SERMON XLI - The Relevance of the Ministry of the Gospel - Matthew 5:14, 15
esteem the light as a tremendous blessing. Consider if we lived in a place where the sun had never appeared during our lifetimes. If, at the appointed time, the sun were to rise in all its glory, we would be amazed. Yet, since we see the sun every day, we fail to appreciate it fully. Similarly, the Ministry is undervalued because it is ordinary and commonplace among us. However, if it were not so common, we would prize it more. We should rejoice in the light of the Gospel. If we truly valued it as we should, it would bring a profound change to our hearts. The enjoyment of the Gospel compensates for any affliction. Isaiah 30:20-21 affirms this: "And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers. And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying,
'This is the way, walk ye in it,' when ye turn to the right hand and when ye turn to the left." Despite facing hardships, having teachers who convey the Ministry of the Gospel is a compensation. While the Lord may provide adversity, the presence of faithful teachers remains, guiding and instructing the people. Although affliction may come, it cannot compare to the reward of having access to the light of the Gospel.
Trouble may arise when Ministers are removed from a place without immediate replacement. This results in darkness unless the Lord provides a substitute.
SERMON XLI
The Relevance of the Ministry of the Gospel "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it gives light to all that are in the house." Matthew 5:14, 15
Next, if the ministry of the Gospel is light, let us open our hearts to receive that light. In the morning, we open our windows to let in the light. Likewise, let us open our hearts to receive the light. 2 Samuel
23:4 says, "And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun rises, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain." Set aside our previous notions and embrace the light of truth. In Your light, we shall see light. Don't let the world obstruct this light from reaching our eyes.
Let us never be content until we experience the glorious light of the Gospel shining on our hearts. Lord, You have said that Your Gospel is light. When will that light shine into my heart? Furthermore, walk in the light when you have it. In John 8:33, they answered Him, "We are Abraham's descendants and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, 'You will be made free'?" Let us all encourage one another to go to the house of the Lord and resolve to walk in the light of the Lord. Isaiah 2:5 says, "O house of Jacob, come and let us walk in the light of the Lord." Whenever you come to hear the ministry of the Gospel preached, resolve within yourself, "Lord, I come to receive light into my soul, and I am resolved to walk in that light which You will reveal to my soul. It is time to arise while the light of the Gospel shines upon us." Isaiah 60 begins with "Arise, shine; for your light has come! And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you." For behold, darkness shall cover the Earth, and gross darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you. The Gentiles shall come to your light, and
kings to the brightness of your rising. Now, this light is not given to us for mere amusement; it is given for work—for the work of our souls. Understand that the work we have in this world is of infinite consequence, concern, and value. Therefore, while we have the light, we must make use of it. It would be better a thousand times over if you had never been born than to lose the light and leave your work undone. Let us cherish our light, walk in it, and know that the work
God has assigned us in this world is precise and must be done with exactness—especially the great work of making peace with God for eternity. In twilight, one may be able to perform some tasks without precision, but when a work requires exactness, we need abundant light to carry it out. Now, the work we have to do in relation to God and our eternal destinies is exacting; therefore, we need great light.
So walk in the light. There are many dangers and byways that can lead us astray; therefore, walk in the light. Our time for our work is short—the time we have to prepare for eternity is brief, uncertain, and fleeting. Therefore, we must make use of the light.
Again, every step taken in darkness leads us astray. Every step you have taken on your way to heaven before the light of the Gospel reached you, you have bewildered yourself, gone astray, and deviated from the path. There will be no comfort for you on your sickbed like that of those who have walked in the light and made use of it to do their work. Therefore, those who are far from walking in the light and are opposed to it are rebuked. Although the light may be a pleasant thing, it is not good for sore eyes. Those guilty of adultery, those who love the works of darkness and the ways of sin, do not care for the light because it exposes and reveals both them and their wickedness. That is why they love darkness—the light scorches them.
Just as some people find the rising sun scorching and hurl darts at it, cursing the sun, this light will scorch the consciences of many individuals. Those who are confused do not love the light. Likewise,
feeble individuals prefer to keep the light away during their sickness.
Thus, it is a sign of weakness when people cannot tolerate the light.
