For we do not preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake. For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:5-6
If you have ever stubbed a toe while walking through a dark home at night, you likely have great appreciation for light. Without light, we cannot see where we are going or what obstacles are in our way. Since the advent of electricity and the light bulb, dispelling the darkness in our homes and such has become quite convenient. Prior to this development, a great deal more effort was required as one had to light a lamp or candle, etc. In spiritual matters, we need light to find our way also. Fortunately, God has provided that light in the pages of the Bible (Psa. 119:105). The Christ is the full embodiment of the light of God (Isaiah 9:2; John 1:4, 9; 8:12; 2 Corinthians 4:6). However, since Jesus left the earth, His light is to be broadcast by His people as we teach His word to any available audience (John 9:5; Matthew 5:14-16; 28:18-20).
This is where we need all hands on deck. As Jesus said, “The harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; therefore, pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest…” (Luke 10:2). Upon the completion of His earthly ministry, Jesus sent out laborers to the harvest, and that task has been handed down through the ages by the teaching and training of others to carry on that work (Matthew 28:18-20; 2 Timothy 2:2). Sadly, the laborers are becoming fewer and fewer. As consumerism and other distractions have become our greatest ambitions as a culture, time for doing His bidding has steadily fallen down the list of priorities. So, what are we to do?
First, we must recognize the necessity of teaching. Without being taught, no one comes to Jesus (John 6:44-45). If the gospel is not heard, people cannot come to faith (Romans 10:13-17). Without faith, it is impossible to please Him (Hebrews 11:6). More could be said on this, but at the end of the day, the only way a person can come to possess saving faith is if they hear the word of God. For most, that only occurs when they hear it from a Christian as few find it on their own.
Second, we must embrace the task He gave us. There are many ways to carry out this work. We parents must raise our children in a thoroughly God-centered environment (Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Ephesians 6:4; 1 Timothy 2:15). For the rest, we may be the only Christian influence our family members, friends, and coworkers encounter. This places the responsibility to do God’s bidding on each of us (Matthew 5:14-16; Philippians 2:14-16). Within the church, we need more teachers in our Bible school program. They say, “As the Bible school program goes, so goes the church.” This is a key factor in the health and vitality of a congregation. Often our teachers never get a break because there are not enough teachers to fill the needs. This can be detrimental to the overall spiritual health of the teacher as they never get to be taught in Bible class settings. All these efforts require us to step out of our comfort zones, which brings us to our third step in becoming lights.
We must prepare ourselves daily to guide the erring into the light. The most common reason Christians refrain from evangelistic efforts is the fear of not having the answers. This is not uncommon, but the only solution is to prepare ourselves. The primary purpose of the leadership in the church is to prepare each member for the work of ministry (Ephesians 4:11; 2 Timothy 2:2). However, elders, preachers, Bible school teachers, etc. can only present these truths to the church. The results are dependent on the effort of the hearers (2 Timothy 2:15). Remember, some lost soul is waiting for you to teach them the gospel. Will you be their light?