This Little Light

Matthew 5:14-16 and Pslam 107:10-16 14 

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15 People do not light a lamp and put it under the bushel basket; rather, they put it on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

HOMILY

There is something about light that captures our attention. When the electricity goes out, we immediately begin looking for a flashlight so we can find our way through the house. When a child is frightened at night, we turn on a small nightlight for him or her so as to take away their fear of the dark. When we come to worship we light a candle to symbolize that the light of Heaven is dawning upon us. Even the smallest light can make a difference in changing the darkness that invades our lives; whether that darkness is physical or spiritual. So..in order to help His disciples to understand how they can participate in dispelling the spiritual darkness of the world— Jesus speaks to them metaphorically in the following unforgettable words: “Let your light so shine before others, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”“Let your light so shine before others, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Can we hear the echo of those words throughout Church History? Can we hear Jesus speaking those words to you and me even now? What light is Jesus talking about—when he tells us to shine our light before others? I think it is safe to say that He is NOT referring to any light which we inherently have on our own. To the contrary, according to the Psalm 107:10 which Sharon just read, “We dwell in utter darkness.” We are not the light of the world. JESUS is the light of the world. The light (of which Jesus speaks) is ours only in the sense that when the light of Christ shines upon us—we are the reflection of that light. Just as moonlight is the refection of the SUN. Christian light is the reflection of the glorious SON of God. Without Him we would have nothing to reflect at all. Many of us are familiar with a song from Sunday School or Vacation Bible School: “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine… Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.” In that familiar song—this little light is our light—NOT because it belongs to us. It is ONLY OUR light because we belong to God—and—HIS light shines through us. That light shines through us in many shades and at various levels of brightness. Whether it is a colorful light or a plain one—a bright one— or a mere flicker—we should not underestimate the light coming from God and reflected in That light shines through us in many shades and at various levels of brightness. Whether it is a colorful light or a plain one—a bright one— or a mere flicker—we should not underestimate the light coming from God and reflected in That light shines through us in many shades and at various levels of brightness. Whether it is a colorful light or a plain one—a bright one— or a mere flicker—we should not underestimate the light coming from God and reflected in many ways throughout our lives here on earth. Many years ago our family visited one of those enormous underground caverns. Our youngest son, Joel, was just a little boy at the time. As we walked deeper underground, the guide finally stopped our group and smiled. He said, “In just a moment you are going to experience total darkness.”Then he turned off the light switch which extinguished every light in the cave. He thought he had created complete darkness…. Except…it was not completely dark at all. Near my feet two tiny lights continued blinking. It was my son’s sneakers which had little flashing lights built into the soles. Blink… Blink…Blink…Blink…Blink. Those little lights were hardly powerful enough to illuminate the cavern.They were not floodlights. They were not spotlights. They were simply tiny blinking lights. Yet as little as they were, they changed the darkness of that cavern. I’ve never forgotten that moment. Neither have I forgotten what Jesus said:“You are the light of the world.” Sometimes we might be little lights. But we should not underestimate what God can do through the light which we reflect from Him—colorful or plain—large or even small. Sometimes we might be little lights. But we should not underestimate what God can do through the light which we reflect from Him—colorful or plain—large or even small. One encouraging word can make a difference. One act of kindness. One visit to someone who is lonely. One prayer. One quiet witness. One small light. Such may seem insignificant to us— but not so. Jesus is the light of the World, and when we reflect that light, nothing is too small. Nothing is insignificant. There is another picture of this truth all around us every Sunday morning. Just look at the beautiful stained-glass windows in this sanctuary. Each one is made from hundreds of little pieces of colored glass—Some are ruby red—Others are sapphire blue. Some are emerald green. Others are amber, purple, or crystal clear. If you held one little piece in your hand, it might not seem very impressive. But when the morning sun shines through those many different pieces, something beautiful happens. Each little piece allows its own ray of light to pass through. No single piece creates the whole picture. Yet together they reveal Christ—Or little children gathered around Him—Or the Good Shepherd carrying His sheep— Or a picture of one of our Lord’s wonderful parables—like the sower there in the back of the sanctuaray. Have you ever noticed something else? If we came into this sanctuary at midnight with every light turned off, these windows would simply be dark pieces of colored glass. Beautiful craftsmanship, to be sure—but without light, their beauty could not be seen.Have you ever noticed something else? If we came into this sanctuary at midnight with every light turned off, these windows would simply be dark pieces of colored glass. Beautiful craftsmanship, to be sure—but without light, their beauty could not be seen. The beauty is not in the glass alone. The beauty is in the light shining through the glass. Isn’t that exactly what Jesus meant? Christ is the Light. We are simply the proverbial pieces of glass through which His light shines. None of us reflects Him in exactly the same way. Some reflect His compassion—Others His generosity—Some His