The Parable of the Lamp on A Stand
Looking to learn more about the Parable of the Lamp on a Stand? The first time I started going to the gym, I became a nuisance to everyone around me. All I could talk about was how this new habit had changed my life and how I wanted everyone around me to get in on this new lifestyle.
I had found the ‘light’ and I was eager to share it with anyone that cared to listen and sometimes even those who didn’t. Light is a very powerful force. It is not meant to be hidden. When light comes into a space, darkness fades away.
There’s a noticeable difference. The parable of the lamp on a stand is a great illustration of this. Jesus Christ emphasizes that our faith in God is not to be hidden. We are to live in the boldness and confidence that Christ has given us through the light of God.
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What is the Parable of the Lamp on a Stand?
The parable of the lamp on a stand appears in Mark 4:21-25 but there are also references to it in Matthew 5:14-16 and Luke 11:33. Jesus often used parables to illustrate His teachings. Parables are like stories that make it easier for us to relate to complex Biblical truths, through the help of God. I find that stories and mental images make it so much easier to understand a concept.
So imagine for a moment that you have a lamp and you walk into a dark room with the lamp, but rather than placing this lamp on the bedside table, you bury it under a pile of laundry. How effective would that lamp be in serving the purpose for which it was created?
Not very effective I suppose. Jesus tells us that a lamp should be placed on a stand where its light will shine and that everything hidden will eventually be brought to light. Jesus draws this comparison to illustrate that as Christians, we are carriers of the light of God, which should not be hidden.
What is the Spiritual Meaning of the Lamp?
The lamp in this parable represents Christians as vessels that carry the light of God. In Ephesians 5:8, apostle Paul says that we were once full of darkness, but now have light from the Lord.
When we give our lives to Christ, we come to the knowledge of the goodness of God. We experience His mercy, His kindness and His unfailing love. Knowing God produces a change in our lives. It influences how we think, and how we act. It becomes clear that our works have been carried out in God(John 3:21).
This is what it means to be the lamp, to be a testament to a life transformed by an encounter with Jesus Christ. To be an example of what God can do in and with a life fully surrendered to Him.
What Does the Lamp Represent for Us as Christians?
This parable of the lamp on a stand is very relevant to Christians today – not that the other parables in the Bible aren’t- but because we live in a world that is so dark, it can be hard to shine bright for God, especially when we’re just starting our relationship with Him.
It’s almost as if everything around us constantly tries to dim the light of God in us. But the light shines in darkness and darkness cannot overcome it. It illuminates a path and shows people around which way to go. The lamp is our calling to proclaim God’s word throughout the earth.
As lamps, we have a duty to fulfil, to shine the light of God to those far and near, so that they may come to know who God is, in the fullness of His glory.
As a young Christian, I struggled with this for a while. I had just experienced a life-changing encounter with Christ, and I wanted to shine this light so others could see but I didn’t quite know how. How much shinning was too much? How much shinning was too little? I wanted to find a way to proclaim my faith without sounding preachy or judgmental.
It took some trial and error and a lot of learning to find that balance, but I realized that shining doesn’t have to be complex. It is as simple as being kind to those around me. Committing my very best to every task I’m given. Sharing my testimony at every opportunity I get.
Being a lamp means that people should notice a difference. A lamp does not blend in with the crowd, it stands out. It means that the way we live our lives should match the gospel we preach. We cannot contradict the word of God with our actions. It would be like working for a company but patronizing its competition outside.
People will only know the God we serve, if we reflect the work He has done in our lives. This means that wherever we find ourselves, we should be unapologetic about telling others about being saved by Jesus Christ, not just through the words we say, but more importantly by how we act.
Parable of the Lamp
Like a child who just learnt a new song or a person who just found a new love, we should be bold when expressing our faith. We are carriers of the light of God. It would be a great disservice to those around us if we kept this light hidden.
It would be like having access to much-needed medicine and refusing to share it with those around us. We should not deprive the world of the light which has been so graciously deposited in us. Think back to a time when you had good news that you couldn’t wait to share with others.
Was it a new job? A recipe for a delicious dish? A new relationship? Whatever it was, It couldn’t have been as amazing as coming to know Christ. We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us (2 Corinthians 5:20).
We should shine for all to see, so that they may glorify our Father in Heaven. We should take the parable of the lamp on a stand and make it our mission to share the good news of Christ through our thoughts, our words and our actions.
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