Monday: Called to Live as Light
Everywhere we look, it seems as though our planet is turning in upon itself, exchanging light for darkness. Yet we also encounter darkness much closer to home as we consider our own experience in this difficult and challenging world. For we, too, understand the horrors that this life brings us as we struggle with illness, as we deal with the loss of loved ones, as we watch families succumb to separation and divorce, as we struggle to make sense of many of the evil things in our society and culture.
Yet amid this landscape of moral bankruptcy and spiritual darkness, in the midst of all this external and internal noise, we hear Jesus’ words to each of us:
“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” (Matt: 5:14-16). What do these verses teach us about how we are to live and how, as Christians, what we do impacts how others see God?
Image © Kevin Carden from GoodSalt.com
Sitting by the Sea of Galilee that day under the hot sun, how would Jesus’ audience have understood His words? Those who heard His words knew all about light and darkness. Certainly they had much darkness to fear. They lived under Roman occupation, in a militarized society that despite their lack of telephones and computers and the World Wide Web, in many ways was as efficient as our own, and in some ways even more terrifying.
The Romans were everywhere, reminding the masses on the hillside that those who insisted on making trouble quickly would find their way to the torturers – and to a naked death on a Roman cross.
And yet, here was Jesus, calling them to live as light. To be merciful. To be pure in heart. To be makers of peace. Christian education must, then, include teaching our students to be lights in the world, to be able to make choices and decisions that will reveal the reality and goodness of God to others.
| What are ways that we can, indeed, point others to the reality and goodness of God? |
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For about 1500 years the Christian Church (albeit apostate) has been associated with darkness. We do not call the period, The Dark Ages for nothing. That perception lingers on today. The actions of the church during that period that gave rise to that period of darkness. Oppression, persecution, avarice and greed set the scene for a church in darkness.
A church that provides hope and it a light set on a hill must be welcoming, encouraging, inclusive and healing. We have a lot to do if we are to be a light on a hill. Like the wise virgins in another parable, we need to ensure that our light is fueled by the "good oil".
Its quite discouraging that the church of God today practice differently from what it teaches, starting from our spiritual leaders. When you don't practice what you preach who are we fooling? Let the Bible and Bible alone be our standard and not man. Life without Jesus is darkness, life with Jesus is Light all the way.
And yet on the other hand, I see so many Seventh-day Adventists practising what we preach too. As I have mentioned in this forum many times, I have worked for the Seventh-day Adventist Church for over 40 years and during that time I have seen both the best and the worst of Christian practice. I recognise that in our human frailty none of us is "perfect" and we all make mistakes. I know I did. Some of the best moments have been when leaders have acknowledged their mistakes, asked for forgiveness in all humility and have been loved and supported by their church members.
I recognise that in some areas church leadership is quite dysfunctional and I understand the heartache that brings to Church members. I can only pray that hearts will be touched by the love of Jesus and that healing will take place.
We cannot teach that which we do not understand.
Lord, show me daily how to be a light to others.
I have been reading about the imbued light that covered man and woman at creation.The enemy tries to represent this light, in his own perverted way, and in doing so humans think they can produce their own light with higher knowledge. However in doing so it only produced darkness and strife with selfishness as their lamp. They have no oil to feed their light and in doing so they are not able to be fulfilled and try to seek more darkness thinking their minds have evolved. The angels are holding back the darkness and strife for God's people to seek Christ Robe of Righteousness. May God's people seek a moment to moment walk with The King of Kings and Lord of Lords and seek the Light that can only come with a personal walk with Him.
Growing up in the Adventist church it was clear to me that as a church we were , are doctrinally sound but our practice leaves much to be desired. Too often our white missionaries did not treat their nonwhite converts as equals. The picture rolls showed all white people and even illustrations , paintings in books were the same. Mission stories usually pointed to out the worse of the practices of the natives of the mission field. Today it seems that Adventist leadership has begun to more fully recognize that as Christians we must follow Jesus as He set forth his mission Luke 4: 18,19
Horace- you made a great point. I am a witness to the same. As mentioned before I heard this on 3ABN but will paraphrase it.
A Caucasian SDA woman said she had a calling to go to the native Indians of America to witness to them. She told this to other SDAs and asked for advise. They told her the Indians will not accept her regardless who sent her, it didn't matter to them because of their pass and present experience. With prayer they told her the best way to do it is to have a/some Indians who was already converted to the SDA mission and the go to the Indians but that person will be the one who will be the one to introduce the purpose why they were there and they work together. She did so and at that time things were slowly but gradually working out.
By this shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another. It was the Jews who crucified Jesus. People is not concern how much you know or have a message for them from the bible. Show them love by the things you do, not only by what you say.
