The Light showing light.

The Light showing light.

John 7:53-8:29

LaFayette Baptist Church

Date Upcoming

By: Jacob Winters

Intro

Do you ever notice how the lack of light, especially the lack of sunshine has an effect on everything? The week I wrote this sermon, as I looked outside, I realized that there had been 3 cloudy and sunless days in a row. Needless to say, myself and everyone I saw as I was out and about seemed to droop and sag a little. In fact, though it was mid-day at my allergy doctor, I saw a wife lean her head on her husband and say, “I’m so tired.” I heard her say that and thought, "you know what, I am too!” I’m tired of all this darkness, I need some brightness and illumination to make things right and take me out of these blues i’m feeling right now. It just goes to show, without a little light, we are all in a bad place, and oftentimes, we are so far in the blues/darkness/sin, that we wouldn’t even know that what we need is light. Fortunately for us, the light of the world (Jesus Christ) has not only given us light, but has shown us how a person with light (that we need to let shine, let it shine, let shine all the time) would do many situations. So, we should all Take in, learn, and apply every lesson from Jesus you can.

Prayer

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can be more like You, and made more into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all too often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possibly can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. I ask these things for your glory and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.

Context

In last week’s text, Jesus and His disciples returned back to Jerusalem for another important festival/feast. Even at this point, even the people that were closest to Jesus His entire life, his siblings, didn’t have the belief and faith in Him that they should have. Mocking Him, and giving Him sort of “oh yeah, if you a really are then do this _____.” Kind of moments. It was not yet Jesus’ time to cause the big commotion that He would need to do, i’m talking about the events leading up His eventual arrest and execution, which would still be about a year away or so at this time in the text.

Jesus would wind up going to that festival, but delaying His public appearance, and took the opportunity to teach the people lessons. That, the entire lesson, a very important one, one that was timely. Yes of course, their is the eternal offer of salvation. However, the nation still had the opportunity to accept Him as a whole, all the people, all the leaders, the nation still had a chance given to them by God to accept His provision given to them even then. However, Jesus began teaching them that the time was draw near that He would no longer be with in this way before He goes (the cross).

They had many lessons, much that they needed to hear and take in from Jesus, as opposed to taking in the deceptions that The World has offered them that they loved so much. In today’s text, a key take away from us is exactly like last week’s that we all need to Take in, learn, and apply every lesson from Jesus you can. On top of His words, lessons, and commands given to us, Jesus also lived out the perfect example of how to live sinlessly and righteous, and though we will never achieve the perfection of the savior, we are to pursue it with great enthusiasm all throughout our lives. So, let’s do this, let’s jump in and see the The Light giving light that is Jesus and His examples He set for us, and From the text, I want you to see and follow these examples that Jesus taught as you seek to be like Him.

Message

The first example to see and follow is that: Jesus gives Mercy 7:53-8:1-11

53- Then each one went to his house.1 But Jesus went to the Mount of Olives.2 At dawn he went to the temple again, and all the people were coming to him. He sat down and began to teach them. 3 Then the scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman caught in adultery, making her stand in the center. 4 “Teacher,” they said to him, “this woman was caught in the act of committing adultery. 5 In the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?” 6 They asked this to trap him, in order that they might have evidence to accuse him.Jesus stooped down and started writing on the ground with his finger. 7 When they persisted in questioning him, he stood up and said to them, “The one without sin among you should be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Then he stooped down again and continued writing on the ground. 9 When they heard this, they left one by one, starting with the older men. Only he was left, with the woman in the center. 10 When Jesus stood up, he said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?”11 “No one, Lord,”[a] she answered. “Neither do I condemn you,” said Jesus. “Go, and from now on do not sin anymore.”]

One very important thing to know about these particular verses, is that the oldest copies of biblical manuscripts we have access to today do not include these verses, meaning somewhere along the way they were added. The most likely reason for this that scholars today can attain is that: by in large the oral tradition of the bible kept this story going, by in large the early church fathers agreed that the story did happen but wasn’t by John, and somewhere along the way an early copier of the biblical text included this story in a foot-note or side bar, wanting to include it for it’s believed authenticity in occurring, but non the less the author of this book (the apostle John) did not include it. None-the-less, we behold this to be a true story and one that is worth sharing and taking a lesson from. In this scripture, a group of Jewish leaders is questioning Him with the intent of finding wrong and bringing harm to Him. In this questioning, they bring a woman who has been caught in adultery (who, by their law and ancient customs, thought it wasn’t observed anymore at this time, was to be punished and executed by stoning to death). The woman is brought before Jesus and they ask Him, what do we do with her? Jesus words and actions are a startling lesson. He says, yes, she does. So, let the person who is sinless here, the person who has never rebelled against God, cast the first stone, then the rest of you may. Well, none of them can claim they are sinsless, so they leave one by one in frustration. As they leave, her accusers are gone, and Jesus tells her, I do not condemn you either (as it was not His role to judge the world yet, but to save it). He then chargers her, you are forgiven, go in peace from here and sin no more. Jesus gave her, what He gives every repentant sinner, the gift of mercy.

