The Light
by Raymond Sloan
February 7, 2021 · Cornerstone Apostolic Church (Chattanooga, TN)
Kind: sermon
Scripture: Deuteronomy 6:4-9, Matthew 5:13, Matthew 5:14-16

Source: https://acts238.life/repository/sermons/raymond-sloan--the-light
Published by Acts 2:38 Life from the sermon transcript on that page.
Free to copy and share with attribution.

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would you pray with me church lord god almighty we love you and we trust you today with great joy we come into this house thankful lord for a place to worship i pray god that you would help us right now lord we want to hear from you open the windows of heaven we want to hear from you today lord i make myself available to you one more time take holes from the altar lord touch these lips of clay i love you jesus let your word let your love let your glory lord fill this place right now in the name of jesus come on saint would you lift your hand come on wherever you are would you bless his name right now great is thy faithfulness o god great is thy loving kindness oh god hallelujah to the lamb of god hallelujah jesus thank you singers musicians thank you thank you our teachers our workers those in the video and audio security greeters everybody that's involved at cornerstone i thank you so much for your investment in the kingdom everybody say god bless cornerstone apostolic church yeah pray about that this week god we we want to hear from you thank you so much you may be seated again to our guest we welcome you to our home folk we welcome you as we have recently discovered in our bible study sessions on wednesday night the word of god has purpose and is powerful enough to overcome anything that life has thrown at it aren't you thankful for the word of god today after generation upon generations of threatenings and wars tribes and communities changing and shifting and all of the world's past conflicts and skirmishes the word of god remains as powerful as it has ever been aren't you thankful for the word of god somebody say amen we would all agree that the bible in and of itself has indeed made a difference in our personal lives it is what we are passing down to our children and to their children the word of god hear me what i say today church believe in the bible and make it a part of your everyday life everybody say the word of god the bible has become that place where the scriptures are talked about once upon a time the people of god discuss the bible even in public places like courtrooms or or outdoor campuses in venues more recently though for the fear of ridicule and repercussions the word of god has been more likely seen simply in the church house or perhaps on a special occasion like a wedding or a funeral in most of the united states of america it once was customary to pray and to to read the bibles even in our schools many of the workplaces in our nation could be seen with bibles scattered around on their desks and on their work areas now perhaps it is even rare to see a bible out in public stay with me for a bit i only mention these recent events to simply remind us of the outright attack on the thing that should be so precious to each of us i bring our attention to that point today to simply remind us of the possibilities of maybe even forgetting the most important thing that has ever changed our messed up worlds it is simply the bible would you say it with me i love the bible in that word of god that you love that you hold so dear there are so many life-changing precious pack practices and principles that are there for us to pattern our lives after in fact you will notice in today's lesson in today's message in today's sermon you'll notice that i am going to repeat some previous messages or previous scriptures that i have read when the children of israel were established as a people they were given the laws and the concepts from god himself in the book of deuteronomy chapter number six verse number 4 we know this we read this but today i will bring it back to our minds hear o israel the lord our god is one lord and thou shalt love the lord thy god with all thine heart with all thy soul with all thy might and these words which i command thee this day shall be in thine heart and thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house and when thou walkest in the way and when thou lie is down and when thou risest up verse 8 says and thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes and thou shalt write them upon the post of thy house and on thy gates we consider this to be this series of verses to be the power of god working amongst the children of god hear me it is the power of the word of god being able to pass it from one generation to another generation it is that power and that principle that will continue the power and the blessings of god from one generation to another hear the preacher today if you do not discuss the word of god with your loved ones hear me it will go away it won't go away from the world but if you don't include it on purpose in your lives in your children in your grandchildren if you don't talk about it every chance you get if you don't refer to it every opportunity you can if you don't build your house upon the word of god know something that you will forget the promises and the laws and the words that are in this holy bible say it again church i love the bible it is out of that word it is out of that word that life comes to you and i it is out of that scripture that joy and peace in the spirit of god unfolds unto us as we are gathered here today both in person in online streaming i am compelled to remind us of the power of the plan of god in whatever generation that we live in in whatever place we find ourselves just a couple of weeks ago many of you may recall the words that we read from the scripture ye are the salt remember it you're the salt look at your neighbor and say you're salt tell somebody you're the salt if you run after jesus you're the salt if you pursue jesus and your life comes from him your salt look at your neighbor and say you're the salt you are the savor the flavor you are the preservation you are what happens the elements that are basic and fundamental compounds that comes into this earth hear me if you follow jesus christ if you're a bloodball apostolic let me bring it