How to live in a decaying World. (Part 2)

Be a Light in the Darkness (Matthew 5: 14-16)

So how do you live in a decaying world? We know we should be like salt we were told last time, but Jesus uses a second analogy here one that is fitting when it comes to dealing with the issue of darkness. Because he says that we are also to be a light to the world.

 “You are the light of the world. A city 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.

(Matthew 5: 14-15) 

We are a to be a light to the world but it also says that a city that is set on the hill cannot be hidden. Does this first strike you as a little odd? Didn’t Jesus say in John eight the He was the light of the world. Now, how can he say that we are to be the light of the world?  Which is it? Is it him or is it us? Well, llt me suggest that there are two kinds of light. There is a primary source of light and there is reflective light. When Jesus says I am the light of the world that’s like saying he is the sun, the primary light, and when he says you are the light of the world, that’s like saying we are the second light, the reflective light, we are like  the moon in that have no light source of their own but reflect the primary source of light. So, he’s the light and we are the light that is reflected from Him. That is what I think he’s saying here. And by positioning that statement immediately after the beatitudes I believe He is telling us that the main way we reflect His light  is by becoming the type of people he has just discussed. By being the people blessed in the sense of what has been revealed in the opening part of this chapter. Because by having those characteristics, we reflect his life and his light, in our lives. 

 As well as saying, “we are the light of the world”, he also says that a city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. A city on a hill can be seen for miles around, especially at night, at times of darkness. When a city is atop a hill and all the lights are on at night and you can see that light, even from a great distance. You can’t hide it. So, he’s saying you’re the light of the world and collectively Christian believers should be like a light, a city on a hill and everyone, should see it shine, so that everyone around can see it. Then he says he makes a second comment. He talks in verse 15 about lighting a lamp and put it under a basket. Obviously you don’t light a lamp and put a bowl on top of it. But they did sort of in those days. Let me explain. It was difficult to get their lamps started and then keep it burning. So, what they would do is get the lamp started and then at night they would take a basket made out of clay that was porous and they would put it over the light so that you wouldn’t see the light but that the lamp would still be burning slightly and not blow out. So, they wouldn’t have to go through all the difficulties trying to get that light alight over and over again. 

The point that Jesus is making is you don’t light a lamp and leave it under the bushel all the time, especially when it was dark. Rather, he says in verse 15, you put it on a lamp stand that it gives light to all areas of the house.  So, he says, let your light so shine. So, what does it mean to be a light?

We looked at what it meant to be salt. We preserved from corruption. We give flavour, and we create thirst, but what does it mean to be light? What does light do? May I suggest light, especially in a dark place does two things.  First of all, tell you where you are, and secondly it tells you where you’re going so that you don’t get lost or bump into something.  Most people up until 50 years ago used to live in house with separate bathrooms, sometimes even outside bathrooms. And if you lived in a house like that you usually had a hall light. We often have bathrooms connected to bedrooms today, so we have to worry about this as much. But back in the days when people didn’t have all those modern on suite conveniences. You had a light that lit up the hall and it was meant to help you could find your way to the bathroom at night. Jesus is saying you need to be like that type of light one that enables people to know where they are situated in the world. And if you’re that type of a light, then you can affect people in that they can see where they are and they can see where they need to go in their lives. 

Now if that happens, look at what he says will be the result of this

 In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

(Matthew 5: 16)

Let me ask you a question, how do anyone know whether good works have anything to do with the father that is in heaven? How will anyone know that about themselves or about other people actions, and the insight is found by answering the question does what that person had done bring glorify to God. The answer I would submit to you is that any words or works need to point people towards Jesus as Gods son, and saviour. 

There are people who do good works, but they’re not motivated by Jesus Christ or their Father who is in heaven, they do “good things” because they want to try and show other people what good people they are. However, Jesus is saying here is, I want your life to shine so that they may see your works, but not applaud you, but that they may see your works are motivated by God and thereby glorify your father in heaven. Bible experts will tell you this statement in this verse  is in fact worded like a command. So, it tells us that our motivation for doing good works should be an act of service to God. This is all about our relationship with Father God.

Therefore, the ultimate result is that our words and our deeds glorify our father, who is in heaven. Now let me quickly add, it’s not the works by themselves that do this. Nor is it even the words we speak by themselves that does this. Rather, our words should  inspire good works, and the works you subsequently do demonstrate those words, and vice versa. When both of those things are present, together, then ultimately God is glorified. It has been said people who only reflect the light of God do not brag about how bright they are. God has not called us to be chandeliers for people to admire, but to be the candle itself, the flame that casts light out into a dark world. The point again of this teaching is to simply say that believers are not to conceal spirituals truth from a dark and dying and decaying world, but that they are to communicate that truth. They are to be salt and they are to be light.

