Light and darkness, leaven for evil or good: every believer’s choice
By Dean Collins
“Consistency, thou art a jewel.”
Shakespeare is often quoted as the source of this famous quote, but long before Shakespeare, Jesus talked about this consistency in a different way. Jesus was pretty clear that our beliefs and our behavior are to be congruent and consistent.
As I read Luke chapters 11-13 it strikes me how Jesus uses light and leaven. There are references both to the light and leaven of the Pharisees as well as light and leaven of the Kingdom of God and those who are a part of it.
See clearly
The crowds were growing. The healings and miracles were often. Yet many were asking Jesus for more signs to convince them of his claim. Whatever Jesus did just wasn’t enough. They were hungry for bigger and bigger things. Jesus said they had their signs. He referenced how Jonah had been a sign in the past and that something greater than Jonah was in their midst. And then he referenced light.
Basically, the message is this: If you accept Jesus as the life of God given for the world’s redemption and transformation, then you possess light. You begin to see clearly and see the big picture of what God is doing. Once you see the light and put your faith in Jesus, you become light to those around you. Your little light has been lit and you hold it out for all to see. You remember the song right? “This little light of mine. I’m gonna let it shine.” Once you become light, you must not cover it up and hide in the darkness. It just doesn’t make sense.
Live consistently
Unless you want to behave like a Pharisee. As Luke continues he said that tens of thousands were coming to see Jesus. It was like the crowds rushing onto the field past all the security because they just had to get to the game-winning heroes on the field. It was an electric feeling everywhere Jesus went. As this was happening Jesus turned to his disciples and said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees,” and then he defined the leaven as hypocrisy. The clear suggestion was that the Pharisees say one thing and appear as if they have the light and the truth, but then they slip around in the shadows doing things that are inconsistent or incongruent with their teachings and their appearance.
And then Jesus gives the punch line: Whatever they are doing in the shadows, thinking no one will see, will be made visible on the JumboTron. And the secret deals they make will be broadcast for everyone to hear. Jesus’ point is that if you are going to claim to know the truth and possess the light, then you can’t act like those who don’t.
Grow beautifully
And then we turn the page to Luke’s next chapter. The disciples were warned about the leaven (hypocrisy) of the Pharisees and how it grows and becomes visible. Now Jesus says that the Kingdom of God is like leaven! In this short parable, Jesus compared God’s Kingdom to the woman who took three cups of flour and added a pinch or so of leaven or yeast. And the starter batch of dough just expands and expands, producing more and more loaves of bread.
So we have choices to make. We can be hypocrites; we can speak and look like God’s people but simply do it as a show for some friends. That kind of leaven produces a rotting effect on more and more people, turning them off. And in this case, we have no light because the darkness grows and grows.
Or we can accept the life-changing gift of Jesus. If we do, our words and deeds become leaven or yeast that has an expanding impact. Lots of people are blessed by the God in us that produces good works. And as our behavior and belief line up consistently, our light shines brighter and brighter until the full day when Jesus returns.
Light or dark. Leaven that is hypocritical and spreads to make the world stink of rottenness or leaven that produces good deeds and reveals the Bread of Life to all.
I think Luke chapters 11,12, and 13 basically offer these options. We can choose only one of them.
Your time with God’s Word
Luke 11:33, 35; 12:1-3; 13:20-21 ESV
Photo by Jeremy Marks on Unsplash
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