Letting Our Light Shine

1. Read: Matthew 5:14-16 – “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

2. About the Text:

1) In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus explains the character of citizens of God’s kingdom.

2) When this character works in our life, we will be a shining city to others.

3) Will we let others see us as a Christian?

3. Ref. to S, T, P, O, and A.

1. Must not hide our light.

1) Lights are meant to illuminate dark places.

2) Hiding a light under a basket defeats the whole purpose.

3) “Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain” (Philippians 2:14-16).

2. Must abstain from some things.

1) Participation in worldly activities hides our light.

2) “Abstain from every form of evil” (1 Thess.5:22).

3) “Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts which war against the soul, having your conduct honorable among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may, by your good works which they observe, glorify God in the day of visitation” (1 Peter 2:11-12).

3. Must not associate with some elements of the world.

1) “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers. For what fellowship has righteousness with lawlessness? And what communion has light with darkness?” (2 Corinthians 6:14).

2) “And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them” (Ephesians 5:11).

1. Good thoughts.

1) Shining our light begins with our thoughts.

2) “Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life” (Proverbs 4:23).

3) “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things” (Philippians 4:8).

4) “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2 Corinthians 10:5).

2. Good words.

1) “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned” (Matthew 23:36-37).

2) “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so” (James 3:10).

3. Good works.

1) “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

2) “who gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 3:14).

1. Glorify God

1) “For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s” (1 Corinthians 6:20).

2) “Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

2. Magnify Jesus Christ

1) “This became known both to all Jews and Greeks dwelling in Ephesus; and fear fell on them all, and the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified” (Acts 19:16).

2) “according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death” (Philippians 1:20).

3. Be lead by the Holy Spirit

1) “For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God” (Romans 8:13-14).

2) “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh” (Galatians 5:16).

1. To let our lights shine, there are some things that we must . . .

1) Avoid

2) Attempt

3) Acclaim

2. Invitation