The Light of the world

Last week lesson we studied about Jesus being the bread of life, that precious bread that came down from heaven. Bread so precious that if you eat of it you’ll never hunger spiritually again .The bread that must accompany physical bread in order for man to truly live. For this bread came that whosoever eat of it might have life and have it more abundantly . In conclusion of last week lesson we learned Jesus was trying to get the people to see that he came to give them eternal life. He was and is the true living bread,.All throughout history mankind has been seeking what they must do to do the works of God. All people have a knowledge within them of the reality of God,=.

Romans 1:18-20“For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:” and a desire to be right with Him. However , just as with these Jews, few agree with the lORD as to how to do it . These Jews were willing to do something to obtain salvation , but they were not willing to commit themselves to Jesus and accept His gift . This is one of the major differences between Christianity and the religions of the world . Religion is willing to make a sacrifices to obtain right standing with God, but Christianity recognizes our complete inability to ever do enough to save ourselves and calls for total faith and reliance on what Jesus did for us. As Jesus began to explain to them in these verses how He was the only way to the Father

REVIEW TODAY’S AIM.

FACTS:To examine passages in which Jesus proclaims Himself to be the Light of the World.

PRINCIPLE: To show that Jesus is indeed the Light of the World.

APPLICATIONS: To challenge believers to walk in Jesus ‘ light.

INTRODUCITON

Jesus pleased His Father in all ways, as we have seen this quarter , including in what He taught, The Lord taught the truth about himself and God in perfect Love and perfect accuracy. In particular , the Gospel of John included seven significant “I am “ statements by JesuS, which offer a great deal of insight inot who He truly is and what He came to accomplish . Last week’s text included the first of these statements, “I am the bread of life”(6:35) The second of the statements is in the text for this week : “I am the light of the world (8:12(. The others ‘I am the door “ (10:7), “I am the good shepherd “(vs 10:11), “I am the resurrection, and the life “(11:25), “I am the way , the truth and the life”, (14:6), “I am the true vine “(15:1). Jesus is the Great I am who give light to a dark world.

I OUTLINE : THE OFFER OF LIGHT John 8:12-16.

Verse 12 John 8:12 “Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” According to John 8:1 Jesus was in the Temple and all the people came unto him , and he sat down , and taught them . Prior to this verse it speaks of a woman brought unto him taken in adultery . Jesus first gave her grace by saying he did not condemn her . In other words he blessed her first then told her go and sin no more. It’s his goodness that leads man to repentance . This verse is the discourse after the feast of Tabernacles,This is another one of his I am statements. According to John 1:9 “That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.” Jesus is saying that he is the light of world, because of sin the entire world was in darkness. To follow Christ is to believe in him and Everyone that accepts Christ is transferred out of this kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of this marvelous light, Col.1:13 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:” Also to follow him is like a traveler follows the light in a dark night, he shall not walk in darkness. If Christ be the light , then it is our duty to follow him , to submit ourselves to his guidance in everything,.Therefore this darkness represents spiritual death and this light represents spiritual life the abundant life now and eternal life hereafter.God is the source of light which exposes evil for what it is . See John 1:4-9 “In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.”

Verse 13 John 8:13 “The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.” The Pharisees challenges Jesus claim immediately by saying because he bearest record of himself , they could not accept it as truth. Jesus already knew this is how they thought because he said so in John 5:31 “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true.” Again the Pharisees challenged His claim. Since He appeared as His own witness, they said His testimony was not valid. Self-authentication is sometimes unacceptable. The Law required two witnesses to establish a fact in capital offenses (Deut. 17:6; 19:15; John 8:17). Rabbinic tradition rejected self-testimony.

Verse14 John8:14 “Jesus answered and said unto them, Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go.” Jesus was really saying to the Pharisees, you don’t recognize who I am because you don’t know where I came from or where I’m returning to. Because of their carnality Jesus had to bare record of Himself and could rightly do so , because everything He say is true because He is the living truth. He can do anything but lie. Sometimes, self-authentication is the only way to truth. Sometimes an individual is the only one who knows the facts about himself. And only God can give testimony to Himself. Jesus was competent to give a true witness of Himself because as God He has a comprehensive knowledge of His origin and destiny (7:29). In spite of what the Pharisees thought they knew about Jesus, they were ignorant of His heavenly origin and destiny (cf. 7:33–34), and thus were invalid judges of Him.Jesus did have the witness of his Father John8:18 “I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.” He also had the witness of his works John 5:36 “But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me.” And he also had the witness of John the Baptist John 5:32-33 “There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.”

Verse 15 John 8:15 “Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.” Jesus told them they were judging him by human standards , that is they were limited by superficial appearances. They saw only his flesh and not his deity, so they misjudged Him. This is basically what the Lord told Samuel in 1 Samuel 16:7 “But the Lord said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the Lord looketh on the heart.” Paul also repeated a similar thing in 2 Cor.5:16 “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more.”

See Isa. 11:3-5 Godly judgment isn’t carnal. Man look and judges by the outer appearance, but God looks upon the heart .The latter part of this scripture, Jesus says he judges no man. Why? because He didn’t come the first time to Judge. Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” See John 3:16-17 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

See Luke 4:18-19 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, To preach the acceptable year of the Lord.” Jesus read these passage of scriptures from the book of the prophet Esaias but he stopped at the 19 verse regarding the acceptable year of the Lord and closed the book . Why did he close the book ? because what he read was connected with his first advent and the dispensation of Grace.(Gen. 3:15, Acts 1:11) .After he closed the book he began to say unto them ,This day is the scripture fulfilled in your ears. There will come a time when he will judge , and this will be his second advent, which is why he didn’t continue to read and closed the book. This will be the day of vengeance of our God . (Deut. 30:3; Acts 1:11) and judgment

Verse 16 John 8:16 “And yet if I judge, my judgment is true: for I am not alone, but I and the Father that sent me.” Jesus was saying he would not judge as they did and also his judgment is true because he judges in union with the Father . If anyone ever had the right to judge based on himself , it would be Jesus but it was only because he was under the inspiration and guidance of the God the father that He claimed just judgment. If this is true of Him , then certainly no one is qualified to judge who isn’t united with the and inspired by God See 1 Co. 6:1-6 “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers.”

