Redlight Crossing

On Sunday we talked about Matthew 5, particularly the references to being a City on a Hill. As I was preparing for that sermon I came to a conclusion about who Christians are and that we've been deceived. Often times we believe that in order to be a light we have to appear in a certain way, live our lives in a certain way and essentially all together.

What I realized is that our culture has conditioned us to appear a certain way. Christians are always called hypocrites, that we preach things we don't live. Not surprisingly, it's true. We live by a standard that we rarely live up to and we are hypocrites, it comes with the territory. However, recognizing that truth has led me to believe that we have bought into the lie that since the world views us as hypocrites we must have it all together in order to be a light. I have come to an entirely different conclusion.

I believe that being a light to the world means two things:

First, when we accept Christ we come to be a light to the world around us because the Holy Spirit now dwells in us and we are now a new creation.

Second, being a light means that we are true to who we are. We become vulnerable. Light pierces the darkness. We don't have it all together, and in order for the world to see the light they must see it penetrating the darkness, but not just in a broad sense like we always like to believe but also in a smaller sense. In our lives! If we act like we have it all together then people can't see the light of God working in our own lives. In order to truly be a city on a hill we must see allow people to see God's light shining through the darkness in our own lives. It's not about how we have it all together, it's about how we allow God's grace to work in our lives and let the light shine through our own darkness.

The world wants authenticity, not perfection! Are you allowing God's grace to work in you and show others his light in you?

2 Corinthians 12:9-10