A City on a Hill

As Jesus sat with his disciples, He delivered to them a masterful exposition of the law. I am going to begin studying Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5:1-7:29. I imagine that this will take some time since I will be going verse by verse, but it should be exciting and heart changing. I want to comment, before beginning in Chapter 5, verse 1, about verse 14. Here, Jesus is seated on a mountain in a valley along the Sea of Galilee. As we get to verse 14, the Similitudes, He says,

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden.”

From where Jesus was believed to be seated, one could see the city of Safed. See the picture below.

Today, Safed is considered one of the four holiest cities in Judaism, along with Jerusalem, Hebron, and Tiberias. It is also Israel’s highest city at 2790 feet. At night, the lights from Safed are visible from miles around, and the city can even be seen through the fog that would settle along the Sea of Galilee.

So what right? Are you a city for Christ? How visible are you? Even through the fog of life? Jesus continues in 5:16 saying,

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”

I often need to remind myself, that Jesus has called me to be that city and to let my light shine that the Father may be glorified. It’s too easy to let the stresses of life, the fear of man, and the struggle with the flesh, dim that light. Thankfully, God has given me His Spirit through which I get my strength. I pray that you also seek the Holy Spirit as your source of strength and let your life shine vibrantly for His glory.