10.09.

22
OLIVER T. CABANGANGAN
PHILIPPIANS 2:12-18
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Good morning po sa ating lahat. It’s so good again to see you guys, from the pulpit. You know, isang joy
palagi sa akin when I speak the word is that nareremind ako sa kabutihan ng Diyos sa buhay ko. Na
naabot ko ang ganitong platform, na people will trust me with God’s word, and assign me as speaker.
Now why am I saying this, it’s because po if meron dito hindi pa alam, we are celebrating Pastor’s
appreciation month, and that means na ang mga Pastor po natin ay may opportunity na makapagpahinga.
And resting po ay hindi kasalanan, baka sabihin niyo po na mali ang ginagawa nina Pastor. Resting is
actually a command in the Bible.

But this also means, na mayroon ding opportunity ang ating mga youth and young adult leaders na
makapag speak in front of you, starting with me now, and later in the Afternoon service, until the last
Sunday of this month. And that is why I am in front of you right now. And just to remind you, we are
now in this month’s theme, ang tema po natin sa buwan na to is Glowing in the community. Ano yan?
Magningning sa community, o magliwanag sa community.

Anyways, that’s what I will share to you this morning, Glowing in the community. Now, the Bible has a
lot to say about our community. Alam naman po natin, at kilala po natin ang komunidad na ating
ginagalawan, kung saan tayo nabubuhay, according to what the Bible say. Kung ano ang sabi ng Bible
about our community, yun ang katotohanan. And what is that? Basically, our community is the world, ang
mundong ating ginagalawan. And Paul has a lot to say about the world. Sa Romans he said, and that is a
clear depiction, indulging in sexual immorality, pleasures of the flesh, all kinds of sinning, may it be
small or big, that is our community.

Maybe yung community natin, nag dedevelop, may new buildings na nagagawa, umuunlad, dumadami
ang opportunities, mga negosyo, puwede rin napapansin natin sa ating community, sa mga barangay, sa
mga schools, masaya naman ang mga tao. Ang mga estudyante masaya kahit maraming trabaho, ang mga
teachers masipag, ang workers at mga tao mayroong unity naman, magkakaibigan naman, nagtutulungan
naman. We may go to our families, uuwi tayo sa mga bahay natin, at makikita natin sa mga kaibigan,
friends, mga pamilya natin, masaya naman, nagmamahalan, nag-aaway minsan pero at the end masaya.
Parang wala namang problema, minsan pag ganon na ang napapansin natin, ang observation natin,
nakakalimutan natin na may sinabe ang Bibliya, ang Panginoon. Na kahit ganon ang sitwasyon, hindi ibig
sabihin na hindi na namumuhay ang community natin sa darkness, sa sin.

Pag magaan na po kasi ang buhay eh, akala natin dahil wala nang kasalanan sa mundo eh. But let me tell
you this, the Bible says that the community that we are living in right now is living in the dark. Living in
darkness. At kahit gaano pa karaming ilaw, ang ilagay, at alam niyo eto first lesson naming sa CLT, at
sana tanda pa rin ng mga estudyante ko, na kahit ano pa ang gawin ng mga tao, kahit anong effort pa para
mapasaya ang buhay, mga gadgets, mga inventions na nakakaaliw, ang Panginoon lang ang
makakapagbigay ng tunay na kaligayahan sa ating mga buhay. First and foremost, it is only the LORD
that can truly help us, renew and restore our bodies, that can fully glorify us. Same thing po noh, alam
niyo sa Calbayog at 7pm, madilim na po iyan. Wala nang open na mga establishments, at wala na
masyadong sasakyan, mga tao ganon. Dito naman sa Catbalogan, kahit alas Diyes na, may lights pa rin sa
labas, bukas pa ang mga tindahan, may mga sasakyan pa, mga tao sa labas. Kumbaga maliwanag ang
night life dito sa Catbalogan eh. Nagawang kahit gabi na, maliwanag at masaya pa rin ang city. But sabe
pa nga eh, that doesn’t mean na that the community around us is not living in darkness. Now, sorry if I
have made you conscious pagdating sa ngayon.

