Leader's Guide & Introduction - Lights for Christ

Shining as Lights A 5-part course exploring what it means to be a Light for Christ and how we might develop a personal Rule of Life.

Leader’s Guide & Introduction

Shining as Lights – Leader’s Guide & Introduction

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WELCOME to Shining as Lights!

One of the elements of ‘Lights for Christ’ is Bishop Pete's invitation to develop a personal ‘Rule of Life’. This course is a resource to help people explore what this might mean for them.

The course, which includes video input from Bishop Pete, will be available to work through online or download from this site. (All videos owned by the Diocese may be downloaded directly from the site using the download button under the video on the relevant page and will take up about 200MB – these can then be viewed offline if an internet connection is not available at your meeting location. Other YouTube videos featured may not be downloaded)

It would work well during Lent, as it includes a focus on renewing our baptismal promises - something traditionally done at Easter. Equally, it is suitable for use at other times as people seek to grow as Lights for Christ.

The materials can be worked through either online or using the downloadable PDFs, which you can print out. Please contact us if you wish to receive a hard copy of any of these materials.

The course is designed to be used in groups, but is also suitable for personal study and reflection.

Each part should take approximately 80 minutes in a group, or 45-60 minutes if used individually. Some guidance notes for group leaders will be available here soon.

This course is available online at www.lightsforchrist.uk/shining-as-lights

http://www.lightsforchrist.uk/shining-as-lights


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Guidance for group leaders

We’re glad you’re planning to lead a group and trust that all of you together will find it spiritually enriching.

The group leader’s role is not to be the expert with all the answers, but to help the group learn together. A good leader enables everyone to keep learning, through input from the course materials and also through hearing the comments of group members. Ensuring that different voices are heard and valued is a key skill to develop. If your group is quite large (or quite talkative!), remember that some of the interactive parts of a session, such as the ‘Share’ part, can be done in pairs; that way everyone gets to say something, but it does not need to take so long – and it brings in a bit of variety.

The course aims to be flexible – so please use it in a way that suits your group. For example, you may not want or have time to use all the study questions given; if so, choose the ones that you judge to be most helpful. You will find various practical ideas offered in the ‘Experiment’ sections; if these prompt further suggestions from the group which seem more suitable, then you may want to explore those instead.

There are five sections in each session. If your session lasts about 80 minutes in total, then these might be good approximate timings to aim for:

Share: 15 minutes

Hear: 25 minutes

Involve: 15 minutes

Nourish: 10 minutes

Experiment: 15 minutes

The fifth and final session may need slightly different timings; by then you will know quite well how the group and the course tick, so again, use your judgement.


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At the end of each session, people are encouraged to try something which is unfamiliar to them in the days that follow. At the start of the next session, you are encouraged to ask if they managed to do that and if so, what it was like. So there is an element of challenge and mutual accountability; if you can handle that in a gentle and encouraging way, without forcing it on anyone, it should prove unthreatening and stimulating. Remember that this is about experimenting; some experiments work out well, others simply don’t (and it’s best not to try too many experiments at once!).

Each session in the course is an important part of the whole. If you’re running this as a Lent Course and can only manage four sessions before Easter, why not plan the fifth meeting for a couple of weeks after Easter?

Enjoy your group!

For help and further information please, contact the author of this course: Revd Dr Bill Goodman – Assistant Principal of St Peter’s College [email protected]

Related materials and resources

To accompany this course we have developed a number of resources that you may find useful. In addition, we would encourage people to join the 2025 Prayer Community

Personal Rule of Life From the Shining as Lights web page, download a 4-page leaflet encouraging people to develop a personal rule of life. There is also a handy-sized commitment card that can be completed and kept with your other cards. We will be distributing these hard copies to churches in the Diocese.

2025 Prayer Community We are seeking to recruit and resource a prayer community of 2,025 members who will pray for the diocese to realise our vision by 2025. Resources available include: a video message from Bishop Pete, a Diocesan vision prayer; prayer bookmarks, sign-posting websites like ‘Everyday Faith’ from the Church of England, prayer station resources and other seasonal materials. There is also a regular email with reflections and prayers.

Individuals can sign up here www.sheffield.anglican.org/renewed.

Reaffirmation of Baptismal Calling Liturgy Church leaders can download a copy of this liturgy as we commission individuals as Lights for Christ wherever they are.

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.sheffield.anglican.org/renewed


Session 1

DRAWN to the Light

Shining as Lights – Session 1: DRAWN to the Light

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“I am the light of the world”

”You are the light of the world” — JOHN 8:12 AND MATTHEW 5:14

SHARE: what is your story?

