Me and My Shadow

Introduction

Do you read your Bibles on a daily basis? Not in preparation for a Bible class or trying to prove a point, but to just read. To just be impressed with the love, the light, the power, and the might that is God. To just see God in the pages of the scriptures. And to learn from them. If you do so, there’s probably sections of Scripture that you read that just draw you in. And compel. And maybe you begin to think that you want to know more about those events that took place.

Acts chapter 5 is one of those occasions, to me at least. Acts chapter 5, of course, records, and I don’t know that I’d want to be there for the first 14 verses, the death of Ananias and Sapphira, but the events that transpired after that are just interesting to me. We read in Acts chapter 5, beginning in verse 12, it says, and through the hands of the apostles, many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s porch. Yet none of the rest dared them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches.

That at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits. And they were healed. Something about that story that just compels me that I’d love to have seen that. Particularly that aspect where it talks about the shadow of Peter passing by and falling on them.

But maybe just the word would spread that Peter is going to be coming down this road. And maybe at a certain time. And depending upon what time of day would determine on which side of the street you would want to lay that afflicted or sick person. So that the sun would hit Peter and his shadow would fall on the correct side of the road. You don’t want to be that guy that’s on the wrong side of the road when his shadow’s hitting the other side.

But maybe there was someone who would serve, I pictured as maybe as a young person serving as a scout, come running back. Peter’s coming. He’s coming. And maybe do one last check of the sun. Okay, we’re on the right side of the road, or maybe the sun has risen in the sky, so let’s let’s scooch you a little closer to the road here. We want to make sure that his shadow falls on you. Now notice it says there in verse 15, the end of verse 15, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Doesn’t say explicitly that they were healed. But I believe that the context, look at verse 12, that through the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people.

The next verse 16, says, the multitude from the surrounding cities brought their sick people and they’re tormented by unclean spirits, and they were healed is the implication not that a healing took place by just the shadow of Peter touching those sick people. This unusual miracle, as if a miracle wasn’t unusual enough, this unusual miracle doesn’t have is not without precedence. Remember, Jesus himself, just the touch of the hem of his garment would cause someone to be healed. Later in the book of Acts, we find out that aprons and handkerchiefs that had come in contact with the apostle Paul were distributed. And just the touch of those garments would heal someone. So the context and those other precedents seem to establish that it was very well possible that just the touch of Peter’s shadow was enough to heal those people.

Fascinating. Wouldn’t you love to have been just an observer watching this? As these people brought their afflicted loved ones and laid them into the street, and just hoping that Peter would come that way, and just hoping that the sun and your planning had worked out just right that the shadow would touch your loved one, and then hoping upon hope that would affect their healing. Let’s look at three things that we see in this story, the story of the shadow of Peter. One thing we know is that Peter did cast a shadow as he walked about. We also know that people were blessed or felt they had the blessing, who were touched by his shadow. And don’t you imagine that this third one is true that he had no idea who his shadow touched as he walked down those pathways?

1. We All Cast a Shadow

To you and I. Because though our shadow doesn’t carry the miraculous power that Peter’s had, you and I have a shadow as well. And as we walk the highways and the byways of life, our shadow is going to fall upon someone. The question of the hour is, will people be blessed by your shadow? Will they be blessed by your influence in their life? By you coming in close proximity to them. First thing I’d like for us to consider is the truth of the reality of our shadows, that we all cast a shadow. And sometimes a very long one. In other words, as chilling as the thought may be, each and every individual in here, youngest to the oldest, is having some kind of impact on other people’s lives.

Have you seen the commercial? It’s not as prevalent this time of year, but in the winter when the cold and flu seasons come along, they’ve got this new commercial. I think it’s for a cough medicine. And it shows the guy coughing, and you can see the green fog of his cough. It said if you knew what your cough would do, you might take this cough medicine or if we knew, if there was some tangible, visible way to see how our influence had affected others.

And maybe there would be, since I’m making this up as I go along, I’ll make it up further. Maybe when you looked at somebody, if there was a little red tint, that meant that there was a negative influence, that you had somehow harmed those people spiritually by your negative influence, the negative shadows that you had cast upon them. And it may be a faded red with some people, it might be bright and glowing red with others. But on the other hand, you look through those glasses, and maybe this time it’s a green tent. Then you see that green that you’ve affected somebody positively that somehow you’ve encouraged and uplifted those people. Again, it might be faded in some people, and it might be glowing bright in others.

We all cast a shadow. Turn with me to Matthew chapter 5, some of the most famous passages in all of the New Testament. Jesus doesn’t use our shadow analogy here, but he talks about us being salt and light. Matthew chapter 5, verses 13 through 16. Jesus will say to his followers that they are salt, that they are light. I saw a thing the other day, and at first I liked it. I thought, I’m going to steal that. It was just a picture of a salt shaker and a light bulb, and it said, be this.

