Illumination Images

When I was a kid I remember our family taking a trip to Mammoth Cave.  We went on one of the guided tours deep down below the earth’s surface, pausing in one of the big spacious rooms to gather around the guide.  I was pretty young and can remember being awestruck by the surroundings.  Everything was lit up revealing the features of the cave.  Then the guide told us he was going to turn off all the lights.  I grabbed my mother’s hand just as the lights went out, now being awestruck (and more than a little afraid) by the total darkness.  After a moment or two our tour guide lit a single lantern and held it up.  It was amazing the difference just one elevated light made in that dark space.

I often think of that experience when I read Jesus’ parable of the lamp in Luke 8:16-18 (and told a bit differently in Luke 11:33-36).The light of Christ (or light of the Gospel) makes a tremendous difference in our lives.  These illumination images will be our focus this Sunday, September 18th, at FBC Columbus as we continue to think about the life God hopes for us through the Kingdom of Heaven/God images Jesus shared.

No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, that that those who enter may see the light.   Luke 8:16 NRSV