But anyways, this morning, I’m not going to share about our community, but instead I am going to share
to you about us, tayong mga believers, what is our role in our community. Why is there a need for
glowing in the community? Ano ang sinasabe ng Bible about tayong mga Kristiyano. Because as far as I
know, sabe sa Bible, ang totoong light, ay hindi itong mga light na meron tayo ngayon, yan sa ceiling,
yung mga streetlight na nagpapaliwanag sa mga kalsada at ng community natin. As far as I know, sabe ng
Bible, we, tayong simbahan, tayong mga Kristiyano, tayo ang totoong light, na dapat nag go glow sa ating
community. That is why I have entitled my message, the light of the world.

And let us open our Bibles on Philippians 2:12-18.

Now, siguro magtatanong kayo, eh ano yung point on bakit we talked about community, na ang pag-
uusapan naman pala natin is about us, Christians, as light of the world. Well, basically, simple lang, I just
want to tell you that there is a problem, na may problemang sinasabi ang Panginoon regarding our
communities. And I want to emphasize that first, that there is this kind of emergency, of urgency, na this
is a serious matter. This is written in the Bible. Okay? This is really serious. But before we can do that,
before we can give answers and be the light of this problem, kelangan natin magkaroon ng full
understanding of what does it mean, to be lights of this community.
But first to give you a little background, Paul wrote this letter on his first Roman Imprisonment. Which is
ironic, kasi makikita natin sa letter, if you would just read the letter to the Philippians, na it’s full of
rejoicing, full of joy in the Lord, makikita natin ang encouragements and support ni Apostle Paul to the
church here in Philippians. Na kahit may struggle si Paul, siya ay nasa imprisonment, kulungan, he still
managed to write this letter na masaya and joyful to the Philippian church. To give you context, hindi kasi
laging ganon eh. If you would remember ang preaching ko on the letter to the Galatians, mas seryoso at
mas actually galit si Paul sa church na iyon. But on this epistle, sa church dito sa Philippians, may closer
friendship siya, at sabi ng mga commentators, that this is the church na pinaka close niya, may maganda
siyang relationship.
Because ang primary purpose nga niya in writing this letter is thank the church in Philippi, why, because
sinusuportahan nila si Paul, they give gifts and resources kay Paul. And this is a thank you letter sa church
na ito. Sa Galatians kasi, rebuke kaagad eh noh. Dito sa Philippians sabi pa nga niya I thank God
everytime I remember you. Nakikita niyo po ba ang pagkakaiba? Well, pag basahin niyo po ang letter to
the Philippians, etong book na to, masaya at joyful. And of course, this joy is in Christ. And one of the
main points ng letter is just that, that our true joy is found in Christ, ang totoong kaligayahan po sa buhay
ay makakamtan at makikita lang po sa ating relationship with Jesus Christ. Di po natin makikita yan sa
ating mga community. Because even our community need Jesus.
Now why am I saying this, is that despite of the joy and rejoicing in the Lord, the Apostle Paul, especially
sa passage po na ating binasa, na aking isishare ngayon, nagbigay siya ng seryoso at matinding reminder
to the church in Philippians. Why is this serious? Because we would not expect it, na may ganitong
instruction sa isang thank you letter. And we will learn sa ating mga points mamaya, that Paul actually
emphasizes that we as the lights of this world, tayong mga tao na nakatanggap ng salvation, thus we are
light, we should take it seriously.
Saan po natin makikita yan, let us read verse 12-13 again, it says there that there we believers. . .
 AS LIGHT OF THE WORLD, WE SHOULD WORK OUT OUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR
AND TREMBLING
Sorry po for my points, ganito po talaga ako gumawa, yung points ko is kung ano ang nakasulat sa
passage. Mareremember niyo lang ang points if you can memorize the verses. Now, it may be
part of the challenge. Anyways, this is the first message, that tayo pong mga believers, tayong
mga light, should, ano sabi diyan, work out your own Salvation. THEREFORE, work out your
own Salvation. Now I want to emphasize that word, therefore, and what does that mean. It means
that there is a reason, kung bakit ininstruct ni Apostle Paul ang believers to work out their own
Salvation.
And the reason is of course, makikita po natin iyan in the previous verses. In fact, let me read it to you
starting in verse 1 to verse 11. . .
