Jesus: The Great I Am-Light of the World

As we saw again Sunday night before last, Jesus said in John 8:58: “before Abraham was, I Am.”

So, in John 8:58 we have the foundation for the rest of the 7 “I AM” statements in the Gospel of John.

A statement from the lips of Jesus that directly equates Him with God.

No ambiguity.

Just like the Father told Moses at the burning bush, Jesus says, “I Am”

As I said last week, the 7 “I AM” statements that form the core of John’s gospel are:

1. “I am the bread of life” (6:35).

2. “I am the light of the world” (8:12; 9:5).

3. “I am the gate” (10:7, 9).

4. “I am the good shepherd” (10:11).

5. “I am the resurrection and the life” (11:25).

6. “I am the way and the truth and the life” (14:6).

7. “I am the true vine” (15:1).

Week before last we looked at how Jesus is the Bread of Life.

This morning we used that same scripture as we partook of The Lord’s Supper together.

Light of the World

But tonight, as we go to the Lord in prayer, we remember that He is the Light of the World.

John 8:12 (LSB) Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will never walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”

Because He is the Light of the World we know the darkness cannot stand before Him.

John 1:1–5 (NLT) In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God. 3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness can never extinguish it.

The darkness of sin cannot extinguish the Light of Jesus.

Jesus said in: John 3:19–21 (LSB) “And this is the judgment, that the Light [talking of Himself] has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light lest his deeds be exposed. 21 “But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been done by God.”

So sin cannot extinguish the Light, but rather, for those who will confess it, the Light of Jesus extinguishes sin and washes it away.

Physical or emotional sickness cannot extinguish the Light of Jesus.

Instead the Light of Jesus extinguishes pain and sickness.

Doctors think that a laser is a powerful tool to cut away diseased tissue, but a laser has nothing on the Light of Jesus — it can not only cut away but bring full restoration of health.

Pray that the Light Breaks Through the Darkness

Whatever need we have, let’s pray for the Light of Jesus to invade the darkness of that need.

Pray for a break through!

We don’t have to pray that the Light of the World is strong enough — He Is !

No, rather let’s pray that the people walking in darkness will see a great light.

That it will be as Isaiah 9:2 (The Message: The Bible in Contemporary Language) The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. For those who lived in a land of deep shadows— light! sunbursts of light!

That the scales will be removed from their eyes as they let Jesus, The I Am, the Light of the World shine into their lives:

2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLT) Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

Only the Holy Spirit speaking through the deception of the devil can bring them to this place of deliverance.

Pray the Holy Spirit will and that people will yield to what He is saying.

That people will let the Light shine in their darkness and dispel sin, shame and brokenness.

In our 30 days of prayer for the US, since Friday and on through Tuesday we have prayed and continue to pray for teenagers and young adults.

Let’s pray they will have a revelation of the Light of Jesus.

That the Light of Jesus will cut through the darkness of the lies and deception they are fed in public school and secular universities.