Matthew

[0:00] As the Lord shall be pleased to help me, I shall call your attention to a subject you will find in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5, and the 15th verse.

[0:23] And neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.

[0:43] Chapter 5, the Gospel of Matthew, and the 15th verse.

[0:55] You may think upon this subject as the preacher has announced it, and wonder what it may have to do with the young people's service.

[1:12] I do hope it will have something to do with you, dear young people, and that ultimately, by the grace of God, it may be said of you, what the Saviour said of his disciples in the preceding verse, Ye are the light of the world.

[1:43] A sinner who is born again is a sinner lighted up inside with heaven's own light, and the light shines out in such and one's life, so that wherever they go, as grace is given, they shine as lights in the world.

[2:14] And I want, as the Lord shall help me, to look at this subject from two or three viewpoints of it, and it might be helpful, first of all, to remind you what the Word of God says about light.

[2:39] The psalmist has a striking word, and how good it would be if you, dear young people, I hope some of you can say it, but not all.

[2:56] The Lord grant you might all be helped to do so ere you die, for thou will light my candle. Godly David said that, and that candle that he was referring to was the light of life.

[3:17] It means a good work begun within the heart. The entrance of thy word giveth light, and once that sinner is lighted up inside, as I have said, then he desires to live his life, henceforth in accordance with what the light reveals.

[3:43] And so you find David saying, thy word is a lamp unto my feet, a light unto my path.

[3:54] God and regarding what the Selmist said, for thou wilt light my candle, I remember well over fifty years ago, when I first of all came to Union Chapel as pastor, I was very interested in our course, and I got looking around to see the lay of the land as it were, and there were some cupboards I looked into, and to my astonishment, I found in one cupboard what appeared at the first glance to be like a small cartwheel, chapel, and I took it out, and examined it, and found it was how the chapel used to be lighted in the beginning of it, when it was nothing like the size it is at the present time, and at the end of the spokes of the wheel, and there was a hub to it, there were places to hang to put candles on, where they were fixed, and that was hung up in the center of the chapel, and then

[5:27] I found on the old gallery pillars, there were places where the candles had been fixed on each gallery pillar, there were fixtures still remaining, not removed, where the candles had been fixed, it must have been far from a brilliant lighting up, but it was what our forefathers made use of, and afterwards of course there came to be the oil lamps, and the chapel was lighted up better till we arrived at the electric light stage, when it is very satisfactory indeed, but now to come back to this lighting of the candle, now a candle cannot light itself, I'm thinking now of you dear young people, if God should make you to be a candle, a candle lighted by the spirit of

[6:40] God, thou wilt light my candle, and David could have said, and thou Lord, alone canst do this, and God said, let there be light, and there was light, and now that is a point for you to keep fastened in your mind, God lights his candles, ye must be born again, the spirit itself beareth witness, with our spirit, that we are the children of God, and now thinking of this light at the present time as just a candle, what is it in a candle that burns?

[7:28] It is the wick, the heart of it, that burns and gives light, the wax that makes the candle melts away as the candle burns, and now the word of God says, as a man thinketh in his heart, so is he, and it is, as you are before God, as you think in your heart, so it will be made manifest whose you are, and whom you serve, they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh, they that are after the spirit, the things of the spirit, it is the heart of the candle, the wick, that burns, and so it is how the good work is carried on within, the grace of God, whereby God lights his candles and keeps them lighted, and there is that word I so often quote, a new heart will

[8:40] I give you, a new spirit will I put within you, I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, I will give you a heart of flesh, and now the next thought is, not only for thou wilt light my candle, God places his candles, they are not to be hidden under a bushel, neither do men light a candle to put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house, and now every sinner born again, every poor sinner with a candle lighted within, illuminated by grace, is put in a place, a sphere ordained of God, where you are, is where God has ordained you to be, and if he has a use for you to fill elsewhere, he will make it plain to you, and order your goings, that you shall be as a light shining, in another place, place, but, it is a great mercy to remember, that where you are, is where

[10:05] God has placed you, and now another thought about a candle is this, once it is lighted, and these candles, I have told you, are lighted by the Spirit of God, for thou wilt light my candle, and now it goes on burning, and as it burns, it consumes, so that there is a time, when the whip will no longer give light, God sets a time limit, to all his candles, some of them, have been lighted, in childhood's years, and have, run out there, very short time, and not lived to see teenage life, others have been lighted up in teenage life, and have not seen manhood's years, but others have been lighted, in early childhood, and have gone on, giving forth light, shining, as grace is given, in their lips and lives, until they have become old and grey-headed, but there is a time to be born, and a time to die, and that time, is known to God alone, and it is for you, and I, to remember the prayer of

