Theological Status: COMPROMISED (Worldly/Sloppy)
Biblical Parallel(Archetype): Pergamum
❓ What do these grades mean?
🔍 Biblical Discernment: The 7 Church Parallels
The Cold Orthodox Parallel
Ephesus
Teaching that upholds doctrinal precision yet parallels the loss of the "first love"—the vital, motivating power of the Gospel (Rev 2:4).
The Compromised Parallel
Pergamum
Teaching that parallels churches tolerating the "doctrine of Balaam" through cultural accommodation (Rev 2:14), characterized by weak boundaries, sloppy theology, and worldly compromise.
🧐 Overview
Theological Verdict & Summary
Sermon Summary: Are you shining your light brightly for Jesus, or are you hiding in the shadows? This sermon explores the Christian call to visible good works, using the metaphor of light bulbs and wattage to challenge believers to a more vibrant faith.
Pastoral Analysis: The sermon offers a compelling and accessible call to evangelism and holy living, anchored in Matthew 5:14-16. The illustrations regarding light bulbs and camping are vivid and engaging. However, the theological foundation is compromised by a synergistic view of sanctification, suggesting that the intensity of our spiritual life depends on our willpower rather than the Holy Spirit's grace. Additionally, the gospel invitation relies on decisionism, urging people to 'give their heart' to Jesus, which risks reducing salvation to a human act of volition rather than a divine work of grace.
Biblical Parallel (Archetype): Pergamum — This sermon blends orthodox truth with minor worldly philosophies. While the call to good works is biblical, the underlying theology of sanctification relies on human volition rather than the Holy Spirit's power, and the gospel presentation leans on decisionism. This represents a church that holds to the form of godliness but has compromised the power of the Spirit by emphasizing human effort and choice.
Big Idea: Believers are called to visibly shine their faith through good works, not for self-aggrandizement, but to glorify God in a world of darkness. [00:31:30 ▶️ 📄]
🎨 The Visual Metaphor
The intense, pure light represents the sanctified believer's good works, possessing a spiritual 'wattage' capable of illuminating the world's darkness. This radiant display directs all glory to the source of the light, ensuring the witness glorifies God alone.
📖 How they Handle Scripture & Jesus
- Primary Text: Matthew 5:14-16
- Usage Classification: Expository with Illustrative Application
- Text-to-Talk Ratio: Moderate
- Pulpit Decorum: ✅ PASS - The pastor maintains a respectful and engaging tone. The use of personal anecdotes and humor is appropriate for the context.
✝️ Christological Focus: Indirect
"Christ is presented as the Savior to be received, but the sermon fails to connect the believer's ability to 'shine' to their union with Christ. The focus is on the believer's effort rather than Christ's life flowing through them."
Scripture Saturation: Verses Read: 5 | Referenced: 6 | Alluded: 0
Passages Read Aloud:
-
Matthew 5:14-16
[00:27:50 ▶️ 📄]
"Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick. And I give the light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven."
-
Ephesians 5:8
[00:41:49 ▶️ 📄]
"For ye were sometimes in darkness, But now ye are the light, and the Lord walk as the children of light."
-
1 Peter 2:9
[00:46:23 ▶️ 📄]
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation, a peculiar people. That you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light."
Key References: Matthew 5:14, Matthew 5:15, Matthew 5:16, Philippians 2:14-15, Matthew 28:20, 1 Peter 3:9
💧 Liturgy & Sacraments
Altar Call / Invitation Observed: Yes
- Theological Conditions: Recommit your life to Christ, Receive Christ as your Savior, Give your heart to Jesus
- Coercive Pressure: "It may be that you're not a Christian. Would you like to receive Christ as your Savior? Do you want to know you have a heavenly home? Would you like to experience God's grace and His mercy and His love and His peace found only in Christ? Do you want to have purpose and meaning in life? Then come. Come. Give your heart to Jesus." [00:51:11 ▶️ 📄]
🎙️ Sermon Content & Delivery
Word Count: 2,768 words
📌 Key Topics Addressed
-
Identity as Light
[00:31:56 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor explains that accepting Christ makes one the 'light of the world,' emphasizing the emphatic 'you' in the Greek text to include all believers. -
Visibility of Faith
[00:36:14 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor argues that faith cannot be hidden like a city on a hill or a candle under a bushel; it must be obvious and visible to others. -
Contrast with Darkness
[00:32:36 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor contrasts the light of Christ (life, righteousness) with darkness (evil, sin) to illustrate the stark difference between believers and the world. -
Witness in the World
[00:39:01 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor asserts that Christian witness does not stop at church doors but continues in the 'mission field' of daily life. -
Christian Witness and Influence
[00:41:15 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor argues that a Christian's faith is evident to all, even those who dislike them, and that believers must let their light shine so others see God's work in them. -
Motivation for Good Works
[00:42:45 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor clarifies that good works are not for self-aggrandizement but to glorify the Father, correcting the potential misconception that the sermon is about personal achievement. -
Being 'Peculiar People'
[00:46:37 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor explains that Christians are called to be 'peculiar' or odd, acting differently from the world to show forth the praises of God.
🖼️ Illustrations & Stories
-
Sermon Illustration
[00:28:23 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor shares a personal anecdote about visiting Lowe's Hardware and being amazed by the variety of light bulbs, using the concept of 'wattage' to ask how brightly Christians are shining for Jesus. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:34:48 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor tells a story about a little boy in a church who defines a saint as 'someone the light shines through' after seeing light pass through a stained glass window. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:36:44 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor recalls his grandmother using an old oil lamp in the kitchen before electricity was available, placing it in the center of the table to fill the room with light. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:39:24 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor describes a camping trip in a cave with his son where the darkness was absolute, noting how even a small flashlight underneath a sleeping bag made the cavern visible. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:39:24 ▶️ 📄]
> The pastor recounts a cave camping trip with his son where the darkness was so complete he couldn't see his hand, but a boy's flashlight under his sleeping bag illuminated the cavern, illustrating how light cannot be hidden. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:44:02 ▶️ 📄]
> A story about an elder named Jim who helped Syrian refugee Sunan Muhammad. Despite a language barrier, Jim's consistent good works and kindness led Sunan to ask about his God, resulting in the family coming to Christ. -
Sermon Illustration
[00:47:48 ▶️ 📄]
> A humorous anecdote about a young girl at a Christmas pageant who misquoted Matthew 28:20, saying 'glow' instead of 'lo', which the pastor uses as a mnemonic for Christians to 'glow' (shine) in difficult situations.
🧭 Biblical Alignment Dashboard
Overall Verdict: Compromised / Weak
| Category | Status | Reasoning |
|---|---|---|
| Gospel Presentation | ❌ FAIL | The gospel engine is compromised by a decisionist appeal. The pastor invites the listener to 'give your heart to Jesus' and 'receive Christ' based on their desire for purpose and meaning, rather than calling them to repent of sin and trust in Christ's finished work. This shifts the burden of salvation from God's sovereign grace to human volition. |
| Soteriology | ⚠️ WEAK | The sermon promotes synergism in both justification (decisionism) and sanctification (human volition). It fails to articulate the monergistic nature of salvation and the Spirit-dependent nature of sanctification. |
| Bibliology | ✅ PASS | The exposition of Matthew 5:14-16 is textually accurate, though the application is theologically skewed. |
| Hermeneutic | ⚠️ WEAK | The hermeneutic is anthropocentric. It reads the command to 'shine' as a call to human effort, ignoring the preceding context that believers are *already* the light of the world by virtue of their union with Christ, and that the light comes from Him. |
| Theology Proper | ✅ PASS | The sermon does not deny God's existence or character, but it underemphasizes His sovereignty in the believer's life. |
| Sacramentology | ⚪ N/A | No sacramental theology was discussed. |
| Confessional Depth | ❌ FAIL | The sermon lacks depth regarding the doctrines of grace, particularly the role of the Holy Spirit in sanctification and the sovereignty of God in salvation. |
⚙️ The Gospel Engine (Confessional Distinctives)
❌ The Law And Wrath: Not observed in the sermon.
❌ Total Depravity And Inability: Not observed in the sermon.
❌ Active Obedience Of Christ: Not observed in the sermon.
❌ The Cross And Atonement: Not observed in the sermon.