What do you enjoy about your daily routine? And what frustrates you about it? Can you think of a time when you changed your normal routine? How did that feel? Do you have routines in your spiritual life – things you do regularly to support it? If so, what do you value about those patterns and practices in your life?

If you are studying this course in a group. Think aloud about this in pairs, or all together.

HEAR: what does the Bible say?

It’s just an ordinary day at work; the hours filled with physical labour, familiar routine and occasional problem solving. Then something catches his eye: a light on the hillside. He looks up and sees a bush on fire – nothing very unusual in this dry desert landscape; he gets back to work. But later, when he looks around again, a puzzle confronts him: the fire is still there - instead of burning out, the flame in the bush remains strong and bright. Here is something mysterious, provoking his curiosity; so he moves closer, drawn towards the intriguing light.

Read Exodus 3:1-12

Moses does not seem to be looking for God; but God is calling out, seeking the attention of Moses. The invisible God chooses to reveal through fire: a mysterious and dazzling expression of God’s purity and power. (If you want to explore that further, you might look at Exodus 13:21 and Exodus 19:19). Then God is also revealed through a voice, calling Moses by name: showing that God is a person, who knows us personally and chooses to speak.


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Try some of these questions, to help you dig deeper into these verses.

What do you notice in this Bible passage? Look out for one verse which catches your attention; ask what it is saying.

How do you think Moses may be feeling as these events unfold? What is God like? What do we learn from these verses about God’s nature,

character and concerns? This life-changing moment will prove transformative for Moses. God’s call changes his routine. As the story continues in the rest of this book of Exodus, Moses will often feel out of his depth in the new patterns of life that God is calling him to lead. He will learn to listen to God’s voice and to do what God says. He will be called to express God’s voice to all kinds of people, challenging Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, to release Moses’ own people from slavery. But as Moses follows God’s leading and learns to obey, time and again he will discover that God cares, God is close and God can be trusted. Moses’ experience recorded here would have helped shape the thinking of Jesus, as he grew up hearing these scriptures read in the synagogue. Our ‘Old Testament’ was Jesus’ Bible, enlightening his thinking and speaking.


INVOLVE: what does this passage say to you?

Have you ever sensed God’s presence: perhaps through something which at first seemed quite ordinary?

Do you sometimes hear God speaking? When has that voice been clearest to you?

Do you want to draw closer to God? Does anything prevent you from doing that?

As you learn more about God’s character and priorities, does that make you want to adjust any of your regular routines?


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NOURISH: something further to chew on…

Watch the video from Bishop Pete – either online or download.

Transcript… Friends I'm so pleased that you're taking part in the Shining as Lights course. That phrase Shining as Lights, of course, picks up some words that are spoken at every service of baptism, every service of confirmation. So if you've been baptised, these words have been spoken over you and if you've been confirmed then they've been spoken over you twice. At the end of the service of baptism and again at the end of the service of confirmation, as a sort of commissioning, the minister, or in the service of confirmation, the bishop, says to the candidates, as they're presented with a lit candle, "you have received the light of Christ, shine as a light in the world to the glory of God the Father". I suppose there's a question that I would like to put to you as you take part in this course Shining as Lights and it's 'how's it going? - how are you shining for Christ as a light in the world? - how brightly are you shining? - do you feel that that light you receive from Christ is indeed burning for the sake of God's glory in the world among those with whom you live and work? - and then specifically how, how might Jesus be calling you to shine for him given your circumstances, given your life, given the circle of friends and family that you have, given your passions, given your gifts? - how might you be called to shine as a light for Christ, shining in the world to the glory of God the Father?’ I hope this course is going to help you to think about that and to invest in burning brightly for the Lord.


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EXPERIMENT: how will you live this out?

A personal Rule of Life should help us develop our routines. It can give us a framework for our spiritual life, within which we find freedom to grow as Christians. You may want to look at the ‘Introduction to a Rule of Life’ leaflet at this point, to help think this through further. Can you think of something you would like to try doing differently in the coming week, arising from what you have been thinking about in this session? Here is one suggestion you might like to try. Later in the biblical story, Moses gives this prayer to his people:

“The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the LORD turn his face towards you and give you peace.” (Numbers 6:24-26, NIV)

If you are studying this course in a group. Use these words as you pray together for each other.

Try memorising the prayer. Then use it regularly over the next few days. If you are in a worship service, you might pray it for people as they come forward to receive bread and wine. If you are travelling in your home area, pray it for the people in the houses, shops and schools which you are passing. Pray that they will experience God’s grace – the light of God’s face shining on them; and pray that you may, in some small way, help bring God’s blessing to them.

