John 8:12: I Am the Light of the World

Isaiah 49:5–6 And now the Lord says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him…he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.

Intro

When its a dark and stormy night and the power goes out what’s the first thing you do?

You grab a flashlight.

When you’re putting your kids to bed and they’re scared of the dark what’s always that one bargaining chip they always want?

Just a little bit of light…

Just give me a nightlight or turn the hall light on.

Even from an early age we know we need the light to save us from the dark.

And what we all intrinsically know as kids is spiritually true even now.

The Bible talks about our sin and the plight of our sin as spiritual darkness.

Spiritually we are all born in darkness under the wrath and condemnation of God and just like when we were kids, we need the light to save us.

But heres the problem with our sin.

This time the darkness is too deep and too dark that a night light or a hall light isn’t going to cut it.

We cannot save ourselves.

We need a light strong enough to shine in the darkness and overcome it.

And that light is Jesus Christ.

Jesus is the Light of the world who gives eternal life to all who believe in Him.

That is the Big Idea from John 8:12.

Jesus says I am the Light of the World and He is the only one and the only light who can save us from the darkness of our sin.

So what does it mean that Jesus is the Light of the world and why is that a message of hope for a dark and dying world today?

Let’s start with point number 1 from the passage itself...

I. Jesus is the Light of the World

John 8:12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Textual Criticism and the Woman Caught in Adultery

Now before we get into it, you might have noticed we have completely skipped over that famous story of the woman caught in adultery where Jesus says, “Whoever is without sin, let him cast the first stone.”

Now why did we do that?

Well if you have a more modern translation of the Bible you’ll see a little foot note there that says the earliest manuscripts do not include that passage.

Meaning…it is most likely not original to the Gospel of John, but a story that was added in later.

And we don’t have time to get into all the ins and outs of textual criticism today, and to be honest most of you outside of the particularly nerdy wouldn’t want to.

But you might be asking yourself, “Well, if that was added in later can I trust the Bible? If something could just be added in, how can I know what I have is the Word of God and not the word of man.

And let me tell you far from sowing doubt, this should give you great confidence.

The fact that we know what was not original to the Gospel of John tells us that we know what the Word of God actually said…what the Apostles themselves actually wrote when they wrote the NT.

Now does that mean this story is a farce?

Not at all.

By all accounts this is more than likely a true story from Jesus’ own life passed down by the Apostles to the early the church until someone wanted to record the story and eventually wrote it down and where it eventually found its way in.

And because its more probably than not, rooted in truth there are many faithful Pastors who will preach this passage take it to be a true account of Holy Scripture.

So why am I not?

Here’s basically my line of reasoning outside of the fact that I don’t think this passage was original to the Gospel of John.

But say I’m wrong! Say it actually is.

As a Pastor am I required to preach every single verse of the Bible?

Of course not! Who knows how many years we have together or how long the Lord has given me to preach?

As a Pastor what I’m required to do is preach to you the whole counsel of God.

To not avoid any doctrine or truth no matter how hard or uncomfortable it might be.

Its God’s Word and we as Pastors are not free to tamper with it.

So say the woman caught in adultery is the Word of God.

What truth does it teach?

The mercy and grace of Christ…something we preach each and every week.

So not preaching this passage is not failing to preach to you the whole counsel of God.

But say I’m right…and this isn’t the Word of God and not original to the Gospel of John.

Well in that case to preach it from the Pulpit in the Worship of God’s people would be an abomination that would defile the Pulpit and our Worship because it would not be worship rooted in the Word of God but the word of man.

So for the sake of a clear conscience and the glory of God I have chosen not to preach that passage.

Its a great story. Probably true. But we aren’t going to preach it.

Which means that when John says Again Jesus spoke to them, he is taking us all the way back to John 7:52 where Jesus was teaching the people at the Feast of Booths.

And that’s something that’s significant and will help us interpret the passage and what it means that Jesus is the Light of the World as we will soon see.

I Am

And so while at the Feast, with the ceremonies and celebration all fresh on the people’s minds Jesus gave another one of His famous I AM sayings.

This is the second of seven I AM sayings in the Gospel of John.

I am the Bread of Life (John 6:35).

The Light of the World (John 8:12).

The Door of the Sheep (John 10:7,9).

The Good Shepherd (John 10:11, 14).

The Resurrection and the Life (John 11:25).

The Way, the Truth, and the Life (John 14:6).

