Sermon: Sunday, 2nd November, 2025
Speaker: John Johnstone
Scripture: Matthew 5:14-16
We return to Jesus’ most famous sermon – the Sermon on the Mount. We spent four weeks in the beatitudes as Jesus described what the character of a Christian must be like. We must be those who are poor in spirit, not thinking too highly of ourselves. We must mourn our sin and the fact we have all let God down, and broken his rules. We are to hunger for the ways of God and be peacemakers, and so on. We cannot ‘whip up’ these characteristics on our own strength, so must be praying that the Holy Spirit would empower us and enlarge our hearts. Jesus is honest with us. In v11, he tells us plainly that living in this different, counter-cultural way will result in being persecuted by others. We must be aware that the Christian life was never meant to be easy. It is, in fact, a battle.
Next, Jesus moves on to consider the influence Christians who live out the beatitudes will have on the rest of the world. Last week, we focused on the image of salt. Salt prevents meat and fish from rotting. Likewise, as Christians follow the ways of Jesus closely, we hinder those around us falling into deeper decay. Last week we thought of some examples of this. As men have been converted in outer Mongolia, and as Jesus has changed their lives, they no longer waste their wages on alcohol and neglect and abuse their families in drunkenness. This widespread practice is not as prevalent there as it used to be. Christians are acting as salt. And we also saw how it was following British revivals in the 19th century that ‘salty Christians’ spearheaded the abolition of the slave trade, the end of child labour, the rise of the nursing movement, prison reform, the building of hospitals and schools and formation of labour unions. When a church is strong in a country, it hinders decay and when the church is weak, the decay happens more quickly. But the influence of Christians is not just about slowing decay. There’s a more positive side.
Jesus makes this wonderful statement: ‘You are the light of the world.’ (Matthew 5:14) Light dispels the darkness and brings life. It exposes falsehood and brings truth and love. It guides and reveals. Light is something precious and beautiful and positive. Remember who Jesus is talking to – Galilean peasants, who were ‘nobodies’ in the eyes of the world. They were not rich or influential or powerful. They did not have political connections. And yet because they were the people who trusted in Jesus and had a relationship with him, Jesus says emphatically: ‘You are the light of the world.’ He says the same to us this morning. If Jesus is your King and Saviour and you are his apprentice, then you too are the light of the world. You have a massively important role to play in this world. You will be a bearer of truth and a guide and one who dispels darkness. Society might look at the church as irrelevant or inconsequential. Jesus invests us with this marvellous responsibility. Is it arrogant for Christians to see themselves as the light of the world? Who do we think we are?
1. Jesus is the ultimate light; our light derives from him
‘Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘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)
Who is the ultimate light? Jesus! But listen closely to what Jesus says – it is as we follow him and his ways that we too will emit his light. As we remain united to Jesus in faith and as we nurture our relationship with Jesus through the Bible and prayer, and as we obey his ways, his light will flow into us and be seen by others. One excellent illustration of this is to think about the moon. Think of a beautiful full moon in a dark sky. It shines and breaks into the darkness. But where does its light come from? It comes from the sun. It is a derivative light. The moon reflects the light of the sun. In the same way, our light comes from Jesus. Our light is but a reflection of his. Jesus is the light of the world. He is the source of truth and love and life we all desperately need.
‘… people living in darkness have seen a great light…’ (Matthew 4:16) So, we are not arrogant as Christians. We know we don’t deserve to be lights. This is the work of God’s grace within us.
‘… giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.’ (Colossians 1 vs 12-14)
2. The world is in darkness
It is obvious that the world is in great darkness. It is easy to see this all over the world when we consider crime, war, greed, exploitation, drugs, abortion, the worship of self and gossip and lies and pride and lust and laziness. But Jesus is keen for us to look closer to home, and understand that these things also lurk in our own hearts.
Jesus said, ‘What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.’ (Mark 7:20-23) Perhaps you have a more optimistic view of the human race than Jesus. But I know these things lurk in my heart.
The renowned author GK Chesterton once entered a newspaper essay competition. Essays had to answer the question – what is wrong with the world. He wrote: ‘Dear Sir, I am. Yours Sincerely, GK Chesterton’
The darkness of the world is more than a moral darkness. It is also a spiritual darkness and a darkness of understanding. Most people in Scotland do not know the meaning and purpose of life. They do not know about God or what he is like or how he wants us to live. They do not know what will happen to them when they die. They have no hope beyond the grave. Most people wrongly think they are basically good people, and don’t need Jesus or the forgiveness he offers. Friends, this is a thick black darkness. Many do not know we are more than just animals. We are made in God’s image. We are made to live for God and to enjoy a relationship with God. This world desperately needs our light. And God in his wisdom has chosen to shed his light into the world through his church – through ordinary people like us. The world likes to think it is enlightened. But it cannot even answer basic questions on purpose and meaning.
