Tag Archives: light

Follow the Light | Bible Gleanings – September 16-17, 2023

September 15, 2023 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

A chilling fear and eerie coldness washed over me as we sank into the sunless and spine-chilling abyss. “No one should be here,” I thought. Only a person who finds pleasure in roaming aimlessly in nothingness until they die would feel at home there. My young imagination had even persuaded me that this place was a trap full of bloodthirsty monsters ready to strangle me with their sharp claws. In reality, however, it wasn’t even that bad—it was just my first visit to Mammoth Cave in south central Kentucky when I was a youngster.

Our family decided to participate in the “lantern tour,” in which everyone packed in behind the tour guide who carried an old-time kerosene lamp. And we soon realized that light was our most precious possession in the dark. We could hardly make out what was right in front of our faces without it. The winding passages, pools of water, and jagged rock formations were invisible without the guiding glow of the lantern. And thus, we all stuck close behind the leader with the light to avoid stumbling, slowing down, or straying off into a spooky section of the cave system.

Following the man with the light was wise, but it is even wiser to follow the Son of Man, who is the Light of the world. As Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). You don’t have to worry about wandering hopelessly through this dark world when you faithfully follow Jesus Christ. You won’t stumble in the darkness or stray into territory that is hazardous to your soul when you stick close behind the Light (John 12:46). He will guide you away from twisting tunnels of sin, perilous pits of wickedness, and prickly evils of the culture.

Jesus has also provided His followers with a lamp that they can always carry with them: the word of God. As the psalmist declared, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105, KJV). Sin is exposed for what it truly is because of the light the Scripture casts (Rom. 7:13). The path of righteousness is also illuminated by its glow, as it reveals the steps you should take. And its bright light dispels the shadow that hides the true nature of the world.

Furthermore, believers are “children of light,” called to shine the light of Christ to those lost in the darkness of sin (Eph. 5:8; 1 Thess. 5:5). Jesus came to “give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death” (Luke 1:79a), and He spreads His saving light through those who have been “called out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9b; cf. Matt. 5:16). Will you follow the Light and shine His light to others?

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He pastored the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky for six years. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (English Shepherd), and Dot (Bluetick Beagle).

For more devotional entries like this, check out Brandon’s latest book, Bible Gleanings Volume II, which features 100 daily devotionals gleaned from God’s word:

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Light of the World | Bible Gleanings – Advent Edition – December 10-11, 2022

December 10, 2022 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

Long red candles have been a warm and inviting Christmas emblem for many centuries. Today, they protrude from table arrangements of evergreen and holly, or they sit on the windowsill for the neighbors to admire. In olden days, however, candles were hung on Christmas trees as ornaments. In fact, if you look closely at most electric Christmas lights, they resemble a taper or a flame. Everyone knows that candles are an iconic holiday symbol, but no one really knows how they became associated with Christmas.

In ancient times, pagans would light candles during the dark winter as an expression of anticipation for spring. People also placed candles in their window to signal to weary travelers that they could rest at their home. When the British persecuted Irish priests, Catholics in Ireland placed glimmering tapers in the windows as a sign that the priests were welcome in their homes. And over time, Christians of old began lighting candles during advent to symbolize the coming of Jesus Christ, the true Light.

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). As God, Jesus is light and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). By contrast, we are born in the domain of darkness with a darkened heart (Romans 1:21; Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 2:9). Our sin nature even hates the light (John 3:19). And the good news of Christmas is that Jesus came to earth to give us light so that we would not wander hopelessly in the darkness: “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness” (John 12:46).

Jesus shines brightly like a brilliantly burning candle in a grimly dark room. The darkness has nowhere to hide from His luminous light. And if you follow Jesus as the light, He will remove you from the kingdom of darkness and shine forth His light in your formerly blackened heart. That is why Paul said, “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” (2 Corinthians 4:6). Hymn writer James Quinn captured this beautifully when he penned this stanza in Blessed Be the God of Israel:

“The rising Sun shall shine on us,

To bring the light of day.

To all who sit in darkest night

And shadow of the grave.

Our footsteps God shall safely guide

To walk the ways of peace.

His name forever more be blessed

Who lives and loves and saves.”