Next Session Session 2: RECEIVE the Light

“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.”

https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/niv/Num%206.24-26

https://bible.faithlife.com/bible/niv/Num%206.24-26

Shining as Lights

Session 2

RECEIVE the Light

A 5-part course exploring what it means to be a Light for Christ and how we might develop a personal Rule of Life.

Shining as Lights – Session 2: RECEIVE the Light

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“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD has risen upon you.

For darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the LORD will arise upon you,

and his glory will appear over you. Nations shall come to your light,

and kings to the brightness of your dawn. … for the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of mourning shall be ended.”

— ISAIAH 60:1-3, 19-20 NRSV


Looking back to how we ended the last session: did it lead you to adjust your spiritual routine in any way? Did you try praying that prayer of blessing for people in church and your local streets? If so, what was that like? If you are in a group, you might like to share something about this with each other. Turning our focus to this session’s topic: can you think of a time when you’ve received a gift which made an impact on you? How did that experience impact you? Which do you tend to find easier: giving or receiving?



Read Psalm 27:1-14


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The Psalms are a collection of prayers, worship songs and declarations of faith, preserved and used over the centuries. They express a wide range of experiences and feelings. Jesus treasured the psalms, learning from them and praying them himself; we find them on his lips at various times in the gospels (e.g. Matt 4:6; 21:42; 27:46). They brought light to his own life and teaching. Psalms can express prayer on behalf of a group or an individual. Psalm 27 sounds like the voice of an individual, perhaps giving testimony within a group as well as speaking out to God. This psalm is full of very personal language: notice how many times ‘I’, ‘my’ and ‘me’ occur. The LORD (Yahweh, the God of Israel) is ‘my light’ and ‘my salvation’: these gifts that God delights to give bring clarity and security in the uncertainties of daily life. (If you want to explore more the way the Bible connects God with light, see Psalms 4:6 and Psalm 104:1-2; also 1 Timothy 6:16.) In the second half of the psalm, we also hear the words ‘you’ and ‘your’, addressed to the LORD, asking to meet God face-to-face and to hear God’s guidance. The psalm gives us a glimpse of an intensely personal relationship with a personal God – an ongoing relationship which makes all the difference to this individual. Try some of these questions, to help you dig deeper into these verses.

What kinds of feelings do you sense the writer of Psalm 27 may have been going through? How does the psalmist handle those feelings?

What does the LORD give the psalmist? See how many gifts from God you can find throughout the psalm. What feelings and responses do those gifts prompt?

What is the psalmist’s experience of prayer and worship? (see particularly these verses Psalm 27:4-8.) What is it that makes regular worship and prayer such an important priority for this person?

How does the psalmist find hope and confidence for the future, particularly when the present seems uncertain and alarming (see these verses Psalm 27:11-14)?



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God offers us the gift of friendship, a close ongoing relationship with God. How does this make you feel? Is there anything that might prevent you receiving this gift?

What experiences of prayer and worship do you treasure most? What would be the most nourishing pattern of regular prayer and worship you?

Do you sometimes sense God instructing and leading you (see this verse Psalm 27:11)? If so, how does that usually happen?

In the final verse, the encouraging challenge is to ‘wait’ (meaning ‘look forward expectantly, with hope’) for the LORD, who gives strength and courage. What does that say to you as an individual and you as a group? How do you respond?



Transcript… So in this part of the course we're thinking about what it means to receive the light of Christ and of course in one sense that's something that happens once and for all for every follower of the Lord Jesus. That's why at the service of baptism and again at the service of confirmation, at the end of the service, as a sort of commissioning, the newly baptised and the newly confirmed are given a lit candle and are told 'you have received the light of Christ'. It's done... it's something that is already complete. As we come to Christ, as we receive his spirit, as we are brought into the body of Christ, we have received the light of Christ, we can count on it. But of course that's not the whole story and there's another sense in which there's a responsibility on each one of us who are disciples of our Lord Jesus, day by day to go on again and again and again afresh receiving the light of Christ and I wonder how you ensure that that's happening for you. I became a Christian at the age of 13 and I'm so grateful to the people who in the early days of my Christian life encouraged me to set aside some dedicated time every day usually at the start of the day to sit in the presence of God to pray, to read my Bible, to seek to receive afresh the word of the Lord to me. To reconnect with my


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very best self and my very best self in Christ and that has been for me I guess, over the last 40 years, pretty much consistently a daily pattern and if I had to trace anywhere in my life in which I receive again and again, day by day the light of Christ, it would be in that dedicated prayer time at the start of every day. That may not be possible for you, your life circumstances may not permit you that kind of a convenient routine of daily prayer but I hope as you explore in this course what it means for you to receive the light of Christ you'll be thinking especially about what that means for you, day to day.

