Luke 8:16-18
“No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light. For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have,” Luke 8:16-18.
As Jesus Christ would travel through the land teaching and preaching, He would teach a lot of the same messages at different places to different people. That is one reason when we read the gospels that we see different teachings taking place after different events. Sometimes we try to chronologically line everything up, and we can’t make it fit which causes us to have a fit. A good example of this is when Jesus cleanses the temple. Matthew, Mark, and Luke record Christ cleansing the temple at the end of His ministry, but John has Christ cleansing the temple at the beginning of His ministry. Do the gospels contradict each other, no. It is obvious that Christ cleansed the temple twice; Matthew, Mark, and Luke record the second time, and John records the first time. The problem is never with the text, but instead with our understanding of the text. The Word of God is perfect, pure, infallible, and inerrant.
Jesus Christ uses this illustration of a lighted candle here in Luke 8 and in Mark 4 immediately after the explanation of the parable of the seed and sower; but in Matthew He uses it in Matthew 5 right after the Beatitudes. Christ uses the illustration again in Luke 11:33. This shows us again the importance of keeping Scripture in its context. Obviously there are similarities in the illustration, but Christ uses it to shed light on what He is teaching at that time. It would be real easy to over spiritualize this text; to keep from doing that we will study it in the context which it is given here in Luke 8.
“No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel, or putteth it under a bed; but setteth it on a candlestick, that they which enter in may see the light,” Luke 8:16. Christ is still speaking to the disciples regarding the explanation of the parable (Luke 8:9-10). Jesus is using illustrations that the people during that day would be familiar with. What does light do? It enables a person to see. In a general sense it lights up the room it is in, but in a specific sense when we get close to the light, we are able to better examine something because we the light is brighter. In the explanation of the seed and sower, Christ is shedding light on people’s true spiritual condition. All in whom the seed takes root, grows, and produces fruit. We are known by the fruit we continually produce. The fruit we produce is not pointing to us, but to the tree. We are just the branches. It is the same with the light in us. Christ is the Light of the world. After the Lord saves us we shine as bright lights to the world, but we do this for Christ and because of Christ. “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing,” John 15:5.
As you and I are living in this fallen world, it is our desire to live for Christ. In living for Christ we are obedient to Christ. We want to be lights for Christ in this dark world. In order to do this we must crucify our flesh. Remember, we are doing all these things because we love our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We want to please Him, and point others to Him. He is the True Light that has come into the world, and we are reflecting His light. Yes, we learn about Christ, but how we live and are obedient to Him reflects the light of Christ. If we love Christ, we want everyone to see Him. The closer our walk with Christ the brighter the reflection of Christ is coming off of us. But, the closer our walk with Christ is enables us to see more clearly our own sinfulness. Sin becomes exceedingly sinful. When you examine those who have stood out for Christ, those who reflected the brightest, you find people who crucified their flesh. Their life was no longer their own. They weren’t concerned with what others thought or said about them, their focus was on proclaiming Christ to the world. Their first act of obedience is baptism, joining a local church, then taking the Lord’s Supper. No matter what it cost them in society, they were obedient to Scripture because they love Christ more than the approval of men.
We produce the fruit of a Christian, we reflect the light of Christ, and as we continue studying Scripture, the truths of Scripture will be revealed to us. “For nothing is secret that shall not be made manifest, neither any thing hid that shall not be known and come abroad,” Luke 8:17. Remember the question of the disciples and the answer of Christ in Luke 8:9-10. As the disciples grew in the Scriptures, they began to understand more of what Christ taught them. For a time they had a hard time grasping what Christ taught them. They had the best teacher ever, and still had a hard time grasping what Christ was teaching. “Then said some of his disciples among themselves, What is this that he saith unto us, A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me: and, Because I go to the Father? They said therefore, What is this that he saith, A little while? we cannot tell what he saith,” John 16:17-18. Turn to John 2:19-22 and Luke 18:31-34; 24:6-8; 32. The disciples did not stay in darkness, as Christ told them it was for them to understand, and from them the world would know about Jesus Christ. “And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone,” Ephesians 2:20. The word of God is revealed to us as we study it (Colossians 2:6-7). What God wants us to know He has given to us in His Word. How much desire do you have to know and to be obedient to Scripture? You can answer that by your actions (II Timothy 2:15). Turn to Hosea 6:1-3.
Just like with the seed and the soils, it is important to examine ourselves by the Scriptures to make sure the Lord has saved us. “Take heed therefore how ye hear; for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have,” Luke 8:18. There is a lot to look at in Luke 8:18. Lord willing we will get into this verse next time. But until then, I want to challenge you to examine yourself by Scripture. What kind of fruit are you producing? Are you being obedient to our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ? Do you have a hunger for the Scriptures, and to go on to know the Lord? The more we know Him the more we fall in love with Him. The more we fall in love with Him, the more we tell everyone about Him. From the abundance of our hearts we speak. Aren’t you thankful the Lord saves sinners? “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved,” Romans 10:13. “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out,” John 6:37. Please send questions and comments to richardsonbaptistchurch@gmail.com. Soli Deo Gloria.
