE TECH INDUSTRY. BUT WHILE WE HAVE LIGHTHOUSES WE ARE IN NEED OF A DIFFERENT MORE POTENT KIND OF LIGHTHOUSE. THE KIND JESUS TALKS ABOUT IN OUR TEXT. NO THESE ARE NOT MADE OF BRICK AND MORTAR, BUT LIGHTHOUSES NON THE LESS…THAT’S YOU AND I. THERE IS A CALL ON YOUR LIFE TO BE A LIGHTHOUSE.

APPLICATION/WINSOME EXHORTATION: THERE IS A WORD GOD HAS GIVEN ME THIS YEAR FOR OUR CHURCH, AND IT IS THE WORD LIGHT. WHATEVER YOU DO, WHEREVER YOU LIVE OR WORK OR PLAY, LET US REMEMBER WE ARE CALLED TO BE LIGHTS. AT UNIVERSITY, ETC.

HISTORICAL CONTEXT: SERMON ON THE MOUNT…DIRECTED TO NOT THE MASSES IN GENERAL, THEY’RE JUST EAVESDROPPING, BUT TO THE DISCIPLES. . JESUS SHOWS US FOUR THINGS ABOUT LIGHT, AND THEN I WANT TO END WITH A VERY PRACTICAL WAY WE CAN SHINE AS LIGHTS THIS YEAR, AND WHAT THAT SPECIFICALLY LOOKS LIKE FOR US THIS COMING WEEK.

DON’T BE SCARED OF THE DARK- SHINE!

EXPLANATION #1: CONTEXT. THE WORLD. LIGHT IS A POPULAR METAPHOR IN THE BIBLE, USED SOME 200 TIMES. THE BIBLE BEGINS WITH LIGHT, IT IS THE FIRST THING GOD CREATES. THE BIBLE ENDS WITH LIGHT. TELLS US THAT IN HEAVEN THERE WILL BE NO NEED FOR THE SUN OR THE MOON…LIGHT WINS! BUT IN BOTH CASES WE SEE SOMETHING INTERESTING AND THAT IS LIGHT IS JUXTAPOSED WITH DARKNESS. LIGHT HAS NO MEANING WITHOUT DARKNESS. THIS IS JESUS’ POINT WHEN HE SAYS YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. WORLD IS NOT GEOGRAPHY, BUT COSMOS, COSMOPOLITAN, COSMOLOGY…USED IN THE BIBLE TO SPEAK OF A SYSTEM THAT IS OPPOSED TO THE WILL AND WAY OF GOD! THIS TERM WORLD IS OFTEN USED INTERCHANGEABLY WITH DARKNESS. SO THAT WHEN JESUS SAYS YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD HE IS SAYING THAT I HAVE DESIGNED YOU TO INTERACT WITH THE WORLD!

ILLUSTRATION: SHIP IS DESIGNED TO BE IN THE WATER BUT NOT OF THE WATER...

APPLICATION: THIS STRIKES AGAINST THE FABRIC OF HOW SO MANY OF US VIEW LIFE AND ESPECIALLY PARENT…LIKE BUCKWHEAT: “IM SCARED OF THE DARK”. BUT IF I READ THIS RIGHT THAT LIGHT NEEDS DARKNESS, AND IF LIGHT WILL OVERCOME, THERE IS NO NEED TO BE SCARED OF THE DARK. ONE OF OUR JOYS IS HAVING NON CHRISTIANS OVER OUR HOME AND IT GETS AWKWARD SOME TIMES. AND MY KIDS ARE THERE AND THEY HEAR CRAZY THINGS, BUT WE WERE SITTING OUT BY THE FIRE PIT, AND THEY HEARD ME EXPLAIN. OR THE BARBERSHOP AND THE TIME A GUY SAID, ‘REV YOU WANT SOME OF THESE FLAT SCREENS FOR A HUNDRED DOLLARS”…CRAZY I KNOW...

EXPLANATION #2- CHARACTER. NOTICE JESUS SAYS YOU ARE THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. KEY WORD IS ARE. THIS IS A STATEMENT OF BEING. LIGHT ISN’T SO MUCH WHAT YOU DO, IT’S WHO YOU ARE. THIS IS THE NATURE OF GOD- SAYS THAT GOD COVERS HIMSELF WITH LIGHT; SAYS THAT GOD IS THE FATHER OF LIGHTS; SAYS THAT GOD IS LIGHT. JESUS SAYS HE IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. THIS IS WHO JESUS IS. LOOK AT WHAT SAYS…YOU ARE LIGHT…IT’S WHO YOU ARE!

ILLUSTRATION: LIGHTNING BUGS DOWN SOUTH…IT’S THEIR NATURE. OFTEN WE’D STOP WHAT WE WERE DOING. WE NEVER TRIED TO KILL THEM…WE SAW THE BEAUTY. WHEN YOU LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE IT BRINGS BEAUTY AND HOPE TO PEOPLE’S LIVES. PEOPLE STOP.