Read these words from the Common Worship service of baptism: In baptism, God calls us out of darkness into his marvellous light. To follow Christ means dying to sin and rising to new life with him. Therefore I ask: Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God? I reject them. Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil? I renounce them. Do you repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour? I repent of them. Do you turn to Christ as Saviour? I turn to Christ. Do you submit to Christ as Lord? I submit to Christ. Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life? I come to Christ. Is there anything in these words that you particularly warm to? Is there anything that puzzles you or disturbs you? How could these responses follow from being ‘called into God’s marvellous light’?

If you are studying this course in a group. Talk about this in pairs.


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Do you want to adjust your current patterns of prayer, Bible reading and worship in any way? Is there one thing you could try doing differently for the next week or two, as an experiment? For example:

try some different approaches to reading the Bible? Perhaps one of these might help: The Bible Project or St Peter’s College Bible reading notes

attend a midweek service of Holy Communion? plan a retreat or quiet day? spend time in silent prayer? pray in a less structured way than usual? Or a more structured way than

usual? pray using a resource such as this one: www.trypraying.co.uk/ explore the diocesan prayer community and consider joining if you’re not

already part of it: www.sheffield.anglican.org/renewed Here is a prayer you could use in the morning, based on the opening verses of the Bible:

Let there be light as I begin this day,

To draw me from the darkness and the night,

To bless my flesh, to clear and show my way,

Let there be light.

Strong in the depth and shining from the height,

Evening and morning’s interplay,

Blessing and enabling my sight.

Lighten my soul and teach me how to pray,

Lighten my mind and teach me wrong from right,

In all I do and think and see and say

Let there be light. Malcolm Guite, ‘Seven Whole Days’, from Parable and Paradox (Norwich, Canterbury Press: 2016), p.79

Next Session Session 3: WALK in the Light

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Shining as Lights

Session 3

WALK in the Light


Shining as Lights – Session 3: WALK in the Light

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“O send out your light and your truth; let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy hill and to your dwelling.”

”Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” — PSALM 43:3; 119:105


Looking back to how we ended the last session: have you tried anything different since then in prayer, worship or Bible reading? If so, did that prove to be difficult, or nourishing, or even a bit of both?

If you are studying this course in a group. Share some of your experience with others.

Today’s theme brings a sense of moving forward, making progress. Can you think of a particular experience you’ve had that involved walking, or some other form of travel? What did enjoy about the journey? What did you find difficult? Again, you may like to think aloud about this with others.


Read 1 John 1:5-2:2; 3:11-18

1 John is an early letter or sermon, perhaps arising from the churches in Ephesus where the apostle John is believed to have ended his days. Its message is repetitive, with circling patterns, a bit like music; it seems to be designed for reading aloud (as hopefully you may do if in a group). Some people in those early churches seem to have been saying that this physical world we live in is evil and that God can only be found by escaping to a different, spiritual world. For them, God becoming closely involved in this corrupt world seemed impossible; so Jesus could not have been God incarnate. 1 John rejects this view: the very first verse declares that God really did become human, incarnate in our messy world, as someone who could be seen and heard and touched. So this


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world is not something to be rejected and escaped from; God delights in it and loves it enough to get deeply involved – and so should we! 1 John is written in deceptively simple words, full of deep truths and powerful challenges. Some of this involves picture language: for example, ‘God is light’ (1 John 1:5): not a literal description saying God is made up of photons, but a picture to intrigue us – we think about how light enables and sustains life, reveals what is hidden, opens up possibilities for ways forward. Another metaphor depicts everyday living as ‘walking around’. In biblical thinking, to live means to walk; if you are truly alive, then one of the signs of it is that you are on the move, travelling, not simply standing still. Try some of these questions, to help you dig deeper into these verses.

Which verse or phrase catches your attention? What do you think it is saying? What do these verses say about healthy relationships – with God and with

each other? Why does sin need to be taken seriously, according to these verses? What

are good and bad ways to deal with sin? How are we to understand that much used and abused word, ‘love’? What

does agape, self-giving love, look like, according to these verses? (See also Jesus’ words in John 15:12-17)


Is sin a concern we focus on too much? Or too little? How does this affect you and others you know?

As we take time to reflect on what we’ve received (life, forgiveness, fellowship, hope, food, clothing, love…), how does that affect our concerns about what we need? And does it transform our attitudes towards other people?

What does self-giving love look like in your life and your relationships at present? Do particular people come to mind? (Do you have a favourite song or picture that expresses this kind of love?)

How do you feel about enjoying and looking after the physical creation we live in - and also caring for your own embodied self? Does God choosing to enter our world in Jesus help you work that out?


