Matthew 5:14-16; Identity - Light ~ 20230101 ~ Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org
01/01 [Advent] Identity: Children of Light; Audio available at: http://www.ephraimbible.org/Sermons/20230101_advent-lights.mp3
This advent we’ve been giving our attention to Jesus the light of the world.
Jesus the True Light [John 1]
John begins with the pre-existent Word; the one who was with God and who was himself God, the Creator of all things. In verse 4 he says:
John 1:4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
We learn in verse 8 that John...
John 1:8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.
Jesus is life, the light of the world, the true light who was coming into the world. John 1:14 describes the wonder of this entrance of light into our dark world.
John 1:14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The eternal Word became human, took on flesh, pitched his tent among us. Jesus is the light of the world. The only-begotten Son of God puts on display the glory of God. He shows us God’s grace, he shows us God’s truth, in ways we can comprehend. Verse 18 says:
John 1:18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
God become flesh makes the invisible God known. The only-begotten God makes his Father known.
Jesus says:
John 8:12 ... “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
John 12:46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.
Jesus is the light, and he invites us into his light.
Believe While You Have The Light [John 12]
In John 12, Jesus, looking toward his death, warns that it is urgent that people believe in him while the light is shining.
John 12:35 So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. 36 While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” ...
The light is among you for a little while longer. While you have the light, believe in the light.
Light in the Darkness [Matthew]
Matthew uses the words of Isaiah 9 to describe the coming of Jesus as light:
Matthew 4:16 the people dwelling in darkness have seen a great light, and for those dwelling in the region and shadow of death, on them a light has dawned.”
Jesus is the true light who entered our world, the great light shining in darkness, chasing the shadows of death away.
You Are the Light [Matthew 5]
But in Matthew 5, Jesus says something startling to his followers.
Matthew 5:14 “You are the light of the world.
Let that sink in. Jesus is the true light who came into our world, but Jesus now turns to his disciples and says ‘You are the light of the world.’
How do you feel about that? We admire, we stand in awe, we worship Jesus. He is the true light. Unrivaled, unequaled, unattainable in his perfections. He has life in himself; he is the self-existent one. And that life is light, glorious, brilliant, flawless.
But he turns to us and commissions us. He is about to leave this earth. You are to be the light of the world. How is that even possible?
Qualified; New Identity [Colossians 1; Ephesians 5]
Look at what Paul says to the saints in Colossae;
Colossians 1:11 May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy, 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. 15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Jesus is one-of-a-kind, unparalleled, unique. There is no one like him. He is the only-begotten Son. He is the Creator of all that exists, and everything exists for his pleasure. Jesus is the flawless image of the invisible God; the perfect reflection of his Father. He is the true light that shines in the darkness.
We are not qualified. We all have sinned and fall so far short of the glory of God (Rom.3:23). We can’t reflect the glory of the Father like Jesus does. Paul tells the Ephesians
Ephesians 5:8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light
He doesn’t just say that we were in the dark, or we were less bright, just kind of dark; we were darkness. That was our identity. Jesus is the light. We were darkness. Unworthy. Disqualified.
But now you are light in the Lord. In Jesus you have been given a new identity. Now you are children of light. Now you are light in the Lord.
Colossians says that the Father has qualified us, he has made us sufficient, competent, fit, he has made us qualified to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He rescued us out of the kingdom of darkness. He transferred us into the kingdom of his beloved Son. Our allegiance has been transferred to a different kingdom with an infinitely better King. Jesus redeemed us; he bought us out of slavery. At the cross, Jesus purchased our forgiveness; he cancelled the record of debt that stood against us (Col.2:14). We were darkness, but we have been made competent to be light. We give thanks to the Father, because this is his gift to us.
Called Into His Light [1 Peter]
1 Peter 2:5 says this:
1 Peter 2:5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.
Acceptable. We are priests offering spiritual sacrifices that are acceptable to God. Peter then draws a contrasts between us who believe and those who do not believe in Jesus, and says in verse 9
1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
We have been chosen, called out of darkness, called into light, his marvelous light. We are his, we belong. We belong to him; we are a people for his own possession. We have been made acceptable through Jesus Christ. We have been called out of darkness and are now in the light, and we are to proclaim the excellencies of Jesus. We are to point others to the true light.
