Jesus Light of the world
After Pentecost • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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“I am the Light of the World”
Welcome
Welcome everyone to the service and explain to people that you will be looking at the second of Jesus’ seven “I am” statements that are recorded in John’s Gospel; “I am the light of the world.”
Opening Prayer
Jesus, light of the words,
We welcome You here today.
Open our eyes to see You,
That we might worship and adore You.
Amen.
Opening song (Children’s choice)
Song (Light of the World)
Warm up
I want you to imagine for a moment that you are fast asleep in your bed and suddenly you wake up in the middle of the night and it is pitch black.
• You are feeling rather frightened as you cannot see anything.
• Would this (Hold up lamp) be good news or bad news? (Receive answers)
• It would be good news wouldn’t it, as you would be able to see things again.
Now imagine that you are walking through the woods and suddenly it has become really dark, and you are struggling to see the path ahead.
• Would this (Hold up torch) be good news or bad news? (Receive answers)
• It would be good news wouldn’t it as you would be able to see the path ahead.
And finally imagine that you are the captain of a ship out on the sea at night and that you need to avoid hitting the rocks as you come into shore.
• Would this (Show lighthouse or picture of lighthouse) be good news or bad news? (Receive answers)
• It would be good news wouldn’t it as you would be able to see to avoid the rocks.
In many different situations that we find ourselves in, we know that light is good news, because it makes it possible for us to see.
Jesus said something very interesting about himself. He said: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
• Jesus being the light of the world is good news for each one of us.
• During this service we are going to discover a little more about what that means.
Memory Verse (with pictures)
I AM
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME
WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS
BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE
JOHN 8:12
(repeat a couple of times)
Show without pictures
Link
When Jesus said to the Jewish people, “I am the light of the world,”
• the Rabbis or the teachers of the law would have heard Jesus claiming to be God.
• They knew that King David had said in one of his Psalms, “The LORD is my light and my salvation—whom shall I fear?” (Psalm 27:1)
When Jesus said to the Jewish people, “I am the light of the world,” they would also have been reminded that God had shown himself as light to their ancestors when they had wandered through the wilderness for 40 years.
• During that time God lead, them through a pillar of cloud by day and through a pillar of fire by night.
• Listen to this.
Reading (with pictures)
21 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.
22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.
Talk one
So, when Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life….”
• the people would have heard Jesus claiming to be the God who kept their ancestors safe from the dangers in the wilderness.
You can imagine that wandering around the wilderness in the dark would have been very dangerous.
• There would have been all sorts of physical dangers like deadly insects and dangerous animals.
• The pillar of fire at night especially helped people to keep on the safe path.
But Jesus didn’t come to keep us safe from the physical dangers of deadly insects and animals.
• Jesus came to lead us on the safe path through life;
• the path that one day will lead us to being with Him in heaven,
• the path that avoids the spiritual danger of being separated from Father God for all eternity....
So, the first thing we can say is that if we follow Jesus, the light of the world, He will lead us on the safe path through life,
• a bit like the lighthouse we mentioned earlier that keeps ships on the safe path.
Song (My Lighthouse)
Jesus, the light of the world said that if we follow Him, we will have the light of life; in other words, He will keep us on the safe path through life.
Jesus also said that whoever follows him will never walk in darkness.
It is very hard to find your way in the dark, isn’t it?
• Can you imagine how hard it must be for blind people to find their way around?
• One day Jesus, the light of the world met a blind man. Let’s see what happened.
Drama Script
Narrator: Today I want each one of you here to imagine that you have been following Jesus in his travels and that you are part of a large crowd. As words come up on the screen (or held up) please speak them out as loudly as you can.
Oh who have we here?
(Blind man appears at the front of church, wearing dark glasses, walking slowly and tapping his stick. When he reaches the chair which is positioned centre stage, he sits down and holds out his begging bowl.)
It is Bill….begging again. He has been blind since he was born…..and the only way he can make a living is by begging…..
Hang on a moment, I can see Jesus…..he is approaching Jericho.
(Enter Jesus, who walks slowly from the back of the church to the front…..)
I wonder if he is going to do anything exciting today.
Crowd: It’s Jesus…..welcome to Jericho……welcome to Jericho
Blind Bill:
What’s happening?
Crowd:
Jesus of Nazareth is passing by
Blind Bill:
Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!
Crowd:
How dare you shout at Jesus…..be quiet Bill…..show some respect!
Blind Bill: (Shouts loudly) JESUS, SON OF DAVID, HAVE MERCY ON ME!
(By this time Jesus has arrived at the front of church and near blind Bill)
Jesus: What do you want me to do for you?
Blind Bill: Lord, I want to see
Jesus: Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.
(Blind Bill slowly stands up, removes his dark glasses, looks around in amazement and says)
Blind Bill: I can see, I can see. Praise God I can see.
(Jesus walks back down the aisle with Blind Bill as the crowd shout)
Crowd: Praise God, Praise Him who makes the blind to see
Talk 2
When the blind man met Jesus, the light of the world, Jesus made it possible for the blind man to see.
• Imagine what it must have been like for him to see the sun and the sky for the first time.
• Imagine what it must have been like for him to see Jesus.
• It must have been like being in a dark room then suddenly someone putting on
the lights. (Hold up your lamp and switch it on. Then place it somewhere where it can be seen for the rest of the service)
The blind man’s life was totally changed….no longer did he have to walk in darkness,
• Everything changed because he could now see and walk in the light.
