“16 “No one after lighting
a lamp covers it with a jar or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a stand, so
that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is hidden
that will not be made manifest, nor is anything secret that will not be known
and come to light. 18 Take care then how you hear, for to the one who
has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he thinks that
he has will be taken away.”” (Luke 8)
Jesus,
the smartest man who ever lived, though never at a loss for words when
describing the kingdom of God, never comes out and says exactly what it
is. Exactly what it will be
like. He mixes and matches
metaphors to fit the given situation.
Some of this may be so that, “‘seeing they may not see, and hearing
they may not understand.’” But the larger reason is
probably because it is so far beyond anything we’ve ever experienced, nothing
he said would even come close to conjuring up the right picture in our
heads. Don’t believe me? Ask Ezekiel, Zechariah and John the
Revelator. Like describing light
to a man born blind, we just do not have the context to know what the kingdom
is.
Jesus
tells us though we yet lack the understanding of what it is, we can already begin to
see what it does. Little by little, like a slowly breaking
dawn or a lamp that is turned up by degrees, we see more and more. Hidden things are made manifest,
secrets are brought to light. This
is not from us. Our wisdom. We did not make the light; the light is
given to us.
“2 The people who walked
in darkness
have
seen a great light;
those
who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on
them has light shone.” (Is 9)
“1 In the beginning was
the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning
with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not
any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the
light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the
darkness has not overcome it.”
(John 1)
As
handy as it is to know what light is and what it does, it’s what we do with the
light we’re given that is paramount!
Day has come and we must work while it is day. Just like dawn is given to the whole world, God’s light
which John tells us is the life in Jesus, is given to the whole world, it’s
what we do with it, how the soil of our hearts receives it, which matters. We have a part to play, “8 for at one time you
were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light
is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what
is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of
darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even
to speak of the things that they do in secret. 13 But when anything is
exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that
becomes visible is light.” (Eph 5)
Who
says the Bible is against science?
Here’s Paul, over a thousand years before Descartes, telling us how
light works. In as much as it depends on us, we must respond, one way or the
other. Darkness retreats from the
light, hides from the light, hides its deeds from the light. The children of the light will reflect
it and more! And not just reflect,
we take it in, like lanterns, the flame of God will burn in us and on us! And here in Luke, Jesus promises as we
take it in, more and more will be given to us!
This
is why we must be the fourth soil!
“But,” the soil cries, “did I make myself? Can I plow myself?
Can I weed myself? I am but
dirt! God made me what I am and I
am helpless against Him!” Au
contraire mon frere! “12 So then, brothers, we
are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13 For if you live
according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the
deeds of the body, you will live.” (Rom 8) “5 This is the message we
have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no
darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we
walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the
light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the
blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no
sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9 If we confess our sins,
he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all
unrighteousness.” (1John 1) The more light we are given, the more we see our
sin, the more we are faithful to confess our visible sin, the more light he
gives us, the more light he gives us, the more we see our sin… a wheel of purification, rolling us
towards paradise, rolling us towards Him!
Making us dizzy, yes, but also making us a pure and spotless bride!
But
it is not just for ourselves! Lest
we forget, “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.” (Matt 5)
We
are given light to be light so that all may see the Light! We serve the Light. It is by the Light we view all things… “22 “The eye is the lamp of
the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad,
your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness,
how great is the darkness!
24 “No one can serve two
masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be
devoted to the one and despise the other.” (Matt 6) We will view all things through the lens, by the light of
the one we serve. The one we
love! If it is our selves, our happiness,
our comfort, our security, then it will be darkness. If however, the Light has come and set us free from our
darkness and healed our eyes and we turn and love Christ then we love the
Light. And if by that light and through
him we see and love the Father, then, my brothers and sisters, a new and
glorious day has dawned!
Shine
on you crazy diamonds!
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