## Lights Out

## Matthew 5:14-16

- The first recorded words of God are "Let there be light"
- When God saw the light, He said it was "good"
- Since that time light has come to mean many things to us.
- Jesus declared that He was the light of the world.

(John 8:12) "Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life."

(John 9:5) "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world."

- Jesus also taught that His followers are to be the "light of the world" Read text.

I. Characteristics of "Light"

A. Light is Reflective. Ex. Sun reflecting off the windshield of a car can be blinding.

1. Moses face shown because of presence of God. cf Ex 34:29-35

2. Believers are to be reflections of the true Light...Jesus.

3. Hence, the name Christian = Christ-like or reflections of Christ.

4. Peter tells us that we are "called out of darkness into light" cf 1 Pet. 2:9

5. John writes that we are "walk in the light" and thus be reflections of the Light of God's grace. Cf 1 Jn. 1:7

6. Can people see the reflection of Jesus in you?

B. Light is Active

1. It travels at 186,000 miles per second.

2. The Sun is the source of energy on this planet.

3. God wants us to be active, "always abounding in the work of the Lord", I Cor 15:58

4. Believers are to be a source of light in this sin-darkened world.

5. The more active a Christian is, the brighter their light will shine.

C. Light is Revealing

1. The purpose of most lights is not to be seen itself, but to enable you to see other objects.

2. Ex. Light bulbs and camera flashes.

3. God's Word is light that reveals what we really are like...for us to see ourselves as God sees us. Cf John 3:19-21

4. According to our text, believers are to reflect the light of Christ to help others see themselves and God, not us.

5. What do you reveal?

D. Light is a Guide

1. The runway lights at airport.

2. The lighthouse on the coastline.

3. Believers are to be guides to eternal life.

(Phil 2:15) "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;"

4. Christians need to be a guide to help others come to Christ.

E. Light is Cheerful and Comforting.

1. Example of Christmas time and all the lights.

2. Walk into a darkened room and open curtains to cheer you up ... close out light when we don't feel good.

3. Christians are to that kind of cheerful influence on this world of darkness.

F. Light and Darkness Have No Fellowship

1. Where there is light, there cannot be darkness.

2. Christians cannot walk in the light and practice evil.

(Eph 5:8) "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:"

(2 Cor 6:14b) "…for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?"

II. Let Your Light Shine

A. What good is light that is not shining?

1. Illustrate with light bulbs.

2. They are worthless…throw them away because they no longer fulfill their function.

3. Hidden light is of no value.

4. Light that fulfills its purpose must shine.

a. It reflects

b. It is active

c. It reveals

d. It guides

e. It brings comfort and cheer

f. It dispels the darkness

B. Jesus commanded that we are to let our lights shine before others.

1. We are the light of the world … note that He doesn't say that we are to be the light of the world … He says we are the light!

2. If our light shines only in this building, we are not fulfilling our purpose.

3. If our light shines only to our family, we are not fulfilling our purpose.

C. To be the light of the world, we must know the light of Jesus Christ as our Savior.

1. Do you have the true light within?

2. You can, by believing the gospel and accepting Jesus Christ as your personal Savior.

3. To be light in this world is a great privilege and a great responsibility!

- To those who have never trusted Christ as Savior, the invitation is to come to Jesus now.
- To those who are believers, the invitation is to let your light shine.
- We are instructed not to hide our light, but to let others see the reflection of Christ in us.
- Are we faithfully reflecting His love to others?
- Jesus refers to the local church as a candlestick in Rev. 1:20.
- He instructs us in our text today to place our light on a candlestick.
- Are you an active part of this local church? Why not? Let you light shine!