I Am: "The Light of the World"
Notes
Transcript
Greeting:
Greeting:
Good morning
Welcome visitors
Come back and be with us
Lesson Text:
Lesson Text:
John 8:12
Opening:
Opening:
This morning we are continuing to study some statements made by Jesus...
Statements that give us some insight as to exactly who our Lord and Savior is.
We have noted there are 7 different statements that Jesus makes in scripture that are often referred to as the “I Am Statements”
Jesus, seven different times, will use this statement of I am and compare himself to some sort of earthly example.
Jesus took concepts people would have been familiar with and made a connection to who he is and what that means spiritually for us.
Sort of like our study on Sunday evenings of the parables...
Last week we looked at the first statement, I am the bread of life...
Jesus wanted his followers and disciples to look for a spiritual bread, an eternal bread, a bread that truly provides a sense of fullness and completeness.
He told them not to seek after a temporal or earthly bread, but one that is everlasting…
He wanted his followers to know truly who he was and what was avaliable in Jesus Christ...
Each lesson we will continue to build and add to who Jesus is.
This morning we come to our second statement...
Jesus tells us not only is He the bread of life, but He is the light of the world...
Jesus takes another concept we are all familiar with, light, and applies it to Himself...
What lessons can we learn from this statement of our Lord and Savior this morning?
We are going to look briefly at the setting, then the saying itself, and finally the significance of the saying...
Lesson:
Lesson:
If we go back a chapter, to chapter 7 we can see what leads up to Jesus’s statment in 8:12...
We find Jesus at the beginning of the chapter in a familiar place for Him, Galilee...
It’s interesting that Jesus spent a lot more time outside of Jerusalem than most may think.
We also know why he currently is in Galilee…
Jesus is there and not in Judea due to the Jews wanting to kill him...
After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him.
That only makes sense right, probably not the best to be somewhere people want you dead...
But we see throughout the chapter that Jesus ends up traveling to Judea though and we find Him in Jerusalem by the time we read his statement in 8:12
We see there in chapter 7 verse 2 a feast that is happening...
So his brothers tell Him He should go to the feast…
We see through verse 10 that He has made his way to Jerusalem to attend the Feast of Tabernacles...
This was one of the 3 annual major feasts that the Jewish male family leaders were required to attend.
So Jesus goes, but he goes in secret...
But when His brothers had gone up, then He also went up to the feast, not openly, but as it were in secret.
His brothers leaves and goes and then He sneaks in to the feast Himself...
Until he finds Himself right in the middle of the temple and begins teaching...
Now about the middle of the feast Jesus went up into the temple and taught.
We find Jesus here, going to a place where people wanted to kill Him… to teach.
Can you imagine that?
Before we even look at any other lessons this morning or takeaways this morning from what he actually said, what about the lesson that can be learned just from what he did?
Jesus goes somewhere his life is in jeopardy all for the sake of preaching and teaching…
How dedicated are we?
Jesus had a mission here on this earth, how devoted are we to the cause?
We don't have time this morning but, you can go through the rest of chapter 7 sometime and see the discussion He had there with the Pharisees and other Jews...
We can continue over into chapter 8 and see the setting further explained...
We see it is now early morning and Jesus has come back from the Mount of Olives to go back into the temple to again teach...
Verse 20 tells us where He is when he says these things..
These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.
He is in the treasury teaching...
If you study the layout of the temple you will see he is speaking in a section of the temple that was a part of an area known as the Court of Women...
A section of the temple where women were allowed to enter and it also housed the treasury for the temple.
In this court there were these massive lampstands on towers giving off light.
A light that not only lit up the temple but could be seen from the whole city...
Keep that in mind…
As we continue on in chapter 8, we see He is brought a woman caught in adultery by the scribes and pharisees and speaks to them concerning her...
So the setting is interesting…
It’s interesting here that we have a women that is living in darkness, living in sin, brought by people, also living in darkness, in a city who wants to kill Him, thats in darkness...
All of this darkness brought before Jesus.
Now does any of this relate or have anything to do specifically with our statement this morning?
Does the light stands matter? The fact that this is at sunrise? The fact he is surrounded by spiritual darkness so to say?
Maybe, maybe not, but I think its interesting to understand whats going on and to see the setting Jesus was in.
He is in the tabernacle of all places, with scribes and pharisees, in a city where they want Him dead, teaching and preaching against them...
Telling them that He is the light...
I don’t know about you but that’s pretty powerful to me.
So that’s our setting, now lets look at the actual statement he makes...
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
I wonder...
Did Jesus maybe point to those massive lamp stands or the sun rising and point out and say “I am the light of the world...”
Did he look at people and the situation and the darkness that he was surrounded by all due to sin, and make this statement?
