Young People's Group

Among Whom You Shine as Lights in the World

by Mitchell Tan
October 24, 2018

THE CHALLENGE TO BE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

The Lord Jesus taught the disciples that they were to be light of the world. The world then was filled with much darkness. It was a world that was filled with sin and sicknesses. People were sitting in the shadow of death (Matthew 4:16). The Lord Jesus was that great light that was shining in darkness as He began preaching the gospel. He is indeed the light of the world (John 9:5). The disciples of Jesus were also meant to shine as light in this dark world.

“You are the light of the world”
Matthew 5:14

The word “light” in Greek brings across the idea of “essence”. The Lord Jesus instructed His disciples to shine forth the essence of light to this world of darkness. They were to do this through the practice of the beatitudes.

AN APPLICATION OF LIGHT

“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 you light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
Matthew 5:15-16

The word “lamp” in the Greek is the word “luchnos”. This was a portable lamp. Even as a lamp lights up a room and cannot be hidden, even so we can shine our light in our homes. We can be light to our family members and all who come into our homes. This was practical righteousness. The disciples were meant to preserve all that was good and upright through their good works. Their part was to stand against the darkness in the world. Light from a lamp should never be hidden. We should never be ashamed of our faith in the Lord Jesus. We should shine forth our faith by doing good works that our Father in heaven may be glorified.

SHINING AS LIGHT IN THE WORLD

“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”
Philippians 2:15

The word “lights” in the Greek has the idea of being “light-bearers”. It is being in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation that we shine as lights. This is a generation which is morally corrupt and the world is truly perverse. We are meant to shine as light bearers through being blameless children of God in the midst of the darkness. How can we go about doing this?

1. DOING THINGS DIFFERENTLY FROM THE WORLD

“Do all things without complaining and disputing”
Philippians 2:14

We can stand out as God’s people when we don’t complain about each other. It does not bring glory to God when fellow Christians are disputing with each other. The world does things with much complaining and disputing. Our challenge is to be totally different from how the world does things. We should do all things without complaining and disputing

2. DOING THINGS ACCORDING TO THE WORD

“Holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ”
Philippians 2:16

When we shine for the Lord in doing things, it should be done with the word of God in mind. The phrase “Holding fast” has the idea of holding on tightly and not letting things go. We are meant to treasure the word of God and to hold it closely to our heart till the Lord comes for us. Paul would be able to rejoice at the day of Jesus Christ when he would see the Philippians holding fast to the word till the end. Let’s also seek to do all things, holding fast to His word till the day of Christ.

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