The Progressive West Virginian. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1911-1913, 1911-08-10
SERMON RECENTLY PREACHED
BY REV. ROGER w. GRANT AT
THE BAPTIST CHURCH.
Matthew 5:14.
VIE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE
WORLD.

VIE ARE THE LIGHT OF THE
WORLD.
Before the time of Christ God made
himself known to men by dipect rev
citation. Usually the prophet receiv-
ed the revelation Sometimes He re-
vealed Himself in the burning bush
Z or the dividing of the waters of Red
Sea. Sometimes in words of thunder
tones, at other times He spake in the
still small voice Yet only a few ever
I came in contact with God. The great
masses of the people remained in
darkness without hope in the world
and without one CLEAN of light as to
what THE future held in store for
them. In fact it is doubtful whether
they had any, conception of a future
life Perhaps they knew not but that
/, this life was the BE all and the end
all of everything" True there We're
flashes of light There were some
righteous men of the chosen nation of
God, but the great masses and espe-
cially the Gentle world were with
out light.
The time was not far distant how
ever, when there would appear a
great orb of light, a light which
should illumine every heart, and give
peace to every weary soul that came
under it's focus For four thousand
years, yes, since the fall of man. God
had been preparing this light, and He
could make no mistake. So in the
fullness of time Christ came.
When Christ first called His disci-
pies He told them they should be
fishers of men. Later on He told
them they should be the salt of the
earth. That admits the corruption
of worldly men and the putrifaction
of sin they might be the one saving
!, power. And finally he uses in the
words of the text, figure more
striking and suggestive than either
of the other figures. I'VE are the
light of the World
While Christ was in the world with
His disciples He said 81 am the light
y of the world he that folloWeth me
shall not walk in darkness. AS long
as I am in the world am the light of
the world. Not only was He the
light Of the world, but He said Him
self, II, if | be lifted up will draw
all men unto myself" So He was a
drawing light. But there came a
CllliO WnCI UHdL S5lSdL OIU III 5IOIy
stood in the gloom of Calvary. Then
comes the fulfillment of our text,
We are the light of the world"
We stand amazed when we think
what Christ has done, that he has
transferred His own light to us, that
we are to take His place, and shining
in His brightness we are to seek to
accomplish the work of redeeming the
world. What the sun is to the phys
ical world the church of Jesus Christ
must be ito the community Just as
this planet derives its luster, vitality,
fruitfulness and beauty, from the sun,
50 the church is to be the source of
everything that is great and noble.
GU take into the world the great
Ideas, you are to set before men the
best ideals, you are to supply men
with the most powerful inspiration
What the sun is to the physical uni
verse, that you must be to men with
whom you come in contact.
ii AS the light of the world, you are
to be illustrious and conspicuous, and
a have many eyes upon you. "A city
that is set on hill cannot be hid J,
The disciples of Christ, especially
those that are forward and Jealous in
His service become remarkable, and
are taken notice of as beacon lights.
ALI your neighbors will have an eye
upon you, some will admire you
some will commend you, some will re-
joice with you, while some may hate
1 you and censure you Therefore, you
are to walk circumspectly and take
heed of everything that looks i'll, be-
cause you are so much looked at. The
disciples of Christ We're obscure men
before he called them, but the char
acter He put upon them dignified
them, and as preachers of the gospel
their success was marvellous, and
though they We're reprOached for it
by some, they were respected for it
by others, advanced to the throne and
made judges, for Christ will honor
those that honor Him.
Again as light of the World you are
intended to illuminate. You are to
be set up as lights, Christ having
lighted these candles, they shall not
be put under bushel. The churches
i are the candle-sticks, the candle
stick in which these lights are placed
And the gospel is so strong a light
and carries with it so much of it's own
evidence ,lat like city on a hill ii
cannot be hid.
So then If you are the light Of the
world, show it, Show it in your char
acter by being living epistles known
and read of all men" There alec
men who cannot read literature, but
they can read you Men put some
: books on the shelf, but they will new
er put you on the shelf, you will nev-
er be in the library but in circulation
seven days in the week. Be careful
that you are written over with the
right kind of character, and not only
watch your character and your work
but remember that youwin be judged
largely by the service you render.
STECKLER, the Tailor. has youl