April 27th, 2022

Light of the World
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Many of us who have grown up in church might think back to the little songs we sang that taught us wonderful scriptural principles. I think of songs like “Deep & Wide,” “I’m In the Lord’s Army,” or my personal favorite, “This Little Light of Mine .”As I reflect on Matthew 5:14-16, I wonder what Jesus meant by telling us that we are the “light of the world” and what it truly means to let our light shine. For most biblical questions, we should start at the beginning of our Bible and trace the theme all the way through. So, let’s flip to the first page. 

The first chapter of Genesis is one of the most explosive chapters in our Bible. We learn that the Earth was covered entirely in water, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface. Then, God shatters the silence and thunders out of the darkness, “Let there be light,” and there was light! It is so incredible that it wasn’t until the fourth day of creation that God created the sun, moon, and stars. So, we find ourselves asking, “Where did the light come from”? The light was none other than the manifestation of the glory of God, Himself! He is the Light!

In the second book of our Bible, Exodus, we are introduced to Moses, who is a type of the Messiah to come. While Moses didn’t always do everything right, he is portrayed as the righteous intercessor who intercedes for the people as Jesus intercedes for us (Romans 8:34). He also stands on a mountain and gives the people of God the law as Jesus will stand on a mountain and give the law (Matthew 5). And Moses performs many miracles foreshadowing the miraculous ministry of Jesus. Exodus 34 tells a compelling story of Moses climbing Mt. Sinai to receive the commandments from God, but when he comes back down to the people, his face is shining like a light! After being in the manifestation of the glory of God, Moses cannot help but beam with radiance to the people around him! Daniel 12:3 (ESV) allows us to understand a bit further by saying, “And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever.”

Since Moses is a type of Christ, and we know the Biblical writers love to carry out themes, we now will most likely find Jesus shining too. The transfiguration of Jesus is a fascinating story found in Matthew 17. Matthew tells us that Jesus climbed a mountain, like Moses, and was wholly transformed before His disciple’s eyes! His clothes became bright like light, and His face shone like the sun! In this moment of transfiguration, Jesus is seen glowing and talking to two figures, one of which is Moses. Suddenly, we hear God’s voice thunder from Heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased; listen to Him” (Matthew 17:5). Jesus tells us in John 5:9 that as long as He is in the world, He is the light of the world. Jesus then goes on to say in John 8:12 that if we follow Him, we won’t walk in darkness but will have the light of life. 

These ideas bring us back to our start of Matthew 5:14-16, where Jesus tells us that we are the light of the world and a city on a hill that cannot be hidden. When we accept Jesus into our hearts, we are filled with His light shining through us into this dark world. And as we travel our journey up to Zion’s Holy Mountain, we become a beacon of hope for the world to see, bringing the light of His glory to the nations. Oh, friend, it is marvelous to know that we aren’t doomed to a life of darkness, but we can walk in the light as He is in the light, have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all our sins (1 John 1:7)! Join us Sundays at Regeneration Nashville online or in-person as we celebrate the Light of the World, Jesus Christ! Until then, may God bless you, keep you, and make His face shine upon you. Be Regenerated!

Your friend in Christ,
Pastor Jasmine