“No one after lighting a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light.” -Jesus
There has been a great perversion within the confines of Christendom. It was birthed from the rise of western individualism – to be completely independent and self-reliant. The great problem is, that this attitude has worked itself into our views of scripture, the church, and evangelism. In other words, often times people view their walk with Jesus Christ as a personal walk in the sense that it is for them, and that we need not feel compelled to share that “personal” faith with anyone else. Jesus in speaking above lays waste to that self-centered, hellish idea. In the context of taking heed how you hear, Jesus explicitly says that those who really hear the Gospel, who are confronted by their sinfulness, and turn to Jesus Christ in faith, are those who become lights to those around them. To put it another way, “By this we may know that we are in him: whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.”
1 John 2:5b-6
The fact is, everywhere Jesus walked he revealed the character, nature, and intentions of the Father. By doing so, those around him were bathed in light that revealed the true nature of our condition; utter depravity, sinful rebellion, and a desperate need to be redeemed from the terrible marring that came from sin. Our faith is not just personal. It is meant to be shouted from rooftops, to be shared with our friends, family, and neighbors across the street! “Remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world.” Ephesians 2:12
Someone rightly said, “The highest form of selfishness is to be content to go to heaven alone.”
Lord help us have ears to hear the wondrous nature of Gospel of Jesus Christ, and help us walk in the same way you walked, to be a light in the darkness, for the glory and praise of the Father amen!