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

Bible Gleanings, devotions, Sermons

The Old Lighthouse | Bible Gleanings – October 8-9, 2022

October 7, 2022 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

The old lighthouse may be crumbling, but it continues to beam guiding light across the stormy sea. The Hooper Island Lighthouse in Chesapeake Bay has been steering seafarers since 1901, but many people think it’s time for the old beacon to retire to the junkyard. What used to be a brilliantly towering cylinder of hope is now a worn out and rusty hunk of metal. However, according to the Washington Post, the lighthouse isn’t going anywhere since it remains as an “active aid to navigation for the U.S. Coast Guard.” Even though it is old and frail, it still has a pivotal purpose: lighting the way.

Similarly, all Christians are called to be a “lighthouse” for sinners sailing in the darkness of depravity. The “children of light” are commanded to radiate the light of the glory of Christ in order to direct wayward sinners to the “Father of lights” (cf. 1 Thess. 5:5; James 1:17). As Jesus said, “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-15).

The harsh elements of life will eventually cause us to rust and wither away, but this is our eternally significant purpose as long as we remain standing. The “outer self” is wasting away, and it’s not as vigorous as it used to be (cf. 2 Cor. 4:16). Indeed, you will fade like flowers of the field, and your radiance will dim with time (Isaiah 40:7). Moreover, with each passing day, you are closer to the dust from which you came (Eccl. 12:7). But, as long as God keeps you upright in the world’s waters, your critical mission is to shine gospel light to those who grope in the darkness of sin (cf. 2 Cor. 4:6).

“O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come” (Psalm 70:17-18).

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

Bible Gleanings, devotions

Light Exposure | Bible Gleanings – January 8-9, 2022

January 7, 2022 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

Skunk spray is easy to smell, but difficult to see. A few months ago, our dogs were sprayed by the gag-inducing gas (nothing out of the ordinary), and I had difficulty expelling the odor from our home because I couldn’t tell where it was. I could no longer endure identifying it with my nose, so I purchased an ultraviolet flashlight to do so. Because the flashlight emits fluorescent rays that detect mold, pet urine, and other stains, I thought skunk spray (which is an oil) would undoubtedly glow neon green under its light.

Unfortunately, it did not. However, when I strolled around the house with the handheld light, it uncovered spots and stains I never saw before. It highlighted tiny specks of food residue near the trash can and small drip lines of condensation by the stovetop fan. The light exposed grime I could not see with the naked eye. And, while I was frustrated to discover that we had even more to clean than before, I am grateful that the light revealed previously unseen dirt. Don’t buy an ultraviolet flashlight unless you are prepared to break out the Clorox for a thorough cleaning!

The blazing light of holy Scripture also exposes grime we cannot see with the naked eye. The Holy Spirit uses the Bible to reveal stains that we would never detect by ourselves. When you read and study God’s word, it shines a brilliant beam on sin’s residue in your heart and life. Paul wrote, “But all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light” (Ephesians 5:13).

Apart from Scripture’s radiant light of truth shining upon us, we will stumble in the darkness of evil and error. The psalmist declared, “The unfolding of your words gives light” (Psalm 119:130). Solomon likewise proclaimed, “For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life” (Proverbs 6:23).

The light of Scripture does not uncover our sins so the Lord may see them, for even “our secret sins [are] in the light of your presence” (Psalm 90:8). Instead, the Bible’s gleaming light exposes our sins so we can see them for what they truly are.

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

Bible Gleanings, devotions, Other

The Lights and the Darks | Bible Gleanings – Feb 20-21, 2021

February 19, 2021 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

The Lights and the Darks

Everyone has heard the age-old proverbial caution about washing clothes: don’t wash the lights with the darks. Don’t throw your black socks in the wash cycle with your white dress shirt. The purpose of keeping them separate is not to prevent the darker clothing items from being ruined by the lighter ones—just the opposite. Dye from the dark clothes will penetrate and stain the fabric fibers of your lighter-colored clothes.

Apparently, even God believes in separating the lights from the darks. One of the first things God did when creating the universe is separate the light from the dark:

“And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness” (Gen. 1:4).

God partitioned and divorced light from the dark because, as polar opposites, they did not belong together. He wanted no association to exist between light and dark, perhaps to reflect His own sanctified nature: “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5b).

God also wants His people, who are called “children of light” to remain separate from the dark—the darkness of sin (1 Thess. 5:5). If you have believed the gospel, then God has “called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9), and He wants you to be disconnected and disassociated from the blackness of sin in the world. Paul asked the obvious question, “What fellowship has light with darkness?” (2 Cor. 6:14b). There should be none—no fellowship, no mingling, and no mixing with the filthy and dark garments that are the ways of the world. When you get into the washing machine with the world, its darkness will not be stained by your light—the pitch-black dye of sin will stain you.

