Krista’s Reflection “You are the Light of the World”
Sunday February 5, 2023, the 5th Sunday after Epiphany
Based on Isaiah 58:3-10 and Matthew 5:1-12
Last week Jesus began his famous “Sermon on the Mount.” Today Jesus continues to explain the new way of Love to his many followers.
Let’s tune in again to hear what Jesus is saying as he stands tall on the hill speaking over the crowd…
“You are the salt of the earth….”
“You are the light of the world…”
Jesus begins with these strange metaphors. In fact, he will continue to explain his teachings using many images to describe the people – like salt, light, sheep, wheat, and chaff.
These parables help the people understand what he’s talking about – spiritual things in earthly terms.
By now the crowds have grown bigger, and the disciples are trying to hear and manage the crowd. There are people from all walks of life –
educated scribes, and everyday working people, old men, women and children, grandmothers, even some animals –a sheep or two. It’s a circus! Some can’t hear a thing, and others are pushing in to hear every word from the mouth of the Savior, the Messiah King, the one who will save Israel.
“Jesus!” they cry out. Some heckle him from the back. Only these critics are looking for proof that he is a liar, or worse, the devil in disguise. They want him out – this man who draws too much attention to himself.
The Pharisees and other religious leaders and the Romans are afraid Jesus will take away their power – people will stop listening to them, or worse rebel against the state and cause a riot or revolution. They must keep a close watch on him.
But the people following Jesus know differently. They have seen with their own eyes Jesus heals people. They know he is the Messiah.
An older woman in the back has a crippling disease. No one has been able to help her. She can’t even lift her grandchildren and has trouble getting out of bed. She’s afraid her life is over. She prays for Jesus to heal her so she can witness the Messiah bring a better future for her people.
I can’t wait! she thinks. Please Jesus, just notice me and come to me. I can’t walk that far!
But Jesus keeps talking, he’s teaching them about the kingdom of heaven. Many are listening but few understand.
“You are the light of the world…”
The old woman thinks, I am the light? Yes, I light my lamp every night waiting for my son to come home safely, and not get in trouble with those Roman guards.
She listens again – now Jesus is speaking about the
Commandments our ancestor, Moses, taught us. Oh that he would come back and part the red seas and get rid of these Romans. They’ve taken over the land and we have nowhere to go!
At the back of the crowd a Pharisee steps forward, pushing his way past the grandmother, knocking her from her feet.
The Pharisee demands to know what Jesus is promising, this criminal who claims to be God. People are begging for forgiveness and healing. Who does he think he is?!
Since the Pharisees are listening, Jesus says, “we must be even better than the Pharisees and scribes who know all the laws if we want to enter the kingdom of heaven.” Jesus knows the Pharisees only follow the letter of the law and use it to oppress people.
The Pharisee throws down his staff in disgust. “Now he criticizes us?! Thinks he is better than us?! We follow God! Who is this traitor, this blasphemer who claims to be God?”
But the ones in the front hear every word that comes from Jesus’ mouth, and the disciples are trying to take all this in.
Jesus continues, “Let your light shine before others, so they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”
Peter, one of the disciples, thinks, My father? My father is dead. We never speak the name of God – yet Jesus calls him Abba. He seems to know him personally. Like how is that possible? What is this light he is talking about anyway? When are we going to get on with it and defeat these filthy Romans?
The grandmother who was pushed aside by the Pharisee gets back on her feet and puts her hands over her face in shame. As she is about to cry, she hears Jesus’s voice as if travelling right to her ears.
Jesus whispers right into her heart and soul, “Don’t worry. I see you. I will heal you. Your time is coming.” She lets out a little cry and looks out through her tears. She lifts up her hands to the sky to give thanks to God – for she knows this is her Messiah.
TODAY.
So what does Jesus mean when he says, “You are the light of the world?”
In another passage in John he says, “I am the light of the world.” And that makes more sense because he comes from God, he’s here to
shine a light in our darkened world, give light to us when we are struggling.
Jesus is the light of the world. We say this every Sunday when we light the Christ candle.
And this is the time of Epiphany when we celebrate Jesus being revealed as the light. From the Bethlehem star that first revealed his location, to the Holy Spirit descending on his head like a dove at his baptism.
Jesus is the light of the world. Not us. Right?
Well… Jesus is the light of the world. And so are we.
How can this be?
We all make mistakes. We have bad thoughts sometimes. Anger. Judgement. Worry. Fear. And sometimes even rage at people who do evil. We want justice. But we don’t have all the answers. That’s what God is for. We turn to God for answers, help, for light to transform our thoughts and situations.