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Listen to the song ‘Light of the World by Lauren Daigle – online only or lyrics below.

Lyrics The world waits for a miracle The heart longs for a little bit of hope Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel A child prays for peace on Earth

And she's calling out from a sea of hurt Oh come, oh come, Emmanuel And can you hear the angels singing Glory to the light of the world Glory, the light of the world is here The drought breaks with the tears of a mother A baby's cry is the sound of love Come down, come down, Emmanuel

He is the song for the suffering He is Messiah, the Prince of Peace has come He has come, Emmanuel

Glory to the light of the world Glory to the light of the world Glory to the light of the world Glory to the light of the world For all who wait For all who hunger For all who've prayed For all who…


Transcript… I like to run once or twice a week and sometimes in the early morning. During last autumn, of course, as the nights grew longer and the days grew shorter, it became more and more difficult to run with confidence in the early morning so I bought this (Bishop Pete shows a head torch). I'm not going to put it on but you'll see it's really quite bright and there was a period of weeks in November and December when it made it possible for me still to be out running at about half past six/seven o'clock in the morning. It made it possible for me to run forwards with confidence in the semi dark and maybe that's an image for how it is for us to walk in the light of Christ - in that image is a sense that for those of us who are followers of Jesus, progress is necessary. We have to grow and move and develop and I hope that the shining as lights material this week has allowed you a chance to reflect on what that means for you.


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How are you investing in your own growth as one of Christ's lights as you seek to walk in his light? Of course, having a headlamp as you're running in the semi dark doesn't mean you won't fall over and once or twice I found myself tripping on a root branch that I hadn't seen clearly and you'll find it's the same as you seek to walk in the light of Christ. It doesn't mean that you'll never trip up, it doesn't mean you'll never go wrong. In fact, for those of us who want to progress most purposefully in following Jesus, that very sense of purpose and forward direction may mean that we do trip up, then there's nothing for it but to get up dust ourselves down and carry on again.


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Does something need adjusting to bring more balance in your daily life and walk with God? Here are some areas that might be relevant:

Loving God and neighbour

Living generously – time, money, skills

Being content with enough

Resisting the urge to blame or condemn other people

Taking time regularly to enjoy hobbies/activities which refresh us: e.g. music, reading, playing games, gardening, creative projects, sport

Regular physical exercise

Quality time with family, with friends

Living more sustainably

Many Christians are adjusting their lifestyle in order to care for creation better (eg finding locally grown food, eating less meat, using the bike or the bus, reusable bags rather than throwaway plastic, changing to renewable energy suppliers, changing business practices, lobbying local and national government…). For resources which can help you explore how to care for creation, you could try reading one of Ruth Valerio’s books, particularly ‘Saying Yes to Life’; we have this along with ‘L’ is for Lifestyle and Just Living available to borrow for free from our diocesan Resources Centre. Also look at the A Rocha website.

Do any of these suggestions prompt you to experiment with something a bit different in the next week or two? Rather than trying all of them, it will be more realistic to focus on just one or two.

If you are studying this course in a group. Pray together for each other, particularly for living out whatever you have have decided to experiment with

in the days ahead.

Next Session Session 4: REFLECT the Light

“I will give you as a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Shining as Lights

Session 4

REFLECT the Light


Shining as Lights – Session 4: REFLECT the Light

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“I will give you as a light to the nations,

that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

ISAIAH 49:6


As usual, we begin by looking back to how we ended the last session (and encouraging conversation for those studying in groups). Have you tried adjusting anything since then to bring more balance to your daily life and walk with God? If so, what was that like? Did you learn anything from it? To help move our thoughts towards today’s Bible passage: can you remember from the past an occasion when someone needed to wake you up (perhaps because you had overslept and were going to be late)? Or maybe an occasion when you had to wake someone else up for that kind of reason? If an experience comes to mind, what impressions and reactions did it provoke? How did you feel in the end: confused? Or glad? Or cross? Or...?


Read Ephesians 5:8-20

This letter from Paul encourages the Christians in Ephesus to realise who they really are, what God has done for them and what their calling is in everyday life. The first half of the letter helps them explore the riches of God’s saving grace; the second half looks at how to live wisely and well, as the church and also they relate to their neighbours. In this chapter, Paul has been calling these Christians to live distinctively in their communities, particularly in handling their relationships and desires. Now he tries to capture the imagination and motivate people with a vivid image: “the fruit of the light” (v9). We know that light is not a plant that grows crops or fruit which can be harvested; but light is essential to ripen crops and plants – so in that sense, light does indeed produce fruit.


