Letting Our Light Shine

I. We are not the source of light

1. John 1:1-9 - Jesus is the light of the world who gives light to all men
2. Christians reflect the glory of God’s light
3. God’s Word Enlightens us
4. Our coming to the truth is an en-lighten-ment
5. Ephesians 1:17-19 wisdom of God’s word enlightens our hearts
6. 2 Corinthians 4:4-6 – God’s word gives light to us
7. Hebrews 10:32 describes conversion as enlightenment

A. We are illuminated by being in the presence of the light

B. The Shining Face of Moses

C. Exodus 34:27-35 –Moses was in the physical presence of God for 40 days and nights

D. After being in the presence of God, his face physically glowed for a time

E. There should be a change in our lives when we are in God’s spiritual presence

F. Transforming presence of God

G. 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 – Moses analogy and being transformed in the glory of Jesus

H. Not reformed but transformed. The glory of Jesus being reflected in our lives

I. We shine as lights because we reflect the glory of Jesus as we are transformed

J. 2 Corinthians 4:11 – the life of Jesus manifest in our lives

K. Acts 4:13 – boldness of the apostles because they had been with Jesus

L. We reflect the light of Jesus both from being illuminated within and being in God’s presence

M. The closer we get to the light, the more brightly we will reflect the light

N. The farther we get from Jesus, the less we reflect His glory

II. Our light shines to illuminate others

1. Our lives, should spiritually glow with the glory of God and be obvious to others
2. Matthew 5:16 – see your good works and glorify God in heaven
3. 1 John 1:5-7 – We must walk in the light
4. 1 Peter 2:11-12 – Live godly before men
5. Ephesians 5:6-20 – Walk as children of light
6. 1 John 2:8-11 – Love as children of light
7. Titus 2:7-8 – even our enemies should be hushed by our good lives
8. John 17:20-23 – our unity should reflect the glory of Jesus
9. As the light of God’s word shines brightly into the world, it should be reflected brightly in the Christians as they are scattered in the dark world.
10. Hymn: Let the Lower Lights be Burning
11. Mariner’s used lights to guide them on their journey and to safe harbor.
12. The upper lights referred to the stars by which they would guide their vessels
13. The lower lights were closer to the ground and could refer to large and small lighthouses that illuminated the harbor entrance as well as the lights of houses along the shore to illuminate the coastline and provide navigation assistance.
14. The light of God’s word is ever shining in the world but the light of a Christian’s life must be shining as well. Some may not initially read God’s word but may listen to it being spoken by one who is living it.
15. We live in a world filled with lost souls who need the gospel message
16. We have God’s word that can illuminate their hearts and kindle a flame within just as it did with us
17. We have many tools that can be used to communicate the word – numerous evangelism books and suggested approaches that can help us communicate the message
18. The best evangelism program is a Christian who has a passion for leading lost souls to Jesus.
19. Reminds me of Brent Hunter’s fishing analogy