[11:45] Moses, the man of God, so teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom, and like we used to sing in our school day life, teach me to live that I may dread the grave as little as my bed, remember these three things, God lights his candles, God places his candles, and God times his candles, words, meanwhile, it should be your concern, if you are lighted up by the Spirit of God, as every opportunity is afforded you, to shine, to his honor, his glory, as the Savior declares in the chapter before us, let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven, and now, there is another thought about light, not only does the word of God speak about the candle, but it speaks about the seven branch golden candlestick that was in the tabernacle of old, made according to the pattern given to

[13:21] Moses, by God, and it may be, you have not thought much about it, but you will find that that seven branch golden candlestick was made of pure gold, and it was all beaten out in one piece, and that needed the wisdom of God, to enable these allel, and other workmen, ordained of God, to do that work, oh, it did need divine aid to do it, but now, here is another point, I want you young people to remember, the seven branch golden candlestick, was put in the holy place in the tabernacle, and there was no window in the tabernacle for any daylight to go through, therefore, all the work the priest did, which was ordained of

[14:28] God for them to do, they had to do it in the light that came from the seven branch golden candlestick, and now there, there were bowls on the top of these branches, and in those bowls there was olive oil, the word of God says, beaten olive oil for the sanctuary, and there was a whip in the center, which gave light, and in that light, the priest did that work, which was appointed them of God to do, and now what is that to teach you, and the preacher too, it is to teach us that you cannot worship God aright, nor enter into the things of God by any dint of intellectual study, or education, there was no window in the tabernacle, no daylight streamed in, and God never meant that men should scale the heavens by strides of human wisdom, it was the light of the seven branch golden candlestick that was appointed by God, and you can imagine what a work that was for the priest to keep that lovely candlestick, well trimmed, and ever giving forth the light

[16:07] God designed it, should do, and there is one thing about that viewpoint of the subject which has always been very pleasing to me, to think on, and now you will find if you like to read it up, it is good reading, it is instructive, and it is interesting, you will find, that while the priests were trimming the seven branch golden candlestick, incense had to be burned on the altar of incense, and you see, there might have been some odour regarding the trimming of the wicks that was to be eradicated, and the power of the incense burning, on the altar of incense, would eradicate it, and now, if I can make this plain, you see, if you are indeed, one with a candle lighted, if you have got the lamp of life lighted within, it will need trimming, it will need, that you will have to search and try your ways, you will need this word to come into your life, if we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness, this is a very solemn business, is this lamp trimming, waiting on

[17:54] God, putting our mouths in the dust of self abasement, because of sins of omission, sins of commission, sins in thought, word and deed, that testify against us, but, while you were telling all the truth like the woman in the gospel, there is the incense burning on the altar of incense, no longer in the tabernacle, as it used to be in Israel's day, but there is Jesus Christ, yes, a, there is a word in the revelation that will help you to understand how that incense still burns, and how glad I have been to read it, and another angel came, and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints, upon the golden altar, which was before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God, out of the angel's hand.

[19:13] You see, you were troubled about your poor prayers, your confessions of sin, and your attempts to draw near to God, but when you say at the end of your attempts to pray, in the name of Jesus, thy name is as ointment poured forth, and there is the incense of his infinite merits, to perfume your poor petitions, so that you, as the petitioner, and your petitions, are accepted before God.

[19:55] there is just another thought here, ere I come to open up the subject as my mind runs, and now you will remember that the Saviour uses a very solemn illustration of the wise and foolish virgins, and there you read again, not of candles, but of lamps, then shall the kingdom of heaven be likened unto ten virgins, which took their lamps, and now the margin reading, is torches, and went forth to meet the bridegroom, five of them were wise, and five were foolish, they that were foolish, took their lamps, and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps, while the bridegroom tarried, they all slumbered and slept, and now you all know, that in eastern lands, the land of the

[21:11] Bible especially, when they went forth to meet the bridegroom, they carried torches, and they carried vessels with oil, so that when the torches became dim, they poured on more oil, that they could keep them well alight, until the necessity for them to be used was ended, and now the foolish had only got torches, so that when they lighted them, there was no oil to catch fire, and they had got no vessels wherein to put any oil, they that were foolish took their lamps, torches, took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps, lamps, and now, you see, if you should be lighted up as a candle, or as a lamp, so that as you live your life, it is your concern to be a light of the world, it will be your concern always to have oil in your vessel, with your lamp, that it may be kept lighted, and now that oil is the oil of grace, so that as long as you live, if you are a sinner called by grace, you will need more grace, and yet more, and tis grace that makes men feel their need, and cry to God for more, you remember the Apostle