✅ Commendations
Illustration | Vivid Imagery of Light
The pastor effectively uses relatable illustrations, such as the variety of light bulbs at Lowe's and the darkness of a cave, to make the abstract concept of spiritual witness tangible and memorable for the congregation.
Application | Practical Scenarios
The application of 'shining' to specific daily contexts like traffic, work, and family life provides the congregation with clear, actionable steps for living out their faith in the world.
Clarity | Clear Call to Good Works
The sermon clearly articulates the biblical mandate for believers to perform good works that glorify God, avoiding the trap of antinomianism.
⚠️ Theological Concerns
🟠 The Error of Human Self-Sufficiency (Synergistic Sanctification)
Root Cause: Semi-Pelagianism: The Error of Human Self-Sufficiency
"But I believe how well we shine depends on us. We choose how brightly we will shine for the Lord." [00:31:20 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: Philippians 2:13: 'for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.' The power to shine comes from God, not human choice.
🟠 The Error of Volitional Salvation (Decisionism)
Root Cause: Arminianism: The Error of Human Free Will in Salvation
"It may be that you're not a Christian. Would you like to receive Christ as your Savior? Do you want to know you have a heavenly home? Do you want to experience God's grace and His mercy and His love and His peace found only in Christ? Do you want to have purpose and meaning in life? Then come. Come. Give your heart to Jesus." [00:51:11 ▶️ 📄]
Correction: Ephesians 2:8-9: 'For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast.' Salvation is God's gift, not a human achievement.
📜 Full Sermon Transcript (Audit)
Use the 📄 icons next to quotes above to automatically jump to their location in this raw transcript.
[00:00:00] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
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[00:01:55] Let us pray.
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[00:02:54] Let us pray.
[00:03:23] Let us pray.
[00:03:34] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:04:02] Amen.
[00:04:02] In Jesus' name we pray.
[00:04:14] Amen.
[00:04:39] Thank you for watching!
[00:06:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Good morning, everybody.
[00:06:28] It is a beautiful day today.
[00:06:33] If you are visiting here with us, first of all, welcome.
[00:06:35] We're glad to have you guys here with us.
[00:06:37] We have a little tear-off here on the bulletin, and if you would like, just kind of tear that off.
[00:06:41] If you have any kind of questions about any ministry or anything like that, just feel free to fill that out and kind of put it in a little offering plate as that comes around.
[00:06:49] But like I said, it is good to see everyone here today.
[00:06:53] I actually want to do two things really quick.
[00:06:56] First of all, any veterans that we have in here today, I would like to ask you to stand up just really quick if we have any veterans in here today.
[00:07:08] All right.
[00:07:09] I'll tell you guys what.
[00:07:10] Yeah, let's give them a round of applause.
[00:07:16] Amen.
[00:07:16] Now I'm going to do one more thing really quick, and I'm actually going to call on Greg High really quick to give an announcement on the pastor's search real quick.
[00:07:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Hey, good morning.
[00:07:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
The Pastor Search Committee, I want to just give you a quick update.
[00:07:59] We've been having some great meetings and we've had a lot of interest.
[00:08:04] The North Carolina Baptist Mission Match is working very well for us.
[00:08:12] To this point, we really have had 26
[00:08:16] That have expressed interest and this past week we looked at nine resumes and we narrowed that to three and we have some Google Meets that are coming up this week.
[00:08:29] So very excited and we really love for you to pray for us and I'd like for you to continue to do that and I'll keep updating you and good deal.
[00:08:40] God bless you.
[00:08:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Thank you.
[00:08:45] Well, with that being said, I'll tell you what, let's kind of open up in a word of prayer here too.
[00:08:49] Let's pray real quick.
[00:08:50] Father, we thank you again for just another beautiful day, once again, that you've given to us.
[00:08:55] Thank you for letting us be able to gather together, Lord God, and be able to have fun with each other, Lord God, be able to worship you and have that wonderful fellowship.
[00:09:02] Father, we ask that you just be with the service today, Lord God, and we just ask that your perfect will and way be done.
[00:09:07] In your name we pray, amen.
[00:09:09] All right, with that being said, let's lift up our voices and worship our creator.
[00:09:15] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
If you would please stand.
[00:09:17] We'll be in the hymn on page 15 this morning.
[00:09:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:10:07] Amen.
[00:10:08] Praise the mount I've fixed upon it, Fount of Thy redeeming love.
[00:10:36] Here I raise my heavenly sir, Hither by Thy help I'm come, And I hope by Thy good pleasure, Safely to go right along.
[00:10:39] Jesus only, when a stranger, born from the fold of God, He to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood.
[00:11:04] Go to gravestown, pray the dinner, daily I
[00:11:08] Let Thy grace come like a feather Bind my wandering heart to Thee Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it Prone to leave the God I love Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it Seal it for Thy courts of love
[00:11:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
It's so great to be in the house of the Lord this morning.
[00:11:41] Amen?
[00:11:43] We're going to switch gears and sing one more song this morning.
[00:12:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Hallelujah
[00:12:10] Alleluia, for the Lord God Almighty reigns Alleluia, Alleluia, for the Lord God Almighty reigns
[00:12:43] Hallelujah Holy Holy Are You Lord God Almighty Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb You are Holy
[00:13:12] Holy Our new Lord God Almighty Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb Amen
[00:13:43] Alleluia for the Lord God Almighty reigns Alleluia Alleluia for the Lord God Almighty reigns
[00:14:17] Hallelujah Holy Holy Are you Lord God Almighty Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb You are Holy
[00:14:54] Holy, Holy, are you Lord God Almighty?
[00:15:19] You are holy, holy, our new Lord God Almighty Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
[00:15:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
You may be seated as our ushers come forward.
[00:16:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Let's pray.
[00:16:14] Our Father, Lord, we thank you for this another beautiful Lord's Day.
[00:16:17] And Lord, we have so much to be thankful for.
[00:16:21] We thank you for your love, your mercy, and your grace that you bestow upon us each and every day.
[00:16:28] Lord, we thank you for this opportunity that we have to be in our house today to worship you in spirit and truth.
[00:16:35] And Lord, we thank you for this opportunity to give back to you a portion that you so richly blessed us with.
[00:16:43] May it be used to your honor and your glory in the spreading of your gospel, Lord.
[00:16:50] Go with us and guide us now, Lord.
[00:16:52] May we always be in thy will.
[00:16:56] May we be good stewards, Lord, of what you so richly blessed us with.
[00:17:00] In thy name we pray.
[00:17:02] Amen.
[00:17:13] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
In Jesus' name, amen.
[00:17:40] In Jesus' name, amen.
[00:18:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
No mountain, no valley, no gain or loss we know could keep us from your love.
[00:19:11] No sickness, no secret No chain is strong enough To keep us from your love To keep us from your love How high
[00:19:39] How wide No matter where I am Healing is in Your hands How deep How strong
[00:20:08] Now by your grace I stand Healing is in your hands Our present, our future Our past is in your hands
[00:20:37] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
We're covered by your blood We're covered by your blood
[00:21:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Healing is in your hands How deep How strong Now by your grace I stand Healing is in
[00:21:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
In all things We know that We are more than conquerors You keep us by Your love In all things
[00:22:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
We know that we are more than conquerors.
[00:22:18] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
You keep us by Your love.
[00:22:18] You keep us by Your love.
[00:22:35] No matter where I am, healing is in Your hands.
[00:23:04] How deep, how strong, now by Your grace I stand.
[00:23:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Everything is in your hands In all things we know that we are more than conquerors
[00:23:28] You keep us by your love.
[00:23:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
You keep us by your love.
[00:24:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Morning!
[00:24:43] Before we get started, I've got a special prayer request this morning.
[00:24:48] Y'all know Sparky Hawk's brother got killed this week in a car accident.
[00:24:52] If y'all will, lift that family up.
[00:24:54] Got to talk to Sparky yesterday, and I know a lot of other guys told me this morning they have too, and it just seems like we've had a lot of tragedies in our church and a lot of sickness and a lot of things in the past year, but we just need to turn it all over to God.
[00:25:07] He can take it.
[00:25:08] He can take the pain away, the sickness away, whatever it is.
[00:25:13] So we need to pray for them.
[00:25:15] This morning, I'm glad to announce we have Dale and Wanda Wallace with us.
[00:25:21] I'll give you a little bit of a bio on Dale and talking to him the past couple of weeks.
[00:25:26] He gave me some information.
[00:25:29] He's been married to Wanda.
