Psalm 119:105-112      Light from the Law of the Lord 

Matthew 5:15-16         Let your light shine

John 1:29-42                Lamb of God

Lamp

See the word 45 times in Bible.

Lamps are mentioned many times in the Old Testament, referring mostly to the lamps of the Lampstand in the tabernacle and in the temple, but also used with symbolical meaning.  Lamps were used in everyday life.  Numberless lamps have been found in excavations.

Lamps in Bible times were made exclusively of pottery.  In earliest times a saucer filled with olive oil, on the rim of which rested a wick of twisted thread, was used.  Eventually the lamp had a single lip and became covered.  Candles were not in use until after the biblical period.

Symbolical Power

Life as opposed to Death – the realm of darkness.

Divine Presence

The prophetic word is a lamp shining in the darkness.

A symbol for the word of God.

May represent law or works of righteousness.

Eyes of God.

Light = Life

1.         The light of God in our lives.

            We can think of the darkness in this world.  Some of the horrible things done here.  But we also think of the light God has brought into it.  We think of the difference God’s word and God’s grace and God’s forgiveness have made in our lives.

• Reading scripture this Lent and allowing it to guide you during the day.  Just this afternoon one of you showed me a devotional piece from the Upper Room which encouraged you.  It was entitled “God will provide,” quoting Genesis 22:14.  This light from the word of God gave encouragement to live even after losing a job.
• The light of God’s grace and forgiveness helps us to pick up the pieces of our broken lives and know that we can put things back together.  This Lenten season is an opportunity to accept this light and then let it shine.

2.         The light we are told to share with others.

                        During the fourth session of the “Unwrapping Our Gifts” group we had a light and a bowl.  We put the bowl over the light and eventually it sucked up all the oxygen and extinguished the light.  We talked about how we felt when this happened.  We talked about how we put our own flames under a bowl in our daily lives and work.

Then we relit the light and put it on top of the bowl.  We thought for a while on the light we have to offer the world and how we can put our own light more fully up on a stand for God’s glory.

Each of us has light to share.  What is your light?  What can you show and share to others?