Tony Evans - Being a Visible Representative of Jesus Christ
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Summary
The preacher stresses that Christians are called to be visible lights in the world, doing «good works» that not only benefit people but also glorify and advertise God, rather than just performing good deeds like anyone else. Drawing from Matthew 5:14–16, he urges believers to unapologetically represent Christ in every sphere of life, starting from God’s perspective on all matters. The key takeaway: let your good works shine so others see and glorify the Father, making your faith visible and impactful in a culture that hides shame but demands we hide our light.
Good Works vs. Good Things
A good work only becomes a good thing when it benefits people and advertises God. If God is not being advertised, it’s a good thing, but it hasn’t graduated to become a good work. He says, «Let men see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.» Because we don’t just do good things; there are enough sinners out there for that. Our job is to do good work and advertise the Father.
In biblical days, even today, you have communities on hills; they call them «tells» in Israel—these towns or hills or elevated areas. On these elevated areas, you’ll see whole towns. In biblical days, they didn’t have electricity. You went from tell to tell—Hill to Hill—by the light because the people would have candles in their homes, and the candles in their homes at night would give light to the traveler going from one place, one tell, to another tell. The towns are elevated—not under a bushel, not under a bed, but they were elevated, in other words, clearly visible so people could get clear direction from tell to tell.
You are the light of the world; your Christianity should be visible. It should be visible. Everybody else is coming out of the closet; you might as well come out too. You are to be visible. If you were accused tomorrow of being a Christian at work, would there be enough evidence to convict you, or would you be found innocent of all charges because you’re not a visible Christian? I’m not talking about a churchgoer; I’m talking about a visible representative of Jesus Christ who unapologetically doesn’t mind being identified with Him.
Now, I’m not talking about being bombastic, but I am talking about being clear. It should be clear that you have committed yourself to Jesus Christ and you will not allow the wokeness of the world to hide the light of your faith. Light is visible; it reveals and shows.
Have you ever gotten up in the middle of the night to use the facilities? The older you get, the more you have to get up in the middle of the night. You got up, but you decided not to turn on the light, but you didn’t negotiate the end of the bed correctly. And I’m talking about hitting your pinky toe—not your big toe; I’m talking about your pinky toe waking the neighborhood up. You know, the problem was you wanted to negotiate without the light.
We are living in a world that wants to negotiate without the light, but you are, guess what? The light. Okay, so your job and my job is to present in the society, the culture—not the church. This is convenient in here, but when we leave the building, as Kingdom servants, we are to make it known by walk and talk that we are representatives of another king and another kingdom.
Representing Christ in Every Sphere
So that when you get your degree, when you gain your expertise, whatever that happens to be, you are in that environment a representative. A doctor is not just a doctor; he’s God’s representative in the medical field, so the medical field sees what God looks like when God helps hurting people. A lawyer is not just a lawyer; he’s God’s representative in the bar association, so the bar association sees what God looks like when God tries the case. A businessperson is not just a businessperson; she’s God’s representative in business, so the business world gets to see what God looks like when God cuts a deal.
A teacher is not just a teacher; she’s God’s representative in education, so education sees what God looks like when God teaches a lesson. A secretary is not just a secretary; she’s God’s representative in the office, so the office sees what God looks like when God handles correspondence. Over and over and over again, you represent another king and another kingdom, and that’s supposed to be how we roll.
Now, we fall short, but He says, «This is what I want you to be out there,» because it’s real safe in here, nice in here. Nobody’s railing against you in here; everybody’s going to cuss you out in here. Nobody’s going to say you’re a fanatic in here. «Let me, I can do that in here,» but He says, «I don’t want you to serve me just in here. I want you to represent me out there. I want you to be my kingdom representative, my kingdom servant in the culture, and you are to reflect my light.»
Holding Fast the Word of Life
Listen to what He says in Philippians chapter 2. He says, verse 15, «So that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent children of God, above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life, so that in the day of Christ, I will have reason to glory, because I did not run in vain nor toil in vain.»
How do you become a child of light? How do you show forth the facts of your commitment? He says by holding forth the word of life, meaning you’re giving a Biblical perspective. You’re going to react from God’s point of view. You’re not going to start with the black point of view; you’re not going to start with the white point of view; you’re not going to start with the Democrat point of view; you’re not going to start with the Republican point of view; you’re not going to start with a rich point of view; you’re not going to start with a poor point of view; you’re not going to start with the male point of view; you’re not going to start with the female point of view. What does God say on the subject? That’s where I start. That makes you light.