close to home you're the salt of the world hear me this world needs you now more than ever before more than ever before we also discovered if you'll recall that if you are no longer salt if you're no longer the preservation if you're no longer what gives it flavor then it's used to be thrown to the ground trampled under the foot of men and in that where it's thrown out nothing good can grow i'm telling you friend ye are the salt of the world but i've come today from the unction of the holy ghost to continue in the story verse number 14 of matthew chapter 5. hear it ye are the light of the world a city that is set on a hill cannot be heard neither do men like i feel my help come and i light a candle and put it under a bushel but on a candlestick and it giveth light unto all that are in the house let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven i've come to tell you you are the salt but jesus informs his followers you're also of the light you're the light the light of this world when you understand the salt and you look up its allow me a moment today to go deeper into this one you're the light let's look at light for just a moment light is a very basic yet complex combination of many things very simply put light is the result of power that is in motion a radiance of illumination that comes from an object a force of energy that brings focus and definition to another object the eye of the human has been created to function in such a way that it can take certain amount of light through its pupil and the brain would translate what it sees and the objects that are set before it hear what i'm saying there are sensory portions of the brain that bring clarity and distinction to the shape and the size and the makeup of something when light is applied to it you can determine what the object is as the light comes on here what i'm saying light is very fascinating in that it is the same through all of the universe whether it's light from the sun or light from a flashlight whether it's from a candle or a desk lamp light will illuminate the items in its proximity whatever it is around whatever surrounds the light source it will be brought into a more distinct focus and clear view of its defining points hear me a green apple in and of itself is not green until the light comes on and hits that apple and then all of the colors of the spectrum will then begin to pull itself around that apple and everything that is not green will begin to disappear as you focus on the green apple and your brain is translating this information and it comes to a place where it can say whether it's a dim light or a very bright light you can distinguish it it's an apple and it's green but if the light is off it no matter how many green apples you line up you'll never see a one of them your brain will not be able to determine to distinguish to focus on what the light is trying to do in the brain i've come today to tell somebody as a clear reminder for our generation jesus told his followers this very important fact you are the light of the world if you are a disciple of jesus you bring illumination into the world hear me when you pray the light's coming on when you search the scriptures you're the light coming on when you preach or teach the word of the light coming on when you sing the songs of zion and you exalt the name of jesus the light's coming on when you talk about his word as you get out of bed or go to bed the light is coming on some may think they're walking in darkness but i've come to tell you they simply need to get up close to somebody that is the light and they need to recognize what's going on around them god's in control and everything going in the brain is being translated to say if god is in control then i'm the light that's reflecting him and what our world needs now more than ever before is a light this world needs you to be the light on your job be the light in your classroom be the light in walmart be the light sit down sit down you're taking up my time light brings truth into power and focus a light a candle a light that's attached as a flame that burns it showers light into wherever it is anybody close enough to it they are drawn to the light because of the surroundings anybody here enjoy walking around in darkness man there's nothing as cool as getting out of bed middle of the night for the lights off come on your parents of little ones you search for an hour for that lego piece and you don't find it till the middle of the night when you get up oh there i'm going at least you found it because the next day when a little guy or a little girl comes to you and you're holding that piece with all the malice and strife and anger in you because of the middle of the night and you look at them and they simply go everything melts away and you blame yourself because you didn't turn on the light first anybody close to the light realizes that there is a purpose for that light hear me a candle that you light with a match you don't light that candle put it on a candlestick and then put it somewhere in a dark place and hope that it illuminates that dark place all covered up to where it serves no purpose for anyone else now the translators of the new testament simply took this illustration and they called it a bushel it is a container and they said the bushel has a purpose but the light under the bushel serves no purpose you don't take a candle and light it young person and then cover it up and trust that anybody is going to get anything from that light but instead you light that candle and you put it up in a high place to where anybody in the house can see what's going on around you i've come to tell somebody today under the sound of my voice you are the salt of the earth but you're also the light you are the energy you are the potential you are the principal you are the one that can simply be jesus in this present world i don't care how messed up your life might have been it don't matter how messed up things are going right now if you're walking in the name of jesus and you're baptized and covered by the blood of jesus then there is an unction and an anointing that's in your life if you'll simply open your mouth and tell somebody they'll recognize me on the shadow of a doubt this person has been with jesus see there's a whole lot of us christians allow