I think it’s interesting that this teaching comes straight after the Beatitude’s of the Sermon on the Mount. Because this again is a picture of the kind of person who has the internal righteousness that Jesus has been talking about all along. Not that external appearance of righteousness that some people want to show off to everyone by what they do. Hot on the heels of this call to develop these Christian characteristics, he says we are to be the kind of  people who live in such a way as our whole lives glorify our father, which is in heaven. 

I think what this comes down to is. If it all about how it looks from the outside and all you care about, is you then you’re not going to be the least bit interested in being salt or light to anyone else. But if you have the internal righteousness that he’s been talking about in the Beatitudes then you are going to be interested in other people, and want to bless them. 

In a dark decaying world, we who know him, we who know the one who is the light of the world up, should be shining so as to show other people the way. In a worried world, we who know the one who controls all things, and  to be at peace and be making peace in a frightened world. We who know him as the King of Kings, who reigns forever and ever, ought to be merciful, meek and seek justice and righteousness.

So, to put all this together, it’s about being the right kind of people with the right kinds of attitudes and characteristics. And that is exactly what he has been talking and teaching about in this opening section of his Sermon on the Mount. The kind of people that he mentioned in the first part of this chapter are the kind of people who are the salt and light that he is talking about in these verses. Let me put it all like this. If I’m going to say all this very simply, I’d say it like this. We are put here to influence the situations and the people around us. To bring Jesus’ presence into the lives of other people. We don’t have to worry about anything beyond that, because at the end of the day it is up to the Holy Spirit and the peoples own freewill as to how they will respond to that.

I remember well the day that this really hit me. I was actually listening to a tape by a speaker, a secular psychologist of all things, many years ago and he made the point that psychologists are trained so they can get to a point whereby they can influence people to help them make the right decisions. And I thought, wait a moment, forget psychology, that what Christians are meant to do.  God saved us and put his Holy Spirit in our hearts so we can be a godly influence on and for other people.  I think this is just exact opposite of everything that’s going on in the UK today. What’s the what’s the keyword today, live and let live. That’s the way we’re programmed to think that all ways of living have equal value and we shouldn’t seek to influence people. If you understand this spiritual truth, if you understand just how dark and depraved and decaying this world is, and you know Jesus Christ, then it not an option to just live and let live. We have to live in a way, so that we can introduce Gods life and Holy Spirit to other people so that he can produce His life in them, just like he has done for us. I have to, we have to be salt and light. 

First of all, this has to do with who we are internally by having those qualities mentioned in the Beatitudes. But it also involves what we do, our good works as well as our words. We are warned there may be some persecution along the way, but we still have to be salt and light in this very wicked and dark world. You see the problem is if we don’t do this it not only affects us, it affects everybody else, it effects those around us. It’s imperative that we do this for the Lord’s sake, for the father’s sake for our sake. And frankly for the world’s sake. But let me close off by reminded you, well, let’s me put it this way. God put you here to be salt and light, not judge and jury. It’s our job to be salt and light, to speak the truth, but it is only God who can convict and condemn, if that’s necessary. So, I’m not suggesting that we in anyway can become judge jury, which it seems to me is what some Christians believe we are called to be. I’m suggesting we become salt and light. That we stand for the truth and speak the truth of the Word of God where appropriate and live in such a way so that by our words and our actions we help other people see the light and glorify our father in heaven.

One morning, many years ago, in a small town, in the northwest of England at about 20 minutes to 8 the large clock in a jeweller’s shop window stopped. It only stopped for about half an hour before the owner came to work and got it was up and running again. But because that clock did not tell the truth, for half an hour, children on the way to school stopped to play and as a result, many were late for school. Which meant some didn’t do as well in the test they had that day. People hurrying to catch the train walked a little slower and missed their trains. Some on their way to work thought they had more time and they stopped to have a cigarette by the river and where then late for work. And because of that some didn’t get their bonus at the factory that week which meant some families didn’t eat.

So, stay true to the word and will of God at all times, and don’t lead others astray, not even for 30 minutes. Be salt and light and be thankful that God the Father has given the light, your son Jesus Christ revealing the truth to us here and now and every day. And that by the study of His word and the prompting of the Holy Spirit we can develop the right attituded like being kind of people, being uh, pure in heart, poor in spirit. Meek, and not proud so that can stand as lights to the world and be salt and ad flavour into people lives and make them thirsty for you whilst at the same time preserving them from sin and corruption so that ultimately you can be glorified in Jesus’ name.