And The True Vine (John 15:1, 5).

And these I AM statements are all loaded with theological meaning and significance that tell us about who Christ is and what He came to do.

Divinity

For one thing, they are clear statements from Jesus’ own mouth of His own divinity.

I AM is the Divine Name.

God’s own Name from the Old Testament.

So when Moses asked who should I tell them has sent me?

God said tell them I Am has sent me to you (Exodus 3:14).

I Am…Yahweh God…that’s the Name in Hebrew.

The eternally self-existent One.

The One True God.

The One True Sovereign over all the universe who has life in Himself and gives life and existence to all things.

And in Exodus when God reveals His Name to Moses He reveals Himself as the Covenant Lord who remembers His covenant and saves His people from bondage and slavery in Egypt to deliver them to the Promise Land.

And so when Jesus says I AM taking the divine Name upon Himself, He is saying all the same things.

I AM God.

I Am the Son of God incarnate in Human Flesh.

I Am the Covenant Keeping Lord who remembers my promises and has come to save my people.

To lead them in greater Exodus not just from physical slavery in Egypt but from their true spiritual bondage and slavery to Sin, Satan, and Death.

I Am the Deliverer who has come to lead you out of slavery and death into the Promise Land of blessing and Eternal life.

Person and Work

And then Jesus ties that Name to certain metaphors to give us a better picture of who He is and what that salvation is like.

These I AM statements are meant to be vivid, glorious pictures revealing the glory of Christ as our Great God and Savior and inviting us into deeper and more abiding faith in Him.

So what is Jesus saying when He says I AM the light of the World?

Light and Darkness

Light

Light and Darkness are two themes that are rich with theological meaning and symbolism throughout all of Scripture.

We see it in creation when God created the heavens and the earth and the earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep…

And God said Let there be light.

Light to overcome the darkness and bring creation, order, and life to the world (Genesis 1:1-3).

God Himself is described as light.

God is light and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).

He dwells in unapproachable light shining with radiance, glory, and majesty (1 Timothy 6:16, Hebrews 1:3).

So light represents God’s holiness and purity and glory.

The majesty and weight of all that He is.

And light in Scripture also represents knowledge and truth.

Those who don’t know God are said to be darkened in their understanding…blind and groping in the dark (Romans 1:21, Ephesians 4:18, Isaiah 59:10).

This is obviously in view here because in John chapter 9 Jesus will heal a man born blind and use that opportunity to say again, “I Am the light of the World.”

I AM the one who opens blind eyes who leads people in truth and the knowledge of God.

Darkness

Darkness on the other hand evokes all kinds of images of sin.

Ignorance of God and His ways.

Evil. Chaos. Disorder.

Curse. All the results of the Fall.

Those who walk in darkness walk in sin (1 John 2:9-11, Proverbs 2:13, 4:19).

Its also the domain of Satan and rebellion against God (Acts 26:18, Col 1:13).

Its everything opposed to God bringing God’s judgment and wrath which itself is described as darkness.

Amos 5:18 Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord! Why would you have the day of the Lord? It is darkness, and not light.

So taking the whole testimony of Scripture we may say Darkness is the ignorance of God and His ways resulting in all kinds of sin…evil…death…bondage…and despair bringing with it all the wrath and judgment of God.

And its against that backdrop that we see light.

Light is the answer to all of that…all the darkness.

And its with that background that Light became a symbol for God, life, and salvation.

Psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

And that is the context in which Jesus says I AM the Light of the World.

I Am the truth…the promise…the revelation and blessing of God…the salvation of God freely given to the world.

He is the revelation of God and His salvation for all who believe in Him.

He is the light who shines in the darkness and on our darkened hearts to deliver us from the darkness of Sin, Satan, the World, and Death!

From the curse and wrath of God to give us eternal life.

Ceremony of Lights

And Jesus said this at the Feast of Booths where the people of Israel had celebrated a picture of this deliverance and salvation and didn’t even know it.

Remember, the Feast of Booths, otherwise known as the Feast of Tabernacles, was a celebration of God’s provision all throughout the wilderness.

Of how God had delivered the people out of Egypt and led them 40 years through the wilderness providing for and Tabernacling or dwelling with the people all along the way as a way of saying He was their God and they were His people.

And it is with this Feast that Jesus says all the ways God provided for the people all pointed to me!

