Light of the World

You 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 it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it gives light to 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 KJV
Have you ever thought about the nature of light? It’s more than just a Boolean analogy of light and dark, day and night, etc. Darkness is not the opposite of light, it is its absence. Without light, there is no color. In pitch darkness, you can’t see your hand in front of your face, much less discern the differences in color. Light gives birth to color. A computer screen has 2563 different colors. That is 16,777,216 different colors! Now that is LIGHT and COLOR!
The 1998 movie Pleasantville began as black and white. Then as each character became sexually active they would turn color. The idea was that promiscuity would add color and dimension to life, when in reality it does quite the opposite as it destroys lives and darkens the mind with lies.
Light is synonymous with truth. Jesus said that “we” are the light of the world, because we have been given the truth of Jesus Christ. A truth that transcends the simple darkened minds of this world. I used to tell my children, nothing good happens after midnight. It is in the absence of light where crime and evil take hold of the world.
Light doesn’t happen by accident. God was intentional at creation when He said, “Let there be LIGHT!”  We too must be intentional with the light of the Gospel. Our witness must not be accidental or hidden.
God is clothed in light, as are all of the angelic beings of heaven. Look at all the times where light is referred to in scripture. Creation was the start of everything. God even put lights in the heavens. Heaven is also referred to as the Empyrean Sphere, which is a sphere of light. Moses came upon the burning bush. The children of Israel saw the top of Mount Sinai on fire. Moses, upon spending time with God had to wear a veil over his face because it glowed with light. Moses led the children of Israel through the wilderness with a pillar of fire at night. There are hundreds of references to light and oil and lamps. The Word of God is a lamp unto my feet and light unto my path. These are only a fraction of references. It is light that gives color and dimension to life, not sin; but those who walk in darkness have never seen the light, and cannot conceive of it. They are like those in Plato’s cave who have never known anything more than shadows.
You’ve heard the Ten Commandments, but have you heard the 11th and 12th?
Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all they soul, and with all they mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love they neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. Matthew 22:37-40
Do you understand? You see, being the light of the world does not mean pointing people to the moralistic law of the Old Testament, but to the Savior and messiah revealed in the New. If you will obey these two commandments, then the light of your character will shine so brightly in the darkness of a world void of light and truth that people will be drawn to the light, and drawn to Jesus Christ, and lives will be eternally changed as they are redeemed from the slavery of this dark world. This is your calling Son of God!
Light is part of the Heavens and one of the 5 conditions obtaining to battle. We must work the works of him that has redeemed us while it is day, because the night comes when no man can work. We must live lives of example that command respect. Such a witness as I’m describing must be intentional. We cannot hide in the shadows of sin, shame and regret. We are Sons of God, bought with the priceless blood of the Lamb.