The same goes for those who love to gratify the lust of the flesh or rather the deceitfulness of the flesh. They desire to continue in a secure way and would gladly have the light extinguished. It is dangerous for people to sin against the light. As stated in Job 10:22,
"Before I go to the place from which I shall not return, to the land of darkness and the shadow of death, a land as dark as darkness itself, as the shadow of death, without any order, and where the light is as darkness." The light is as darkness to them. Many shut their eyes against the light, even though it dazzles them. The Lord causes His truths to dazzle their spirits, but they shut their eyes and turn away from it. That's how they shut their eyes against it. Job 24:13 says,
"They are of those who rebel against the light; they do not know its ways nor abide in its paths." These are the people who rebel against the light. So that this Scripture may not be verified in many of you, take heed that your conscience is not forced to claim this Scripture as your own—saying, "This is the person, this is the woman who rebels against the light." The Lord has caused them to come and live in places where the light of the Gospel is gloriously manifested, yet they not only turn away from it, but the light follows them, and they flee from it. When you rebel against light, you rebel against God, for God is light. Rising against any light in your heart is rising against God.
Furthermore, know that by rebelling against the light, you aggravate all your past sins. In the time of ignorance, God overlooked them.
But now, if you do not repent, the axe is poised at the root of the tree.
It makes your sin greater than that of the heathens. None of the heathens have such an aggravation of sin as you have because you live under the light of the Gospel. John 3 states, "And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light." This is the ultimate condemnation.
There is no greater condemnation than rebelling against the light. By
choosing darkness over light, you willingly blind yourselves. Shall a base desire be chosen over the glorious and blessed God who shines in the Gospel? The Lord is pleased to reveal Himself in the Gospel, where the beauty and excellence of God are displayed. Yet, when this light dazzles your eyes, you still prefer a base desire over that shining light. You shall be condemned without a doubt, and your sins will intensify your condemnation. It's as if to say, those who live as if there is no God in the world, even if they are profane and ungodly, if only they had embraced the light when God sent it among them, then their souls might have been saved forever. But it is this very thing that will make your torments exceedingly terrible—that the light has come into the world, and you sin against that light, choosing darkness instead of light. You may say, "I am unable to do anything by myself." Yet, you still choose darkness over light. Those who rebel against light, those who sin against light—it is just for God to take it away from them. It is just for God to remove the Gospel from them.
There is a threat pronounced against you in Micah 3:6. "Therefore you shall have night without vision, and you shall have darkness without divination; the sun shall go down on the prophets, and the day shall be dark for them." It would be the most dreadful judgment in the world for God to take away the light after He has been pleased to test a nation with it. It would be a curse for future generations.
And furthermore, if you live under the light of the Gospel and choose darkness instead of light, that is, if there is a particular sin that your soul clings to and you reject the light because it exposes that sin of yours, there is a tremendously sobering Scripture in 2 Corinthians
4:3: "But if our Gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost." Oh, may you take this Scripture to heart, may it pierce your spirit like a dart!
Lord, how long have I lived under the preaching of the Gospel, and what do I truly know of it? Is it hidden from me? If the Gospel is effective for salvation, should it not also bring illumination? It is a
grave judgment when God allows a people to remain spiritually blind in the presence of the light of the Gospel. Some individuals have experienced the light of the Gospel shining upon them and have turned away from certain base desires they once had. But I come and, as the Lord knows, they are hidden from me. "But if our Gospel be hidden, it is hidden to them that are lost." Furthermore, know that your end will be eternal darkness. You love darkness, and darkness shall be your ultimate destiny. Therefore, consider this as an exceedingly dreadful matter—rebellion and sinning against knowledge. What you now sin against will haunt you in the future.
The Holy Spirit regards it as a special sign of sincerity to embrace the light. Those who are capable of beholding the light, those whose ways are such that they can appeal to God, testifying that they walk in the truth—here is one who is capable of beholding the light. Cursed is that contentment that cannot coexist with the light.
Let us learn from what Christ says—that the ministers are the light of the world—and let us learn to kindle our own candle at this light. The Scriptures refer to a person's conscience as their candle. Proverbs
20:27 states, "The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord, searching all the inward parts of the belly." The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord; it has the ability to sustain its burden. But who can bear a wounded spirit? The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord. God has placed a conscience in every man and woman, and that conscience is a candle—it possesses some light. If you desire enough light to examine the condition of your soul, you must light your candle at the Word and carry those truths and the light you have encountered there into your conscience. Search into the depths of your heart and all your ways. Do not be afraid to bring the light into every corner.
When the minister sheds some light into the consciences of individuals, he cannot expose every secret sin. The souls of men have the light of truth shining upon them, but there are some corners of
the heart that remain untouched by the light. Thus, if a person takes a candle, they can explore every corner of the house and peer into every crevice. You have been hearing the Word, and the Word has convicted you, yet there are many secret sins that the Word has not exposed. Therefore, you should light your candle and search every corner of your heart, casting out all your sins there.