[00:25:30] He didn't tell me for how many years, so we won't go there.
[00:25:34] He has one son, Matthew, four granddaughters.
[00:25:37] plus one great grandson.
[00:25:40] He was licensed in 1985 and ordained in 1987 by Cloud Springs Baptist Church.
[00:25:47] He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Shorter College in Religion and Philosophy.
[00:25:52] He received that in 1990 and in 1993 he got his Master's Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and he's been a pastor for 28 years.
[00:26:04] He served locally
[00:26:07] at Antioch over on 89 for 14 years and at Simmons Grove Baptist and he served as an interim at Mount Zion Baptist Church and Rockford Baptist.
[00:26:20] So I've already asked Dale and Wanda if they would attend the service to go to the back so everybody could greet them and get to know them a little bit but we'll be praying for you this morning looking forward to what God has in store for us.
[00:26:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Thank you, brother.
[00:26:40] Appreciate it.
[00:26:46] Good morning, everyone.
[00:26:49] A delight to be with you today.
[00:26:51] And I've been married 53 years.
[00:26:59] And I have a friend of mine who asked me, how much of that in dog years?
[00:27:05] I didn't respond.
[00:27:08] But again, I'm glad to be with you.
[00:27:10] Would you please take your Bibles and turn with me to Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 5.
[00:27:15] If you've looked through the bulletin, you've already taken note of my outline so you have an idea of the direction I'm going.
[00:27:23] Matthew, Chapter 5.
[00:27:26] I tend not to be a long-winded preacher.
[00:27:30] I tend to share and preach what God's laid on my heart, and then I close.
[00:27:36] So that's just how I am.
[00:27:40] Matthew chapter 5, beginning here in verse 14 of this biblical text.
[00:27:45] A passage quite familiar to most, if not all of us.
[00:27:50] Jesus speaking here says, Ye are the light of the world.
[00:27:56] A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
[00:28:01] Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick.
[00:28:06] And I give the light unto all that are in the house.
[00:28:10] Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
[00:28:18] May God bless the reading of his word.
[00:28:23] I've concluded I'm one of those people who ought to stay out of Lowe's Hardware.
[00:28:30] Why?
[00:28:32] Because every time I go in that place, I find something I either want
[00:28:38] Let me, I think I want, or I think I need.
[00:28:45] A few weeks ago, I was walking down the aisle where all those light bulbs, or bulbs if you're from the deep south, right?
[00:28:54] Where all those light bulbs are stored and stacked up.
[00:29:01] And I began to take stock of all those light bulbs one day as I stopped by there to get a bulb.
[00:29:07] I was amazed at the assortment.
[00:29:10] They come in all shapes and sizes and colors.
[00:29:16] They even have bulbs for refrigerators and stove and the like.
[00:29:20] As I stood there taking stock of all these light bulbs, I couldn't help but notice the vast array of wattages.
[00:29:29] Now they call it lumens, but I'm sticking with wattage so.
[00:29:37] There was 25, 50, 75, 100 watt.
[00:29:42] There was even a set of 500 watt bulbs and even higher.
[00:29:47] Now, I confess to you this morning, I know very little about electricity.
[00:29:55] But as I understand it, the wattage or lumens of the light bulb or package, whatever that is, the higher it is, the brighter the bulb is.
[00:30:05] Well, as I stood there looking at all these light bulbs and the various wattages and lumens, I thought to myself, I wonder what the Lord would say my wattage is.
[00:30:21] How brightly do I shine or not shine for Jesus?
[00:30:29] What about you this morning, my fellow Christian?
[00:30:33] What would you say your wattage is?
[00:30:36] Are you shining bright for the Lord?
[00:30:41] I'm convinced.
[00:30:43] I'm kind of like one of those three-way bulbs.
[00:30:45] Anybody familiar with a three-way light bulb?
[00:30:50] Some days I'm 50.
[00:30:53] Some days I'm 75 watts.
[00:30:56] Some days I might even go 100 or a little more.
[00:31:03] You see, on any given day, my wattage may vary for any number of reasons.
[00:31:09] Did you know when we accept Christ as our Savior, we become the light of the world?
[00:31:17] Did you know that?
[00:31:20] But I believe how well we shine depends on us.
[00:31:25] We choose how brightly we will shine for the Lord.
[00:31:30] This morning, today, three aspects of a simple principle about what it means to be the light.
[00:31:38] A principle that I pray will give us clarity about what it means to shine, about being the light of the world.
[00:31:48] First, there is a principle exclaimed in verse 14.
[00:31:54] What is that principle?
[00:31:56] Look at your Bibles.
[00:31:58] Look in verse 14, Jesus said, ye, that is you are the light of the world.
[00:32:06] The word you is emphatic in the Greek language and in the plural, that means you, all of you who named the name of Christ are the light of the world.
[00:32:26] Have you ever noticed how the Bible uses the contrast of light and darkness to illustrate the stark difference between good and evil?
[00:32:36] Life and death, righteousness and unrighteousness.
[00:32:41] Light speaks of life in Christ, where one's sins are forgiven, and the believer is living that life controlled by the Holy Spirit, where one's sins are forgiven, bound for a home in heaven.
[00:32:56] But on the other hand, darkness represents evil, the old unregenerate nature, life dominated by sin and Satan, a destiny apart from Christ.
[00:33:13] Jesus is telling his followers, you, again it's emphatic, and I couldn't help but wonder if Jesus wasn't doing something like this, you,
[00:33:27] You, you are the light of the world.
[00:33:33] Your life stands in stark contrast to a world groping in the darkness, a world trying to find peace and hope and happiness and contentment and joy, meaning in life.
[00:33:49] You, my fellow believers, are the ones God has chosen
[00:33:54] To lead those groping in the darkness into the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
[00:34:04] That is why Paul said in Philippians 2, 14 and 15, Do all things without murmuring or disputing, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke.
[00:34:20] Now listen to this.
[00:34:22] in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom you shine as the lights of the world.
[00:34:30] Your life as you live for Christ stands in stark contrast to a world steeped in sin, a world in darkness.
[00:34:39] You shine for Christ.
[00:34:48] I remember reading about a little boy
[00:34:52] He was standing in the middle aisle of the church one day after the church service.
[00:34:57] He was looking at the beautiful stained glass windows and he points to one and he says, Daddy, who's that?
[00:35:04] His father says, Son, that's Saint John the Baptist.
[00:35:09] The little boy says to his father, or rather asks, Daddy, what's a saint?
[00:35:16] The father has a puzzled look on his face trying to figure out how to explain to his son what a saint is.
[00:35:24] A few moments later, the son came out from behind the clouds and that glass window they were looking at, that beautiful stained glass window, it was filled with light.
[00:35:35] And the little boy said, I know, Daddy.
[00:35:36] I know what a saint is.
[00:35:38] It's someone the light shines through.
[00:35:40] That's one of the better definitions I've ever heard of what a Christian is.
[00:35:47] Are you allowing that light to shine in and through you as a Christian?
[00:35:56] Secondly, there's a principle explained in verses 14 and 15 of the biblical text.
[00:36:04] Here we see Jesus clarifying, explaining the principle He has just stated in the previous verse.
[00:36:13] Look at it.
[00:36:14] A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
[00:36:18] That's pretty plain, isn't it?
[00:36:24] Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and they give the light unto all that are in the house.
[00:36:35] As I thought about this candle that Jesus is speaking of here, I was reminded of going to visit my grandmother when I was a little boy.
[00:36:44] You see, for several years, she didn't have electricity.
[00:36:48] That's a while back, isn't it?
[00:36:52] I still remember about dusk my grandmother going to the kitchen where there was a shelf.
[00:36:59] And on that shelf there was an old oil lamp.
[00:37:01] Anybody remember the old oil lamps with a globe on the top of them?
[00:37:07] About dusk my grandmother would go into the kitchen.
[00:37:12] She would take that down and she would run the wick up a little bit, strike a match and light it, put the glow back on it.
[00:37:19] And then she would take that old oil lamp and she would put it in the middle of the kitchen table so that that light might fill the entire room.
[00:37:27] Here Jesus is telling us, our Christianity
[00:37:39] is meant to be seen.
[00:37:41] It is impossible to hide a city on a hill and it should be impossible for us to hide our faith.
[00:37:52] So our faith in Christ should be obvious.
[00:37:55] It does not make sense to light a cannon and put it under a bowl or under a bushel.
