Letting Your Light Shine

If you would turn in your Bibles to Matthew chapter 5 Matthew chapter 5 I have an introduction that I'm going to read after we read the text, but I like to say something prior to that, our message tonight is going to center on the glory of God being a light in the darkness, and I mentioned when I first got up to about my heart attack on June 21, and I want to give you a little bit of background detail why the Lord is led me to think along these lines of glorifying God on June 2011 at night.

I had this burning sensation all the way down my front and intense pressure between my back my shoulder blades and enough that my wife felt like we needed to call the EMS and have them come and check me out and they came in did a portable EKG and said well we really can't tell the difference between acid reflux and a heart attack unless it bloodwork done and I decided well just wait and see what happens in the morning so I I sat up in the chair all night and the next morning my wife knew that I was still hurting. We want the hospital they took blood. The doctor came back in and said you had a heart attack which blew me away. They admitted me and scheduled to have a catheterization done on Father's Day the next day know why I bring this up.

What is that got to do with the glory of God. When my wife took me to the emergency room on the 20th. I did all the stuff you got to do to get checked in and she parked the car came in and we thought she go back with me and the nurse said no were sorry but I would covertly kill anyone go back with the patient so bottom line.

When I walked to that door. I wasn't going to see my family again unless I came out of the hospital and I can tell you this, the head and the tail of it.

I was very confident in my standing before the Lord, I knew that if it was his will that I not come out of that surgery. What I thought was Serbia thought they put me out and wake up in heaven or in my room.

One of the two.

Not knowing that they would keep me conscious through the whole thing which was an experience. But I laid there that night and fully confident and yet very emotional because there's a head and tail of I realize my wife had a call our kids and grandkids and say pop at a heart attack and no we can't go see and so without getting in the minute gritty. I texted our kids. I sent a text to my wife. I made a text are grandkids that I didn't text I didn't send out. I figured if I don't make it feel, see the text and send it.

But here's the point I did think Lord enable me to glorify you through this enable me to go into this procedure in a way that would glorify you and we want to talk about that tonight briefly I want to just read Matthew five, beginning in verse 13 through 16 and we are going to focus just on verse 16 tonight and and expand on that. But Matthew chapter 5, beginning with verse 13 Jesus says you are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned it is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world city that is set on a hill cannot be hit nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.

Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven. Keep your place there. But I want to read John 15 eight Jesus again is speaking and he says this. By this my father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, so you will be my disciples. The works that we want people to see that will glorify God is true for his glory. I want to read an introduction to you that I think will set the backdrop for her thoughts tonight.

It is been said that the darker the night. The brighter the light, we live in a world that is becoming more brazenly godless and spiritually darker with each passing day.

It's a world where the God ordained institutions of family, government and church are being corrupted.

It's a world where the voices of politicians, actors and false teachers drowned out the voices of those who hold the Bible in high regard.

It's a world that does not value virtue a world court were doing what you need to do to get what you want is becoming the norm, even to the point of sacrificing babies on the altar of so-called reproductive rights. It's a world where the natural man's love of darkness is becoming increasingly evident as sins. Once done in secret, and now exalted on prime time television. It's a world where many call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter or wise in their own eyes and prudent in their own site. Someone has said, first, we overlook evil then we permit evil then we legalize evil, then we promote legal then we celebrated then we persecute those who still call it good. It evil action, say that's America today. But in spite of this beloved.

In spite of this leavers can take heart, because we know the final chapter in God's ordained script.

There's coming a day where every knee will bow, of those in heaven and those in earth and those on the beer and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord of the glory of God the father, but until then, the response of everyone who places their faith in Christ needs to be let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

In that text, the word see the word see means much more than just the I means to turn the I the mind and the attention anything.

Surely this would include not only what we do, but what we say when it comes to letting her light shine.

I want us to consider a premise as we get on that this message tonight. If you do not openly connect your testimony of salvation. Your light to the works that you do you maintain glory for yourself without even beginning to glorify God in the eyes of others may read that again.

