Christians Do Not Hide Their Light.

Matthew 5:15 - 16 “Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. (16.) Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.”

The Lord reminded us last week that if we are saved; if we are Christians; if we are believers in Jesus Christ as our Saviour, then we are the light of the world and if we are then we are like a city that sits on a hill all lite up where all can see. One thing that is easy to decipher is a Christian from a lost person if the Christian is letting their light shine. The problem we face today is so many Christians are dimming their light so much that it is almost, if not altogether impossible to see their light. If you were to look on the hilltop you would never see the city because the light was too low. This is a great mistake on these Christians part because the blessings missed will be theirs. The Lord reminds us in verse 15 not to hide our light by “putting it under a bushel” but instead lift it on a “candlestick” so that the light can be clearly seen by all and yes even your friends. The Lord even goes a little further here and tells us “…and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.” That your light by itself is giving light to the entire house by itself. Now imagine this; why if every church member allowed their light to so shine that it would light the entire house then how bright would 15 lights or 20 lights or etc. be? How is your light? Is it bright? Well now is the time to test it because once you die or once Jesus Christ returns then it is too late to brighten the light. God never meant for a lit candle to be hid; Luke 8:16 “No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light.” No man and especially God, He saves every sinner for a reason or purpose, what is His purpose in saving you? Do you know?

God said in verse 16 “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works” your good works is your light shining. That is, that seeing your good works, they may be moved to love and serve God likewise. Why would they want to repent and move to an entire different direction in life if you works are no different than theirs? You light should be an example to them that life on the other side of salvation is different. Christ saves people to do His earthly work. Titus 2:14 “Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” How is your “zeal” for the works of Christ?

“…and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Ah this is the entire purpose of all our lights shinning, of all our good works, not for our glory but for the glory of God. Only a selfish person would want the glory for something God does and all our good works are by the power of God and for His glory. Any preacher that is any good at all would never want the glory for their sermons and neither would even the greatest of all preachers. God is always to get the glory because it is God work in us. Ephesians 2:10 “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”