[00:38:00] So this light cannot fill the room.
[00:38:02] The point, our faith in Christ is not meant to be hidden, tucked away in the walls or behind the walls of our churches and homes.
[00:38:11] In other words, keep the faith, but not to yourselves.
[00:38:18] It has been said,
[00:38:20] There can be no such thing as secret discipleship, for either the secrecy destroys the discipleship, or the discipleship destroys the secrecy.
[00:38:30] Our faith, our hope for the Savior, our love for Him is to be visible to one and all as that light shines through us.
[00:38:39] I remember that church.
[00:38:41] Oh, it's been years ago.
[00:38:42] We were visiting there in revival.
[00:38:45] Good service.
[00:38:46] As we were leaving, I noticed above the door back there was a sign right across the top that said, You are now entering the mission field.
[00:39:01] Our witness for Christ does not stop at the doors of the church after we've met for corporate worship.
[00:39:10] We carry our light with us wherever we go.
[00:39:12] Our faith is to be evident to one and all.
[00:39:18] Even to those that don't like us.
[00:39:24] Many years ago, I went with my son on an RA camping trip.
[00:39:30] It was no ordinary trip.
[00:39:31] Yes, we went on a hike, and yes, we camped out, but it was not in the open, it was in a cave.
[00:39:43] It was one of those trips where there were no modern conveniences.
[00:39:45] We were allowed to take a sleeping bag, some snacks, and a bottle of water, and that was about it.
[00:39:54] After a four-hour spelunking trip, spelunking means we were exploring, after four hours of crawling, getting dirty, just
[00:40:07] We went back to the place where we were going to sleep for the night.
[00:40:11] It wasn't outside.
[00:40:12] It was in an open cavern.
[00:40:17] I never will forget it.
[00:40:20] When it came to lights out, it was lights out.
[00:40:27] I remember laying there in the darkness doing this.
[00:40:30] Have you ever done this?
[00:40:33] Trying to see your hand.
[00:40:35] And every time I did it, my nose would bump my hand because I literally couldn't see it.
[00:40:45] I vividly remember if there was the slightest amount of light in that place where we were, it was obvious
[00:40:56] One little boy was scared, and you know what he did?
[00:40:58] He left his flashlight on underneath, in his sleeping bag.
[00:41:02] But after a while, you could see the cavern through that little bit of light.
[00:41:10] Again, I was amazed when the lights went out.
[00:41:15] It seems to me Jesus is trying to explain to us, you cannot hide the Spirit-filled heart in life.
[00:41:22] You cannot hide your testimony and influence as a Christian.
[00:41:27] You can and you will have an impact on others.
[00:41:33] A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
[00:41:41] Neither should our light as God's people.
[00:41:49] Ephesians 5.8 For ye were sometimes in darkness,
[00:41:54] But now ye are the light, and the Lord walk as the children of light.
[00:42:02] Walk as the children of light.
[00:42:08] Third, verse 16, there's the principle expressed.
[00:42:13] Just in case Jesus' listeners didn't get the point or grasp his words, he drives his point home by making sure they know what it means to put into practice what he has been saying.
[00:42:25] Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
[00:42:39] Now you may need to brace yourselves concerning what I'm about to say.
[00:42:45] So hold on, maybe grab hold of the pew, but it's not about you.
[00:42:53] It's not about me.
[00:42:57] Look back at the text again, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
[00:43:03] That's why we do what we do, is it not?
[00:43:14] What we say and do in Jesus' name, our service, our giving, our outreach,
[00:43:20] It's about others see what God is doing in and through us as we yield our hearts and lives to Him.
[00:43:28] That He might receive the glory.
[00:43:37] See that?
[00:43:40] It's not about self-aggrandizement.
[00:43:44] It's not about, look at me, I can toot my own horn.
[00:43:50] It's about living in such a way that people see God in us.
[00:44:02] Jim was an elder in a church that was responsible to oversee the evangelism of new people moving into the community.
[00:44:11] Sunan Muhammad and his family were Syrian refugees who recently moved into the area.
[00:44:20] They had no possessions.
[00:44:22] They knew no one.
[00:44:24] They needed help in every way you could imagine.
[00:44:28] Jim began by gathering food for the family.
[00:44:31] He also spearheaded the efforts to find them furniture, linens, and many of the basics the family of refugees needed.
[00:44:39] Jim wanted to talk to Sunan about Jesus, but he didn't know, and he didn't speak Arabic.
[00:44:47] and the family knew very little English.
[00:44:50] Both men wanted to talk to one another to learn each other's language but that barrier remained as Jim tried to learn more about Arabic.
[00:45:01] One day Jim felt he knew enough of Sunan's language to talk to him about Jesus and he began to talk to him and the more he talked the more confusing things became.
[00:45:11] Has that ever happened to you?
[00:45:15] Sunan looked at him with a puzzled look on his face and tried to respond in broken English.
[00:45:22] Finally, Jim decided, ah, this is not going to work.
[00:45:26] I still don't know enough Arabic to communicate my faith to Sunan.
[00:45:32] At this point, Sunan asked Jim in broken English, is your God like you?
[00:45:44] If so, I would like to meet him.
[00:45:51] You see, Jim had been communicating for months.
[00:45:57] He had been letting his light shine for Jesus even though he didn't even know the language.
[00:46:07] Because Jim allowed the light to shine through him, Sunan's entire family came to Christ.
[00:46:18] 1 Peter 3, 9.
[00:46:20] Listen to this.
[00:46:23] Peter, speaking to a group of Christians who were suffering for their faith, said, But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation, a peculiar people.
[00:46:37] Did you know we're supposed to be kind of odd?
[00:46:41] We don't act and think like the world does, do we?
[00:46:45] We're not supposed to.
[00:46:47] The peculiar people.
[00:46:49] That you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
[00:46:58] Isn't that great?
[00:47:03] Now I don't remember where I heard the quote I'm about to give to you, but I heard it many, many years ago and it stuck with me.
[00:47:13] The quote is this.
[00:47:15] Live in such a way
[00:47:18] That when you tell someone you're a Christian, it confirms their suspicions rather than surprising them.
[00:47:33] I'm convinced we shine in proportion to our commitment to Jesus Christ.
[00:47:43] Does that sound right?
[00:47:48] Many years ago at Antioch, it was Christmas.
[00:47:52] The children had all memorized their parts, you know, quoting the Bible verses.
[00:47:59] I still remember that little girl standing there on the stage at the pulpit.
[00:48:05] It came her turn to quote her memory verse.
[00:48:10] Now she was supposed to memorize Matthew 28, 20.
[00:48:13] And lo, I am with you always, even into the end of the world.
[00:48:18] You know that passage.
[00:48:19] And she's standing there and she goes, and glow.
[00:48:23] I am with you always.
[00:48:30] I know it's a misquote, but it's good theology.
[00:48:35] Glow.
[00:48:37] Tomorrow as you drive to work and that person cuts you off, some of you know what I'm talking about, glow.
[00:48:48] As you deal with that difficult boss tomorrow and you begin your work week, glow.
[00:49:01] In the midst of that family controversy, glow.
[00:49:07] I never forgot that little girl and her misquoting of Matthew 28 that evening.
[00:49:13] But I've used it in the pulpit a time or two.
[00:49:21] As I close, I'm going to read the text again.
[00:49:27] I hope I've imparted something that will stay with you this morning.
[00:49:33] Jesus speaking said,
[00:49:35] I still can't help but wonder if he wasn't doing this.
[00:49:39] Ye.
[00:49:42] We don't know, do we?
[00:49:44] But that would have been emphatic, would it not?
[00:49:48] Ye are the light of the world.
[00:49:52] A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
[00:49:56] Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick
[00:50:03] and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
[00:50:07] Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
[00:50:14] Would you please bow with me?
[00:50:22] My fellow Christian, what would you say your wattage is this morning?
[00:50:30] Are you shining bright for Jesus or
[00:50:33] Is your light dim?
[00:50:36] So dim that others cannot clearly see Jesus in and through you?
[00:50:42] Do you really want to shine for Him?
[00:50:46] As you and the Lord talk, as the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart, do you need to recommit your life to Christ?
[00:51:01] Or perhaps there's someone here this morning who's going through some difficulties and trials and they just need to come pray.
[00:51:11] It may be that you're not a Christian.
