Christ enlightened the minds of his disciples with his gospel that they might become shining light in the darkness of the world, by word, deed, and behavior. The religion of Christ has a call that is not living for itself, but is prepared to spread the riches of the knowledge of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit throughout all the people.
However, preaching on roads and public squares is sometimes prevented under certain conditions. Christ points out to the picture of the family which meets inside the house around the lamp of the gospel. This signifies that if someone visited you at home, let him observe that the comfort of the gospel is the glory of your home.
Christ called his followers the light of the world, the salt of earth, and the leaven of the dough. It is impossible for you to hide your faith before your neighbors. They feel your love, peace, and joy unless your faith has died and become a conserved tradition. Never force anyone in your surroundings to accept your faith, but prepare yourself, at all times, to answer frankly, with prudence and lowliness whoever asks you about your faith, for our religion is not secret circles, but is opened to every convert.
Everyone is invited to hear the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but not everyone understands them. Christ invites all, but few come. The lightening of man happens by direct interference of God. Yet those whom God opens their hearts to the meaning of his words are not the clever and proud, or the professors who hold the tradition, but those who hear with lowliness and thirst for righteousness. Christ says frankly, "Take heed how you hear." He, who listens to the word of God, thinks of it, moves it into his heart, and discusses it with others, becomes lightened with the power of God. If he prayed according to the meanings that are new to him, he would receive a divine power, and live in fellowship with God, for man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. He who listens to Christ watchfully becomes more and more enriched, for, in the kingdom of God, there is a principle of spontaneous growth in love, in the knowledge of God, and in the power of the Spirit. This positive development in the believer only depends on hearing the gospel.
Unfortunately, there is also the principle of spontaneous failure where the faculty of perceiving becomes weak, and the mentioning of the gospel becomes little. He who neglects the word of God forgets his Lord, becomes empty from the power of God, and loses all what he had of divine things. If someone listened to the gospel proudly, mocked at Christ, and censored his words sarcastically, he rejects the gospel willingly, loses grace, and becomes filled with an unclean spirit. Do not forget that the devil has only one purpose: to wipe off the word from you, take away your interest in praying and reading, and help you to forget its impressions quickly. Take heed therefore how you hear the words of Jesus, for your salvation depends on your hearing the gospel.
Do you hear it, understand it, live it, and tell others about it?