Let your light shine...

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Herald

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Matthew 5:14-16 14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 "Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

What is Jesus saying in this passage?

Who is our Lord describing?

What impact does this passage have in the now?
 
What is Jesus saying in this passage?

Who is our Lord describing?

What impact does this passage have in the now?

I've always taken it fairly plainly. He is talking about us. We are to act in such a way that the world, in the end, would glorify the Father. We are not to hide, but we are not to call attention to ourselves either.

In other words, there is a balance between identifying yourself as a Christian yet pointing to God in your conduct. It's not something any of us can do under our own power.

The impact of the passage, personally, is that I am convicted by my weak faith. All too often I'd rather hide.
 
Isaiah 42 and 49 on Light

Baptist:
This is an echo of Isaiah 42 and 49 concerning Israel's commissioning to the nations (see also Matt. 28.16-20 as the church is commissioned to so the same); you might also see the same chain of echoes in Eph. 5 and Phil. 2. Read: Echoes of Scripture in the Letters of Paul by Rishard Hays of Duke. This is one of the best works on "intertextual echoing" in print. This is especially critical to the current seeing Paul's letters were probably written post-gospel codification. Did Matthew and the others have or know of Paul's works? Another discussion I guess.

Grace and peace

John

:flamingscot:
 
We cant hide who we really are! If truly we belong to Him it will be apparent and we will take a stand for His truth, whenever and wherever! True believers would never shield their belonging to Christ from a lost world but gladly shine for Him!
Just my own thoughts.
 
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