"You are the light of the world." This applies to the ministers in both their doctrine and conduct. The doctrine of a minister is one witness, while conscience is another. If they both agree, they must both be light. Likewise, Christians in their conduct can be considered the light of the world. Philippians 2:15 states, "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world." Proverbs 4:18 says, "But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shines more and more unto the perfect day."
In every family where there is a godly man or woman, their godliness and holiness become a light—a light that troubles many. The light present in a righteous son may convict the parents, as well as in a righteous servant. Everyone should strive to shine in the place where
God has placed them, to manifest this light. Your hearts should be detached from all other things and consider this as the purpose for which you live—to display the beauty and excellence of God's name in the places where you reside. "You are the light of the world," and it follows that:
"A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."
Some interpreters apply these words not only to the Church of God but to all saints as a spiritual community. Indeed, the Holy Spirit refers to the Church as a city. Psalm 46:4 says, "There is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the
tabernacle of the Most High." Psalm 48:8 states, "As we have heard, so have we seen in the city of the Lord of hosts, in the city of our God:
God will establish it forever." Psalm 87:3 proclaims, "Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of God." Ezekiel 40:2 describes a vision where the prophet is brought into the land of Israel and set upon a high mountain, where he sees the framework of a city on the south.
This is the law of the house, upon the top of the mountain; the entire boundary around it shall be most holy. Behold, this is the law of the house. While it is true that the Church is set on a hill, signifying unity in gathering together, I do not believe this is the primary focus of Christ's message. Rather, it is to emphasize the eminence of the Gospel. You are sent into the world to preach and administer the ordinances of the Gospel, to go forth publicly. The eyes of all men will be fixed upon you. Therefore, you must be mindful of your ways, for the eyes of all men will be upon you. Just as a city set on a hill cannot be hidden, and if there is any time of danger, that city is immediately discovered, so you must go and preach in the world.
You must not expect to remain concealed, as some possess a sordid spirit and would rather hide and be of no use than to appear publicly and be useful for Christ. No, says Christ, you must not expect to hide and be safe. Instead, you must be willing to be the object of the world's attention. Luther remarks on this passage, "Therefore, you must not conceal any of the truths of God. You must go and preach them plainly, without considering the reproach or shame in the world. Disregard poverty, riches, hatred, favor, life, or death. The Apostles and Christians professed truths that the world saw no reason for, and that drew the world's attention. Tertullian likewise comments on this passage, asking, 'How is it that our Lord compares us to a city on a high hill?' He explains that when our desires are aroused, all the ministers of God and Christ—those who have been placed in positions of eminence—should strive to live blamelessly, for the eyes of men are upon them. Our Saviour Christ uses this as an
argument for ministers to walk precisely in their ways and to let their conduct shine before men, knowing that all eyes are upon them. It is incumbent upon all ministers and Christians to live blamelessly, as the eyes of men are upon them. Therefore, live blamelessly, taking care that when others observe you, they do not witness any base or sinful behavior. This will bring dishonor to Christ and to yourselves.
Furthermore, Christ's statement that ministers and Christians are in the sight of all should remind the godly to uphold the honor of the Gospel ministers. But above all, Christ aims to highlight this: a city set on a hill. "I am sending you to preach. Do not concern yourselves with your own comfort, but rather proclaim my truths and administer my ordinances publicly."
Note: It is the duty of all ministers and Christians to present all duties and ordinances to the fullest extent possible, for all the world to see.
Therefore, whoever privately engages in any ordinance, such as preaching the Word, when they could do it publicly, undoubtedly goes against this Scripture. However, I do not want you to hinder people in public and then complain about them in private. The apostles preached publicly; they came and preached in the Temple, but they were not allowed to break bread there. They did as much as they could publicly.
Like a city set on a hill that cannot be hidden, neither do people light a candle and put it under a bushel. Instead, they put it on a candlestick, and it gives light to everyone in the house.
You have received some light, but your light is like that of a candle. If a person has a candle, the way to preserve it is to put it under a bushel; then it will not burn out as quickly as it would if placed on a
candlestick. It is true, says Christ, that some of you have a vile spirit that leads you to think that revealing what you have may cause envy or opposition, and it will require a great deal of effort and trouble.
Therefore, you would rather hide your gifts and talents under a bushel, partly out of pride, as you are unwilling for others to know what you know. Our Saviour says that if you have any gifts, abilities, light, or knowledge, use them to the fullest, even if it means exhausting yourself. This is the exhortation for ministers and all people. No one who has any light can be of much help if they keep it to themselves. It is very easy for a person with gifts and talents to be idle, especially if they have a steady income. But Christ says, where did you light your candle? Has God given you more light than others, and do you think you should have more ease than another? If you have any abilities that qualify you for service to God, bring them all forth and be of public benefit in the place where God has placed you.
