Introduction: Questions

Those of us who spend any time at all with children know that they learn by asking questions. Right? Sometimes I wonder where they come up with all their questions. Before our Stewardship Series we printed a list of questions concerning the Beatitudes to do a self test on how we rate. I am now returning to Matthew 5. This morning I have three primary questions.

I. Who Am I?

Many years ago this seemed to be a very popular question as many young people faced an identity crisis, searching for meaning and purpose in life. It is a very good question to ask, one that Jesus answers in these verses read this morning. In the previous verse Jesus answered the question saying, "You are the salt of the earth," but then Jesus went on to say, "You are the light of the world."

Do we realize how great a compliment this is for a Christian, because Christ is telling us that we are what He Himself claimed to be? Jesus said, "As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world." John 9:5. In these teachings of Jesus He is asking of us nothing less than that we should be like Himself.

Of course, Jesus is the true light who enlightens us. Without Him, we are not lights. We are lights only as we live in relationship with Him because He is the source.

The ancient Jews spoke of the city of Jerusalem as a light to the Gentiles and a Rabbi was called a lamp of Israel. However, in using this expression the Jews were very sure that no man kindled his own light. God lit Israel's lamp.

Similarly, Jesus is not asking us to make our own light, but as men, women, and children who have invited Jesus to live in us, we shine with His light.

The light of the world - not just the church.

II. What Am I To Do?

As I thought about this question I thought about an old adage I learned in childhood. It is one some of you probably learned too. "Children are to be seen, but not heard." While some adages came out of the Bible, this one did not. Of course we parents and grandparents understand the intention of it - especially to have children quietly and respectfully behaving when we have company, when we are in public, including when we are in Sunday School and Worship.

As far as light is concerned, it seems like some Christians do not want to be seen or heard. Others seem to think that they can live for Christ without saying anything to the world about their Savior. Let me change the old adage, "Christianity is meant to be seen and heard." Light is meant to be seen.

The image Jesus intended may be like a cluster of white stone houses in Palestine. Also, the typical Palestinian houses were often dark inside with only one small window. Lamps of those days usually had a wick floating in oil, but recall this was in the era before matches or modern lighters had been invented. Lighting a lamp was not the simplest task and lamp stands were often a bit wobbly. Therefore, when people left their home for a little while, to be safer, they took the lamp off the stand and put it under an earthen bushel measure to burn until their return.

I believe it was within this context that Jesus said that lamps were lit to give light to the whole house, not to be hidden under a bushel. Likewise, we are to be light shining in the world for all to see - not to be hidden.

Someone has said, "There can be no such thing as secret discipleship, for either the secrecy destroys the discipleship, or the discipleship destroys the secrecy." Our faith in Jesus Christ should be visible to the world - to people with whom we have contact, wherever we are. We must live and work where our influence may be felt and where the light in us will be made known to others.

I want to tell you about a fellow that I'll call Mark. This incident took place soon after he had come to know Jesus Christ. His life was being transformed through diligent study of God's word, but he was troubled.

You see, before Mark became a Christian he had bought some stolen railroad ties. They had been from a railroad company and from a woman who owned a landscaping business. When he purchased them, he knew that they were stolen, but it was such a good deal! Or so he thought at the time! Now the Lord kept bringing them to mind! The more Mark studied the Sermon on the Mount, the more it troubled him. His study on mourning over sin brought before him the issue of restitution. Finally he went to his Bible study teacher for counsel. The teacher led him through the scriptures for his answer. Mark walked in obedience. First he went to the railroad, hoping to confess his wrong to a clerk. But no clerk was there, only the big boss, so Mark told him. And Mark said he wanted to make restitution. Did they want the ties back? What could he do? Mark's light was shining for the world to see.

In July we started studying these hard sayings of Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount. With these hard sayings we are told what we are to do. How well is your light shining? Is it shining well by your good works, the very works Jesus would do? WWJD, (What would Jesus Do?) are popular initials for many Christians. Is it as common for us to do what Jesus would do?

I have asked "Who Am I?" and "What Am I To Do?" They are answered in these verses, along with the final question in my outline for this morning.

III. Who Am I Glorifying?

We could phrase the question a little differently, depersonalizing it. "Who A I to Glorify?"

The Scriptures clearly answer. "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." So then, our lives, our good works are to give glory to God, but the question I am asking you to ask yourselves is, "Who Am I Glorifying?"

A number of questions are related to this one? Why I do good deeds? Do I do them to draw attention to myself? Do I do them motivated by pride and selfishness? Do I do them so that I can feel smug and self sufficient in my goodness?

In September I asked you to rate yourselves on the beatitudes. It is Biblically sound for us to evaluate our lives in the light of Christ and His teachings. Are we willing to face the hard teachings of Jesus or do we try to soften the message and distort the truth?

Conclusion:

At a conference at which D.L. Moody was present, there were also some young people who took their Christian faith very seriously, so seriously that one night they held an all night prayer meeting. As they were leaving in the morning they met Moody and he asked what they had been doing. They told him and then they went on. "Mr Moody, see how our faces shine." Moody answered very gently, "Moses wist not that his face shone."

One of the old historians wrote of Henry the Fifth after the Battle of Agincourt, "Neither would he suffer any ditties to be made and sung by the minstrels of his glorious victory, for that he would wholly have the praise and thanks altogether given to God."

Are you a shining light to to the glory of God?

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