Now, what we can get from that is, mayroong ginawa ang Diyos para sa atin. God has done a great thing
to us. That sabe diyan sa verse 6-8. That there is a great obedience na ginawa ang Panginoong
Hesus. Now, dahil may ginawang pagsunod si Jesus Christ, THEREFORE, kagaya nating mga
believers, as you have always obeyed, ano po ang sabe niya? Since Jesus Christ has that kind of
obedience, therefore, sa ating mga Kristiyano, mayroon ding ganong obedience. Brothers and
sisters in Christ, we Christians po, there is obedience in the Lord. And actually, it should be the
same obedience na ipinakita ni Jesus Christ sa verse 8. Obedience, even up to the point on the
death on the cross. Now, alam ko po ang mga iniisip niyo ngayon. That’s impossible right?
Napaka imposible naman na magkaroon tayo ng ganyang klaseng obedience, na even up to death.
But the interesting thing about impossible, is that God, with God’s help, even impossible things are
possible. That’s why we have the Holy Spirit.
Basically, the point is, because may ginawa na ang Panginoon sa atin, same thing dapat meron din tayong
gawin. And that is why he says, therefore work out your own Salvation with fear and trembling.
Napaka importante po ng mga words na yon. But let we warn you first, na baka po mag-iba ang
interpretasyon po natin sa scripture na ito. It doesn’t mean po na we have to work FOR our
Salvation. Like, eto kailangan mong mas mag church pa, you have to obey more, you have to
give offerings more, PARA makamit natin ang Salvation. That’s wrong po. That’s not the
message of the Bible. Instead, we are saved by Grace po. Instead, because we have been saved, at
dahil po meron na tayong Salvation, then we go to church, then we obey God, then we give, dahil
meron tayong Salvation, nagiging mapagbigay at mabuti po tayong tao.
And those are the things that God is working in us, those are the transformations that God is doing inside
of us. Mga pagbabago po sa buhay natin na tinatrabaho po mismo ng Panginoon, hindi po natin,
but ni Lord sa atin. Verse 13 sabi, for it is God who works IN you, both to will and to work for
His good pleasure. Now this is because Salvation also transforms you, hindi lang po tayo
jinustify, pinawalang sala ng Salvation, but everyday, we are being sanctified, binabago at
binabago po tayo araw-araw.
And transformation happens in our will and in our work. Napansin niyo po yung two things na yon, God
works in you both to will and to work. I love it that this is how it is said, both to will and to work.
It is easy to understand that God transforms our work. That because binabago tayo, siyempre
nagbabago ang mga works ng ating hands. Example, the works of our hands, may mga youth po
dito na ang kanilang testimony is nantitrip po sila. May binubogbog sa park or sa kung saan saan.
Huwag niyo na pong alamin kung sino iyon, masha shock kayo. Now, that is not important na,
 siyempre what matters is that after they have met Christ, nung natanggap na po nila ang
Salvation, nagbago na ang works ng kanilang hands. Hindi na nila ginagawa ang dati nilang
ginagawa. And what do they do after God has transformed their work, they are now reaching out
their hands to help people. They share the Gospel, they reach out sa kanilang friends and
classmate, naiinvite sa church, nag eevangelism, nasama sa medical missions at other missions.
And that’s good, and that is what is written talaga po noh sa Bible.
Now this is why I like this verse, because hindi lang po iyon ang transformation na ginagawa ng
Panginoon. Kasi nga po, when we say that God is transforming us, automatically yung naiisip
natin is yung mga behavior at mga ginagawa natin sa labas. Na we are now doing more good
things. But in this verse, hindi lang po iyon ang transformation na sinabe.Why? Because may
pagbabago nga ang mga works natin, pero deep inside, hindi naman natin desire o gusto iyon,
hindi naman inclined sa will natin. Then that is useless and nonsense.
That is why God is also transforming our desire mismo, God works in our will also. And what is our will,
that is our work. Hindi lang gusto ng Panginoon na gumagawa ka ng mabuting mga bagay, but
gusto rin ng Panginoon mo, na gusto mong gumawa ng mga mabuting bagay. If there are
believers here na hindi nila gusto na gumagawa sila ng mabuti, then wala pong transformation
ang nangyari sa buhay natin. Those are nothing to God if hindi natin desire gawin. Because God
is actually not concerned with our works, it’s like filthy rags sa kaniya, but God is concerned with
our desire to do good things, if it is our will to do good things, if we love doing good things.
