Walking in the Light

Introduction-Review:

John 8:

John 8:12 KJV 1900

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Last week we looked at the harmony of the law of God and the grace of God in the story of the woman caught in adultery.

We discussed these aspects of the law of God:

II. If you decide to, you can follow the light of Jesus (this is more than Salvation- this is discipleship and devotion)

III. Following Jesus results in a lighted path and not following Jesus results in a dark path

Psalm 119:105 KJV 1900

NUN. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, And a light unto my path.

Proverbs 6:23 KJV 1900

For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; And reproofs of instruction are the way of life:

In one scenario a person cannot properly discern anything and in the other scenario there is light to see and discernment is the result. Notice the discourse between Jesus and the Pharisees following the verse 12.

1. The Pharisees claimed Jesus was lying - why? because of who he claimed to be.

* What had he proclaimed?

To give everlasting life:

John 5:24 KJV 1900

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

Get the Light

The Law of God was added after Israel was delivered from Egypt as instruction for worshiping a holy God

Follow the Light

Continue in the Light

The Law of God condemns all (not just this woman caught in this espesually egregious sin)

Romans 3:19 KJV 1900

Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Romans 3:23 KJV 1900

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

How do I follow Jesus?

3. The Law was and is our schoolmaster, teaching us the holiness of God and the impossibility of attaining righteousness and redemption on our own.

Galatians 3:24–25 KJV 1900

Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

So the law brings this woman to Jesus and her faith in him delivers her from the penalty of sin, but the Lord does not stop with his gift of grace. He commands her to live under the gravity of that grace.

“go and sin no more”

John 8:11 KJV 1900

She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

This was a command to a redeemed woman and it is a command to you and I as well. She was delivered from the penalty of sin but Jesus wanted her to understand that she could also be delivered from the power of sin. Not some sinless state but rater a state where sin does not dominate. We will not be free from the presence of sin but we can be free from the power.

1 John 1:8 KJV 1900

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.

Not some sinless state but rater a state where sin does not dominate. We will not be free from the presence of sin but we can be free from the power.

Romans 6:14 KJV 1900

For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

So grace is the reason sin shall not dominate

All of this leads us to the very next statement of the Lord:

John 8:12 KJV 1900

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

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Declaration: There are only 2 types of people in this world- those walking in the light and those in darkness

Preposition: Are you following Jesus and walking in the light of his word?

Transition: I want us to notice carefully the distinct difference between these two choices

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I. Follow the Flesh by Instinct

John 8:15 KJV 1900

Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man.

Although Jesus: Fulfilled OT Prophecies, Performed Miracles, Preached with truth and Power…they still could not identify Him as the Messiah.

The issue revolved around the tool they were using to discern EXPLAIN WHAT THE FLESH IS

A. The Flesh is Weak

“an arm of flesh”

Hezekiah was Godly king and reformer in Israel

destroyed pagan idols

Commissioned the priests to cleanse the temple

Re instituted sacrifices

Revival was spreading in the land

Hezekiah had made a mistake in dealing with the Assyrian king previously but had another opportunity and rightly described his power:

2 Chronicles 32:8 KJV 1900

With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.

2 Chronicles 22:8 KJV 1900

And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them.

Although the flesh can seem strong, it is ultimately under the authority of Almighty God

2 Ch

B. The Flesh is Without Wisdom

Earthly Wisdom defined:

James 3:15 KJV 1900

This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.

1 Corinthians 2:16 KJV 1900

For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:6 KJV 1900

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

Earthly Wisdom demonstrated:

1 Corinthians 2:6 KJV 1900

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to nought:

C. The Flesh is Wayward

Jeremiah 10:23 KJV 1900

O Lord, I know that the way of man is not in himself: It is not in man that walketh to direct his steps.

Proverbs 14:12 KJV 1900

There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, But the end thereof are the ways of death.

Jeremiah

Illustration: Stephen Hawking is reported to be one of the smartest men on earth with an estimated IQ of over 160.

Here is a quote from this “very intelligent man”

'I'm an Atheist': Stephen Hawking on God and Space Travel. World-famous theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking says flat-out that he doesn't believe in God, but he does believe that space travel offers the best hope for our species' immortality.

What God says:

Psalm 14:1 KJV 1900

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, There is none that doeth good.

D. The Flesh is Worthy of No Confidence

Paul said “have no confidence in the flesh”

Philippians 3:3–6 KJV 1900

For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more: Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

Phil

Here is a quote from this “very intelligent man”

'I'm an Atheist': Stephen Hawking on God and Space Travel. World-famous theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking says flat-out that he doesn't believe in God, but he does believe that space travel offers the best hope for our species' immortality.

What God says:

Psalm 14:1 KJV 1900

The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, There is none that doeth good.

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We have looked at the utter worthless nature of our flesh, now notice the 2nd option we have:

II. Follow the Lord by Faith

John 8:12 KJV 1900

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Jn

There are 3 key elements in this verse we should notice:

The Precept - God is light

The Promise - if we follow Jesus Christ we will have the light of life

The Protection - if we follow Jesus Christ we will not walk in darkness

“he that followeth me”

“he that followeth me”

Following Christ is a choice we make

A. The Reality of Following Jesus

Not everything is going to go your way. It requires losing our lives! We are called and commanded to do it! It is a lifetime commitment!

Great example of what it means to follow Jesus

Matthew 8:18–27 KJV 1900

Now when Jesus saw great multitudes about him, he gave commandment to depart unto the other side. And a certain scribe came, and said unto him, Master, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head. And another of his disciples said unto him, Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father. But Jesus said unto him, Follow me; and let the dead bury their dead. And when he was entered into a ship, his disciples followed him. And, behold, there arose a great tempest in the sea, insomuch that the ship was covered with the waves: but he was asleep. And his disciples came to him, and awoke him, saying, Lord, save us: we perish. And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm. But the men marvelled, saying, What manner of man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey him!

How can I follow Jesus?

How can I follow Jesus?

“continue in my word”

John 8:31–32 KJV 1900

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

John 8:31 KJV 1900

Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;

Freedom- sounds a lot like walking in the light!

B. The Resentment of Following Jesus

Don’t look for the masses to follow, many Christians don’t follow the Lord. You will face ridicule and possibly even persecution. You will be in the minority.

John 15:18–21 KJV 1900

If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

Illustration: The World does not know the way!

While GPS technology is often helpful, there are a growing number of instances where it isn’t. For instance, a mother and her son rented a car to explore Death Valley; the GPS led them off the main road onto an unmarked path that eventually terminated in a dead end. Oppressed by the devastating temperature, they couldn’t find their way back. After missing for days, their car was found with the mom clinging to life but her young son tragically dead from the heat. The park ranger was quoted talking about this growing reality she called “death by GPS.”

The culture around you, just like that GPS, will provide you many pathways to joy and many blindly follow those pathways thinking they are on track toward their destination. But should these pathways be trusted? Could it be that they are ultimately leading to a dead end and that God has a more reliable way? —Jim L. Wilson & Ryan Blackwell

C. The Results of Following Jesus

Look at what Jesus said was the result of following him.

“he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness”

Proverbs 3:5–6 KJV 1900

Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths.

Conclusion

If you were going to be honest with yourself and with God this morning… who are you following?

Are you following your Flesh by Instinct?

Are you following the Lord by Faith?

The choice is up to you and the choice is up to me.