Week 5 - Saturday

A Light to the World

and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, (Romans 2:19-20)

God called the nation of Israel to be a light to those who are in darkness. They were specially chosen by God to teach His ways to the rest of the world (Isaiah 42:6-7, 49:6). The Jews were proud to think of themselves as the teachers of God's Law. Unfortunately, because of their pride, they looked down on the very people they were supposed to be leading to God. The Jews were self-righteous too. They found that many of God's Laws were too hard for them to keep. So, instead of confessing their sin to God, they made up hundreds of their own laws that were easier for them to obey. They then believed they were righteous by keeping their own man-made laws. Consequently, if they ever did convert a Gentile to the Jewish faith (which rarely happened), they made them worse off than they had been before. God had wanted the Jews to be a guide to the spiritually blind world but because of their sinfulness and pride, they became just as blind themselves.

Because the nation of Israel rejected Jesus as their Savior and crucified Him on the cross, God took away their position of spiritual leadership. God then called the Christians, to be His spiritual teachers to the world. Forty days after Jesus was raised from the dead, He ascended back into heaven. Just before He left though, Jesus gave these final instructions to His followers, "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to obey all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age" (Matt. 28:19-20). Even though more than 1900 years have passed since this command was given, it still applies to us today. We who follow Christ, are to be God's witnesses to the people who do not. God expects us to be the guides for the spiritually blind of the world today. As long as there are people who do not follow Christ, or until the end of the age has come, these instructions will be in force. Since most people do not want to be led out of the darkness, those who try to do so will suffer persecution. The first Christians were persecuted for their faith. Many of them were put to death. Even today, in some parts of the world, Christians are imprisoned and killed. In America the persecution is not that severe, however it may be someday. The persecution we face here is more subtle but still very effective. It's not socially acceptable to talk to other people about their sin and their need to repent. So, because we want others to like us, we often shy away from telling them about the gospel. We know that if we do, we will be rejected by most people. Jesus knew that this is the way it would be. That's why He promised to always be right alongside us, encouraging and strengthening us.

Readings for today: Matt. 23:15; Matt. 15:14; 1 Peter 2:9; 2 Tim. 3:12; Matt. 5:10-14