Those are what is important to God.
He transforms us, not just so that we would do and work good things, but so that we would desire and
love doing good things for His glory. Sabi pa nga po sa Corinthians that everything we do should
be with love. For if we do things without loving, then those are nothing. That’s the message of
transformation. It comes from the heart, it comes from the inside. Ano ang ginagawa natin sa
labas, comes from what changed sa loob. Sabi pa nga sa Jeremiah, is what’s inside our hearts, yun
yung lumalabas. That is why God changes the heart first and foremost. Because the things that we
do are useless if our hearts are not in it.
That is the beauty of the transforming power of the Salvation that we have received, yung mismong heart
ang binabago, hindi lang po ang ating hands. That is the beauty of this verse, that God works in
us both to will and to work. Now, brothers and sisters it is a good prayer, and it should be our
prayer di po ba. Because this is a promise of the Lord. Now, we should ask this, that Lord,
minsan hindi ko po desire at hindi ko po gustong gawin ang mga pinapagawa niyo po sa akin, so I
pray that you may transform my will and desire, according to your will. As it is said and
promised in your word in Philippians 2:13. That would probably be a prayer na gusto rin marinig
ni Lord sa atin.
Now that is the work of God IN us. Nalaman po natin na God is WORKING IN us. Kaya ito po ang
instruction, we have to WORK IT OUT. Dahil may ginawa sa atin si Lord, kailangan dawin at
trabahuin din natin to sa labas. We have to put effort, na maging evident ito sa atin. Na makita
natin sa ating mga sarili, etong new creation, etong pagiging Born Again. First and foremost,
makita natin sa ating mga sarili, before makita ng iba, because iyan po ang second point. But first,
we have to work out our OWN Salvation.
Napansin niyo po ba iyon, the way the Apostle Paul said it. He said to work out your OWN. He did not
say to work out yung sa iba, but he said your own. Yung sarili mo. And what does that mean?
Because sadly, may mga Christians that would rather be busy sa buhay ng ibang kapwa
Kristiyano. At ang masama pa diyan is condemnation at judgements lang ang nagagawa. This is
probably why the Word of God says, to be more concern on yourself, if you yourself ay nakikita
 ang pagbabago. Before we look at others, and before others look at us, first and foremost, dapat
tayo po, tayo po ang tumitingin at nakakakita sa ating sarili.
Magtanong po tayo, before we judge and question yung kaligtasan ng iba, na bakit hindi nagbabago ang
buhay ni ganito, bat parang di naboborn again si kapatid nag anito. Before po we question those
things, i-direct po natin sa ating mga sarili ang tanong, ang kaligtasan ko ba ay nakikita na sa
akin, ako ba ay naboborn again na. Am I working it out, am I putting effort in appreciating and
realizing God’s work in my life? Now, brothers and sisters in the Lord, I want all of us to ask
ourselves this question, am I working out my Salvation? Huwag niyo pong sabihin sa katabi niyo
yung tanong, but say it to yourself.
What I am saying po is tayo mismo dapat ang pinakauna, na aware kung nakikita naba ang winowork in
ni Lord sa atin. And why is that? Yan po ang pagkakasabi sa Word. To work out your own
Salvation. That is important, if it means that we are the light of the World, that is really crucial.
And I want you to notice this, with fear and trembling, this is a serious matter. Why, because as
lights of this world, we represent Christ. And that is why, God really wants to work in us, because
tayo po ang representative ni Christ sa world. Now, if hindi po maayos ang buhay natin, at hindi
po natin winowork out ang Salvation na nareceive natin, ano ang makikita ng mga tao sa atin.
And in result, what would they think of Jesus Christ, based on our lives.
That is why po we should notice this, and be aware of this, to do this with fear and trembling, with
reverence and respect directed mismo sa Panginoon. Because when people are going to be
looking at us, they will see Christ.
Now, we have to agree na sinabi ng Bible that we are the light of the world. Well in fact, Jesus Himself
said that we are the light of the world. But first it was Jesus, sabi niya “I am the Light of the World” sa
John 8, but now He is saying it to us believers. Si Jesus po mismo ang nagsabi niyan, sinabi niya “I am
the light of the world”. But then, on another passage, on His sermon on the mount, we can see that in
Matthew 5, He now said “You are the light of the World”.
