DAY 71Matthew 26:57 - Mark 9:13
(Focus Passage Mark 4:21-25)
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?For nothing is hidden except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret except to come to light. If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 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. 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.” (ESV)
Most of us have heard of this parable and the one in Matthew 5:14-16 many times before. But there are a few things that I would like to share.
First, we must consider the fact that lamp in our day would mean candle. And a candle has no light on its own, it must be lit. In a similar way, we must come to realize that we have no light in ourselves, nothing to shine in the darkness of the world. When we come to the Light of the World, Jesus, He starts our flame. And we are responsible for sharing the Light (the knowledge of Jesus) to a dark world.
Second, the bushel and the bed may sound like funny places to hide a light, but many seem to think that they represent two areas of our life: work and home. We must be careful not to hide our faith because of obligations at work or home. If a candle is hidden it will eventually go out because of a lack of oxygen. In the same way, if our light is not out in the open sharing Jesus, then the understanding that God gave us can be taken away.
Lastly, I want focus on a key phrase in the passage.
"with the measure you use, it will be measured to you"
It can be a frightening statement. Do you ever wonder why sometimes we can't grasp some of the truth in the Word of God. Sometimes, it is because God chooses not reveal them to us. However, at other times it is conditional based on what we have done with the truth we have. This verse makes it extremely clear. If we are stingy with the knowledge that God gave us, then we may not be given more. What's worse it that He may take away what we already have because we don't use it. On the other hand, if we are generous with the gospel message God will be generous in adding more understanding to us.
It is also practical for how we live our lives. How can we who have been given so much grace and mercy, not pour it out on our brothers and sisters in Christ? How can we not extend that same grace and mercy to the world around us. And we wonder why more people wait in line to get tickets to a movie than at the doors of the church. It's because most of us measure by the teaspoon instead of the gallon when it comes to our living our faith.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 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. 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." (ESV)
If we want renewal and revival, this is the place to start. All the grace, mercy, hope, and love that has been bestowed on you because of Jesus Christ needs to be the same with how we treat each other. Throw out the measuring spoons and cups and start using something much larger, like a dumptruck.
Then people may start lining up at the doors.
