I Am, Part 2
Notes
Transcript
I can remember as a young boy going into Cudjo’s Cave, which even then was lit along the pathways. The deeper into the cave we went, the colder it got, and as we were standing in one of the caverns overlooking the water pool the guide turned the lights out. Now, those of you that have been in a coal mine will understand what I am trying to explain. That was a darkness that enveloped you, you could feel it, and it was so dark you could hear the darkness. You couldn’t tell which direction you were at, you couldn’t tell anything about the path, what was around you, you were lucky to know which way was up. It definitely is an unusual feeling, but you KNOW when you felt it what it was - darkness. The longer I was in there, the tighter the feeling got - it will make you uncomfortable. And then, after what felt like hours, the path lights came back on and that feeling subsided. I could see what was around us, the path became clear, obstacles that could have caused on to trip and fall were illuminated. I was able to take a deep breath, and was comfortable.
Think to the last time the electricity went off for an extended period of time. What is one of the hardest tasks we have? Finding a source of light. Now, if it’s like our luck when you find a flashlight, the batteries are dead. Then you go stumbling around trying to find batteries. Can’t find batteries, so you look for the oil lamp. Of course, the oil lamp needs oil, and it’s in one of the cabinets. Which one? Top or bottom shelf? Is it hidden by anything else? The wick needs to be trimmed. How can I see to fill the lamp and trim the wick? Why didn’t I do this…get this…when it was light. We know what’s coming when the lights go out. We have warnings when storms are coming. We are even told when damaging winds or snows could cause power outages. So why do so many of us not prepare until it’s too late?
Isn’t life the same way? Many of us will walk through life, hearing of the warnings given in scripture, yet we still want to stumble through life in darkness. We feel the grip of darkness, the panic it causes, and we struggle. But just like darkness in our house, the moment we light a match, turn on a flashlight, light that lamp - the darkness is pushed away. We see the obstacles, the clear path, fear is driven away, and the way is clearly illuminated.
Throughout the Old Testament, God uses the symbolism of light and dark to describe good and evil. Light is seen as the presence of God, and darkness the absence of God. The Lexham Bible Dictionary makes this statement on light “If light symbolizes God’s presence, and God is the author of life, then surely where God is, life abounds”. Darkness, then can only mean that life cannot be sustained. It is the opposite of light, the opposite of the goodness of God. It symbolizes evil, sin, and Satan. But, we should never forget that darkness is fully under the authority of God.
2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light.
You see, darkness fled when God spoke. In the 7th chapter of John, we find the Jews seeking to kill Jesus during the Feast of Booths. Jesus does not go to the feast, but went into the temple to teach. The people are amazed at the insight Jesus has, and marvel at how He can teach with no education. No learning. It is then when the crowds start to recognize that He is the Christ.
He then retreats back into the Mount of Olives, and the next morning goes to the temple to teach. While in the temple, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery and asked Jesus if they should stone her, like the Law commanded. Scripture says they did this to test Him, that they might have some charge to bring against Him. Instead of answering, Jesus wrote with His finger on the ground and asked any of those present if they had no sin in their own lives, to throw the first stone at her. He continued writing, and each of the scribes and Pharisees left one by one. When Jesus looked up and asked where those who condemned her was, she stated no one was there. Jesus then tells her that He does not condemn her either, to go and sin no more.
Jesus goes back to teaching the crowd and speaks these words of light and darkness in verse 12 of Chapter 8.
Light, Not Darkness
Light, Not Darkness
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.”
In the previous verses, we see man as being steeped in sin. The woman as an adulterer. The scribes and Pharisees as condemning, self-righteous, and pious. We, as humans, are sinful by nature, living a life of darkness. Not even the religious were free from the bondage and darkness of sin. No man is without sin, and even those standing there accusing the adulterous woman recognized their own depravity and was convicted of their sin. To the woman, he extended mercy, grace, and an opportunity for a second chance with the condition to sin no more. You see, her forgiveness was conditional upon her repentance.
Jesus uses this as a teaching moment, revealing to everyone there that He is the Light of the World.
You see, we have a need for light. Even as Christians, we are humans and remain in a certain level of darkness. Don’t believe me? What will you be doing tomorrow at 9:15 p.m.? Describe to me what God looks like? What is the true meaning, significance, and purpose of life? What does it mean to have a perfect knowledge? What does eternal life look like?
Our greatest need is light to illuminate this darkness.
The greatest gift given to us is that the Light, Jesus Himself, can be IN us and we can become children of Light.
5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
Light is the symbol of purity and holiness. Light means the absence of darkness and blindness; it has no spots of darkness or blackness, nor of sin and shame.