III. Eclipse analogies

1. The light of the physical world demonstrates how we reflect the light of God onto the world: God is the sun, the source of light. We are the moon, reflecting God’s light onto the world. Our light is not a bright, and is reflected, but it is effective for its purpose.
2. Lunar eclipse: We can try to bring attention to ourselves instead of directing the glory to God.
3. Remember in Matthew 5 Jesus said the world should see our good works and glorify God.
4. Some want attention for worldly things: look at me because I am beautiful, rich, funny, talented, muscular, successful, etc. They want people to focus on them for what they have or their physical appearance (sensual pictures and self-promotion on social media)
5. “Look at me” is their focus – they want people to see them and are not focused on Christ in them.
6. When we come between the world and God, even though we are so small we can block the glory of God from being seen in those whom we could illuminate.
7. When we disobey God it is sometimes called “bringing reproach” upon God or His people: this means that when people know we claim to be Christians but are not acting like a Christian it causes people to criticize God or His way.
8. Instead of reflecting God’s glory onto the world, we are in the way and bringing darkness instead.
9. Solar eclipse
10. When we let the world get between us and God, our light diminishes and can go out.
11. We can be so obsessed with things of this world: money, entertainment, sports, pleasure, work, etc. that we have little time to be enlightened by God’s word or shine that light for others.
12. Parable of the Sower: Mark 4:19 – cares of the world, deceitfulness of riches, and other things choke out the word.
13. Hebrews 11:24-26 – Moses forsook the passing pleasures of sin for eternal rewards
14. Sometimes we will not give up habits, attitudes, or thoughts that are ungodly (80% clean) and diminish the light that does shine from our lives (dirty headlight). Pure lives can reflect the most light.
15. As I noted before, we reflect the light of Jesus both from being illuminated within and being in God’s presence
16. The closer we get to the light, the more brightly we will reflect the light
17. The farther we get from Jesus, the less we reflect His glory
18. Are you continually feeding the light within by studying God’s word and letting it transform you?
19. Are you removing things in your life, habits, attitudes, and thoughts that inhibit the light from shining?
20. Are you embarrassed about your faith? Hiding your faith under a bushel instead of giving light to others?
21. Let us determine to remove anything from our lives that inhibits the full glory of God from being reflected onto the dark world and let God illuminate us on the inside and before others.
22. If you are not a Christian, why not let God illuminate your life and transform it into glory through Jesus?

IV. Brent Hunter’s Fishing Analogy

V. Jesus to you and me: ” Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19).

VI. Now it came to pass that a group existed that called themselves fishermen and there were many fish in the waters about them. In fact, the whole area was surrounded by streams and lakes and the fish were hungry. Week after week and month after month and year after year the group that called themselves’fishermen’ met in meetings and talked about those called to fish, the abundance of fish, and how we might go about fishing. Year after year they carefully defined what fishing meant, defended fishing as an occupation, and declared that fishing be the primary talk of fishermen. These fishermen built large beautiful buildings for local fishing headquarters and their plea was that everyone should be a fisherman and that everyone should fish. However, the one thing they did not do, they did not fish !

VII. In addition to meeting regularly these men determined to send out fishermen to places where there were many fish. This sending committee was headed by those who had great vision and had courage to speak about fishing and to promote the idea of fishing in far away streams and lakes held meetings to define fishing, to defend fishing, and to decide what new streams should be thought about. But the one thing the staff and the committee members did not do, they did not fish!

VIII. Large, elaborate training centers were built whose original and primary purpose was to teach fishermen how to fish. Over the years courses were offered on the needs of the fish, the nature of the fish, how to find fish, and the psychological effects of fishing. Those who taught had doctorates in’Fisheology’! But the teachers did not fish ! They only taught about fishing.

IX. Further, the fishermen built large printing houses to publish fishing guides. Presses were kept busy day and night to produce material solely devoted to fishing methods. A speakers’ bureau was also organized to schedule special speakers on fishing. After one stirring meeting entitled’The Necessity Of Fishing,’ two young men left the meeting and actually went fishing and one of them actually caught two fish! He was honored for his great catch and was scheduled to appear at all the big meetings to tell how he did it. So he quit fishing in order to have time to tell his experiences to the other fishermen!

X. Now it is true that many of the fishermen sacrificed and put up with all kinds of difficulties. Some lived near the water and had to put up with the smell of dead fish. Some had to endure the ridicule of some who made fun of these fishermen’s clubs because they claimed to be fishermen but they did not fish.

XI. And they wondered about those who thought it was of little use to attend meetings and talk about fishing. I mean, after all, were they not following the Master who said, ” Come and I will make you fishers of men ”? Imagine their chagrin when someone actually suggested that they were not really’fishermen.’ Yet it did make sense. Can we rightfully call a person a fisherman if year after year he never catches a fish?

XII. Can a person really be following Jesus if he is not fishing?”