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Friday, October 13, 2017

Building the City on a Hill...Part 1

This is the first part of a series that I hope will spark some discussion, some personal reflection, and action-driven from faith for all of us.  I have been talking to a few people and we all are trying to decide how to be a City on a Hill, or how to let our light shine before men.  We live in a society that is so easily offended by everything. How do we, as disciples of Christ, be the light in today's world?  First, we need to talk about what being a city on a hill means.  Jesus said,

Matthew 5:14  "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden."

Think about looking off into the distance and seeing the skylines of major cities.  Or as campers, my family and I tent camp frequently.  There are no street lights and depending on where we go without a flashlight or the campfire we can't see in the dark.  In those situations, it is very easy to see where a campfire is burning in the distance.  It burns and sends its light out to be easily seen.  We are to do the same.  Jesus went on to say in Matthew 5,

Matthew 5:15-16  Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  (16)  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

We have all heard the phrase that our lives are our best testimony.  I wholeheartedly agree with that sentiment.  Jesus said it in the above scripture, "let your light so shine before men."  They will see our good works and glorify the father.  If we are saying one thing with our mouths and doing another with our behavior and actions then we have effectively destroyed the credibility of our witness to the world.  By continuing to participate in the things of the world, showing the same behavior, not putting off the things of the old man, without renewing our mind, then we can't be separate from the world...we cannot build the City on a Hill.

There are many things we do, say, and participate in that do not separate us from the world.  But, Paul said,

2 Corinthians 6:15-17  And what accord has Christ with Belial? Or what part has a believer with an unbeliever?  (16)  And what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM. I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE."  (17)  Therefore "COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM AND BE SEPARATE, SAYS THE LORD. DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN, AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU."

So, what do we consider unclean today?  Not much, right?  Look at our TV shows, movies, books, etc.  Are we separate from the world?  Can we say that we look different?  Can we say we are a light shining from the hill?  Does our behavior reflect the behavior of Christ?  

1 Corinthians 2:16  For "WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD THAT HE MAY INSTRUCT HIM?" But we have the mind of Christ.

and two verses before that:

1 Corinthians 2:14-15  But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.  (15)  But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.

As I asked yesterday, are you allowing yourself to be led down the path of life, the path of righteousness, the way of everlasting?  Are you letting the Holy Spirit direct and guide your thoughts, actions, words so that you look, act and sound different from the world?  We cannot be a natural state, our fleshly state, to receive the things from the Lord.  We have to be spiritually minded so that we can receive and discern the things of the Spirit.  

A City on a Hill cannot be hidden.  The light will shine.  The light will draw others to it.  If there is no light, there is nothing that will draw others.  How are we to be the light, the City on a Hill, if we do not separate ourselves from the world?  In the business world, they would say what are differentiators?  What makes us different from those that are not spiritually-minded and walking on the path of life?

This is a particularly important question to ask yourself when Halloween approaches.  Are you a participant?  I would hope not, but if you are ask yourself why. Ask yourself who you are following...which path are you walking.  

As we walk this journey to learning how to be the City on a Hill, I pray that our hearts and minds are open to what the Holy Spirit would say to us. I pray that we are willing to do what God asks us to do and that we are obedient to His word.  This weekend as you go through your weekend ask the Lord to show you where you are not separate from the world.  What events and activities you are participating in that are appropriate for a disciple of Christ to participate in...  I will be asking myself these same questions.  I will be keeping my heart and ears open to the correction of the Lord.

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