If you’re not starting there, if what you think, how you feel, how you were raised, what your people say, what’s on television, or what’s on radio is allowed to overrule God’s word, you are a dark saint. He says you are light when you hold forth the word of life, when God’s perspective rules all subjects. The ministry is wasted when it’s not. That’s what He says in Philippians 2. He says that I have not run in vain; in other words, our church has failed if we’re not producing salt and light Christians.
I don’t care what the preaching is, what the singing is; it doesn’t matter what the programs are and what the facilities look like. If we are not producing salty saints and lit Christians, then the ministry has failed. People who represent the King and His kingdom in the culture, not just in the church house, represent themselves as Kingdom disciples who function as Kingdom servants because they want to make a Kingdom impact. They want it not to be hidden that they are followers of Jesus Christ.
Let Your Light Shine Through Good Works
People today are hiding their shame; they’re putting it on public display. There used to be a time when if it was shameful, it was at least hidden. Now it’s shameful and advertised. So why should you be apologizing that you are a visible, verbal, full-time follower of Jesus Christ?
In verse 16, he says, «Let your light shine before men in such a way, ” meaning like this, „that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.“ Not just hear your good words, but see your good works.
So let me help us all here by defining a good work because it’s different than a good thing. Sinners can do good things; you can be a pagan and be a nice person. Sinners can build hospitals; non-Christians, atheists can build orphanages; atheists can be philanthropists. You don’t have to believe in God to be nice. A lot of good things are done by people who have no regard for God, but they do good things. That’s a good thing, and that’s fine, but we’re not called to do good things; we’re called to do good works. That’s more than a good thing.
Let men see your good works. Watch this and glorify your Father who is in heaven. Until God is attached to it, it’s not a good work; it’s a good thing. A good work only becomes a good thing when it benefits people and advertises God. If God is not being advertised, it’s a good thing, but it hasn’t graduated to become a good work. He says, „Let men see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.“
Acts of Kindness and the Gospel
That’s why in our bookstore we have these acts of kindness cards. We ask our members to, once a week, find somebody to do an act of kindness for—cook a meal, encourage them, help a homeless person—something. But do an act of kindness. When you do that thing, that good thing, you now offer to pray for them because now you’re bringing God into the good thing. You didn’t just do a good thing; you said, „Can I pray for you?“ Most people accept that, and then you look for an opportunity, if possible, to share the gospel, so that now they not only have a good thing on earth, a good work on earth, but now they have the opportunity to receive Christ in heaven.
In fact, through the Urban Alternative, we’re making this a national kindness campaign. For those who don’t share the gospel, there will be a code where they can access the gospel because we don’t just do good things; there are enough sinners out there for that. Our job is to do good work and advertise the Father and His risen Son, Jesus Christ. He says, „Let men see your good works. Let it be visible that you are representatives of me.“
Giving Glory to the King
When you understand who God is, then you don’t mind giving Him glory. Some years ago, President Bush came here for the dedication of our education center across the street. When we finally got the call that the president of the United States was coming to Oakland Bible Fellowship, all systems began to move.
What was normal, no more—all systems began to move. There was an impeccable concern and process of how things looked and how things were arranged. These requirements were necessary for protecting the president, and we had to go through conniptions because the president of the United States was coming here for a few minutes. Now, if we’re willing to go through all that trouble for someone for four years, back and forth, we go through all that trouble because of his name and position. Don’t tell me we can’t let it be known that we are willing to go through a little trouble and a little inconvenience for the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Let men see your good works. Let men see your good works and let your light shine. Be visible.
We’re in this political season, so people are voting for this person, and people are voting for that person. They have cards in the yard, and they have cards on their car-placards saying, „I’m for this person; I’m for that person.“ In other words, they’re going public for their candidate. One of them is going to lose; Jesus does not lose. So you ought to be willing to advertise; you ought to be willing to say, „I don’t just believe in God; I am a follower of Jesus Christ.“ You should be willing to appropriately advertise that. Let men see your good works and glorify your Father. The greatest glory you can give to your Father is the exaltation of Jesus Christ.