[00:51:14] Would you like to receive Christ as your Savior?
[00:51:18] Do you want to know you have a heavenly home?
[00:51:22] Would you like to experience God's grace and His mercy and His love and His peace found only in Christ?
[00:51:29] Do you want to have purpose and meaning in life?
[00:51:33] Then come.
[00:51:34] Come.
[00:51:36] Give your heart to Jesus.
[00:51:39] Father, bless now.
[00:51:41] I don't know how you're speaking to hearts, but I know that you're speaking.
[00:51:46] Give me, give each and every one of us the courage to do as the Holy Spirit speaks to us right now.
[00:51:53] I pray in Christ's name.
[00:51:55] Amen.
[00:51:57] As we sing this hymn together,
[00:52:06] Would you please stand with me?
[00:52:12] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
I have decided to follow Jesus
[00:52:40] The world behind me, the cross before me The world behind me, the cross before me The world behind me, the cross before me Now turning back, now turning back
[00:53:22] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
I have decided to follow Jesus I have decided to follow Jesus No turning back, no turning back
[00:53:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Thank you.
[00:53:48] Anybody here remember that day that you gave your heart and life to Christ?
[00:53:54] Remember that?
[00:53:56] I do.
[00:53:57] I'm talking 1973.
[00:53:58] Now that's a while back, isn't it?
[00:54:02] But I remember my decision to follow Him.
[00:54:05] And I've never turned back.
[00:54:08] But you won't either.
[00:54:11] Please be seated.
[00:54:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Thank you, Dale.
[00:54:19] Thank you for being faithful.
[00:54:21] All right, so I just got a few announcements and some good news.
[00:54:25] I guess I'll go ahead and get started with the good news.
[00:54:27] So this past Friday, I was actually at the middle school.
[00:54:30] I actually asked you guys to be in prayer for this.
[00:54:32] We had what's called a good problem.
[00:54:36] We had so many kids at the FCS in that classroom, we could not fit them in there.
[00:54:43] And I mean, I'm talking 50 to 60 kids.
[00:54:47] It was good.
[00:54:48] It was encouraging.
[00:54:49] It was just me and Coach Co. We got in there, got there a little bit early, and we were just chit-chatting.
[00:54:53] A few of them came in, a few more, a few more, a few more.
[00:54:55] Before I knew it, we had about 30.
[00:54:56] I was like, oh, this is pretty good.
[00:54:58] They kept coming in the entire time.
[00:55:00] We got to the point I looked over, and they were still kind of coming in through the door.
[00:55:04] They were about standing out in the hallway.
[00:55:05] They were sitting on the windowsill, so we may have a good problem on our hands to where we may have to move them into the gym, but we'll see.
[00:55:12] But I'll hopefully be going there about once a month at least or so, so you guys be in prayer for that.
[00:55:17] You guys be in prayer for that.
[00:55:18] With that being said, I'm actually going to call on Lisa really quick to give just a little update on the shoeboxes.
[00:55:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Good morning.
[00:55:39] As of today we have 385 boxes, 41 online with a total of 426 which we've met our goal.
[00:55:49] We are not taking them to the church until next
[00:55:54] Monday, so you still have another week if you haven't brought yours.
[00:55:59] If you haven't made the checkout, make it to Samaritan's Purse or you can do it online.
[00:56:06] And this is in every box with a pamphlet and an envelope to mail it.
[00:56:13] And that's it.
[00:56:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
That is good, though.
[00:56:23] That is good, meeting that goal.
[00:56:25] Amen.
[00:56:26] All right, well, just one more thing.
[00:56:28] I actually am going to have a little sidetrack this morning.
[00:56:31] I'm going to have, for parents of youth, I'm going to have that little parental consent form and stuff like that.
[00:56:37] If you've not signed one yet, I'll have that.
[00:56:38] Just let me know so I can get that to you.
[00:56:41] But with that being said, are there any other announcements?
[00:56:44] Is there anything else?
[00:56:44] I'm forgetting anything like that.
[00:56:53] All right.
[00:56:53] Sounds good.
[00:56:54] Sounds good.
[00:56:56] Yes.
[00:57:06] All right.
[00:57:07] Sounds good.
[00:57:07] Appreciate it.
[00:57:09] All right.
[00:57:10] Well, with that being said, let's go ahead and close out in a word of prayer, shall we?
[00:57:14] Father we thank you again for just everything that you have given us we thank you for that wonderful message and again this this great time of fellowship that you have given to us Lord God we are just so very thankful for the time that we have together and you know it just really feels like just you know being with family and friends I guess in a sense that's literally what it is but we thank you for that Lord God we ask that you would be with us throughout our week and you would be with us as we kind of get into this busy holiday season Lord God and we ask this in your name that we pray amen
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[00:02:54] Let us pray.
[00:03:23] Let us pray.
[00:03:34] In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:04:02] Amen.
[00:04:02] In Jesus' name we pray.
[00:04:14] Amen.
[00:04:39] Thank you for watching!
[00:06:27] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Good morning, everybody.
[00:06:28] It is a beautiful day today.
[00:06:33] If you are visiting here with us, first of all, welcome.
[00:06:35] We're glad to have you guys here with us.
[00:06:37] We have a little tear-off here on the bulletin, and if you would like, just kind of tear that off.
[00:06:41] If you have any kind of questions about any ministry or anything like that, just feel free to fill that out and kind of put it in a little offering plate as that comes around.
[00:06:49] But like I said, it is good to see everyone here today.
[00:06:53] I actually want to do two things really quick.
[00:06:56] First of all, any veterans that we have in here today, I would like to ask you to stand up just really quick if we have any veterans in here today.
[00:07:08] All right.
[00:07:09] I'll tell you guys what.
[00:07:10] Yeah, let's give them a round of applause.
[00:07:16] Amen.
[00:07:16] Now I'm going to do one more thing really quick, and I'm actually going to call on Greg High really quick to give an announcement on the pastor's search real quick.
[00:07:28] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Hey, good morning.
[00:07:55] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_05]:
The Pastor Search Committee, I want to just give you a quick update.
[00:07:59] We've been having some great meetings and we've had a lot of interest.
[00:08:04] The North Carolina Baptist Mission Match is working very well for us.
[00:08:12] To this point, we really have had 26
[00:08:16] That have expressed interest and this past week we looked at nine resumes and we narrowed that to three and we have some Google Meets that are coming up this week.
[00:08:29] So very excited and we really love for you to pray for us and I'd like for you to continue to do that and I'll keep updating you and good deal.
[00:08:40] God bless you.
[00:08:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Thank you.
[00:08:45] Well, with that being said, I'll tell you what, let's kind of open up in a word of prayer here too.
[00:08:49] Let's pray real quick.
[00:08:50] Father, we thank you again for just another beautiful day, once again, that you've given to us.
[00:08:55] Thank you for letting us be able to gather together, Lord God, and be able to have fun with each other, Lord God, be able to worship you and have that wonderful fellowship.
[00:09:02] Father, we ask that you just be with the service today, Lord God, and we just ask that your perfect will and way be done.
[00:09:07] In your name we pray, amen.
[00:09:09] All right, with that being said, let's lift up our voices and worship our creator.
[00:09:15] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
If you would please stand.
[00:09:17] We'll be in the hymn on page 15 this morning.
[00:09:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
[00:10:07] Amen.
[00:10:08] Praise the mount I've fixed upon it, Fount of Thy redeeming love.
[00:10:36] Here I raise my heavenly sir, Hither by Thy help I'm come, And I hope by Thy good pleasure, Safely to go right along.
[00:10:39] Jesus only, when a stranger, born from the fold of God, He to rescue me from danger, interposed His precious blood.
[00:11:04] Go to gravestown, pray the dinner, daily I
[00:11:08] Let Thy grace come like a feather Bind my wandering heart to Thee Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it Prone to leave the God I love Here's my heart, Lord, take and seal it Seal it for Thy courts of love
[00:11:39] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
It's so great to be in the house of the Lord this morning.
[00:11:41] Amen?
[00:11:43] We're going to switch gears and sing one more song this morning.
