Luke 1: 16 – 21
How Does Your Light Shine?
16 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light. 17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light. 18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.” 19 Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. 20 And it was told Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.” 21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
There were two other Gospels written before Luke wrote his Gospel. The Apostle Matthew and the disciple Mark recorded this same situation. So, let’s see what they say and then compare all three to gather more information.
Now we need to notice first something different than other studies, for today we will look at the Scripture in two parts. The first part is in regards to verses 16 through 18. Mark is the only other author who writes about our Lord’s comments about the ‘Revealed’ light that we get when we have the Holy Spirit in our lives. The second part will incorporate verses 19 through 21 that speak about our Lord’s mom, Mary, and His step brothers and sisters.
Mark 4:21-25 “21 Also He said to them, “Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand? 22 For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light. 23 If anyone has ears to hear, let him hear.” 24 Then He said to them, “Take heed what you hear. With the same measure you use, it will be measured to you; and to you who hear, more will be given. 25 For whoever has, to him more will be given; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.”
Mark 3: 31-35, “31 Then His brothers and His mother came, and standing outside they sent to Him, calling Him. 32 And a multitude was sitting around Him; and they said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are outside seeking You.” 33 But He answered them, saying, “Who is My mother, or My brothers?” 34 And He looked around in a circle at those who sat about Him, and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 35 For whoever does the will of God is My brother and My sister and mother.”
Matthew 12: 46-50, “46 While He was still talking to the multitudes, behold, His mother and brothers stood outside, seeking to speak with Him. 47 Then one said to Him, “Look, Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, seeking to speak with You.” 48 But He answered and said to the one who told Him, “Who is My mother and who are My brothers?” 49 And He stretched out His hand toward His disciples and said, “Here are My mother and My brothers! 50 For whoever does the will of My Father in heaven is My brother and sister and mother.”
Now please remember that although Mark probably wasn’t there, his step father in the faith, Peter was there and heard our Lord Jesus. Luke wasn’t there when our Lord gave this speach but later came and interviewed those who were. So, let’s see what all three have in common and are different.
You can almost see Luke interviewing people and writing down their thoughts regarding these comments. He is the one who gives us a lot more information.
16 “No one, when he has lit a lamp, covers it with a vessel or puts it under a bed, but sets it on a lampstand, that those who enter may see the light.
Mark tells us from the witness Peter that our Lord gave a Parable by asking a question, ‘ Is a lamp brought to be put under a basket or under a bed? Is it not to be set on a lampstand?’ Luke who came back years later and interviewed people came up with the truth of our Lord’s question. The truth of our Lord’s remarks was that He did not come to the earth in order to hide things from us.
What does a lamp do? It uncovers the darkness. It reveals what was hidden by the darkness, doesn’t it. His word is light. How about this amazing verses in Psalm 119, verses 105 – 106, “104 Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way. 105 Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 106 I have sworn and confirmed that I will keep Your righteous judgments.’
When a person lights a lamp its purpose is to give as much light as possible. Do you remember our last study that talked about the 4 soils? The last one bore a fruitful increase of 30, 60, and a hundred fold.
We need to follow God’s Word and share God’s Word and it will cause the growth. Our Lord Jesus tells us, His children as recorded in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 5, “16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.
Mark’s version has ‘hidden’ first followed by ‘secret’ – ‘For there is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret but that it should come to light.’
Everything that happens in our lives will be revealed even the thoughts that we think about. Take a look at these Scriptures;
Psalm 94: 11, “The LORD knows the thoughts of man, That they are futile.”
Matthew 12:36, “36 But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the Day of Judgment.”
There is coming a day when God will judge the secrets of men through Christ. Then everyone will have everything we ever said or done out in the open. That is why it is important to bring things out in the light now as we read in the Gospel of John chapter 3, “18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”
18 Therefore take heed how you hear. For whoever has, to him more will be given; and whoever does not have, even what he seems to have will be taken from him.”
Luke gives an interesting statement here as compared to what Mark wrote down. See if you notice?
Mark says, “For whoever has, to him more will be given, but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Remember, we just previously were talking about the soils of hearts who did nor did not received the ‘Good News’ of Salvation. Even though they might seem to be in disagreement, they are both also accurate and cover the exact meaning that our Precious Holy Spirit gave us through His Holy Word.
The seeds which fell on hard soil, rocky soil, and soil covered up by thorns or weeds, all represented people who really never gave their heart to our Lord Jesus. Only the fourth soil was good for abundant growth.
The hard ground and the rocky ground seem to fit what Peter picked up – ‘Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.’ These seeds were taken away by the enemy because it fell on hardened hearts. The others fell on rocks which also couldn’t penetrate into a receptive soil.
Now some people have tried to come up with the soil under the thorn bush allowed the seed to grow down and take root but were chocked off by the cares and worries of the world. This they say represent ‘Cardinal’ Christians.
I believe this possible position is countered by what Luke says, ‘even what he seems to have, will be taken away.’ People who may think that they are Christian’s but in reality are not will lose out. I think this is why the apostle Paul wrote in his second letter to the Corinthians chapter 13, “5 Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you are disqualified. 6 But I trust that you will know that we are not disqualified.”
19 Then His mother and brothers came to Him, and could not approach Him because of the crowd. 20 And it was told Him by some, who said, “Your mother and Your brothers are standing outside, desiring to see You.” 21 But He answered and said to them, “My mother and My brothers are these who hear the word of God and do it.”
When we look at all three Gospels at first we might take a view point that they are all the same. I would say close, but our Wonderful Holy Spirit sheds some more awesome facts.
Mark commented in verse 21 of chapter 3 this, “21 But when His own people heard about this, they went out to lay hold of Him, for they said, “He is out of His mind.”
Who do you think ‘His own people heard about this’, are? Many overlook that we are talking about our Lord Jesus Christ’s family. This is why they are here. Mary, our Lord’s step brothers and sisters came to take Him back home. Through family intervention meetings they felt that He was out of His mind and they had to come and take Him back to their home.
I was a pretty bad individual before my Holy Lord and Master came into my life. My parents thought that I had gone bonkers from doing all kinds of bad things to now carrying around a bible and cleaning up my act. They knew the ‘nut’ Tom who did all kinds of evil but what seemed crazier, was this ‘new’ Tom. Has anything like this happened to you?
All three writers speak about Mary and our Lord’s step brothers. Our Lord response possibly indicates that His step sister’s were there also. So, before you ask Mark tells us this in chapter 6 our Lord’s siblings, “2 And when the Sabbath had come, He began to teach in the synagogue. And many hearing Him were astonished, saying, “Where did this Man get these things? And what wisdom is this which is given to Him, that such mighty works are performed by His hands! 3 Is this not the carpenter, the Son of Mary, and brother of James, Joses, Judas, and Simon? And are not His sisters here with us?” So they were offended at Him.”
It is possible that Joseph was dead by this time period since he is omitted from the family list.
In closing I want to look at how all three Gospel writers indicate something different in how our Lord considers His family.
Luke says, “Are these who hear the Word of God and do it.”
Mark says, “Whoever does the will of God.”
Matthew says, “whoever does the will of My Father in Heaven.’
Of course, the Father Is God. So, from His word what does it say is His ‘Will’. These two seem to answer this question.
Romans 12:1-3 “12 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. 2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Colossians 1:26-28 “26 the mystery which has been hidden from ages and from generations, but now has been revealed to His saints. 27 To them God willed to make known what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.”
