Enlightening the World

The Parable of the Lamp

Describe a time in your life that you were overjoyed to see a source of light.

Read Matthew 5: 14 – 16

What is similar between a follower of Jesus and a beam of photons that causes Jesus to compare the two in this story?
What are some of the costs and benefits of being a “city on a hill?”
How can we become better prepared for the attention our lives will draw as Christians?
What would be the physical results of placing a burning lamp under a bowl or a basket?
Why is Jesus using such an absurd illustration?
What are some ways that disciples hide their light in our contemporary society?
What are some “bowls” that you need to remove from your life?
A lamp’s purpose of giving light is better accomplished by being put on stand.
What is the light that Christians have been made to emanate into society?
What would be an appropriate stand on which for God to set a Christian?
Based only on this text, what is the ultimate goal for any disciple of Jesus?
What stand does God desire to set you upon? What stand has he set our church upon?
What would you need to change in your life to increase the lumens of your lamp?

Read Mark 4:21 – 23 and Luke 8:15-17

The context of this version of the story is immediately after his “parable of the sower” which discusses how different people react to Jesus’ stories.
Compare how Jesus uses this story in these other gospels to how he used it in Matthew.
What is the light that Jesus is referring to in this version of the story?
What point is Jesus making about the disclosure of God’s Word?
How can we be sure we are open to receive the light that God’s Word offers us?

Read Luke 11: 33 – 36

The context of this use of the story is Jesus criticizing the majority of his contemporaries for not heeding his message despite everything they are witnessing.
Compare and contrast Jesus use of this story with the other uses we have seen.
What are some groups of people in life who would find no benefit in a lit lamp on a stand?
Why do people not always respond either to Jesus’ disciples or God’s Word?
If Jesus is using the concept of an “eye” metaphorically, what is he meaning by it?
How is the health of your spiritual eye? How can we improve our receptiveness to God’s light?