Hope Unwrapped: Set on a Hill

Matthew 5:14 You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.

Light dispels darkness. Light cuts through the obscurity and makes its presence known. Sorry for the double negative, but light cannot not be light. Its property defines its existence. Jesus says to all believers, “You are the light of the world.” Notice Jesus does not say, “You should be the light” or “You will become the light.” Jesus clearly says, “You are the light.” Jesus, the Light of the world, lives in us and shines through us. He is the One who makes us shine. Dietrich Bonhoeffer says, “…Since you are that light, you can no longer remain hidden, even if you want to. It is the property of light to shine. A city set on a hill cannot be hid; it can be seen for miles away….”[1] It may be time for you to come out of hiding. You are the light of the world; a world that desperately needs to understand and receive the hope that only Jesus can give. Be a light! Shine bright! Father, thank you for making us the light of the world through the Light of the world. Help us to shine in a way that honors you. In Jesus’ name. Amen.  I invite you to join us on January 1 as we start a journey through seven books of the Bible. These books will reveal how God is writing his story in you.  We will study:

• Genesis: God’s Story in You (January/February)
• Job: God’s Story in Our Suffering (March/April)
• Isaiah: God’s Story in Our Renewal (May/June)
• John: God’s Story in Our Savior (July/August)
• Romans: God’s Story in Our Identity (September/October)
• Revelation: God’s Story in Our Eternity (November/December)

I will provide daily teaching through each book and questions to guide you in your personal time with God. After the study of each book, we will consider selected Psalms—the worship book of the Old Testament—to help us learn to talk with God in a personal way. Our desire is to offer an interactive study, so at the end of each day’s teaching there will be an opportunity for you to ask questions. We have a team ready to respond in a timely and personal manner. We will also host periodic zoom calls to discuss each book. We have designed this study to make it available for your season of life. You can sit down with a cup of coffee, your Bible, and a journal, or you can listen to the teaching on your way to work, or even during your workout. One mom told me that she listened to the devos with her children around the breakfast table. Again—the main purpose is this—let’s engage in God’s Word together!  [1] Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship (Simon and Schuster, 1937), 117.