God's Plan
Peter Mason
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
As children, many of us had dreams for what we would do and become when we “grew up.” Some of us may still have those dreams for when we “grow up,” even though we are well into our 30’s, 40’s, or older. We desire significance and meaning in our lives. However, due to the demands of ordinary life, many of us have come to the conclusion that our own significance is far smaller than what we would have hoped it would be when we were younger.
However, Jesus has come to a different conclusion for us. In these verses, Jesus gives a glorious declaration to an inconspicuous, insignificant ragtag band of disciples. The men and women He was addressing in the Sermon on the Mount were not the world’s highly accomplished elite. He was speaking to ordinary people who were poor in spirit, persecuted, and downtrodden. He was speaking to men and women whose dreams for their life probably had not panned out the way they wanted either. He says to them, and to you and me, “You are the light of the world.”
You are God’s “plan” for bringing His light and goodness to the entire world. Followers of Jesus may seem to lead ordinary lives, but those ordinary lives are the places where the Kingdom of God breaks in and the light of God shines brightly. Think of how staggering a claim this is - Christ calls us what He called Himself. In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” Here in Matthew 5:14, He includes you and me, “You are the light of the world.”
Your life has eternal significance because Jesus has sought you out to save you and include you in his rescue plan for the entire world. By opening up your “ordinary” life to the world around you and visibly trusting Jesus and living in simple obedience, you shine, and your Father in Heaven is glorified. That is what is in store for you today - an ordinary, but glorious day.
Peter Mason
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:14-16
As children, many of us had dreams for what we would do and become when we “grew up.” Some of us may still have those dreams for when we “grow up,” even though we are well into our 30’s, 40’s, or older. We desire significance and meaning in our lives. However, due to the demands of ordinary life, many of us have come to the conclusion that our own significance is far smaller than what we would have hoped it would be when we were younger.
However, Jesus has come to a different conclusion for us. In these verses, Jesus gives a glorious declaration to an inconspicuous, insignificant ragtag band of disciples. The men and women He was addressing in the Sermon on the Mount were not the world’s highly accomplished elite. He was speaking to ordinary people who were poor in spirit, persecuted, and downtrodden. He was speaking to men and women whose dreams for their life probably had not panned out the way they wanted either. He says to them, and to you and me, “You are the light of the world.”
You are God’s “plan” for bringing His light and goodness to the entire world. Followers of Jesus may seem to lead ordinary lives, but those ordinary lives are the places where the Kingdom of God breaks in and the light of God shines brightly. Think of how staggering a claim this is - Christ calls us what He called Himself. In John 8:12, Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” Here in Matthew 5:14, He includes you and me, “You are the light of the world.”
Your life has eternal significance because Jesus has sought you out to save you and include you in his rescue plan for the entire world. By opening up your “ordinary” life to the world around you and visibly trusting Jesus and living in simple obedience, you shine, and your Father in Heaven is glorified. That is what is in store for you today - an ordinary, but glorious day.
Posted in Sermon on the Mount
Recent
Archive
2023
January
Reach • Devotion 1Reach • Devotion 2Reach • Devotion 3Reach • Devotion 4Reach • Devotion 5Reach • Devotion 6Gather • Devotion 1Gather • Devotion 2Gather • Devotion 3Gather • Devotion 4Gather • Devotion 5Gather • Devotion 6Grow • Devotion 1Grow • Devotion 2Grow • Devotion 3Grow • Devotion 4Grow • Devotion 5Grow • Devotion 6Giving • Devotion 1Giving • Devotion 2Giving • Devotion 3Giving • Devotion 4Giving • Devotion 5Giving • Devotion 6Galatians 1Galatians 2
February
Galatians 3Galatians 4Galatians 5Galatians 6God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 1God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 2God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 3God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 4God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 5God’s Design in Marriage • Devotion 6Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 1Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 2Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 3Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 4Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 5Sex: The Word vs. the World • Devotion 6Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 1Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 2Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 3Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 4Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 5Dangers: Little Foxes • Devotion 6Delights • Devotion 1Delights • Devotion 2
March
Delights • Devotion 3Delights • Devotion 4Delights • Devotion 5Delights • Devotion 6Final Class • Devotion 1Final Class • Devotion 2Final Class • Devotion 3Final Class • Devotion 4Final Class • Devotion 5Final Class • Devotion 6A Place for You • Devotion 1A Place for You • Devotion 2A Place for You • Devotion 3A Place for You • Devotion 4A Place for You • Devotion 5A Place for You • Devotion 6The Helper • Devotion 1The Helper • Devotion 2The Helper • Devotion 3The Helper • Devotion 4The Helper • Devotion 5The Helper • Devotion 6True Vine • Devotion 1True Vine • Devotion 2True Vine • Devotion 3True Vine • Devotion 4True Vine • Devotion 5
April
True Vine • Devotion 6The World • Devotion 1The World • Devotion 2The World • Devotion 3The World • Devotion 4The World • Devotion 5The World • Devotion 6Peace • Devotion 1Peace • Devotion 2Peace • Devotion 3Peace • Devotion 4Peace • Devotion 5Peace • Devotion 6Focus on Jesus • Devotion 1Focus on Jesus • Devotion 2Focus on Jesus • Devotion 3Focus on Jesus • Devotion 4Focus on Jesus • Devotion 5Focus on Jesus • Devotion 6The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 1The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 2The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 3The Church at Ephesus • Devotion 4
Categories
Tags
no tags