Matthew 5:14. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
Oh my fellow saints in Christ, may grace and peace be multiplied unto you through (in) the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord this November Sunday morning, in this unprecedented year of 2021! Yes friends, it’s another Sabbath Day for us to keep holy, gathering, by whatever means possible, to worship, give thanks and praise to our heavenly Father for the wonderful things He’s done, is doing and has promised to do in our lives. And all of God’s children said a loud, proud and grateful: ‘Thank You Lord! Amen!’
It’s time to throw off the blanket of tiredness and frustration that’s come over us this past work week and rejuvenate our souls and spirits with the Lord’s Word so that we can have the energy and faith to go back out next week and continue living strong for Jesus. And the best way to begin, like we always do, is with a song of praise. Today’s song of praise is titled ‘Go Light Your World,’ written and performed by Christopher Rice in the early years of this century, but since then performed by numerous others.
The most popular version I believe is one done by Kathy Troccoli. But today we’ll do our own version; a soulful, up-tempo, harmonious, gut-wrenching, heart touching, encouraging, uplifting rendition. (smile) So, without further ado, let’s raise our beautiful voices in sacrificial praise to heaven. ‘There is a candle in every soul Some brightly burning, some dark and cold There is a Spirit who brings a fire Ignites a candle and makes His home. (Chorus: So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the helpless, confused and torn Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world Take your candle, and go light your world.)
Frustrated brother, see how he’s tried to Light his own candle some other way See now your sister, she’s been robbed and lied to Still holds a candle without a flame (Chorus:…Carry your candle…) ‘Cause we are a family whose hearts are blazing So let’s raise our candles and light up the sky Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus Make us a beacon in darkest times. (Chorus: So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the hopeless, deceived and poor Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world… Repeat… Take your candle, and go light your world…Take your candle, and go light your world.’
Ah mih bredrin, that last line there says it all. It’s the call that Jesus gave to us when He declared: ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.’ (Matt. 5:14) That’s what He wants us to be, what He expects of His followers: to be light in this darkened world, be shining brightly like a city that is set on a hill, whose light can be seen for miles around. It’s the Christian’s duty to shine bright for Jesus. Something we obviously are not doing to the best of our ability, otherwise our world would not be so covered in darkness and bright lights so difficult to find.
And Jesus continued His light metaphor by saying: ‘Neither do men light a candle (lamp), and put it under a bushel (basket), but on a candlestick (lampstand); and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.’ (Matt. 5:15) And that’s the purpose of light, to shine in the darkness so that one can see what’s happening around you, and where you are going. So, it makes no sense whatsoever to have a light and hide it, because that would be defeating the very purpose of the light.
And we don’t only need to be a light shining in the darkness for others, but we also need a light to show us where to go. And our guiding light, as the psalmist so wisely tells us, is the Word of God. ‘Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.’ (Ps. 119:105) So, once we know the Lord’s Word we’ll know how and where to walk. But Jesus wasn’t finished with us, for He went even further and said: ‘Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.’ (Matt. 5:16)
And some of you might be wondering where you are supposed to get this light so that you can shine. Well, the song tells us very graphically. ‘There is a Spirit who brings fire Ignites a candle and makes His home.’ That’s the Holy Spirit of Christ my people, which came on Pentecost Day two thousand years ago, as the Good Book informs us: ‘And there appeared unto them (120 believers in a room) cloven (divided) tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Sprit gave them utterance.’ (Act 2:3-4)
That’s where the fire comes from to light us up friends; from the Holy Spirit of Christ, which comes to indwell each believer and set them on fire for the Saviour. But I guess the fire has dimmed considerably, or even gone out in some of us, because our lights are not shining as they should. That’s why there are so many frustrated brothers and abused sisters out there who are unsuccessfully trying to light candles on their own, which is an impossibility without the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.
And most importantly, let’s remember, as the song says, that we are a family, the church of Christ, whose hearts are supposed to be blazing with the fire of the Holy Spirit. However, with the sad state of darkness and evil in which our world is currently enveloped, we therefore desperately need to ‘raise our candles and light up the sky Praying to our Father, in the name of Jesus to Make us a beacon in these darkest of times.’
Oh my people, what more can I say to encourage us to live for Jesus eh? Just the heartfelt plea of our song. ‘So carry your candle, run to the darkness Seek out the hopeless, deceived and poor Hold out your candle for all to see it Take your candle, and go light your world…Hold out your candle for all to see Take your candle and go light your world.’
It’s what Jesus desires and expects of His loyal followers. So please, after all He’s done for us, none of which we can ever repay, let’s not disappoint Him nuh. Much LOVE!
…to Jesus…be all the glory…and all the praise…for He richly deserves them…
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