January 3, 2010: “You are the Light of the World”
Posted on : Dec 29th, 2009 | By office | Category: This Sunday's Service
Christ has no body now on earth but yours,
no hands but yours,
no feet but yours,
Yours are the eyes through which Christ’s compassion
is to look out to the earth,
Yours are the feet with which he is to go about
doing good;
Yours are the hands with which he is to bless humankind now.
(Teresa of Avila)
This Sunday is Epiphany Sunday. Epiphany is a Greek work which means “manifestation” or “appearance.” The ancient Greeks often used this word to speak of the glorious appearance of a god who had come to help people.
In the Christian Scriptures the word Epiphany is used to refer to God’s power and presence in the person of Jesus Christ who is both the light given to humankind in his work and ministry on earth and the promise of his return to bring to conclusion his work.
We cannot survive without light and so in the Christian Scriptures light is used as symbolic language to express how Jesus Christ’s birth, life, and ministry brought hope to a world which lived in the darkness – a world filled with despair, tyranny, and injustice.
In the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 2 the birth of Jesus Christ, the light of the world, is announced with a bright star shinning in the night sky which the magi follow – knowing that its appearance announces a significant birth – the manifestation of God in the birth and person of Jesus, Emmanuel (God with us).
So it comes as somewhat of a surprise when the very same Jesus, only three chapters later in the Gospel of Matthew, looks his disciples straight in the eyes and announces: “YOU are the light of the world.” Come again?
We find these startling words in Jesus’ Sermon in the Mount (Matthew 5-7) in which Jesus gives a description of life lived in the Kingdom of God. BUT it is not just about a life lived one day, but about life lived now. The Sermon starts out by speaking about a specific group of people who are favored or blessed by God. You may remember; Blessed are the merciful, Blessed are the peacemakers… and so forth. These people are blessed because they are humble, merciful, pure of heart, persecuted for right beliefs, because they seek to be peacemakers, because they mourn the injustices of the world. The passage ends with the startling announcement; “YOU are the light of the world!”
Pastors tend to quickly reduce the announcement to a lesson about the importance of setting a good personal, moral example. BUT the Sermon on the Mount is not a set of new moral codes or mental attitudes; IT IS ABOUT LIFE IN THE NOW-PRESENT AND COMING Kingdom of God. Many have tried to rationalize the demands and instructions in the Sermon on the Mount by arguing that it is not actually telling us what to do, but that it is rather about the attitudes we should have in our hearts. BUT Jesus is very clear: “YOU are the light of the world!”
Jesus is calling on the church, on each and everyone one of us, to make a difference in this world. As Jesus’ followers we are called upon to embody the kind of life depicted in the Sermon on the Mount. It’s not the way the world or the powerful make a difference (who believe all good ultimately comes from those who wield force and power) – it is by the way of the kingdom – love your enemies, be peacemakers, speak truth to power, mourn the injustices of the world, be truthful, seek justice and righteousness foremost, feed the hungry, clothe the naked. Note that Jesus does not tell us to be the light of the world, BUT that we are the light of the world. We are Jesus’ hands and feet – we are the light in the world that needs light.
How are we at West Hollywood Presbyterian Church the light of the world?
Let’s talk about it on Sunday,
Kobie
This Sunday’s Scriptures
Isaiah 60:1-6
“Arise, shine, for your light has come!
The glory of Yahweh is rising upon you!
Though darkness still covers the earth,
and dense clouds enshroud the peoples,
upon you Yahweh now dawns,
and God’s glory will be seen among you!
The nations will come to your light,
and the leaders to your bright dawn!
Lift up your eyes, and look around:
they are all gathering and coming to you –
your daughters and your sons
journey from afar, escorted in safety;
you’ll see them and beam in joy,
your heart will be thrilled and rejoicing.
The abundance of the sea will flow to you,
and the wealth of the nations will come to you -
camel caravans will cover your roads;
the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah;
everyone in Sheba will come,
bringing gold and frankincense,
and singing the praise of God.
Matthew 2: 1-11
After Jesus’ birth – which happened in Bethlehem of Judea, during the reign of Herod – magi from the East arrived in Jerusalem, and asked, “Where is the child who has been born king of the Jews? We observed his star at its rising and have come to pay homage.” At this news King Herod became greatly disturbed, as did all Jerusalem. Summoning all the chief priests and religious scholars of the people, he asked where the Messiah was to be born.
“In Bethlehem of Judea,” they informed him. “Here is what the prophet has written:
‘And you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah,
are by no means least among the leaders of Judah,
since from you will come a ruler
who is to shepherd my people Israel.’”
Herod called the magi aside and found out from them the exact time of the star’s appearance. Then he sent them to Bethlehem, after having instructed them, “Go and get detailed information about the child. When you have found him, report back to me – so that I may also go and offer homage.”
After their audience with the ruler, they set out. The star which they had observed at its rising went ahead of them until it came to a standstill over the place where the child was. They were overjoyed at seeing the star and, upon entering the house, found the child with Mary, his mother. They knelt down and paid homage. Then they opened their coffers and presented the child with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
Matthew 5:14-16
“You are the light of the world. You don’t build a city on a hill, then try to hide it, do you? You don’t light a lamp, and then put it under a bushel basket, do you? No, you set it on a stand where it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, your light must shine before others so that they may see your good acts and give praise to your Abba God in heaven.”