Responding to the Light
Mark 4:21. Jesus is speaking just also, he said to them. Is a lamp brought to be brought to be put under a basket or under a bed. Is it not to be set on a lamp stand. For there is nothing hidden, which will not be revealed nor has anything been kept secret, but that it should come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, Let Him hear. Then he said to them, take heed what you hear. with the same measure you use it will be measured to you and to you who hear more will be given For whoever has to him, more will be given, but whoever does not have even what he has will be taken away from him. Let's pray together. Are gracious and kind Heavenly Father. We humbly bow before you presents. And we ask you Lord to teach us your ways. We ask you Lord to show us father. The precepts in the principles. Found in your word this morning. we pray, Lord that all of the distractions that we have in our minds and our hearts Lord would
Be removed. Father, I pray that.
Anyone here this morning has never come to know your son Jesus. As their lord and personal Saviour. Father, I pray that today would be the day of salvation. They would tarry no longer.
That they would run and cling to your son, Jesus. as the only hope and savior that they have,
father, I pray that we as believers who are here, would Be encouraged by this passage of scripture. And though it is. Difficult for us to it's a difficult passage father. I pray that you would help us to understand. Give us understanding, help us to have ears to hear. And understand what you are saying through your word. Father, we love you. We asked all of these things in Christ name and all God's people said, amen and amen. Two Sundays ago I mention to you how Jesus began his public preaching Ministry. And he began his public preaching Ministries a different way than what we are seeing at this moment here. Mark chapter 4, he began his public preaching Ministry. It was a very simple ways a very direct way. He approached his preaching and teaching. As a matter of fact, the first message that Mark reports for us, of the message of Jesus is found in chapter one, where Jesus said that the kingdom of God is at hand. Therefore, repent and believe the gospel believe the good news of salvation. And so his preaching and teaching was very easy to understand. It was very cut-and-dry. You could say, there are no shades of meanings that that would have to be discern. As a matter of fact, all of Jesus preaching, at the very beginning was like this. I just go back to the Book of Matthew and you find that his preaching on The Sermon on the Mount. And you read that sermon and it's again, very simple. Very direct. There's no shades of meaning there will, this is how Jesus approaches early preaching Ministry. And he also accompanied his teaching with Supernatural miracles. These Miracles were previews if you, if you would of this Kingdom that he was talking about. And so he had preached about the kingdom of God is at hand. And then to prove that what he was saying, is true. Even demonstrated this by casting out demons, he demonstrated this by healing, all kinds of those who were sick and even on two occasions, he even raised the Dead. And so he was showing that he was the king, he was the Messiah, not only did he show it with his words but he proved it with his miracle that he was the Christ, the son of God. At the power, the kingdom was in his very fingertips. and he was showing the people what the kingdom was going to be like, That if they would only repent and believe and receive it that it would be a kingdom that we be free of death, it would be a kingdom that would be free of disease and free of demonic activity. but as you know, when, fortunately Both Jesus and his message was totally rejected by the nation of Israel. Are there was some who embraced his message. Notably, his disciples. Also, a handful of women, embraced his message, like, Mary, and Martha. They believe in him. But by and large the nation of Israel rejected their King and their ultimate rejection. That Jesus face was at the hands of the religious Jewish leaders. Who saw him with their own eyes, and heard, Jesus preach, and teach with their own ears, but they rejected Jesus.
Even though they saw Jesus with their own eyes and heard Jesus with their own ears, they ended up looking him face-to-face and innocent saying Jesus, you're not the son of God. You are of the devil. And these Miracles that you perform are done in the power of Satan. Remember that in chapter 3, According To Jesus, that was when they committed the unpardonable sin, the unforgivable sin. That for them to see his wife and to hear his message to witness the kingdom Miracles that they saw with her eyes. That for them to say such a thing.
That that's not from God that that was all done in power of Satan. Jesus was saying that there was no turning back from that. So as a result of this great rejection of Jesus Christ, the kingdom that he had preached that was at first. So plain and so easy to understand.