We’re going to look to two more passages this morning, and for this point. Sa aking study on this topic,
believers as light of the world, I have found out two more instances sa Bible, and that, First is yung ano
nga, sermon on the mount by Jesus Christ, and the other the letter of Paul to the Ephesians.
And church, I want you to see this pattern that can be seen in the Bible, whenever it says that we are the
light of the world. Para po ito mas maintindihan pa natin kung what does it mean to work out your own
Salvation. Because somehow, before Jesus and Paul said that the believers are the light of the world, even
sa passage natin ngayon sa Philippians, they first tell the characteristics, the attitudes, the behavior of this
believers. This is what it means to be the light. You have these kinds of character of a kingdom citizen.
Let me read to you yung Matthew 5 passage. . .
As you can see, this is the introduction to Jesus Christ’s sermon on the mount. He begins in telling that
His followers are the light of the world. But before that, ang passage po bago diyan is ang Beatitudes. I
hope na you are familiar with that. Ang beatitudes. And this is one of Christ’s most famous sermons,
sermon on the mount, starting with the Beatitudes. Ano po ba ang beatitudes? Bakit tinawag na
Beatitudes? Basically, the beatitudes are attitudes that you should be. That is why Be and Attitudes.
Basically, Jesus Christ is saying na ganito ang mga attitudes at mga mindset ng mga taong sumusunod sa
kaniya. Meek, merciful, pure in heart, peacemakers. These are the kinds of people na makikita niyo sa
aking Kingdom, sabi ni Hesus. And then He says that these people, are the salt and light of the world.
 Napansin niyo po iyon, before Jesus told the people that they are the light, He first told them that they
should have these kind of characteristics and attitudes. Same thing din po sa atin, na tayo as lights in our
community, we should first look at ourselves and work out these attitudes sa ating mga buhay.
Then we look to another passage, sa Ephesians 5. . .
Same thing, when the Apostle Paul told the believers in Ephesus, that they are the light, that they are
children of the light. First he told them yung tamang behavior at attitude ng isang believer. Sabi diyan ni
Apostle Paul walk in love verse 2, and be pure and blameless, san makikita yan, verse 3-7, umiwas po
tayo sa sexual immorality, covetousness, filthiness, foolishness, and idolatry. And then dito palang niya
sinabe, why you should do all these things, because you are the Light of the world.
Now this is what it means to work out your own Salvation, these are the things that you should work out.
First, the attitudes na sinabi ng Jesus, we should work that out, and then itong path to purity na sinabi ni
Paul, we should also work these out. This is how we work out our Salvation, we obey the transformation
that God is working in us, so that we may have this mindset and attitudes na dapat mayroon tayo.
Ngayon, if we go back to our passage, same thing, the pattern is still there. Before we get to know that we
are the light of the world, yan nga we have to work out our Salvation, ngayon we know na what does it
mean, and on this passage in means what? Minsan po kasi, when we hear that we should work out for
God, we think of service, actual work, and ministry for the Lord. But no, what did Paul say to the
believers in the Philippians, verse 12 Work Out your own Salvation with fear and trembling, and how do
we do that verse 14, do all things without grumbling or disputing.
People would ask kasi ano ba itong work out your Salvation, is this doing more evangelism, is this
attending church every Sunday, is this doing more mission trips, conducting more Bible studies, is this
doing more life groups? Well of course kasama yon, but this is what it really means, do all things without
grumbling or disputing, huwag daw pong maging mareklamo. It’s about the attitude. Saan? Sa lahat ng
bagay, especially in the ministry. Sadly, kasi puro tayo work work, doing ministries, but we haven’t work
out our attitudes.
Now this is the point, sa dalawang passage din in Matthew 5 and Ephesians 5, this is the point. Working
out your Salvation, it means work out your attitude, your will, your desire. It starts there. Diyan dapat
tayo nagsisimula. Yung pag love mo sa work, yan dapat ang inuuna natin, na matuto tayong mahalin ang
mga ginagawa natin. Mga kapatid ko po sa Panginoon, when we say we are doing God’s work, when we
say we will the works of God, it doesn’t mean to start going on ministries, mission exposures, mga
shining works for expansion of the kingdom, we start with our attitude.
