Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1892-12-01
CHRISTIAN EhpEAvott.
Topic for the Wesk Beginning Nov. 81.
Comment by Rev. S. ii. Doyle.

Topic for the Wesk Beginning Nov. FL
Comment by Rev. S. Fl. Doyle.
ToPIc.-How to be lights in the world
Acts xiii, A.; Eph. v, e-s.
Speaking of himself Christ once said
81 am the light of the world Speal.
ing to his disciples he also said, Eye ara
the light of the world" There is nc
contradiction in these words Each
statement is true. Christ is the original,
self luminous, spiritual light His dis
ciples shine by reflection. Heis like the
sun, self luminous. They are like the
moon, shining, yet not by inherent light,
but rejecting the suns light.
!. Il have set thee to be a light of the
Gentiles" (Acts xiii, AZ. Thus spoke the
Lord through Isaiah the prophet He
has put his disciples in the world that
they may shine to all the people, Gen
tiles as well as Jews 1t is the duty of
Christians to shine. 1t is further their
very nature to do so. The light mnst
shine when placed in darkness. Put a
lighted candle in a darkened room, aud
dpust shine Put true Christian
mid the darkness and sin of the world,
and the same result necessarily follows.
Hence Paul wrote to the Philippian
Christians that they should be blameless
and harmless in the midst of "A perverse
and crooked nation. Among whom We
shine as lights in the world" He did
not say they ought to shine. He took it
for granted they did shine. As it is the
nature of the sun to shine TO give light,
heat and beauty to the physical world,
so it is the nature of Christians to shine
to enlighten and beautify the moral and
spiritual world.
2. "Noy are We light in the Lord"
fEph. V, s.. Paul tells the Ephesians that
once they were darkness, but now are
light in the Lord, or because or since
they are now in fellowship with the
Lord Jesus. This makes Christ the
source of their light. To be lights, then,
If Christ is the source of all spiritual
light, we must abide in him and he in
us; we must have constant fellowship
and communion with him. The light
comes from him, and therefore can only
be sustained by connection with him
whose presence creates and diffuses ra-
dance. Sometimes part of the morn
Dn which the sun does not shine is
Gard us, and what is the result? The
Non is darkness. II gives forth no
at. 1t shines only when the sun
les upon it, So Christians can only
he when Christ shines upon them.
! be refiectors Of Christ's light we
{ daily live 50 that his light shall |
nupon us; we must walk in sight of |
Dcross, so that the beams from the |
,sSitied one may shine upon us and be |
reflected upon a sin ruined world
3. walk as children of light (Eph. Y,
s.. Walk as becometh those who are in
the light of Christ. We thus walk when
|our conversation is Christian. What
mighty power speech is for good or evil!
vhe tongue is indeed great light when
te speak only words of kindness, peace.
Nlpathy, love and glory and praise to
tFather and the Son. We thus walk
zen our conduct, our lives are patterned
er Christ. As children of light we
. st show by our conduct that we love
enjoy it and reflect it. Our course of
aduct must prove that we hate all
rkness, are not content with any am
4 guous twilight. but only with the full
4 lender of the Son of Righteousness.
bible References-Ps. iv, 6; xvii, /;
Evil, 1912; cxix, 105, 1870; Prov iv, IS.
IL; vi, 2O-23; lisa. tx, 2: xiii, 81; Xix,
Math. iv, 16; Acts XVI. 12-1S II Cor.
AIS; Eph. ii, 11-13 iv, 1872; V. 1-3.
Phil. i, p; | Thess. ii, 1913; ". /;
SJohn i, 81.