Now he says you can be a worthless kind of salt that can be just needs to be trodden under the feet of foot of men, or you can be a good salt. But he says, you’re salt and you’re light. Notice what he says it. Matthew 5, verse 13, you are the salt of the earth, but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that’s 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. Now this is what he does say, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

It seems to me that what Jesus is saying, you putting off a light. But make it the kind of light, then when people see your good works, they may glorify God. Is the implication not that you could give off a bad light, that they would not glorify God. That you could be that worthless salt that is doing no good to anybody. It seems to me what Jesus is saying, that city that is set upon a hill is giving off light. It cannot be hidden. You cannot be hidden. It doesn’t matter whether you want to be a light or salt. It doesn’t matter whether you want to be an influence, whether you want to cast a shadow or not, you are. And so Jesus said, if you’re going to do it, make it a good one.

Be that good salt, be that good light that would cause God to be glorified. In 1 Peter chapter 3, wives are admonished. And we see the absolute inherent power in our shadows in 1 Peter chapter 3. Turn over there. 1 Peter 3. We’ll look at the first two verses. He says, Wives likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they without a word may be won by the conduct of their wives. When they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear.

That wives, by your conduct, by the observance of your conduct, that you can win your mate to Christ just by your shadow without a word being spoken. Now, is Peter saying only wives cast that shadow? Could that not be applied to mothers to their children? To husbands to their wives, and fathers to their children. And then in the outside that household of the behavior that we have is such a powerful influence. Hopefully, Peter implies, hopefully, for the good.

2. We May Have No Idea Who Our Shadow Is Touching

Why? He’s saying that you need to get in close enough proximity of other people of like precious faith, so that you might be touched by their shadow and that they might feel your shadow. Consider one another to stir up into love and good works. How do we do that? Presence. There is nothing in this digital age, nor in any digital age to follow, that will ever take the place of being there with somebody. You cast a shadow. And sometimes a very long one. And because of that, like Peter, we may have no idea who our shadow may be touching. Now that’s one of those good news, bad news things, isn’t it? Could be good. Could be bad. Look over to the book of 1 Thessalonians, chapter 1, talking about the idea of us having no idea the influence that we might have upon others.

I imagine that was the case of the Thessalonian church. 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. Look what the apostle says about this congregation of the Lord’s people. 1 Thessalonians 1. I’m going to read verses 7 and 8. He talked about their affliction, their joy of affliction. He says in verse 7 of 1 Thessalonians 1, so that you became examples to all in Macedonia and Achaia who believe. For from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place. Your faith toward God has gone out. So that we have no need to say anything. Do you hear the impact of what Paul is saying to this small congregation? He says, everybody knows about you. Your example has gone forth not just in Macedonia, but over to Achaia.

And he says, and even beyond that. Everybody knows about you. And knows of your faith. And knows of your affliction, and that you haven’t given up the faith in the face of those terrible laws. Now, these epistles were nothing more than letters. Letters written by inspiration and sent to these local churches, and they would have been read in an assembly such as this. Can you imagine the first Sunday when this letter was first read to that congregation? And the reader got to that point and it says, everybody knows about you. Your example has gone forth into Macedonia and to Achaia. In fact, the word of the Lord has sounded forth from you because of your example. What do you think their response would be initially? Would you think they’d elbow to each other and say, Yeah, that’s kind of what we thought.

We’re kind of a big deal. I don’t think that was probably the reaction at all. I think they were humbled by this. They were saying, Really? Little old us here in Thessalonica. People know of our faith. The word of the Lord has sounded forth from here. See, they had no idea the influence that they were having, the example that they were setting throughout all of the first century. Do you think those humble men and women of faith thought that almost 2,000 years later we’d still be talking about them? And what an example of faith and fidelity that they were.

Knew that his influence would live thousands upon thousands of years beyond. It’s humbling to think, isn’t it? That you have no idea who your shadow is touching. Several years ago we lived in the Birmingham, Alabama area. And one of our members at the Penson congregation there outside of Birmingham was a baseball player. In fact, he played for the Atlanta Braves. He has World Series ring when he played for the Atlanta Braves. And the good thing about having a member for your congregation that plays for the Braves is that if you’re the preacher, you get free tickets.

One time we were in a restaurant prior to a game there in Atlanta, Georgia, in a restaurant eating. Deedra sitting beside me, Mike and his wife Sherry were sitting across from us, and across the restaurant, I saw a face that looked familiar to me. And I asked Deedra, I said, doesn’t that look like James that we went to Florida college with? And she said, Yeah, kinda. That might be him. And so you start doing the thing. Was he from Atlanta? I don’t remember that. Is there any reason that he would maybe be in Atlanta? And so finally I just got up and said, I’m just going to walk over there and ask him. And I said, Is your name James? And he said, Yes, and your name’s Ken, isn’t it?

So we shook hands. We hadn’t seen each other for years, a couple decades, and we just kind of chewed. I asked him, Were you from Atlanta? What are you doing here in Atlanta? We did all that kind of catching up. He asked me what I was doing. I told him I was preaching there in the Birmingham area. And we just come over here to visit friends and watch a baseball game. And we talked, and it was just kind of a little, you know, kind of like guys do. We didn’t really get a whole lot of information from one another. But just enough to kind of reacquaint her. Well, it’s good to see you, James. It’s been a long time. If you’re ever in Birmingham, come over and look us up.

