How Bright Are You?

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine.

This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine…..

Bible class teachers often insist that Christians be a light in this dark world. It is true. But that is not exactly where we are going today.

We are investigating the brightness of your light.

There is an event that directly determines how bright your light can shine.

So get your Bibles open to Mark 9

Now, let’s read from Mark 9:2-3  “And after six days Jesus took with him Peter and James and John, and led them up a high mountain by themselves. And he was transfigured before them,  (3)  and his clothes became radiant, intensely white, as no one on earth could bleach them.”

Bible students often read over these verses, getting to the rest of the Transfiguration Story, with Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. How Peter opened his mouth when should have kept it closed. How a cloud formed and a voice came from that cloud telling Peter, James, and John (and everyone who reads or hears this story) how they should listen to Jesus ONLY.  How that only Jesus was left when the cloud had finished talking.

But what about his clothes???

Verse 3 says they were radiant. the original word means to glow, to flash, to intensely shine. They were brighter than any professional laundryman could possibly make them, even with Clorox (and no, they are not a sponsor).

Jesus glowed. Rays were shooting from him.

But that was not the 1st time something like this had happened.

Turn in your Bibles to Exodus, the second book of the Bible. Chapter 34. I will start reading in verse 29.  “When Moses came down from Mount Sinai, with the two tablets of the testimony in his hand as he came down from the mountain, Moses did not know that the skin of his face shone because he had been talking with god.  (30)  Aaron and all the people of Israel saw Moses, and behold, the skin of his face shone, and they were afraid to come near him.  (31)  But Moses called to them, and Aaron and all the leaders of the congregation returned to him, and Moses talked with them.  (32)  Afterward all the people of Israel came near, and he commanded them all that the LORD had spoken with him in Mount Sinai.  (33)  And when Moses had finished speaking with them, he put a veil over his face.  (34)  Whenever Moses went in before the LORD to speak with him, he would remove the veil, until he came out. And when he came out and told the people of Israel what he was commanded,  (35)  the people of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was shining. And Moses would put the veil over his face again, until he went in to speak with him.

God’s own intense shining, glowing, glorious ways had an immediate effect on Moses. Moses, after being with God, his own skin glowed too. The Hebrew word used multiple times here, was to Shine, to have rays.

And there is one other place we need to read. It is in the New Testament side of your Bible. Open to 2 Cor 3.  Let’s read verse 7. “Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end,

All 3 readings have one idea in common. And this idea points to the event that will control your brightness.

The one idea is that God the Father and God the Son both allowed a few individuals to see them in their natural, heavenly glory. When Moses spent many days with God, his close fellowship with the Almighty changed his own skin to be like that of God, just a lesser degree. He was so much like God he looked a little like God.

And how Peter, James and John were able to obey Jesus command to not tell anyone what they saw until his resurrection is very powerful too. That would have been soooo hard not to tell. They were able to see Jesus as he was in heaven, before he came to earth as a baby. They saw Jesus as he was.

But on the day of Pentecost, Peter and the 11 other apostles allowed themselves to shine, to glow with God’s message of hope and peace and joy and forgiveness.

Moses Glowed after being with God the Father. Peter, James, and John had rays of hope shooting from them for the rest of their lives after being with God the Son.

How bright were they? Moses, that is. And Peter and the others.

The more they were with God, the brighter they glowed with God’s goodness, and gentleness, and kindness, and peace, and joy.

Jesus said in Matthew 5:16  “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

So, how bright is your light? Measuring the light you emit is easy. Just check your good works. Now, if there are just a few, well that tell you you need more time with Jesus and his Father. If there are some, but they have not brought the Father the glory he deserves, well, you could you a refresher with Jesus. If you have several good works, be careful. Make sure they are giving the Father glory and not causing people to think well of you.

What you can do to make your light brighter is simple. Spend lots of time with Jesus.

Now, YouTube will not like what I am about to tell you. Do not spend large amounts of time watch great videos here on YouTube. Even if they are great speakers. Even if they have lots of subscribers. You need time with Jesus himself.

So read the gospels. Write notes in your Bible. Underline key ideas, key words. Get to know HIM.

The more time you spend with him, the light will naturally start glowing from you. And your kind actions, your “random acts of kindness,” will be recognized as originating from Jesus and not from you. People will see your smile. Surprise people with a friendly wave, or saying “hi” and smiling. Help older folks with easy-for-you-to-do tasks. Be surprisingly open to a neighbor. Invite someone you know to your home for coffee, tea, or even a sandwich. Take an older person to a doctor’s appointment.

Start glowing. Let the ray from Jesus shine through your eyes and smiles.

Give God the Glory he deserves.

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Thanks for watching. May God bless you until will can visit again, say tomorrow. Until then, Goodbye for now.