Sermon:Light of the Lamp

Light of the lamp

Mark 4:21”He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?”

The video we just watch is from the perspective of John, the writer of the Gospel of John, three letters and the book of Revelations. He was the last apostle, and the only one to die of old age. He was an eyewitness of Christ, he was chosen by Christ, walked with Christ, lived with Christ. He was the disciple whom Jesus loved; he was the only apostle to witness the crucifixion, when the other apostles had gone into hiding. He and his brothers where call the “Son’s of thunder” for their called of fire down on a town who had rejected Jesus.

His brother was the first apostle to be killed and John would be the last to die. The son’s of Zebedee, would be the bookends of the ministry of the Lord’s disciples. John says in the video, it’s his story of what he witnessed as a disciple of Christ. It is what he saw with his own eyes that he testified too. He was an eyewitness to Christ.
Last week we looked at the ‘parable’ of the seed. We saw how people respond to the gospel when it is presented to them. The first way was to dismiss it out of hand, the seed upon the path. The second way, was to receive it with joy, but then wither at the sign of being questioned or having to make life changes, because they didn’t have the roots to support their new found faith. The third was they grew, but the desires of life keep them from producing fruit. Lastly, was the good soil and the person produces fruit for the kingdom.

Tucked in the middle of this fourth chapter is one verse, where Jesus is about to explain the meaning of the parable of the seed to the disciples. It a simple but powerful illustration for the disciples to see the importance and the significance of sharing their new found faith.

It reads in Mark 4:21”He said to them, "Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don't you put it on its stand?”
Remember in Jesus’ time there wasn’t electricity. When it grew dark, you would have to light oil burning lamps to light your house. These lamps where designed to be carried and as you moved from room to room you carried your lamp to light your way. When you entered a room to stay, you would place the lamp in a place to maximize the light, perhaps a shelf or a stand designed for the lamp. We do the same thing today; we place lamps on special tables to light a room or specific location.

Jesus is asking the disciples, he is asking us today…do you hide your light or do you put in a place for all to see. As Christians we have been given the light of Christ. As Christians we are to share that light with all people. We are to shine, to spread the ‘good news’ of Christ. We are entrusted with this responsibility; we are commanded to share with others what we have seen and experienced. It no coincidence that Jesus used the picture of us spreading the ‘seeds” of the kingdom, it is meant to be received and grow. Just as the light pushes back the darkness, we are meant to shine.

Eyewitness

We are all an eyewitness to Christ. As John we all have seen the work of Christ. Even the people who don’t believe have seen the effects of Christ on the world. No one in history has had a greater impact on our lives, than Christ. But this morning think about the changed lives, people changed forever. Testimonies of being freed from drugs, lives changed forever. There are millions and millions of people who where never the same after meeting Christ. Today he is still in the business of changing lives. If you’re a follower of Christ you have a testimony of what Christ has done in your life. You are a different person because of Christ.

As an eyewitness we are to share that testimony with others. It is our story of Christ, it is truth. John said in the video, he was willing to swear his life on what he saw and experienced. In fact John would spend years in prison for his faith. I often wonder would we still be willing to do the same today. Jesus was a real person, he walk the earth and died for you and me. He lived the life I could never live…he was sinless and was crucified for my sins, for your sins. He died that I might have life through him, a new life an eternal life. It was the resurrection that changed the disciples; it was Jesus defeating death and sin that would spur the disciples on to share their faith without fear. We are to do the same today, we are to be an eyewitness to Christ. So a question might become, “If we don’t share the gospel what is at stake?”

At Stake?

If John and apostles hadn’t shared their faith in Christ, we wouldn’t be here today. We would have been lost and without forgiveness of our sins. Our lives would have been forever codenamed and we would be forever lost. I saw a saying the other day that said many of us (Christians) are looking forward to the second coming of Christ, but many in the world have never seen the first coming!

There are billions of people in the world today who have never seen or heard of Jesus Christ. There are millions who are born each year, who will grow up and will never hear the gospel. While we are comfortable and secure, they will grow and die never knowing what it means to have the peace of Christ, never knowing what it was like to live in forgiveness; they will die in their sin.

Closer to home for the first time in our history, there is a generation that could grow in America who has rejected the gospel. We are losing our kids and grandkids. There is an urgent need for us to reach the people under 30 years old. They are turning away at unprecedented levels. This should greatly alarm us, we have to reach them.

What can we do?

We can start by showing people love. This generation coming up has been lied too so many times they have become very skeptical. They don’t want another sales pitch; they want to see you and me practice what we preach, without expecting anything in return.

One of the biggest ‘turn offs’ for the younger generations are Christians themselves, because they say one thing and live another. We need to reach out in love first. Show people love by simply loving them. Don’t ask for anything in return, if their hungry feed them, if their thirsty give them a drink. Build a relationship with them; spend time getting to know about them and pray for the opportunity to share Him--Jesus. Show people love and share Him. We all have a testimony and when given the opportunity we share what Jesus has done in our lives. It’s that simple, it is how the gospel has been spread from the beginning.

Christ built a relationship with the disciples; they knew him and loved him first, before they put their faith in him for eternity. We can do the same today with those around us, we have to, because there is too much at stake. Jesus says to put our light on a stand, for all to see. We are the shine for those who are lost in darkness. We are to shine, for those who cannot see. We have to lift or light up high, because there are so many who need the love of Christ.

Closed with the video "You're Losing Us"

(video: Kids asking to 'disciples in training, not disciples in waiting' also letting us know we are losing them and will we make a difference in their lives?, very emotional, hard hitting point)

-ps