Intro – (List of ‘Children’s questions to God’ that ends with the following one…)
Dear GOD,
We read Thomas Edison made light. But the Bible says You did. So I bet he stole your idea.
-Sincerely, Donna
This morning Jesus declares the obvious truth that a little girl noted… all light originates in God.
As we continue our series A Journey with Jesus through the Gospel of John, we come to one of the great declarations.
(Throughout our series we have considered full sections as we have progressed through the text…
but this morning just one statement.)
John 8:12 (NIV)
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows
me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Profound words… more than we might initially be able to comprehend.
As you may recall from previous weeks…. Jesus has come to Jerusalem during one of the great
Festivals.. it is the Feast of the Tabernacles God had inaugurated this feast to help the people of
Israel to remember that for forty years they had wandered in the wilderness before God finally
brought them into the Promised Land. On the opening night of the celebration a couple of giant
Menorah or candelabras were erected in the Court of the Women. Each was reported to be 75 ft.
tall, with huge bowls at the top. Each bowl held 10 gallons of oil. Ancient accounts said that the
light from these huge candelabra literally lit up the streets of Jerusalem. At the end of the feast, the
lights were purposely put out. Why? because the Messiah had not yet come. Some scholars propose
that it is at this point that Jesus makes his declaration. Every Jewish person knew the significance of
the menorahs. They represented the presence of God among the Israelites in the wilderness in the
form of what is referred to as the Shekinah. It was this visible presence of God in the form of a
cloud by day and fire by night that guided the children of Israel. (Elements drawn from
John Hamby)
It is against this backdrop of events that Jesus makes His declaration in verse twelve,
“ “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the
light of life.”
> Jesus is declaring that the guiding presence and power of God is now here…in himself.
Today… many like to speak of being ‘enlightened’… and of Jesus as one of the most enlightened
who ever lived. But is Jesus simply declaring himself to be an enlightened spiritual teacher?
No one who heard him would mistake that he was declaring something so much more profound…
and meaningful to all of humanity than that. I say ‘more’ because he certainly does bear so much of
what is sought from those deemed ‘spiritually enlightened.’ People one who can offer the way,,,
the truth… and spiritual life. Jesus has declared just that he offers such… but not as a way…
but THE way, THE truth… and THE life. And here there is no question that he his claiming
to be THE presence unlike any other.
Jesus is not simply saying that he was “a” light to the world or that he was “another” light to
the world. Jesus is not saying that He is holding the light or that He has the light or even that He is
the way to THE light. He is declaring that He is the one and only light of the world.
This is the light of God’s presence being celebrated. He is declaring I am the Shekinah glory that
these candelabras symbolize. I AM the Shekinah glory.”
-
I want us to consider for just a few moments what Jesus is truly fulfilling and providing for our
lives. I want to consider the purpose of that light in the wilderness that Jesus now fulfills in a
more ultimate way.
1. In Jesus is the provision of God’s Presence.
The biblical record (Exodus & Numbers) reveals how the two pillars which guided the people of
Israel marked the presence of God in a dramatic way.
We read of the way in which God spoke from the cloud and that sometimes He broke forth from the
cloud in judgment upon the sins of the people (Ex. 13:21-22). At no time during their wandering in
the wilderness did the people of Israel forget that the presence of God was with them every step of
the way.
In Numbers 9:17-23 we are told of the relationship of the children of Israel to the pillar of cloud
and pillar of fire. Essentially it was very simple, when the cloud moved, the people followed. When
the cloud stood still, they remained where they were (Num. 9:18).
Light represents the presence of God at hand…
• The Divine Presence of Creation
o God created light amidst darkness.
o Darkness is simply the void of light and life… and God..
o Life requires light.
• The Divine Presence of the Messiah
One of the most well known prophecies of the coming of the Messiah is that given through the
prophet Isaiah… dons the front of countless Christmas cards… and begins with a statement
notable to us today.
Isaiah 9:2, 6 (NIV)
“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow
of death a light has dawned…. 6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given…”
Not surprisingly, Matthew in his account Jesus’ life would note how he fulfilled this very
expectation. (Matthew 4:16)
When the aged Simeon took the baby Jesus into his arms as he was dedicated at the Temple (as
recorded in Luke 2:32) he spoke of Him as
“…a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel.” - Luke 2:32-33
(NIV)
• The Divine presence of eternity
After all things, God ends his grand story of invading light by forever ending the darkness.
At the end of time, John tells us of another world-a nightless world, a world that has no darkness, no
suffering, no injustice-a world of light. John tells us in
Revelation 21:23-24 (NIV)
“The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and
the Lamb is its lamp.”
In Jesus, the light has come and this invasion of God-light forever changes our world….and
our lives.
Jesus has come to set God presence into the midst of darkness. He assures us of the presence of
God.
Next week we will celebrate the 4th of July…. A day of independence… freedom… and central to
that celebration is the bursting of lights. And millions will hear the singing of the national anthem
that begins with the line:
O! say can you see by the dawn's early light,
and includes the famous refrain… ‘and the rockets red glare… the bombs bursting in air… gave
proof through the night that our flag was still there.’ > The lights reveal hope. In the midst of
darkness, we hope for light.
He can be a constant personal presence throughout our lives. Christ promised His disciples (Heb
13:5) that He would “never leave them or forsake them”, something they found to be
mysteriously true…. Even when we feel alone… we are not.