Unfortunately, because of the corruption of sin, we love the darkness instead of the light (John 3:19). We would rather remain in the black clothes pile of the world, the very “domain of darkness” (Col. 1:13). But for those who know Christ by repentance and faith, a great separation has taken place. The Lord God separated and removed you from this dark and grimy world and clothed you in pure and unstained vestments of white (Rev. 3:4-5; 7:9). He has separated the “lights” from the “darks.”

God delivered and disentangled you from the world’s dark clothes pile. You must resist the enticing appeal of the flesh to jump back in. As a follower of Christ, you cannot love or live in the darkness any longer. As Christ said, “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness” (John 12:46). And the same God who separated you will sustain you with the resisting power necessary to abstain from the darkness, so long as you continually submit to Him.

Bible Gleanings is a widely-read weekend devotional column, written for the Murray Ledger & Times in Calloway County, Kentucky.

devotions, Other

Light on the Path

May 2, 2020 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” (Psalm 119:105).

Any hiker knows that night comes quicker on the trail. Because of the density of trees and the constant change between hills and valleys, the sun seems to disappear faster—almost as if God turns the light off with a switch. I’ve observed this while backpacking and I’ve also observed that you rarely reach your campsite before dark, so you have to continue hiking in the strange and unknown world of the night-time wilderness.

Thankfully, light is available from flashlights and headlamps (as long as you take them with you). With light shining on the trail ahead, I know I am going the right way as I can see trail markers that are otherwise hidden in the darkness. With light, I can avoid dangers I couldn’t see without light—creek crossings, holes, drop-offs, and even critters that would rather be undisturbed. With light, I can provide guidance to others who may be hiking with me in the night. Without light, I would be lost on the trail, trembling with fear, and wandering into danger without even knowing it.

The psalmist who penned the verse above wasn’t a hiker or backpacker, but he knew the value of having light to guide his steps on a path. That light is the word of God, he said. The light is the holy Scriptures and they provide guidance and protection as you travel on the path of life which is often dark. With the light of God’s word, you can walk wisely and have assurance that you’re on the right path. His word will show you the “trail markers.” With the light of Scripture, God will help you avoid spiritual danger—temptation, deception, and all sorts of things you couldn’t see on your own. And with the bright light of His word, you can show others the way. It’s a dark world out there—let the light of His word shine on your path to guide your feet.

Brandon is the founder and main contributor to Brandon’s Desk, the blog with biblical resources from his ministry. He is proud to be the pastor of the family of believers at Locust Grove Baptist Church in Murray, Kentucky. He and his wife Dakota live there with their three dogs, Susie (Jack Russell), Aries (Aussiedor), and Dot (beagle).

christmas, devotions

Day 14: Light of the World

December 14, 2019 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

“The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” —John 1:8

Candles are a pleasant and beautiful Christmas symbol, and they have been for centuries. Today, the long red tapers protrude from table arrangements of evergreen and holly. In the old days, candles were used as ornaments for Christmas trees (hopefully unlit!). In fact, if you look closely at most Christmas lights, they resemble the shape of a candle or flame.

But as prevalent as candles are this time of year, no one really knows why candles became associated with Christmas. Pagans in ancient days would light them during the winter as a symbol of anticipation for spring. It’s highly likely that Christians of old modified the meaning—lighting candles during Christmas to represent the coming of Jesus, who is the true light.

Candles are lit to provide light in the darkness—so also, Jesus came to bring light to those in the darkness of sin. Every human being lives in the domain of darkness with a darkened heart and is in desperate need of deliverance into the light (Romans 1:21; Colossians 1:13; 1 Peter 2:9).

The good news is, Jesus is the light which gives light to everyone, as John said above. Even the Lord Himself said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12). Like a brilliantly burning candle in a grim and dark room, Jesus shines brightly in this dark world to give you hope.

Sermons

Anomaly: Kingdom People Making a Difference (Matt. 5:13-16)

January 30, 2015 Brandon G. B. Leave a comment

Introduction: Obedience to God is Rebellion

There is a notable quality among the major characters of the Bible: they were different.