me to moment here's pastor there's a whole bunch of us christians that are doing osmosis christianity oh they'll just know watch me get up close to watch they're gonna know that i'm apostolic watch do you get that i'm gonna send over right now my testimony did you get it all right that what we do no pastor that's silly tell me it's silly we'll go to work and shut our mouth and talk about everything but god and wonder why the light ain't shining in our workplace is falling apart i ain't telling you to run around screaming yell with your big old family bible thumping and telling everybody you don't do that you know what you do you can bring that love into the workplace you can sit at your desk and with a power of peace you can bring something into that office place you can be standing on the line doing your job and allow the light of almighty god to illuminate hear me and somebody with a foul mouth and foul breath can walk by you and there's something about the witness and the testimony that you don't even open your mouth but when you do something is happening why because a light is a limit hear me now hear me what i'm saying the sin of mankind is illuminated and made light and bright by the light of an almighty god that's why the altar is so important why because it is at an altar hear me now that a fire of the spirit of god is burning and it's in that light where the sin of the heart of man is brought out and you can throw it on an altar and say i once was lost in sin but jesus took me in and then a little light from heaven filled my soul why because it is the power of the light that begins to let you know there's something bigger better better than anything in this world and his name is jesus jesus tells the church you're the light you look at your neighbor and go look at your neighbor and just do this come on some of y'all ain't doing it look at your neighbor tell them what you're pointing at hear the light you're the light you're the light you're the light you realize the word of god doesn't change you know that right come on all of us acts 2 38 people who pray pray and preach and yell that all time what about this one you're the light oh now pastor you know i love the lord with honest humility okay you know what my grandma used to say i wonder sometimes if there would be enough evidence to convict you as a christian there was no doubt in your mind what that four foot nine lady was come on you look at my mom and no that woman get all over you you better back up there's some of y'all sitting in here under the sound of my voice right now you're afraid to death to call this lady because she'll pray fire down on you you better know it because you know you're doing wrong and you wonder why you're in darkness and you wonder why you stubbed your toe get her involved and watch heaven open you know how i know that because she knows me she does she's biblical tim she's biblical you know sarah called abraham lord she goes oh lord what have you done now here now hear me oh jesus there are people sitting in this room right now your light is so bright no one can define the fact that god is with you hear me the light can be seen and used in so many ways you can take out a small flashlight you can take out a large laser beam you can take any amount of light and in the middle of the darkest moment hear me and the movement of that energy and those molecules there is something about that light i hear that pushes back darkness that puts clarity into any situation you are the light of the world in all of this chaos in 2021 and all of the craziness happening from the white house to the no house and all of the stuff happening you need to understand i am convinced that if the church would truly be the light that there'd be a lot of folk in our world saying what in the world's happening here i don't know what's going on but my greed has been illuminated but all of the lust in my heart has been bright i don't know why they know that i don't know what's going on in my heart and my mind i'll tell you what when the church is the church followers of jesus the light is going to be seen and as he told the church the followers at that moment let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven understanding the principles of the light you are the light you are the light there is energy within you if you're following jesus there is a power and a force to be reckoned with you are the salt and you are the light there is something that this generation needs now more than ever before they don't need more of this or that they simply need the church to be the light in this dark world the light the light if you are a candle and the holy ghost the power the presence the testimony of an almighty god burning in your life and you have placed yourself under a bushel you serve no illuminating purpose pray god let the flame in my life burn that bushel to the ground you have the power and potential to make a difference in this world hear it more than ever before brother duran would you please come we've got to be the light we must be the salt if you're not light and you're not salt you will lose your way the people in our world today 2021 many of them you can see it all over they are staggering around stumping their toe in the darkness trying to simply find hope they're searching for peace they're wanting more than anything to find rest the weariness of their spirits and their actions has forced them into dark corners and they wonder is there any way to get out from under it i come to tell you somebody let your light shine your light the power of the spirit of god can overcome any dark spot in our world for this hour in which we live i feel compelled as pastor of cornerstone i told you at the beginning of this year i will to the best of my ability try to shed and shy away from 2020 and all of the stuff now we're steering still hearing on the radio for those of you who listen to radio you're still hearing boy 2020 was a terrible year horrible year glad it's over as if a one can make the difference sister renee a one can because you're the light a city set on a hill this world around you come on what do you think this world is going to do is just save itself it's going to take a body of believers that will say you know what i know doctors and medicine i know lawyers and laws