Let Your Light Shine

Recently I read about a little girl who came home from Sunday School right after studying Matthew 5:16. She repeated the verse to her and asked her what it meant. Her mom said, "Well, it means that when you are good and kind and thoughtful and obedient, you are letting Christ’s light shine in your life before all who know you." The very next Sunday in Sunday School, the little girl got in a bit of a fracas with another student and created somewhat of an uproar--to such an extent that the Sunday School teacher had to go and find her mother to get her settled down a bit in the class. Her mother was concerned when she got to the classroom and said, "Sweetie, don’t you remember about letting your light shine for the Lord before [others]?" The girl blurted out, "Mom, I have blowed myself out!"

Do you ever “blow yourself out?” Turn with me to Matthew 5:16 and stand with me this morning as we jump into God’s Word…read…

Matthew 5:16 NASB95

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

There are 3 things here Jesus says…

1. BE A BEACON.

- He says here to “let your light shine” – you are to shine.

- Shine here means “to illuminate” = be a beacon!

- Lighthouses are wonderful testimonies in many seashore communities – because they have done their job of LETTING THEIR LIGHTS SHINE to guide ships in stormy times and save lives!

- This reminds me of the wonderful children’s song “This Little Light”– what does it say? This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. This little light of mine. I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. Hide it under a bushel, No! I’m going to let it shine. Hide it under a bushel, No! I’m going to let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!

- You see, God doesn’t want you to BUSHEL YOUR LIGHT – HIDE YOUR LIGHT! NO! HE WANTS YOU TO LET IT BE A BECKON FOR ALL TO SEE!

- He doesn’t want you to BLOW YOURSELF OUT like that little girl!

- One practical application of this: Don’t hide your being a Christian! People need to see Christians…true Christians…real Christians…authentic…genuine!

- If they don’t see it in you and me…then who are they going to see it in?

- You see, God’s not interested in secret saints…He’s interested in shining saints!

- So be a beacon!

TS – 2nd Jesus says…

2. DO GOOD WORKS.

- Understand this: once you become a Christian, God wants you to do good works…good deeds! This isn’t a salvation thing…it’s a service thing!

- He doesn’t want you to do “bad” works…or no works.

- He wants you to be “doing”– not sitting around idle, twiddling your thumbs, complacent or lazy! Enough of that going on in the church!

- In fact, He wants you to be working for Him!

- The word “good” used here means something that is not only good (in quality) but also winsome and beautiful and attractive.

- Coupled (qualifying) with works, it means that God wants you and me doing good deeds that are winsome and attractive = like random acts of kindness, charity and love or planned acts of kindness = being involved in doing good.

- Remember: people can’t argue against goodness – good deeds! When Christians get involved in doing good works – good deeds – helping others not for personal gain but because of genuine love and charity, it tears down people’s defenses! It softens their hearts!

TS – Which leads to the 3rd thing Jesus says…

3. BRING GLORY TO YOUR FATHER.

- The wonderful truth here is this: when you let your light shine…when you get involved and do good works (deeds) and the people outside the walls of the church see this - and you do it in the Name of Christ, IT BRINGS GLORY TO GOD!

- You see it’s not about you…it’s about God!

- What you and I need to grasp this morning is this: when others see your good works…take notice that you are a Christian and you simply do what you do because you love God and others…your Heavenly Father is glorified = IT POINTS PEOPLE TO HIM!

- It brings them into a wonderful encounter with Almighty God!

Conclusion

A young girl went and talked with her minister about the difficulty she was having in her work place. She said: “I cannot stick it out any longer. I am the only Christian in the factory where I work. I get nothing but taunts and sneers. It is more than I can stand. I am going to resign.”

“Will you tell me,” asked the minister, “where lights are placed?” “What has that to do with it?” the young Christian asked him rather bluntly. “Never mind,” the minister replied. “Answer my question: ‘Where are lights placed?’ “ “I suppose in dark places,” she replied. “Yes, and that is why you have been put in that factory where there is such spiritual darkness and where there is no other Christian to shine for the Lord.”

The young Christian realized for the first time the opportunity that was hers. She felt she could not fail God by allowing her light to go out. And she went back to the factory with renewed determination to let her light shine in that dark corner. Before long, she was the means of leading nine other girls to the Light!