Abraham defied his culture and its standards by following God wherever He called him to go. He didn’t question God about the things we consider important, but simply followed God out of faith and reliance on Him (Gen. 12:1-9). Joseph remained faithful to God in extremely difficult circumstances, when no one would have blamed him for turning against those who had made his life difficult (Gen. 37-50). Moses, while he made plenty of mistakes, still followed the Lord when the whole nation of Israel wandered away from God (see Exodus-Deuteronomy). Joshua obeyed the Lord even when it didn’t make since; and he conquered through God’s strength. And there are many other characters in the Bible who obeyed the Lord when it seemed unreasonable and when it didn’t seem relevant. Even though they made mistakes, these characters are remembered for their faithfulness to the Lord. Among these in the Old Testament are Job, Samson, Ruth, Hannah, Samuel, David, Solomon, Elijah, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Hosea, and many others.

In the New Testament, we have a treasury of courageous accounts of obedience to God that defied the culture and standards of the time. Jesus first of all didn’t conform to the legalist religion of the Pharisees, but remained truly obedient to God even to the point of death (Phil. 2:8). Peter preached some of the boldest, fiery sermons recorded in all of Scripture. They flew right in the face of the culture and standards held by the religious rulers, and even those who weren’t religious (Acts 2:14-41; 3:12-26; 4:5-12; 10:28-47; 11:4-18; 15:7-11). Stephen remained faithful to God and even prayed for the forgiveness of those who were killing him, while they were killing him (Acts 7:54-60). Paul was the most influential person to Christianity, apart from Jesus Christ. He was one who counted “everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:8a). Of course, there are many others that could be mentioned, but I believe without question, that our Bibles are replete with bold figures who remained obedient to God when no one else would, and who preached and proclaimed the truth in changing cultures.

Seeing this trend among the characters of Scripture, should not surprise us that the Scriptures themselves describe believers as outsiders:

“You shall be holy to me, for I the Lord am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you shall be mine” (Leviticus 20:26).

“For you are a people holy to the LORD your God. The LORD your God has chosen you to be a people for his treasured possession, out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth” (Deut. 7:6)

“They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (Jesus in John 17:16).

“Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind . . .” (Romans 12:2a)

“Sanctified in Christ Jesus . . .” (1 Cor. 1:2b)

“Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul” (1 Peter 2:11).

We just don’t belong in this world. Think about it: obedience to God is rebellion in our culture—because hardly anyone is obedient to God. Taking obedience to God seriously will define you in different ways—both good and bad. Divergent. Weird. Peculiar. Abnormal. Strange. Outsider. Or better known as anomaly.

No one defines what it means to be anomaly better than Jesus. In Jesus’ longest recorded sermon, we’re going to look and see what He says about being an outsider. This sermon is known as the Sermon on the Mount, spanning Matthew chapters 5 through 7. You will see it very evident in this sermon, that what He describes are not found in the people of the world. The actions and characteristics in the way that Jesus pictures in the Sermon are absent in those of the world. In fact, after Jesus finished His sermon, Matthew says that “And when Jesus finished these sayings, the crowds were astonished at his teaching, for he was teaching them as one who had authority, and not as their scribes” (Matt. 7:28-29). Jesus never continued the status quo; and the people were surprised and blown away by this fact.

The Sermon on the Mount—it’s all about doing things that nobody else is doing. It’s all about true Christian character. It’s all about making a difference in the world for the glory of God. If you live in the way that Jesus talks about here, it will be clearly noticeable that you don’t fit in. Everyday you are confronted with a decision to make. Do you dare live in the way(s) that Jesus describes here? Will you dare to live recklessly in obedience to God, through the ways Jesus describes? Are you ready to accept that challenge? Are you ready to accept the challenge of being anomaly?

With that being said, what do you think Jesus would say about being an outsider? Surprisingly, Jesus begins talking about being an outsider by saying that we as believers are salt and light.

The Text: Matthew 5:13-16, ESV

“13 “You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet. 14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 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. 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.”

I. Being Salt (v. 13)

A. Jesus Compares the Disciples to Salt (v. 13a)

First of all, notice that Jesus compares the disciples to salt. He says to the disciples, “You are the salt of the earth.” After the discourse on the Beatitudes (5:1-12), Jesus compares the disciples to an earthly element: salt. Immediately, we recognize that this is such a strange comparison. To find out what Jesus means here, it’s helpful to define how salt would have been used in Jesus’ day.

