Casting Shadows

by Rev. Howard Rosen, Jr
(Dillwyn, VA)

Pleasant Grove Baptist

Acts 5:12-16
What an amazing time it must have been being a part of the first church of Jesus Christ seeing the mighty works of God and the power of the Holy Spirit move in the hearts of people. Notice in verse 12 we see the words by the hands of the apostles, this literally means that God was working through them, they were the extension of the hand of God and the power of the church working in unity.

The result was that many people were being drawn to the Lord. Although some wanted nothing to do with the real power that was taking place others that hungered and desired the touch of God would gather in hopes of the mighty power of God touching them insomuch as they would want Peter’s shadow to be cast on them that they might be healed.

Now we all know there is no power in some ones shadow, but when we think about what this scripture is saying we can see that it is the influence of Peter’s godly life that they were wanting to experience. So with that in mind let us look at the idea of casting shadows, and the importance of this in a Christian’s life.

I. The Shadow We Cast is Inevitable – Wherever there is the smallest amount of light there is a shadow.

1. Regardless of our stature, we all cast a shadow.

2. The rich and the poor cast a shadow.

3. Christians and non Christians cast a shadow.

4. Yes our shadow is inevitable, but is it for good or for evil.

II. The Shadow We Cast is Silent – The influence of silence is powerful.

1. What a silent thing is a shadow, it falls, yet without sound, it can engulf you in darkness, but you don’t hear it coming. You can feel it, but you can’t touch it.

2. Some of the mightiest forces in nature as well as in human life are silent in their operations. The quite before the storm, the power of the wind.

3. The most powerful of all forces that move our human heart is the power of love. You know what it does, but you never hear it. You know it will put a luster in your eyes, and add music to your life, yet it is silent. Love can take the most common things and turn them into beauty, but no one has ever heard the movement of love.

4. Although love is an action word, its movements are silent, but yet its proof is seen in the actions because when love moves in its silence the result is a physical reaction. To reach out, to help, to cry, and to pray for those in need then we cast the shadow of love.

III. The Shadow We Cast Depicts Us – Whether it is before us or behind us the shadow we cast is a pattern of who we are and is the result of our relation to the light we are standing in.

1. If we are standing in the light of Jesus Christ the shadow we cast is more complex then we realize.

2. We are sending a gospel message as we live, by the deeds we do, and the words we say. As we walk in the light of Christ the shadow we cast will send the right message.

1 John 1:7 If we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. This message of love and forgiveness can only been seen when we walk in the light of the world, Jesus Christ.

IV. The Shadow We Cast is Indestructible – Once we have cast an influence, we cannot take it back.

1. We must see the importance of the kind of shadow we cast.

2. Parents, your shadow is always falling on your children. Teachers and church leaders your shadow is always falling on others. Members your shadow is always falling on some one. But it cannot if you are not standing in the light of Christ.

3. It is the responsibility of each and every one of us to cast the right kind of shadow, to have a positive influence on others the influence of the love of Jesus reminding ourselves that the shadow we cast is indestructible and does have the power to affect others for good or bad.

V. The Shadow We Cast Should Bless – Our shadow should cause the downhearted to look up, and should cause the discouraged to take a new heart.

How do we do this?

1. Cast your shadow on those that are down and out, let them know there is a God.

2. Cast your shadow on the sick, and let them know God cares.

3. Cast your shadow on the unsaved, let them know they are loved.

4. Cast your shadow that the world might smell the sweet fragrance of the Rose of Sharon.

5. Cast your shadow from the love of God, from the light of the world, Jesus Christ. Remember those that are in darkness have no shadow, for they have no light.

We must walk in His light to cast a shadow for the glory of God to advance His Kingdom. This is what was happening in the first church and it can happen today.