2 OUTLINE THE OFFER OF WITNESSES JOHN 8:17-20.

Verse 17 John 8:17 “It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true.” In your own law is referring back to the old testament law( or to Rabbinic law) Deut. 17:6 “At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.” See also Deut. 19:15 “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth: at the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter be established.” Jesus also referenced this in Matt.18:16 “But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” And Paul referenced this in 2 Cor. 13:1 “This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.”

Verse 19 John 8:18 “I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me.” Their law speaks of the necessity of two witness . In Jesus ‘ case only God could authenticate Him. God the Son and God the Father are the required two Witnesses. The Father sent Jesus and authenticated Him by the signs (miracles) He performed. In Matt. 3:16-19 the Father spoke in an audible voice confirming that Jesus was the Son of God . And if the truth be told it didn’t matter how many witnesses Jesus had they were never going to believe and receive him. They were too busy being carnal that they couldn ‘t see the Forest for trees. They already had plenty of proof but yet the Pharisees refused to acknowledge it . Sadly this same type of refusal often occurs today when people are presented with the truth about Christ . The coldness in many hearts and the blindness of many eyes keep people form acknowledging what is obviously the truth about him. Unless the light of the glorious gospel shine unto them , they will not be converted See 2 Co.4:4 “In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.”

Verse 19 John8:19 “Then said they unto him, Where is thy Father? Jesus answered, Ye neither know me, nor my Father: if ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also.” Again the pharisees were thinking in mere human terms , so they asked about his earthly father .Jesus’ reply revealed their ignorance, because their ignorance of Jesus showed their ignorance of God, for Jesus in the Revelation of the Father . See John 1:14 “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:18 “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” John 14:9 “Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?” Knowing Jesus is knowing the Father. John recorded this truth on more that one occasion to establish that Jesus is God. To have the son is to have the father . See John 5:23 “That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.” See also 1 John 2:23 “Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: (but) he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.”

Verse 20 John 8:20 “These words spake Jesus in the treasury, as he taught in the temple: and no man laid hands on him; for his hour was not yet come.” This teaching took place in the treasury which was a public place and part of the court of women, which was a courtyard in the precincts of the temple where women were allowed . This area was near the place where offering were put. We all know the Pharisees were out to kill Jesus John 7:1 “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee: for he would not walk in Jewry, because the Jews sought to kill him.” John 7:19 “Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?” See John 7:25 “Then said some of them of Jerusalem, Is not this he, whom they seek to kill?” No one laid hands on him or seized him( piazo, arrested) because as John repeatedly pointed out , Jesus was working on God’s time schedule to accomplish the Father’s will . See John 2:4 “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.” John 7:6 “Then Jesus said unto them, My time is not yet come: but your time is alway ready.” John 7:30 “Then they sought to take him: but no man laid hands on him, because his hour was not yet come.” Verses when his hour had come John 12:23 “And Jesus answered them, saying, The hour is come, that the Son of man should be glorified.” John 12:27 “Now is my soul troubled; and what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour: but for this cause came I unto this hour.” John 13:1 “Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.” John 17:1 “These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee:” 3

3 OUTLINE THE OFFER OF ESCAPE FROM DARKNESS . John 12:44-46.

Verse 44 John12:44 “Jesus cried and said, He that believeth on me, believeth not on me, but on him that sent me.” Jesus cried out in a loud voice which indicated the importance of the issues before the nation. Again He is testifying of his deity as the Son of God. He was totally one with God .John 10:30 “I and my Father are one.” John 17:22 “And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one:” This is now the final week of Jesus’s life .He had already made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem vs John 12:12-15.He reminded them that the light was going to be with them for only a short time more , after which they needed to be certain they walked in light and not in darkness as noted in John 12:35 “Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.” Even though there were many unbelievers there were many that did believe even some of the rulers as noted in John 12:42 “Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:” The main gist was anyone who believed in Him was at the same time believing in God,.

Verse 45 John 12:45 “And he that seeth me seeth him that sent me.” Jesus’ cry was loud enough so that everyone in the vicinity could hear . He was saying anyone who sees Him for who He really is also was seeing God for her really is . Jesus was claiming his deity as being the visible manifestation of God who sent him . John 1:18 “No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” See Col. 1:15 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:” See also Heb. 1:3 “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” So to believe in Jesus is to believe in God and to see Jesus is to see the Father who sent him .John 14:7-9 “If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?”

Verse 46 John 12:46 “I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.” As I alluded to at the beginning of this lesson the world was in darkness . All had sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Jesus came to lead people out of Satan’s kingdom of darkness into God’s Kingdom of love and light John 1:4 “In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” Col.1:13-14 “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:”

In conclusion that light that was taken out of the world that day of calvary as the light the son of mas was being taken out of the world the SUN refused to shine and darkness covered the earth for the space of three hours . Every believer has this light on the inside in the presence of the Holy Ghost and it is revealed to those who are lost as we are led by the holy spirit and let our light shine for all the world to see . In the end when heaven is here on earth Jesus will show the world again that he is indeed the light of the world for there will be no need for moon or the son because he will be the light .

See Rev. 21:23 “And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.