If you do not openly connect your testimony of salvation. Your light to the works that you do, you may gain glory for yourself without even beginning to glorify God in the eyes of others, and we will illustrate this later in the message. But before we do are going to look at five questions know not to panic. Most of these are short a couple or longer and will I trust. Give us a clear I trust of the glory of God and what it means to glorify him were going to first of all, look at who is to let your light shine, then why are God's children to let the light shine. What do we know about the glory of God when and where do Christians give God the glory due his name and finally how do Christians give God the glory due his name. The first question that we want to consider is who is to let your light shine Christians short answer in our text Matthew 516 it states let your light so shine before men, they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

I've said that refers to God in your light refers to our salvation, the implied subject and that is you. You let your light so shine. Christians are called the children of God in multiple text and Sons of light, sons of the day in first Thessalonians 55 second Corinthians 46 says, for it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who is shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ and beloved, we are certainly debtors to God's grace to have that set of us. First Peter 291 of my favorite verses. You are a chosen generation of royal priesthood, why are we a royal priesthood, a holy nation's own special people. We are that because he is wants us to proclaim the praises of him who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. And then finally John 812 Jesus spoke to them again say saying I am the light of the world.

He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life basically will referring to his faithful obedience to Christ commands is evidence that we are truly saved. Who is to let their light shine, children of God. Christians saved by grace. The second question is why are God's children to let our light shine. There are probably more reasons in this but three fundamental were commanded to do so. Our text says you let your light so shine before men.

Secondly, not only are we commanded to do so, but we should do it because the father is worthy to be glorified or let the light of the gospel shine from us, that they may see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven. Revelation 411 states you are worthy, old Lord, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things in and you are well by your will they existed and were created. And then finally we were created to do so were commanded to do it. The father's worthy to be glorified and we are created to do so. The Westminster catechism that our kids learn in church states what is the chief end of man man's chief end is purpose in life is to glorify God and enjoy him forever. The next question what do we know about the glory of God, and I'll be quite frank with you. No one can answer this question adequately and listen carefully to this. If you would. After describing God's awesome power or door adorning the heaven Joe reminds us that indeed these are the mere edges of his ways and how small a whisper. We hear of.

But the thunder of his power. Who can understand. That's wonderful to me when I think of the heavens. Indeed, the heavens, and the glory of it are indeed the mere edges of his ways and how small a whisper. We hear of him, but the thunder of his power. Who can understand. I want to give an illustration of this point that will bring this to life for most of human history. The sun was thought to be the largest and brightest body in the heaven, and then telescopes came along and now enable us to see how well woefully short, our understanding of the universe really was the son is but a whisper compared to stars like you wife's good time.

Astronomers tell us that it is 1700 times larger than the sun on top of that is 340,000 times brighter and yet, folks.

You cannot see it with the naked eye, and what is the point is you see on the screen.

The point of the illustration is this our best understanding of the glory of God falls far short of the reality of who he is and sometimes we lose track of that. We tend to think of God in human terms because that's all we can do. Yet he so far exceeds our ability to even remotely comprehend just like you why skintight dwarfs the sun are the reality of God's glory dwarfs our understanding as we gaze upon him to the telescope of his word, RR should deepen in our desire to make his excellent glory known to our lives should be evident. All first Thessalonians 212 and that verse, Paul speaks of believers walking worthy of God who called you into his own kingdom and glory.

Let me ask you this question in your progressive sanctification in your journey toward Christ likeness. Could it be said of you that you are walking more and more worthy of God, and that's a question all of us have to ask ourselves and answer honestly some manifestation of God's glory. Use the imagery of brilliant light. Keep in mind you wife's good tires. I give this point if you would 370,000 times brighter than the sun. You can even look at the long speaking of God. Paul wrote, who is the blessed and only sovereign the King of Kings and Lord of lords, who alone possesses immortality and dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen nor can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion on men. First Timothy 615 and 16, the instances of Moses on Mount Sinai, Peter, James and John on the amount of trance duration.

Paul on the road to Damascus illustrate the brilliance of God's glory. First John 15 says God is light and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. God is life in Psalm 113. I believe it is verse six is speaks of God humbling himself to behold the things in the heavens and on the earth, and I want you to think about that when I first really started meditating upon that verse. We were in Alaska on a cruise that the booster club Christian school where I coached Santos on and I was seeing the magnificence of Alaska and then I read that verse, God humbles himself to be old things in heaven, including you. Wife's good time is 370,000 times brighter than the sun, he humbles himself to look upon those things. The glory of God is far more magnificent than we can ever dream of knowing the next and will look at is God's glory is reflected in his name. When we hear a person's name. We subconsciously think of his or her reputation and what may be known of his or her character, whether it's good or bad. Two names that I throw out the illustrate this Lincoln. What we know of him. What do we think of him at all.

