Parable of the Lamp
Gospel of Mark: Parables • Sermon • Submitted
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Intro
Good evening students! It is great to see everyone here tonight. You have survived the icepocalypse and made it to worship tonight. Last week, we took at look at the parable of the Sower. As we did so, we understand the various types of heart conditions and responses to the Gospel. Some will hear the Gospel and outright reject the Gospel. Others will hear the Gospel and receive it; however, when trials and tribulations come they flee and reject Jesus. Other will hear the Gospel but reject as they are draw to the offerings of the world above Christ. Lastly, there are those who will repent and place their faith in Christ producing fruit for God’s glory.
Tonight, we will be continuing in our series through the parables. As we do so, we come to the parable of the Lamp under the Basket. In this particular parable, Jesus will build off of the parable of the sower. Remember, parables are short earthly stories taught with a heavenly meaning.
With that being said, let’s take a look at tonight’s parable.
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.”
Pray.
As Jesus has just finished up the Parable of the Sower, He continues to build off of the parable in the following parables. Remember from last week, Jesus has just finished teaching and has withdrawn from the crowds to be with His disciples and others seeking to truly follow Him. Before chapter 4, Jesus was teaching clearly and plainly; however, after the Pharisees and scribes said that He was preaching by the power of satan, Jesus changed His teaching style to begin teaching in parables. In doing so, the rejection of the religious leaders and others was solidified.
Now, Jesus is with those truly seeking to follow Him and be His followers. He explained the parable of the sower, and now, He gives us this new parable regarding hearing the Gospel.
As we look at tonight’s parable, we will not really have three points to go by. Instead, we will simply walk through the text understanding the parable and then make application for our lives today.
Let’s take a look back at verses 21.
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?
Here we see that Jesus gives us a practical illustration from the first-century. In the first-century, electricity did not exist. Therefore, the lamp mentioned would be one that need to be lit. This would be an open flame that one would carry in order to see. Now, in order to light a house during this time, the lamp would be put in a high place within the house in order that the light would be able to shine as far as possible. As the lamp was put in a high place, those in the house would be able to see.
Jesus then speaks of the lamp having a basket placed over it, or it being placed under a bed. What Jesus is point to is the improper use of the lamp. The lamp would not be used properly if one were to light the lamp and then put it under a basket. The light would be dimmed and pointless. The people in the house would not be able to see. Instead the basket would be muting the light and causing for the light to insufficient.
Likewise, if one were to place the lamp under the bed, the same result would take place. The lamp would be underneath something and unable to produce as much light as possible. Jesus’s primary point here is that if the lamp is producing light the improper use of such light makes the lamp pointless. If the lamp is not on the lampstand, the lamp is not useful. It must be lit and used properly in order to fulfill its purpose. The lamp would be hidden and not useful to anyone within the house.
The lamp in this passage refers to the Gospel. Remember as Jesus builds off of the parable of the sower. The good soil represents those who have repented of sin and placed their faith in Jesus Christ. They have received Jesus as Lord and Savior. Now, they have the Gospel. The Gospel is to be properly used.
How is the Gospel properly used?
The Gospel is properly used whenever we as believers take the Gospel and share it with others. Just like the lamp, the Gospel can be stored, hidden, and never shared with anyone else. This is an improper use of the Gospel. If we are not sharing the Gospel, we are neglected to do what Jesus has commissioned us to do. Jesus calls us to make disciples in doing so, this is a direct command to share the Gospel with others. And just like the parable of the sower taught us, some will hear the Gospel we share and reject while others will hear and place their faith in Jesus. Always remember, we as Christians are called to share the Gospel; however, the result is not brought about by ourselves. If the person hearing the Gospel repents and places their faith in Christ, that is the work of God and He is to receive all the glory because only He has the power to save. If the person hears the Gospel and rejects, that is not upon the person sharing. The rejection of Jesus falls upon the hearing of the Gospel and the wrath of God will fall upon them later if he or she never repents and places his or her faith in Christ alone for salvation.
The Gospel is to be shared and lived by believers. We are not to simply place our faith in Christ and then go about life without sharing our faith or living in accordance with God’s Word. If one does so, he or she may need to ponder his or her salvation. Faith in Christ produces a change in the life and heart of the believer.
Christians are called to be the light of the world just like the lamp provides light. The Christian is to be a light in this dark dark world.
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.
As the light of the world, we are called to be lamps or lights. This calls us to live according to God’s Word, honoring and glorifying Him in our daily lives. In doing so, we are examples for Christ in our world. The Christian is called to live for Christ and share Christ.
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.”
Remember that Jesus is teaching and continuing to build off of the parable of the sower. As Jesus has taught in parables, he does so that the truth my be veiled from those who reject Christ. However, for these disciples and Christ followers listening, Jesus explains that the truth of the Gospel will come to light or be made clear through them. As Jesus is teaching parables, the disciples and later followers will understand the parables and be able to share the Gospel effectively.
As MacArthur says, “In other words, there was an occasion when the truth was hidden and obscured from some obstinate rejecters; there was coming an era when the hidden things were to be revealed, and the secret things disclosed to the world.”
What Jesus is speaking about here is the preaching ministry of the apostles and continue to us after the Great Commission in Matthew 28 as Jesus ascended back to the Father. Now, we are called to proclaim the Gospel making Jesus known to the world. We are those who have be blessed to make Christ known and show Christ to the world. Again we are the light of the world called to make Christ known in the world. As we are called to be the light of the world, we must remember that Christ is the light of the world whenever He came into the world.
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.”
We see there that Jesus is the light of the world. As His followers, we are called to walk in the light of Christ meaning in accordance with the Word. Likewise, Jesus says that those who follow Him have the light of life. We, as individual believers, are the lights that are called to exemplify Christ in our world. The Church, the body of believers, is the light of the world called to be the city on a hill.
That means we are called to be different from the world. If the church is living like the world, the church will lose its effectiveness. We will talk about this more as we look at the last to verses.
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.”
This last section has a twofold call for the believer and for the church.
Jesus calls for those listening to pay attention to the teaching that they hear. They are to pay attention seeking to understand the Word that is being taught. Those who hear the Word preached, repent placing their faith in Christ, and followed by faithfully sharing the Gospel with others will be rewarded by God. Remember, the parable of the sower, the seed that fell on the good soil rose up and produced fruit. The good soil is the believer. To those believers that are faithful to live and share the Gospel will be reward. Jesus clearly states that the measure use or the ones who faithfully listen, understand, and apply the Word will be rewarded by God. Jesus says more will be added to you.
MacArthur further states, “As they scatter the seed of the gospel, all believers work expectantly, knowing that their faithfulness to the task will be fruitful and abundantly rewarded in heaven.”
38 give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you.”
God is faithful to the faithful. As Christians, we are called to live according to the Word. In order to do so, we must seek to understand the Word and the Gospel. This will allow for us to effectively share the Gospel being faithful to the Great Commission. As the Gospel is the lamp, the Christian must allow the Gospel to be properly used. In doing so, God will reward the faithful believe for his or her work once in heaven. However, this work does not save us. This is simply the work of being a Christian. As Christians, we see to work to spread the Gospel and live the Gospel all for the glory of God. This is the call for the Christian.
As the Christian is called to do the work of properly using the Gospel, this will directly influence the church.