Light of the World (2)
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Jesus is the Light of the World
1. Introduction:
Well have you ever been in real darkness. Your phones flat. Can’t find your keys. Can’t see where you are. Don’t feel very safe. Have you ever been in true darkness? Terrible isn’t it? Now close your eyes, imagine total darkness. No source of light to be seen anywhere. Imagine you cannot escape this darkness. Everywhere you look, everywhere you search you cannot see anything. Groping in the dark. and Imagine that darkness is all you will experience for the rest of your life. how would that feel to experience that darkness? Fear? Confusion? Hopelessness, despair. You can open your eyes now, don’t fall asleep.
Darkness is how the Gospel of John describes this state of the world. John 3:19 “And this is the judgment; the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works are evil.” This world is in the darkness of sin. It’s under God’s judgment. It’s the darkness of death that hangs over every person. Friends, this world is dark. People are unable to see in front of themselves to know where to go to find God and find life. that’s the picture that John gives of us apart from Christ.
And in that darkness, in that dark world we live in Jesus makes this big bold and bright claim in verse 12 “I am the light of the world. Jesus is one who spiritually switches the light on. In fact Jesus says he is the light of the world. You want light look to him. he’s the constant light. Shining in a dark world.
2. Context:
These are incredible words. Remember he says this at the feast of tabernacles. They are still there. In fact from chapter 7:10 all the way to chapter 10:21 it’s all set during this feast. He’s made his grand appearance in the temple. And the crowds are amazed. But the Jewish leaders are not. Because Jesus says things like ‘if anyone is thirsty, he should come to me and drink. He is the living water.’ But there is already ceremonial water there for the people. Jesus turns the festival on its head. He says this festival points to me. I give the life giving spirit. I bring God’s salvation. I will give eternal life.
This makes them angry. And just to ratchet it another notch he says in chapter 8 verse 12
3. Jesus is the light of the world (8:12)
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
This is one of Jesus’ most famous sayings ever. What does he mean? Light is a big theme in the Bible. If we think about it a little, first we see that God is the one who gives light. Right at the beginning in Genesis 1:3
And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
In fact He gave the sun moon stars to give light day and night.
And after God rescued the Israelites his people from Egypt, He guided them through the wilderness with light.
Exodus 13:21 (ESV)
And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.
God’s glory is described as blazing light.
Jesus is saying I’m from God. I give light so that you can see. I’m glorious. I’m righteous. But he is saying more. He is light. He is saying I”m the Messiah. Come to Isaiah 49: 6
he says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”
He’s the Messiah. At this point in history, Israel was looking forward to a light that would shine in the darkness. They are looking for the Messiah. Jesus says here I AM that light. I am the promised Messiah who will bring salvation. The light Isaiah prophesised about. I will bring people out of sin and death and judgment. I will come to bring light. Not just to Israel. But to the nations – to the ends of the earth.
And think about it, all of this was made even more vivid at the feast of tabernacles. All these people are gathered in Jerusalem. They lived in tents for a whole week to remember God rescued his people from Egypt. They remember that God provided for food and water. And at one point in the festival they would put up 4 giant lampstands. It was the ceremony of illumination of the temple. They did this to remind them that God gave them a pillar of fire by night to remind them He was with them. In the darkness as they went to the promised land, he would be with them. Here, Jesus is in the temple lights beaming and he says I AM the light. With this simple image, he is saying I am the messiah. This festival you celebrate. It’s about me. I save people out of the darkness of sin and death and God’s wrath. That’s is good news. Good news then. and good news today.
But here’s the thing, the Jews just getting angrier. really that’s the rest of the passage. it’s challenge after challenge. they see him as a law breaker – he doesn’t follow the Sabbath. They see him as a troublemaker claiming to be God. they are confused. They are losing control, their authority is at stake. They already wanted to arrest him. They are the ones in darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.” So the Jews challenge his claim.
