Not the Lantern, But the Light

2025-10-20

John 1:6-9, II Corinthians 4:5-7 Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Commitment Sunday, October 12, 2025. "The one essential fact about light is that it is separate from what bears it. • The light of the sun isn’t the sun itself. • The light of a fire isn’t the wood that burns. • Even the glow from a candle or a bulb isn’t the wax or the filament. "Paul echoes the same truth in his own way. He’s not speaking of John, but of all of us who call ourselves Christians. He is...

John 1:6-9, II Corinthians 4:5-7

Sermon by Dr. George C. Anderson from Commitment Sunday, October 12, 2025.

"The one essential fact about light is that it is separate from what bears it.
• The light of the sun isn’t the sun itself.
• The light of a fire isn’t the wood that burns.
• Even the glow from a candle or a bulb isn’t the wax or the filament.

"Paul echoes the same truth in his own way. He’s not speaking of John, but of all of us who call ourselves Christians. He is even speaking of every congregation: 'We do not proclaim ourselves; we proclaim Jesus as Lord… We have this treasure in clay jars, so that it may be made clear that this extraordinary power to save is of God and does not come from us.'

"We are not the flame—we are the candle. We are not the light—we are the lantern.

"That’s worth thinking about as a congregation on Commitment Sunday."

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