Paul Sent to Open Blind Eyes [Acts 26]
When Saul the persecutor was knocked to the ground by a brilliant blinding light, brighter than the sun, he was told:
Acts 26:16 But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, 17 delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles— to whom I am sending you 18 to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.’
God commissioned Paul to open blind eyes, to turn people from darkness to light, to rescue people from the grip of the devil. Those who believe in Jesus receive forgiveness of sins, and an identity among the saints, those who are sanctified, set apart, made holy by faith; by believing, by depending on Jesus.
This Treasure in Jars of Clay [2 Corinthians 4]
Paul describes his ministry in 2 Corinthians 4. He says he received this ministry by the mercy of God. His desire is that everyone would see the light of the good news of the glory of Christ, the image of God (2Cor.4:4).
2 Corinthians 4:5 For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
God’s powerful Word created light in Paul’s dark heart, light to see Jesus. Paul was called to open other blind eyes to the light of the good news of the glory of Jesus Christ. But he did not seek to draw attention to himself; he proclaimed Jesus Christ as Lord. He was among people as one who serves (Lk.22:27).
2 Corinthians 4:7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us.
Light shone in Paul’s dark heart. And he was commissioned to carry that light to others. But he carried around that darkness-destroying eye-opening light in a fragile earthen vessel. He was afflicted, perplexed, persecuted, struck down,
2 Corinthians 4:10 always carrying in the body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies. 11 For we who live are always being given over to death for Jesus' sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.
The powerful overcoming light of Jesus shone out of his fractured fragile frame so that Jesus would be seen for who he is, so that his life which is the light of men would shine even more brightly, so that it was evident that the surpassing power was not from Paul himself; it belongs to God shining through this jar of clay.
Back to Matthew 5
With all of this in mind, let’s go back to Matthew 5, where Jesus calls us, his followers, the light of the world.
Jesus compares his followers to a city on a hill that cannot be hidden, a lamp put on a stand, designed to give light to all in the house.
The context of Matthew 5:14 is Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount; the beatitudes. He says blessed are the poor in spirit, those who mourn, the meek, those hungry for righteousness, the merciful, the pure in heart, peacemakers, the persecuted. He calls us salt and light in this world. Jesus is calling us to follow him, to reflect his character as he has reflected the character of his Father.
Jesus says ‘you are the light of the world.’ You plural (y’all) are the light singular. This is where grammar is so important. He doesn’t say you individually are the light. He doesn’t say y’all plural are lights plural. He says you all; corporately, as the body of Christ, together, make up the one light. This is the responsibility of the church, all of us together. Y’all together are the light of the world.
He says in verse 16:
Matthew 5:16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
Y’all are the light of the world. That is your new identity in Jesus Christ. Y’all together let your light shine so others can see it. But let the good works that we do shine in such a way that attention is not drawn to us, but puts on display the life of Jesus in us, shining through us, fragile fractured earthen vessels, sinners, forgiven, transformed by God’s grace into sons of light, so that God gets all the glory.
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2023.01.01 Sermon Notes
Matthew 5:14-16 – You Are the Light
The self-existent Word was the light of men
John 1:4-5, 8-9, 14, 18; 8:12; 12:46
The urgency of believing while you have the light
John 12:35-36
Jesus is the great light dawning on those in darkness
Matthew 4:16
You are the light of the world
Matthew 5:14
Jesus is the unique image of the invisible God
Colossians 1:15-16
We all fall short of the glory of God; we were darkness
Romans 3:23; Ephesians 5:8
The Father has qualified us to participate in his light
Colossians 1:11-14
God called us into his light
I Peter 2:5-9
Paul was commissioned to open blind eyes
Acts 26:16-17; 2 Corinthians 4:4-11
Y’all (plural) display the character of Jesus in your actions so that God gets all the glory
Matthew 5:1-16
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Pastor Rodney Zedicher ~ Ephraim Church of the Bible ~ www.ephraimbible.org