“Thus saith the Lord, which giveth the sun for a light by day, and the ordinances of the moon and of the stars for a light by night, which divideth the sea when the waves thereof roar; The Lord of hosts is His name” (Jeremiah 31:35).  Have you ever stopped to consider what light does for you?  What do you think about when you realize some of the beauties light can shed?  Sometimes the light can magnify an item or object in a positive or negative way.  That is, it may make something appear beautiful, or it may shine forth the “true colors” which reveal—a not so attractive feature.  Light can do many things.  In many ways light gives definition. Light can guide your path.  Light can show you the clear and “narrow…way.”  Light makes things grow.  Without light in the world we would be as Jesus said, “blind leaders of the blind.  And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall in the ditch” (Matthew 15:14).  In this previous context Jesus is speaking about the religious leaders of that day that were hypocrites.  Because of a lack of understanding of what defiled a man, they were teaching if a man did not wash his hands, according to tradition, he was defiled.  Thus, they ask Jesus why his followers transgressed the traditions of the elders?  Jesus is quick to point out their hypocrisy based upon human tradition, and refers to them as blind leaders of the bind (Matthew 15:1-20).  How important is it to be a light to the world?

In order to understand how to be a light in the world we need to know where the source comes from.  In this sense we are talking about a figurative light.  A light that is not physical but, yet “sheds light” on our minds to help us understand and be able to acknowledge the meaning of life.  We are talking about what gives purpose and hope in ones life.  What is the source of our Light?

The Bible teaches that Jesus is the source of light, and in fact is the light of all men.  The apostle John declared, “[I] n Him was life; and the life was the light of men.  And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not…That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world” (John 1:4,5,9).  Jesus is indeed the source of light in our lives; He is the Light of the world (John 8:12).

Because Jesus is the Source of Light, which is the Light, how are we to express the Light?  Jesus said, ”I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6).  If Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life what should we do?  How can we represent the source of life, and Light to men?   Certainly with the implication of the teaching we can understand that we are to live as Christ and die as Christ, knowing this is the gain (Philippians 1:21).  We must represent and present the way, the truth, and the life; else, Jesus saves without our help.  That is, Jesus saves people without our assistance, arbitrarily or vicariously.  Is this the idea?  Does Jesus appear to people and offer them the light of their lives without you or I helping?  How is the Light represented today?

Friends, we are the representatives of the light today.  When Jesus gave the great commission to the apostles, and Paul to Timothy, they were to go into the world and preach and teach the light of the gospel (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15-16; Luke 24:36-48; II Corinthians 4:4; II Timothy 4:1ff).  Today we represent the source of light in the world.  Those who pervert the light are false representatives of light (Galatians 1:6-9).  Those who mislead and misguide folks are the blind leaders of the blind!  If we represent the light of the world then we have a great and tedious task.  We are the representatives of the Source.

The question then is, do you represent light or darkness?  Is it important to be a light in the world?  What would we do if there were no light?  What would we do if there were no Jesus?  How could this world have any hope?  Do you represent light or darkness?  The world represents darkness without any light.  How is this world to be a better place, and souls saved if they don’t receive the Light of the world (John 8:12)? You either represent Satan, a false source of light, or Jesus the true Source of Light (II Corinthians 11:14; John 8:12), which is it?

Being a light in the world is the only hope for the world.  Jesus said, “[Y] e are the light of the world.  A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.  Neither do men light a candle, and put is under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).  If we represent the Light of the world, then it will be known (Matthew 7:20)!
 

©2001 This paper may be freely distributed as long as there is no cost to others and no changes to the content of any material in this paper.
http://www.christianlibrary.org/authors/Bryan_R_Braswell/index.htm