In Jesus’ day, there were many uses for salt (nearly all of them still in use today). It was used as a preservative to prevent corruption, fertilizer, it was used to add flavor, and it was used to symbolize wisdom (Lev. 2:13; Ezek. 43:24). There were other uses still: “It was, among other things, an element in sacrifices, a purifier, a condiment, a preservative—and its several symbolic associations—a sign of purity, of necessity, of loyalty, of peace, of good speech, [and] of wisdom.”¹ It’s not likely that Jesus is limiting His comparison of the disciples to salt to any one of those uses. Because of the wide range of uses, it’s impossible to single out any one.
But essentially, when it comes to the uses of salt—it affects what it comes in contact with right? It affects meats by preserving them, it affects food by adding flavor, it affects ice by melting it, and so on.

That’s what Jesus was saying here. He is talking about making an impact on the world—affecting the world around you. We know this is true from what Jesus says we are the salt of. We, as His disciples are the salt “of the earth.” Jesus wants us to act like salt here, and make an impact. The way we will make a true impact is by being effective, as we will see, for the glory of God. But for now, we will leave it at this: Jesus wants us to make an impact just as salt affects everything that it comes into contact with.

B. The Emphasis: Salt Maintaining its Taste (v. 13b)

Jesus compares His disciples to salt, saying that they are to make an impact on their world. But look what He says next: “But if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored?” (v. 13b). Jesus asks a question and gives a warning in the same sentence, emphasizing the importance of salt keeping its taste; this is what He talks about throughout the rest of v. 13.

How can salt lose its flavor? It can be diluted. Have you ever tried to separate salt from water once it is mixed together? That’s what Jesus is talking about here—He’s saying that it is impossible to restore saltiness or flavor to salt once it has been diluted. Jesus’ point is that we will become useless in our effectiveness in making an impact if we allow ourselves to be diluted by the world. The world needs our impact, and we will be useless to the world and being used by God if we allow ourselves to be diluted by the world. A prevalent theme in Scripture is that is impossible to associate or flirt with sin without harming yourself. Do you recall the proverb that says, “Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?” (Prov. 6:27).²

Think about it: if we become diluted by sin, what makes us different from anybody else? If we’re just doing what everyone else is doing how are we influencing others? By God’s grace, we are to resist from being influenced, and instead—influencing others. Influencing but not being influenced.

C. The Consequence of Salt Losing its Taste (v. 13c)

Notice last, in Jesus’ words about salt, that he talks about the consequence of salt losing its taste: “It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet” (v. 13c). Salt that lost its salt-like character would have no value. What Jesus is saying is that His disciples dare not allow the world to dilute their effectiveness, or they belong on the garbage heap. Such Christians will indeed be “trampled” because they are ineffective and useless. Luke has an interesting reading of Jesus’ words here:

“Salt is good, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is of no use either for the soil or for the manure pile. It is thrown away. He who has ears to hear, let him hear” (Luke 14:34-35).

Jesus says here that if you’ve lost your influence, you’re not even worthy to be among the manure! Christ isn’t saying that if you become diluted by sin that you will lose your salvation, but He is saying that you will lose your effectiveness, and that if you lose your effectiveness, what good are you really accomplishing?

John MacArthur reminds us of this, and he is worth quoting at length:

“With great responsibility there is often great danger. We cannot be an influence for purity in the world if we have compromised our own purity. We cannot sting the world’s conscience if we continually go against our own. We cannot stimulate thirst for righteousness if we have lost our own. We cannot be used of God to retard the corruption of sin in the world if our own lives become corrupted by sin. To lose our saltiness is not to lose our salvation, but it is to lose our effectiveness and to become disqualified for service.”³

Jesus says that we are to make an impact on our world, because if we don’t—we’re pretty useless. Are we making an impact? Or are we allowing ourselves to be diluted by the sins of the world? The world needs our impact, an ancient church treatise says, “What the soul is in a body, this the Christians are in the world.”⁴

II. Being Light (vv. 14-15)

A. Jesus Compares the Disciples to Light (v. 14a)

Just as Jesus compared His disciples to salt, notice here that he compares them to light: “You are the light of the world” (v. 14a). Light is one of Scripture’s most common symbols. God is light (Ps. 18:12; 104:2; 1 Tim. 6:16; 1 John 1:5), Christ is light (Matt 4:16; John 1:7, 9; 8:12; 9:5; 12:46), and God’s people are light (Eph 5:8; 1 Thess 5:5). Now think, what are some uses for light? While there are various uses for it, its chief function is to make one able to see. Again, like with what Jesus says we are the salt of, what does He say we are the light of? We are the “Light of the world.” This is because we are the window through which God’s light enters the world. He chose us to do this very thing. Paul says concerning our conversion, that God “has shone [His light] in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ” (2 Cor. 4:6, emphasis mine). God didn’t give us the gospel to be a hidden secret, but so that the whole world can see His light and transformation in us.

