{"id":2989,"date":"2021-03-14T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-03-14T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/?p=2989"},"modified":"2021-05-15T09:34:44","modified_gmt":"2021-05-15T16:34:44","slug":"you-are-the-light-of-the-world-mathew-514","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2021\/03\/14\/you-are-the-light-of-the-world-mathew-514\/","title":{"rendered":"You are the light of the world  Matthew 5:14"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\"><\/div>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Sunday Service MVCOG - You are the light of the world  Mathew 5:14\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/gZnWf7qL5c0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-file\"><a href=\"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/You-are-the-light-of-the-world-Mathew-5v14.pdf\">You-are-the-light-of-the-world-Mathew-5v14<\/a><a href=\"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/03\/You-are-the-light-of-the-world-Mathew-5v14.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button\" download>Download<\/a><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the most surprising things about what Jesus says is who he\u2019s saying it to\u2014a group of fishermen and tradesmen, former tax collectors and zealots; people that the religious leaders looked down on as <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">insignificant<\/span>.&nbsp; But Jesus says that His disciples, and <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">only<\/span> His disciples, are the light of the world.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The world needs us, but they don\u2019t know it<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The world is always <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">claiming<\/span> to be enlightened, or filled with light.&nbsp; But \u201cthe enlightenment\u201d was also the time when the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">attack<\/span> on the church began in earnest.&nbsp; In seeking to elevate science, human philosophy, knowledge and reason, they looked to them for their <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">authority<\/span>, instead of the Word of God.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Trying to remove ignorance is a worthy cause, as far as it goes, but ignorance is not the primary enemy to be dealt with:&nbsp; <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">sin<\/span> is the primary malady of humanity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>I am the light of the world<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As beautiful and wondrous as nature is, it falls short, because we\u2019re only seeing a <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">fallen<\/span> world.&nbsp;&nbsp; A world in <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">darkness<\/span>.&nbsp; And the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">further<\/span> away people get from God, the darker it gets.&nbsp; Jesus said in John 8:12 <strong>\u201cI am the Light of the world; the one who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.\u201d<\/strong> The Beatitudes were all about our lives as Citizens of Heaven and how blessed we are in light of the salvation that we have received, then we \u201c<strong>are the light of the world\u201d <\/strong>because we continue Jesus\u2019 ministry.<strong>&nbsp; <\/strong>And why must we be first salt, then light?&nbsp; Salt is being different than the world around us through-and-through, and preserving and purifying the world around us.&nbsp; We must proclaim the light with our mouths, but first we have to make sure that our <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">lives<\/span> speak as much as our lips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>The light of wisdom<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It is because we are different that we begin to have a new <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">understanding<\/span> of the world in Jesus.&nbsp; We learn a new <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Way<\/span> of life.&nbsp; And of course, this makes no <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">sense<\/span> to the world.&nbsp; But notice that it\u2019s this <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">difference<\/span> that allows us to be the light of the world.&nbsp; 1<sup>st<\/sup> Corinthians 1:18-21 describes how God has chosen the way of salvation through believing in Christ\u2019s death on the cross and resurrection is considered foolishness by the world, but to those who are being saved, it is the most profound wisdom of God saying <strong>18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written: \u201cI will destroy the wisdom of the wise, And the understanding of those who have understanding, I will confound.\u201d 20 Where is the wise person? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe.<\/strong>&nbsp; God has chosen this Way of salvation that completely <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">confuses<\/span> worldly wisdom.&nbsp; It demands a reasonable faith, but faith all the same.&nbsp; Hebrews 11:3 says 3 <strong>By faith we understand that the world has been created by the word of God so that what is seen has not been made out of things that are visible.&nbsp; <\/strong>We literally must <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">believe<\/span> in something we cannot see.&nbsp; And the willful ignorance, the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">predisposition<\/span> toward unbelief is what we, those who Jesus designated as <strong>the light of the <\/strong>world are to overcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>&nbsp; Be the light<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Like John the Baptist, we are to witness and testify about the light.&nbsp; As it says in the gospel of John chapter 1 vs. 6-8 <strong>6 A man came, one sent from God, and his name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.&nbsp;&nbsp; <\/strong>We must <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">emulate<\/span> our savior Jesus, and establish our lives according to the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">pattern<\/span> that He has set. In 1 John 1 5-7 we find that the primary requirement for being the light Jesus has called us to be is to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">walk<\/span> in the light ourselves: <strong>5 This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; 7 but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.&nbsp; <\/strong>You can\u2019t <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">give<\/span> away what you don\u2019t already have.&nbsp; You can\u2019t show people the light of Christ unless you have it yourselves, and are <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">walking<\/span> in the light.&nbsp; Sin in our own lives is the primary <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">hindrance<\/span> to our ability to effectively spread the message of Jesus as the light of the world.&nbsp; If we do not walk in the message that we\u2019re trying to share, people will not <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">receive<\/span> it.&nbsp; And the extent to which we will be able to be the light of the world is completely <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">dependent<\/span> on our relationship with Jesus.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Light exposes the darkness<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>One of the effects of light is that it exposes and drives <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">away<\/span> darkness.&nbsp; The light reveals the truth, and so those who practice <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">evil<\/span> want to hide in the shadows.&nbsp; We want our deeds to be revealed in the light of God\u2019s truth.