i know this and that but the truth is i want the power of the blood of jesus to work in my life because if it's working in me and i take it on my job or i take it in the store or i take it to my family then they see it and the works that are going on they'll see i know that's not you but it is him that works in you while you're seeing right now while you're seated i want you to pray with me lord your glory is in this place truth of your word is abounding right now in this place the power of the holy ghost is here in this room and light lord is illuminating our paths jesus we call upon you we love you and we believe in you and in this place today your light shines we are salt this world is still moving forward because the church is still here we are what is preserving it today lord we call upon you because we have needs and things going on in us and around us and with our families or with loved ones or in our bodies or in our minds and god we so desperately want the testimony of what you do in jesus name now listen to me very carefully church there are several of you sitting in here under the sound of my voice today you might be online i don't know but god's got an answer for you and one of these trials or these things you're going through when i entered my office this morning sat down at my desk with my coffee and my bible i said lord today is another day and very calmly and very sweetly as the lord really does a lot because i i i can i can reach for that because it moves me some of y'all think i'm weird i know but very peacefully the lord said i i want to do a work in somebody's life and worship time today and if they'll just simply let me my light can change them if you're here today and there's something going on i want you to know i don't have pixie dust i don't have chemicals but what i have i believe is from the lord for a message for another day every time in the scriptures listen to pastor every time in the word of god that you hold so dear every time that god would move in a situation is when that person listened to the authority in their life anybody remember hannah i want a baby i want a baby i want a baby i want a child i want a child the man of god said what's going on with her her mouth's moving nothing's happening i just want a child what the man of god say as you have spoken it will be she would have come year after year seth begging god but when the man of god released it god did it you go through the scriptures time and again silver and gold have i none but such as i have give i thee come on we love that story because it's new testament but hear me it's when the voice of god spoke that the action happened but what some in this place some online or what you want to do is you want for the preacher to be all of that in a box of cracker jacks before you listen and so you won't submit to it and you won't give in to it and so therefore you're still walking dragging around your darkness i've come today to tell you that if you'll submit god can heal in a moment any disease or any sickness god can put things back together in a moment of any situation or circumstance it is not i but it is he who's alive in me i simply am telling you that as the word of god unfolds in your life if you will submit yourself to it you will see the windows of heaven open and god will perform what he has said he will perform you have read it in your word god you're a healer heal me heal me heal me and instead of letting the man of god be the man of god in your life you run to a doctor now you've got all this stuff laid out and it's uh medicine okay but if you if you would have let god move in the situation what do you think could have happened come on mom and dad you have that authority over your kids when they're sick and things going on you got the authority in the name of jesus god i know that you can take care of them come on just a few short moments ago i showed you the face of a man a warrior god i know beyond the shadow of a doubt that he had no fear in the presence of god because he knew that what healing and mercy and grace could happen i've come today to tell this church and anybody online watching if you'll submit yourself to the word and the power of god he can come in and he will deliver you stand with me right now this altar is open we have prayed come on the light of the spirit of god is here we have prayed for the will of god to be accomplished you have lifted your hands you have sung the songs of zion i wonder how far are you willing to go today are you willing to get into his presence and allow the authoritative word of god to manifest itself in you are you willing today to say you know what i don't know what else to do but i'm going right now and i'm gonna let somebody i'll let the authority in my life pray for me and i'm gonna believe that by the power of the spoken prayer and the word of god deliverance healing things will happen i refuse to leave this place today the same way that i came but i choose to go to my house today full of glory and purpose understanding the will of god is happening in media because i have submitted to it come on would you come there are others you desperately need the word of god to move in your life you desperately need the healing touch of the holy ghost the power of the word to illuminate itself in you you desperately need the power of the cross of calvary to unfold in your life come on would you pray come on we're going to pray together in the name of jesus i speak faith right now i speak faith right now a faith lord that overcomes doubt overcomes the report walks into the glory in the presence of god i'm believing it for it right now there is healing there is liver there is deliverance there is joy there is power in the holy ghost i'm believing you for it lord i'm not going to doubt it i'm going to submit to it i'm going to rejoice in it i'm going to let god be god in my life i'm going to believe you for great things i know god you've got the answer that i'm looking for and i submit to your word i submit to the authority in my life i give honor glory to you so in the name of jesus in the name of jesus i refuse to continue in darkness i refuse to walk where i cannot see you but i need the light of the spirit of god in my life come on that's right in the name of jesus in the name of jesus