Hitler, when we think of a person's name we reflect upon what we know about than individual first Chronicles 29 verse 11 in verse 13 are part of David's prayer concerning the temple. Let me read those for you.

Yours Lord, is the greatness, the power and the glory, the victory and the majesty for all that is in heaven and earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, the Lord, and you are exalted as head over all. Now, therefore, our God, thank you and praise your glorious name Nehemiah chapter 9 verse five the Levite said to the people stand up and bless the Lord your God forever and ever. Blessed be your glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise and I put that in bold print on the screen. Think about that Blessed be your glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise. Beloved, we can give it our best shot and were going to fall Wolf. It's amazing that God takes our praises and listens to them.

When you think about your glorious name which is exalted above all blessing and praise and I think this is a key thing for us to consider God's glory is connected to his holiness.

Couple of commentaries that I will quote John and Edward wrote that holiness is more than a mere attribute of God. It is the sum of all his at the outshining of all that God is the outshining is another way of saying his glory, we read that again holiness is more than a mere attribute of God. It is the sum of all his attributes, the outshining of all that God is AW Pink wrote that God is called the holy one, because the sum of all moral excellence is found in him. He is absolute purity absolute purity unsullied even by the shadow of sin. Holiness is the very excellency of the divine nature just two versus God's glory is connected to his holiness in these verses have some wonderful phrases.

Exodus 1511 who is like you oh Lord among the gods who is like you glorious in holiness, fearful, and praises doing wonders in Psalm 29 to give him to the Lord the glory due to his name. Worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. What a wonderful, wonderful admonition worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness. John Piper gives us a definition will look into tonight's is one for the glory of God.

He says the glory of God is the infinite greatness of God's revealed perfection. The glory of God is the infinite beauty and greatness of God's revealed perfections and there are three ways that we want to look at those revealed perfections. First of all in the ministry beauty and expanse of the universe listen.

Isaiah 4025 and 26, God says, whom then will you liken me to her, to whom shall I be close as the holy one, lift up your eyes on high and see who has created these things, who brings out their host by number who brings out their host by number, he calls them all by name, by the greatness of his might and the strength of his power not one is missing. Now why did I emphasize he brings out their host by number, he calls them all by name. Astronomers tell us that the estimated number of stars is 100 state sex Italian stars. And that's only in the observable universe.

One sex Italian is a 123 zeros after it means nothing to me. That's a lot of stars.

That's a lot of stars and when you think that he calls them all by name.

What a glorious God we serve God's perfections are also revealed in the unique qualities of earth and if I were to list these I do teach this to our teens in the Bible class at the school that I teach Bible the unique qualities of her my my mind if we believe in evolution. We sure were lucky the right atmosphere right distance from the right size son the right distance right size moon rotation on a task active so we don't freeze or fry the right size orbit for the same reason, and on and on and on it goes. Isaiah 4518 says, for thus says the Lord, who created the heavens, who was God who formed the earth and made it who has established it, who did not created in vain who formed it to be inhabited.

I am the Lord, and there is no other God's perfections revealed in his the unique qualities of earth and then finally and probably most importantly, under this God's perfections reveal revealed in the person and work of Christ, and we are told in Hebrews 13 that Jesus is the brightness of God's glory and the express image of his person beloved other than looking at creation and just reveling over the fact of the glory that must be behind everything we see in creation. The beauty of it studying the life of Christ is the best way to get a glimpse of the glory of God. Very briefly, number four when and where do Christians give God the glory due his name when and where will Proverbs 36 is familiar and it says in all your ways acknowledge him, I like to think of that is telling us don't departmental I should say and I give this illustration I given that from this pulpit.

I've given it.

The teens many times is a set I I teach a senior Bible class and was the varsity coach at Alamance Christian school for many years and I would make this statement to them. If I teach Bible to you any differently than I coach you out there I'm a hypocrite I'm a hypocrite when and where do Christians give God the glory due to his name everywhere in all your ways acknowledge him, and beloved, let me say this to you no matter what you are doing you can do it for the glory of God and be excellent in the lot size of I say this as reverently as I know how to say it. I did walk out soccer game with my Bible under my arm. You know that all that matters is that we play the game and have a good testimony and that is first and foremost, seek you first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all leasing to be added on. But I do not believe would glorify God unless we pursue excellent and that doesn't necessarily mean winning a major best effort all the time in all places in ways that they know you as a child of God are doing it through his enabling for his glory. First Corinthians 1031 familiar versus the contacts is eating meat offered to idols. The Christians knew that look. These are just idols are dead.

