A couple of days ago we started on the topic of being salt and light and yesterday I was led to quote a section from my book. Today we continue.
“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” (Matthew 5:14b, 15). Imagine a massive city on top of a hill, seen by all who pass. A large city in Jesus’ time probably had sufficient lights in the windows to make quite an impression.
Many Christians keep low profiles when it comes to witnessing. Once Jesus’ light is living in us through the Holy Spirit, it cannot be hidden. Those outside Christ cannot miss the fact that we are emitting something. However, they do not know what they see unless we tell them. The man who approached Reinhardt Bonnke was probably a Christian, because he knew what he saw.
We set a lamp on a stand in order to make light for all in the room. It is our Christian duty to bring the Light of the Holy Spirit to the world so that they will be able to see through the darkness in their lives. If you are camping with your family and one of the children needs to go to the bathroom after dark, would you send her without a flashlight? Instead, we would get a flashlight and walk with her because we love her and don’t want anything to happen to her.
Why then do we not allow those of the world to experience the light of the Holy Spirit in their darkness? Is it because we don’t love them enough? Maybe we are selfish and want to avoid involvement. If we are passive, not allowing the world or even other Christians to understand the light we have, are we not self-centred and careless?
How do we bring light to the darkness in their lives? We do it by allowing them to identify with the darkness that we used to have and then let them understand how the Light of the World removed our darkness. In other words we tell what we used to be like and then share how our lives have changed through becoming one with Jesus. “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’” (John 8:12).
The Holy Spirit gives new revelation to Christians daily. Usually those who are walking closely with the Lord receive His revelation light. We are not meant to hide this light but to share it with the others in our lives. We should make good use of every opportunity to teach one another, for revelation knowledge brings faith. “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). The written Word (logos), made alive by revelation from Christ (rhema), through the Holy Spirit, creates faith.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16a).
Pastors and church leaders have a responsibility to recognise opportunities for their members to share their light with the congregation (Ephesians 4:11-16 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Ephesians%204:11-16&version=NIV1984). The ministers’ job is to identify the gifts within the congregation and create opportunity for the development of those gifts in each individual. Say, for instance, the church leadership identifies a few immature teachers. The mature teachers should take an interest in these people and equip them with knowledge. Once the new teachers are ready, the leadership could guide them in preparing sermons, and then let them teach. The same could happen with the other gifts such as encouragement, leadership, mercy, etc (Romans 12:6-8 http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=romans%2012:6-8&version=NIV1984). In this way, the church obeys the command to equip the saints for ministry, and everybody has the opportunity to let their light shine. It prepares the way for church growth, since the Lord sees that there are enough equipped workers to handle the growth.
Lord, please show me how I can help others remove the darkness from their lives.
Thank you Lord that your Word went out from your mouth, via your servant’s pen, and it will not return to you empty, but will accomplish what you desire and achieve the purpose for which you sent it.
Please pass this on if you think others may benefit by it.
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