4. The Jews challenge his claim (8:13-20)
Come to verse 13 with me:
So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”
Do you see what they are saying? It’s clever. Your testimony is about yourself. In the Old Testament law, you needed two or three witnesses to establish a truthful testimony. That’s Deuteronomy 19: 15
Deuteronomy 19:15 (ESV)
“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
You’re the only one saying these things about yourself Jesus. Experientially, this makes sense. You go to a restaurant. You look at testimony, reviews. multiple reviews. I don’t go anywhere unless it’s at least 4.5 stars on google. i’m looking for roller blades for the girls. i’m reading them reviews. i’m looking at the feedback. i’m looking for experts to tell me which ones are good.Or more seriously, you find witnesses and testimonies for court cases. It makes sense. The Jews challenge his claim. Why should we believe you? Where are your witnesses? Jesus’ response is remarkable. Not only does he shut them down, he gives us an insightful into the Trinity. In the relationship between the Father and Son. It’s staggering. Look at verse 14
Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.
He says my testimony is valid. It’s because of who I am. And where I have come from. I’ve come from heaven. I’ve come from my Father. and I’m going back to him. You think you know me. You think I’m this country bumpkin from Galilee. I’m actually from Him, my Father. I am from heaven. And I am right. I have the backing of my father.
Let’s be clear, he answers their question. You say you need two witnesses verse 17
In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”
There are no two better witnesses than these.
1. Me. The one sent by God the Father.
2. God the Father himself. He has testified about me. In the scriptures in the Old Testament the Scriptures testified about me.
Jesus is making big claims. He is the Messiah. He comes from His father. He is God.
He answers their questions but they don’t get it. they’ll like where’s your dad? We want to check his story. Jesus ramps it up another notch. Look at verse 19 second half
John 8:19 (ESV)
Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
He’s saying two things here. he’s saying God is my father. and I am completely united to him. If you know Jesus the Son then you know the Father. If you know God the Father then you would know and accept Jesus the Son. This is the big claim he is making. He is one with the Father. with the Spirit, we are 3 persons 1 God. If you know me, you know the God of the universe. I am the way to know God. That’s amazing, isn’t it? We can know the God of the universe. He has revealed himself to us. We can know God personally through his Son Jesus. To know Jesus is to know God.
This leads to the second thing Jesus is saying here to the Jewish leaders here. You don’t know God. You don’t know the very God you claim to worship. You don’t know the God of our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. The God you believe is a fake. He’s made up in your mind. Because He sent me. But you reject me. Can you see how offensive this would be for them? You don’t know the God of this temple. You don’t know the God of the Scriptures. imagine spending all your life believing a lie. unwilling to budge on it. unwilling to humble yourself to see that Jesus is from God. he is God. that’s what we see here.
the Jews are like ah whatever. So they challenge Jesus’ testimony. But really what you see is that Jesus is challenging them.
5. But it is really Jesus challenging them (8:21-30)
Look at verse 21
So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.”
What do these words mean? Jesus says, when you understand the whole story, you know what he is saying. When you know he’s from the Father, from heaven, and he has come and will ascend to the Father in heaven. He’s saying, I’m going you will try to find me but you will not be able to go where I am. But you will die in your sin. You will live in darkness. You will live in unbelief.
Surprise surprise they are confused. They pick up on the word die and they say verse 22
So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”
Where can he go? How can we not find him if he is on this earth. They think he is crazy. Verse 23 Jesus claims again to be from the father, unlike them. Because he is sent from the Father, because they refuse to believe in him
I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
Jesus is saying you will remain unrepentant. Unwilling to know God. unwilling to believe in me. He’s challenging them. If you do not believe in me you will die in judgment of your sins. This is not just an argument between two equal warring parties. This is God speaking. the one who has authority over life itself. the light of the world. and there’s a pointy end to this.
Jesus warns them. and he warns us that if we don’t come to him we will indeed die in our sin. 3 times in this passage. Die in your sins. Die in your sins. Die in your sins. That lays heavy on me. Unless you believe that Jesus is from God, He is God, he is the Lord and Saviour, then you will die in your sins.
