Light to the World

Light to the World

Intro -

Church as we begin with this idea of going through some of the parables of Jesus

I need to be honest with you

I have a great study Bible, that actual has a spreadsheet of Jesus’ Parables and that is what I am using as we start this process

I bit of work smarter and not harder in finding a list of the parables if that makes sense

This first Parable is a great following to Matthew 28:19-20

That you and I are to be lights to the world

Matthew 5:13–16 NASB95

13 “You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. 14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

That you and I as believers in Jesus Christ are to be different

That is what makes of different from the world is the fact that you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ

Because of the power of the Gospel that saves

Because of the Jesus dying on the cross and rising from the grave and because you have a personal relationship with Jesus you are set apart

These are Jesus’ words to us as believers

You guys are to effect the outside world

Jesus uses everyday things to get his message across

Salt effects the flavor of food

Salt also helps preserve and protect food from spoiling

Either way it has an effect and a major effect on the food

You and I should have an effect

Our lives should be different because of our relationship with Jesus

We should be different because of our relationship with Jesus

Jesus also uses light to highlight the effectiveness

If we turned all the lights out and showed you darkness and then had one thing of light

TURN OFF LIGHTS

That one small thing of light would overwhelming effect the darkness that it would go forth to every corner and expel darkness

Did you hear that, Darkness cannot expel light

It cannot get dark enough in this room to put this light out

TURN LIGHTS ON

Praise the Lord for the light

This is what Jesus is talking about how the believer should be

These are words he is saying about you and I and dare I say it the church

Because of Jesus you and I are lights

Because of Jesus you are set apart

John 13:35 NASB95

35 “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

You want to be different church

Love people

You want to be different believer in Jesus Christ

Love people

Now please hear me to love someone and truly love someone is to care for them

It doesn’t mean you accept everything from them

I love my kids so much and care for them so much but there I things I am not accepting of

And because I love them so much I tell them

When we love people truly love people well tell them when they are wrong

It is not judging them, it is not disliking or hating them and church it is time the people of GOd stand up and say so

Yes there is a right and wrong in todays world

It is not Jeremy’s right or wrong but it is truth’s right and wrong

Now there are ways of showing love to someone and still being able to tell them they are wrong and that can sometimes be difficult to find

But the world will identify you and I as believers in Jesus Christ because of the love we have for them

Instead of the judging and hatred we so often read about

And the reason they will identify you and I as believers in Jesus Christ is because Jesus is the definition of Love

And you and I should be sharing that with the world

Church Jesus calls us to be different than the world

So long ago in the Garden sin entered into the world and because of that sin we now have a fallen world

Wrong seems right

Boys that want to be girls and girls that want to be boys are praised

Bad is glorified

Killing unborn babies seems to be right in this world

Everything seems to be backwards

There is a bunch of nasty horrible things going on in this world

Jesus calls you and I as believers in Him to be different to be set apart

It is no longer enough to listen to the Christian music, wear Christian tshirts, and occasionally post Bible verses on social media

It is time that you and I be completely set apart

It is time that we speak up in truth and love church

It is time that we let our light shine

Jesus calls us to let our light shine in such a way that God gets all the glory

Matthew 5:16 NASB95

16 “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

It is no longer enough to carry Jesus around in your pocket

I have these kem lights I bought while I was in the hospital

If you are believer in Jesus Christ I would like you to come up and get one

And just hold on to it when you get back to your seat

But these are good lights

I know they will eventually burn out but for our demonstration today they will work

See right now you have the light of the world in your hand

You are ready to use it at any moment

But if we turned all the lights out you would be no different than any other lost person in the world, sitting in darkness

TURN OFF LIGHTS

I think for far to long now believers and even churches have had the light of the world in their hands ready to use but for whatever reason have not hit the switch, or broke the light

And church now is the time that we let our light shine

See what happens when we begin to shine our lights for Jesus

Darkness flees and sin is exposed and that is when Jesus can come in and do the work of the great healer and heal us up from sin

Church it is time that we allow our light to shine in such a way that glorifies and reflects Jesus Himself

It is time that we stand up for the Truth and allow our light that is Jesus inside us to effect this dark dark world

It won’t always be easy, and sometimes you will be the only light in a dark situation but church remain faithful

People are attracted to light when they live in darkness

As we move to this time of invitation and the Band comes up

If you are here today and do not have a personal relationship with Jesus let me be very honest with you this morning you are sitting in darkness and you are headed for eternal separation from God because of sin

But God

God sent His only son Jesus to pay for your sin and you can accept that free gift of salvation through Jesus Christ this morning by repenting of your sin and trusting in Jesus

Or maybe you are a believer in Jesus but like most believers you have hidden our light or to be honest not used it at all

I would call you to repent this morning and become right with Jesus this morning

Or maybe you simple need to spend sometime in prayer this morning

The altar is open