Mercy is such a strange thing, when you stop to think about it. What is Mercy? It is the act of receiving something nice that you don’t deserve when you deserve something terrible. It is the act of receiving a complete pardon when what you deserve is a harsh punishment. Just like when the child who is told not to touch the cake, but is left alone in a room only to discover a large fingermark in icing and frosting covered lips is allowed to still have a piece of cake or a soldier is let off after getting in a physical scuffle with an officer, mercy is and idea that is hard for us to wrap our mind around, unlike justice which makes very much sense.

We see here for this woman, that she received a huge mercy, for no reason. She didn’t deserve it, she didn’t earn it. She would have received it whether or not she fulfilled her charge to sin no more (though I'm sure she is motivated now). What a great lesson we learn and receive from Jesus, to give mercy. Take in, learn, and apply every lesson from Jesus you can. One of which is to be people of mercy ourselves. To forgive people, even when we don’t feel like it. To seek fairness for others. To seek justice for others. Why do we do this? Because we have been given the greatest mercy of all, when Jesus died on the cross in our own place, which paid the sin penalty that you (we) owe. This gift of mercy was costly, and it’s worth so much with so much abundance that we are to share that mercy by the sharing of the gospel of Jesus Christ to others. So then, share mercy in your thoughts, share mercy in your deeds and actions, do this both by the doing of good deeds, but don’t neglect the most important part of any mercy ministry, the sharing and proclaiming of the Gospel.

The next example to see and follow is that: Jesus’ testimonies are true 12-20

12 Jesus spoke to them again: “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”13 So the Pharisees said to him, “You are testifying about yourself. Your testimony is not valid.”14 “Even if I testify about myself,” Jesus replied, “my testimony is true, because I know where I came from and where I’m going. But you don’t know where I come from or where I’m going. 15 You judge by human standards.[b] I judge no one. 16 And if I do judge, my judgment is true, because it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. 17 Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am the one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”19 Then they asked him, “Where is your Father?”“You know neither me nor my Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.” 20 He spoke these words by the treasury, while teaching in the temple. But no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.

Jesus begins teaching in the temple again, near the end of the feast time of tabernacles. Jesus begins by using the imagery that was all around them, at this point, the Jews observed a symbolic lighting of candles in the entire temple, which served to remind them of God’s presence, particularly when appeared to them as a great pillar of fire in the wilderness. With the temple lit to an unusual brightness, He tells them these words, I, Jesus am the Light of the World. Anyone who does not follow me will walk forever in darkness, but follow me and you will find well lit paths that are good for walking. The Pharisees charge Him, the try to condemn Him with their law, “Oh yeah, where are your witnesses that you come from the Father?” We are only hearing you say this, so this cannot be true, we need more witnesses. To put it plain, Jesus tells them, we have never required further witnesses from God when He says something, why should we now? I am God, and I am testifying this, I do not have fallen testimonies that you do, that require extra witnesses and proof because mankind is so far into sin, it is impossible for me lie as mankind does. Know this, I am here on the earth to judge noone (that day is still coming) rather, as John 3 told us, the judgement has already happened. That those of the light love the light and will come to it, and those in darkness and sin, want to remain hidden, so they are separated from God. I’m not going to judge as you are trying to pronounce judgement right now. Anyways, if you need 2 witnesses, the The Father has born witness to me (and many saw it) and I do as well, and this indeed makes 2. However, you do not know my Father, you only know your Father (Satan) so you would never accept such a testimony.

These past 2 weeks, and for a few weeks more, with the kids on Wednesday nights, we are having the kids working on writing out, and ultimately sharing their Christian testimony (if the they are one). This is all of course being done, so that they are equipped and encouraged to share with others who Jesus is and what He has done for them in their lives. Why are we doing this? Well, while i’m not expecting them to give a full or great gospel presentation from this, first of all, it allows them to see and understand the need for Jesus’ salvation in their lives, it will give them something to tell others, and it testifies to others that will listen to them, that Jesus can save you just as He did me! What are they doing here? They are doing just this in action, taking in, learning, and applying every lesson from Jesus that they can.

So, since we know that the testimonies that Jesus’ shares about Himself are true, let me ask this. Do you have a testimony about Jesus? Do you have truth about Him that you can share and are prepared to share with others? Do you really understand that you believer was a sinner that was separated from God because of your sin, and by accepting His offer of forgiveness (which He gave with His blood and life at the cross) from sin? Do you understand that you needed that, and when you accepted it, that it made you a new person, which in turn means you will have a new way of thinking and going about things, meaning something bad you held onto you put away, and ye, you are finding something else to put away all the time. Do you understand, believer, that you have a testimony about what Jesus did to you that the world needs to hear!? So then, Take in, learn, and apply every lesson from Jesus you can so that you testimony can grow, knowing that 100%, everything Jesus has said and testifies about Himself is completely true and can be trusted!

