"No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket,
but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house."
Matthew 5:15
"In the same way, let your light shine before others,
so that they may see your good works
and give glory to your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:16
We often think of Jesus as "the Light" but Jesus himself referred to his disciples as the light (or lamp) that shines. And in the local congregation, few lights shine brighter than that of our Sunday School teachers.
But Jesus didn't just talk about “light.” In Matthew 5:15-16 Jesus talked about the oil lamp that holds and fuels the light, …a light that needs lit. He talked about the basket that can hide the light, and the lampstand that can lift that light higher. In this brief Bible study, we'll consider each important metaphor.
The Teaching Lamp Question
- What experience or persons "lit your teaching lamp"?
- Name a specific teaching gift (lamp) that you would like help lighting.
- Lamps require oil to stay lit. What things do you do or could you do to fuel your passion and preparation for teaching?
The Bushel Basket Question
What are the "bushel baskets" that can get in the way of:
- your enthusiasm for teaching.
- your preparation.
- coming up with creative ideas.
- sharing your gifts with other teachers.
- accepting help and oversight.
How do you keep those baskets from hiding the light that Jesus wants you to lampstand?
The Lampstand Question
- Other than the leader of your program, who or what supports your teaching ministry the most? (And how do they support you?)
- Describe a time when YOU have been a lampstand to others (other than in your classroom), and when someone shared (lampstand-ed) their teaching light with you.
- Name one lamp (teaching skill) of yours that you think is especially "bright" and describe how you could share it (lampstand) to others.
Written by Neil MacQueen and Heidi Weber for Rotation.org.
Permission to use and adapt as you wish.
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