Back in chapter 6 He said I AM the Bread of Life that came down from heaven (John 6:48-51).

The True Manna who gives eternal life (John 6:58).

Back in chapter 7 we said that during the Feast of Booths there was a Water Ceremony where the people of God would celebrate God providing water from the rock to satisfy His people’s in a dry and weary place.

To which Jesus said If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink (John 7:37).

I’m the True Rock who gives True Living Water to everyone who believes in me.

And now here Jesus references another ceremony of the Feast of Booths and says I Am the Light of the World.

This was the Ceremony of Lights or the Lamp Lighting Ceremony.

At the beginning of the Feast, 4 great lamps were lit in the very courtyard Jesus gave this teaching (MacArthur, John 1-11, 334).

And these Lamps, resting at the Pinnacle of the city would shine give light to the whole city of Jerusalem.

And this was all a reminder of the Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire by which God led the people of Israel throughout the wilderness.

Exodus 13:21–22 And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead them along the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night did not depart from before the people.

Notice the cloud is identified with the Lord Himself.

It was God leading them…delivering them out of Egypt.

And in Exodus 14 when the host of Egypt came upon the people to kill them or bring them back into slavery the cloud stood between Israel and Egypt protecting the people.

And God opened up the Red Sea and led His people through on dry ground, and when Egypt pursued…Exodus 14:24–25 the Lord in the pillar of fire and of cloud looked down on the Egyptian forces and threw the Egyptian forces into a panic, clogging their chariot wheels so that they drove heavily. And the Egyptians said, “Let us flee from before Israel, for the Lord fights for them against the Egyptians.”

And God brought the waves of the Red Sea crashing down delivering His people.

So with the Ceremony of Lights at the Feast of Booths you had this celebration God’s deliverance of His people and the conquering of all their enemies.

His provision and leadership through a wilderness of death.

And ultimately His salvation and deliverance into life and blessing in the Promise Land.

Fulfillment

And its against that backdrop that Jesus says I Am the Light of the World.

I Am the fulfillment of the Pillar of cloud and of Fire.

The True deliverance of God’s people and the conquering of all their enemies…not just of the slave masters in Egypt but of Sin, Satan, and Death which Christ conquered once and for all on the cross.

I Am the One who brings you out of the wilderness into the Promise Land of eternal life.

It all pointed to Him.

When you read about the Pillar of Cloud and the Pillar of Fire you shouldn’t think, “Oh that’s cool. That’s neat. I wonder what that would’ve been like.”

You’ve seen it in Jesus. It pointed to Him.

Just as the Lord was in the cloud, Jesus is God Himself come to save us incarnate in human flesh.

How God trounced the Egyptians and put them to open shame is exactly what Christ did in conquering our enemies on the cross…He made an absolute end to them.

He is the True Light who leads us out of the wilderness of ignorance, and sin, and death into the Promise Land of God’s blessing…rest…grace…and eternal life.

Just what God had promised the Messiah would come to do.

Messiah

So you see Jesus capitalized on the Ceremony of Lights to call into the people’s mind a picture of the salvation He came to bring while at the same time theologically bringing to mind all the passages that promised the Messiah would be a light to the nations who would deliver His people and lead them out of darkness.

Isaiah 9:2 The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness [when Matthew quotes this verse quotes it as death], on them has light shone.

That light is Christ.

And then one that brings all the themes we’ve been talking together rather nicely…

Isaiah 42:6–7 I am the Lord [so this is God the Father talking to the Messiah]…I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.

He is the light.

He opens blind eyes.

Frees us from the slavery of our sin…those in the dungeon.

And brings us out of the Shadow of death…those who sit in darkness.

That is what it means that Jesus is the Light of the World.

He is the Son of God incarnate in Human flesh.

The radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature (Hebrews 1:3).

The Messiah and Savior of the World.

The True Light and the Only Light that can save you from all the darkness of all your sin and death.

The One True Lamp to our feet who can guide us into the way of peace and the Promise Land of everlasting life (Luke 1:78-79).

As John said all the way back in the beginning with prologue:

John 1:4–5 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Jesus is the Light of the World and the only answer and the only salvation for all our darkness and sin.

And then Jesus tells us how to have this Light.

And that’s the second part of the verse: Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

And in this verse there’s two halves of a promise, one stated positively and one stated negatively.

Negatively: Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness.

Positively: but will have the light of life.