There is another condition given here also, IF we follow Him. God does nor force us to choose Him. God does not strong arm us to make a decision. God DOES give us the choice. IF we follow Him, we will not walk in darkness. We are delivered out of the darkness of sin and the consequences of our sin IF we choose to follow Him.
Why did Jesus use light and darkness as symbols here? It would have been familiar to them, through the Old Testament. It is something we can relate to, also. In darkness, we stumble and fall. In our falling, we can be hurt or worse killed. Our only hope is in the light, but the sin nature of man is drawn to darkness. Paul speaks of his human nature in Romans 7:15 where he explains he doesn’t understand why he can’t do what he wants, but instead does the things he hates.
15 For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate.
Afterwards, If Paul confesses his human nature, then we should realize we are in good company and our struggles are the same struggles as each and every person who ever walks this earth. Yet, Paul also understood where the source of his light was, and even during the dark times kept looking towards the light.
Until we make the conscious choice to follow Jesus and be filled with the light of life, we live in darkness.
Jesus explains this as having the light of life. As stated before, Jesus IS the light, and WE can possess the light. By linking light and life, wherever Jesus resides life abounds. In Him IS the light of life and as long as there are Christians filled with Jesus, there will continue to be light in this world.
Light of the World
Light of the World
5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
After speaking the words of John 8:12, Jesus goes on to speak of His testimony, knowing where He came from and where He was going, but tells the crowd they do not know where He comes from or where He is going. Again, He speaks of our inability to know the spiritual world.
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
Even those who were “religious” were looking to kill Jesus, showing that they would die in their sins unless they believed in Him. But Titus 1:16 gives us insight into their heart, and maybe even the hearts of many today.
16 They profess to know God, but they deny him by their works. They are detestable, disobedient, unfit for any good work.
These represent those who act religious, but don’t truly have a relationship with Jesus.
This chapter dramatizes Jesus’ bold claim, “I am the light of the world” (8:12). Whoever claims to be the light had better be prepared to prove it. So Jesus uses another sign. He heals a man, no question about that. But the fact of his blindness is important. Darkness fled before the sight Jesus gave him. That is the point not to miss.
The dialogue here is interesting. The blind man goes telling everyone how he could now see…but it was the Sabbath. The Pharisees did a double take asking him again how he regained his sight, and got all in an uproar completely in contrast with the composure of the Master.
The blind man was probably a well-known character. About him the disciples asked Jesus what was an honest question. “Who sinned?” (v. 2, RSV), they inquired. They assumed that sin always brought specific suffering. So they were puzzled about a man who had been born under such a curse.
Jesus denied that rigid rule. The parents were not declared sinless, only that one man’s suffering was not punishment for one sin. Neither did Jesus imply that the man was born for the sole purpose of being miraculously restored. His short statement was that the sight of human suffering was a call not for speculation but for service. It was an opportunity for God to manifest his grace.
Jesus did not here explain the mystery of pain. What he did do was associate others with himself in responding to the darkness in which men live. He could give sight, and he would (v. 5).
As the Light of the world Jesus gives people salvation. For those in need of light, He would give it. But after His death, His disciples would be His lights and would bringing Christ to others.
Matthew 5:14 a (ESV)
14 “You are the light of the world.
As Christians today, possessing the Light of Jesus, we too are not to take the light into the world.
He is Our Light
He is Our Light
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?
Before Jesus speaks the truth of being the light to the Jews in the tabernacle, God bore witness to David. He had just faced another giant Philistine, and had prevailed when he proclaimed the Lord to be His light and salvation. He recognized God as being the source of his life, God was His light. He realized God’s light in his life shined into the darkness of our minds, and gives us the opportunity to see His truth. Furthermore, if we choose to see His truth and follow Him, then He becomes our salvation. The word for salvation here means to be delivered, or rescued. He delivers us from the bondage and penalty of sin, and rescues us from an eternity in hell. The darkness is no more.
Closing
Closing
The second I Am Jesus proclaims is being the Light of the World. He is the source of the light, illuminating the darkness of our soul, making the truths of God known to us, and if we recognize our sins and the truth of God, then we become filled with the light of Jesus. We are filled with the light, and He gives us life eternal.
Today, the light of the Lord is shining fully. He illuminates each of our lives as Christians, and we (in return) should be shining the light of Jesus into a dark world.
For those who may still be wandering in the darkness of sin, stumbling, falling, feeling the fear of lostness. Today is the day you can be filled with light also. Jesus is our light, and our life, and by believing in Him as Savior we can know the same peace and comfort as David. Are you willing to make that decision today?