TEXT: _MARK 4:21-25_
²¹ And he said to them, “Is a lamp brought in to be put under a bushel, or under a bed, and not on a stand?
²² For there is nothing hid, except to be made manifest; nor is anything secret, except to come to light.
²³ If any man has ears to hear, let him hear.”
²⁴ And he said to them, “Take heed what you hear; the measure you give will be the measure you get, and still more will be given you.
²⁵ For to him who has will more be given; and from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.”
THE MESSAGE:
Jesus spoke in parables to reveal hidden truths in very interesting manner in order to attract more interest of the hearers. It was also to hide truths from those who were not interested in hearing the truth. Hence, Jesus urged His hearers in our passage today that “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” (Mk. 4:23). The story has its parallels in Matt. 5.13; Luke 8:16-18).
David expressed the Omniscience of God in Psa. 139.7-12. Human beings are limited in knowledge, wisdom and power. God is not limited in anything. The Bible says the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. It is a self-deception if anyone says God does not see his/her deeds.
The parable of Jesus in today’s reflection emphasizes the importance of light in a house. At the time Jesus there was no electricity as we have it now, but lamp that can be likened to lantern that uses kerosene in various places in Africa. For a lighted lamp to be useful to everyone in the house at night it has to be placed on a lamp stand. As He was teaching He stressed the need for the hearers to cultivate the habit of listening to the word of God to receive blessing and anyone who closes his/her ears loses out.
What are you doing that you think God does not see? In a local Church after the collection of the Sunday offering, one of the recorders collected the offering bags from the minister and quickly went into the vestry with them. Before the arrival of other recorders he opened one bag and took some amount of money thinking that what he had done was hidden. But before the end of worship God revealed what he thought was secret. He was called, questioned and other recorders searched his pocket and discovered the amount stolen. He was ashamed of himself.
There is nowhere you go that is hidden from God. He created all things and places all in their different places, monitors their developments and activities. Understand this, that God does not need electricity generated from hydro. solar, gas or wind to see the activities of human beings. God is All-knowing, All-powerful and All-wise.
Let your deeds be clean and clear and do all in the name of Jesus Christ who will judge the living and the dead at the end of age.
*HYMN: MHB 636* _(10.4.10.4.10.10)_
1 Light of the world, faint were our weary feet
With wandering far;
But Thou didst come
our lonely hearts to greet,
O Morning Star;
And Thou didst bid us lift our gaze on high,
To see the glory of the glowing sky.
2 In days long past we missed our homeward way;
We could not see;
Blind were our eyes, our feet were bound to stray:
How blind to Thee !
But Thou didst pity Lord, our gloomy plight;
And Thou didst touch our eyes, and give them sight.
3 Now hallelujahs rise along the road
Our glad feet tread;
Thy love hath shared our sorrow’s heavy load;
There’s light o’erhead:
Glory to Thee whose love hath ledus on,
Glory for all the great things Thou hast done.
4 Where is death’s sting, where,grave, thy victory,
Where all the pain,
Now that thy King the veil that hung o’er thee
Hath rent in twain?
Light of the world, we hear Theebid us come
To light and love in Thine eternal home.
_MEMORY VERSE:_
There is nothing hidden which will not be revealed, nor has anything been kept secret that should not come to light.
*PRAYER:*
Lord, give me clear conscience in walking with You and to constantly know that You see and know my thoughts and deeds in Christ’s name I pray. Amen.
_READ:_
DAY: Zech. 8-11.
NIGHT: Zech. 12-14.
