You are the Light of the World

Normally I do not edit my sermons between what I print out and what I post here, even if what I preach is vastly different than what I preach on Sunday morning.  However, yesterday we were scheduled to have a baptism but due to Adele, the one being baptized, being sick, the baptism has been postponed by two weeks.  But alas my sermon included a few lines mentioning Adele and her baptism as an example of our baptism. So for once I have opted to edit a sermon before it is posted on here.  I have a feeling though that Adele will be mentioned in my sermon in two weeks.  


This sermon is based on yesterday's gospel text, Matthew 5:13-20, especially verse 16 which is quoted in the baptism rite. "Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven."   


Enjoy the sermon!


Now what idiot puts a lit candle under a basket? Seriously is there anyone who would do such a thing unless they wanted to start a fire? I don’t think there is such a person, which is exactly why Jesus uses this example.

No one needs to be reminded to put the lamp on a lampstand and not under a basket. It is a no brainer, a no duh situation.

The same is true about a city built on a hill. People have always built tall things or on top of high ground so that it can be seen from miles around. It is the reason for church steeples, not that we have one. It is one of the reason sky scrapers are popular. They can been seen and therefore they must be important. Cities on hills, sky scrapers and church steeples are built so high so people can see them from miles away and find their way to them.

So no one needs to be reminded that a city on a hill cannot be hid. A city built on a hill is not suppose to be hidden, it is meant to be seen. It is a no brainer, a no duh situation.

Jesus does not need to remind us of these things. And yet he does. And not only does he remind us of these things he calls us the light of the world. You are the light of the world. We are the light of the world. In this midst of these short winter days, with only a little over 10 hours of daylight, if the clouds clear away long enough for us to see the sun, isn’t it wonderful to hear that we are light of the world?

And yet we needed to be told this. Jesus needed to remind us not to light a lamp and put it under a basket. Jesus needed to remind us that a city on a hill cannot be hid. Jesus needed to remind us this, because while we are the light of the world, we are still in darkness.

We are amid the darkness of sin and death. We are surrounded by our selfish desires to care for ourselves above those in need. We are surrounded by greed, lust, and envy. We are surrounded by laws of this world and by God’s laws.

We are unrighteous, and therefore not able to enter the kingdom of heaven.

And yet we are the light of the world! Jesus has made us the light of the world. And when the light shines in the darkness, the darkness cannot over come it. One small candle in the midst of a bright sunny day still shines, but it is not until it is surrounded by darkness that one sees just how brightly it is shining.

We are able shine, we are the light of the world, because Jesus has made us the light of the world. Jesus gives us his light. It is a light that lives in each of us, one that was given to us at our baptism. At our baptism, we or one of our parents or sponsors, were given a candle, our baptismal candle and the words from today’s gospel was said “Let your light so shine before others that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

Our light is not the flame that is on the tip of that candle, because if you are like me, you have no clue where that candle is or if you ever even received one.

Instead our light lives inside us. It is one that can never be extinguished. It is a light that is given to us in baptism not by a pastor or worship assistant but by the Holy Spirit. It is the light of Christ. A light that grows and glows as we grow in faith. Out light grows and glows as we give generously of our time, talents and gifts to God through our word and deed. Our light grows and glows stronger as we read scripture through word and hymn. Our light grows and glows stronger we offer up prayers to God and enter into conversation with Christ Jesus. Our light grows and glows stronger as we worship together with others so that we might be fed and filled. And our light grows and glows stronger as we do good in this world, not so that it points to us, but so we might glorify God.

In baptism we have been given an awesome gift, one that we often cannot see physically, but one that is with us always. Through our baptism we have been made the light of the world. And when light shines in the darkness, darkness cannot overcome it.