Luke 8,16-21
Luke 8:16–18 (NIV)
16 “No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.
17 For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.
18 Therefore consider carefully how you listen. Whoever has will be given more; whoever does not have, even what they think they have will be taken from them.”
Jesus’ Mother and Brothers (Luke 8:19–21)
19 Now Jesus’ mother and brothers came to see him, but they were not able to get near him because of the crowd.
20 Someone told him, “Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.”
21 He replied, “My mother and brothers are those who hear God’s word and put it into practice.”
Same Passage in Mark 4:21–23
21 He said to them, “Do you bring in a lamp to put it under a bowl or a bed? Instead, don’t you put it on its stand?
22 For whatever is hidden is meant to be disclosed, and whatever is concealed is meant to be brought out into the open.
23 If anyone has ears to hear, let them hear.”
God’s Word as a Lamp
Psalm 119:105 – “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”
The Power of God’s Word
Hebrews 4:12 – “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”
Program Introduction
Hello everyone, I am Kiki. The Chinese name of our second phase of the program is “读经大讲堂”. The English name is “Bible Study”.
We will adopt a relaxed yet enjoyable learning style to lead you into a new world of discovery. Each time, I will give a personal summary and analysis from the perspective of a learner, and then Sister Ingrid will help me go deeper and discuss related issues with everyone.
I hope this interesting and interactive process will bring new learning experiences to you all. The following is my interview with Sister Ingrid on today’s topic.
Today is our eighteenth lecture on the Gospel of Luke.
Everyone is welcome to leave a message in the comments for discussion!
2. My Summary of the Eighteenth Lesson (Luke)
Jesus used the example of a lamp to teach His followers that God’s truth is like light.
No one lights a lamp only to hide it under a bowl or bed—instead, it is placed on a stand so everyone can see.
Jesus explained that hidden things will eventually be revealed, so we should be careful how we listen and obey.
If we truly apply God’s Word, we will grow in understanding; but if we ignore it, even what we think we know will be lost.
When Jesus’ mother and brothers came looking for Him in the crowd, He said that His true family is not only those related by blood, but all who hear God’s Word and put it into practice.
In other words, obedience to God makes us part of Jesus’ spiritual family.
These ideas also connect with our Chinese wisdom traditions:
“The words of the saints are like a beacon guiding night travelers;
they are like trees planted by ancestors to give shade to descendants.
They light up the crossroads of life,
and they are like a magic mirror—revealing the hidden selfish thoughts in the heart,
even the smallest specks in the folds of one’s clothing.”
From this, I understand how wise God is, even though His thoughts are sometimes difficult for me to fully grasp.
3. Sister Ingrid’s Comment
Jesus says it is foolish to light a lamp and then hide it. Yet some people do this. They may appear to have fruit, but it is bad fruit.
In the Gospel of John, we read that some people will not come to the light because their deeds are evil.
Even when our “soil” is good and something begins to grow, we can still be in danger—because a plant needs light to mature and bear fruit.
In the light of God’s Word, our fruit is tested to see if it is good or not.
In nature, many fruits grow in good soil, but not all are edible. In the same way, God’s light helps us discern what kind of fruit we have produced.
We may not see the final verdict in this life, but in eternity everything will be brought into the light. If our fruit is bad, we will stand before God with nothing, even if we thought we had something. Jesus will say, “Depart from me; I never knew you.”
- Q list part: base on Luke 18th items:
Okay. Base on above bible study content, now let me ask sister some related questions.
We hope the following questions can be helpful to our brothers and sisters who have just become Christians.
1.Why did Jesus compare God’s word to a lamp on a stand?
Because Gods word help us to see clear what is good and bad. If we don t know what is right or wrong in a situation, we can consult the word of God to get information about.
2.What happens if you hide a lamp under a bowl or a bed?
You are a fool If you do this. A lamp has to fulfill its purpose and be on the stand to enlighten yourself and the environment around you.
3.Jesus said hidden things must be disclosed. What does that mean?
Often people are not true Christians. They participate in religious activities, but they never received Jesus in their heart and were never reborn by the spirit to become a new creation.
When they go in into eternity, Jesus will reveal, that they never have been with him and they only had religious works.
4.How can we “consider carefully how we listen” to God’s word?
When I read the bible, I am very focused, what is written there. I am asking God for revealing, too, that he explains me about the meaning of that word that I am reading.
And when we have got revelation about something we have read in the bible, we have to put it in practice and that is not always easy.
But when we don t put it in practice, our heart will grow fat of hearing and each time it is more difficult to obey.
5.What does Jesus mean by “whoever has will be given more”?
When we start to produce a fruit according to the will of God, there will grow more fruit when we continue to hear and put I practice
6.Why did Jesus call people who obey God’s word His true family?
He called them his true family, because they believe in him, they love him and they follow him wherever he goes.
In John we read, that even his brothers did not believe in him. So they could not be part of his spiritual family.
7.How does Psalm 119,105 support Jesus ‘lamp illustration?
We have a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our way.
So, we see, if there is a stone in form of an attack of the devil, a temptation or another hinder in front of us and we can be careful not to stumble and fall because of this.
The light enlightened the narrow way to heaven, it helps us to keep focus to our destination and not to turn to the left or the right.
8.Hebrews 4,12 says God’s word is like a double‑edged sword. What does that picture tell us?
For to be able to confess your sins and to repent and become a child of God, someone has to convince you, that you are a person lost in sin.
This is the work of God’s word: It is entering into your heart, your mind and your spirit and tell you, that you have to repent from sin and begin a new life.
Repentance is more than crying about a thing that we did wrong. It is the conviction, that we are totally wrong with our life and will go to hell, if God don’t has mercy with us.
This is the sword which makes us feel uncomfortable until we have found peace with God in receiving Christ as our Savior.
9.Can you give an example of something you learned from the Bible that “lighted your path”?
At the moment I don t remember a concert situation, because there are many of them.
But since I have repented and decided to obey God s word, every time, when I look for an easier way to solve a situation, there comes a red light in my mind, like a traffic light, that says, stop, you are on the narrow way and here it is better to have a loss than to commit a sin.
10.How can you practice being part of Jesus’ spiritual family today?
By believing and loving him.
Asking yourself: What is more important for you:
Having a lot of friends who don t want to share the gospel with you or being alone with Jesus or just a few Christian friends, who have the same passion for Jesus, his work on the cross and the eternal hope we have in him.
At last, what we think and do will reveal, if we are following Jesus or not.
We can only be part of his family, when we following him.
