Don’t Hide the Light: Matthew 5:14-16

“Then Jesus again spoke to them saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life’” (Jn. 8:12, NASB).

When Jesus begins His ministry He describes the world as a dark place. In our scripture passage Jesus tells His disciples that they have light; and in fact they are the light that needs to be seen shinning in the world. As Jesus sits on the Mountain He tells the disciples that they are to let their light shine. They are not to hide their light because in giving light to the world those that see the light will glorify the Father in heaven. In this article I want to mention a few things that I believe are bushels that we hide our light under. Before we begin, let us define “light.”

In the bible the word “light” is associated with knowledge. If light is knowledge, it is safe for us to say that darkness is ignorance or the lack of knowledge. The world that we live in is described in the scriptures as a dark place because it has a lack of knowledge. You may be thinking, how can he say that the world is a dark place when knowledge is abundant in the world? Knowledge is increasing and civilization is progressing at a rate never seen before. The answer is this: When Jesus and the bible writers talk about light they are not talking about things like science, technology, economics, sociology, politics, and business. Rather, the bible writers are talking about the world that while making progress in many areas, it continues to have a lack of knowledge of God; who God is and what are His ways.

How does lack of knowledge of God contribute to the unrest, uncertainty, and destructive behaviors that increasingly plague our society? Who has the light; the knowledge of God? Do those that have the light allow their light to shine on a hill or do they hide their light under a bushel? I suggest that too often those that have the light are guilty of hiding the light whether intentional or not. I want to highlight a few ways, but this list is not exhaustive.

Now, generally, it is expected that the churches has the light. People expect that the church will disseminate to the world the knowledge of God. People believe that what the church preaches, teaches, and how the church addresses the problem areas in society are ways in which the church lets the light shine. People believe that the church is following the mandates of Christ and they are doing what Jesus commanded them to do. While there is some measure of truth in this belief, I contend that the light that needs to shine is being hid under a bushel. It is not seen, and the world remains in darkness. So here we go with our list.

First, we hide the light when we say nothing. It is one thing to have knowledge in our heads, and it is another thing for us to boldly speak the truth that the world needs to hear. I mean that there are some things that the church does not talk about. There are conservative groups that oppose abortions. Yet, their opposition is not heard and heeded by the world. Why is this? Is it because while opposing the death of the unborn, these same people say nothing about the senseless killing of citizens by those that are supposed to be protecting life. If life is sacred, and I believe that it is, then I am obligated to make known to the world that all life is sacred. All are created in the image of God. All people were in God’s plan before they were formed in the womb (Ps. 139:13-16).

While conservatives oppose abortions, and they have little if anything to say about police that hide behind a badge and kill people that they are supposed to be protecting, Liberals will allow abortions on the grounds that a woman has the right to decide what to do with her body. Men, including husbands have no right to say anything. While this may be a valid argument from a legal point of view, the ones that know the truth about God should speak up. They are not to choose political sides. They are to make the knowledge of God known in all matters that are concerned with life. Don’t hide the light with your silence.

A second way that we hide the light (knowledge of God) is by using the scriptures to give validity to things that the scriptures clearly tell us that they are wrong. This is what the Pharisees are doing when Jesus is speaking. The Pharisees are a religious group with strict requirements and demands. They have added about six hundred additional commandments to the ten that Moses gave. Although they want to appear to be righteous, their demands of the people make it impossible for the people to receive the blessings that Jesus is offering. The Sabbath Day is to be kept holy. People are not allowed to provide service to meet basic human needs. Don’t heal on the Sabbath. Don’t get up off your sick bed and carry it as a testimony about Jesus and His compassion and power to heal. The knowledge of God is hidden by a bushel of religious rules and traditions.

A third way that we hide the light is by living the opposite of what the word of God says. Some people hold the view that since God made them the way that they are they do not need to change the ways that they live. God saved them by grace so they are not obligated to do anything differently. Such people are called “antinomian.” Antinomianism is the principle that one is not obligated to keep the law of God given by Moses. This is the matter that Paul addresses in his letter to the Romans. In chapter six Paul says that grace sets us free from the bondage of sin. It sets us free to live out what the morality that the Ten Commandments require of us.

When people do not see the believer acting any different, how can they see the difference that Jesus can make in one’s life? We hide the light when we do not do what the commandments say that we should do. Here is an example: Jesus is teaching the people about the effects of unclean spirits (Luke 11:24-26). “While Jesus was saying these things, one of the women in the crowd raised her voice and said to Him, ‘Blessed is the womb that bore You and the breasts at which You nursed’” (Lk. 11:27, NASB). Now the woman shows that she has an appreciation of the things that Jesus is saying. Let us look at Jesus’ response. “But He said, ‘on the contrary, blessed are those who hear the word of God and observe (obey, NRSV) it’” (v. 28).

Finally, we hide the light when we conform to the world’s standards. When we conform to the world’s standards we accept the philosophies, principles, standards and values of the world for our lives. Recently there has been an outcry about all of the injustices that are taking place in our world today. We focus on the injustices of racism in our world, but we almost never give a definition of what racism is and the reason(s) that racism exist. We do not talk about the character traits that make up what we call racism. Racism, sexism, and any form of discrimination results because of the character traits that rule our life. Paul lists these character traits in Galatians 5:19-21. Paul calls these characteristics the “works of the flesh” or the “carnal nature,” and “sinful nature. The church does not focus much on these characteristics because this allows us to blame other people for our own failures, and it relieves us of any personal responsibility for our own lives. If we talk about character traits we all will have to admit that we are all guilty. This is the way of the world and when the believer, adopts these ways He and she are hiding their light under a bushel.

How can we let our light shine in this dark world? First, we must identify with Jesus. We must agree with Jesus that He is the light of the world. He is the one that comes from God to make God known in the world. We must know Him. We must have a relationship with Jesus and receive His Spirit. The Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness so that we are able to stand against the works of the devil. The Spirit (Greek=paraclete) comes along beside us to give us comfort and support as we resist temptations from external sources as well as the internal desires and passions of the flesh. We must be led by the Holy Spirit who guides us into all truth. We cannot be carnal minded because the carnal mind never agrees with the mind of the Spirit (Romans 8:2-17). When our minds are changed, our behavior changes also because the effects of the Spirit on our hearts and minds are different from the mind subjected to the flesh (See Rom. 12:1-2; Gal. 5:22-23). What advantage is there when we let our lights shine?

After Jesus teaches His disciples about the kingdom of God (Matt. 5-7) He concludes with these words:”Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall” (Matt. 7:26-27, NASB). Don’t hide the light. It leads to decay and destruction.