Would now give away to Jesus, only preaching to them in parables. Remember a parable is just a short Earthly story that was designed to convey a spiritual truth. And Parables were used, and they were meant to reveal certain spiritual things. But there were also used to conceal certain spiritual things. And so, from this point forward, as we get to chapter for Jesus would only preach in Parables to conceal those screws, from the people who had settled their rejection of him in their heart. Then he would reveal the truth to those who were still willing to hear and understand his words. So what would happen is that Jesus was standing before the audience before the multitude and he would preach a parable. and in the people who were hardened in the heart, Those who were those, who heard him who were unbelievers and hardening their heart would say Jesus, you don't make any sense. We have no idea what you're saying here and they would just walk away frustrated. Meanwhile, the true followers of Jesus would stay behind and they were say, hey, Jesus, we don't understand what you're saying, but we want to know what you're teaching. We want to understand. So, please give us the interpretation of the parable. So when Jesus was then along with them, he would offer them the spiritual interpretation in it and their spiritual wisdom within grow from there. Now in his earliest Parables, Jesus goal was to help his true followers. Come to grips with what was happening in his ministry. How many if you think about it, you must understand that this was a very difficult time. For Jesus's followers for his disciples. I'm in here is Jesus day believe in him. They believe that he is the Christ. The son of God. They believe that he has the power to bring about his glorious Kingdom.
But also they're seeing that Israel is rejecting him. His disciples witness everybody turning away from him and they're starting to see this more and more as we get into chapter 4. And so to the disciples, this kingdom does not seem to be coming like they thought and they're trying to make sense of what's going on. How could the king of Israel be rejected by Israel? That's what they're thinking. Well needs early Parables, he's helping his disciples. Understand what has happened. And what's going to happen next? He's helping them to understand that this new turn that is going to take place in God's kingdom program. And the first Parable that Jesus told his disciples is commonly known, as we looked at two weeks ago, the parable of the sower. The parable of the sower and Jesus said, hey, this is a comparable. If you do not understand this first Parable, you will not understand any other Parables. I'll, I'll tell from this point forward. What's the parable of the sower went like this? Jesus said that there was a farmer. Who went out into the field and he scattered the seed all over the place. Some of the seed landed on the hard ground, the path that was walked upon and that's all we'll have become hard and nothing grew. Because of that. I didn't some of the seed fell on rocky soil. And in that sense, nothing came from that. Also, some of the seatbelt on, on thorny soil on thorns and nothing came of that seed, but the seeds that landed on the good soil. Those seeds grew up and no seeds, grew and grew until I Great Harvest game. I thought Jesus was helping his disciples understand something, he was wanting them to understand that the problem that they were witnessing, that is this. Widespread rejection that they are seeing first. And He was saying this, I'm not the problem. I'm not the problem, just like the sort who sowed the seeds and in those seeds that did not grow up. It's not the source, fault is not the farmers fault.
The problem. Wasn't Jesus's message.
Either. Just like the farmers seed in that he spread Jesus has spread the seed of the Gospel. But the problem was the corruption of the soil into which the sea was spread. The people who heard his message. They had hearts that were hardened and they would not receive the message of Jesus Christ. and even so Jesus, Jesus explained that this Parable by God's grace, Many would believe. And one day there would be a great harvest of faith and his kingdom would come, but it would come later. Not now. So that was a parable of the sower. Now we turn to the next Parable. That is given to us in the Book of Mark just called the parable of the lamp. And it's really just contained. In just one verse and verse 21. And this is a parable that Jesus put into a rhetorical question, there's an obvious answer to it. That takes us to the first point here. This morning notice with me, the reality of the lights, the reality of the light verse 21, also, he said to them, who is the them, his followers, his disciples,
Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed. Is it not to be sat on a lamp stand? Hear Jesus asked a rhetorical question, I think 12 especially to those who were listening to Jesus. They would have smiled at that. They might have even chuckled listening to such a crazy and ludicrous statement that some people debate. Well, does the Jesus ever use humor, when he when he spoke, I think there's some humor here at least some undertones of humor here. Especially if you lived during this day and time. Because what Jesus would say was just so, so crazy. And Jesus, David typical house was just a one-room Shack with four walls. Obviously, they did not have any electricity. There is no way to light up the house flipping on a switch. They did not have light bulbs but they did have lamps. They had these lamps that were called a terracotta lamp, a little clay lamp that they used often times. In those days, you can be a saucer with a handle on. It could be a picture with a little handle on it, then they would put oil in that and they would put a float, a floating WIC in it. And then they were like that with and that's how you lit up your house. And so when it started to get dark outside, the homeowner would just take out that lamp, he would put that lamp in a prominent place on upon a lamp stand. So that light that lamp could then illuminate that darken house, So, this is what Jesus's is talkin about here in this, Parable. And Jesus, poses, this question, When it starts to get dark outside. And the laugh is brought out Is it brought out for you, just for you to place it under a basket? Is it brought out for you just for you to place it under a bed? Listen, that's not how you would use a lamp. And we know this Because the whole purpose of a lamp is to what to expel the darkness. If you're going to bring the lamp out and if you're going to light it, then what you're not going to do is then put it underneath something so that he cannot lie. Anything. So that's the reality of the light. Notice the revelation of the line.