APPLICATION: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR US? THE EMPHASIS IN THIS TEXT IS NOT SO MUCH ABOUT WHAT YOU SAY…ALTHOUGH IT’S IMPLIED LATER…BUT ON HOW YOU LIVE. YES WHAT YOU SAY IS IMPORTANT, BUT WHAT GAINS US AN AUDIENCE IS HOW WE LIVE, AND HOW WE LIVE SHOULD BE FULL OF LIGHT…I WONDER HOW MUCH A DIFFERENCE OUR LIVES WOULD BE IF WE JUST REMEMBERED I’M BRINGING LIGHT WITH ME WHEN I STEP INTO THIS CLASSROOM. I’M BRINGING LIGHT WITH ME INTO THIS BUSINESS MEETING. ON THE AIRPLANE. LIGHT IS WHO I AM.

EXPLANATION #3- CLARITY. BUT WHAT DOES LIGHT DO? IT BRINGS CLARITY, OR VISIBILITY. LIGHT WAS CREATED TO ILLUMINE, TO BE SEEN. JESUS POINTS TO THIS. A CITY SET ON A HILL. LOVED FLYING INTO LAGUARDIA AND SEEING THE LIGHTS OF NYC. IT CAN’T BE HIDDEN. IT SHINES! IT’S VISIBLE. LAMP NOT UNDER A BASKET, BUT ON A STAND. YOU WERE CREATED TO BE LIGHT, AND THAT LIGHT IS TO SHINE! SHINE BRIGHT LIKE A DIAMOND.

ILLUSTRATION: THE GOSPEL COMES WITH A HOUSE KEY, AND QUOTE ABOUT HANK. THE BUTTERFIELDS DECIDED TO SHINE AS A LIGHT AND IT LEAD TO PEOPLE’S SALVATION.

BARCLAY QUOTE...

EXPLANATION #4- CLIMAX. VERSE 16. THE CLIMAX OR PURPOSE OF ALL THIS IS NOT SO PEOPLE CAN BOAST WITH US. WE ARE NOT THE PUNCHLINE, WE ARE JUST THE SET UP FOR THE PUNCHLINE OF GOD! YES WORDS MATTER, BUT THE FLOW OF THE TEXT IS THAT BEFORE WE GET TO WORDS PEOPLE MUST SEE OUR WORKS. WORKS PRECEDE WORDS.

SOAP- PSALM 119:105

EXPLANATION- BUT NONE OF THIS WORKS, OUR LIGHT WON’T SHINE UNLESS WE HAVE THE OIL, OR THE OUTLET OF THE WORD OF GOD. THAT IS OUR SOURCE. LOOK AT …I WANT TO GIVE YOU A BASIC FRAMEWORK FOR ENGAGING THE BIBLE, YOUR POWER SOURCE, THAT SOME OF YOU WILL TAKE WITH YOU FOR LIFE. THIS IS WHAT WE WILL BE DOING THIS WEEK. IT’S THE SOAP ACRONYM.

SCRIPTURE. PICK A TEXT. THIS WEEK WE WILL BE WORKING THROUGH THE SAME TEXTS. READ IT AT LEAST 3-5 TIMES.

OBSERVATION. WHAT DOES IT SAY? WHAT WORDS ARE REPEATED? WHAT THEMES JUMP OUT AT YOU. WRITE THIS DOWN.

APPLICATION. AFTER YOU’VE ANSWERED THE QUESTION OF WHAT DO YOU SEE, NOW ASK THE QUESTION OF WHAT IS GOD SAYING TO ME? ASK GOD TO SHOW YOU, AND WRITE DOWN IN YOUR JOURNAL.

PRAYER. PRAY YOUR APPLICATIONS.

ILLUSTRATION: WHAT WE ARE GETTING HERE IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN BEING EXPOSED TO GOD’S WORD, AND ABSORBING GOD’S WORD. EXPERIENCING GOD’S WORD. FLYING OVER THE GRAND CANYON A LOT. CAPTAIN WILL SAY LOOK OUT YOUR LEFT WINDOW…BREATHTAKING…BUT I’VE NEVER BEEN TO IT AND SOME OF YOU ARE SHAKING YOUR HEAD, WHY? BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT’S ONE THING TO BE EXPOSED TO IT, QUITE ANOTHER TO EXPERIENCE IT!

AS YOU ABSORB THE WORD OF GOD, AND SOAK IN ITS SOAP YOU WILL FIND CLEANSING!

CONCLUSION: WALK THROUGH CONSECRATION WEEK. ...

WHAT IF…CHRISTIANS WOKE UP EVERYDAY EMBRACING THE CALL TO BE LIGHT…CHRISTIANS STOPPED LOOKING AT THEIR SERVER OR BARISTA AS SOMEONE TO MAKE THEIR LIFE BETTER, BUT ENGAGED THEM AS LIGHT…CHRISTIANS IN THE BAY SAW THEIR APARTMENT COMPLEXES OR NEIGHBORHOODS AS OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM TO SHINE AS LIGHTS…THEIR KIDS ATHLETIC LEAGUES AS LIGHT...

SAY TOGETHER MATTHEW 5:14-16...