A0418_A Landmark
Date: 11th January 2009 (Sunday PM) Ref: A0418
Place: Kambah P.S.
Title: A Landmark
Text: & Matthew 5:14-16
Illust: One year as driving into Canberra on the Barton Highway I asked the kids if they could see anything up front. Caleb was the 1st to spot it & yelled out there’s Black Mountain Tower. – A highly visible landmark in a city full of Landmarks.
I. Memorials
A. Purpose of Landmarks
i. We live in a city of landmarks / monuments / memorials – One thing in common they are an highly visible / well known symbol / monument in memory of someone or something.
ii. The purpose is to commemorate to honour or keep alive the memory of a person or event. Captain Cook Memorial Waterjet, The Australian War Memorial.
iii. In order to achieve this object they have to be visible, highly visible. – Something that is seen that people recognise and thereby keep alive the memory of the focus of the memorial.
B. Biblical Principle
i. Biblical principle of memorials – Often associated with altars to the Lord or the naming of a city or place.
Jacob’s dream – & Gen 28:16-19
Crossing of the Jordan – & Josh 4:1-7
ii. Doesn’t even have to be a structure – Anzac Day is a memorial. The Passover a feast celebrated to this day. Is a memorial, a landmark if you will; a visible display in memory of a past event.
Exodus 12:14 ‘So this day shall be to you a memorial; and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall keep it as a feast by an everlasting ordinance. (NKJV)
iii. God wants us to have landmarks, memorials. He also wants us to be a Landmark
II. The Light of the World
A. You are to Shine
i. Think about our text, & - A lighthouse is always placed on a rocky promontory or exposed rock outcrop to shine a light in the darkness to warn off ships. – No point having a lighthouse in the Simpson desert – Only camels
ii. Jesus Christ is the source light
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (NKJV)
iii. And speaking to you He says; You are the light of the world ~
As a child My grandparents had been to Hong Kong & they brought back this ornament that always fascinated me, it was a base with a multitude of flexible fibres coming out of the top, & when you turned it on, pin pricks of multicoloured light shone out the end. – Light from a source in the base travelling along the optical fibres & shining out.
His presence in you is a light. You & I are to let His light shine through you to shine in this world.
Paul recounting the commandment of Jesus to him at his conversion:
Acts 26:18 to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’ (NKJV)
B. Wrong to Hide the Light
i. It is wrong to take that light & hide it. This world is in darkness, people are lost they are astray they desperately need the light
John 12:35 Then Jesus said to them, “A little while longer the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you; he who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. (NKJV)
ii. If they don’t see the light shining from you, where are they going to find hope / guidance / direction?
Ephesians 5:8 For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (NKJV)
iii. Jesus commands you to & vs.16 ~ This means that is wrong of you to hide the light, to cover it up.
How do we hide the light?
Fear / Carnality / Self interest
III. Becoming a Landmark
A. This Church is to Shine
i. As individual believers you are to be light, but there is a corporate responsibility, God wants this Church to be a landmark, a lighthouse shining out into this dark world.
ii. This darkening city desperately needs a church / churches that will be landmarks, visible, that will be a living memorial to what God has done on the Cross
iii. Why we do what we do, continue to outreach, have revivals, go on impact teams, have impact teams come down to us – Want to be a Landmark.
B. Supernatural
i. Needs to be your desire, Lord that I might shine in this dark world, God that our church would be a landmark, a sign to the lost of you, who you are, what you have done for us, for those who do not yet know you, those in darkness
ii. Desperate need for the Supernatural.
At Questacon, they have a Tesla Coil that they call ‘caged lightning’ an impressive display of high voltage sparks & noise
We need to be a church that is super charged with the presence of God, His power released in supernatural manifestation to have impact on those that are here.
iii. Not something I am making up, this is Jesus plan for the church.
Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” (NKJV)
Mark 16:17-18 17 And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; 18 they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (NKJV)
iv. The Supernatural gifts of the Spirit, needs to be something you are contending for. – We need to be a Landmark to point people to the real power of the true & living God in this darkening world