&nbsp; Like David in Psalm 139:23-24, we will cry out <strong>23 Search me, God, and know my heart; Put me to the test and know my anxious thoughts; 24 And see if there is any hurtful way in me, And lead me in the everlasting way.&nbsp; <\/strong>how do we let God do this?&nbsp; Well, we <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">pray<\/span>, like David that God will show us, through His Holy Spirit within us which ways do not please Him.&nbsp; We also must seek the light by reading His word.&nbsp; Psalm 119:105 says <strong>Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light to my path.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Remember that we are His priests.&nbsp; Malachi 3:3 tells us that <strong>3He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the LORD will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness.&nbsp; <\/strong>Only the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">exact<\/span> amount of fiery trial that is needed is applied at the right time to remove the dross, and not hurt the silver, and make our lives reflect the character of Jesus.&nbsp; Romans 8:29 9 <strong>For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the <u>image<\/u> of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters;<\/strong>&nbsp; And we have to stay in the light\u2014if we do not follow Jesus <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">closely<\/span>, then no matter how much polishing on the mirror has been done, no matter how much dross has been removed, then we will not <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">reflect<\/span> the light of Jesus as He wants us to.&nbsp; <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Walk<\/span> in the light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Light of the world<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s not enough that we bear the light of Christ ourselves.&nbsp; As His disciples, we have been given a mission to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">proclaim<\/span> Him.&nbsp; Mathew ends his gospel with the Great Commission from Jesus not to just keep the light within ourselves, but to proclaim it saying in Mathew 28:19 <strong>19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.\u201d&nbsp; <\/strong>We are to <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">make<\/span> disciples.&nbsp; That is the heart of verse 19.&nbsp; Not <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">converts<\/span>, but disciples who are able to share the truth of God\u2019s light with others.&nbsp; And the work that you, <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">You<\/span> church, have to do as the only light of the world is the most important work on earth to do, period.&nbsp; You are significant, because you bear the <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">image<\/span> of God as a human, and because only you can <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">reflect<\/span> the light of Jesus to a dark world.&nbsp; Be the light of the world, let the light that you have in Jesus <span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">shine<\/span> out from you for the world to see.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>One of the most surprising things about what Jesus says is who he\u2019s saying it to\u2014a group of fishermen and tradesmen, former tax collectors and zealots; people that the religious&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2989","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-services"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":4498,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2025\/05\/25\/walk-as-children-of-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":2989,"position":0},"title":"Walk as Children of Light","author":"Robert","date":"May 25, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtube.com\/live\/dvlPsW83Ag8?feature=share Eph 5vs8b-9 Walk as Children of LightDownload but now you are light in the Lord; walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), We are Light because God is light We used to be children of darkness,\u00a0 \u201cbut\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Featured20250525.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Featured20250525.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Featured20250525.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Featured20250525.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/Featured20250525.jpg?fit=1200%2C675&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1423,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2015\/11\/29\/the-first-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":2989,"position":1},"title":"The First Light","author":"Robert","date":"November 29, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"The First Light (MP3) Genesis 1:1-5 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep waters. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters. Then\u00a0God said, \"Let there be light,\" and there was\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3422,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2022\/07\/10\/god-is-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":2989,"position":2},"title":"God is Light","author":"Robert","date":"July 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/1KD1eQ2cgJk 1-John-1vs5-7-God-is-LightDownload 5a This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you 1st John is an attestation by an eye-witness of what John heard. \u00a0John is bearing witness that this comes directly from God.\u00a0 5b that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/1KD1eQ2cgJk\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":2065,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2018\/07\/22\/tribal-signs\/","url_meta":{"origin":2989,"position":3},"title":"Tribal Signs","author":"Robert","date":"July 22, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"Matthew 5:13-16 \u201cYou are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled by men.\u201d 14You are the light of the world. A city on a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2995,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2021\/03\/21\/glorify-god-with-your-light-mathew-514-16\/","url_meta":{"origin":2989,"position":4},"title":"Glorify God With your Light (Matthew 5:14-16)","author":"Robert","date":"March 21, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"https:\/\/youtu.be\/CkucYNpuUx0 Glorify-God-With-your-Light-Mathew-5vs14-16Download A city set on a\u00a0hill cannot be hidden;\u00a015\u00a0nor do\u00a0people\u00a0light a lamp and put it under a\u00a0basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.\u00a016\u00a0Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may\u00a0see your good works, and\u00a0glorify your\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/img.youtube.com\/vi\/CkucYNpuUx0\/0.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1927,"url":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/2018\/01\/14\/shadows-of-light\/","url_meta":{"origin":2989,"position":5},"title":"Shadows of Light","author":"Robert","date":"January 14, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"John 8:12 Jesus spoke to the people saying, \"I AM the light of the world. Whoever follows ME will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.\" _____________ = to follow closely, keeping an intense eye on the subject being watched and their activities. John 3:16-21 For\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Services&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Services","link":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/category\/services\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2989","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2989"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2989\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2989"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2989"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/mvcog.org\/wp\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2989"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}