[23:11] Paul said, it is a lovely confession, how many of you can say it, who are under Union Chapel room, at this evening hour, by the grace of God, I am what I am, and now I want to come more to the word I read, as the basis of my address, neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light unto all that are in the house, it may seem strange, but it is not strange, the dear Saviour, knowing as he did, what is in the heart of man, and what man, left to what he is by nature, is capable of being and doing, he gave this warning to his disciples, the illustration is very simple, you all know a bushel is a measure, but this bushel is not the same as an

[24:26] English bushel, our bushel is an eight gallon measure, but this bushel the Saviour is referring to, was only a two gallon measure, and small, and now think, how unwise, shall I say, how foolish it would be, that once you had lighted a candle, to cover it up at once, with a bushel measure, so that no light could be seen in the house, yet there are many people, and they are not all young people either, but middle aged, and old people, who do fall a prey, to this evil, and while God has lighted a candle, granted them his grace, there is in them some good thing, toward the

[25:32] Lord God of Israel, yet there are times when they hide their light under a bushel, and it is not to be seen as it should be.

[25:48] the Savior says, neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick, and it giveth light to all that are in the house.

[26:04] I will show you what I mean by some of these bushels. There are more than one, alas, there are quite a few bushels, that people who know better, but do not do better, use.

[26:29] Alas, that it should be so. And now one bushel is the fear of man. And there is a striking instance of that in what you read concerning Joseph of Arimathea, where Matthew says of him, he was a rich man.

[26:57] Mark says, an honorable counselor, which also waited for the kingdom of God. Luke says, a good man and just, who had not consented to the counsel and deed of them, which was in crucifying Jesus Christ.

[27:17] John says this, that he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews.

[27:28] He was lighted up inside. He was a disciple, he was a learner, he had got the grace of God within, but he fell into this snare, and his light was hidden under a bushel, till circumstances overturned the bushel.

[27:51] people. And then he came forth boldly, and that is just what we want God in his mercy to do with some of you, and some of the older people, who do know better, and ought to do better.

[28:08] We want God to overturn the bushels under which they hide their light, that they may give light to all them that are in the house.

[28:22] I'm not fitting any caps on, I'm just telling you the truth. And now another bushel is shame, timidity.

[28:36] And you read in Matthew's Gospel concerning that, and it says whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water, only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward.

[29:05] There you see what it is to let the light shine. But now the Savior says in the same chapter, whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven.

[29:23] But whosoever should deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.

[29:36] Thinking of this bushel measure, there is another word that might help you too to understand as I want to make it as plain as I can to be all the help I can to you.

[29:57] Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also, many believed on him, but because of the Pharisees, they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue, for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

[30:16] Oh, what a poor to do that was for a profession of the name of Jesus, that they did believe apparently there seemed to be a light, but they hid it at once under a bushel, and it did not give light to all that are in the house.

[30:38] And now, do listen, another bushel is policy, inconsistency. You see that particularly with lot.

[30:56] Lot, as you read, is record in the word of God, alas, it is a sorry record. It does tell us that when he dwelt in Sodom and Gomorrah, he vexed his righteous soul from day to day when he heard the filthy conversation of the wicked, but then he had got no warrant from God to be living there.

[31:22] He never got down on his knees and asked God to find him a lodging place in Sodom and Gomorrah, which was one of the wickedest cities at the time when Lot lived on the earth.

[31:38] He never sought the help of God, that he should live there. No. But how did he come to be there at all? You remember that Abraham and Lot, they were related, but God so prospered them that their prosperity became so big that they could no longer dwell together and find provision and pasture for all their herds so that Abraham gave Lot the choice to go where he would and it says that he saw the south plain was well watered and he chose that and pitched his tent toward Sodom.

[32:33] Began to hide his light under the bushel. Policy. Inconsistency. And the next thing you read is that he dwelt in Sodom.

[32:46] Oh, he must have been most unhappy there. And quite a while his light was under a bushel. because there is one thing which is very astonishing that when at length the angels came and gave warning to Lot and he desired to give warning to his sons-in-law it says that they laughed him to scorn.

[33:12] And behind that there is this inference that Lot had not said much to them about the things of things of God and what they should be and the life they should live.

[33:28] But his daughters had married them and now the outcome was that they must go forth from Sodom or suffer the consequences when the judgment of God came upon it.