[00:12:07] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Hallelujah
[00:12:10] Alleluia, for the Lord God Almighty reigns Alleluia, Alleluia, for the Lord God Almighty reigns
[00:12:43] Hallelujah Holy Holy Are You Lord God Almighty Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb You are Holy
[00:13:12] Holy Our new Lord God Almighty Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb Amen
[00:13:43] Alleluia for the Lord God Almighty reigns Alleluia Alleluia for the Lord God Almighty reigns
[00:14:17] Hallelujah Holy Holy Are you Lord God Almighty Worthy is the Lamb Worthy is the Lamb You are Holy
[00:14:54] Holy, Holy, are you Lord God Almighty?
[00:15:19] You are holy, holy, our new Lord God Almighty Worthy is the Lamb, worthy is the Lamb
[00:15:54] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
You may be seated as our ushers come forward.
[00:16:12] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_03]:
Let's pray.
[00:16:14] Our Father, Lord, we thank you for this another beautiful Lord's Day.
[00:16:17] And Lord, we have so much to be thankful for.
[00:16:21] We thank you for your love, your mercy, and your grace that you bestow upon us each and every day.
[00:16:28] Lord, we thank you for this opportunity that we have to be in our house today to worship you in spirit and truth.
[00:16:35] And Lord, we thank you for this opportunity to give back to you a portion that you so richly blessed us with.
[00:16:43] May it be used to your honor and your glory in the spreading of your gospel, Lord.
[00:16:50] Go with us and guide us now, Lord.
[00:16:52] May we always be in thy will.
[00:16:56] May we be good stewards, Lord, of what you so richly blessed us with.
[00:17:00] In thy name we pray.
[00:17:02] Amen.
[00:17:13] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
In Jesus' name, amen.
[00:17:40] In Jesus' name, amen.
[00:18:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
No mountain, no valley, no gain or loss we know could keep us from your love.
[00:19:11] No sickness, no secret No chain is strong enough To keep us from your love To keep us from your love How high
[00:19:39] How wide No matter where I am Healing is in Your hands How deep How strong
[00:20:08] Now by your grace I stand Healing is in your hands Our present, our future Our past is in your hands
[00:20:37] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
We're covered by your blood We're covered by your blood
[00:21:05] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Healing is in your hands How deep How strong Now by your grace I stand Healing is in
[00:21:40] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_07]:
In all things We know that We are more than conquerors You keep us by Your love In all things
[00:22:02] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
We know that we are more than conquerors.
[00:22:18] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
You keep us by Your love.
[00:22:18] You keep us by Your love.
[00:22:35] No matter where I am, healing is in Your hands.
[00:23:04] How deep, how strong, now by Your grace I stand.
[00:23:06] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
Everything is in your hands In all things we know that we are more than conquerors
[00:23:28] You keep us by your love.
[00:23:34] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_06]:
You keep us by your love.
[00:24:41] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_02]:
Morning!
[00:24:43] Before we get started, I've got a special prayer request this morning.
[00:24:48] Y'all know Sparky Hawk's brother got killed this week in a car accident.
[00:24:52] If y'all will, lift that family up.
[00:24:54] Got to talk to Sparky yesterday, and I know a lot of other guys told me this morning they have too, and it just seems like we've had a lot of tragedies in our church and a lot of sickness and a lot of things in the past year, but we just need to turn it all over to God.
[00:25:07] He can take it.
[00:25:08] He can take the pain away, the sickness away, whatever it is.
[00:25:13] So we need to pray for them.
[00:25:15] This morning, I'm glad to announce we have Dale and Wanda Wallace with us.
[00:25:21] I'll give you a little bit of a bio on Dale and talking to him the past couple of weeks.
[00:25:26] He gave me some information.
[00:25:29] He's been married to Wanda.
[00:25:30] He didn't tell me for how many years, so we won't go there.
[00:25:34] He has one son, Matthew, four granddaughters.
[00:25:37] plus one great grandson.
[00:25:40] He was licensed in 1985 and ordained in 1987 by Cloud Springs Baptist Church.
[00:25:47] He has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Shorter College in Religion and Philosophy.
[00:25:52] He received that in 1990 and in 1993 he got his Master's Divinity from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and he's been a pastor for 28 years.
[00:26:04] He served locally
[00:26:07] at Antioch over on 89 for 14 years and at Simmons Grove Baptist and he served as an interim at Mount Zion Baptist Church and Rockford Baptist.
[00:26:20] So I've already asked Dale and Wanda if they would attend the service to go to the back so everybody could greet them and get to know them a little bit but we'll be praying for you this morning looking forward to what God has in store for us.
[00:26:38] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Thank you, brother.
[00:26:40] Appreciate it.
[00:26:46] Good morning, everyone.
[00:26:49] A delight to be with you today.
[00:26:51] And I've been married 53 years.
[00:26:59] And I have a friend of mine who asked me, how much of that in dog years?
[00:27:05] I didn't respond.
[00:27:08] But again, I'm glad to be with you.
[00:27:10] Would you please take your Bibles and turn with me to Matthew's Gospel, Chapter 5.
[00:27:15] If you've looked through the bulletin, you've already taken note of my outline so you have an idea of the direction I'm going.
[00:27:23] Matthew, Chapter 5.
[00:27:26] I tend not to be a long-winded preacher.
[00:27:30] I tend to share and preach what God's laid on my heart, and then I close.
[00:27:36] So that's just how I am.
[00:27:40] Matthew chapter 5, beginning here in verse 14 of this biblical text.
[00:27:45] A passage quite familiar to most, if not all of us.
[00:27:50] Jesus speaking here says, Ye are the light of the world.
[00:27:56] A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
[00:28:01] Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick.
[00:28:06] And I give the light unto all that are in the house.
[00:28:10] Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
[00:28:18] May God bless the reading of his word.
[00:28:23] I've concluded I'm one of those people who ought to stay out of Lowe's Hardware.
[00:28:30] Why?
[00:28:32] Because every time I go in that place, I find something I either want
[00:28:38] Let me, I think I want, or I think I need.
[00:28:45] A few weeks ago, I was walking down the aisle where all those light bulbs, or bulbs if you're from the deep south, right?
[00:28:54] Where all those light bulbs are stored and stacked up.
[00:29:01] And I began to take stock of all those light bulbs one day as I stopped by there to get a bulb.
[00:29:07] I was amazed at the assortment.
[00:29:10] They come in all shapes and sizes and colors.
[00:29:16] They even have bulbs for refrigerators and stove and the like.
[00:29:20] As I stood there taking stock of all these light bulbs, I couldn't help but notice the vast array of wattages.
[00:29:29] Now they call it lumens, but I'm sticking with wattage so.
[00:29:37] There was 25, 50, 75, 100 watt.
[00:29:42] There was even a set of 500 watt bulbs and even higher.
[00:29:47] Now, I confess to you this morning, I know very little about electricity.
[00:29:55] But as I understand it, the wattage or lumens of the light bulb or package, whatever that is, the higher it is, the brighter the bulb is.
[00:30:05] Well, as I stood there looking at all these light bulbs and the various wattages and lumens, I thought to myself, I wonder what the Lord would say my wattage is.
[00:30:21] How brightly do I shine or not shine for Jesus?
[00:30:29] What about you this morning, my fellow Christian?
[00:30:33] What would you say your wattage is?
[00:30:36] Are you shining bright for the Lord?
[00:30:41] I'm convinced.
[00:30:43] I'm kind of like one of those three-way bulbs.
[00:30:45] Anybody familiar with a three-way light bulb?
[00:30:50] Some days I'm 50.
[00:30:53] Some days I'm 75 watts.
[00:30:56] Some days I might even go 100 or a little more.
[00:31:03] You see, on any given day, my wattage may vary for any number of reasons.
[00:31:09] Did you know when we accept Christ as our Savior, we become the light of the world?
[00:31:17] Did you know that?
[00:31:20] But I believe how well we shine depends on us.
[00:31:25] We choose how brightly we will shine for the Lord.
[00:31:30] This morning, today, three aspects of a simple principle about what it means to be the light.
[00:31:38] A principle that I pray will give us clarity about what it means to shine, about being the light of the world.
[00:31:48] First, there is a principle exclaimed in verse 14.
[00:31:54] What is that principle?
[00:31:56] Look at your Bibles.
[00:31:58] Look in verse 14, Jesus said, ye, that is you are the light of the world.
[00:32:06] The word you is emphatic in the Greek language and in the plural, that means you, all of you who named the name of Christ are the light of the world.
[00:32:26] Have you ever noticed how the Bible uses the contrast of light and darkness to illustrate the stark difference between good and evil?
