Are Christians A Light Upon A Hill?

 

Photograph by Fred Lacey, original art by Vandyke, engraving rendition by J. G. Kellogg, 

an R. Andrews print., Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

John Winthrop was part of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He sailed from England on the ship Arbella in 1630, and on the ship wrote a sermon that has been copied, studied, mentioned, discussed, and generally taken apart for the essence of its meaning. Titled A Model of Christian Charity, it is just as interesting today as it has been for centuries. And, in my opinion, it could be used today because of the oft repeated phrase, "city upon a hill":

"For we must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill. The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world. We shall shame the faces of many of God's worthy servants, and cause their prayers to be turned to curses upn us till we be consumed out of the good and whither we are going."

The reference comes from Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, just following the Beatitudes:

Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 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. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 5:13-16 KJV)

I know a large number of Christians today, not only near me, but scattered across the world, who are concerned about sharing the gospel to their local area, others to another state, still others answering Jesus' call to go unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8f) That was said to the Apostles, those who followed Christ before and after His resurrection. There was no "New Testament" written, just the words of Christ:

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:27-28 KJV)

Jesus, by His words, example, and miracles, was the new testament. The authors of the books in the Bible called New Testament were ones who heard His words, learned to follow His examples, and in many cases - through the Holy Spirit - worked miracles in His name, giving God all the glory.

We as Christians have read about that. We've studied the Old Testament and see the prophecies of Jesus' birth and death. Personal experiences of men who lived through those fulfillments wrote the New Testament. Each Testament is incomplete without the other.

Also as Christians, we should have the same concerns John Winthrop had as he lead a colony of Christians to an opportunity not given many. Not all the people, nor all the ships, were Christians looking to live their lives as examples of Christ's teachings. Those teachings were to be the light to shine before men, giving them a path to the light of this world, and the next:

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. (John 8:12 KJV)

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:5 KJV)

Although He spent time with His followers after the resurrections, there is no doubt He ascended and is at the right hand of God's throne. Stephen saw that very scene as he was joining them. That means Christians now are are the light of the world, as Jesus said  in Matthew's verses above. So, I leave you with the question I asked myself. Am I a light upon a hill? Do I share Jesus as I was told to do?

And my answer is truthful - not as much as I should.

PS: "A Model of Christian Charity" remains a very good sermon. Will you remember it in 2030 when it celebrates four hundred years of being spoken of among men around the world?