Can you hear me now?

Mark 4:21–25 ESV

21 And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a basket, or under a bed, and not on a stand? 22 For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 And he said to them, “Pay attention to what you hear: with the measure you use, it will be measured to you, and still more will be added to you. 25 For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”

LIGHT (VS 21-22)

Metaphor to teach about living out the kingdom life for Jesus.

A lamp was designed for something…of course it is made to be up on a stand and give light to the whole room. Under a bed? Ludicrous.

This little light of mine. I’m going to let it shine.

Hide it under a bushel basket. NO.

Won’t let you Satan blow it out.

Illustration: Cars are made to drive… (Older car lover example) Accumulate. Hand the keys off so they can be used for good, for their intended purpose. No the cars were driven, they weren’t shared, they didn’t experience the road, they weren’t drive-able. They looked great, but nobody had any experience, love, or relationship, or memories.

The Scriptures, record God using light to reveal all kinds of things.

*Creation (Genesis 1:3-4): Before creating anything else, God spoke light into the dark, formless void, revealing the potential for life and declaring His creation to be good.

*The Pillar of Fire (Exodus 13:21): God revealed His protective presence to the Israelites by leading them through the desert at night with a pillar of fire, physically lighting their path and showing them the direction to travel.

The Transfiguration (Matthew 17:1-2): God revealed the divine identity of Jesus to the disciples on the mountain. Jesus' face shone like the sun and his clothes became as white as light, visually confirming His heavenly glory.

The Star of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:2): God used a miraculous celestial light to reveal the location of the newborn King, guiding the Wise Men to Jesus.

*The Conversion of Paul (Acts 9:3-6): On the road to Damascus, God flashed a sudden, blinding light from heaven around Saul (later Paul), revealing His immediate presence and opening Saul’s spiritual eyes to the truth of the Gospel.

*The Nature of His Word (Psalm 119:105, 130): The Psalmist notes that God's Word acts as a "lamp to my feet and a light to my path," revealing truth and giving understanding to the simple.

Light is meant to bring clarity, focus, purpose, and revealing of what we need. Light discloses and exposes sin.

There is a reason Scripture so often uses light to describe God. Light reveals. It exposes what’s hidden. It brings clarity where there’s confusion. Left to ourselves, we dn’t just wander, we convince ourselves we’re on the right path. Darkness doesn’ feel like darkness when we’ve adjust to it. We get used to it and it begin to feel normal.

But when God’s light breaks in, everything changes. Suddenly, what you once tolerated starts to trouble you. What you ignored becomes clear. What you justified gets exposed. Not because God is trying to shame you, but because his light is trying to lead you.

I am thankful for a God who sent us the Light of the World, to come down into darkness in order that all people might be saved.

Application:

Is the SPIRIT of God reminding you of how much God has brought light into your life?

Is the SPIRIT of God exposing and convicting you right now? Have you gotten too comfortable on the wrong path?

Is the SPIRIT of God leading you to get back on His path?

HEAR (VS 23)

If anyone has ears, let him hear.

Lean into this: We slip past this as a sweet phrase, like we do when we say pray for our meals, sometimes the repeatedness.

The non emotional and though provoking interpretation of this means that if you have ears listen. But we all know there is a difference between hearing and listening. There is a differencing in hearing and HEARING!

Luke 11:28 “28 But he said, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and keep it!””

John 10:27 “27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

James 1:22 “22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.”

So this verse is placed here so that we sould LISTEN carefully. Soak it in. Engage our brains and hearts in order to truly take heed to what Jesus and the text is saying here.

It is also a reminder for us to engage our listening ears, heads, and hearts in order to truly hear and obey what God is saying to you.

Application:

Are you listening for God right now? Or are you picking apart the preacher, the furniture, the style, the people around you? The thing someone said when you walked in that got under your skin? Or are you saying, God what are you saying to me/us right now through your word?

Are you listening for God throughout the week? Reading Scripture, Listening to Christian podcasts, teachings, that shape you.

Are you hearing and obeying? Vs Hearing and critiquing.

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General Superintendents Award: Invite Jessica | pastoral staff | church board stand to stand.

New Nazarene Membership

Support of TNU, PBUSA, GA, WEF Initiatives

The support of new work/s of the church of the Nazarene. (Local: The Bridge, One Way | Global: Mission Projects, Orphanages, Education, Child Sponsors, and more)

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USE (VS 24-25)

[Worship Team to Platform]

One of the great blessings of being willing and able to serve is that more opportunities will come.

It may at times seem…unfair.

For example: If you perform and are reliable at work, your superiors will often ask more of you than they do the other employees. I was talking to a good friend the other day and we were discussing how it seems like once someone finds out you are willing and able, then everybody asks you to do something. And at times that seems and feels overwhelming. And can leave us asking, “why” can’t someone else pick up the slack.

The enemy can even get us to think doing good, working hard, being willing and able, is a curse.

But the Jesus way is if someone asks us to walk 1 mile, we walk 2. If someone strikes one cheek, turna nd give them the other. And it is a blessing.

Which leads me to the last point today.

CONCLUSION: ILLUSTRATION

“LIGHT IS POWERFUL.” [Worship Team Start Playing softly]

AMBIENT LIGHTING [TURN ON ALL LIGHTS ALL ON] When all the lights are on…you can see everything in this room. That is really cool. But what if you didn’t need to see everything. What if the lighting was to be used to expose, point out, or direct the attention of people in the right direction.

ACCENT LIGHTING [DIM LIGHTS to SOMBER] You can still see the congregation some. But now the lights direct you focus on the messenger. The speaker. The pastor. The leader of worship at the moment.

SPOT LIGHTING [TURN LIGHTS to New Scene Created] with the most focused light on me Your eyes are now drawn to where the light is. You are focused.

Stay on focused lighting for duration until the announcements.

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John 8:12 “12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.””

Jesus is the light of the world.

Of all the things you could be focusing on… follow Jesus! Have the light of life. That is the point of all of this. Focus on the right PERSON. Jesus. Do you need to give your life to Jesus? Have you gotten off the path? Have you drifted to the edge of the path? In the middle of a world that pulls you all sorts of ways. Let the light focus you your life in the Kingdom ways.

Matthew 5:14–16 “14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

Follower of Jesus…You are the light of the world because Jesus works through you!

Of all the things you could be focusing your life doing…follow Jesus! And let him work in your life in such a way that that all people see is Jesus. Let Jesus spill out of you. Let people see your life and glorify your father in heaven. If they mention your name, they can’t talk about you without talking about Jesus too.

Is anyones life unfocused? Does anyone let the light of the world focus your life so you can start living light you are the light of the world again?