Word of the Week: Light

On Sunday we studied John 8:12-20, where Jesus declares that he is the light of the world. He’s the guide who leads sinners out of darkness and into everlasting life. But did you know that’s not the only place in the Bible that Jesus talks about the light of the world? In Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus takes up this phrase again. However, this time he’s not talking about himself – he’s talking about us!

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

It’s a familiar pattern throughout the Bible: God blesses us so that we can be a blessing to others. It’s what God says to Abraham in the Old Testament (Gen. 22:18) and it’s what Jesus said to his disciples in the New Testament. If your faith is in Jesus, the light of the world lives in you – but it doesn’t stop there. It also shines out of us. It shines not just so we can see, but so others can see as well. In that way, the blessings we receive from Jesus allow us to bless other people.

Can you think of a time you’ve seen the light of Jesus in another Christian? Did it cause you to give glory to your Father in heaven?