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Matthew 5:14-16. Let Your Light Shine. That men may glorify your Father in heaven. Let Your Light Shine.
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Matthew 5:14-16 Let Your Light Shine That men may glorify your Father in heaven
Let Your Light Shine You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.
Study Question… Since “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5), how could God create darkness as He states, “I form the light, and create darkness” (Isaiah 45:7)?
What does it mean to let our light shine? • Good words vs. good works • Good work is meeting a basic need in the life of another person and, wherever possible, letting his authorities get the credit for it.
What do you know about darkness? • Revealing God’s power (Exo 10:21-22) • Form of God’s protection (Exo 14:19-20) • Motivation to seek hidden things of God (Exo 10:21-22) • Confounds the wicked (Prov 4:19) • Used as punishment (Prov 20:20) • Exploited by evil men (Isa 29:15)
About Our light - • When the children of light do not separate from the children of darkness, they lose their most powerful witness. • Our light is of no benefit unless it is displayed for all to see. • Give and forget. Receive and remember.
About Our light - • The ultimate good work is to turn others to righteousness. (Dan 12:3) • A grateful heart reflects the glory of God. A murmuring heart communicates the gloom of the world. (Phil 2:14-15) • Our light may seem very small to us. However, others see the greater light of God behind our sacrificial actions.
Ways to Brighten Our Light - Turn away from all darkness. (Act 26:18) • Expose all things to the light. (1 Cor 4:5) • Look unto Jesus (Psalm 4:6) • Forgive all offenders (1 John 2:9,11) • Engraft the Word of God (Psalm 119:105,130)
Ways to Brighten Our Light - Put on the armor of light (Rom 13:12) • Have set times of fasting (Isa 58:6-8) • Have a generous eye (Matt 6:22-23) • Show love with good works (1 John 3:17) • Gather with other believers (1 John 1:7)
Name of God The Lord Revealed • The Lord Is Our Light and Glory (Exo 13:21) • Jesus Christ Is the Light of the World (John 8:12)
Generosity vs. Stinginess • Generosity is demonstrating the nature of God by wisely reinvesting the resources that He has entrusted to us. • Generosity follows the laws of the harvest. The more we sow, the more we reap. • The test of generosity is not how much we give, but how much we have left. • Generosity is the result of focusing on God’s riches rather than our resources.