Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1109
“You are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14.
THIS title had been given by the Jews to certain of their eminent Rabbis. With great pomposity they spoke of Rabbi Judah, or Rabbi Jochanan, as the lamps of the universe, the lights of the world. It must have sounded strange in the ears of the Scribes and Pharisees, to hear that same title, in all soberness, applied to a few bronzed-faced and rough-handed peasants and fishermen who had become disciples of Jesus. Jesus, in effect, said—not the Rabbis, not the Scribes, not the assembled Sanhedrim, but you, My humble followers, you are the light of the world! He gave them this title, not after He had educated them for three years, but at almost the outset of His ministry. From this I gather that the title was given them, not so much on account of what they knew, as on account of what they were. Not their knowledge, but their character made them the light of the world.
They were not yet fully trained in His spiritual school and yet He says to them, “You are the light of the world,” the fact being that wherever there is faith in Christ there is light, for our Lord has said, “I am come a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not walk in darkness.” “The entrance of Your Word gives light.” Genuine faith in Christ turns a man from darkness to marvelous light and transforms him into “light in the Lord”—his aims and objects, his desires, his speech, his actions become full of Divine light which illuminates all the chambers of his soul—and then pours forth from the windows so as to be seen of men. The Believer is appointed to be a lighthouse to others, a cheering lamp, a guiding star.
It is true that his light will be increased as he learns more of Christ. He will be able to impart more instruction to others when he has received more, but even while he is yet a beginner, his faith in Jesus is, in itself, a light—men see his good works even before they discover his knowledge. The man of faith who aims at holiness is a light of the world, even though his knowledge may be very limited and his experience that of a babe. I mention this at the outset in order that every Christian may see the application of the text to himself. It is not spoken to the Apostles, or to ministers, exclusively, but to the entire body of the faithful—“You are the light of the world.” You humble men and women whose usefulness will be confined to your cottages, or to your workshops. You whose voices will never be heard in the streets, whose speech will only be eloquent in the ears of those who gather by your firesides—you, even you, noiseless and unobserved as your lives will be—you are the true light of the world!
Not alone the men whose learned volumes load our shelves. Not alone the men whose thundering tones startle the nations, or who, with busy care for God’s Glory, compass sea and land to find subjects for the kingdom of Jesus, but you, each one of you who are humbly resting upon the Savior and lovingly carrying out your high vocation as the children of God and followers of his dear Son! Let us never forget that light must first be imparted to us, or it can never go forth from us. We are not lights of the world by nature—at best we are but lamps unlit until the Spirit of God comes. Enquire, therefore, my Hearer, of yourself whether God has ever kindled you by the flame of His Spirit.
Have you been delivered from the power of darkness and translated into light? Has the immortal flame of the Divine Life touched you? If so, you have light in yourself and light towards others—and your light will work effectually in many ways. It will reveal the darkness of those who are round about you. Your light will show the darkness how dark it is. Even as Christ’s life judged upon the men of His age, so does the faith of Christians expose the evils of unbelief. And the holiness of Believers reveals the wickedness of sin. Our light also reproves the deeds of darkness and condemns them. Even though we were never to use a severe word, a godly life would be a stern rebuke of sin.
Therefore it comes to pass that we must expect to be opposed, for “he that does evil fears the light.” The world does not understand us, “for the light shines in darkness, and the darkness understands it not.” And, therefore, it
misrepresents us and rages against us. In a certain sense the saints are, day by day, the judges of mankind. They avoid all censoriousness, for they know who has said, “judge not, that you be not judged,” but unconsciously to themselves their godly, holy and devout lives accuse and condemn the wicked. And the Spirit of God, through them, full often convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment. The Believer’s light makes manifest great and important Truths of God. We are light-bearers by bearing testimony to the Lord Jesus and His Divine Gospel.