Verse 22. Jesus draws a general principle. From this that he reveals and Brooke 22. For there is nothing hidden. Which will not be revealed nor has anything been kept secret, but that it should come to light. Jesus is saying to his disciples you understand how the lamp works. You also understand that there's a general rule at play here, that all things have a purpose and there's nothing that is tucked away at that is intended to remain tucked away forever. Eventually, all things that are hidden or brought out to light So we looked at the example of the lamp how that it was brought out only to be hidden only to be tucked away. But it's not going to stay that way. It's not going to stay hitting this. Not going to stay tucked away. We look at the example of the White Brothers other examples that we could look at. I may be many of you, some of you have some costly dishes, some expensive dishes, my call it fine china. Well, maybe not when you use the word China this morning. But anyway, but those of you who do More than likely, you have them stored away in a closet, you have them stored away in a Cupboard. And those of you who have those expensive dishes, you don't intend to keep them in a closet or cupboard forever. Know you're waiting for the right moment, you're waiting for special guests to arrive and then you'll bring it out on medication, on that occasion, and you'll showcase them, if you will for all the guests. We think about clothes, maybe you, some of you have some, some gowns. And honestly I have a tuxedo I've never worn that tuxedo probably never will wear that tuxedo, but I do have one.
Maybe Amanda will put it on me one, at my funeral or something. But anyway, we have those nice clothes and we don't just wear them. Every day it's only on those special occasions at the appropriate time. We wear such things But you see the point here that you may have something that is hidden but it's intended to be seen at the appropriate time. And so that's the general rule that all things hidden are eventually made manifest. They're made for all to see because all things are created to be showcased at the proper time to return to the revelation of Jesus Parables. What is Jesus revealing to us? Here is pretty deep stuff, but listen, the interpretation of this Parable is just a little bit more challenging then the parable of the sower. It's more challenging because the parable of the sower Jesus himself gives the interpretation of that Parable. You're in the parable of the sower. And Jesus house, tells you who the sore represent, you tell you what the seed represent, she tells you what the four kinds of soil represents. However, We don't have this with this particular Parable. It's a bit more challenging but we can get our interpretation correct because we have other Parables as our guide, we also have a larger context of Jesus teaching in mind. So I believe we can say with great confidence this morning. What Jesus was saying what he what he is revealing to us. First of all, we must understand that Jesus is the lamp, Jesus is the lamp. He is the light. Now in the previous Parable, Jesus was the solar, he was a farmer who was who came to the field and he's casting out seed. We're on this one Parable Jesus is the lamp with brought into a dark room. And when you think about this, Jesus comparing himself to a lamp. Is a very fitting thing for Jesus to do because in other scriptures, Jesus is referred to as the light of residents, John 1:4, he said in Jesus was life. And that life was the light of men and John 1:9. The Apostle says, the True Light, which gives life to everyone that's coming to the world John 8:12. Jesus said, he said, I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of Life. John 9 verse 5. Jesus said, as long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. John 12 verse 46. Jesus said, I have come into the world as like So Jesus frequently Compares himself to light. And Jesus is like a life because of his life was free from the darkness of sin. 1st. John 1:5 tells us this God is light and in him is no Darkness at all. With Jesus is Express. Image of God, the invisible God. Jesus Christ is light. So Jesus is the lamp. And then, back to the parable, we see that the lamp was brought into a dark house. And the house, of course, is a picture of what a picture of the world. The scriptures, oftentimes compare, the present state of our world as being a, what a dark place. The Apostle Paul is fond of this season's 6:12, Paul refers to our to our age, as this present. Darkness Then also, in Colossians Paul refers to our world as living at, in the domain of Darkness. To our world is called Darkness because it is plagued by what is plagued by seeing. Because it is riddled with spiritual blindness that continues even to this day. It's what Jesus is saying is that he has come into the world. But during his ministry, the Light of Christ was concealed. It was hidden, it was tucked away.
