Sermon: "A Declaration of Identity" by Lowell Cooper, MDiv, MPH

Prayer: Daniel G. Handysides, DrPH

Pastoral Welcome: Bernard Taylor, PhD

University Welcome: Richard H. Hart, MD, DrPH

Student Feature: Hannah Joy Fletcher, SAHP ’11
Sherie Lou Santos, SPH ’11
Penieliss Barrial, SPH ’11

Scripture Reading: Matthew 5:14–16, TNIV - JeJe Noval, MS

Note: Processional and Recessional are included in the DVD

INTRODUCTION TO THE SERMON

People generally operate with several identities—father, uncle, mechanic, boss, mother, nurse, friend, seamstress.   An identity defines who we are and how we act.  When one is lost in the forest, the big question is “Where am I?”  When lost in life the big question is “Who am I?”  We resolve moral, ethical and behavioral questions by how we answer “Who am I?”

Jesus spoke of His followers as being the light of the world—His declaration of their identity.  So it is not so much Joe, the plumber; George, the doctor; Marge, the office manager; or Nancy, the nurse.  It is Joe and George and Marge and Nancy—the light of the world!  And that light shines as Joe does plumbing, George does doctoring, Marge and Nancy performing at their professions.

Any follower of Jesus can be light.  There is no hierarchy of spiritual professions.  The minister is not more important than the mechanic.  The doctor is not more important than the driver.

The purpose of being light is to bring attention to God.  There are ways of living in which we can create a distortion of what God looks like.  It is also true that one can live in such a way that people get a more accurate picture of God and end up glorifying Him.

“Here lies the power of truth. The unstudied, unconscious influence of a holy life is the most convincing sermon that can be given in favor of Christianity. Argument, even when unanswerable, may provoke only opposition; but a godly example has a power that it is impossible wholly to resist.”  —Ellen G White, Acts of the Apostles, p. 510

Lowell Cooper
General Vice President, General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists
Chair, LLU Board of Trustees

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