Here’s a morbid thought. Have you given thought to how or when you will die? In a car? Bed? Asleep.. Jesus is saying what really matters is you don’t die in your sins. This means, you don’t want to die outside of a relationship with Jesus. You don’t want to die not knowing Christ. Do not die without believing in Jesus. the one sent from the Father. Die by taking all your sins and putting them at the foot of the cross. Believe in Jesus. That’s why Jesus came. He is the light of the world. He reveals to us we are dark. We are slaves to sin. We would die in our sins if we don’t come to Jesus. So come to him.
But positively, what if you do believe who he says he is? The good news of God’s grace is this; if you believe. You will not die but you will live. You will not die in your sins. You will live free of them. This is the message he has been proclaiming all throughout the Gospel. everyone who believes in Jesus will not perish but have eternal life. Praise God!
The Jews do not get it. They get more enraged.
So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.
Verse 25 another question “Who are you?” or who do you think you are? That’s really the question. Jesus says to them – he’s exasperated “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.” I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” I speak God’s words. My teaching comes from him. Even his desperation doesn’t work. Verse 27 they did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.
So he gives one more proof. The purpose of his coming. The final proof that he is from the Father.
So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me.
What’s he talking about? Yet again he’s talking about the cross. he’s talking about the time the Jewish leaders will lift him up nailed to a wooden cross. And it’s a funny way to talk about it. Lifted up. Normally it’s positive. You lift up praise to God. you lift up a brother by encouraging them. You lift up someone worthy of honor. Jesus talks about this crucifixion and death as being lifted up. Why? That’s where the story is headed. That’s the hour he is headed towards. That’s why he says verse 20 his hour had not yet come. It’s at that point on the cross. that’s the moment when it looks like he is defeated, lifted up to die. That’s the moment he is actually glorious. He is victorious lifted up in glory. Because what Jesus is doing in that moment is the unthinkable. He is bringing salvation to the world. He is paying for your sin my sin the sin of his people. He is doing his father’s will. he is enduring the wrath of his father. he is going through darkness so that we might have the light of life through him.
So Jesus says when you lift me up then you will see I am who I say I am. Then even a Roman Centurion will say surely he is the Son of God. verse 28 he says you will know that I am he and I do nothing on my own. He shows his perfect unity with the father. unity of purpose. Jesus is not alone in anything he does. The father is with him. Working with him. Giving him his teaching. Jesus as a faithful son always does what his father desires. He is fully obedient son of the Father. he is the one and only Son of God from the Father. Jesus is the light of the world. It doesn’t matter who challenges him. He is the one who challenges us all. but he is the only loving God who saves us from sin by faith.
6. Some closing thoughts
for some closing thoughts, friends, It doesn’t matter about the challenges that come. Jesus keeps telling us who he is in this passage. he is the light of the world. we need to hold firm and know that he is from the father. He is the one with the unique and perfect united relationship with his Father. he is united in person and united in purpose. Everything he does is with the Father’s purpose. The father does his plan through Jesus. Together they are working out their plan for the world. Those who believe in him who follow the light, they will be saved. that’s what we are to know.
so, the main response to this passage is very clear isn’t it?
Verse 30 believe. Yet again we see the crowds responding well. they believe in him. That’s how we respond to Jesus in this passage. that’s how we respond to his claims of Jesus. To believe in him. To believe who he says he is. sometimes a passage in the Bible says here’s what you should do. Here’s what you shouldn’t do. I hope you’ve realised John doesn’t really do that. It’s not a list of things to do. No he wants to leave us with a vision of a man. Jesus. God’s son. the one who challenges us. Hear his big claims he is the light of the world. do you believe that? that he is th Messiah, the Lord and Saviour?
and believe, even when when the world says you’re stupid. Why believe that? Why believe in this Jesus? they wrote him off back then. They will continue to write him off. He is a fool and so are you for believing in him. But if Jesus really is who he says he is. if he is the Son of God, how can we do anything but find the life he promises. No, he is the light of the world. When we know Christ, we have eternal life. we have light and life. see life as Jesus teaches us. we’re in the light. we’re no spiritual darkness all because of Jesus. Friends, give praise and glory to God. praise him. Praise him for his great love, not what we do, but what he does.