Bloodless. And it was as if somebody had brought a lamp into the room and then put a bowl on top of that lamp.
Bloodless and Jesus came into the world, he was the light of the world, but his light was suppressed two different way.
Number one, it was partially hidden just by his humble origin. In the assuming, just his unassuming physical presence. I mean, listen, Jesus is the son of God. He is one who is rolled in glory? But how did he come to this earth? Did he come as Heaven King? Just shining brilliantly for all to see. No, he came as a baby born in a manger raised in a carpenter's home. And if we live in Jesus day, and if we heard, Jesus say that I am the Son of God, we would have had a hard time looking at his physical appearance. Saying, how can he be the Son of God? He looks just like me.
His light was concealed in that sense, but even more. So, his light was concealed or suppress rather, his light was suppressed by those who had rejected him. We think back to chapter 32, those religious leaders who heard Jesus and saw him. And said that he's not the Son of God, he is just satanic. In acreage all of Israel to believe this.
You say he was the light of the world, but his light was suppressed by those who were around him by their rejection of him, their willful rejection of him. As you know, before his Earthly Ministry was over, Jesus Bud, would be arrested, he would be crucified, they did this to silence him. They did this so that they could have sting worse, even a little life that they saw of him, that really Pierce their soul.
Listen, it was like the leaders of Israel, I just tucked his light under a basket or under a bed. Yet, Jesus tells us in verse 22. I bet half the appropriate time at the proper time. He is like will be fully fully revealed.
You see in this Parable Jesus says he is like a light that is brought in to be placed under a basket or under a bed and not on a lampstand in a prominent place. And the problem of course, was not the lamp. Right, there's no problem with the lamp itself. There's no problem with Jesus.
The problem was the homeowner. The foolishly suppress the light by covering it. And by hiding it and tucking, it away underneath a basket or underneath the bed. Jesus. Stairs in the same way verse 22. Nothing is hidden. Except to be revealed at the appropriate time. Jesus is saying,
Hear that the same thing that I'm telling you guys is true of me. So Jesus is saying that though his light was presently being concealed, though his light was presently being suppressed. One day, one day it will all be revealed in all of its Glory. One, Dave, Jesus kingship and his kingdom will be fully revealed. It will be fully known and manifested to the world and all the people. One day they will recognize Jesus for who he is.
His light.
Would really start to shine. After his arrest. His death. His crucifixion in his resurrection.
Something happened on that third and glorious day. Light of Jesus begin to shine.
And then Jesus soon after met with his disciples and gave them the Great Commission. If they were to preach the gospel to every creature, and from that point there, in that little section and Palestine of the world from there, the world would hear the gospel and they will respond to the gospel, and many would come to faith in Christ. What's happening to light? Starting to shine, it's starting to grow. but one day, his light will be seen even more fully and that is what is recorded for us in Philippians 2:9 and 10 were it says that at the name of Jesus,
Every knee will bow. And every tongue will confess, that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the father. The Jesus says, I came into the world as light. My light. Was it obscured right now? My, my light is obscured right now, but guys, listen to me, he sang disciple, don't worry. It's not always going to be this way. Because the light isn't meant to be obscured. Light is not meant to stay hidden.