That’s the main point po, before we start doing the works of God, we should first love doing it. That is
why we should not do it with grumbling, and complaining, and reklamo. But we should love doing it.
And that is what it means to work out our own Salvation with fear and trembling, are we doing our
ministries with love, are we ministers full of humility and passion, and desire po talaga. Maybe we should
start to ask ourselves those questions.
Now for what purpose po ang mga attitudes na kailangang i-work out, this is our main task, which is our
next point, that AS LIGHTS OF THE WORLD, We need to shine in the darkness.
Let us read our passage again, this time on verse 15. . .
Now, church, eto po yung sinasabi ko kanina. We are now living in a crooked and twisted generation, in a
crooked and twisted community. Ito po ang katotohanan ng community na pinamumuhayan ngayon, it is
really crooked and twisted. But the good thing is, hindi po tayo part ng community na iyan. What I mean
is that we are in that community, but we don’t belong. We belong to God. And it just happens that
actually God wants us to be in this community, even though it is dark, it is crooked, and it is twisted.
Puno ng kasamaan at kasalanan.
AS LIGHT OF THE WORLD, WE SHOULD SHINE IN THE DARK
That is why po it is very important at dapat hindi natin iignore, that we have to work out those qualities
and attitudes na ibinigay sa atin ng Panginoon, why? Sabi sa verse 15, so that you may be blameless, and
pure, and innocent. And why do we need to be blameless and pure in the midst of this crooked and
twisted generation. For us to stand out. Yun po ang gusto Panginoon, na mapansin po tayo. Di ka
mapapansin sa community na puno ng darkness, if you yourself are in the dark, ikaw mismo ay hindi
pure, you yourself are immoral. That is why being pure, will help us stand out and be the light.
This is what God wants for us, to be noticed by the people. That is what God wants us to be. To be
different from this crooked and impure community, this impure generation. People should notice that
there is a difference with you. You know this is my testimony, it’s just a simple story from my high
school years. And it’s just that, since naging high school ako, it is my introduction sa aming klase, na
ganito, i'm a born-again Christian, and I am a son of a pastor. And yung mga classmates ko then would
call me, ito yung nickname nila sakin, banal. Oh, ada na si banal, oy ayaw niyo pag labti iton kay banal
iton siya. It’s not some sort of bullying, it just the way na naipakilala ako sa class. And that remained in
their minds until now, ganon pa din po ang pag tingin nila sa kin. And sometimes I don’t like it, because I
know naman talaga that I am not that kind of person at that time.
But the interesting thing is that whenever my classmates would do something, you know, alam niyo yung
mga masasamang bagay sa classroom, whenever nagiging pasaway sila, or nagkakaroon ng cheating and
kopyahan, whenever papalapit na ako, at makikita na nila, magsisitigil yan. Magsasabi ang iba na hoy
itigil niyo yan, di kayo nahiya may banal dito oh. And things like that, and that is just a simple story of
my experience, na whenever yung presence ko mararamdaman na ng mga classmates ko, ititigil nila yung
mga ginagawa nila, why, nakakahiya daw sa taong banal. At para sakin, that’s absurd, but then I realized
that yon ang gusto ng Panginoon mangyari to us believers. Whenever these people from this community
look at us, they would be exposed from their darkenss as sabi pa nga sa Ephesians 5.
That they will come to realization that they are in the darkness, that there are people who are living in the
light. And you know light, light can be a guide, light can be a warning to people, light can bring joy and
happiness, safe and security to people. Now let me bring you back sa sermon on the mount.We have
learned na when Jesus preached about it, Sinabe niya basically that this is what it like to be a citizen of
my kingdom, to be my follower, these are the character qualities of believers, of people in my kingdom.
Ngayon, Jesus said something very interesting and siguro nakakabagabag in the end of the beatitudes.
And this is something that we Christian believers should notice and take note. He said that my followers,
hindi lang sila magkakaroon ng ganitong attitudes, but they will also be persecuted by the world, by the
community that they are living in. Magkakaroon po ng persecution sa mga followers ni Jesus Christ, sa
atin, in our communities. Sabe diyan sa verse 10-11. . .