I suppose the writer put his finger on the spot where we find the reason of our societal problems – “moral bankruptcy and spiritual darkness”. As Christians, we know all about the Truth, but when it comes to applying this needing to be heart-felt, spiritually decerned Truth, so many lack the ‘urgency’ that motivates to do the *Light* thing. Why is there so little urgency to live the Light, what is causing the lukewarm condition of the heart and so lowering the sense of commitment to boldly live the Light of the Word of God?
Is not today’s condition of the world a testimony to the lukewarmness of the heart resulting in the shortcomings of the organized church and the individual believer – evidenced in the lack of applying generously the Light and the Salt to the world in darkness? If we do not have the deeply felt conviction that living as Light in this world of darkness truly matters, we conduct our lives like anyone else around us – self-righteous, self-serving, and self-focused. How do we bring back the fervor to be the Light and the Salt (which some might not have ever experienced)?
Rev.3:14-22KJV – speaks to the Church found at the end of time; sayes the Spirit: v.18 – “I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.” V.19 –“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.”
V.22 – “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”
I will meditate also of all thy works, and talk of thy doings. Psalm 77:12
Question asked- 'What are ways that we can, indeed, point others to the reality and goodness of God?'
I see myself as a pilgrim on this earth and the Lord had brought me to my resting place before entering the promise land. The place where I work, the people I have as my coworkers, the clients, etc are from different cultures than myself. I cant blend in even if I try so I dont try to blend in. Therefore I stand out. The Lord had kept me there despite being a harst environment. Many others will look at me and ask me how do I survived in such a cruel environment. I point them to Jesus and let them know it is he who I got the strength from and he sustains me. My pressure never went up neither no doctor has diagnosed me with depression. The Jesus I serve is real and alive. Today I got a chance to witness to a RC woman about Jesus. She had some fears but I let her knew the words in Matt 24 must come to pass or men will say the bible is not real.
The reality and goodness of God overtake me everyday. He had been my refuse, strength, provider and protector. I try everyday to be a light to others despite they try to reject me for who I am and what I stood for. Can the find anything to hold against me, No. If they had anything against me I would not be there anymore.
Many times God has empowered us to be the light! He has provided the electric infrastructure necessary for us to be the the light of the world but like a broken switch we have failed to be switched on so that the powerful light within us makes the difference to humanity! We need to allow God in our lives so that our potential as light bearers is realized!
What did Jesus mean you must be a light? He carries on by giving ways to be and ways not to be : let us look at one in depth and think how it would apply in our lives right now. Let us put a guard before our lips. Ps 141:3
But I am saying to you, that everyone who will be angry against his brother without cause is condemned before the judge, and everyone who will say to his brother, 'I spit on you', is condemned before the assembly, and whoever will say 'You fool.' is condemned to the valley of Gehenna where the rubbish is burned. Aramaic Bible in Plain English or Matt 5:22 KJV
Christ tells them that rash anger is heart-murder; Whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause, breaks the sixth commandment.
What is rash anger?
When it is without any just provocation given;
When it is without any good end aimed at, merely to show our authority, to gratify a brutish passion, to let people know our resentments, and excite ourselves to revenge, then it is in vain, it is to do hurt;
When it exceeds due bounds; when we are hardy and headstrong in our anger, violent and vehement, outrageous and mischievous, and when we seek the hurt of those we are displeased at.
Calling people disdainful and injurious names is tongue-murder;
Raca is a scornful word, and comes from pride, "Thou empty fellow;" it is the language of that which Solomon calls proud wrath (Prov. 21:24), which tramples upon our brother- disdains to set him even with the dogs of our flock. This is haughty taunting of our brother.
You fool, is a spiteful word, and comes from hatred; looking upon him, not only as mean and not to be honoured, but as vile and not to be loved; "Thou wicked man, thou reprobate." This is a malicious censuring and condemning of him, as abandoned of God.
Now this is a breach of the sixth commandment; malicious slanders and censures are poison under the tongue, that kills secretly and slowly; bitter words are as arrows that wound suddenly (Ps. 64:3), or as a sword in the bones. The good name of our neighbour, which is better than life, is thereby stabbed and murdered; and it is an evidence of such an ill-will to our neighbour as would strike at his life, if it were in our power.
The contrast to light is dark. In the word of God, light is shown to be truth based on God's word and will. A great passage to demonstrate this contrast and its meaning is Isaiah 60:1-3. Notice that light represents the glory of the Lord being seen upon His people. The glory of God is defined in Exodus 34:6,7, and shown to be His true character. This would mean that to live as a light(while in a place of darkness) would be to live a holy life, as God is holy(1 Peter 1:15,16). This is the high calling of God in Christ(Phil 3:14) to every one of us.
This experience of being lights in the world that Jesus is describing in Matthew 5 is what He lived and calls us to "follow Me" in doing. Notice the verses that come before this passage, the Beatitudes. These describe the Christian Experience from conviction, to justification and sanctification, which will result in persecutions "for righteousness sake". This is the experience of living as lights in a sinful world.