Devotional Message from Last Week

So this is where I'm hoping our church is with Evangelism at this point. Learning to light the lamp...


Matthew 5:14-16 – ”You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven." (NRSV)

Despite the fact that our congregation’s understanding of and appreciation for evangelism have been growing and deepening throughout almost two years now of intentional engagement with it, there are still many of us who harbor knee-jerk discomfort with the issue. This scripture passage probably evokes the same reaction.

We don’t consider it good manners to “let our light shine before others”. We don’t want to show off, and we don’t want to be seen as pushy. The idea of parading our good works doesn’t even seem Christian to us. What on earth is Jesus thinking here?

Look closely! This passage isn’t about showing off. It’s about showing Christ to the world through the way we live and interact with others. What Jesus actually says is that we are to behave in such a way that people will notice and give glory to God. If the response to our actions is that people give glory to God, it’s probably because we have grown to the point in our own spiritual journeys that Paul described when he said, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me.”

The point here is that evangelism begins by deepening our own relationships with Jesus Christ. If we don’t take time to notice and open ourselves to the good works God has done in our lives – through worship, prayer, Bible study and sharing our journeys with fellow Christians – nobody is going to notice the presence of God in the good works we do. A lamp on a lampstand doesn’t illuminate anything if it isn’t lit!

Collect for the Week: Creator God, who called forth the sun to light the day, ignite the fire of your Spirit in our hearts, that we might live as Christ, bringing glory to you and hope to your people in need. Through Jesus our Lord and the Holy Spirit, Amen.