Dedicated To The Men of God Who Preach the Word of God As It Is To Men As They Are

"Preach The Word"

I. WHERE ARE WE TO SHINE?

1. We are to shine "in the world" (Verse 15).

2. We are to shine "in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation (generation)." Verse 15 describes this generation as "crooked."

It is in the midst of this dense darkness that we are to shine for the Lord_in public (Matthew 5:14), and in private (Matthew 5:15), socially and domestically.

II. HOW ARE WE TO SHINE?

In verse 14 we are told of two things that smoke up the glass, and in verses 15 and 16, of five characteristics of life that is brightly shining for the Lord. How are we to shine?

1. By not "murmuring" _ Verse 14 tells us this.

2. By not "disputing" _ As verse 14 tells us.

3. By being "blameless" _ As verse 15 tells us.

4. By being "harmless" _ Verse 15 tells us this.

5. By being "without rebuke" _ This also is mentioned in verse 15.

6. By "holding forth the Word of life" _ This is mentioned in verse 16.

7. By living in the light of "the day of Christ" _ This is indicated in verse 16.

III. WHY ARE WE TO SHINE?

1. That God the Father may be glorified. Turn again to Matthew 5:16, and notice the last eight words in this verse.

2. That the Lord Jesus may be magnified. To magnify a thing is to make it appear bigger, and Christians, by their shining witness, are to make the Lord Jesus appear "big" before the world.

3. That we may be lost sight of. A lamp does not attract to itself, it is the light that attracts_John 3:30, and see how John the Baptist is described in John 5:35 4. That sinners may be saved. We are to shine before men with the red light of warning (Ezekial 33:8_9): and we are constantly to show the green light, or the "all clear," of a consistent and brightly,burning life. In this way we shall point sinners to the Saviour and will hear His "well done"! and we shall be rewarded "in the day of Christ" _ See verse 16, and compare Matthew 25:21 and II Corinthians 5:10.

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