Dear Christian friends:

In the Bible sin and ignorance about the true God is called "darkness," while righteousness and truth about God is called "light." Jesus said that He was "the light of the world." (John 8:12) We need Jesus' light. We don't want to stay in sin and ignorance of God. We want to have light and life, not darkness and death.

In our text we read that Jesus was a wonderful light for the people living by the Sea of Galilee. He is also a_ wonderful light for us who live today. Because Jesus, the Light of the World, has come to us, we should accept Him and walk in His light and not walk anymore in darkness.


Walking in Jesus' light means that we must repent.

In our text we read, "Then Jesus began to preach and say, "Repent, because the kingdom of heaven is here." (verse 17) Jesus' light shows us our sins and wrongs. The Ten Commandments are part of Jesus' wonderful light. If we read and study the Ten Commandments, we will see and know our many wrongs against God and our neighbor. The Ninth and Tenth Commandments say, "You must not covet." We must not wish to get our neighbor's wife or property. But often we do that and are jealous of our neighbor.

The Eighth Commandment forbids telling lies and_ gossip. But often people tell lies and say bad or unkind things about others. The Fifth Commandment forbids killing. That also means hating and hurting someone. John says, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer." (1 John 3:15) You know how often you have anger, hatred, and revenge in your heart. The Fifth Commandment also means that we should help our neighbor in every bodily need. We should even help our enemies in their need.

The Bible teaches: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink." (Romans 12:20) These are only four of the Commandments and you see how many sins they have already shown to us.

We should confess our sins, be ashamed of them, and with Jesus' help stop doing the wrong and do the right. With Jesus help we can follow Him and walk in His light, obey the Ten Commandments. His love and forgiveness enables us to do that. His love and mercy which He showed on the cross is also part of His wonderful light. When we believe that Jesus died for our sins upon the cross, that we might have forgiveness and eternal life, then we receive His love and power and we want to please God and walk in His holy, right ways. Instead of being jealous of our neighbor, we will be happy with him when he receives fine things better than our own.

Instead of telling lies about our neighbor and gossiping about him, we will tell the truth about him and defend him when others say unkind things about him. Instead of hating our brother and seeking to get revenge against him, we will love him, show mercy to him and forgive him, as God has shown mercy and forgiveness to us in Jesus.

Walking in Jesus' light also means that we help bring His light to others.

In our text we read how Jesus called four fishermen to follow him and learn how to bring His light to others still in darkness. Jesus said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." (verses 19-22) The four men, Peter, Andrew, James and John, gave up catching fish and followed Jesus so that they could learn how to catch men.

What does that mean, "fishers of men?" Perhaps this little story will help explain it. Many years ago when I was pastor of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church for the Deaf, St. Paul, Minnesota, one Sunday morning one of our faithful members, a bachelor, did not come to church. So, I asked his friend, "Where is Lyle?" The friend smiled and said, "He went fishing in South Dakota." I was surprised to hear that, because he never went fishing before. His friend saw that I was surprised and did not understand what she meant. She explained, "Lyle went fishing for a wife." Then I understood that Lyle went to the South Dakota Convention of the Deaf looking to find a girl friend and maybe win a wife. When Jesus calls us to be fishers of men, He means for us to love those who are still in darkness and win them for Jesus. We must show them Jesus' light: the Ten Commandments and the Cross.

When Benjamin Franklin lived, 200 years ago, Philadelphia did not have street lights. Ben Franklin wanted to interest the people of that city to have street lights. But he was wise and did not just talk about it and give speeches. He hung a beautiful, bright lantern on a long bracket in front of his house. He cleaned the glass daily and kept the wick trimmed so that every night the lantern gave a bright light by his house. People saw the light from far away and came to see it. They noticed that the lantern light helped them to avoid sharp stones and bumps on the pavement. Soon various person put similar lanterns on their houses. In that way the people of the city realized the need and the value of street lighting.

So, each one of us can be a "light" here in our dark world of sin and wrong doing. When others see Jesus' light in us, our love, our kindness, our joy, peace and hope in Jesus, they will realize their need for Jesus also.

Jesus is the Light of the World, and so are we. Jesus says to you and me, "You are the light of the world. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven." (Matthew 5:14-16)

Amen.