patience—Others His wisdom. Some teach—Some sing—Some pray—Some quietly visit the sick—Some encourage discouraged hearts—Some welcome strangers—and Some serve behind the scenes where no one notices except God. Every one of us is a different piece in God’s stained-glass window. We have different gifts. Different personalities. Different experiences. But when the light of Christ shines through all of us together, the world begins to see the face of Jesus more clearly. Remove enough pieces, and the picture becomes incomplete. Cover the window, and even the finest craftsmanship disappears into darkness. But when every piece welcomes the light, Christ is beautifully revealed. Friends, perhaps these windows have been preaching to us every Sunday, and we simply haven’t noticed.But when every piece welcomes the light, Christ is beautifully revealed. Friends, perhaps these windows have been preaching to us every Sunday, and we simply haven’t noticed. Christ is the light of the world and we are the many shimmering reflections of His light. We don’t light up the whole world. But we can light up the piece of the world where we are. One well written hymn puts it this ways: “Do not wait until some deed of greatness you may do Do not wait to shed your light afar. To the many duties ever near you—now be true Brighten the corner where you are…. God has given every one of us a corner—Our family—Our neighborhood. Our workplace—Our school—Our church— Our community. That is where He asks us to shine. Sometimes the light shines brightest when life is darkest. The Apostle Paul wrote letters that still change lives. Where did Paul let his light shine? It was from a dark prison cell. In the darkness and chaos of an angry crowd, Stephen saw the glorious light coming from the face of Christ. When did he see it? He saw it when he was dying. Think for a moment. When have we been closest to Christ? When has the light of heaven more powerfully dawned upon our earthly pilgrimage? Has it not been in the darkness moments? Isn’t it true that the darker the night, the brighter the light appears?Think for a moment. When have we been closest to Christ? When has the light of heaven more powerfully dawned upon our earthly pilgrimage? Has it not been in the darkness moments? Isn’t it true that the darker the night, the brighter the light appears? Perhaps that is why some of the strongest Christian witness comes from people who continue trusting Christ through illness…through grief…through disappointment…through loss. Their circumstances may be dark—But Christ still shines through them. So it is with you and me. Most of us will never be famous—Our names may never appear in history books—But every one of us can brighten someone’s corner. Every one of us can become an answer to another person’s prayer. Every one of us can point someone toward Jesus. We are not the light of the world. Jesus is. We are the reflection of that light. So let us shine for Jesus. Why do we reflect the light of Jesus? Why do we let our little light shine? Jesus answers that question in our gospel text: “Let your light so shine before others, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” There we have the answer. We don’t shine for our own glory. We shine so that all those who see that light and our helped by that light, can glorify the Father in heaven. The glory is not ours. It belongs to the Father. That is the difference between shining and showing off.The glory is not ours. It belongs to the Father. That is the difference between shining and showing off. If people leave saying, “What wonderful Christians we are!” we have missed the point. But if they leave saying, “What a wonderful Savior Jesus is!” Then our reflective light has fulfilled its purpose. Perhaps this morning there are those among us whose light feels dim. Maybe disappointment has covered it. Maybe grief. Maybe illness. Maybe worry. Maybe sin. Remember…Jesus did not tell us to create more light. He simply said, “Let it shine.” So….let us come again to the Light of the World. Let Him remove whatever hides the light that is within us. Let us reflect His love. Let us reflect His grace— His mercy—His hope. And somewhere this week—in a hospital room… at the grocery store… across a backyard fence… in a phone call… or through a simple act of kindness—someone walking through darkness might notice and be helped by the light of Christ which we reflect. It may seem no brighter than the blinking lights on a little boy’s shoes in a dark cave. It may seem no more significant than one little piece of colored glass in a stained-glass window.It may seem no more significant than one little piece of colored glass in a stained-glass window. Yet God can use even that small light to point someone to Christ. So let us leave this place singing not only with our lips, but with our lives, “The Light of the World is Jesus”. PASTORAL PRAYER: Gracious Father, We thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, the Light of the world. Thank You for calling us out of darkness into His marvelous light and for the privilege of reflecting His love and grace to others. Lord, we confess that we cannot shine by our own strength. Fill us anew with Your Holy Spirit. Like the stained-glass windows that surround us, may our lives reveal the beauty of Christ as His light shines through us. Help us to brighten the corner You have given us and to glorify You in all we say and do. Today we pray for those who walk through dark valleys. Bring healing to the sick, comfort to the grieving, hope to the discouraged, peace to the anxious, and strength to all who are weary in body, mind, or spirit. Let the light of Christ shine brightly in their lives. Bless Your Church, unite us in Your love, and use us together to bear faithful witness to our Savior. Guide our leaders, strengthen our community, and help us to be instruments of Your peace wherever You send us.Bless Your Church, unite us in Your love, and use us together to bear faithful witness to our Savior. Guide our leaders, strengthen our community, and help us to be instruments of Your peace wherever You send us. As we leave this place, may our lives point others not to ourselves, but to Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray, and who taught us to pray together, saying, Our Father, who art in heaven…