Lights as People, And People as Lights*

Last week we talked about a festival of dedicated lights, Hanukkaah, with us as the light of the world. In putting up Christmas lights, we can remember in the past that when one light on the string went out, the whole string would go out. Today, if the fuse or circuit breaker flips off, the whole string of lights fails to work. What is the effect that one life can have on others? If one of us is not shining, it affects all the other lights. Like the Christmas lights, if we are not connected to the Source that gives the light, than we cannot shine. In the movie, "It's A Wonderful Life" with Jimmy Stewart, which is always shown at Christmas time, an angel gives the lead character a gift: the gift of seeing how others' lives would be affected if he was not here. Jesus told us that we were the lights of the world to be placed high on a candlestick, not hidden, so our light would give light to all in the house. The good works that we do as those lights is seen by other men, and God is glorified as a result (Mt. 5:14-16). We are to be lights, and that light is seen by others. Jesus told us what affected our light: "The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single (meaning "good fulfilling its office, sound. Root meaning: s a particle of union), thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness?" (Mt. 6:22-23). We see the spiritual darkness of the times in whih we are living. We have to be diligent in maintaining the purity of our "eye", our spiritual sight and understanding, if we are to be people as lights. In our analogy of the string of Christmas lights, we see that there is the importance of unity - one light with the others, and all lights unified with their source. The apostle Paul wrote of the spiritual unity of believers in the Body of Christ - unity with each other, and unity with our Head, Christ: "I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that you walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace...there is one body...one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all..." (Eph. 4:1-5). The Body of Christ has a problem in their lack of unity with each other. This affects how our lights shine. The Lord sent apostles, prophets, evangelists, prophets and teachers to perfect and equip the saints for the work of the ministry (as the light of the world, and the bringing of the Gospel to others): "Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ...no more children tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine...But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love." (Eph. 4:11-16). As all parts of the Body are needed to function together, people as lights also function together in unity, and impact each other by doing so. Most central of all is the need to be connected to, and grow into, our Source of light, Jesus, the Light of the World. Jesus told His disciples: "Abide in me and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. I am the vine, and ye are the branches: He that abideth in me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me, ye can do nothing...Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear mush fruit; so shall ye be my disciples...If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's command, and abide in his love." (Jn. 15:1-10, excerpt). Jesus told them that this was so His joy might remain in us, and our joy, in turn, may be full. For those who do not abide in the vine, Jesus, those "branches" would bear no fruit, wither, and be cast forth and burned. The commandments of Jesus that we are called to abide in, the Word of God, keeps us connected to Him. Paul wrote that it is the Spirit of God who works in us to be like an epistle "known and read of all men". (2 Cor. 3:2-3). The Word of God is no longer on tablets of stone, but written on the tables of our hearts. Our sufficiency to be lights that impact others is not of ourselves, "but our sufficiency is of God". (v. 3-5). It is God "Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (v. 6). Paul wrote of the greater glory (meaning includes "splendor, brightness") that is unlike the previous glory of Moses that came from the letter written and engraved in stones. That former glory passed away, but the ministration of the spirit is a glory that excels and remains (v. 7-11). It is also interesting that v. 18 from this chapter mentions an image, specifically a mirror image: "But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." A mirror image that we gaze upon changes us. Paul also mentions this mirror image in 1 Cor. 13:12. In Gal. 3:1, Paul referred to "evidence" (meaning in the Greek to depict or portray openly. root meaning: engrave) of the crucifixion of Christ that the Galatians had seen with their own eyes. I believe that these are references in scripture to the Shroud of Turin, which is a mirror or reversed image. Many who have gazed at it have had their lives changed. Our lives should also impact others. As we abide in Christ, and as we are joined together in the unity of the Body of Christ, the Spirit and faith, we also are the lights that are the light of the world. *Based on Dr. Kenneth E. Stevenson's 12/12/21 message to the church. 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