Lighting the Way to Glory

Matthew 5: The Sermon on the Mount (10)

Pray Psalm 37.4-6.
Delight yourself also in the LORD,
And He shall give you the desires of your heart.
Commit your way to the LORD,
Trust also in Him,
And He shall bring it to pass.
He shall bring forth your righteousness as the light,
And your justice as the noonday.

Sing Psalm 37.4-6.
(Neumark: If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee)
Delight yourself in God’s salvation; He’ll give you all your heart’s desire. 
Commit to Him your every station, and His good purpose will transpire. 
Your righteousness a blazing light He will bring forth against the night.

Read Matthew 5.1-16; meditate on verse 16.
Meditate on the word “see”.

Prepare.
1. To what end does Jesus shine His light in and through us?

2. What is our responsibility for seeing this happen?

Meditate.
In this verse, Jesus clarifies His metaphor from verses 14 and 15: The light stands for good works (even beautiful works). The light that is in us shines through us as good works, that is, works that refract the light of Christ in loving service to others. 

Jesus says we must be so diligent, so focused, so thorough, and so open about good works, that people will see them and give glory to God. That is a tall order, indeed. Our goal is not to impress people with how good we are, but how good God is. Following the example of Jesus, we must tie our good works to true words, and be always ready, when people remark our good works, to give thanks to God.

The righteousness for which we hunger and thirst in the Kingdom of God is not merely a disposition of the soul. Our righteousness works out in good works, like those Jesus did, to bring mercy and peace to our world, and to provoke others to seek the hope that can be theirs in Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 3.15). 

We may incur some form of persecution because of our works or our witness, but God will be glorified nonetheless. And when we receive their retorts and harrumphs with a smiling face and joy in our hearts, the Presence of Christ shows through us, and we will know His blessing (Matt. 5.11, 12).

We must prepare to let our light shine. Study to understand what good works are, and what they would look like as you go about in your Personal Mission Field (Rom. 7.12; Matt. 22.34-40). Plan to do good works (Ps. 90.12, 16, 17). Go out of your way, if necessary, to be a channel of God’s grace to those around you. Your good works will beautify your Personal Mission Field with the light of Jesus Christ. Imagine what the world would be like, if all Christians hungered and thirsted for righteousness in this way.

Treasure Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
“Let your light [your good works]
shine before men, that they may
see your good works [not you] and
glorify your Father in heaven” (Matt. 5.16).

In much the same way, we daily pray that God will open our eyes that we may
see wondrous things from His Word and Law (Ps. 119.18).

All eyes, always, are to be focused on Jesus—to see Him (Jn. 12.21).
Nothing is more important, nothing else is worth seeing.

And not only do we long to see Him ourselves; 
but we long for others to see Him through our good works.

But those good works must be done in and through His love, 
lest we become “sounding brass” and “clanging cymbals” (1 Cor. 13.1)—
an awful lot of clatter, bang, and pop— 
drawing all the attention upon ourselves, 
and none upon our beautiful Savior. 

Thus, two things happen:
1. We become light pollution, too much fire without refracting His good works.
2. We receive a paltry reward of puffed ego now, and nothing later. 

“Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to be seen by them. 
Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven” (Matt. 6.1, 2).

When our granddaughter Reagan was about 2 years old, we were watching a July 4^th display. It was a neighborhood to-do, so was not grandiose. But even at that tender age, she knew something was lacking.
So she reacted, “I see a lot of fire; but where are the works?” 

Yes, wise beyond her years; and her statement eloquently speaks to the issue at hand.
Without Christ bringing the works, our fire is unimpressive and lame. Rather pointless, even.

Our light work will always be a dud when the focus is misplaced.

But, when rightly orchestrated? Flash bang. There He is! I see Jesus!

“For with You is the fountain of life:
In Your light we see light” (Ps. 36.9).

“Lighting the way to Glory”.

Reflect.
1. How can meditating on Jesus, as we see Him in the Gospels, help prepare us for good works?

2. The Law of God “is holy and righteous and good” (Rom. 7.12). What role should the Law play in our good works?

3. What can you do to resist the temptation to hide your light under a bushel?

That person places the lamp under a bushel who obscures and conceals the light of good teaching with earthbound interests. Rather, one should place the truth up high “on the lampstand.” That indicates the light that shines as a result of bodily service, so that it is presented to believers through their embodied ministry. In this way our voices and tongues and other operations of the body are conveyed into good works by those who are learning. Augustine (354-430), Sermon on the Mount 1.6.17

Pray Psalm 37.7-9, 34-40.
Wait on the Lord, and ask Him to give you strength to keep His way. Keep your eye on the promises of God, and ask Him to show you what righteousness and blamelessness must look like in all your activities today.

Sing Psalm 37.7-9, 34-40.
(Neumark: If Thou But Suffer God to Guide Thee)
Rest in the LORD and wait on Jesus; fret not at those who practice sin. 
Forsake all wrath till anger ceases; let anxious fears not enter in. 
The wicked perish from the LORD, but they are blest who heed His Word! 

Wait on the LORD, His way observing, and He will lift you up on high. 
Those prone to wicked ways preserving, your eyes shall see cast down to die. 
The blameless man shall stand upright, for God preserves him by His might!

Salvation comes from Christ our Savior; He is our strength in time of need. 
On us does He bestow His favor, who all His holy judgments heed. 
He is our help in troubled times; our refuge He, in Him we hide.

T. M. and Susie Moore

If you have found this meditation helpful, take a moment to give thanks to God. Then share what you learned with a friend. This is how the grace of God spreads (2 Cor. 4.15).

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Other columns of interest: This week: The Read Moore podcast continues readings from our book, The Kingdom Turn. Our Crosfigell teaching letter presses ahead in a series on the state of the Church in Europe at the time of the Celtic Revival. The ReVision column is studying the Church as Jesus envisions it. Check out our other excellent writers. Click here to see all the other columns and writers available to you.

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter.