Shining Our Light in a Dark World!

Commentary By:  Gordon King

We live in a world of darkness, a place of unfathomable evil and violence, and it’s getting worse not better!  The only way to overcome this darkness is by shining a light, the light, the light of Christ.

How as Christians do we share the love of God, how do we go about spreading the good news of Christ?  Well, there are many ways, and there are ways in which the scriptures tell us how to do this.

We are told to help those in need, to feed the hungry, to clothe the naked, and to comfort the suffering.  We are to carry each others burdens, to pray for others in healing, protection, peace and comfort, to have mercy and forgiveness.  When we do this then we shine the light of Christ into the darkness, we will be sharing the love of God Almighty!

Isaiah 58:10

“if you pour yourself out for the hungry and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then shall your light rise in the darkness and your gloom be as the noonday.“

Matthew 25:31-40

“When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. ³² All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. ³³ And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. ³⁴ Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: ³⁵ for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’

³⁷ Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? ³⁸ When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? ³⁹ Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ ⁴⁰ And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ “

When we share the love of God by helping others than we are shining God’s light into the darkness.  When we shine God’s light into the darkness than we are sharing the word of God.  As children of God we are the light of the world, therefore we must shine our light, which is Christ, into the darkness.  People of the world will see the goodness and righteousness of God and His glory!

Love one another by doing good works in the name of the Lord.  Share God’s love by shining His light into the darkness.  Overcome evil with good, and spread His word by your actions.  Faith without works is dead, but faith by our works is evidence of our life in Christ.

James 2:14-18

“What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit? ¹⁷ Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

¹⁸ But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.“

It is not merely enough to say that you are a follower of Christ, yet do no good works.  It is important for us to do good works in the name of Christ, bearing the fruit of the Spirit!  Do not hinder the workings of the Holy Spirit nor grieve Him, rather listen to what He tells you and follow His lead.

It is not by our own workings that we do good things, but by the Spirit of God, for the heart is deceitful and wicked.

Jeremiah 17:9

“The heart is deceitful above all things, And desperately wicked“

All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.  It is not by our own doings or understandings that we live according to God’s will, but by the Holy Spirit living within us.  Therefore, we must listen to the voice of God, we must follow His will and not our own.  The will of God is for us to help one another, to love one another, and to comfort one another.  By doing these things we will shine a bright light into a dark world, we will shine the light of God upon the workings of the evil ones, and the glory of Lord Jesus will shine through.

Matthew 5:44-48

“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. ⁴⁶ For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? ⁴⁷ And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? ⁴⁸ Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

God bless my friends!  Maranatha!