By Charles Stanley

      MATTHEW 5:14-16

      Jesus Christ is the "light of the world," and God has commissioned His church to reveal that "light" as clearly and brightly as possible. He expects our individual churches to serve as lighthouses, beaming the truth of Jesus Christ throughout our nation. He calls us as believers to be part of a local community of faith and to help magnify the "light."

      In order to be useful, lighthouses must be visible. God tells us to minister visibly as a church so those who are lost are able to see the truth that Jesus is the only way. (John 14:6) Lighthouses are also used to warn of danger; they are placed in strategic spots where there is real peril. We must be willing, as a church body, to serve wherever God identifies spiritual danger. Lighthouses give a sense of direction. The Lord has commanded us to preach the Gospel, giving direction to the lost, and to make disciples, giving instruction on how to follow Christ. Finally, lighthouses are to present a clear light that shines steadily in the darkness. A constant light shines as we who make up the church align our thinking and our actions with God's Word.

      We have been reluctant as churches to shine our light where it is unwanted--in our governments, in our communities, and even in many social situations. We do not want to offend. But we have forgotten that when we refuse to give out "light," we are offending the Lord. Let us be sure that our church's beam is functioning properly and that we are part of its work as God's lighthouse.