B. A Clear Example of the Impossibility of Hiding Light (v. 14b)

Notice next, that Jesus gives a memorable, visible example of how impossible it is to hide something that is big: “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” You can imagine that can’t you? The picture Jesus is painting is of houses and buildings that stand out on a landscape, shining brilliantly during the night. The point He is making in this discourse on light is this: if you’re truly saved—it’s hard to hide it. If you’re truly loving God and growing in your passion for Him, people are going to notice. You’re going to be like a city set on a hill. Can you really hide a city setting on a hill? Indeed not. Neither can you hide the gospel’s transformation in you, if you truly have that transformation.

C. The Folly of Hiding Light (v. 15)

Finally, Jesus talks about the foolishness of hiding light (after He has established that it is virtually impossible to hide): “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” (v. 15). People have always understood this concept. Candles are put on holders to increase their range. Decades ago, a man would come around your street and light oil lamps in the streets—but he would get on a ladder because the pole was so tall, that way it would have better range. Ceiling fans are also on the ceiling for a purpose. The lamp here that Jesus is talking about was probably a small oil-burning portable with a wick. It would be extremely foolish to light it and then hide it under a bowl; especially since people need the light to see. Jesus’ point is that it is even more foolish for a disciple to hide the light of the gospel. People need the light we possess in us, they need it so that sin can be exposed and salvation can be recieved. Why would we hide it?

You can hide your light by being quiet when you know you should speak. When you know that someone needs to hear the gospel, or when you know God should be defended, but you say nothing, you’re hiding your light. You can hide your light by going along with the crowd. How are you shining God’s light if you’re doing what everyone else is doing? You can also hide your light by simply denying the light. Some other ways you can hide your light is by letting sin dim your light, not explaining your light to others, or ignoring the needs of others. We must not hide our light, because it is what the world needs.

II. The Purpose: The Glory of God (v. 16)

A. The Command (v. 16a)

In a summary statement, Jesus tells His disciples the reason for comparing them to salt and light. He says, “In the same way, let your light shine before others.” Just as men do not hide light under a basket, the disciples were to let God’s light shine brightly before others. Jesus is saying that the light of God must shine through the disciples’ life. They were not to keep this light to themselves.

B. The Purpose (v. 16b)

Finally, Jesus gives the purpose for shining our light, “so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (v. 16b). The purpose for shining their light was to glorify God. We don’t engage in good works so that people we look at us, but so that their attention will be drawn to God. In other words, we shine by becoming invisible. Even everything we do is to be for the glory of God: “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Cor. 10:31) We make an impact by our deeds to draw attention to God. That’s what really matters.

Conclusion: A Buddhist’s Evaluation

According to Jesus, being anomaly means making an impact in our world, but making an impact and change for God’s glory; for His fame and honor, not for our own. Let us live so fervently for the glory of God that we disappear from the scenes, and our good works done so that people’s attention will be drawn to God. I am reminded, as I study this passage, of a story of a young Buddhist student. He had made a very careful study of Christianity, and particularly of Christ. He studied the history of Christianity, the Scriptures, and the person of Jesus. He talked to a Christian about his studies and he said this: “Your Christ is wonderful, oh, so wonderful; but you Christians, are not like Him.” Without knowing it, that Buddhist pointed out the greatest need of present-day Christianity—more of Christlikeness in those who bear His name. Let us be salt and light for God’s glory, that’s the kind of kingdom people that God wants to make an impact.

1. W. D. Davies and Dale C. Allison, Matthew: A Shorter Commentary (New York, NY: T & T Clark, 2004), 70.

2. Clearly, this is a comparison by the caring father to his son concerning the sin of adultery (see Prov. 6:29). But by implication, it is a greater biblical principle that applies to all sin in a general sense (Psalm 1:1; 1 Cor. 5:9-11; 2 Cor. 6:14-18; Eph. 5:7-11; 2 Thess. 3:14; James 1:27)

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