I Am the Light of the World - Part 1
Notes
Transcript
I Am the Light of the World- Part 1
John 8:12-30
INTRODUCTION
Pillar of Fire- led God's children out of Egyptian captivity and through wilderness.
Feast of Tabernacles- remember the time in the wilderness.
Every night except Sabbath the worshipers would await the signal of a special lighting of the golden lampstands in Court of the Women.
-Followed by worship music led by priests.
In this setting Jesus claimed to be the light of the world.= he claimed to be God.
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.”
13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”
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.
15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.
17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true.
18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”
19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.
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.”
22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”
23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.
26 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.”
27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.
28 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.
29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”
30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
4 Reasons Jesus Must Be Our Light
4 Reasons Jesus Must Be Our Light
1. Light Reveals Truth (12-20)
1. Light Reveals Truth (12-20)
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.”
Jesus is again contrasting physical light and spiritual light (re-birth, water, food)
Testimony (13-14)
13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”
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 already gave them 4 testimonies (5:33-47)
John the Baptist, His Works, The Father, Scripture
Man's Judgment (15)
15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
Comes from flesh— Physical
Physical or Spiritual?
5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit.
16 From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer.
Jesus' Judgment (16)
16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.
Not the purpose of his coming.
17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one.
He will come again for judgment- but this coming was for the purpose of salvation.
ILL- Ignorance of the Law is no excuse.
Light shows truth.
WE cannot be prepared for judgment without knowing truth.
Preconceived Truth (17-19)
17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true.
18 I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”
19 They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”
Pharisees missed truth because they had mind made up.
Hard Hearts- did not receive the Word of God. (Seed and Sower)
Rejected what Jesus was saying.
2. Light Shows Destination (21-24)
2. Light Shows Destination (21-24)
ILL- traveling at night without roads- if you see a light- you go to the light. (just like bugs)
Destination (21-23)
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.”
22 So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”
23 He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.
Jews- unbelievers= you cannot come/ You don't know why.
1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me.
2 In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you?
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.
4 And you know the way to where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”
Qualifications (24)
24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”
Sinless
Believe
3. Light Brings Recognition (25-28)
3. Light Brings Recognition (25-28)
25 So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.
26 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.”
27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.
28 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.
It matters who you believe in.
Just because someone says" Jesus" doesn't mean they believe in the Jesus of the Bible.
Read the other day that some group has declared that Jesus never said the things that the Gospel of John says he said.
Someone who was not there by 2000 years decides they know better than someone who was the closest companion to Jesus.
Light only reveals what is already there. It helps us see reality/truth.
ILL- scared of the dark- when we turn on the light it doesn’t make bad things run away, it shows the reality that there weren’t any bad things in the room.
4. Light Shows Presence (29)
4. Light Shows Presence (29)
29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”
"with me"
God's will= God’s presence with us.
holy Spirit- God with us.
"Pleasing"= Do what God wants us to do.
Is God pleased with you?
CONCLUSION
30 As he was saying these things, many believed in him.
Will you believe in Jesus?
Will you believe in Jesus?