Babies Dedication and Sermon July 29, 2007 : Can the light be seen in you?
Dr. Roberto Miranda(Audio: Spanish)
SUMMARY:
In this sermon, the speaker acknowledges the blessing of having two newborn babies presented in the church by their pastor parents. He emphasizes the importance of consecrating and setting apart infants for the exclusive service of the Lord, as well as recognizing the privilege of being born into families that know God. The speaker then references Matthew 5:14-16, where Jesus declares that believers are the light of the world, and emphasizes the importance of following Jesus to have the light of life and not walk in darkness. The speaker concludes by highlighting the divinity of Jesus, who claimed to be the light of the world and those who follow him will have that light.
Jesus is the light that has come into the world, and those who believe in him no longer walk in darkness. Believers are separate from the world and must not be unequally yoked with unbelievers because there is an inherent conflict between Christ and the world. Believers are called to be a light in the world and share the truth of Christ with others. The world is in darkness and those who do evil hate the light. Believers have an obligation to exhibit the light of Christ within them.
The Church of Jesus Christ is like a city set on a hill, meant to be a light in the darkness. Christians can hide their light by not bearing witness out of fear or shame, living like the world, or abandoning the hallmarks of the Gospel to adjust to the prevailing culture. Christians need to stand firm in their faith and be a clear expression of the Gospel, even if it clashes with the values of the world. The Gospel is not a matter of human advertising techniques, but of God's truth.
The message is about not hiding the light of the Gospel, but rather showing excellence in our lives as a reflection of the power of God. We should not be afraid to stand firm in the truth of the Gospel and not try to water it down to make it more appealing to the world. The Latino and black communities need to embrace the whole truth of God and show the world that Christ is the answer. We are the light of the world and should not hide it under a bushel. We should not live carnally, but rather live a life that reflects the fruit of the Holy Spirit and the character of Jesus. God has a special plan for humanity and the church has the power to make it a reality through the preaching of the Gospel.Here we have a 98-year-old brother and now we have to present two newborn babies practically, so that is also a great blessing, because we can be at the two extremes of life, at the beginning and already in the golden times as well and Silver, as the word says. We also know that the Lord is faithful in taking us through all those lines and stages of life.
And this morning we do something exceptional because we normally do the baby presentations in the 12 o'clock service. And by the way, we encourage siblings who want to present their babies or who meet people who want to present them, who always remember that for reasons of schedule and all that it is much better to do it at 12, in order to have more time in the morning, for the discipleship and all this.