The Light of the World

Matt 5:13-16

 

1. With joy and gratitude, we celebrate the 24^th anniversary of our congregation as we worship today. God called and used a number of faithful Christians to courageously establish this church among the Korean people in this Kalamazoo area. Jesus said that “you are the light of the world.” Here, he meant not an individual Christian but the collective community of His followers and disciples, i.e., His church. In that sense, our church is “the light of the world.” For the last 24 years, God used this church to shine upon the Korean community here in greater Kalamazoo and western Michigan area. If there were no Korean church here in this community, only a small number of Koreans might have attended American churches with some difficulties and many members of this church, present and past and future, might have still lived in spiritual darkness. In spite of Satan’s continuous attempts to destroy this church, the Holy Spirit revived this congregation again and again. Hundreds and hundreds of people have accepted their Savior and Creator and strengthened their faith. The love of God have poured out and endowed comfort and strength to many lonely and hard immigrants in this area through the ministry of this congregation. We praised God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit who did a great work with using us in spite of our weakness. 

2. To live a life genuinely happy and eternally meaningful, some basic things like food, clothes and house are not enough. We need the light to see the surroundings, universe, and ourselves, the light to see the right way to walk, live and pursue. Not only for us but also our children. In the ancient, Socrates carried a lamp and walked the sunny street of Athens. To him, the world was so dark hard to see the truth. People could not see the truth about themselves, their shame and dirtiness, the truth about the world, its disorder and injustice, the truth about the meaning and purpose of life, even denying the existence of truth itself like sophists. However beautiful or however ugly their surroundings are, if there is no light, we cannot see. Without the light, we shall fail to follow the way straight. Without the light we shall live dirty and sinful without knowing our reality. Without the light, we shall hit here and there and keep wandering. Without the Sun, we all will die away. It is one of the worst and deadliest but most popular misunderstandings that we can see without the light. How foolish it is! Without the light, we all become the blind.

3. Then where is the light and what is the light? Many universities have their emblems with this Latin phrase: Veritas Lux mea, i.e., truth is my light. It comes from the Bible, but now they lost the meaning because they foolishly believe that they can know truth without light. If truth is their light, how could they find truth without light? Not truth but light is first. Only when they have light first, they can see the truth. In the Bible, truth is originally God. It means that God is my light to make me able to see the truth about myself, the world and eternity. So, we proclaim and teach that only God is the Light: “This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.”(1John 1:5) And, Jesus Christ came to the world as the Light for the world: “The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.”(John 1:9) He came to the world to give the true light for us: “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”(John 12:46); “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”(John 8:12) So, we are blessed to have the light inside of us and the light of the world! The church of Christ should continue to shine the world until He comes back again. So many people in the world and in this Kalamazoo area are still in darkness even though they are deceived that they see well.

4. We are called to shine the light upon the community and the world. This is the calling of God given to our congregation! But if you think that we are not so bright enough to shine, what is the problem? We surely have the Light, if we believe in Jesus Christ, the Light of the world, and we are united with Him as His body. The problem is somewhere else. Jesus pointed out two possible problems. First, the church should locate on a hill, because “a city on a hill cannot be hidden.” The location is important! The church should be easily seen from everywhere to reach out. A hidden church cannot shine the community. Church location or building is important, but I do not mean the physical location. Church should not try to hide and distance herself from the community. Nobody can see a city in the deep valley. We should not retreat or close ourselves from the unbelieving community to shine. We need to have the love to care their needs and the courage to proclaim the Gospel. Of course, the Korean community is first, but also non-Korean community too. We should not be satisfied with ourselves but need to fearlessly open to the unbelieving community.

5. Second, the church should not put the light under a bowl, because “neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl.” The Holy Spirit dwells in us, and we have the light in our souls. But, the problem is that we cover it with our “bowl”. What is our bowl? It is our ego! It might be our pride or prejudice! It might be our selfishness or worldly desires! It might be our laziness or disloyalty! It might be our lack of faith or distrust! It might be our easy criticism or cynicism! It might be our disobedience to God or unwillingness to forgive! After of all, we did not deny and empty ourselves enough to make the light shine clearly and powerfully. We are the problem! We have to deny our pride and our disobedient ego, and then only the light in us will shine powerfully without any hindering!

6. When we correct these two problems, but not after its perfect correction, as much as we correct them, this congregation will shine brighter and stronger to shine the unbelieving community and save them from darkness to light. So, Jesus concluded: “In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven.” Arise and shine, Kalamazoo Korean Church!