[33:44] And it says, and Lot lingered. there was still that about him which made him use bushel measures so that he acted too often from policy and not from principle godly fear and unctuous light to what is right and a bar to what is wrong.

[34:08] The very solemn thing. Remember our Union Chapel motto perish policy of cunning perish all that fears the light whether losing whether winning trusting God and do the right.

[34:25] Burn your bushels have nothing to do with them but let your light shine as God has given you grace whatever measure seek to live in the light of it and he did that which was right in the sight of the Lord.

[34:45] And now you sometimes find that those who are godly and who have lived well yet turn aside and begin to use a bushel measure because they follow a policy and now you read where one very godly man did this and after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel who did very wickedly and he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish and they made the ships in Eziongeber Kid went Better then he then prayer like more thaneter prophesied because he did say because there was

[35:58] Jehoshaphat's part in all that business was just a dead loss his bushel measure had better been burned so that he still did that which was right in the sight of the Lord there is just another bushel I will say a word or two about and that is the bushel of inconsistency shall I say unconcerned indifference and now do listen and I'm not fitting caps on but I'm bound to tell you this if you try to copy the world and in some sense live as worldlings do follow the fashions of the world you will be hiding your light under the bushel and it does not become you to do this the word of God says

[37:05] I beseech you therefore brethren by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice holy, acceptable unto God which is your reasonable service and be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your minds that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God neither do men light a candle and put it under a bushel and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house and now the next viewpoint of this subject I want to take is just the word light light and give you a word for each letter and just a few comments upon what each letter stands for

[38:14] L stands for loyalty if you should by the grace of God be lighted up inside the candle of the Lord lighted within you a good work begun as you let your light shine it will evidence that you are loyal to God so that whatever is to do with God whether it be his day remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy whether it be to do with his house I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of wickedness whether it be in your home life or in your school life college life if this light is within you it will shine forth in loyalty to God loyalty to the word of God and all that the word of God proclaims without any hiding of any truth of it under under a bushel you will live your life what saith the scriptures and what saith the scriptures to you is that which you will desire by the grace of God to be loyal unto by his grace you will seek to do it live in the light of the word of God and now that may only be sometimes in what seems to be very little things and yet

[40:15] God is in it and those things are real and now think of that little maid that was before Naaman's wife a little servant maid and when she saw how troubled her mistress was and that Naaman her master was covered with leprosy she began to speak up for God would God that my master was with the prophet that is in Samaria he would recover him of his leprosy she was loyal to God though she was a little captive but her heart had got this light and it illuminated her and she let it shine and you know how it all worked so well for Naaman for the good news was told him and taking advantage of it

[41:17] Naaman was at length recovered of his leprosy and it needs that you dear young people more than ever in these terrible times in which we are living when all that is of God is assailed on every hand by earth and hell it needs that you being brought up as you have been under the gospel that you should be loyal to what you know what saith the scriptures and you should stand by what saith the scriptures he that rejecteth me and my words hath one that judgeth him the word that I have spoken it should judge him at the last day L then stands for loyalty the letter I stands for influence and now every one of us whether old or young exercises an influence influence and you dear young people even you children you exercise more influence than you ever realize in your everyday lives what you say what you do where you go evidence is an influence and it can be for good and alas it can be for ill if you were turning your back on the things of

[42:51] God and you were being brought up in the environment of the things of God and you think as soon as you're old enough you would turn your back on these things altogether alas what an influence that will be then but there is also an influence that comes from this light shining within so that if sinners entice thee consent thou not and there is a good illustration of what influence can do and now after the days of Pentecost when the blessing of God rested upon the church in a wonderful way and the spirit of God was poured out in a great fullness you read in the Acts of the Apostles listen and believers were the more added to the

[43:54] Lord multitudes both of men and women insomuch that they brought forth the sick into the streets and laid them on beds and couches that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might overshadow some of them you see the people actually thought in the times in which they were living that even the shadow of Peter would exercise an influence and as I thought on this subject wherever you go your shadow will go with you and it may fall as an influence for good or ill on those amongst whom you live and move all that you might have that grace which alone can help you to be as a shining light so that whatever influence you exercise it will be for the glory of

[45:04] God and the good of those with whom you have to do the letter G stands for grace you remember Barnabas in the Acts of the Apostles when he came to Antioch and saw the grace of God he was glad you see the grace of God can be seen strictly speaking it is an abstract principle a holy principle it is a light that shines inside and shines out and Barnabas could see it shining out and it made him glad but Barnabas would not have felt glad to see it if he had not had the grace of God also remember that and if you see the grace of God in anyone where before you have not seen it any evidence of it as you judge then at length you see the evidence of it oh you will be glad because grace in you will respond to grace wherever you discern it in whoever you may meet possessing it yes by the grace of