Another example to see and follow is that: Jesus will always please The Father 21-29

21 Then he said to them again, “I’m going away; you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I’m going, you cannot come.”22 So the Jews said again, “He won’t kill himself, will he, since he says, ‘Where I’m going, you cannot come’?”23 “You are from below,” he told them, “I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”25 “Who are you?” they questioned. “Exactly what I’ve been telling you from the very beginning,” Jesus told them. 26 “I have many things to say and to judge about you, but the one who sent me is true, and what I have heard from him—these things I tell the world.”27 They did not know he was speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own. But just as the Father taught me, I say these things. 29 The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.”

Remember that judgement from John 3, well we see more about that here. Jesus tells those in darkness, where I am going (To the Father) you cannot come to if you do not come to me. The Jews, being literal people, were once again confused about this, where is going? Is He going to make Himself impure so we can't? What on earth is He going on about? Jesus tells them still, you are from the world, meaning ruled by the king of this world, Satan. You will die and be separated from God because of your sins if you don’t get this right! One day, you will lift me up (on a cross) and when you see what happens and what it means, then you will understand that my Father has sent me here, and I am doing the mission He has sent me to do. He is with me, and my goal, my mission is to do what The Father has sent me to do, to do what will please Him, to bring redemption to mankind who desires it.

Jesus made it abundantly clear that He would always do what pleased His Father. Ultimately, what would bring Him the most pleasure is for His treasured and most prized of all of His creations (mankind, me, you) would be able to return before and stand before Him in perfect relationship and forgiveness of Sin. This was a tall order, and no other than Jesus Christ, the God-Man, God-The-Son, the righteous would be able to fulfill. So, He came to earth, was born through flesh and being both fully God and fully man, lived a perfect and sinless life to go to the cross and provide His blood to pay for our sins. Jesus did what pleased the Father. Even though we saw in the hours leading up to His arrest and execution, that His flesh did not want to do so, did not want endure the cruel torture devise that was the Roman cross before Him. Yet He did this, to our great benefit.

Take in, learn, and apply every lesson from Jesus you can. What’s a big example He put on for us? Well, for Him He did whatever it takes to bring God glory and honor. We too, with Jesus as our personal examples, have to ask ourselves earnestly. When was the last time I was more concerned about what God wanted then what I want?....... Do I often say no to myself, so that I can say yes to God?....... Do I listen and investigate so that I can know what God would want any particular situation? Am I more concerned about the expanding and growth of God’s kingdom, of new people coming to faith, than I am my own comforts and wants met? Am I willing to look change in the face and be ok with it, no matter how scary it, because I want what God wants over my myself. Do I love God more than I love myself or anyone/anything else? These are questions for each and every one of us need to be asking ourselves. Jesus will always please the Father, can we say the same about ourselves?

Conclusion

There is a hymn that we sing sometimes, that touches on these points. Called To God be the Glory. One of the verses goes like this: Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,

and great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;

but purer, and higher, and greater will be

our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

Remember, Jesus has never taught any of us a lesson that He didn’t mean for us to learn and put into action. If you are taught a lesson, He wants you get about that action is to follow. So then, see and observe the light of the world shedding light on your life, and do as He bidden you. There is no good enough excuse to do otherwise.

With all of that being said, I would be remiss if I didn’t share the Gospel (or the Good News) of Jesus Christ with you today, for the benefit of both believer and non-believer in the room. This begins all the way back at the beginning, God created everything, and he created all things good. He gave His most treasured creation (us, mankind) the ability of free will, the ability to choose Him or rebellion. Man was deceived by Satan and desired to be like God and sinned (or rebelled against God). This brought the curse of sin and death into the world and it remains with us to this day; which separates us from God. God, though, loved His creation (mankind) so much that He worked through history to redeem all mankind that would turn to Him from sin so that we can experience a full and perfect relationship with Him again. This was through the perfect and final sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the pay for sins. Accepting this free gift from God, makes you new and forgiven. All you have to do is accept this free gift by repenting and believing in the Lord Jesus and you will get to experience the good side of God’s justice forever. So, now that you know this, you can no longer plead ignorance. I invite and urge you to respond today non-believer and apply this to every part of your life believers in the audience today.

Father God, we thank You for Who You are. A great Big God who sees each and every one of us here and cares deeply about us. We ask this day, as we are continuing in this time of worship to You, reading Your Word and hearing Your Word, that You refine us with it. Mold us, make us, shape us, rearrange us so that we can be more like You, and made more into the image of Christ. Help us be a people who love You and love others so much that we are moved into action by whatever it is You are going to show us about Yourself today and what that means in our lives. Help us do this, because all too often our selfish and sinless flesh war against our will to follow Yours. As we are doing this, and as we are coming into Your Word today, we ask that You take away any distraction that we may have, and make it go as far away as it possibly can, because we want to see and we want to know You better. It’s in these things that I ask and in Jesus Christ’s Holy and precious name that I pray, Amen.