This Little Light of Mine, Will You Let It Shine?

If you have your Bibles this morning, please take them and find Luke 8:16.  I want to share a message with you entitled, “This Little Light of Mine.”

 

Many of you are now singing in your head.  This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.  I hope so.

 

The last time we were in Luke, we looked at the parable of the soils.  Remember, a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. 

 

Also, Jesus told us last time that parables have two purposes.  See Luke 8:10.

 

10 And He said, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but to the rest it is given in parables, that ‘Seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’”

 

First, Jesus told parables to reveal truths about the kingdom of God to His followers who had received Him.  Second, Jesus told parables to conceal truths about the kingdom of God to those that had rejected Him.

 

Today’s parable is in Luke 8:16. Some Bibles call it the Parable of the Lamp.  Others call is the Parable of Revealed Light.

 

Imagine with me that you were standing in a completely dark room.  You can’t see anything right in front of your face.  There is zero light from anywhere else.  Again, you are standing in complete darkness. 

 

If you had a match and lit it in order to see, it would be illogical and counterproductive to cover that match with your hand.  You want and need the light to shine in the darkness so that you and others can see. 

 

That is true today, and that was true in the first century when Jesus told this earthly story that had a heavenly meaning.  Continue to keep this question in mind.  Am I shining my light or covering my light? 

 

 

Exposition

16 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.

 

The parable of the lamp is just one verse, verse 16.  In the first century, each home had one or two oil burning lamps. 

 

They might have looked similar to what we would call a lantern.  When the sun went down, the lamp would be positioned in the middle of the room or on a wall in an attempt to illumine the entire room. 

 

Keep in mind that the purpose of these lamps was to illumine the room.  It would be illogical and counterproductive to light the lamp and then cover it with a container or put it under the bed rather than on a lampstand.

 

 

17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.

 

Consequently, when you use lamps appropriately, to light up the room, nothing is hidden.  All will become evident. Everything that is secret will be known and come to light.

 

By the way, did you know that is true for life as well?  You may have individual secrets.  Your family may have family secrets.  Our church may have church secrets, but one day, they will all be revealed. 

 

One day, they will all be made known.  See Ecclesiastes 12:14; Romans 2:16; and 1 Corinthians 4:5.

 

14 For God will bring every work into judgment, Including every secret thing, Whether good or evil.

 

16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

 

5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each one’s praise will come from God.

 

 

18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”

 

The key to understanding this parable is found in verse 18.  So take heed or care how you hear or listen. 

 

The meaning of this parable is clear.  It is about hearing or listening and responding to God’s Word with obedience. 

 

The lamp is God’s Word or God’s instruction for you.  To cover it is disobedience, illogical, and unproductive.  To put it on the lampstand is to obey, logical or appropriate, and fulfilling its purpose. 

 

Therefore, just make sure we all understand, listen closely.  God has given each of His followers a lamp or a light.  Yes, that can be gospel, but it is also all of God’s Word and instruction for you. 

 

What then do you do with it?  If you hide it or cover it, that is disobeying.  He gave it to shine.  To hide it or cover it is illogical and unproductive in illuminating your situation. 

 

On the other hand, to take that light and let it shine is to hear and obey. The light is to be put on the lampstand to illumine the situation.  That is what is supposed to happen and is logical and fulfills the intended purpose of the light.  Therefore, take care how you listen. 

 

Now pay close attention to the rest of verse 18.  For whoever has, to him more shall be given; and whoever does not have, even what he thinks he has shall be taken away from him. 

 

To be sure, this does not have anything to do with social classes in the United States or any other place in the world.  Simply put, Jesus said regarding instruction and direction that He has given…use it or lose it. 

 

If you as an individual follower or your family or a church doesn’t use the instruction, direction, and or guidance that God has given, He will not continue to give more instruction, direction, and or guidance. 

 

Allow me to illustrate.  If a man who owns his own business is considering a big decision.  To more forward could bring in more profit eventually, but would also cost him up front.  What should he do? 

 

If he prays about it again and again and again, but yet he is not tithing on his existing income and is even being dishonest in the reporting of his current profit, it is illogical and unproductive to pray for God to direct him.

 

If a teenager is at the point of deciding on college and prays and asks God for guidance, but this same teenager is sexually active with his girlfriend, it is illogical and unproductive to expect God for guidance regarding college.

 

If a church wants to reach their community for Christ, and God gives them a vision for a tool like a family life center, but the church keeps saying again and again, “We can’t afford that,” God probably isn’t going to keep answering prayers. 

 

Do you understand what Jesus is saying?  One commentator put it like this, “Truth received brings more light.  Truth refused brings the night.”

 

 

19 Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. 20 And it was told Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.”

 

The last part of today’s text may seem out of place.  However, it is simply another illustration of the importance of obeying the instruction and direction that God gives you. 

 

By the way, what is the primary means of God giving instruction and guidance today?  It is right here.  When you say no to what this books says, you are saying no to God and discarding the light you have been given.

 

Evidently, Jesus was in a private room with His disciples.  His mother and brothers had arrived and wanted to speak to Him. 

 

By the way, this little experience tells us much about Jesus’ family.  More than likely, Joseph had passed at this point.  That is speculation, but he is never mentioned again alive beyond Luke 2. 

 

We also see that Joseph and Mary evidently had other children after Jesus.  These are Jesus’ half-brothers.  In other words, the idea that Mary had perpetual virginity is not true.  The Bible witness just does not support that belief.

 

Jesus’ mother and brothers wanted to see Him, but couldn’t get through the crowd.  Therefore, they sent word to Jesus. 

 

 

21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”

 

Notice Jesus’ response in verse 21.  He didn’t reject His biological family, but He did redefine His family.  For Jesus, His family is those that hear the word of God and do it. 

 

In other words, a right relationship with Jesus is dependent on your obedience.  You cannot be right relationship with God while simultaneously disobeying God’s Word. 

 

Jesus’ brother, James, learned this truth. Maybe he was even here in Luke 8.  See James 1:22-25.

 

22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.

 

 

Conclusion

So what are you doing with the instruction or direction or guidance that God has already given to you?  Are you hiding your light? 

 

1. Do you need to apologize?
2. Do you need to get baptized?
3. Do you need to change your attitude?
4. Do you need to confess a sin?
5. Do you need to forgive a sin?
6. Do you need to honor your parents?
7. Do you need to join the church?
8. Do you need to repent of your immorality?
9. Do you need to start tithing?
10. Do you need to witness to your neighbor, coworker, or classmate?

 

Don’t hide your light!  It is illogical and counterproductive.  Let your light shine!