Light to a broken world – Part 2

Key Verse: Matthew 5:14: “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden,” (NKJV).

Christians are God’s agents of light in a broken world. The world awaits the manifestation of the children of God. The broken world waits in darkness for the manifestation of light that is in the sons of God. When Jesus entered our world, He did not box Himself inside the four walls of the Synagogue. He walked into the lives of sinners. He touched the lepers.

He associated with prostitutes. He dined with the heathen. To reach and rescue the world, Jesus Christ had to penetrate the world. And the question I find myself asking is: “Is this one of the church’s greatest failures today? It seems to me that churches have not done so well in connecting and engaging with the people. Jesus’ strategy always involved believers going into the world, to penetrate the world.

As a child of God, you should radiate the love of God to the people around you. Do not refuse to shine at your corner as a child of God. “Let your light shine!” Jesus commanded it. He did not, and does not leave believers with the option of letting their worlds remain in undisturbed blackness. There’s no wiggle room; so, spread Jesus Christ’s influence. Jesus Christ made it obvious that He wants us to spread His influence to every corner of this dark and fallen world. It is not enough that we simply take our lights out of hiding. He wants us to put them on a lamp stand where everyone can see them! God wants the light of His love to be held high so it can permeate every bit of darkness (Matthew 28: 18-20). God wants us to shine the light of Christ in us to every corner of the world.

We are reminded by Jesus not to hide, but to be light in a dark world. The church at the moment is to bring hope to the hopeless by bringing the light of God to those in the dark and optimism to the lost and downcast or discouraged. The church is to bring guidance and illumination to those who are covered by the darkness of the world and also to provide direction and wisdom to the ignorant and lost sinners.

The church is to bring healing to the sick, restoration and redemption to those who are broken. It is to bring wholeness and peace to humanity. How long will it take for us to realise that we are God’s agents of light? It is through the channels of our daily lives that God can shine the light of His message of love in the world today.

God wants believers in Christ to participate in the greatest, largest, most diverse and most significant cause in history – His Kingdom! Nothing matters more than bringing men’s souls into the kingdom of our God. God wants you to bring glory to Him by touching the lives of the people we meet and mingle with on a daily basis in a positive life-changing and eternity-altering ways. How is this possible? It is possible by influencing the people around us with the light of Christ in us. The way we live should communicate more to the people around us that we are God’s children. We are to bring out the God-colours in the world. The gospel of Christ is powerful! It is the answer to man’s greatest need! Salvation, which is the message of the gospel, is only found in Jesus Christ. The gospel brings light to the world and dismisses darkness, ignorance and arrogance in the hearts of man. It ushers God’s only solution to man’s greatest problem!

• Today’s nugget: The Church is the light to a broken world. Prayer: Lord help me to be a light in my environment. Prayer lines: 08033299824.E-mail: [email protected]. Rev. Abel Ukachi Amadi, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God, Nigeria.