We think about the glories of Christ. We think about him and his Earthly Ministry and how it was concealed in his flesh. I want to read to you very quickly, the vision of Christ. at the Apostle, John saw on the, Isle of Patmos Revelation chapter 1, verse 12,
John said, I turned to see The Voice spoke of me. And having turn I saw seven, golden lamp stands. And in the midst of that, some of the seven lampstands one, like the son of man clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with golden with a golden band, his head and hair were like wool. As white as snow his eyes like a flame of fire, his feet like fine brass as if we find in a furnace and his voice as the sound of many Waters. He had in his right hand, Seven Stars out of his mouth, went a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. Beloved one it the entire world will know who Jesus is.
What Jesus means in verses 22. Reality of the light, we see the revelation of the light noticed, thirdly the responsibility of the lights.
I given this number 23, And once again, we hear Jesus, say these words. If anyone has ears to hear Let Him hear. Jesus says this over and over again. Mark chapter 4 been in other places. He speaks. Jesus. Jesus is an Essence saying if there is anybody listening to my words right now? Who can receive what I am saying to them? Let them receive it. Let them believe that I am the Son of God, let them believe that my kingdom will come. He saying listen to me and understand what I'm saying. And then verse 24 and 25 G just gives us a motivation. to believe really a responsibility that we should have the right to believe or 24 says, then he said to them Take heed what you hear. Pay attention to what you hear. that with the same measure you use, it will be measured to you and to you who hear more will be given For whoever has to him, more will be given, but whoever does not have even what he has will be taken away from him. So here's the motivation. Here's that the responsibility. Jesus says, if you receive what I'm telling you, if you receive it as truth, greater things will be made known unto you. You'll be able you'll be able to receive even more truth. if you reject the truth that I give to you, then you will not be able to receive any more truth. As a matter of fact, the true that you did receive the little that you did receive and then reject will be taken away from you. Jesus said,
Notice here in verses 24 through 25. Jesus, ultimately just gives two pads. There's the path of fate. That what we hear of the words of Christ that we except we we receive them as what they are the truth and then there is the path of rejection.
Now, the path of faith will come with more knowledge. That's what Jesus is saying. There it comes with more blessing. Whoever has to him, more will be given. But the path of rejection those who reject his words comes with losing, even the little that you do have now. Until the response that is necessary from us is, is it is quite obvious. It is to believe in the Son of God and to believe in him as being the Son of God at once, we have believed in him, then just start living with confidence that his kingdom promises will come to pass. You say, brother, wait to have you know, that we are in the Kingdom. How do we know that we have been born again? How do we know that we are here? I'm just give you three quick things.
How you to know that you're living with confidence in that Kingdom? Number one.
You have a very optimistic future.
Of the things of God. You have a very optimistic future concerning the things of God. We believe that what we have now. Is not going to be forever.
That is the mark of a believer. But you have an optimistic View. Of things to come. You said by the way, you know how bad it is now. It's bad. It's not the worst that our world has ever seen.
I'd rather be a Christian Living. In 2023. Then be a Christian Living in a d23.
I'd rather be a Christian Living in 2023 than being a Christian Living in 1500.
Things are bad to us, but it's not they're not near as bad as they, what they used to be.
and because of the Gospel, because of what Jesus really will see this next week. The gospel is flourishing. It's growing. Even when we, we don't seem to see it. And we know that this world of seeing is going to give way to a world of victory over seeing this world of death and Decay is going to give way to a world. A new world where there is no death, there's no disease. There's no decayed. What happen you have such a optimistic view of the future because you believe the Bible? You believe Jesus words. That's how you know, you can know that you are in his kingdom. You have faith. In what Jesus said, will come to pass that the prayer we pray, that Kingdom Come On Earth, as it is in heaven will take place. Escapades. Another way that we can know that we're in the kingdom is that if you're believing in him upon him, you'll have patience. You'll have endurance, you'll have perseverance. With life's present difficulties, knowing that these are just lie to momentary trials. As Paul tells us, And these white momentary trials are nothing to be compared to the weight of Glory that is to come. Another way we can know that we have passed from death into life into his kingdom, is that we become a witness for Jesus Christ. Become an evangelist. For Jesus. That is you won't be embarrassed to talk about him. You won't be embarrassed to talk about the Life of Christ and his kingdom. Now we we notice here that this Parable. Jesus is called the lamp and that's true, right? He is the light. But elsewhere in the Book of Matthew. Jesus calls us the light. Remember The Sermon on the Mount when he looked at his disciples and said hey you are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden and let your light so shine before men that they may glorify God that people may see your good works.