So what is Jesus promising as the Light of the World to all who believe in Him.

And that is the subject of our next two points.

Point number 2…

II. The Light of the World Rescues us from Darkness

John 8:12 I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness...

Remember how Isaiah described those who were lost, blind, and dead in their sin as those walking in darkness (Isaiah 9:2).

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.

With that background in mind, this is most obviously first and foremost a full affirmation of our salvation.

That all who follow Christ and all who trust in Christ are not utterly lost or forsaken but delivered out of darkness into eternal life.

Jesus gets at this same idea later in John 12:46 I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

And this is a common theme used by the authors of the New Testament to talk about our salvation.

Colossians 1:13–14 He [being God] has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.

Through faith in Christ we have been transferred from darkness to the kingdom of His Son - the Light of the World.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.

Remember what darkness represents.

Sin.

Death.

Blindness.

Rebellion against God.

Spiritual ignorance of God and His ways.

Foolishness.

Bondage. Misery.

Slavery.

Lostness.

The Domain of Satan and the wrath and judgment of God.

Well in Christ we are saved from all of that.

We are called out of darkness into His marvelous light.

Its the full forgiveness of sins once and for all.

Once you are brought out of that kingdom there is no going back.

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5).

All Christ saves He effectively saves.

None who come to Christ will fail to reach eternal life and Promise Land of Salvation.

Even the smallest light in the pitch-black darkness of outer space still shines forth.

How much more the pure and glorious light of Christ.

None of the darkness that is in us or enslaves us can overcome Him.

No matter how dark and bleak our sin the light shines in the darkness…and overcomes all our sin…and washes us clean.

Whoever follows me will not walk, will not remain, will not be forsaken, will not be lost to darkness, but will have the light of life.

Ethical Exhortation

But in this promise there is not only an objective Gospel truth but also an ethical exhortation.

Objectively we are transferred out of darkness into light, and with that carries the expectation that we would then live like it.

Following Jesus should change your life…it should change absolutely everything about how you live.

As children of the light we no longer walk in ignorance of God and His ways enslaved to our sin but walk by the light in obedience to God’s commands.

And this is one of the main applications I want to make today.

Ephesians 5:8–11 For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord.

Even Jesus described walking in darkness as not knowing where you are going (John 12:35).

John getting at this idea learning from Jesus Himself says in his epistle 1 John 1:6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

Christians should be marked by light and holiness.

So let me ask you…Are you walking in the light?

Are you striving for a life of holiness?

One that reflects the light and life of Christ in every area of your life?

Or are you walking in darkness?

Remember what darkness is: its ignorance of God and His ways.

Its a life of sin.

The way of the World.

Its loving darkness rather than light because we don’t want our evil works exposed (John 3:19-20).

We don’t want to give up our sin?

Is there some part of your life you have not given up to Christ?

That you’ve tried to keep hidden or tucked away so that the light of Christ would not shine on that sin and drive out the darkness?

Is there some part of your life where you are living as if you were ignorant of God and His ways?

Where you are holding on to some sin and not living as one who knows God, loves God, and worships Him?

Are you dabbling in some sexual sin, drugs, or alcohol?

Are you buying into the values and way of thinking of the world instead of holding fast to the Word of God?

Are you proud? Angry? Impatient snapping at your spouse and family?

Are you discontent always grumbling and complaining?

Bitter?

Disobedient to your parents?

As Paul said in Ephesians 5:11 Walk as children of the light and “Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Bring them to light!

Don’t try to hide or cover up your sin? Don’t stow it away in a corner so that you can come back to it later?

Expose it in the light of Christ!

Repent to the Lord, whatever it is and allow the light of Christ to purify you and drive out every inch of darkness in your life!

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 John 1:9).

Summary

Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

So the promise is both objective and subjective.

Objectively there is a Gospel truth that whoever trusts in Christ is transferred from darkness into light.

They are effectively saved from all their sins because the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it (John 1:5).

And Subjectively an ethical exhortation.

Whoever follows Christ will not walk in darkness in that those who have been transferred from darkness to light will walk in the light.

They are set free from their prison of darkness to walk in holiness and the newness of life.

And that takes us to the second part of the promise now positively stated.

And that’s point number 3…

III. The Light of the World Graciously Gives the Fullness of Salvation and Eternal Life

John 8:12 I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

What is Christ promising here?

Well let’s break it down.

Life here is not just physical life, but spiritual life.

