Matthew 5:13-16
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[b]they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.
In this part of Matthew, Jesus has just begun preaching the most important sermon that anyone has ever given, the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5-7 house some of the most important practical aspects of being a follower of Jesus. We, the followers of Jesus, have such a unique opportunity in the midst of the chaos happening in the world because of COVID-19. Jesus says, “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”
The world right now is in chaos. It feels dark and foreboding. Jesus says, guess what? We have the antidote for darkness…light. The followers of Jesus get to look at a world that is searching for hope, peace, calm, joy, and proclaim, guess what? We know where the only true source of light is! Jesus! He outlines for us what that might look like, our deeds. The actions that we take and the works that we do in this season, get to breath the light of Jesus into the world. Jesus says that when we chose to let our actions reflect the light we have in Jesus, that people’s hearts will be turned towards the Father. What a unique opportunity the church has right now. People are searching for the light that we posses, and when we let our actions reflect the light of Jesus, people’s hearts will give glory not to us, but to the Father.
For us to shine the light of Jesus, we also have to be walking in the light of Jesus. In your life right now, do you feel like you are receiving the light offered to us in the hope of Jesus? If not, is there anything you need to lay down at His feet and ask him to shoulder?
Phil. 4 says, “4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness[d]be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; 6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”Are there anxieties and worries you need to exchange for the peace of God in this season?
Once we are walking in that light, we have something that we world desperately needs! Ask the Lord if there are people in your life right now, even in the midst of social distancing, that you can shine the light of Jesus on? What are some practical ways you can allow your good works to illuminate the hope/peace/joy that is found in Jesus?
Listen and meditate today on one of the songs from our Beltway Park Church Worship Spotify playlist: Goodness of God
Let’s go illuminate the world in the goodness of God!
