In the Sermon on the Mount described in Matthew 5:14-16, Jesus declared that we are the light of the world. As believers, we have the privilege of shining Jesus’ light. However, it can often be challenging. Interestingly, the biggest challenge doesn’t always come from the unredeemed. Instead, it often comes from fellow believers — other church folks.
Remember, Jesus faced similar challenges with religious leaders who made it difficult for Him to spread His message of hope and love. Don’t be discouraged if you face opposition from people within the church who call themselves Christians while doing the work God called you to do. You are not alone in your struggles.
In Matthew 9, Jesus performs five miracles: healing a paralyzed man, healing a woman who touched His cloak, and raising a dead girl to life. He restores sight to two blind men and frees a man from a demon. However, the religious accuse Jesus of using Satan’s power to perform the last miracle.
So how did Jesus retort?
In Matthew 9, Matthew reports Jesus’ actions, not His reply. Firstly, Jesus knew firmly who He was. In verse 35, Matthew records that Jesus went throughout all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel, and healing every disease and affliction. In other words, Jesus knew who He was and continued to be the Light.
In John 15:18-19, Jesus spoke about how if the world hates you, it hated Him first. In John 16:33, Jesus reminds us to take heart because He overcame the world.
Often, those who consider themselves the most fundamental in belief and practice are the ones who are farthest from authentic Christianity — they are among the ones Jesus speaks about when He talks about the world hating you. We can learn an important lesson from Jesus here: know who you are in Christ and keep moving forward despite what religious people say about you.
Secondly, Jesus is characterized by His compassion. He has compassion for people who were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus recognized the harm caused by the religious and acted as the antidote. If we examine the gospels as a whole, we see that Jesus also had compassion for the religious people who hurt others. It can be challenging to show compassion to those who have wronged us, but our actions might lead to their finding Christ.
Finally, Jesus prayed earnestly. Jesus is saying that many people are ready to believe and be welcomed into the kingdom. Still, He is asking His followers to participate: to pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest so that He will send more laborers. Jesus identifies functions all believers can facilitate: pray, labor, and as you labor, pray that others join you.
It can be challenging to be the light, especially when someone who calls himself or herself a “Christian” is coming at you with unfair allegations. Remember, they did it to Jesus, too. You focus on being the light of the world — set your aim on doing His work and watch how God rewards your faithfulness.
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