[00:32:36] Life and death, righteousness and unrighteousness.
[00:32:41] Light speaks of life in Christ, where one's sins are forgiven, and the believer is living that life controlled by the Holy Spirit, where one's sins are forgiven, bound for a home in heaven.
[00:32:56] But on the other hand, darkness represents evil, the old unregenerate nature, life dominated by sin and Satan, a destiny apart from Christ.
[00:33:13] Jesus is telling his followers, you, again it's emphatic, and I couldn't help but wonder if Jesus wasn't doing something like this, you,
[00:33:27] You, you are the light of the world.
[00:33:33] Your life stands in stark contrast to a world groping in the darkness, a world trying to find peace and hope and happiness and contentment and joy, meaning in life.
[00:33:49] You, my fellow believers, are the ones God has chosen
[00:33:54] To lead those groping in the darkness into the light of the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ.
[00:34:04] That is why Paul said in Philippians 2, 14 and 15, Do all things without murmuring or disputing, that ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke.
[00:34:20] Now listen to this.
[00:34:22] in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation among whom you shine as the lights of the world.
[00:34:30] Your life as you live for Christ stands in stark contrast to a world steeped in sin, a world in darkness.
[00:34:39] You shine for Christ.
[00:34:48] I remember reading about a little boy
[00:34:52] He was standing in the middle aisle of the church one day after the church service.
[00:34:57] He was looking at the beautiful stained glass windows and he points to one and he says, Daddy, who's that?
[00:35:04] His father says, Son, that's Saint John the Baptist.
[00:35:09] The little boy says to his father, or rather asks, Daddy, what's a saint?
[00:35:16] The father has a puzzled look on his face trying to figure out how to explain to his son what a saint is.
[00:35:24] A few moments later, the son came out from behind the clouds and that glass window they were looking at, that beautiful stained glass window, it was filled with light.
[00:35:35] And the little boy said, I know, Daddy.
[00:35:36] I know what a saint is.
[00:35:38] It's someone the light shines through.
[00:35:40] That's one of the better definitions I've ever heard of what a Christian is.
[00:35:47] Are you allowing that light to shine in and through you as a Christian?
[00:35:56] Secondly, there's a principle explained in verses 14 and 15 of the biblical text.
[00:36:04] Here we see Jesus clarifying, explaining the principle He has just stated in the previous verse.
[00:36:13] Look at it.
[00:36:14] A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
[00:36:18] That's pretty plain, isn't it?
[00:36:24] Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and they give the light unto all that are in the house.
[00:36:35] As I thought about this candle that Jesus is speaking of here, I was reminded of going to visit my grandmother when I was a little boy.
[00:36:44] You see, for several years, she didn't have electricity.
[00:36:48] That's a while back, isn't it?
[00:36:52] I still remember about dusk my grandmother going to the kitchen where there was a shelf.
[00:36:59] And on that shelf there was an old oil lamp.
[00:37:01] Anybody remember the old oil lamps with a globe on the top of them?
[00:37:07] About dusk my grandmother would go into the kitchen.
[00:37:12] She would take that down and she would run the wick up a little bit, strike a match and light it, put the glow back on it.
[00:37:19] And then she would take that old oil lamp and she would put it in the middle of the kitchen table so that that light might fill the entire room.
[00:37:27] Here Jesus is telling us, our Christianity
[00:37:39] is meant to be seen.
[00:37:41] It is impossible to hide a city on a hill and it should be impossible for us to hide our faith.
[00:37:52] So our faith in Christ should be obvious.
[00:37:55] It does not make sense to light a cannon and put it under a bowl or under a bushel.
[00:38:00] So this light cannot fill the room.
[00:38:02] The point, our faith in Christ is not meant to be hidden, tucked away in the walls or behind the walls of our churches and homes.
[00:38:11] In other words, keep the faith, but not to yourselves.
[00:38:18] It has been said,
[00:38:20] There can be no such thing as secret discipleship, for either the secrecy destroys the discipleship, or the discipleship destroys the secrecy.
[00:38:30] Our faith, our hope for the Savior, our love for Him is to be visible to one and all as that light shines through us.
[00:38:39] I remember that church.
[00:38:41] Oh, it's been years ago.
[00:38:42] We were visiting there in revival.
[00:38:45] Good service.
[00:38:46] As we were leaving, I noticed above the door back there was a sign right across the top that said, You are now entering the mission field.
[00:39:01] Our witness for Christ does not stop at the doors of the church after we've met for corporate worship.
[00:39:10] We carry our light with us wherever we go.
[00:39:12] Our faith is to be evident to one and all.
[00:39:18] Even to those that don't like us.
[00:39:24] Many years ago, I went with my son on an RA camping trip.
[00:39:30] It was no ordinary trip.
[00:39:31] Yes, we went on a hike, and yes, we camped out, but it was not in the open, it was in a cave.
[00:39:43] It was one of those trips where there were no modern conveniences.
[00:39:45] We were allowed to take a sleeping bag, some snacks, and a bottle of water, and that was about it.
[00:39:54] After a four-hour spelunking trip, spelunking means we were exploring, after four hours of crawling, getting dirty, just
[00:40:07] We went back to the place where we were going to sleep for the night.
[00:40:11] It wasn't outside.
[00:40:12] It was in an open cavern.
[00:40:17] I never will forget it.
[00:40:20] When it came to lights out, it was lights out.
[00:40:27] I remember laying there in the darkness doing this.
[00:40:30] Have you ever done this?
[00:40:33] Trying to see your hand.
[00:40:35] And every time I did it, my nose would bump my hand because I literally couldn't see it.
[00:40:45] I vividly remember if there was the slightest amount of light in that place where we were, it was obvious
[00:40:56] One little boy was scared, and you know what he did?
[00:40:58] He left his flashlight on underneath, in his sleeping bag.
[00:41:02] But after a while, you could see the cavern through that little bit of light.
[00:41:10] Again, I was amazed when the lights went out.
[00:41:15] It seems to me Jesus is trying to explain to us, you cannot hide the Spirit-filled heart in life.
[00:41:22] You cannot hide your testimony and influence as a Christian.
[00:41:27] You can and you will have an impact on others.
[00:41:33] A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.
[00:41:41] Neither should our light as God's people.
[00:41:49] Ephesians 5.8 For ye were sometimes in darkness,
[00:41:54] But now ye are the light, and the Lord walk as the children of light.
[00:42:02] Walk as the children of light.
[00:42:08] Third, verse 16, there's the principle expressed.
[00:42:13] Just in case Jesus' listeners didn't get the point or grasp his words, he drives his point home by making sure they know what it means to put into practice what he has been saying.
[00:42:25] Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
[00:42:39] Now you may need to brace yourselves concerning what I'm about to say.
[00:42:45] So hold on, maybe grab hold of the pew, but it's not about you.
[00:42:53] It's not about me.
[00:42:57] Look back at the text again, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
[00:43:03] That's why we do what we do, is it not?
[00:43:14] What we say and do in Jesus' name, our service, our giving, our outreach,
[00:43:20] It's about others see what God is doing in and through us as we yield our hearts and lives to Him.
[00:43:28] That He might receive the glory.
[00:43:37] See that?
[00:43:40] It's not about self-aggrandizement.
[00:43:44] It's not about, look at me, I can toot my own horn.
[00:43:50] It's about living in such a way that people see God in us.
[00:44:02] Jim was an elder in a church that was responsible to oversee the evangelism of new people moving into the community.
[00:44:11] Sunan Muhammad and his family were Syrian refugees who recently moved into the area.
[00:44:20] They had no possessions.
[00:44:22] They knew no one.
[00:44:24] They needed help in every way you could imagine.
[00:44:28] Jim began by gathering food for the family.
[00:44:31] He also spearheaded the efforts to find them furniture, linens, and many of the basics the family of refugees needed.
[00:44:39] Jim wanted to talk to Sunan about Jesus, but he didn't know, and he didn't speak Arabic.
[00:44:47] and the family knew very little English.
[00:44:50] Both men wanted to talk to one another to learn each other's language but that barrier remained as Jim tried to learn more about Arabic.
[00:45:01] One day Jim felt he knew enough of Sunan's language to talk to him about Jesus and he began to talk to him and the more he talked the more confusing things became.
[00:45:11] Has that ever happened to you?
[00:45:15] Sunan looked at him with a puzzled look on his face and tried to respond in broken English.
