May 13, 2022

Near the beginning of the Sermon on the Mount (Jesus’ most famous talk) He said, [Matthew 5:16] “Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Jesus spoke these words about shining right after He identified people who followed Him as “the light of the world.” (v. 14). And, by this, He defined the world as a dark place. After all, why would it need light unless it was dark?

Then there is this. If the light that we shine equals the good works we perform, then Jesus is also affirming that the world is a broken place. Why else would good works be necessary, except in the presence of brokenness? We don’t perform good works in a vacuum. We do good works in the dark context of messes and pain and wreckage.

So, Jesus is calling all of us who have believed in Him to shine. And, with the multitude of darknesses around us, there is no end to the places we might shed a little “good works” light.

Of course, there is a congregational level of application for this. As a church, we get to shine Jesus’ light every time we give groceries to a food-insecure family from our Food Pantry, every time a missionary receives monthly support, and every time a family in crisis receives help from our Benevolence Fund. And we get to shine congregationally in lots more ways than these.

But, here, I’d like to turn a corner and explore the personal side of shining for Jesus. What is He saying to me? What is He saying to you when He speaks of shining?

Recall that the Lord made an issue out of the location of the light that we are to shine in His sermon illustration. He pointed out that people don’t put a lit lamp under a basket, where it does no good. No! They put the lamp on a lampstand where it lights up a whole dark room and helps people see. (v. 15)

I think it is clear that Jesus is inviting us each to give careful thought to where we will let our light shine. We are to intentionally shine our light where there is a known darkness.

For instance…
Couples and individuals who enter the world of the orphan and the foster-child provide the light of their home to shine Jesus into a child’s life.

People who enter the darkness of those struggling with various addictions shine a light that liberates.

Adults who invest time and energy into a younger person’s hopelessness are shining the light of the hope that Jesus brings.

There are dozens of darknesses that beg for the light that we can shine in Jesus’ Name. Consider this one, drawn straight from today’s news…

None of us knows how the Supreme Court will eventually rule about Roe v. Wade, or what legislation may be enacted at a national or state level regarding abortion. And, while I pray fervently – and I have prayed fervently for decades – for an end to abortion, for the lives of the unborn, and for Christians to help women in crisis pregnancies – neither you nor I have power to bring about those results on a nationwide level.

However, we are not powerless. We can still shine.

Women who find themselves in a tough, unplanned, or unwanted pregnancy are in a dark place. They are often tempted to believe that they have no good options, only tragic ones.

But when you lovingly offer encouragement, material assistance, non-judgmental friendship, hope, and life in Jesus to that woman, you are shining “in such a way that will see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” You are giving that woman hope, both for herself and for her unborn child.

When people in Northwest San Antonio see our church, and think to themselves, “That is the church that told me about Jesus as they gave me food; prayed with me when they helped with my light bill,” we are shining in a God-glorifying way, just like Jesus said to do.

When the interactions people have with you brighten dark corners of their world – bringing freedom from addiction, bringing hope, bringing safety, bringing a precious new life into the world – you are shining as Jesus wants you to shine.

Light will shine in the daytime, sure. But the same light shines more brightly at night. The darker the night, the brighter the light appears. Look for the darkness – and shine for Jesus there.

Yours…His,

Dave