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Elsewhere Paul uses the picture of fruit to help understand Christian character, talking about “the fruit of the Spirit” (can you name the nine virtues he mentions? Have a look at Galatians 5:22). Jesus also teaches about behaviour in terms of good and bad fruit (Luke 6:43-45). But in addition, Jesus speaks of fruitful harvests to depict more and more people believing in him, as his word takes root in their lives (Luke 8:4-8; John 4:35-42). Sometimes Jesus’ words may suggest both conversion and character, holy lives as well as new believers (John 15:1-8). The two go together: as Christians gradually and steadily develop godly character and behaviour, it changes our lives and also impacts other people, those in the church and those beyond it. Fruit is often both nourishing and attractive. Try some of these questions, to help you dig deeper into these verses.

Which verse or phrase catches your attention? What do you think it is saying? When faced with a culture whose values and priorities seem different and

alien, one temptation for Christians has been to withdraw from involvement in the world. What does this passage say about that?

Is deciding what is the good and right way to behave in our daily lives always straightforward? Compare verses 10 and 11.

The challenge and encouragement to “be filled with the Spirit” (v.18) is in the present tense, which suggests continuity - literally “keep on being filled with the Spirit”. This is not a single event, but an ongoing process: continually turning to God to receive God’s gracious presence and power - which then refreshes and equips us for daily life and witness. Does this surprise you? Does it ring true in your experience?


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Think about someone God has used to plant and grow faith in you, or perhaps in others. What was the impact of that person’s character, seen in their attitudes and actions? And what place did words, explanation and teaching have in the process of growing faith?

Verse 14 gives a phrase which may come from an early Christian worship song, perhaps sung at Easter baptisms. Does it say anything about your situation and calling in everyday life? What kind of responses does God's 'wake-up call' prompt - in yourself and also in people you meet day by day?

In your daily life, when do you feel most strongly aware of a radical, ‘light verses darkness’ difference between the values of Christ and those of today’s world? How are you best able to reflect Christ’s light and bring light to others in those moments?

Can our thankfulness (v.20) be part of our witness to others?


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Listen to the audio recording by Bill Goodman ‘Brightly Shone the Moon that Night’ – online or download.

Transcript…

The steep slope and high altitude were taking their toll; I paused for breath in the darkness. I glanced at my watch: 2 am. Looking up, I noticed that the Moon had risen; it hung in the clear night sky, two-thirds full, casting a shadow at my feet. Gratefully, I turned off my inadequate head-torch and continued climbing, picking my way through the rocks by moonlight alone. As the night hours passed Venus, the ‘morning star’, appeared as a bright pin-prick near the eastern horizon, promising the coming of dawn.

The Moon produces no light of its own. It’s not even a good reflector: dark grey rock, covered with matt grey dust - Venus, a planet shrouded in white cloud, reflects far more brightly. But the Moon is much closer to us, travelling alongside us; although very inadequate as a reflector, it still gave me enough light to find my way, light arising from a far greater source, awesome in brilliance. Perhaps there’s something in that which can give us encouragement as we think about ourselves reflecting the light.

As I reached the summit, the sun finally rose, dazzling, above the horizon; now reflected light was no longer needed. We gazed in wonder as everything became clear; warming our chilly bones, rejoicing together.


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Transcript…

One of the things I love about a candle flame, is the way that you can take a candle flame from a candle flame and leave the initial flame in no way smaller, in no way burning less brightly than it was before it replicated itself and from the new flame, you can take another flame and then another flame and another flame and suddenly you've got a whole host of flames, where to begin with there was only one and that one is still burning every bit as brightly as it was in the first place.

It's a remarkable thing that you can take a flame from a flame and leave the original flame not in any way reduced or impoverished and it seems to me that's how it is for those of us who are called to shine as lights for Christ in the world.

This week in the Shining as Lights course, we're thinking about what it means for us to be reflectors of the light of Christ what it means for us to be called to share the light of Christ and to pass on the light of Christ. The glorious thing about that is that when you pass on the light of Christ, your own light is in no way reduced no way impoverished you can pass on the light of Christ and still be burning every bit as brightly yourself as a light for Christ to the glory of God the Father.


If music is something that touches you, try singing some favourite worship songs during the week – or perhaps learning a new one. If you feel inhibited, this does not have to be done aloud or in public! The point is to nourish a joyful sense of gratitude, which will then shine out of us and share the light with others.

Is there someone in your workplace, community or family who is particularly in your mind at present? If so, can you try doing something practical this week which could be a blessing to them?