[00:45:22] Finally, Jim decided, ah, this is not going to work.
[00:45:26] I still don't know enough Arabic to communicate my faith to Sunan.
[00:45:32] At this point, Sunan asked Jim in broken English, is your God like you?
[00:45:44] If so, I would like to meet him.
[00:45:51] You see, Jim had been communicating for months.
[00:45:57] He had been letting his light shine for Jesus even though he didn't even know the language.
[00:46:07] Because Jim allowed the light to shine through him, Sunan's entire family came to Christ.
[00:46:18] 1 Peter 3, 9.
[00:46:20] Listen to this.
[00:46:23] Peter, speaking to a group of Christians who were suffering for their faith, said, But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood and holy nation, a peculiar people.
[00:46:37] Did you know we're supposed to be kind of odd?
[00:46:41] We don't act and think like the world does, do we?
[00:46:45] We're not supposed to.
[00:46:47] The peculiar people.
[00:46:49] That you should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
[00:46:58] Isn't that great?
[00:47:03] Now I don't remember where I heard the quote I'm about to give to you, but I heard it many, many years ago and it stuck with me.
[00:47:13] The quote is this.
[00:47:15] Live in such a way
[00:47:18] That when you tell someone you're a Christian, it confirms their suspicions rather than surprising them.
[00:47:33] I'm convinced we shine in proportion to our commitment to Jesus Christ.
[00:47:43] Does that sound right?
[00:47:48] Many years ago at Antioch, it was Christmas.
[00:47:52] The children had all memorized their parts, you know, quoting the Bible verses.
[00:47:59] I still remember that little girl standing there on the stage at the pulpit.
[00:48:05] It came her turn to quote her memory verse.
[00:48:10] Now she was supposed to memorize Matthew 28, 20.
[00:48:13] And lo, I am with you always, even into the end of the world.
[00:48:18] You know that passage.
[00:48:19] And she's standing there and she goes, and glow.
[00:48:23] I am with you always.
[00:48:30] I know it's a misquote, but it's good theology.
[00:48:35] Glow.
[00:48:37] Tomorrow as you drive to work and that person cuts you off, some of you know what I'm talking about, glow.
[00:48:48] As you deal with that difficult boss tomorrow and you begin your work week, glow.
[00:49:01] In the midst of that family controversy, glow.
[00:49:07] I never forgot that little girl and her misquoting of Matthew 28 that evening.
[00:49:13] But I've used it in the pulpit a time or two.
[00:49:21] As I close, I'm going to read the text again.
[00:49:27] I hope I've imparted something that will stay with you this morning.
[00:49:33] Jesus speaking said,
[00:49:35] I still can't help but wonder if he wasn't doing this.
[00:49:39] Ye.
[00:49:42] We don't know, do we?
[00:49:44] But that would have been emphatic, would it not?
[00:49:48] Ye are the light of the world.
[00:49:52] A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid.
[00:49:56] Neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick
[00:50:03] and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
[00:50:07] Let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
[00:50:14] Would you please bow with me?
[00:50:22] My fellow Christian, what would you say your wattage is this morning?
[00:50:30] Are you shining bright for Jesus or
[00:50:33] Is your light dim?
[00:50:36] So dim that others cannot clearly see Jesus in and through you?
[00:50:42] Do you really want to shine for Him?
[00:50:46] As you and the Lord talk, as the Holy Spirit speaks to your heart, do you need to recommit your life to Christ?
[00:51:01] Or perhaps there's someone here this morning who's going through some difficulties and trials and they just need to come pray.
[00:51:11] It may be that you're not a Christian.
[00:51:14] Would you like to receive Christ as your Savior?
[00:51:18] Do you want to know you have a heavenly home?
[00:51:22] Would you like to experience God's grace and His mercy and His love and His peace found only in Christ?
[00:51:29] Do you want to have purpose and meaning in life?
[00:51:33] Then come.
[00:51:34] Come.
[00:51:36] Give your heart to Jesus.
[00:51:39] Father, bless now.
[00:51:41] I don't know how you're speaking to hearts, but I know that you're speaking.
[00:51:46] Give me, give each and every one of us the courage to do as the Holy Spirit speaks to us right now.
[00:51:53] I pray in Christ's name.
[00:51:55] Amen.
[00:51:57] As we sing this hymn together,
[00:52:06] Would you please stand with me?
[00:52:12] [SPEAKER UNKNOWN]:
I have decided to follow Jesus
[00:52:40] The world behind me, the cross before me The world behind me, the cross before me The world behind me, the cross before me Now turning back, now turning back
[00:53:22] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_08]:
I have decided to follow Jesus I have decided to follow Jesus No turning back, no turning back
[00:53:46] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_04]:
Thank you.
[00:53:48] Anybody here remember that day that you gave your heart and life to Christ?
[00:53:54] Remember that?
[00:53:56] I do.
[00:53:57] I'm talking 1973.
[00:53:58] Now that's a while back, isn't it?
[00:54:02] But I remember my decision to follow Him.
[00:54:05] And I've never turned back.
[00:54:08] But you won't either.
[00:54:11] Please be seated.
[00:54:18] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
Thank you, Dale.
[00:54:19] Thank you for being faithful.
[00:54:21] All right, so I just got a few announcements and some good news.
[00:54:25] I guess I'll go ahead and get started with the good news.
[00:54:27] So this past Friday, I was actually at the middle school.
[00:54:30] I actually asked you guys to be in prayer for this.
[00:54:32] We had what's called a good problem.
[00:54:36] We had so many kids at the FCS in that classroom, we could not fit them in there.
[00:54:43] And I mean, I'm talking 50 to 60 kids.
[00:54:47] It was good.
[00:54:48] It was encouraging.
[00:54:49] It was just me and Coach Co. We got in there, got there a little bit early, and we were just chit-chatting.
[00:54:53] A few of them came in, a few more, a few more, a few more.
[00:54:55] Before I knew it, we had about 30.
[00:54:56] I was like, oh, this is pretty good.
[00:54:58] They kept coming in the entire time.
[00:55:00] We got to the point I looked over, and they were still kind of coming in through the door.
[00:55:04] They were about standing out in the hallway.
[00:55:05] They were sitting on the windowsill, so we may have a good problem on our hands to where we may have to move them into the gym, but we'll see.
[00:55:12] But I'll hopefully be going there about once a month at least or so, so you guys be in prayer for that.
[00:55:17] You guys be in prayer for that.
[00:55:18] With that being said, I'm actually going to call on Lisa really quick to give just a little update on the shoeboxes.
[00:55:37] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_00]:
Good morning.
[00:55:39] As of today we have 385 boxes, 41 online with a total of 426 which we've met our goal.
[00:55:49] We are not taking them to the church until next
[00:55:54] Monday, so you still have another week if you haven't brought yours.
[00:55:59] If you haven't made the checkout, make it to Samaritan's Purse or you can do it online.
[00:56:06] And this is in every box with a pamphlet and an envelope to mail it.
[00:56:13] And that's it.
[00:56:23] [SPEAKER SPEAKER_01]:
That is good, though.
[00:56:23] That is good, meeting that goal.
[00:56:25] Amen.
[00:56:26] All right, well, just one more thing.
[00:56:28] I actually am going to have a little sidetrack this morning.
[00:56:31] I'm going to have, for parents of youth, I'm going to have that little parental consent form and stuff like that.
[00:56:37] If you've not signed one yet, I'll have that.
[00:56:38] Just let me know so I can get that to you.
[00:56:41] But with that being said, are there any other announcements?
[00:56:44] Is there anything else?
[00:56:44] I'm forgetting anything like that.
[00:56:53] All right.
[00:56:53] Sounds good.
[00:56:54] Sounds good.
[00:56:56] Yes.
[00:57:06] All right.
[00:57:07] Sounds good.
[00:57:07] Appreciate it.
[00:57:09] All right.
[00:57:10] Well, with that being said, let's go ahead and close out in a word of prayer, shall we?
[00:57:14] Father we thank you again for just everything that you have given us we thank you for that wonderful message and again this this great time of fellowship that you have given to us Lord God we are just so very thankful for the time that we have together and you know it just really feels like just you know being with family and friends I guess in a sense that's literally what it is but we thank you for that Lord God we ask that you would be with us throughout our week and you would be with us as we kind of get into this busy holiday season Lord God and we ask this in your name that we pray amen
