SHINING LIKE A LIGHT HOUSE

You are the light of the world. - Matthew 5:14a

     Robert Gray was finding that chasing after Harold was hard work and left him a little short on breath. “I guess I’m just not as young as I used to be,” he mumbled to himself as he went to sit down at the picnic table in the Peterson’s back yard and then Bill scared him half to death when he asked him how he was doing.

     “I’d be doing a lot better if it weren’t for you and your son.” Robert said, “An old man isn’t meant to run that hard or have someone sneak up on them.” “I didn’t sneak up on you,” said Bill “I was already here when you sat down.” “Oh,” replied Robert as he closed his eyes for a quick nap.

      A few minutes later Bill looked up from his Bible and asked Robert a question and when he did he scared him again. “Would you quit doing that!” Robert yelled back. “Sorry,” Bill said “I was just going to ask you about the light house story for my Sunday School Lesson I’m working on. You know, the one about George Vinson.”

     “George Vinson! My old high school Buddy.” Robert said with a smile. “I remember him. When we graduated he got a job working for a Mr. Randall at a light house on a small island of the coast of Maine. Three years after he started working there, Mr. Randall died leaving him there to run the light house all by himself. The only company he would have was an occasional visitor, and the coast guard every three weeks to drop off supplies. Many times I tried to talk him into moving back here with us, but he just wouldn’t do it. He seemed to have so little in his life, yet when ever asked about it he would simply reply, No not since I saved my first life.”

     “That’s the story I’m looking for,” Bill said, “I want to tie that to Matthew 15:16 where Jesus said ‘Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.’”(NASB) “That’s a good idea, Robert said, “Maybe you could use it too teach Harold a thing or two.”

     “Speaking of Harold,” Bill started to ask, “Why were you chasing him?” “I can answer that.” replied Martha, who had walked up behind them. “I believe he was trying to scare Stella, but he got me instead. Do you think you can take care of him?” “I think I might know where he is,” Bill said, “He must have forgot Stella was out of town.” “Good luck,” Martha said as he headed off into the woods.

     “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:14-16 (HCSB)

     Can you imagine being a light house? Many a light house has been built to guide ships in the dark through dangerous waters to safety. Light houses are built to be seen and so.....

• Do all things without grumbling or questioning, 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 (ESV)
• For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), - Ephesians 5:8-9 (ESV)

      Light houses shine extremely bright but what would it be like if the light bulb in a light house was replaced with a black light......

• “No one lights a lamp and puts it in the cellar or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see its light. Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light. But when it is bad, your body is also full of darkness. Take care then, that the light in you is not darkness. If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, the whole body will be full of light, as when a lamp shines its light on you.” - Luke 11:33-36 (HCSB)

     I found this neat illustration in Preaching the Word - A man returning from a journey brought his wife a matchbox that would glow in the dark. After he gave it to her, she turned out the light, but it could not be seen. Both thought they had been cheated. Then the wife noticed some French words on the box and asked a friend to translate them. The inscription said: "If you want me to shine in the night, keep me in the light." So it is with us! We must expose ourselves to Jesus, delight in his Word, and spend time in prayer soaking up his rays.

• Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." - John 8:12 (NAS)
• "And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Myself." - John 12:32 (NAS)

     Can you imagine a ships crew trying to put out the light so they can sail in the dark? The world may want to reject the light that Christians are to bring yet we need to shine

• "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. - John 3:19 (NAS)

      Here's Something to Ponder

• Are you filled with the light of God
• Are you shining the light of God to the world