Walking in Light: Its Power and Consequences (Mt. 6:22-23)

SERMON ON THE MOUNT: JESUS’ GLORIOUS PROMISE AND SOBER WARNING

22 The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is good, your whole body (person) will be full of light. 23 But if your eye is bad, your whole body (person) will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is that darkness! (Mt. 6:22-23)

THE PROMISE: OUR WHOLE BODY CAN BE FULL OF LIGHT

In Scripture, our body often refers to our whole personhood (instead of only our outer man).

Being full of light includes the following:
1. The supernatural ability to feel loved by God and to feel love back (for Him and others).
5 Whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. (1 Jn. 2:5)

2. Receiving revelation (living understand) of the Word.
130 The entrance of Your words gives light; It gives understanding… (Ps. 119:130)

6 God has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God… (2 Cor. 4:6)

3. Being led into deep encounter with God (in His holy place) by His light
3 Oh, send out Your light and Your truth! Let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill and to Your tabernacle. (Ps. 43:3)

4. Feeling delight in doing God’s will, mediating on His Word and in embracing holiness.
8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, and Your law is within my heart (Ps. 40:8)

God promises to fill anyone with light if they will give themselves fully to cultivating it.

36 The whole body will be full of light, as…the bright shining of a lamp (Lk. 11:36)

1 I will not rest until her righteousness goes forth as brightness…as a lamp that burns. (Isa. 62:1)

35 He (John the Baptist) was the burning and shining lamp… (Jn. 5:35)

THE CONDITION: TO KEEP OUR EYE GOOD BY APPLYING “5 KINGDOM ACTIVITIES”

Keeping a good (or clear and single) eye refers to the eyes of our heart being focused.
18 The eyes of your understanding (heart, NAS) being enlightened… (Eph. 1:18)

What we do positions us to receive God’s light
21 He who does the truth comes to the light…his deeds…have been done in God. (Jn. 3:21)

The context of this promise and warning is Jesus’ teaching in the Sermon on the Mount. Jesus had just taught on the 5 foundational Kingdom activities in Mt. 6:1-18.

First and second, do charitable deeds by serving people and giving money (Mt. 6:1-4).

3 When you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 that…your Father who sees in secret will reward you…openly. (Mt. 6:3-4)

Third, pray to engage with God through His Word instead of to please men (Mt. 6:5-13).
5 You shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray…that they may be seen by men…7 When you pray, do not use vain repetitions… (Mt. 6:5-7)

Fourth, forgive and bless those in an adversarial relationship with us (Mt. 6:14-15; 5:44).
15 If you do not forgive men…neither will your Father forgive your trespasses. (Mt. 6:15)

44 Bless those who curse you…pray for those who spitefully use you… (Mt. 5:44)

Fifth, fast food (Mt. 6:17-18).
17 When you fast, anoint your head… (Mt. 6:17)

WARNINGS: A BAD EYE WILL LEAD TO GREAT DARKNESS

Warning #1: if our eye is bad our whole body will be full of darkness. God gives us dignity by honoring our decisions. The measure of light that was sufficient to keep us “steady in God” in a previous season is no longer enough because our spiritual capacity and appetite increases.

Warning #2: the darkness that replaces light in us will be compounded.

Darkness and demons increase in people who have experienced freedom but return to darkness.

43 When an unclean spirit goes out of a man, he goes through dry places, seeking rest, and finds none. 44 Then he says, ‘I will return to my house from which I came.’ And when he comes, he finds it empty…45 He goes and takes with him seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter…and the last state of that man is worse than the first. (Mt. 12:43-45)

20 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse
for them than the beginning. 21 It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment. 22 But it has
happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.” (2 Pet. 2:20-22)

The only way to keep the light we have in God is to gain more light. Light must be aggressively cultivated by filling our heart with it. Darkness automatically increases in us.

12 Cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. (Rom. 13:12)

The history of the Church tells the story of many who had light then lost it and then were overcome by great darkness. To have light and lose it results in cynicism and hopelessness.

As we get older in the Lord and receive more responsibility, we must either turn inward for light and oil or we go outward with human resolve (motivated by our desire for increase). If we do not grow in light then we end up with burn out with great vulnerability to addictions. More demons come or more darkness comes. Darkness attracts demons as light repels them.

Light is a remarkable reality and gift in both the natural and spiritual realm. Therefore, God requires that we greatly value it by walking in it.

4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. (Jn. 1:4-5)

Light is our destiny in this age and the age to come. We are the light of the world as Jesus is

12 I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall…have the light of life. (Jn. 8:12)

23 The city had no sun…for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. (Rev. 21:23)

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

9 I will show you the Bride, the Lamb’s wife. 10 He…showed me the great city, the holy

Jerusalem…11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a precious stone. (Rev. 21:9-11)

HE WE ARE CHILDREN OF LIGHT

8 Walk as children of light…14 and Christ will give you light. (Eph. 5:8, 14)

5 You are all sons of light and sons of the day. (1 Thes. 5:5)

9 The praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light… (1 Pet. 2:9)