Its eternal life and the fullness of life.

Its reconciliation and communion with God which is only possibly by the full forgiveness of all our sins because the wages of sin is death but now in Christ we have eternal life.

And light is salvation.

Its the salvation and truth of God freely offered in the Messiah that delivers us out of darkness and the misery of our sin.

So what Christ is promising is the fullness of salvation; the once for all forgiveness of sins resulting in eternal life.

Full justification where we are forgiven and declared righteous in Him.

Full forgiveness of our sins.

Reconciliation with God and adoption by God as His own beloved children.

Grace upon grace upon grace upon grace.

That is what Christ promises to everyone who follows Him.

And that’s important.

Follows

In the parallel passage, John 12:46 Jesus said I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

So believing is following.

Whoever believes in and follows Him will have the light of life.

And this following is not a half-hearted discipleship.

Its a whole-hearted faith and commitment to Christ.

The word in Greek gives the idea of whoever follows and keeps on following.

Its a persevering and enduring faith.

The word itself is used to describe a soldier following His commander into battle (Rev 9:14).

A servant who faithfully and dutifully carries out the task of his master.

Someone who follows the wisdom of a wise counselor.

It can refer to rendering obedience to the Laws of the State or someone in authority.

(Phillips, Reformed Expository Commentary, John, 515).

And Jesus Himself used it to talk about sheep and their shepherd (John 10:27).

All of these are wrapped up in what it means to follow Jesus.

What Jesus is calling us to is true discipleship.

A true whole-hearted faith that submits to Christ as both Savior and Lord - the two halves make the whole.

Submitting to Christ as Savior means renouncing all of our sin and self-righteousness.

Trusting in His blood alone for the forgiveness of our sins.

And submitting to Christ as Lord means following Him with all of our life.

Living for Him…obeying Him.

Dying to ourselves, taking up our cross and following Him.

The Big Idea is that There is no believing in Christ without following Him wholeheartedly as both Savior and Lord.

There are no half-Christians and half-hearted disciples.

With Christ is all or nothing.

Illustration of Pillar

A good illustration of this is actually the Pillar of Fire and the cloud that led the people through the wilderness that we made reference to earlier.

In the book of numbers we are told Whenever the cloud lifted from over the tent,…the people of Israel set out, and in the place where the cloud settled down, there the people of Israel encamped. At the command of the Lord the people…set out, and at the command of the Lord they encamped (Numbers 9:17-18).

Sometimes the cloud stayed a few days and sometimes it stayed until the morning.

And whether it was two days, a month, or a longer time, the people stayed as long as the cloud stayed and the people set out as long as the cloud set out (Numbers 9:17-23).

That is a picture of faith and discipleship.

The cloud led them out of Egypt. Out of slavery. Through the wilderness and into the Promise Land.

And all throughout the wilderness the people followed Him.

When the cloud moved they moved. When the cloud settled the settled.

All their life…every move was determined by the Lord’s guidance and leading and they marched on in faith trusting the Lord to bring them home.

That’s following Christ.

He is the Light of the World who lights our way to eternal life.

So follow Christ!

Believe in Him.

Trust in Him.

Follow Him all the days of your life.

There is no other way out of the darkness.

He is the Only One who has the power to set the prisoners free because He’s the only one who entered into the darkness of the grave and game out the other side.

Ans here is the great hope for the Christian and everyone who believes in Him.

Christ really can deliver you from darkness

The grave and the tomb could not hold Him.

the darkness could not overcome Him.

They rolled the stone over the grave and for three days the darkness did all it could to overcome the light.

But the good news of the gospel is that even the pitch-black darkness of death could not hold him.

The stone was rolled away.

Christ rose again!

And now the light of His death and resurrection goes forth to give light and life to all men.

Conclusion

When God created the world He said Let there be light to a world that was without form and void, shrouded in darkness over the face of the deep (Genesis 1:1-3).

That was all of us in all our sin.

Empty. Deserted.

A barren wasteland. That’s what those Hebrew Words mean.

Dead having no life.

Out out of the darkness God spoke and brought life to the world.

As it was in the Old Creation so it is in the New.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

When we without form and void, with darkness over the depth of our souls.

God spoke the Word of the Gospel and said Let their be light.

And by His grace the Light of Christ shines in the darkness of our sin and dead hearts to bring us out of darkness into spiritual life.

If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come (2 Cor 5:17).