Figments of man's imagination, but Paul says hey if it's going to offend your brother, don't do even though you can do that don't for their sake and the little snippet that we take them that do all to the glory of God with you eat it or you don't make certain you're doing it for his glory. And then Charles Hodge gives this wonderful quote, do all to the glory of God may refer either to our motives why were doing it, or methods. What were doing in our doing you all to the glory God may either refer to our motives or methods let self be forgotten lecture I be fixed on God that the promotion of his glory be your object in all you do strive and everything to act in such a way that people may praise the God you prove pass to serve and I think that's important. Talk is cheap talk is cheap he is when people look at you and your action may praise the God that you prove profess to believe that you truly believe our final question and probably one of the most important and certainly is not exhaustive. Is this how do Christians give God the glory due his name in our text glorify means to esteem glorious Donner to magnify if God's holiness is the sum of all his attributes, like we said earlier, the outshining of all that God is in the very excellency of the divine nature than we best glorify him by seeking to be holy is his command. We think that through be holy to be holy is to be godly to be godly is to glorify him to be holy is to be godly and to be godly is to glorify him. The commentator John frame says giving honor or glory is to say that someone is deserving of respect, attention, obedience and imitation given got honor glory is to say that someone is deserving of respect, attention, obedience and imitation truth, fear the Lord demonstrates respect and attention and is going to result in obedience and imitation. One definition of the fear the Lord is helpful for me. The fear the Lord is a reverent attitude of all in adoration by which the child of God guards and guides his thoughts, words and deeds by the word of God for the glory of God, money, backup and emphasize something here. The fear of the Lord is a reverent attitude of all, we have described a God who names stars beyond our ability to comprehend. Think of the greatest thoughts that you can think of of God, and you should be in awe of him, but in the church today that is sadly missing proportionately. Why do I say that we there people who truly are and all of God. Others, he's the man upstairs. He's the MasterCard he's the go to guy in the sky and on III say that grieving some professing Christian have way too shallow view of all when it comes to God.

It also says adoration. How do you increase in your adoration of God. Look upon what Christ went through in Galilee and Gethsemane and GABA on Golgotha. Look at what he went through and you should adore God for having his beloved son endure that for you and for me in practicing the fear the Lord for his glory. Three areas need to be addressed constantly.

You asked the question, are my thoughts. In keeping with someone who professes to fear God. Psalm 1914 let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart my essential self, be acceptable in your sight oh Lord, my strength, my Redeemer, when it comes to your words to my words reflect the heart that is been changed by the grace of God. Luke 645 is a familiar verse two is a good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good, and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart brings forth evil. For out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaks. And then finally do my actions reflect the heart the desire is to give others a biblical understanding of God. Think about that do my actions reflect a hard the desires to give others a biblical understanding of God. Colossians 317.

Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the father to him.

Wayne grew them another commentator gives this about the glory of God and how we do it we glorify God when we reflect well upon his honor or excellent reputation and this is important. That is already a reality. In other words we give others a good opinion of who God is. Give others a good opinion of who God is. We do not add to nor take away from the glory of God's perfect dear why do I say that because to do either, would be to influence who he is and he himself assessed says that he does not change. Let me say the first party about that again.

We do not add to nor take away from the glory of God's perfect character. I want to give you an illustration of personal one, of that during college I worked in the summers at the same paper mill that my dad worked at all of his adult life.

I was always conscious that how I acted and worked was reflection on him in the eyes of those who knew that I was his son.

One day my father came home from the paper mill and said I heard some good things about you at the Melvin critical my work did not change who my father was, but it did reflect positively upon his own good reputation that he had already established over the years, the same can be said of Christians when it comes reflecting well or poorly upon who God is, is our father. And here is a critical aspect of glorifying God that we must understand unless people know that you are a child of God. Your good works might garner praise for you but they will not garner praise for your heavenly father can I say that again unless people know that you are a child of God. Your good works may garner praise for you but they will never garner praise for your heavenly father, an illustration that I could think of their two at my Saturday morning game I could say, well, praise the Lord. Yet the Lord is been good to give them ability something to draw attention back to him.