This applies not only to ministers but to all people. All the gifts you have are God's talents, and you will be held accountable for all of them. Know that sins of omission are just as accountable before the Lord as sins of commission. Oh, that people would consider this: if there is something evil in the place where I live, and I have the means to prevent it but choose not to, I am guilty of the evil that is done. If God has blessed many in their trade, and they have acquired wealth and live a comfortable life, but then abandon their trade, leading an idle existence with little usefulness to their families, having enough income each year, why should they not bother to engage in activities that could benefit the public? You may find pleasure in such thoughts, but they are truly sinful before the Lord. If you have any talents to offer to the Lord, do not hide them under a bushel but showcase them in the places where you are so that others may benefit from them. Sometimes, a servant may shed light on the family, but above all, the heads of households, the masters, if the
Lord has bestowed such talents upon you, do not keep them hidden, but fully utilize them for the good of all people.
FINIS.
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Exposition of the Beatitudes by Jeremiah Burroughs, Copyright ©
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Table of Contents
Reader Sermon I - Matthew 5:1
Sermon II - Matthew 5:2
Sermon III - A Description of a Person with a Poor Spirit - Matthew 5:3
Sermon IV - Promises to the Poor in Spirit - Matthew 5:3
Sermon V - Comfort for the Poor in Spirit - Matthew 5:3
Sermon VI - Godly mourners shall be comforted - Matthew 5:4
Sermon VII - The Folly of Those Who Seek Only Mirth - Matthew 5:4
Sermon VIII - How mourners should order their mourning Matthew 5:4
Sermon IX - The Comforts of Mourners for Sin - Matthew 5:4
Sermon X - An Exhortation to Mourners for Sin - Matthew 5:4
Sermon XI - How to Mourn for the Afflictions of Saints - Matthew 5:4
Sermon XII - Meek Persons Subjects for Christ to Comfort - Matthew 5:5
Sermon XIII - A Rebuke of Believers Lacking Meekness - Matthew 5:5
Sermon XIV - Rules and Aids to Christian Meekness - Matthew 5:6
Sermon XV - Times of Righteousness Promised to the Church Matthew 5:6
Sermon XVI - The Desirability of the Object Longed For - Matthew 5:6
Sermon XVII - Comforts to those that hunger Sermon XVIII - The Excellence of Sanctification's Righteousness Matthew 5:6
Sermon XIX - Those who hunger are blessed in the present Matthew 5:6
Sermon XX - Rules to help souls in the pursuit of righteousness Matthew 5:6
Sermon XXI - Considerations to support the hearts of those who hunger for righteousness but lack growth in righteousness - Matthew
5:6
Sermon XXII - The Various Workings of Mercy in the Heart Matthew 5:7
Sermon XXIII - Comforts to those that are of mercifull spirits Matthew 5:7
Sermon XXIV - Motives to show mercy - Matthew. 5:7
Sermons XXV - Wherein a pure heart is Blessed - Matthew. 5:8
Sermon XXVI - The uncleaness of heart cause of error - Matthew 5:8
Sermon XXVII - Wherein the sight of God appears to be such a happy thing - Matthew 5:8
Sermon XXVIII - The Order of this Beatitude - Matthew 5:9
Sermon XXIX - Blessed are Those Who Promote Peace Between People - Matthew 5:9
Sermon XXX - The Difference between Independency and Presbytery - Matthew 5:9
Sermon XXXI - The Mystery of Godliness in Adoption - Matthew 5:10
Sermon XXXII - Disciples of Christ Must Expect Persecution Matthew 5:10
Sermon XXXIII - Reasons why righteousness must expect to suffer Matthew 5:10
Sermon XXXIV - Principles for Suffering - Matthew 5:10
Sermon XXXV - Some Points from what has been said about the blessedness of persecution. Matthew 5:10
SERMON XXXVI - A Word of Use to Those Who Are Reviled Matthew 5:11
SERMON XXXVII - Saints should be careful not to suffer for evil genuinely - Matthew 5:12
SERMON XXXVIII - Some Arguments for the Encouragement of Saints in Suffering - Matthew 5: The latter part of verse 12
SERMON XXXIX - How believers are described as unsavoury Matthew 5:13
SERMON XL - Being the Light of the World is a Great Honour Matthew 5:14
SERMON XLI - The Relevance of the Ministry of the Gospel Matthew 5:14, 15