February 17 2010: Mid-Week Bible Study

The Living Rock Church of Iloilo City
MID-WEEK BIBLE STUDY
February 17, 2010

Text: Matthew 5:16

Series Title
THE COMMANDMENTS OF CHRIST

Bible Study Lesson
COMMANDMENT #4 – LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

by Pastor Norman S. Lao

Introduction
Commandment #1 – REPENT
Commandment #2 – FOLLOW ME
Commandment #3 – REJOICE

Last Wednesday we learned the 3rd Command of Christ is to REJOICE when we are persecuted. There are several reasons for this:

1. It is a privilege to suffer for Christ. (Acts 5:41, Philippians 1:29)

2. It is an identification with Christ. It was Jesus himself who said, “If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15:20)

3. We will have great rewards. This was Jesus’ promise (Matthew 5:11,12)

4. It is an opportunity to witness for Jesus Christ. Rejoicing in the midst of persecution is a powerful way of showing the truth of what you believe in.

5. You are in good company. You are in league with the Prophets of old who were also persecuted.

The fourth command of Christ is found in Matthew 5:16 which states: “ In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.”

COMMAND #4: LET YOUR LIGHT SHINE

1. Understanding the Command

What does the command mean?

The context of the command is found in verses 14 and 15 which talks about what light does in the home and in the community (on a hill). Letting your light shine is equivalent to showing your good works to others.

A. One of the properties of light is its ATTRACTIVENESS. We are commanded to live attractive lives before all men.

Words are good but we need Works.

Many times Actions speak louder than Words. Our actions speak so loud that the world sometimes cannot hear our words.

B. Another property of light is that it DESTROYS or REMOVES Darkness.

In the Bible darkness represents sin and evil. That’s why when we were born again we were transferred from the Kingdom of Darkness into the Kingdom of Light. (Colossians 1:12; 1 Peter 2:9)

Light is the Character of God. Darkness is the character of evil.

1 John 1:5 “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”

C. Light also shows the WAY OUT of darkness. It reveals the path we should tread upon. Christians must exert their influence to show non-believers the Way to Jesus and the way out of their sins.

D. Light WARNS of DANGER, just as a lighthouse would do. Our lives serve as warnings to others.

E. Light EXPOSES darkness. Our lives should have such a convicting influence on others that they will realize their wickedness.

F. The MORE LIGHT the BRIGHTER it is. The more Christians live attractive lives, the better the world becomes.

The Light Source is God – we only reflect His Light. On our own we do not have light. When we reflect God’s light people will glorify God.

The amount of light we reflect from God depends on whether or not something lies between us and God.

We let our light shine when we do good works.

What does “Good Works” mean?

Works are "good" only when,

(1) they spring from the principle of love to God. The moral character of an act is determined by the moral principle that prompts it. Faith and love in the heart are the essential elements of all true obedience. Hence good works only spring from a believing heart, can only be wrought by one reconciled to God (Eph. 2:10; James 2:18:22).

(2.) Good works have the glory of God as their object; and

(3) they have the revealed will of God as their only rule (Deut. 12:32; Rev. 22:18, 19). Good works are an expression of gratitude in the believer's heart (John 14:15, 23; Gal. 5:6). They are the fruit of the Spirit (Titus 2:10-12), and thus spring from grace, which they illustrate and strengthen in the heart. Good works of the most sincere believers are all imperfect, yet like their persons they are accepted through the mediation of Jesus Christ (Col. 3:17), and so are rewarded; they have no merit intrinsically, but are rewarded wholly of grace.

Our good works must give glory to God and not to us.

We are given a list of “good works” in the Bible. These works are done by INDIVIDUALS and by the BODY of Christ the Church.

Luke 10:30 &ff. - Parable of the Good Samaritan - Helping those in need whatever that need may be.

Matthew 25:34-35

1. Feeding the hungry.
2. Giving drink to the thirsty.
3. Inviting strangers.
4. Clothing the naked.
5. Taking care of the sick.
6. Visiting those in prison.

Galatians 2:10 – Helping the poor.

James 1:27, Acts 6:1, 1 Timothy 5:9 – Taking care of widows and orphans and those who do not have the means to take care of themselves.

2. Practical Ways to Apply this Command

How are we to obey this command?
a. Be conscious that you are a Christian wherever you are.
b. Be in constant fellowship with God. The more we connect with God the more we become like Him, the more we can shine His light into our world.
c. Be obedient to the voice of the Holy Spirit.
d. Be in the attitude of being your best for God at all times.
e. Be on the lookout for opportunities to do good every day.

Conclusion
Ephesians 2:10 “For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Be careful, be alert, stand firm, press on for there are many people and things in this world that would like to put out your light.

Are you shining God’s light?
Are you doing good works before men?