Light for the city
A house of light
Pastor Ikenna Dike. 1 November 2026. Matthew 5:14 to 16.
Notes
Jesus does not say "try to be the light of the world." He says "you are." Light is not a goal we reach. It is what happens when people who have been loved by God start living out in the open.
In Asaba we know about light. We know what it is to sit in the dark when the power goes, and the small relief of a single bulb on an inverter. One lamp in a dark compound changes everything around it. Children gather to do homework. Neighbours come to charge their phones. That is the picture Jesus gives us.
1. Light is meant to be seen
"No one lights a lamp and puts it under a bowl." Faith that never leaves the building is like a lamp under a basket. It is safe, but it helps no one.
2. Light shows the way home
A house with its lights on tells travellers someone is home. Our homes, our shops and our offices can be places where people feel welcome, safe and seen.
3. Light points beyond itself
The goal is not that people admire the lamp, but that they "glorify your Father in heaven." We shine so that others see God, not us.
One lamp in a dark compound changes everything around it. That is what a church can be for a city.
Questions for discussion
- Where in your week do you feel most tempted to hide your faith "under a bowl"?
- Think of a home where you have felt truly welcome. What made it feel that way?
- Who is one person you could invite into the light of your home this week?
- How can our church be a lamp for our street or neighbourhood?
A prayer to take with you
Father, thank you that your light has reached us. Make our homes and our work places of welcome this week. Help us shine, not for our own name, but for yours.