What did you learn from last week’s sermon, “Shining Lights” ?
Q1: Where are the Beatitudes located in your Bible?
Q2: Jesus is the saving light of God. How do we get access to this light so that we can share it with unbelievers?
Q3: How will you know that you have the saving-light in you?
Q4: Other than the Sermon on the Mount, where else can we find characteristics of a child of light?
Q5: Out of the 18 or so characteristics of a child of light, how many can you name?
Q6: What is the Greek word for “blessed?”
Sermon Summary & Answers
Last week we learned how Jesus is the shining light of God, clothed in flesh and sharing Him, and what He has done is evangelism. This week Pastor Wilson takes us into Matthew 5:13-16, which tells us to let the saving light of God, that is in every believer, shine out of us and into the world. This light can conquer the darkness of unbelief and eternal darkness. John 8:12 is Jesus confirming that He is the saving light, and if we believe in Him, we too have this very same light to share.
Ephesians 5:8 is Paul telling us that believers were darkness itself but are now light and should live that out. We will know that we are doing that by the “fruit of light,” which means there will be obvious evidence of righteous behavior, honesty, and integrity. So, take an inventory. Is there evident fruit in your life so that others can see and you can say, “I am a child of light?”
Paul goes on with more characteristics…
- v.10 – We have to learn and know what actually pleases God, so that we can add fuel to the light.
- v.11 – Avoid bad behavior; expose and oppose it!
- v.12 – Again, be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Grab your Bible and look up the rest (this is you doing verse 10).
- (4) v12 – Don’t speak about…
- (5) v15 – Look carefully at…
- v16 – Make the best…
- v17 – Do not be…
- v18 – Do not get…
- v19 – Address what…
- v20 – Give what…
- v21 – Submit to what…
Paul was trying to reiterate a child of light’s character, also found in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7). Pastor Wilson backed up and took the Beatitudes portion of Jesus’ sermon (Matthew 5:1-10) apart for more character detailing. This helps us know we are adorning the Gospel with lives that reflect Christ.
- v.3 Blessed are the Poor in Spirit – Recognizing you have no right standing with God and being broken-hearted over your sin. A state of spiritual poverty, depravity, or bankruptcy. You have to know that you can’t shine a saving-light; you can only reflect it.
- v.4 Blessed are those who mourn – knowing you have nothing good in you (Romans 7:18-19)
- v.5 Blessed are the meek – a gentleness that comes from verses 3-4
- v.6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness – not the imputed righteousness of Christ; we already have that. It’s talking about a deep desire to consistently follow God’s revealed will instead of our sinful flesh. This is the motivating factor to shine Christ’s light.
- v.7 Blessed are the merciful – we need mercy when we fail. Mercies are new every morning with Christ. We give mercy.
- v.8 Blessed are the pure in heart. We have a desire to be purer. We have confidence in progressive sanctification because He tells us He will finish His good work in us.
- v.9 Blessed are the peacemakers – Not with other people or contentment in life. He’s talking about the war being over between you and God. He’s talking about having peace during troubled times
- v.10-11 Blessed are those who are (present tense) being persecuted – A Christian’s life is characterized by persecution. It’s supposed to be that way, and we are supposed to be happy about it! It affirms your well-being in Christ. We are supposed to count affliction as joy. It is this pressure on a believer that squeezes out the joy. (Ecclesiastes 1:9)
All of these characteristics start out by calling us (believers) “Blessed.” “Makariōs” is the Greek word for “blessed.” It is a deeper state of well-being than just happiness. It is deep satisfaction. It is a believer’s state of being, which is merely a reflection of God’s state of being. God is, therefore, continually satisfied in His essence. 1 Timothy 1:11 calls god “the blessed God.” 1 Timothy 6:15 calls God “the blessed and only Sovereign.” Only God can clothe His son in saving light. Only Jesus can fill us with that light to share. Only the Holy Spirit can help us learn His will, avoid the bad stuff and make us able to share the light. This is grace upon grace and way more mercy than we deserve. Keep checking your character list, repent when you don’t measure up, and study His word diligently to grow in spirit and have true peace and satisfaction with Him.
Did you find this quiz and sermon summary helpful? Log on to gccbg.com/blog each week for the latest Q&A. Jessica will send the link out in the Midweek church emails. I’d love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. Please email me at thepew@gccbg.com.
Answers:
- Matthew 5:1-10
- The light is given to you when you believe in Christ.
- You will show evident fruit.
- Ephesians 5:8-21
- Read last week’s sermon summary above or click the QR code in the bulletin for the lists.
- makariōs
