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Standing in the Light
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." Matthew 5:16
The other day my wife and I were talking, I was standing in front of the living room window, she was directly across from me. The light coming through the window was so bright that it blinded her and she said, "I can't see you, your standing directly in the light."
I immediately thought of how true this is in the spirit realm. When we are standing in His Light, in His righteousness, others should be totally blinded to us, seeing only the glorious Light of Christ. Simple, yet so profound.
Moses walked so close to the Light that he became a fearful sight, "And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him" (Exodus 34:30).
Smith Wigglesworth was a great man of God who stood always in the Master's Light. His desire was that men should see Jesus through his life. He paid a great price to walk in that Light, a life of discipline, faithfulness and obedience to the Word of God. As a result many were touched by that light and healed, even raised from the dead. It will also cost you to stand in that Light, but look what the Church could accomplish walking in His Light.
Let your light so shine, Let your holy life, your pure conversation, and your faithful instructions, be everywhere seen and known. Always, in all societies, in all business, at home and abroad, in prosperity and adversity, let it be seen that you are real Christians. The proper motive to influence us is not simply that we may be seen (compare Matt. 6:1), but it should be that our heavenly Father may be glorified. — Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible |
The Church today lacks the discipline, the obedience, the faith and the commitment to stand in that heavenly Light. Even more than this, she lacks a reverential fear and a holy love for God. The Light is the presence of God, His Shekinah glory. All must be right with God to stand in His glorious Light. Consider this:
In the book of Exodus chapter 40, Moses erects the tabernacle as God commanded. The purpose of this tabernacle was for God to be present with His chosen people, but all had to be right before God would dwell there, every detail complete. Verse 16 is the key, "Thus did Moses: according to all that the LORD commanded him, so did he."
Moses was completely disciplined, faithful and committed to the task, but even more than this, he walked in a reverential fear and a great love for God. The end result of his obedience is found in verses 33 through 35. "...So Moses finished the work. Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle."
Moses stood in that Light "...Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid..." Other great men of old have also stood in that Light and without saying a word, men would fall to the ground saying, "What must we do to be saved!" Imagine if the Church were to stop straining at nats and pay the price to stand in His Light once again, she would certainly turn the world upside down for Christ.
"...God is light..." I John 1:5
God is light, Light, in the Scriptures, is the emblem of purity, truth, knowledge, prosperity, and happiness - as darkness is of the opposite. John here says that "God is light" not the light, or a light, but light itself; that is, he is himself all light, and is the source and fountain of light in all worlds. He is perfectly pure, without any admixture of sin. He has all knowledge, with no admixture of ignorance on any subject. He is infinitely happy, with nothing to make him miserable. He is infinitely true, never stating or countenancing error; he is blessed in all his ways, never knowing the darkness of disappointment and adversity. — Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible |
"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world..." John 8:12
The source of wisdom, knowledge, holiness, and happiness; and in him is no darkness at all - no ignorance, no imperfection, no sinfulness, no misery. And from him wisdom, knowledge, holiness, and happiness are received by every believing soul. This is the grand message of the Gospel, the great principle on which the happiness of man depends. Light implies every essential excellence, especially wisdom, holiness, and happiness. Darkness implies all imperfection, and principally ignorance, sinfulness, and misery. Light is the purest, the most subtile, the most useful, and the most diffusive of all God's creatures; it is, therefore, a very proper emblem of the purity, perfection, and goodness of the Divine nature. God is to human soul, what the light is to the world; without the latter all would be dismal and uncomfortable, and terror and death would universally prevail: and without an indwelling God what is religion? Without his all-penetrating and diffusive light, what is the soul of man? Religion would be an empty science, a dead letter, a system unauthoritated and uninfluencing, and the soul a trackless wilderness, a howling waste, full of evil, of terror and dismay, and ever racked with realizing anticipations of future, successive, permanent, substantial, and endless misery. No wonder the apostle lays this down as a first and grand principle, stating it to be the essential message which he had received from Christ to deliver to the world. — Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible |
Matthew Henry wrote:
Ye are the light of the world... Matthew 5:14-16.