Can you pray for an opportunity this week to share a brief story from your spiritual journey with a friend or colleague? Perhaps you could also encourage someone to explore a resource, such as: ‘Try Praying’ -www.trypraying.co.uk. For other resources which can help you in sharing your faith, look at Church Army Resources www.churcharmy.org.uk.

http://www.churcharmy.org.uk/


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Is there a cause which is committed to supporting vulnerable and needy

people (either in your community or further afield) which God has laid on your heart? If so, can you find a way to invest more of your time, money or skills in strengthening it?

As we strive to care for creation and live more sustainably, what sort of contacts and conversations does this generate with those around us who are not part of the church? Where might this lead you in the days ahead?

Pray for yourself and others, particularly for whatever you have decided to try this week. Ask God the Holy Spirit to come on you afresh and be open to receive the presence, power and wisdom of God. Pray that Christ will use you to bring more light to people who need it.

Here is a prayer you might use to close this session, taken from Morning Prayer:

Blessed are you, Sovereign God,

ruler and judge of all,

to you be praise and glory for ever.

In the darkness of this age that is passing away

may the light of your presence which the saints enjoy

surround our steps as we journey on.

May we reflect your glory this day

and so be made ready to see your face

in the heavenly city where night shall be no more.

Blessed be God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

Blessed be God for ever.


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Next Session In the fifth and final session of the course, we shall focus partly on the Introduction to a Personal Rule of Life leaflet and the Rule of Life card. It would be good to have one available for each person involved. They can be downloaded on the web page for this session; paper copies are also available from Sheffield Diocesan Church House or from your church.

Session 5: LIGHT of the World

“For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”


Session 5

LIGHT of the World

Shining as Lights – Session 5: LIGHT of the World

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“For it is the God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness’, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the

knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”

-2 CORINTHIANS 4:6

If you are studying this course in a group.

In this final session of the course we shall focus partly on the Introduction to a Personal Rule of Life leaflet and the Rule of Life card. It would be good to have one available for each participant. The last part – this time renamed ‘Establish’ - is particularly important. We suggest you give it twice as much time as usual, reducing time spent on the previous sections accordingly.

You can download the Introduction to a Personal Rule of Life leaflet and the Rule of Life Commitment Card from the session 5 web page or these are probably available as hard copies from your church


As usual, we begin by looking back to how we ended the last session. Have you tried adjusting anything since then to enable you to reflect Christ’s light more fully? If so, what was that like? Did you learn anything from it?


Today we look at two Bible passages, with particular focus on the second one. Read John 1:1-9 and 8:12

These opening verses of the fourth gospel, mysterious and majestic like their subject, show the creator reaching out to the creation. God chooses to speak and this expression takes human form (eventually identified as Jesus Christ, verse 17). With echoes of Genesis 1, imagery about light and darkness is introduced and will recur throughout the following chapters. Light illuminates, guides and exposes; all who hear these words are challenged to choose light rather than darkness.


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‘The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood/overcome it.’ (1.5). The Greek word used here can have either of these meanings. Those who choose darkness cannot grasp the revelation which Jesus brings; God cannot be mastered by any human beings.

Try some of these questions, to help you dig deeper into these passages. John 1:6 refers to John the Baptiser, Jesus’ cousin. Why do you think he is

suddenly mentioned here? What is the importance of his role? What do you think Jesus means when he offers everyone ‘the light of life’

(John 8:12; see also John 1:4)?

Now read Matthew 5:13-16

All four gospels present Jesus as a teacher, proclaiming God’s word. This collection of Jesus’ teaching in Matthew’s account, best known as the ‘Sermon on the Mount’, is full of practical and challenging guidance about daily life.

One of the images Jesus chooses here is of a lamp, which in his day would have had a burning flame. If placed under a bowl, the lamp’s whole purpose will be lost: the flame will be snuffed out and the room turn dark. Jesus’ presence and teaching ‘lights up’ his followers – not simply for their own benefit, but so that light is given to the world around them.

The Bible abounds in picture language, used in a variety of different ways, to stimulate our imagination. In this Shining as Lights course, we have used the image of ourselves reflecting light (the kind of picture Paul may be using in 2 Corinthians 3:18, although the meaning there is debated). Here in Matthew’s gospel, Jesus depicts his followers as a burning lamp which, when provided with suitable fuel and a flame, illuminates a room by radiating light. With either of these word pictures, the outcome is the same: God’s light shines and spreads through us into a dark world.

Try some of these questions, to help you dig deeper into this passage. Jesus uses more than one image here. How does his picture of a city

(Matthew 5:14) reinforce what he is teaching and help us understand what he is saying about light?

What might the ‘good works’ Jesus mentions look like? Have a glance at the rest of this chapter in Matthew to get some ideas.

Doing good works sounds like something that will require effort on our part. Yet a lamp being refuelled and lit suggests action done by someone else. Is there a tension in this? How do you understand it?