It says there na what we have to do is to be happy and to rejoice when we are persecuted. Being Christian
po, we would not be applauded, but we will be persecuted, siguro not by our family, but by our neighbors,
our community. And the worst thing is that maybe if our family persecutes us. The world rejects us and
persecutes us. And when we are persecuted, the tendency is we want to hide who we are, gusto po nating
magtago. Yung tendency po is ayaw nating malaman ng ibang tao na tayo’y Kristiyano. Maybe some of
you has that testimony. I mean persecution can come in many forms. Ang sabe sa verse 11 is that they
 will utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Being Christian, the world will say bad
things about you. You can be excluded, or you can be ignored because you are a Christian. And that’s just
because the community rejects us.
So ganon, ang natural response is magtago, and hide it. But no, that’s not the role that Jesus wants for us.
Hindi po iyan ang gustong mangari ni Jesus sa atin. What the Lord wants is that when we are persecuted
by the community, we Should be the Salt and Light of that same community. Hindi po magretreat, but to
engage. And I know there is this temptation po that whenever we are persecuted and rejected, there is that
option na mag stop at tumigil. But ito po, eh Christ’s followers have a role, in the world even if the world
persecutes them.
Mga kapatid ko po as Panginoon, persecution and rejection should not stop us to keep shining in the
darkness. That is our role po, if we don’t do this, then it nonsense pa rin ang pag work out ng ating
Salvation. Sabi ko po first and foremost, tayo mismo ang makakita ng pagbabago sa ating sarili, but it
would also mean nothing, if ikaw lang din ang nakakalaam. Sa mga students po dito ngayon, O sa mga
workers na members po dito, alam po ba ng ka workmates mo, o alam ba ng classmates mo o teacher mo
that you are a Born-again Christian? Because they should know, because as a light, dapat nakikita nila
iyan. Yung first point kasi, na you should know that you are transformed by God. But this is the second
point po, other people should also know that you are transformed by God.
It’s not for our benefit, but God puts you and I in this world so that we can be a blessing and do good for
this world. Yung Salvation po na nareceive natin is not just for us, but it is also a blessing to other people.
It should be a blessing to other people. The transformation po na nangyayari because of Salvation, its not
just for our benefit, but it should be a benefit for other people.
Because if in the end, ikaw lang din ang nakakaalam na ika’y ligtas at nagbago na ang buhay, then
merong warning na sinabi si Jesus Christ dito sa Matthew 5 verse 13. Let me read it first to you. . .
See, we are the salt of the earth. Now, bakit salt ang unang illustration. Well, sa panahon ni Jesus, at that
time, salt is not just a flavor na pinang dadagdag sa pagkaing niluto natin. Well until now, but at that time
it is more a preservative at very valuable in the ancient world. Precious and a preservative, and a flavor, it
is supposed to make the community better. Precious because hindi po kagaya ngayon na nabibili nalang
ang asin sa mga tindahan, at that time, mahirap po makahanap ng asin. At sometimes ang sweldo ng mga
nagtatrabaho sa Rome ay actually salt. It was very precious. Maybe that’s what Jesus is comparing to us
believers, that we are precious in this world.
And another is that ang gamit ng salt is to preserve yung meat, para hindi madunot. And likewise,
probably this is what Jesus meant when He said this, na tayo ang nag peprevent ng decay, ng pagkadunot
sa mundong ito. We are like a preservative in the World. Na hindi madunot ang mga tao sa kasalanan but
be preserved. And basically, if the community has a salt, like the believers, then it is supposed to be
better. We are the flavor in this world. Kumbaga tayo ang reason why the world has flavor and is
preserved.
Now maybe, yun ang meaning ng sinasabi Jesus when He compared us to salt. But one thing is for sure,
next thing na sinabi niya is a warning, that if salt loses its saltiness, then useless na po iyon, and it is better
to be trampled under people’s feet. Ngayon, that is like a warning to us believers, because that salt is us.
Now sabi ni Jesus if we lose are saltiness, then we are no longer good for anything. And what does that
mean, my point is this we believers, we have been saved for this reason. We have worked out our own
salvation for this reason, not only for our own benefit, but for the benefit of the community, for us to
shine in this community. Now likewise, if we are not a blessing, if yung pagiging Kristiyano po natin ay
hindi nagiging blessing sa ating community, then we are no longer good for anything. And we already
know ang next na sinabi ng Lord.
