Mat 5:14-16 You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden,v15 and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. v16 Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven.
Objective :
1. To understand our position in Gods eyes
2. To learn the four different kinds of light through the life of Peter and measure our level of brightness.
3. To learn how to keep and maintain our light.
Our Position.
1.Jesus said your are the light of the world. Was the Lord joking? Did Jesus knew what He was saying, or the Lord Jesus was serious when he spoke about this. We believe He was serious but we cant believe what He said. It is sometimes easy to believe the bible but not what it says.
2. Jesus said that when you have Christ you are a light not only of your house, not only of your town, not only of your city.not only of your country ,but of the world.
3. Jesus crowd and many of the people who heard Him that day were still much like the people of today. Poor in spirit, mourning, peacemakers, hungry for righteousness,meek, pure in heart.Jesus declared their position that they are light of the world.
One who heard Him that time was Peter, who later became the pillar of the church , apostle to the Jews, and became a great light of the world.
When Peter was called he was a fisherman,and Jesus told him that he will be a fisher of men (Mark 1:16-18).Peter then had a lot of experienced while following Jesus. He saw Jesus power in his own eyes(Luke 5:8)He saw Jesus feeding of five thousand(John 6:1-11), saw raising the dead(Lke 8:51-53), saw Jesus transfigured in glory(Mat 17:1-6).
Four kinds of light in the life of Peter
1.Intermitent light- Mat 14:25-31.Peter who just experienced walking in water suddenly found himself beginning to sink when his focus was taken away from the Lord.His eyes suddenly focus on the noise of the violent wind.When he was saved ,he was rebuke for lack of faith.Intermitent light are on and off lights. They are seasonal light.
Christmas lights are intended for decorations,it is good for the eyes to entertain.But you cant light a highway by being on and off, Christmas light are only for a season. Highway light intended to guide were made for all seasons. Rain or shine,even in storm they must continue to light the highway or you will see chaos.Seasonal on off christians can stand the rain but not the storm. Peter called on the Lord to be saved from that kind of faith.Mat14:30
2.Independent light-(Mat 16-13-23).Here we see Peter praised by the Lord for having deep insight but afterwards received a very strong rebuked .I believed that pride entered his heart when he commented like this. Instead of listening to Jesus he tried to do it the way he thought right.Sincere concern,ignorance,or pride,Peter can’t do it his way.
Flashlights are powerful but has limited life. Independent light are powerful only at the beginning but fail in the long run. Most dangerous people in the church are independent christian,who are living apart from the will of God. A spirit of rebellion is reigning on them. Jesus just after praising Peter said to him" get thee behind me Satan" Satan fills the heart of a person not dependent on God. Proverbs says the way of snake on a rock is hard to understand(Pro 30:18-19).The snake can pass a stony heart without the person noticing it. Brokenness is the the only way for this person to restored. Psalm 51:17
3.Inactive light-John 21:3 .They are sincere in their calling, but due to pressures, problems and burdens they choose to put out their light. In short,they decided to quit.Peter after denying Christ (Mt26;69-75),implied his intention to return to normal life.The life once he had, fishing.He is like saying " I can continue if I did not betrayed him,
but now having committed the worst thing a follower can do, Im not worthy,I quit.
But when he tried to go back fishing he caught nothing.
It just implied that he can’t go back to his old life(John 21:3).Weakness and loss should not be considered
defeat, He must wait to received a word from the Lord.
When Peter want to call it quits and be a fisherman again , Jesus spoke to him three times that he is already a fisher of men.(John 21:15-17).Peter was already a light in the world and Jesus affirmed him.
4.Inflame Light- Jesus is the light of the world and now Peter is about to become a light of the world. What Jesus did, Peter did.He was transfigured- from ordinary to somebody.(Acts 4:13) Peter raised the dead as Jesus did (Act 9:40) Peter feed people-Cornelius(Acts10:44-48).
How to become an Inflamed light
1. Peter connects to Jesus-(John 15:5). A light is powerful if he is connected to a electric power source. The energy continous to those who are connected.
2.Peter was baptized by the Holy Spirit(Acts1:8,2:1-3).Peter watched the the power of God moved but when he was baptized he move in the power of God.Zechariah 4:6 said that it is not by might,not by power but by the Spirit of God.