3. The purpose of our identity as lights
Jesus has given his church and the individuals with his church a huge privilege and responsibility – to be light bearers for God. We might feel inadequate for such a task. But Jesus is encouraging us. He’s not saying this is what you could be, but this is what you are. You are the light of the world. The more closely we follow Jesus, the brighter our light will shine. But even a small amount of light can make a huge difference in the darkness.
Many years ago, I went to a Hungarian national park called Aggtelek. They have an incredible network of caves there. You go down into the cave system in Hungary and can come out on the other side of the border, in Slovakia. Deep in this cave system, our guide turned off all the electric light. It was the darkest darkness I have ever experienced. Then he turned on a small torch, and that made a huge different. We did not feel so disorientated any more. That’s the impact the church can have in the world. That’s why Leven Free Church is so important in Fife, for example.
One of the functions of light is to show people the way. It acts as a guide. We know why the world is the way it is. We know its Creator. We know his Word. We know what he wants. We know how to get into Heaven. As we tell others this wonderful message, we act as lights in the darkness.
When we considered being the salt of the earth, we were reminded of how salt must be rubbed into the meat or fish to have an impact. Likewise, for light to have an impact, it must shine in places of darkness. If a room is already well lit during a summer’s day, turning on a light will have no impact whatsoever. Likewise, without compromising, Christians must be involved in society, even when it is dark, and in so doing act as lights. We need to be involved in ordinary things, clubs and societies and neighbourhoods and the social structures of the workplace, where possible.
What does it really mean for us to shine as lights in the darkness. As we’ve already heard, it does involve pointing people to Jesus and showing them the way. But in this passage, the focus is on our ‘good deeds’. Wherever the Lord places us, in school, at work, in the family, in church and in the community, we must never grow tired of doing good.
‘God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.’ (Acts 10:38) Like Jesus before us, we must go around helping others, loving others and working hard. Our workplace ought to be all the better for us being there. We should not be the moaners and complainers or the gossips or the lazy.
‘Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honourable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation.‘ (1 Peter 2:12)
‘Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world…’ (Philippians 2:14-15)
Think back to the last week, in your workplace, in the community, at the shops, meeting other people in any context, were these places better because you were there encouraging others, helping others, listening to others, and promoting their welfare? Jesus wants other people to be blessed by our words and actions and see the light within us. And that light within us should not point to ourselves but our Father in Heaven. Light is not meant to point to itself. A spotlight shines on a person on the stage. Our light is meant to spotlight God. People are meant to be attracted to God because they see God within us!
Sinclair Ferguson: ‘The regeneration of men’s lives is a sovereign work of God’s grace. We cannot bring anyone to newness of life. But it is our responsibility to live the new life in order that others may be challenged by it. It is our responsibility to shine for Jesus Christ so that others will see his salvation expressed in the flesh-and-blood reality of our daily lives. This is the point Jesus is making: we have a responsibility to show the Christ-like life of light to those around us. We cannot hide it under a cover.’
As we have already heard, light is meant to be placed in the darkness and meant to be seen, not covered. If you think of a one room Scottish black house or one room home in Jesus’ day, a lamp would be put on a stand to light up the whole room. It would be ridiculous to cover that lamp with a bowl. We are not to be lights hidden away in Christian bubbles. And if you lived in Jesus’ day, before electric streetlights, travellers would be delighted to see the light of a city shining in the distance, breaking the darkness and showing them the way. That city on a hill is meant to be seen. Let me be more personal- you are meant to be seen. Whether you like it or not, Jesus’ plan is that his light will be shown to the world through his people. What a privilege and what a responsibility. One of the main ways God in his wisdom chooses to reveal himself to others is through his transformed people, people now living out the beatitudes. We are, in this sense, being watched all the time. And if our light is shining, we are living proof that Jesus Christ is alive and is a great Saviour who forgives and transforms his people. That’s what happened in Outer Mongolia. People could see the power of God in the change taking place in the people of God and this, in turn, changed more lives.
We are God’s ambassadors. In his providence, he has placed us in a variety of families and communities and workplaces. The question is this, will you pray for God to help you to love and care for those around you, that you would shine brightly for him? If we have not been in this mindset, then we need to repent of our careless discipleship. This is basic Christianity.
Will you go into the rest of this week determined to love those around you and to help them? You might be in a time of stress and trouble. You are still watched at such times as to how you will react. If you can maintain a love for others at such times, your light will be powerful and impactful. May the Lord help us all to shine for him as we do good to others.