Jesus is the One who helps us to see too.
• Most of us are not physically blind like the man in our Bible story, but we are all spiritually blind and walking in darkness until Jesus opens our spiritual eyes.
When Jesus opens our spiritual eyes, we are able to see God as He really is; • His goodness, His love, His holiness and His beauty.
When Jesus opens our spiritual eyes, we are able to see the darkness of the sin that we often choose to walk in;
• the darkness of greed, lies, selfishness, jealousy, bad temper and other sins.
If we choose to follow Jesus, His promise to us is that we will never walk in darkness.
• We will see things as they really are.
• But sometimes if we are honest, we may prefer to walk in darkness. Let’s see what James is up to:
Puppet show
Grandad:
Ah lovely to see you James…it’s been a while since I saw you last.
James:
I know Grandad….it seems like ages.
Grandad:
I normally see you in church on Sundays James but recently you haven’t been coming. What’s going on?
James:
Oh this and that Grandad.
Grandad:
How about telling me about the “this and that” James?
James:
Just stuff Grandad.
Grandad:
James, I may be getting old, but I am not stupid. What’s the problem?
James:
The Minister Grandad.
Grandad:
Right. And what has the Minister done now?
James:
I’m an earwig Grandad…..you know me.
Grandad:
(In a totally bewildered voice.) An earwig James….what are you talking about?
James:
(Starts singing) earwiggo, earwiggo, earwiggo…..
Grandad:
(Interrupts the singing) That’s enough James. Now I know that you like football, but what is all this nonsense about being an earwig?
James:
Earwigs live in the dark Grandad, and they do not like coming out into the light! I’m an earwig.
Grandad:
James, have you been watching some strange nature programmes recently?
James:
No Grandad…but I am an earwig. Earwigs do not like the light, and the Minister told us that He is going to ask Jesus to come with his great big light and show up all of our sins.
Grandad:
I see…now things are becoming clearer.
James:
Grandad…what if Jesus shows up one Sunday and tells everyone about all the wrong things I’ve done……there are so many that I would die of embarrassment? That’s why I haven’t been coming to church. I’m an earwig!
Grandad:
Oh James, Jesus isn’t like that. He loves you so much that he wouldn’t humiliate you in front of everyone else. He wants to bring you freedom from the wrong things that you have done, not shame….. but it is only in His presence that we see those wrong things. That is why He is sometimes described as a light.
James:
Oh… I see….so I don’t need to hide anymore.
Grandad:
No, you don’t James. Shall I see you in church next Sunday now we’ve sorted that one out?
James:
I’m not sure that the Minister will want me in church any more now Grandad.
Grandad:
What do you mean James? Of course he will.
James:
I left him a little present in his pockets!
Grandad:
Go on
James:
Earwigs Grandad, Earwigs!
Grandad:
James!
Confession (paper with this on)
Let’s ask Jesus now to show us our sins so that we can confess them to Him and be set free from them.
• Please take the prayer that you were given earlier and let’s pray it together saying:
In the light of your presence Jesus, show us the sins we need to confess to You and turn away from. Amen.
And now let’s listen to what Jesus shows us…..
• As he reminds you of sins that you need to confess, write them on your paper or draw them on your paper.
• This is just between you and God.
• You won’t be asked to show your paper to anyone…..PAUSE
Let’s pray together:
Lord, we confess that we have sinned against You, in the things that we have thought, said and done.
We are really sorry and turn away from these sins.
Please forgive us and set us free to walk in the light.
Amen.
Fold your paper in half then come and lay it on the tray, which is in the light, as a way of saying that you have brought your sins into the light of Christ, and therefore you are forgiven.
• All the pieces of paper will be destroyed after the service…..no one is going to read them!
Song (Jesus be the centre)
Memory Verse
I AM
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME
WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS
BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE
JOHN 8:12
Talk 3.
So far, we have discovered that Jesus, the light of the world will:
1) Lead us on the safe path through life (point at the lighthouse) and
2) Help us see things as they really are (point at the lamp) so that we are not walking in darkness.
And finally, Jesus, light of the world promises us His presence and that He will never leave us. (Hold up your candle and light it. Then place it somewhere where it can be seen for the rest of the service)
When the Israelites were in the wilderness, God never left them.
• He was with them through the pillar of cloud and the pillar of fire…..
When Jesus was born, one of the names given to Him was “Immanuel” which means God with us.
If we choose to follow Jesus, He has promised to never, ever leave us.
He said: “And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Matthew 28:40)
We may not be able to see Jesus, the light of the world, with our physical eyes, but He is with us through the power of the Holy Spirit.
When we have Jesus living so close to us, we don’t need to be afraid of anything,
• because He is God…..
• He is powerful, and He is good.
Candles (can we have a candle on each table adult to light)
Song (To be in your presence)
Memory verse (from memory)
I AM
THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
WHOEVER FOLLOWS ME
WILL NEVER WALK IN DARKNESS
BUT WILL HAVE THE LIGHT OF LIFE
JOHN 8:12
Prayer
Lord’s Prayer
Summary
Light is “good news” because it helps us to see. Jesus is the “Light of the world” If we choose to follow Jesus:
He will lead us on the safe path through life,
He will help us see things as they really are so that we are not walking in darkness and He will never leave us.
Final Song (In Christ alone)
Blessing
Jesus, You are the light of the world.
Keep us following You so that we never walk in darkness, but have the light of life, And the blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit be among you and remain with you always. Amen.
