Light notes

We all know that light is important. When our power goes out, what is the first thing we reach for? The flashlight, the candles, the phone light - we realize that we need light to see, to live in this world. And when we search for this light we are actually being image bearers of God. Because God too looked upon his creation and said that light was good. The first step in putting order into the formless void was to create light.

Now we could stop there, but this is not where God stops with light. In fact light become a very important theme throughout the Holy Writ. Light is given to the world as rulers. The greater light - the sun - for day and the lesser light - the moon- for the night. What we see in the scriptures is that light is not disembodied or ambiguous, instead light flows out of the rulers that God gives to us. And how much more do we see light flowing out the ultimate ruler or king of our universe. The Psalms tells us that the word of God is a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our path. This light is our guide, it shows us how to live life under the ruler of light.

This is an important fact for us to remember when we look at our passage today.

John 12

In our passage today Jesus is speaking to a crowd of Greeks who have come to the passover feast. And they begin to ask him questions about the coming son of man and the Christ. The crowd is drawing on the language from Daniel which talks of the son of Man who will come and be presented before the Ancient of Days to receive a throne of everlasting dominion.

The crowd is asking an important question - who is the king? Who is the king who will not pass, who’s kingdom will never be destroyed, Jesus of Nazareth is this you?

And how does Jesus respond? He says something that can strike us as strange. He begins to talk about the light. He tells the people that the light is only among them for a little while longer. And he exhorts the people to believe in the light. What is going on here? Why does Jesus respond in this way?

The Son of Man

Jesus is answering a question about the son of Man asked by a people who don’t understand what they are asking. To ask about the son of Man is to ask about a king, and Jesus responds by telling them what a king does. A king gives light, he is the guide for his people. He directs them where to go and what to do, and all of this is done because he is the light. The son of Man is the light that has come into the world. The son of Man is incarnate light. This is what the son of Man’s kingdom looks like.

John 1:9–10 tells us that “The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him.”

The light that entered the world is THE LIGHT. It is the eternal light. The light that shines forth in the new heavens and new earth so that we no longer require the sun. This light of the world came down and put on human flesh. And the world didn’t even recognize their light.

This is the light that has brought out of the kingdom of darkness and into the kingdom of light itself. It is the light that guides our path, the light that could not be held by the grave but instead burst forth on the glorious morning of the third day.

This is the light that we follow. It is a light that transforms us into sons of light. As we follow our saviour we are transformed into light bearers. We become the light of the world that points towards the greater light. As the moon reflects the light of the son so we reflect the light of our king. By walking in the light we become the lamp shines forth in the world.

Do not grow weary

So friends here is my exhortation to you this day. Do not grow weary of walking in this light, do not let the darkness overtake you. If you are a baptized christian then you belong to the kingdom of light. Do not grow weary walking in this light. You are a child of the light and reflect the glory of the king into the world.

Fathers as you clock in and clock out of work, as you come home and lead family worship and discipline your children. As you strain against the thorns and thistles of this world, as you stare down the leaky faucet, the broken trim work, and gutters that need cleaned - Do not grow weary. Our light, our Lord himself came down down and was a carpenter redeeming the work that you now do. One day you will hear well done my good and faithful accountant, line worker, truck driver, pastor. Well done my good and faithful servant.

Mothers as you raise babies, educate children, cook countless meals and stare down a never ending pile of laundry and dishes, do not grow weary. Our light, our Lord himself came and put on flesh and the all powerful creator of the universe entrusted himself to his mother for care, protection, and education. May you look at your home, family, and children and echo the phrase of Jesus’ own mother “I am blessed among women.”

Children, do not grow tired of your life right now. You have the tasks of school, homework, navigating your friend groups, and most importantly of honoring you father and mother. These are vital tasks that God has given to you right now, these are so important, this is exactly what God wants you to do right now. And your saviour, Jesus also did these things. To the point that even after Jesus was a grown man, he still honored his mother by turning water into wine at a wedding. And as Jesus hung on the cross, as he bore the wrath of God for the sins of the world, one of his final acts was to give the care of his beloved mother to one of his disciples. Jesus honored his mother just as you must honor your parents.

The light of the universe has come, it has put on flesh, it has walked the path that you now walk. Do not grow weary, do not let the darkness overtake, but faithfully follow the Son of Man, the light that shines forth.

In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Amen