Ye are the Light of the World

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father Who is in heaven.

We looked last week at the two functions of salt. Jesus says that as Christians we are the flavor and preservative in this world. Our lives should enhance the lives around us, and our influence is keeping this world from utter moral decay. It’s sad that moral decay has occurred, due in no small part to the weak influence of the Church. It should bother us – Christians often don’t add savour to lives around them, they’re known mostly for what they’re against.

The Beatitudes are the remedy for this. The Christian who is poor in spirit and unashamed to mourn it, who is meek – having completely surrendered “self” and hungers and thirsts only for the glory of God, becomes a merciful, pure, peacemaker. The opening beatitudes teach us what we are, and it is only then that we start to get at what we do.

You cannot walk up to home plate and take a swing for the Yankees until you are first on the roster. You have to be a New York Yankee before you can take the field for them. Martin Lloyd Jones says: “If our lips speak more than our lives, it will avail little.” He’s right.

This does not mean we do not use our lips, simply what we say must be consistent with how we live.

St. Francis said very famously, “preach the gospel, if necessary, use words.” That’s almost absurd. At least, the way we’ve interpreted Francis’ words in the contemporary church – preach the gospel through your life: attend church, do good deeds, and you don’t shove your message on people verbally. Maybe what St. Francis really meant was: Preach the gospel, when necessary, (as it inevitably will be), use words.

What we say must be consistent with who we are, and God says that part of who we are is people with something to say!

If you are authentically living the Christian life, your witness will be powerful in your sphere of influence.