Lights to the World

Extracted Verses and Quotes from the Sermon

Biblical Verses

Psalm 116:12-14

What shall I render to the Lord for all his benefits toward me? I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord, now in the presence of all his people.

Deuteronomy 16:17

Every man shall give as he is able, according to the blessing of the Lord your God which he has given to you.

John 3:16

For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have everlasting life.

Acts 14:12

Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.

Luke 9:51

When the days were approaching for him to be taken up, he set his face to go to Jerusalem.

Matthew 27:47

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” that is, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”

2 Corinthians 5:21

For he made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in him.

Mark 12:41-44

Now Jesus sat opposite the treasury and saw how the people put money into the treasury. And many who were rich put in much. Then one poor widow came and threw in two mites, which make a quadrans. So he called his disciples to himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, her whole livelihood.”

Acts 10:1-4

There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Regiment, a devout man and one who feared God with all his household, who gave alms generously to the people, and prayed to God always. About the ninth hour of the day he saw clearly in a vision an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius!” And when he observed him, he was afraid, and said, “What is it, Lord?” So he said to him, “Your prayers and your alms have come up for a memorial before God.”

1 Chronicles 16:29

Give to the Lord the glory due to his name; bring an offering, and come before him. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness!

Psalm 96:8-9

Give to the Lord the glory due to his name; bring an offering, and come into His courts. Oh, worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness; tremble before Him, all the earth.

Psalm 116:16-18

Oh Lord, truly I am your servant; I am your servant, the son of your maidservant; you have loosed my bonds. I will offer to you the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the Lord. I will pay my vows to the Lord, now in the presence of all his people.

Matthew 6:21

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Matthew 10:8

Freely you have received, freely give.

Psalm 22 (Quoted by Jesus on the Cross)

My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

Acts 13:38-49

Therefore let it be known to you, brethren, that through this man is preached to you the forgiveness of sins; and by him everyone who believes is justified from all things, from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses… It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken to you first; but since you reject it, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, behold, we turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, ‘I have set you a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’

Ecclesiastes 1:9

There is nothing new under the sun; what has been will be again.

Matthew 5:14-16

You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

John 8:12

I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.

John 1:5

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

Psalm 74:1-3, 11, 20 (selected verses)

O God, why have you cast us off forever? Why does your anger smoke against the sheep of your pasture?… Your enemies roar in the midst of your meeting place; they set up their banners for signs. They seem like men who lift up axes among the thick trees… Do not destroy the assembly of the sheep of your pasture, the dwelling place of your heart and your hands… Have respect to the covenant; for the dark places of the earth are full of the habitations of cruelty.

Genesis 6:11, 13

Now the earth was corrupt in the sight of God, and the earth was filled with violence… And God said to Noah, “The end of all flesh has come before me, for the earth is filled with violence through them; and behold, I will destroy them with the earth.”

Matthew 24:37

As the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.

Romans 5:8

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Memorable Quotes

“God established sacred institutions as memorials of creation with the objective of reminding us who God is, who we are, and how we are to relate to Him.”

“The tree of the knowledge of good and evil symbolizes the gift of free will, and after the fall, this memorial is substituted by the memorial of tithing.”

“Tithing is an experience of continual worship to God as Creator, provider, sustainer, and maintainer of all life. He is the Sovereign of all life.”

“Jesus was the offering for sin, the lamb slain since the foundation of the world, who would take upon himself the guilt and shame of sin to redeem fallen man from the curse of the law.”

“The ultimate biblical understanding of offering doesn’t have to do with money; it has everything to do with salvation through Jesus Christ.”

“Offerings need to be voluntary, planned, consistent, and proportional to what we have. God wants us to give with joy, not coerced or manipulated.”

“God doesn’t need our money; He is not limited by our resources. Our offerings are an acknowledgement and expression of gratitude for His abundant gifts of life, redemption, sustenance, and constant blessings.”

“If we keep everything to ourselves, ultimately, those things end up owning us. Christian offerings demonstrate that we know who the true owner is.”

“Giving back offerings is worship; it is an integral part of worshiping God.”

“The spirit in which you give is what matters, not the amount. The widow gave all she had, and Jesus praised her because her heart followed her gift.”

“The church is God’s movement, imperfect because it involves human beings, but we give because of our understanding of God, not because of the institution or its leaders.”

“The motive in giving is chronicled by the recording angel, and those who give with sincerity and an eye single to the glory of God will not lose their reward.”

“We are called to be a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the ends of the earth. This is our calling and purpose as disciples of Jesus today.”

“The darkness of the world is filled with violence, but the light of Jesus shines in the darkness and the darkness does not overcome it.”

“Serving as frontline missionaries is not romantic or glamorous. It is costly, involves sacrifice and scars, but it is a privilege to bear the gospel to the ends of the earth.”

“We serve because we are compelled by the love of God, which flows out of us as a natural overflow of a loving relationship with our Heavenly Father.”

“When people turn to God and receive the agape love that washes away violence, there is renewal of life that nothing else can bring.”

“Our lives should shine the light of the love of God so that others may see and give glory to our Father in heaven.”

Other Quotations

Ellen G. White, Testimonies for the Church, Vol. 2, p. 518

The recording angel makes a faithful record of every offering dedicated to God and put into the treasury, and also of the final result of the means thus bestowed… Those self-sacrificing consecrated ones who render back to God the things that are His as He requires of them will be rewarded according to their works, even though the means thus consecrated be misapplied… Those who made the sacrifice in sincerity of soul with an eye single to the glory of God will not lose their reward.

Ellen G. White, Patriarchs and Prophets, p. 63

The Son of God, heaven’s glorious Commander, was touched with pity for the fallen race. Divine love conceived a plan whereby sinners could be redeemed. The broken law demanded the life of the sinner; none but Christ could make atonement for its transgression. Christ would take upon Himself the guilt and shame of sin… He would be their substitute.

Ellen G. White, Councils on Stewardship, p. 175

Jesus understood her motive. She believed the service of the temple to be of God’s appointment and was anxious to do her utmost to sustain it. Her act was to be a monument to her memory through all time, and her joy in eternity. Her heart went with her gift; its value was estimated not by the worth of coin but by the love to God and the interest in His work that prompted the deed.