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As the light shines, those good works produce some positive outcomes (Matthew 5:16). Where should credit and praise be directed?


John 1:6-9 talks about John being a ‘witness’ and ‘testifying to the light’. What are the similarities and differences between his calling and ours?

Do we ever feel tempted to be ‘invisible’ as Christians? What do Jesus’ words in the passage from Matthew say to that?

How do you feel about people ‘seeing your good works’ (Matthew 5:16)? What might be the result if they do?



Transcript… Friends, this is the fifth and final little contribution I'm making to the Shining as Lights course, as we think together about Christ the light of the world and what it means for us to be ourselves lights for Christ in the world. If you've watched the whole series of these little videos you may have noticed this candle sitting on the shelf behind me and I wanted to draw your attention to it this week. You see this candle needs some care and attention, the wick has grown down and the edges of the candle are too proud and there's very little of the flame standing above it. When we've finished I'm going to take a penknife and chop, trim the wax away from the wick and next time I light it, the flame will be standing proud and shining much more brightly than you saw it a moment ago. Maybe that's a little image that sums up what I hope Shining as Lights and your part in this course these past five weeks might be like for you. The point is that we as lights for Christ, we need a bit of care and attention, we need a bit of TLC, we may need a bit of pruning away if we're to shine at our brightest for Christ and I hope as you look back over the whole of this Shining as Lights course, you'll be able to see that you've been able to pay some attention to your own flame. I hope you'll find you're shining still more brightly for Christ as a light in the world, to the glory of God the Father.


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It is worthwhile at this stage to look at the baptismal promises again - from the Common Worship service of baptism: In baptism, God calls us out of darkness into his marvellous light.

To follow Christ means dying to sin and rising to new life with him.

Therefore I ask:

Do you reject the devil and all rebellion against God?

I reject them.

Do you renounce the deceit and corruption of evil?

I renounce them.

Do you repent of the sins that separate us from God and neighbour?

I repent of them.

Do you turn to Christ as Saviour?

I turn to Christ.

Do you submit to Christ as Lord?

I submit to Christ.

Do you come to Christ, the way, the truth and the life?

I come to Christ.


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ESTABLISH: how will you live this out?

Previously we’ve called this section ‘Experiment’. For this final session, we are changing it to ‘Establish’. After experimenting with different possibilities in recent weeks, you may now feel clearer about what best fits you as your regular pattern of spiritual life.

There are probably aspects of your current pattern which you value strongly and want to keep or even strengthen further.

Is there also something which is no longer so helpful? Is it time to lay this aside, in order to free up some time?

Is there something different which you want to add to your regular routine? You may like to re-read the Introduction to a Personal Rule of Life. Think about

the three major areas of life it highlights: - receiving Christ’s light as his friends - walking in Christ’s light as his followers - reflecting Christ’s light to those around us

All three are important. Do you have a good balance between the three?

You may like to do this in silence, or else listening to some quiet instrumental music (but played without visual images, as these can distract from thinking.)


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Listen to the piece of music on the web page for this session. This is a powerful contemporary worship song by Tim Hughes. "Here I am to worship, here I am

to bow down, here I am to say that You're my God."

Reflect about this on your own for a few minutes.

Lyrics

Light of the world You stepped down into darkness Opened my eyes, let me see Beauty that made this heart adore You Hope of a life spent with You Here I am to worship Here I am to bow down Here I am to say that You're my God You're altogether lovely Altogether worthy Altogether wonderful to me King of all days Oh so highly exalted Glorious in heaven above Humbly You came to the earth You created

All for love's sake became poor Here I am to worship Here I am to bow down Here I am to say that You're my God You're altogether lovely Altogether worthy Altogether wonderful to me Well, I'll never know how much it cost To see my sin upon that cross Well, I'll never know how much it cost To see my sin upon that cross Well, I'll never know how much it cost To see my sin upon that cross Well, I'll never know how much it cost To see my sin upon that cross

If you are studying this course in a group. Some discussion/sharing might follow here, either in pairs or all together.

Have a look at the Rule of Life card. If you choose to fill this out, it will be for your own benefit (although you may choose to share it with an individual or a group). Do you feel that would be appropriate for you now?

Share your thoughts and pray for yourself and others, in whatever ways you judge suitable.

Here is a closing prayer you might like to use, taken from Common Worship: Lord Jesus, Light of light,

you have come among us.

Help us who live by your light

to shine as lights in your world.

Glory to God in the highest.

Amen.

Leader's Guide & Introduction - Lights for Christ

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Transcript of Leader's Guide & Introduction - Lights for Christ