[46:29] God I am what I am I have told you sometimes that I've never forgotten many many years ago going going over a lighthouse on the south coast and it was down in the area of Bournemouth St Alden's Head and when I was in the lighthouse top I really was amazed at the size of the light it was no bigger than my fist clenched and yet everything in that lighthouse top was beautifully shining like silver and kept shining and when the light was on it was not just the size of the light that produced the fullness of it it was the reflection also everything in the lighthouse top which was quite a large one sent forth a great ray of light to guide the sailors out on the ocean deep and now you may feel if I am lighted up at all it is a very little light

[47:44] I wonder if the hymn writer might help you some small glimmering light I have yet too dark to see my way Jesus presence still I crave when oh when will it be day there is light it is just a spark but it is a spark divine yes and now this grace be it ever so little will affect whatever you do wherever you go whatever you say words deeds and the company you keep it is reflection not so much that you can look within and feel you have got this grace but that you seek to live in the light of that measure that God has given you make me to walk in thy commands tis a delightful road to let my head or heart or hands offend against my

[48:54] God yes but I must hasten on the letter H stands for honesty and there I dare not take time to say much but I remember reading years ago the life of a soldier who had lived a wicked life and then all at once the grace of God was lodged in his heart and he became a sinner born again and he was wrought on by the spirit of God and he was an officer high up in army life and from the time that his eyes were opened in his office where he was stated at the time he had his bible open on his desk so that when his brother officers came in to see him on whatever business it was they found his bible was open on his desk and at first they ridiculed him but they found as time went on that he lived in accordance with what the word of God said the life of the righteous should be and then they esteemed him and honoured him but he had that honesty that right away he began to let it be seen that he was on the

[50:20] Lord's side and now that is a great mercy to have that grace given and then another thought about this honesty you know I have told you sometimes I hope you remember what I tell you you do remember some of you as I get reminded of it you say I have heard that said before yes and that shows your memories are not bad which otherwise you say oft times they are and remember that and now I have told you about that little creature called a chameleon which has got that propensity it is a God given one that wherever it goes it seems to react to its surroundings so that it is not easy to be seen but once it comes out on that which is white its skin no longer reacts and there it is shown in its truth and can easily be seen and now that is what it means to be honest go back to your school days sincere sine seer without wax that which can be held up to the light honest yes honesty then is for the letter

[52:05] H we come to the letter T and now that stands for testimony as your help to not hide your light under a bushel in whatever way you may be helped of God you will be given a testimony to the word of his grace and a testimony as to whose you are and whom you serve and now you can only think of Daniel in the lion's den he gave a testimony when the fear of the king went forth he heeded it not he opened his window toward Jerusalem and prayed unto God as at a foretime and so it was with the three Hebrews in the fiery furnace they rendered their testimony although it meant the fiery furnace as a consequence of refusing to bow down we are not careful to answer thee

[53:18] O king concerning this matter and so into the fire they went and they rendered a testimony too for God of a truth and all that was burnt were the bonds that bound them and Jesus Christ himself came down into that fiery furnace and walked therein with them and the heathen king looked on did we not cast in three men bound into the fiery furnace lo I see four walk in there and the form of the fourth is like unto the son of God and so it was come down to be with his dear disciples who were willing to go into the fire to show they were indeed on the Lord's side and to walk according to that light which had influenced their life from the time

[54:20] God had lighted a candle within their breast L for loyalty I for influence G for grace H for honesty T for testimony now there is just one more thing as I come to the amen I did not mean to be quite so long but think of this some of you young people have got radio light watches or you may have a radio light clock at home well you know that it will not avail you unless it is put into the light where it can absorb it otherwise it will not function as you desire it must absorb light light to reflect it and now if you and I having our candles lighted as we hope by God are going to shine as lights in the world then we must be in that place where by his grace we can absorb light we must be found at

[55:37] Jesus feet seeking his divine aid that by his grace we may live unto him and for him and that we may live as one hymn writer has said and I hope that God will grant you grace and the preacher too to live like it I heard the voice of Jesus say I am this dark world's light look unto me thy morn shall rise and all thy day be bright I look to Jesus and I found in him my star my sun and in that light of life I walk till travelling days are done oh dear young people the Lord bless you with that religion all of us under

[56:37] Union Chapel roof if it be his will that we may have our light on a candlestick and give light to all that are in the house think of the house as the church of Christ and also reflect that light wherever it is your lot to be so that men may take knowledge of you that you have indeed been with Jesus amen