hallelujah in the name of jesus there is power in your word there is authority and anointing in your words in jesus name in jesus name come on church pray come on church pray come on get a hold of god right now lift your voice lift your voice you can receive the holy ghost right now you can receive deliverance right now the miraculous can unfold in your life right now i yield to it i submit to it i receive it i believe it so let it be as your word has spoken so let it be so let it be jesus all right all right all right come on run into his presence open your mouth open your mouth let praise erupt from you right now jesus i believe in you that's right that's right reach over in the name of jesus in the name of jesus so let it be i said come on that's right run into his presence come on gather it all up go into his presence come on there's healing in the presence of the lord there's deliverance in the presence of the lord he makes all things new in the presence of the lord come on somebody reach over get a hold of somebody let faith work right now in this house that's right that's right that's right oh yes yes yes yes yes it's real it's real it's real the spirit of the lord is in this place the anointing of the lord is breaking yoke so yes the glory of the lord is tearing down strongholds the glory of the lord is working in this house shalom i need your lord i believe come on get hungry for god god doing work in my family doing work in my life let your glory work in me jesus oh yes i've come to love you jesus i've come to bless you lord i've come to worship you lord i glorify you jesus i lift up your name that's right don't stop now run into his presence go into his court go into his courts right now i love you jesus i've come to praise you lord i praise you lord i praise you lord now go grab somebody and pray with them come on get out of your comfort zone go grab somebody and pray with them let the spirit of the lord use you right now come on let the glory of the lord flow through you right now jesus jesus jesus great is your faithfulness great is thy faithfulness that's right let's try and let the work of the spirit happen right now in your life let the work of the spirit happen right now i yield to you jesus i yield to you jesus i submit to you jesus you're the waymaker you're the answer you are the answer jesus you are the answer jesus come on that's right come on go get a hold of someone else pray with them come on don't be selfish say god use you right now jesus i make myself available to you help me oh god help me lord jesus hallelujah come on the healers here the waymaker's here that's right the deliverer is in the house today the provider's here right now that's right that's right in the name of jesus oh that's right come on walk into his presence lord i've come to love you i've come to bless your name i've come to worship your name jesus great is your faithfulness oh god great is your faithfulness oh god in all the earth great is thy faith there is no god like our god there is no other name jesus come on that's right don't stop now come on walk into his presence lord i'd come to love you spirit of the living god spirit of the living god fall fresh upon us oh god breathe holy ghost breathe into our lives breathe into our hearts let your word be seen in us jesus jesus jesus jesus jesus come on love him love him church love him oh that's right that's right come on let the holy ghost touch you right now come on that's right let the spirit of the lord work in you right now jesus jesus jesus savior of my soul worthy is your name jesus jesus jesus savior of my soul you are jesus you are jesus you are jesus you are jesus i need some men to come help me pray right now please come on man where are you at would you come help me pray we're gonna pray for this father right now he's got a baby who desperately needs a touch from the lord would y'all mean come on pray come on pray come on me and pray bring faith with you come on bring faith with you little man's in the hospital god can raise him up god can complete the work right now come on they're weary and they're tired come on lord come on somebody pray the prayer of faith right now somebody pray the prayer of faith right now in the name of jesus the name of jesus the name of jesus the name of jesus come on me and pray come on prayer warriors run into his presence jesus you can do the work right now you can make it happen even right now while we're standing here dispatch an angel or go into that hospital room right now into that nicu unit right now lord do a work in that baby right now in the name of jesus you can make him completely whole the process that you began lord you can complete it yes you can you can finalize it with your power anything is possible by your stripes anything can be done it is your glory come on in the name of jesus come on me and pray the name of jesus hallelujah come on love the lord church love the lord lift up the name above every name jesus i believe in you i trust you jesus my soul says yes to you lord jesus jesus jesus jesus jesus is lord yes lord yes jesus you're thankful for the word of the lord stand with me church come on with a smile on your face expecting surely god you are here and surely lord you're with me come on come on it is with great joy lord today that we embrace you we wrap our arms around you lord we know god joy will go with us we know lord peace will be spoken we believe lord god the light as it shines through us lord will illuminate the darkness jesus jesus pray lord for our church today i pray for our families i plead the blood of jesus over every one of them i plead the blood of jesus i rebuke the enemy and the discourager in the name of jesus we choose joy bless our week this week lord we're coming back wednesday night for bible study next weekend lord god i pray you'd be with us jesus jesus we choose to believe your report because your report says we're healed we're delivered i love all of you i'm so glad you came to the house of the lord today so good to see your smiling faces amen to our guest we welcome you again go with god do everything listen carefully do everything within your power everything that you can to share jesus with somebody amen i love you all shake hands and be friendly in the name of jesus you're dismissed go with god