We’re at the Penson Church of Christ. You can’t miss us. And that was the end. Or so I thought. About two weeks later, when I went to the mailbox back at home, I had a letter from Jane. And he opened up the letter and read it, standing right there at the mailbox. And it said, Ken, I need to tell you something. See, when I saw you that evening in the restaurant, he said, I’d been away from the Lord for years. I hadn’t darkened the door of a church building, I hadn’t read my Bible, I hadn’t been the kind of Christian I ought to be.

And he says, I want you to know that after our conversation, I got to thinking about my spiritual condition. And he said, I want you to know that this last Sunday, I went to church, and I came forward and made a confession. And I’m going to try to live my life as a good Christian. I showed the letter to Dietra, and she said, What did you say to him? I said, I can tell you exactly what I said to him. I said, Your name is James. Yeah. Were you from Atlanta? No. What are you doing here? Yeah, what do you do for a living? Oh, yeah, I’m a preacher over in the Birmingham area. Good to see you. That was it. I didn’t have any kind of profound probing thoughts to hear.

We didn’t even talk about really church or spirituality, other than him asking what I did, and I told him where I preached. Nothing, just a mundane conversation. But it meant enough to him that he made his life right with the Lord and he wanted me to know about it.

You have no idea. First of all, you have no idea of the people that you come in contact with a daily basis of what they may be going through in their lives. Physically, financially, family problems, spiritual problems. And then, secondly, you have no idea how they might be blessed by your shared.

3. We Can Cast a Good Shadow or a Bad Shadow

But the reality is sometimes we can cast that good shadow. But all too often we may be guilty of casting a bad shadow. You know, Jesus warned in Matthew chapter 18 about those who would cause his little ones to stumble. And remember, in that context, he’s not talking about little kids anymore. He’s talking about those who have the capability of stumbling and falling from grace. That he says, we can be the cause of that. The church in Corinth was admonished to put the fornicator out of their midst. One of the reasons was because he could have a leavening effect, an influencing effect upon others, that his bad shadow could cause others to sin. And so he needed to be removed. We can cast a bad shadow.

And he said this to them. Philippians 2 verse 15, that you may become blameless and harmless children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation among whom you shine as lights in the world. Oh, it’s the favorite pastime of godly people to wring our hands at how bad society is getting and how horrible it is. And I’m not saying we shouldn’t shed a tear and pray a prayer about that. But Paul says, in the midst of a godless and perverse generation, that we can shine as lights. And I don’t want to be too much of an optimist, but you know the light shines brightest in darkness. The more wicked this world becomes, the brighter your light will shine. And maybe the more people will see your good works by contrast and glorify your Father in heaven.

Thank God for sinful people. That we can shine as lights and be an influence to them and to others. You know, we started this lesson in Acts chapter 5, talking about the shadow of Peter. And how people would lay their afflicted loved ones down and hope that Peter’s shadow would just touch them. Maybe they’d be healed. Peter’s an illustration of this last point. Peter many times cast a wonderful shadow, didn’t he? I think about there in Acts chapter 10 and 11, where he was handpicked to be the first to preach to the Gentile. What better person than Peter? If Peter was preaching to the Gentiles, then surely it was a real thing. And so God handpicked Peter. And when the people, when he got back from preaching and baptizing those Gentiles, and the people began to grumble and complain, Peter and those other witnesses he took with them, when they explained, it says there in Acts chapter 11, that ended it.

They just hushed and said, okay, God’s accepting Gentiles now. What a powerful shadow he cast on that occasion of influencing his Jewish brethren, that Gentiles were now welcomed and included into the body of Christ.

But it was just a few years later that Paul says that Peter was casting a bad shadow. Remember, it says that time that Peter would withdraw from his Gentile brethren. When some Jews would come around. So much so, he says there in Galatians chapter 2 that even Barnabas was pulled away by the shadow of Peter. And Paul had to confront him to his face.

Conclusion

Nobody’s going to be laying down in the street, trying to be touched by your shadow. But hopefully, our thoughts tonight have caused you to reflect that you need to give some thought to the shot kind of shadow that you’re casting. Because you are a light. You are salt. People are being touched by your shadow. Are you casting a good shadow or a bad one? One last thought. Before you pillow your head tonight, as you say your prayers, thank God for the wonderful people who have cast godly shadows on you in the past. My list is long of people who have touched me in so many ways.

To others round about us. Not the soul, not even the primary reason that you should obey the gospel tonight, but a good byproduct of it would be what a wonderful shadow that would cast upon this congregation. And as you leave here and go out into your world, people will notice, if you’ve done it right, they’ll notice there’s something different about you. That in the midst of this crooked and perverse generation, all of a sudden you’re shining a little brighter. Why not become a child of God tonight? Maybe you’ve done that in the past, but your shadow has been diminished, and you’re casting a bad shadow. You can change that this very hour. If we can help you in any spiritual way, let it be known right now, as together we stand and as we sing.