When those first drawn to Jesus expressed their desire to see the Father… Jesus said if you have
seen him you have seen the father. They share the same nature. In a similar way, he said he was
going to send the Spirit who would carry on making himself… Jesus… known. So now as the
resurrected Christ… he is alive and present through the Spirit.
It not only symbolized God’s presence but…
2. In Jesus is the provision of God’s Guidance
Darkness is disorienting.. we have no bearings…we lose perception… To be without light is to be
LOST… unable to find direction.
In Exodus 13:21 we read,
“And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a
pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.”
They constantly kept their attention on the cloud.
The pillar of cloud and pillar of fire represented God’s guidance for the people of Israel while they
were in the desert. The people could not recognize any of the landmarks, and they didn’t have any
clear idea about which way to go. In addition, out in the desert things can get confusing.
We live in spiritual darkness. As the light of the world, Jesus is our guide.
In the second part of verse twelve Jesus
said, “He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
He illuminates what is real. He is the light of life because he illuminates what life is all about. As
C.S. Lewis said when professing having come to faith in Christ,
"I believe in Christianity as I believe in the sun—not only because I see it, but because by it I see
everything else." (C.S. Lewis)
He reveals what darkness can conceal… and in this way we begin to sense the conflict that lies in
the coming of light.
Begins with one of the first to hear of the news… a king…Herod… holding onto a power that was
never really his…. Soon this baby would expose the depth of his desperation
… as he would call for the killing of all male children under two.
Soon …. Religious leaders…. political leaders…. The Prince of Peace is the least neutral figure
we’ll ever encounter. ….. Would be crucified.
But as the Gospel of John said,
John 1:4-5 (GW)
He was the source of life, and that life was the light for humanity. The light shines in the dark, and
the dark has never extinguished it.
We don’t have to deny that we face darkness… because there is a light that has proven
inextinguishable. We can turn to that source… not like a genie…. but as a guide who lights
our path… our steps.
What are you searching for? Jesus has come as the light that guides us out of darkness… to what
we’re searching for.
He not only bears God’s Guidance but also…
3. In Jesus is the provision of God’s Protection.
When Moses and the children of Israel found themselves trapped on the edge of the Red Sea, God
not only opened a passage through the sea but he stood between them and their enemies. The cloud
that had appeared on the day that Israel left Egypt, stood between the Israelites and the pursuing
army of the Pharaoh.
In Exodus 14:19-20 we read
Exodus 14:19-20 (NRSV)
“…the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. It came between
the army of Egypt and the army of Israel… so …one did not come near the other all night.”.
Jesus is saying, “I am the divine presence that stands between you and the enemy… the one who
protects you.
He became ultimate protection… the story of bondage to freedom… and the Promised Land
formed the foundation of something larger… something it pointed to.
Jesus stands between every life on this journey and the enemy that bears death and
destruction. He stands as one who is able to defeat the dark powers that rule and oppress this
world.
There are very real powers that seek to destroy. I have experienced some strange encounters with
the very presence of evil… and have found how calling upon his presence has confronted and cast
them away.
And death? I think of the thief that was on a cross crucified next to Jess… who realized Jesus was
the truly innocent and asked him for mercy… and there to a man condemned and moments from
death… Jesus assured him that he would receive him into paradise.
Conclusion:
God who is light… has come to us.
Who will have the light of life? Those who ‘follow him.’
Not those who merely treat Jesus like a celebrity that they respect from a distance as long as it
seems cool… but those who truly take up their cross…. and follow. It is not just a matter of
following some ideas… it is understanding who he really is… so that we choose to follow.
Light will expose us more deeply… and we may feel conflict. Do we welcome such light? In truth,
Jesus becomes a confrontation to every life. We can resent His intrusion into our lives and resent
being revealed for what we are. We can prefer our sins to having Jesus as Savior, and therefore
reject Him. Just as rats and cockroaches and other creeping things scurry away when light enters a
room, we may want to flee from Him.
Many think if they enter his way (light) they will lose life… less freedom for sex, greed,
selfishness…. But it is life giving. Physical light is the source of all biological life.
All it requires is humility. The more you are exposed to the light the more you know your
dirt…The worse you feel because you see your need… and the better you feel at the same time.
The more you see your sin and the more you see his grace… you are more humble and more happy.
The most godly people filled with the power of grace. (Like one washing hands in low light and
then regular light and then in bright lights….)
It’s a sobering truth… we can choose the darkness. But we can also choose the light. The Light of
God exposes a new and true life that exists with God. By it’s nature it will make us uncomfortable..
but it will also offer all that we long for… a life that is defined by the perfect love ad justice and
beauty that we have longed for.
This past week I took my kids camping for one night. Got there latte… had to quickly set up tents,
cook dinner… and then the marshmallows and samores. After I got them all to sleep… I just had a
lantern and flashlight to try to clean up. Did would I could…. But the next morning I really saw
things for they way they were…. A little hard… but so helpful… because I could SEE what was
needed.
We too must choose between our little flashlights of ‘good ideas’… and the true light that Jesus is
in life.
Resources: I am grateful for the great thoughts of those I may draw from. I will usually study the
text and form my own shape and points. In the process I may insert various ideas and statements
from others (commentaries and messages related to the same text) which are related to the points I
have developed. I do not use these notes as a manuscript that is either memorized or read… but
rather as a guide for the thoughts I offer. If I actually read or quote another I will refer publicly to
the source. This message drew thoughts from John Hamby, Paul Decker, Devin Hudson, and Tim
Keller.