Of course, now sunod na illustration na binigay ng Panginoon is that we are the Light of the World. Not I
hope you become a light, not you should become a like. But You are the Light. Hindi po tayo
chinachallenge ni Jesus dito, na you should become a light. Pero it is a declaration from Jesus, na you are
the light of the world. Once you become a follower of Jesus, automatically, you are the Light now in your
community. And problema lang po is that some light just doesn’t shine. Others, hindi nila ginagampanan
ang kanilang pagiging light. But we are all lights in our community. And of course, po, that day, sa
panahon dati, there wasn’t any artificial lighting. Wala pong pareho satin ngayon na nasa ceiling ang
light, yung meron sila that time is just fire on an oil lamp, and they put it on lampstands.
Now the interesting thing po na sinabi diyan sa verse 15 is that this light, is hindi inilalagay sa mababang
place in the house, but the light is put on the stand, because that’s how it was back then. They put it sa
stand, which is mataas na place in the house, and this is what happens, verse 15 po, it gives light to all in
the house.
Isang bagay lang po ang aking masasabi diyan, and it’s that, somehow, we as lights, should shine first in
our houses, in our homes, in our families. Now, there are more Christians who are light in the community
rather than in our own homes. If you cannot imagine yourself being a light in the community, maybe start
in your family. Be a light to the people who you know. Mabuti yun para sa iba, because if we cannot be
light to other people, then we should just be light at least to the people that we know. And that is pretty
much being obedient.
What I am saying is, if you have now the desire to be the light, I believe you should pray, na maging light
po tayo first and foremost sa ating mga families. Though meron mas easier sa kanila na maging light in
the community, in their friends, in their school, even sa church. Most of us here are comfortable with that.
But in our families, are we even desiring to shine on them? Yeah, masyado po tayong Kristiyano sa
simbahan, but the question po is, ganon din po ba sa ating mga tahanan? Because sa nababasa ko po dito
sa sermon ni Jesus, I see that He is more concerned na maging light tayo sa ating mga tahahan, sa ating
mga pamilya.
If the Holy Spirit is speaking to you right now, He is not there to condemn you, but to lift you up and give
you that calling. To empower you, for you to rely on Him. And this is also a good prayer, that we may ask
the Lord, that we should be shining, as a light to our families.
AS LIGHT OF THE WORLD, WE SHOULD HOLD FAST – BE IN VAIN, SALT OF THE EARTH

And now this is our third and last point for this message, and we will end with this. That we should hold
fast, meaning we should persevere on this work and role na ibinigay po sa atin. Mag endure tayo sa lahat
ng persecutions and challenges. Never surrender po dahil this is a blessing to other people.
Sabi po sa ating passage on verse 16 to 18. . .

Sabi po diyan, that we should hold fast, magpatuloy po tayo, sa ating mga ministries, dito sa ating role as
a light to our families. If meron po ditong mga youth or mga young adult, or even sa men and women,
who have struggle with their families, na may desire ka naman, and you are working out, you are reaching
out your families, and then parang malayo pa before sila ma reach. This is what the Bible is saying, do not
lose heart. Hold fast to the word of life, and what is that word of life po. That is our hope na sinasabe sa
Bible. At ano po iyon, let just continue reading, it is the day of Christ sabe sa verse 16.

And this day of Christ po, is when in the last day, Christ will return, and will reward us. Kaya po nasabi
ni Apostle Paul na kaya niyang magpatuloy because nag promise si Christ, that in the end, your labors
will not be in vain. You will be rewarded. So ito po, if you have been reaching out, being light to your
families for how many years now. That’s good po, your reward will be great in Heaven.
 So this is our points po, that at first, we should work out our own Salvation, that we should that we are
being transformed. And next, that we should shine in the darkness of our community, that other people
should know that we have been transformed, so that they may also come to know of Jesus Christ, and
lastly, to never stop doing this. To hold fast in the Blessed Hope that Christ has given us.

Now, I just pray po brothers and sisters in the Lord, that we have gained more understanding on what it
means to become Lights of this world. And I hope that you have been encouraged the words of God, the
promises of the Lord. So then, we must be prayerful sa Panginoon, let us ask Him that He may continue
to transform our desires our will, and He may make us shine to our communities, and that He will hold us
fast until the day that the Lord Jesus returns.

But now, let me just pray for you.