We already pray for healing, for good weather, for our businesses to succeed, for our finances to improve, for our children to be safe, for
our grandchildren to thrive, for the end of war, and even sometimes for our political leaders to win or be removed. We pray for a lot of things. We expect God to turn our darkness into light.
But Jesus is saying we too are the light of the world, we can light up someone’s darkness and bring them light. He gives us that light to see by and use.
Isaiah tells us, when we feed the hungry and clothe the homeless, help those who are afflicted, then
“Your light shall break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up quickly… Your light shall rise in the darkness and your gloom be like noonday.”
Jesus reminds us, no matter what is going on around us, “YOU are the light of the world.”
Jesus gives us his Light from God – it’s a GIFT, a way of life. He says, let your light shine before others so they can see your good works and give glory to God. It’s not to brag or say, hey, look what I’m doing – it’s to give people hope that if God can change our lives and
cause us to want to be good to people, God can do that for anyone – you don’t have to be perfect. We all have the light of God in us. I admit, I don’t always feel like the light of God. Sometimes I make mistakes, and I feel quite dim. But God lifts me up, and keeps me going, keeps my lamp lit when I ask Jesus for help and pray – for God to heal me and light me up again.
We can all come to God and ask, “I’m not feeling so good today, I’m scared, or depressed, or sad, please fill me with your light, so that I can go on.”
The light may not come right away, though I often find it does when I ask. It may take time for us to feel it or see it. Something will usually shift – a phone call from a friend, encouragement from a spouse, neighbour, or loved one who lifts us and brighten our day.
And then, when we feel the light again, we can share God’s light with others, and slowly but surely, we light up the world!
Jesus also says, don’t hide your light under a bushel. Put it on a stand where others can see it – in other words, take a stand, speak up,
stand up for those in need, encourage the broken-hearted, defend the poor and those who are oppressed – shine the light of God without fear, so they will know that God loves them. So everyone will know God is love. That God’s love flows through you.
When we shine our little lights, the whole house lights up. The whole community – our homes, cities, churches, communities, countries, world even. It flows through us when we are inspired to make a difference.
To seek justice and resist evil, to help our neighbours, to trust that being loving and kind (meek as he said last week, and peace-loving, kind of compassionate) will lead to love and less bloodshed.
This was quite dangerous for Jesus to be saying. He was taking a risk to tell them they are the light of the world, that they have power from God to seek justice and change the culture.
But Jesus is here to empower us. God is with us. We have his promise, that we can reflect and shine God’s love in the world.
Jesus’s followers at the time, and we too might think –our tiny efforts are not enough. Like how can my little light make a difference? There are so many problems! – I can’t even keep my own life straight!
But God’s light is bigger than ours – we are a part of a much greater Light. God fills us up so we can live and do God’s will. It grows and gets bigger not smaller. This Light of hope spreads like wildfire.
Isaiah uses this beautiful image, that when we live a righteous and good life, feeding the hungry and clothing the poor, our lights will break forth like the dawn, lighting up the whole world.
I have watched the sun rise in the morning and it’s just like that – first darkness, and then a tiny light comes up over the landscape until it fills the whole sky… glowing and beautiful, a beam of hope for all.
This is our hope and prayer. This is the light we live by at this time of Epiphany, as we move toward Lent.
CLOSING
So how can we shine God’s love in the world? How can we really accept what Jesus says, that we are the Light of the world? Krista’s three things.
1. Is there an area of your life that feels difficult or dim? Ask God to come in and shine a light on it.
2. Is there someone you can cheer up today? Shine God’s light and offer them a glimmer of hope. It’s enough!
3. Do you have a moment of doubt or feel low? Ask Jesus to shine his light on you and fill you up, like a gas tank – only his love is free!
FINAL PRAYER/MEDITATION
Let us take a moment to reflect on what Jesus whispers to us, like the grandmother waiting on the hill.
Take a moment to relax and first hear these words again…. “You are the light of the world…
Be as I am.
Do not fear anyone or anything
I am near
My light I give you
Breathe in this light now
Allow this light to shine through you
As you walk in the world.
My love I give you.
Be my love and give it to everyone
So that all will be comforted and know that I am with them Be as I am
You are a light of God
Do not fear the light
But come near
I will change the way you think, see, and hear Devote some time to me
Ask for the light of God to come
For Yeshua, Jesus is right here.
Listen for a quiet moment to see what Jesus might be saying to you in your heart.
And when you are ready, gently come back and open your eyes.
You are the light of the world.
We are the light of the world.
Let’s shine our lights for all to see.
We are not alone.
God is with us.
Thanks be to God.
Amen.