Another illustration I will give you. I teach our teens to learn the word of God in their head to love the word of God in their heart to live, the word of God and their habits and then to leave the word of God in their history that they are writing. We had that made into a T-shirt. One of our sons asked us to go on a cruise really tough decision for us but to have us go on a cruise to help watch their kids so we went and I wore that T-shirt and my wife will tell you that's on a cruise. Some were net out there hundreds and hundreds of people I had people say I like T-shirt I didn't have to say anything but learn God's word in your head. Love in your heart lived in or have us leave it in your history that reflects back on God in a favorable way. And that is a critical thing that we need to keep in mind one of the things we need to do is make certain that were humble first Peter 411 dries this home and it's an important aspect of glorifying God. He says if anyone speaks, let them speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers. Let them do it as with the ability which God supplies that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen. Love it when someone sees you work do all that you can do voice gratitude for God, the giver of every good and perfect gift as he enables us to do anything that we do or accomplish the humble be holy. Philippians 214 to 16 do all things without planing and disputing, you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that have not run in vain or labored in vain, folks. When you look at the culture in which we live today. That verse right there to be implanted in our hearts and minds.

How are we going to react when people persecute us. I didn't say if I said when people start persecuting us because were Bible thumpers because were right wing radicals or fundamentalists if you will, of some faith. How are we going to react. God tells us to be blameless without fault. Make certain you shine as lights in the world and hold fast to the word of life, and then the last thing on this.

The Hon. the humble be holy.

The Hon. first Peter 211 to 12. Beloved, I beg you as sojourners and pilgrims abstain from fleshly lust which were against the soul. Having your conduct Hon. among the Gentiles, that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they observe glorify God in the day of visitation.

John MacArthur states that that day of visitation speaks of redemption.

He says when the saving grace of God visits the heart of an unbeliever. He will respond with saving faith and glorify God because he remembers the testimony of believers. He is a he had observed that may be the case with the majority of people. Here's the punchline. Has anyone ever commented about the influence of your life is had upon them spiritually. Has anyone ever commented about the influence that your life has had upon them spiritually beloved our ability to glorify God parallels our knowledge of him our love for him and our dedication to him. I want to close with a poem and after the poem were going to make for applications in closing prayer are supreme and glorious God. This poem is based on Exodus 2410, Ezekiel 126 to 28 and Revelation and in it it openly admits that there's no way that we can possibly word with the glory of God is like. Great God unsearchable the highway supreme beyond compare and reverent adoration. Lord are feeble praise we share by glorious that excellence unique to the alone spectacular and majesty vast universe. Thy throne for hungry souls by written word grants a faint glimpse of the though damn the image awes the mind and bows both hardening by grander matchless king of kings and mighty Lord of lords lead saints to meditate on the and silently adore such blinding light like dazzling flames engulfed by Sapphire throne that rests upon a sea of glass. The clearest crystal stone. The splendor of thy glory draws the heart a holy thoughts its brilliance shames the rainbows boast in pails heavens hosted not by whisper mutes the thunder crash of lightning round. I throne Jehovah high and lofty one who calls all things.

I know your worship of the heavenly throng envelops me in praise, overwhelming me with joy that sets my grateful heart ablaze. None but thyself can fully know the glory that is nine All Saints tribute saints may offer the fall short by thy design yet fearing they and loving. They and walking in my ways all seek to glorify thy name beyond my earthbound days. Jesus said that loving God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength in your neighbor as yourself fulfills all of the long as we close, surely there can be no better way to be a light in the darkness that reflects the light of God's matchless glory than to love him and to love our neighbor as ourselves. For application questions.

Are you growing in your awe and adoration of God. Are you growing in your awe and adoration of God.

Are you grateful for the grace that is made you a child of light are you guarding and guiding your thoughts, words and deeds with an eye toward garnering his well-done, good and faithful servant. I mean that that's a decision folks daily throughout the day. Are you guarding and guiding your thoughts. If we get it done. There here and here again to take care of themselves.

Are you guarding and guiding your thoughts, words and deeds with an eye toward garnering his well-done, good and faithful servant and then finally, are you getting others. A biblical view of the God profess to serve in noticeable ways. Please bow for the benediction.

If you would Philippians 192 11 and this I pray that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment that you may approve the things that are excellent that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ to the glory and praise of God.

Amen