This also bespeaks them useful, as the former (Sole et sale nihil utilius - Nothing more useful than the sun and salt), but more glorious. All Christians are light in the Lord (Eph_5:8), and must shine as lights (Phi_2:15), but ministers in a special manner. Christ call himself the Light of the world (Joh_8:12), and they are workers together with him, and have some of his honour put upon them. Truly the light is sweet, it is welcome; the light of the first day of the world was so, when it shone out of darkness; so is the morning light of every day; so is the gospel, and those that spread it, to all sensible people. The world sat in darkness, Christ raised up his disciples to shine in it; and, that they may do so, from him they borrow and derive their light.
This similitude is here explained in two things,
1. As the lights of the world, they are illustrious and conspicuous, and have many eyes upon them. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. The disciples of Christ, especially those who are forward and zealous in his service, become remarkable, and are taken notice of as beacons. They are for signs (Isa_7:18), men wondered at (Zec_3:8); all their neighbours have any eye upon them. Some admire them, commend them, rejoice in them, and study to imitate them; others envy them, hate them, censure them, and study to blast them. They are concerned therefore to walk circumspectly, because of their observers; they are as spectacles to the world, and must take heed of every thing that looks ill, because they are so much looked at. The disciples of Christ were obscure men before he called them, but the character he put upon them dignified them, and as preachers of the gospel they made a figure; and though they were reproached for it by some, they were respected for it by others, advanced to thrones, and made judges (Luk_22:30); for Christ will honour those that honour him.
2. As the lights of the world, they are intended to illuminate and give light to others (Mat_5:15), and therefore, (1.) They shall be set up as lights. Christ has lighted these candles, they shall not be put under a bushel, not confined always, as they are now, to the cities of Galilee, or the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but they shall be sent into all the world. The churches are the candlesticks, the golden candlesticks, in which these lights are placed, that they light may be diffused; and the gospel is so strong a light, and carries with it so much of its own evidence, that, like a city on a hill, it cannot be hid, it cannot but appear to be from God, to all those who do not wilfully shut their eyes against it. It will give light to all that are in the house, to all that will draw near to it, and come where it is. Those to whom it does not give light, must thank themselves; they will not be in the house with it; will not make a diligent and impartial enquiry into it, but are prejudiced against it. (2.) They must shine as lights, [1.] By their good preaching. The knowledge they have, they must communicate for the good of others; not put it under a bushel, but spread it. The talent must not be buried in a napkin, but traded with. The disciples of Christ must not muffle themselves up in privacy and obscurity, under pretence of contemplation, modesty, or self-preservation, but, as they have received the gift, must minister the same, Luk_12:3. [2.] By their good living. They must be burning and shining lights (Joh_5:35); must evidence, in their whole conversation, that they are indeed followers of Christ, Jam_3:13. They must be to others for instruction, direction, quickening, and comfort, Job_29:11.
See here, First, How our light must shine - by doing such good works as men may see, and may approve of; such works as are of good report among them that are without, and as will therefore give them cause to think well of Christianity. We must do good works that may be seen to the edification of others, but not that they may be seen to our own ostentation; we are bid to pray in secret, and what lies between God and our souls, must be kept to ourselves; but that which is of itself open and obvious to the sight of men, we must study to make congruous to our profession, and praiseworthy, Phi_4:8. Those about us must not only hear our good words, but see our good works; that they may be convinced that religion is more than a bare name, and that we do not only make a profession of it, but abide under the power of it.
Secondly, For what end our light must shine - "That those who see your good works may be brought, not to glorify you (which was the things the Pharisees aimed at, and it spoiled all their performances), but to glorify your Father which is in heaven." Note, The glory of God is the great thing we must aim at in every thing we do in religion, 1Pe_4:11. In this centre the lines of all our actions must meet. We must not only endeavor to glorify God ourselves, but we must do all we can to bring others to glorify him. The sight of our good works will do this, by furnishing them, 1. With matter for praise. "Let them see your good works, that they may see the power of God's grace in you, and may thank him for it, and give him the glory of it, who has given such power unto men." 2. With motives of piety. "Let them see your good works, that they may be convinced of the truth and excellency of the Christian religion, may be provoked by a holy emulation to imitate your good works, and so may glorify God." Note, The holy, regular, and exemplary conversation of the saints, may do much towards the conversion of sinners; those who are unacquainted with religion, may hereby be brought to know what it is. Examples teach. And those who are prejudiced against it, may hereby by brought in love with it, and thus there is a winning virtue in a godly conversation.