Telling them “I am the light of the world…”
I don’t know but we do know throughout scripture we can see the contrasts of light and darkness...
We see light linked to goodness and to Christ, while darkness is linked to evil and to sin...
Its something fundamental that we are taught throughout the Bible
to open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.’
We see that contrasting difference between light and darkness, evil and good, Satan and God...
And here in our text we see Jesus say this of himself...
He says he is the light, the light of the world...
A world that is lost in darkness..
A world that is needing light, that is needing guidnace...
Jesus says that is me!!!
Jesus wants us to look to Him as the guiding light...
He wants us to look at Him as the light of our life...
Are we?
Are we walking in the light with Him?
Or are we living in darkness...
This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.
But you have not so learned Christ, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught by Him, as the truth is in Jesus: that you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.
The Bible tells us what walking in darkness looks like.
Scripture tells us what a life of sin and darkness is, its a life we once lived before we became a Christian...
However, we see that big little word from Paul…
BUT….
He says BUT you have no learned so in Christ. You have learned and know differently.
You have been taught the truth. You know the truth…
Therefore, Paul tells the Ephesians to put off this former man, to do away with this life of darkness and live in Christ!
Look for guidance in our lives!!
Look to that guiding light… Jesus
So many people in the world today I am afraid have this idea of good and evil, light and dark confused!
Maybe even we as Christians have forgotten the truth and forgot the things we were taught and should know…
The words of Isaiah fit well unfortunately in our world today…
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Has the world today substituted light for dark and good for evil?
Have we turned from things that we know are good and pure, to things that are sinful and evil?
Sin in this word is now encouraged, promoted, advertised…
Are we living in darkness?
Christians have to seek out the true light…
And that true light is found right here in Jesus…
I am the light of the world…
Continuing on, concerning this statement Jesus makes….
Jesus was said and prophesied about even that he would be this guiding light...
Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.
The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
Jesus has been foretold of coming and being this light for the world…
God has had this plan for mankind to provide this life changing light…
Think about how radically humans lives were changed when they invented and created artificial light here on earth…
Can you imagine going back to having no lights?
The same radical change took place spiritually in our lives too.
God sent his Son to be the light of the world for us!
This morning I want to finish out with our third main point…
Now that we have looked at the setting, and the statement, I want to look at the significance…
What should this saying mean to us?
The significance of this statement is that Jesus tells us he is the way!
HE shows us the way, and within the way provided us safety, security, and salvation…
Have you ever been trying to follow someone hiking maybe or walking and they have the light and you’re behind them trying to keep up and follow?
What happens if you don't keep up and follow closely?
You’re going to fall into darkness and maybe then literally fall, trip, be lost…
Thats the same thing that’s going to happen to us spiritually!
If we don't follow closely enough to Jesus we wont know where we are heading..
We will trip, we will stumble, we will fall away!
The significance of this statement is that there is no other way, there is no other light, there is no other option than Jesus Christ…
I know today many of us may think we can lead the way, maybe the world thinks its the way and its the light…
But its not, they aren’t, we aren’t…
Only Jesus is…
Will we follow Him?
Will we ourselves reflect that light that he gives?
“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Jesus tells us he is the light, but he also provides instruction to us…
He tells us as Christian’s we are to be a light as well.
We are reflections of the one true light, Jesus Christ…
Just like that little kids song says…. “I am going to let it shine…”
Are we going to let this little Christian light of mine shine?
Will we show others the way?
Will we lead others to Christ and teach them what the true light is and the true way is?
It’s up to us… IF we want the world saved from darkness its up to you and me to shine our light and reflect the ultimate light of Jesus…
Conclusion:
Conclusion:
This morning I want us to all think about our life…
If you’ve noticed throughout this lesson there are only two sides to choose from here..
Darkness or light…
Which one sums up your life?
Which life are you living?
Are you caught up in sin, are you living in darkness?
Are you cut off and separated from the light of the world… Jesus Christ?
I dont know about you but that’s the scariest place I could ever think about being, separated from Jesus Christ…
Or this morning are you walking in the light?
Are you clingy closely to Christ?
Are we reflecting the light he gives to others?
Are we doing what Christian’s should do?
We are one of these two this morning…
I hope we are all the latter, I hope we are all faithful towards God..
But this morning if you aren’t, change that…
This morning if you aren’t a Christian become one..
Follow the plan God has laid out for you us.
Get out of that darkness and as one of our songs says, step in the light…
If you are a Christian already this morning already are you walking in the light?
Or are you stumbling around in the dark?
Are you trying to be your own light, your own guidance, your own sense of direction?
If so I am sure if we stop and look around we will see how lost we are….
There is only one true way and that’s through Jesus Christ…
Come back home, see the light, and follow Him…
If anyone has a need this morning please come…
