The Light Of The Body Is The Eye

Luke – The Light of the Body is the Eye

Prayer

Introduction

The use of light and dark to describe good and bad throughout scripture and in our culture is pretty universal. If you think good thoughts you are in the light. If you think bad thoughts you are in darkness.

This picture is common to all men. At any given moment half of the world is in darkness and half is in light as our day progresses and the earth spins on its axes.

Light and dark are common in our language, it can depict understanding. We might say: “I couldn't figure out the puzzle until the light came on and then I knew the the solution.” or “Man I was in the dark until you explained it to me and now I see.”

Many might remember the old Hank Williams song “I saw the Light”. What was that about? Redemption. Changing from dark to light.

John MacArthur said it this way, “Light reveals; darkness conceals.”

A person in a darkened room that is filled with clutter cannot tell if they are standing in the middle of treasure or trash until the lights are turned on.

I think we can all agree that Jesus had many people who believed His message and for them the light came on. He also had many people who did not believe His message, they remained in the dark. People who remained in the dark in the presence of Jesus must have willfully stayed in the dark. After all Jesus was the exact representation of God and he was the light.

Hebrews 1:3a (ESV) - He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power.

John 8:12 (HSCB) - Then Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

The people of that time must have willfully stayed in darkness. Why would they do that?

Jesus answered that question when He said in John 3:19-20 (HCSB) - “This, then, is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who practices wicked things hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed.

Let's read our selected verses for today.

Luke 11:33-36 (HCSB) - “No one lights a lamp and puts it in the cellar or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see its light. 34 Your eye is the lamp of the body. When your eye is good, your whole body is also full of light. But when it is bad, your body is also full of darkness. 35 Take care then, that the light in you is not darkness. 36 If therefore your whole body is full of light, with no part of it in darkness, the whole body will be full of light, as when a lamp shines its light on you.”

The Lamp is Lit Vs 33

33 “No one lights a lamp and puts it in the cellar or under a basket, but on a lampstand, so that those who come in may see its light.

This was very likely a common saying in the time of Jesus. He used it on more than one occasion. The idea is that you light a light so you and others can see. You don't put it in a place that would hid its light or extinguish it.

Light reveals; darkness conceals.

God has revealed all the information needed to have a relationship with Him in His Word. Chapter one of the Book of John has a lot of information for us on the Word.

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

4 Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. 5 That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it.

9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

11 He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him. 12 But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name,

14 The Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We observed His glory, the glory as the One and Only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

18 No one has ever seen God. The One and Only Son— the One who is at the Father’s side— He has revealed Him.