Message by Samuel Rodriguez
Gateway Church, Southlake, TX
October 3, 2015,
Our faith is not like any other faith! Our faith is transparent, transcendent, and transformational. Our faith teaches us to cross over obstacles, shout down walls, to break through crowds, and to walk on water even in the midst of storms.
Our faith enables us to survive the fires of life, to overcome the den of lions, to silence the serpent, and outwit the fox. Our faith empowers us to see the invisible, embrace the impossible, and hope for the incredible.
Accordingly, it’s not a coincidence the first time the universe hears the uttered Words of God, God’s voice, it was not to say let there be joy, peace, or even love. The voice of the Divine, the Sovereign, the Glorious uttered the following in Genesis 1:3, “Let there be light,” because God always begins by turning the lights on.
LIFE requires LIGHT. FAITH requires light. Why?
Because we live in dark times. Even the recent occurrence that saturate, inundate the news cycles the past few days compel me to share this with more passion. Some would argue that we live in the darkest hour. Darkened by sin, moral relativism, moral apathy, moral decadence, racism, pornography, violence, false prophets, watered down preaching… jealousy, hatred, envy, strife…
In the midst of darkness Jesus still saves! Jesus still delivers, Jesus still heals! Jesus is still coming back again! In the midst of darkness stand this truth: “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).
You are BLESSED to be light, because when light stands next to darkness, light always wins. You are blessed to be light by who you are. You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden, so who are we? We cannot be light until we discover who we are.
What defines us? Who are we? Are we defined by our past? Are we defined by our circumstances? Are we defined by what others say about us? Here’s the great news about what took place on the cross. CHRIST defines you! We are not defined by what surrounds us. We are defined by God’s Spirit inside of us.
We are not defined by our circumstances; we are defined by His covenant. You are not defined by the hell you might be going through. You’re defined by the heaven you’re going to. You’re not defined by your failures; you’re defined by His forgiveness. And to all the religious folk, you are not even defined by what you do for God, you’re defined by what God already did for you!
The cross, the empty tomb. You are defined by the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. You’re defined by Galatians 2:20, “I (my old self) have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and The life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.”
There is an attempt right now to corporately define us; by government, and institutions, society. It behooves us to ask, “Who are we as a church?” Are we just another institution? Competing with ideas? Are we still relevant? How we respond in this critical determine if light overcomes darkness.
We must respond with clarity, conviction, and courage the following:
- We ARE the light of the world.
- We ARE a city on a hill.
- We are people of the Word.
- We are salt & light.
- We are prophetic and NOT pathetic!
- We are disciples, witnesses, and Christ followers.
- We are prophets, pastors, evangelist, and teachers.
- We are children of the cross, fruit of the empty tomb, and product of the upper room.
- We are the redeemed of the Lord, the sheep of His pasture.
- We are forgiven, free, and favored, called, and chosen.
- We are warriors and worshippers.
- We are world changers and history makers.
We are the Church of Jesus Christ! The gates of hell shall not prevail against us! We are the Bride of Christ. We are the church. We are the light of the world. And to all those who are desperate to get out of this world… We need to reconcile eschatology… Jesus is not coming back for a defeated church, a failing church, or a discouraged church… He’s coming back for a glorious, thriving church.
Be light by who you are! We are not first and foremost black, white, yellow, or brown. Hispanic, Charismatic, Baptist… We are above all born again, blood washed, spirit empowered children of the Living God! Yes! Be light by who you are. Remember: God does not call the perfect, God calls the willing. He doesn’t call those who have it all; He calls those who are willing to surrender it all. When light stands next to darkness, light always wins.
We are blessed to be light by removing the obstacles. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and hide it under a bowl. If you have it, you don’t hide it. You let it shine! Our challenge is to remove the bowl of apathy, complacency, and fear. Make a claim to righteousness so we may shine before all men.
We cannot be light until we embrace the following:
- Today’s complacency is tomorrow’s captivity.
- There is no such thing as comfortable Christianity.
- And you ARE what you tolerate.
- God did not give us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and a sound mind.
So, what’s trying to hide your light? What’s attempting to turn off your light? What is the name of that preverbal bowl? We cannot deny that there exist a spiritual battle to turn off the light. There is a real spiritual battle taking place. It’s been revealed even in the past few days.
There are real spirits in the world today:
- The spirit of Pharos is alive, holding people captive in Egypt in the bondage to fear.
- The spirit of Goliath is still alive mocking and intimidating the children of God.
- The spirit of Jezebel is alive, still makes men and women hide in caves with sexual perversion, control and manipulation.
- The spirit of Absalom is dividing homes and churches and relationships while
- The spirit of Herod is killing the young through abortion, violence, and sex trafficking, murdering infant dreams and visions’
Yet, I have news for you! Don’t drink the cool aide! In spite of what you see on the news. There is a spirit more powerful than all these spirits combined. We are here to declare today that the most powerful Spirit alive right now, today, is the Holy Spirit of almighty God! “It’s not by might, nor by power, by My Spirit.”
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom! There is power (Acts 1:8). We need to stand up with courage and be light; with courage and conviction.
- For every Pharos there will be a Moses.
- For every Goliath, there will be a David, for every
- Nebuchadnezzar there must be a Daniel, for every
- Jezebel there must be an Elijah, for every
- Herod there must be a Jesus, and for
- Every devil that rises up against you there is a mightier God will rise up for you.
It time to remove the bowl, whatever life or hell has placed upon you. Always remember what you can’t shake off, Jesus washes off. If life throws you rocks, build an altar. 1 John 2:8, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. Isaiah 60:1, Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you”
When light stands next to darkness, light always wins. You are blessed to be light by where you stand. Put it on a stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. The stand represents the facilitator platform on which we shine the light of Christ.
We stand on this.
- Christ is the Hope of Glory.
- Jesus is the ONLY way.
- Righteousness and Justice
- Ps 89:14, Righteousness and justice are the foundation of Your throne; Lovingkindness and [a]truth go before You
- Luke 1:79, “To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death,To guide our feet into the way of peace.”
You are blessed to be light by what you do. Let your light shine before men that they may see you good deeds and glorify your Father… Jesus changed the world because of who He was, what He did, His character, and His rhetoric.
Live as children of light. Ephesians 5:8, “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are Light in the Lord; walk as children of Light.” Christianity is more about blessing the broken than promoting the perfect. Christianity remains relevant by constant of loving actions. There is no such thing as silent Christianity. Remove the hindrances, and obstacles… (Hebrews 12:1-2). The only agenda to save the America is Jesus.
Closing: What do Christians do?
- We love, we forgive, we turn the other cheek.
- We bless our enemies, we walk in integrity.
- We quench the thirsty, we clothe the naked.
- We feed the hungry, we welcome the stranger
- We take care of the orphan and the widow.
- We preach in and out of season
- We worship in spirit and truth.
- We do justice, we love mercy, we walk humbly before God
- We are light! The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it. (John 1:5)
- 1 Samuel 3:3, The lamp of God has not gone out
So be light and walk like Enoch…lead like Abraham… dress like Joseph… stretch like Moses…shout like Joshua…dance like David…fight like Gideon… pray like Daniel… build like Nehemiah… preach like Peter… serve like Steven…
Be light and live like Jesus.
Be light and change the world, for
when light stands next to darkness,
light will always win.
(Source: http://gatewaypeople.com/ministries/life/events/bless-weekend/session/2015/10/03/blessed-to-be-light)
Hearts United Women's Ministry 