Of Light, Truth and Life.  Matthew 5.14

Light goes together with life, have you ever noticed that? 

“You are the light of the world…” Another ‘you are’ statement of Jesus, made to those who are alive in him.  He did not say, ‘if you do this and that, thus and so, you are the light of the world’; nope, Jesus said, ‘as disciples of mine, ‘You are the light of the world.’ While darkness is the absence of light, it also symbolizes everything that is not light—evil, injustice, sin, ignorance, uncertainty, untruth, and unbelief.  

What do we know about light?  Light is stronger than darkness and overcomes it.  John uses the term ‘light’ 21 times in his gospel, starting with this about Jesus, In him was life, and that life was the light of men.¹ The themes of light and life replay throughout John’s beautiful gospel, particularly in reference to Jesus Christ; in fact, Jesus says of himself, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."² Okay, so that is one very bold claim, one very bold statement.

Think about it . . . God is all about light.  Look up Genesis chapter one—what was the first thing God created?³  Yet it seems Light is not an entity unto itself;  It overlaps with life, truth, clarity and love.  Like Jesus.

I know that in Heaven there is always Light.⁴ The Motel 6 guy will not need to say, ‘and we’ll leave the light on for you…’ because there is no night. One thing I know about light is that Light attracts. And back to us, how can we be Light in this world?

Several ways to be light, I believe.  Our most powerful means is through prayer, that connects us and others to God, the source of all Light.  Truth -

Solzhenitsyn said, "One word of truth outweighs the whole world."⁵ After John wrote of Jesus that he is the light of the world, he followed his claim with the truth that, ‘the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.’⁶  I love what the late John Stott said about this: We need more Christian thinkers who will use their minds for Jesus Christ, who will speak and write and broadcast and televise in order to influence public opinion.⁷

“You are the light of the world…” We are LIGHT when our lives point people to God.  Think of landing at night at an airport—there are people on the ground, waving light wands pointing the pilot of the huge airplane into a slim space.  Yes, I should like to be a light wand, pointing people to God.

Fact is, most people would rather see us as Light in the world, than hear us preach to them anyway.  Take a look:

I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day;

I’d rather one should walk with me than merely tell the way.

The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear,

Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear; 

And the best of all preachers are the men who live their creeds,

For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.  

I soon can learn to do it if you’ll let me see it done; 

I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.

And the lecture you deliver may be very wise and true, 

But I’d rather get my lessons by observing what you do; 

For I might misunderstand you and the high advise you give,

But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.⁸

“You are the light of the world…”  Yes, Jesus, I hear you.  I pray that you will remind me of that as I go about my day.  People are watching, people are listening, and I want to reflect well on you—I want to be a light wand pointing home, pointing them to Life.

1 – John 1.4

2 – John 8.12

3 – Genesis 1.3

4 – Revelation 21

5 – www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/.../solzhenitsyn-lecture.htm...

6 – John 1.5

7 – John Stott, Christianity Today, “Four Ways Christians Can Influence the World”

8 - I'd Rather See A Sermon, Edgar A. Guest, English poet