The Light of the World.

 You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14 (NKJV)

When you travel through the night, whether by car or by plane, you can see a city far ahead as a blaze of lights.

Jesus says his followers are like a city filled with light. This is a representation on earth of the City of God in the glorious Kingdom of God which is to come.

And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Rev 21:10-11

What is a city like? It is a community filled with diversity, different kinds of businesses and trades, different kinds of organisations. There are government offices and private companies, big businesses and small family businesses. In a healthy city the government does not own or control businesses and big businesses do not totally dominate small businesses.

So it is with the people of Jesus. There are big churches and denominations, and there are house churches and informal prayer groups. There are fellowships where believing business people meet to prayer and bring their faith into their work.

In a secular city there are very creative people who are self-employed writers, artists, architects and consultants. No company boss or government official controls their lives. Their free creativity keeps the society open to new ideas.

So it is in the Kingdom of God. CS Lewis was a great Christian writer, but he did not hold a senior position in his church and he did not have a church leader telling him what to write or what not to write. Some of the most influential Christian leaders have not been church leaders.

Bach and Handel wrote worship music that moved the hearts of millions. Bach was a humble church organist and music director in a local church. Handel was a commercial composer who wrote operas and music for public occasions.

For centuries, we have been locked into a narrow, stereotyped idea of church and the Kingdom of God.

God is now saying: LET MY PEOPLE GO!

You are the Light of the World

 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Jn 8:12 NIV

Light is sown like seed for the righteous And gladness for the upright in heart. Ps 97:11 NASB95

When you receive the New Life that can only be found in Jesus, God transforms your heart and soul. God comes into your life.

God is light and he wants to shine in you. He wants to make your whole life shine.

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! 2 Cor 5:17 NRSV

Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. Is 60:1 NRSV

Sometimes this transformation is immediate and dramatically visible, but sometimes a newly converted Christian changes step by step.

I know a Christian woman in Germany who used to visit brothels. She invited a prostitute to a church service. In the middle of the service, the prostitute suddenly stood up. She shouted loudly: ``Now I believe in Jesus. I want to be baptised now.

Another prostitute started attending a church. She began to believe. She tried to be kind, sincere and gentle.

Then she started donating in the church. Finally she plucked up the courage to leave the brothel behind.

When did she actually become a Christian? Only God knows.

Will you allow Jesus to love with you and through you to reach the lost people around you?

You may want to genuinely love other people like Jesus, but you cannot love like Jesus without receiving the love of God from Jesus himself.

In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 1 Jn 4:10 NRSV

The heart of the Christian life is to receive God's love every day and to pass it on every day.