— Matthew Henry's Commentary on the Whole Bible |
The Eye and the Light
by Charles H. Spurgeon
"No man, when he has lighted a candle, puts it in a secret place, neither under a bushel, but on a candlestick, that they which come in may see the light. The light of the body is the eye: therefore when your eye is single, your whole body also is full of light. But when your eye is evil, your body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in you is not darkness. If your
whole body therefore is full of light, having no part dark, the whole shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle does give you light." Luke 11:33-36
IN this parable, our Lord Jesus Christ is the Light. Some saw His brightness, and were even dazzled by it, as was that
woman who cried, "Blessed is the womb that bore You and the paps which You have sucked." The malicious saw not His
light but even dared to impute His miracles to the Prince of Darkness. Others professed to see so little light in Him that
they demanded a sign from Heaven. Our Lord's constant answer was to go shining on.
He was meant to be observed, even as a lamp is intended to be seen. A lamp is not lighted to be placed in a cellar, nor
to be hidden under a bushel the lamp is lighted on purpose, that all who come into the house may see the light. Even
so, our Lord Jesus Christ could not be hid. In the narrow circle of the Holy Land, He shone so clearly that Gentiles came
to the brightness of His rising. Yet, to make Him seen to the ends of the earth, He must be set on the lamp stand.
He was lifted up by crucifixion. And soon after He was raised by resurrection He was lifted up from earth to
Heaven at His ascension and in another sense He was set on high by the descent of the Holy Spirit and the widespread
ministry of His servants. Our Lord was thus taken from under the bushel of the obscurity which attached to His humble
origin, brought away from the dark cellar of the despised Jewish nation, and set out in the open, where Greek and Roman,
Barbarian and Scythian, might rejoice in His light. It is our duty to keep His name and His Truth ever before the
world, waiting for the time when every eye shall see Him on the throne of His Glory.
Our Lord would have all men behold the light of His Gospel. For the text says, "that they which come in may see the
light." Whosoever comes into the Church, or even into the world, should be met with this lamp. For this Gospel is to be
preached to every creature under Heaven. The mighty deeds of His salvation were not done in a corner they are for
world-wide observation. He that has eyes to see let him see. If you do not see Jesus, it is not because He has hidden Himself
in darkness but because your eyes are blinded.
The light which streams from the face of Jesus is meant for human eyes the tempered brightness of the Mediator's
Glory suits those eyes, which are bid to look to Him and live. Light is not for the rich, the wise, the strong but for men
as men. The doctrines of our Lord Jesus Christ are not meant to be the monopoly of a few learned doctors. They are the
common inheritance of those who labor and are heavy laden. As the morning breaks for all weary, watching eyes, so
shines the light of the glorious Gospel for all who sit in darkness and long for the light of God.
Beloved, the great thing to be desired is that the light which is so freely given forth by the Lord Jesus may become
light within our souls. There He stands, as the lamp placed upon the lamp stand, conspicuous to all. But we need that the
light outside in the room may become light inside, within the soul. Nothing more truly needs light than our inner man.
We are, by nature, as a lantern with the candle blown out. Whether we will believe it or not, by nature we are in thick
Egyptian night. Well says the Apostle, "You were sometimes darkness."
Much is said about the light of conscience but in many this is but a glimmering taper whose beams are "not light but
darkness visible." The light of nature is dimmed by so many surroundings, and has so little oil to sustain it, that it leads
no man to eternal life, unless there is added to it light from Above the light of Divine Grace, the clear shining of the
Holy Spirit.
Light is absolutely essential to spiritual life. Ignorance is not the mother of devotion but of superstition. Knowledge,
Divine Grace, the Truths of God, are the nurses of true faith. The light of God is needful to the life of God. We
must know Christ, we must be illuminated by His Holy Spirit, we must have fellowship with the Father's Truth or else
we are dead as well as dark. Light within we must have, or the light outside will not benefit us.
Upon that subject we will speak at this time. May God grant us the light of His Spirit, for it would be idle for us to
try to explain the action of light while ourselves in darkness. Shine within, O Holy Spirit, that we speak not of theory but
of actual experience!
First, we will consider how the light enters "The light of the body is the eye: therefore when your eye is single,
your whole body also is full of light." Secondly, we shall note how this light may be perverted "When your eye is evil,
your body also is full of darkness. Take heed therefore that the light which is in you is not darkness." In conclusion, we
shall observe how the light acts within "If your whole body therefore is full of light, having no part dark, the whole
shall be full of light, as when the bright shining of a candle does give you light."
Message Continued 
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Andrew Murray