So, Jesus is the light of the world. Yes, but we are lights as well. And of course, we're not the source of the light. No, we're not, we're not the source of the light reflectors of his life, through us. It's much like the Moon. How many of y'all saw the full moon last night? Just beautiful. Beautiful.
Did the Moon? Is the moon, the source about light. No. The Moon is just a mere reflection. Of the Sun and it's locked. And that is wait. And that is the way we are as Christians. We are not the source of our like, but we are mirror reflections of the light that shines through Us in Jesus to others. That's how we are to live. We are the light of the world, Jesus said, We need to be sharing the gospel of Christ. We need to be sharing the message of Jesus. To those, we know. But also being the Light of Christ means that your living righteously in a dark world, you're living differently than the world itself, is living your living in such a way that others can see a difference in your life. That you don't do the things that the world does. You don't believe in the things that the world does. Your, your life has a different standard than your standard, then is the word of God. It is seen in evident and when you do that, you're being a light to Those whom you work with or to those who you even live with, if it's your family.
You see if we're believing in Jesus. We're going to live optimistically, we're going to be patient in trials and we're going to be bold and our witnessing of Jesus Christ. So getting through these Parables, as I close in, Jesus was helping his disciples. He was helping his followers to come to grips in this turn of events. At least he knew that his disciples were seeing I bet great and glorious Kingdom. That was promised long ago was not going to come. Now, it was not going to come in immediately before the rise, there would be a delay because of their rejection because of Israel's rejection. But listen to this, none of this. None of this was outside of the Sovereign plan of God. God knew that his son's first coming was ultimately going to end of rejection. I knew the ultimate. His son was going to be arrested. He was only crucified who's going to play in a grade. But God also knew that his son would be resurrected on that third and glorious day and if there would be a day when God's kingdom would come to be fully known and fully manifested, even those who have rejected, they will bow the knee. Before Christ.
so I say to you all of you, you have not yet by the need to Christ.
To come to him today.
There will come a time in which you will bow. Before Christ. if you reject him in this day of Grace, you will not bow before him while he calls while the proclamation has been sent to come to Christ. You will be made to bow. On that last day.
And that's and she'll take. That Shepherd's crook.
And hit you so hard to where you will bow.
And you will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
So don't wait until you're met to do something. Do it while you can freely choose to do it. Jesus Christ is Lord.
Sprite.
Our Father Lord, we pray. Now.
As I know, there are those here.
Who have rejected your message. They have rejected your gospel.
They may believe.
Intellectually.
the things that you have said, in your word,
The Lord, their life. Proves that they have never believed.
For salvation. Or they have totally and completely laid their life before you and Val than the other heart. I confess you as Lord. And then lived out their fate. Father, I pray. This very moment. A seed has been scattered today. I pray that. That. Hard soil that hardened heart.
Would be made into good soil.
Father, I pray that many would come to Christ.
I pray, Lord that those of us who have been saved And it's very easy for us to get discouraged. We'll look at the happenings in our world, and we think, And this is it. The Lord help us to look through the lenses of scripture. give us a glorious looking to what is to behold this world in the, in the
Days to come at the appropriate time. Your light shines all over this world. Father, I pray you, leave this Lord, as we leave this place. I pray that you would hide this message in our in our hearts. May we think upon it and feast upon it and meditate upon your word? We love you. We have all these things in Christ, name. Amen. Let's all stand.
and I would encourage you, if you Contemplating this gospel message you have, not yet received it, you've not received it on your life. I pray that you would today, and if you would like, to talk with me and share with me, whatever the Lord's laying upon your heart, I love to visit with you and talk with you and Robbie will be available as well. Butts up, right. Pray, that the Lord blessings will be upon you. When did the author, Remember to pray for the one, a lucky? And most of, you know, she had a really amazing procedure done to relieving the excess blood in that was in her brain due to a leaking artery. Thankfully, that that was successful, but there is quite a long healing process that she's going to have to go through. So continue to pray for dewanna and build. Lucky