John 8:12-20 manuscript

Intro

Why is light important?

It helps us see

It causes growth

It shows us imperfections

Light from the Sun guides us and gives us direction

Light was the first thing that God created. “Let there be light”.

Psalm 119:105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”

Light brings many good things. But it also must always have a source. And so when we think about light, we must not think only about the light, but we must think about where the light begins. And so, as we turn to Scripture, let us look at the beauty of Jesus, because he is our light.

Read Text

Feast of Booths. What is it? Right after harvest. An 8 day celebration

Leviticus 23:42–43 “You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.””

The feast of booths was a celebration of the harvest that God had given them. But also, it was a specific time to remember what God had done for them during their time wandering in the wilderness. That’s why they lived in booths for a week, because they were remembering what it was like to wander in the wilderness. During this feast, there were 2 ceremonies that the Israelites practiced:

In the first ceremony, it would happen in the morning, and they would get water from the Pool of Siloam and recite Psalm 114:7–8 “Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.”

This was a way that they remembered God providing life giving water to them when there was no water to be found. It was because of this that Jesus cried out, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink.”

The Gospel of John, Volume 2: Christ and Judaism (John 5–8): An Expositional Commentary The Cloud in the Desert

The second ceremony was similar. On the first night of the feast, and probably on succeeding nights also, after the sun had set, two great lamps were lighted in the courts of the temple. These were said to have cast their light over every quarter of the city. The lamps were meant to recall the pillar of cloud and fire that had accompanied the people in their wanderings in the desert. This was the cloud that had appeared on the day when the people left Egypt and had stood between the Israelites and the pursuing armies of the Egyptians the night before the crossing of the Red Sea. It kept the Jewish people from being attacked. Later it guided the people through the wilderness. It also spread out over them to give shade by day and light and warmth by night.

The Jewish people knew that the pillar of fire and cloud was God. This was no surprise. So when Jesus cried out, I am the light of the world, they would have immediately recognized, He is telling them, “Guys! I am the pillar of cloud and fire that brought you out of the wilderness!

While this may seem like a crazy statement, Jesus doesn’t stop there. He continues on and says, “Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” Just like the Israelites followed the pillar of cloud and fire, so must we follow after Jesus.

Think about, if the pillar went right, they went right. If the pillar went left, they went left. If Jesus says, follow me, do what I do and what I command you to do, you will have eternal life. What better thing could you want? Jesus offers you the best! But if you do not follow Jesus, what is their to gain? Darkness. Death. Jesus is not with you.

Isaiah 60:19 “The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.”

Obviously the Pharisees understood exactly what He meant because they respond by telling him that he is lying. They play one of their favorite Mosaic Law trump cards and say, “Ha! You can’t be telling the truth, because you are the only witness! You are the only one saying it!”

But Jesus was not taken off guard. He responds expertly. To summarize this passage, let me say this:

I witness is true because I am God. But also God the Father says that what I am saying is true.

So the Pharisees clap back with a na-na-na-na-boo-boo. Where is your daddy? Oh that’s right. Joseph is dead.

But Jesus is not talking about Joseph, because Joseph wasn’t his Father. God was.

Jesus wants you to have the light of life.

So let’s take a step back and look at how we can apply this to us.

What is the light of life? It is salvation.

The cost of salvation is nothing that you can earn. You don’t have to produce the light because Jesus is the light. You don’t have to keep the light going because Jesus is eternal.

But you must follow Jesus. Following Jesus doesn’t look like a one time prayer. Think back to the Israelites in the wilderness. When they followed the pillar of cloud and fire, did they turn off the path? No, wherever the pillar went, they went. If the pillar stopped they stopped. In the same way, you must follow Jesus. Whatever he says, you do.

The result of this is that you will not walk in darkness. What does it mean to walk in darkness? It means to continue in your sin. Darkness is often what describes hell.

Jude 13 “wild waves of the sea, casting up the foam of their own shame; wandering stars, for whom the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved forever.”

2 Peter 2:4, 2 Peter 2:17 “These are waterless springs and mists driven by a storm. For them the gloom of utter darkness has been reserved.” “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to chains of gloomy darkness to be kept until the judgment;”

It means that you continue to deny with your life, that Jesus is God, and that you do not obey him.

But here is the amazing thing. These same Pharisees, I’m guessing, had already denied Jesus many times. And guess what, Jesus continued to give them the chance to repent and believe!

Find mercy and grace in Jesus

I don’t want to belabor this point. But Jesus does not give up on these Pharisees and religious leaders. He shows them their sin, in desire that they repent. I’m skipping ahead a little bit of my text, but look at John 8:24 “I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”” What does this mean but that Jesus is giving them yet another opportunity to repent.

Don’t think that Jesus is like you. Don’t think that you have sinned too much.

When you repent of your sin and follow Jesus, Jesus pays for your sin. That means that you are forgiven completely of all of your sin.

You haven’t lied too many times, fought with your siblings too much, looked at too many things you shouldn’t have, disobeyed your parents to much.

Jesus doesn’t put time limits on the salvation that he offers. If you have breath, you can turn from your sins to Jesus. Follow Jesus and have life.