Hold Up Your Light
We must hold up our light of faith to prevent others from stumbling and to guide them towards a path of spiritual growth.
D.L. Moody shares a poignant story about a blind man carrying a lantern, emphasizing that the light serves to prevent others from stumbling over him. This illustrates the importance of Christians holding up their light, shining brightly with the love and truth of God, so that others may find their way and not fall into darkness. Moody encourages believers to be a guiding light in the world, reflecting the radiance of heaven in their lives.
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Out west, a friend of mine was walking along one of the streets one dark night, and saw approaching him a man with a lantern. As he came up close to him he noticed by the bright light that the man seemed as if he had no eyes. He went past, but the thought struck him, "Surely that man is blind." He turned around and said, "My friend, are you not blind?" "Yes." "Then what have you got the lantern for?" "I carry the lantern that people may not stumble over me, of course," said the man. Let us take a lesson from that blind man, and hold up our light, burning with the clear radiance of heaven, that men may not stumble over us.
Sermon Outline
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The Importance of Being a Light
- Recognizing our own spiritual darkness
- The responsibility to shine for others
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The Blind Man's Motivation
- His desire to prevent others from stumbling
- His willingness to carry the lantern despite his own blindness
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Holding Up Our Light
- Burning with the radiance of heaven
- Preventing others from stumbling over us
Key Quotes
“Let us take a lesson from that blind man, and hold up our light, burning with the clear radiance of heaven, that men may not stumble over us.” — D.L. Moody
Application Points
- We must be willing to shine our light of faith for others to see, even when we feel spiritually dark.
- By being a light for others, we can prevent them from stumbling spiritually and guide them towards a path of faith.
- We must seek help from others when we need it, and be open to guidance and support.