The Light
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Introduction
Introduction
Verse 12 picks up where verse 52 left off. Jesus is speaking to the people at the end of the Feat of Tabernacles. He tells them, “I am the light of the world.” He is not claiming to have the light…to have special revelation of God. He is claiming to actually be the light. He claimed to be the Light of the world!
“The temple celebration of Tabernacles in Jesus’ day also included a ceremony in which four huge candlestick-torches were lit in the Court of the Women. The light of these candles was said to be so brilliant as to be seen all over the city of Jerusalem.
the temple celebration of Tabernacles in Jesus’ day also included a ceremony in which four huge candlestick-torches were lit in the Court of the Women. The light of these candles was said to be so brilliant as to be seen all over the city of Jerusalem. This indicates that this scene probably takes place after dark on the final day of the Feast. Therefore, Jesus has tied his claims to two of the great symbols of Tabernacles, the Water Ceremony (7:37–38), and this Light Ceremony (v. 12).
“The lamps were intended to remind worshipers of God’s leading the people of Israel through the wilderness at night by a pillar of fire. The lighting of lamps also signaled Israel’s recommitment to the God of light, and it was accompanied by festive music of the Levites and special dancing by chosen men of piety.”
Bryant, B. H., & Krause, M. S. (1998). John (). Joplin, MO: College Press Pub. Co.
Borchert, G. L. (1996). (Vol. 25A, pp. 295–296). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.
Verse 12 picks up where verse 52 left off. Jesus is speaking to the people at the end of the Feat of Tabernacles. He tells them, “I am the light of the world.” He is not claiming to have the light…to have special revelation of God. He is claiming to actually be the light. He claimed to be the Light of the world!
Jesus used the celebration as a springboard from which to preach his sermon…God had led the children of Israel through the desert by a pillar of fire…the lighting of the lamps during the Feast of Tabernacles led people to remember God’s revelation of Himself and guidance through the desert during those days.
Jesus was now saying that He is the God who led the Hebrews through the wilderness…He is that light…He is God!
“The Lord is my light and salvation.”
Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness — Those who follow Jesus are freed from the power of sin in their life. They will no longer live in darkness…sinfulness.
The Lord is my light and my salvation;
Whom shall I fear?
The Lord is the defense of my life;
Whom shall I dread?
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Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship.
And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.
Christ has set us free fro the power of sin
and having been freed from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.
We are now a slave of righteousness…God’s way of doing things.
For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness.
All of humanity falls into one of two groups — Followers of Christ and everyone else…those who follow Christ are slaves of righteousness…those who dod not follow Christ are slaves to sin.
How do you know which of these two groups you are in — What does your heart say? If your heart desires sin and it is what you really want to do…if you are only sorry it is wrong to do what you want to do…if you are simply sorry you got caught when your wrong is found out…you are not a follower of Jesus.
If your heart desire is to do things God’s way and obedience is what you want to do…if you are sorry your sin hurts the heart of a holy God…if your heart is broken when you sin because of the hurt you caused God…your heart bears evidence that you are a follower of Jesus.
Those who follow Christ have a changed heart…they cannot walk in darkness…they cannot continue in their old way of life…it just isn’t them anymore…it isn’t who they are…it isn’t what they want to do…In fact their old way of living breaks their heart…sin is a horror to a genuine follower of Jesus.
Everyone who remains in Him does not sin; everyone who sins has not seen Him or known Him.
So what Jesus is claiming here is huge! It is of incredible significance. He is telling His hearers, and all of us too, if we will follow Him, the Light, we will be forever changed…set free from slavery to sin unto a new kind of life…a life in the Light.
Have you ever pondered the question of what you are saved to? We know what we are saved from but too few consider what we are saved to. We are not just saved from darkness, sin, death and hell...
We are saved to eternal life, freedom and righteousness…free to obey God and do things His way!
Christianity is not simply a list of “do not’s.” It is a newfound opportunity and desire to participate in a lot of can do’s!
We can now have a relationship with God and, in His Spirit, as we abide in Him, live a life pleasing to Him…participating in what He is at work doing around us.
Pharisee Response
Pharisee Response
Rather than challenging what Jesus said they challenged His testimony in general…in order for a witness to be true it had to be corroborated and He had no witness to justify or support what He was saying.
Jesus responds by saying his opponents judge by mere human standards. They have failed to see where He is from or what His purpose. Their judgement of Him was a failure from the start because they had missed His identity.
The Father is His witness. Jesus is a witness of His own identity and purpose…the Father is His corroborating witness…they simply did not have eyes to see it.
They refused to believe and were therefore ignorant of the truth…attempting instead to identify Him as a fraud according to their own judgement of the law apart from the God whom they claimed to worship by the Law.
Jesus’ Response
Jesus’ Response
I do not judge — This goes back to the story of the woman caught in adultery is likely the reason it was inserted into the text of John’s Gospel where it was.
“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.
For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him.
Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the One and Only Son of God.
Jesus did not come into the world in order to carry out the sentence of death upon mankind. He came in order to die on the cross for our salvation.
However, those who refuse to believe remain in the condemned camp and are sentenced to condemnation…a sentence which will one day be carried out.
But if Jesus were to judge, sentence and condemn He would do so not in the flesh but in the Spirit. His judgement would be perfect because He is God…one with the Father. (Someday He is coming back to do just that)
One day all of our life will be put on display in eternity. We will be judged impartially and perfectly by a holy, perfect God. At that moment each person will be among the saved or condemned…each person will either be saved unto an eternity with God or condemned to an eternity separated from Him in hell.
Whether you realize it or not…the weight of sin is marring and killing you. If you are not a follower of Christ this will lead to eternal death in hell…if you are a follower of Christ it leads to incredible sorrow and brokenness that are not yours to bear…either way the load of sin slowly brings death where life and light are meant to dwell.
Leonardo Da Vinci, the noted Italian artist, painted the Last Supper. It took seven years for him to complete it. The figures representing the twelve Apostles and Christ himself were painted from living persons. The life-model for the painting of the figure of Jesus was chosen first. When it was decided that Da Vinci would paint this great picture, hundreds and hundreds of young men were carefully viewed in an endeavour to find a face and personality exhibiting innocence and beauty, free from the scars and signs of dissipation caused by sin.
When it was decided that Da Vinci would paint this great picture, hundreds and hundreds of young men were carefully viewed in an endeavour to find a face and personality exhibiting innocence and beauty, free from the scars and signs of dissipation caused by sin.
Finally, after weeks of laborious search, a young man nineteen years of age was selected as a model for the portrayal of Christ. For six months Da Vinci worked on the production of this leading character of his famous painting. During the next six years Da Vinci continued his labours on this sublime work of art. One by one fitting persons were chosen to represent each of the eleven Apostles – with space being left for the painting of the figure representing Judas Iscariot as the final task of this masterpiece.
Finally, after weeks of laborious search, a young man nineteen years of age was selected as a model for the portrayal of Christ. For six months Da Vinci worked on the production of this leading character of his famous painting. During the next six years Da Vinci continued his labours on this sublime work of art. One by one fitting persons were chosen to represent each of the eleven Apostles – with space being left for the painting of the figure representing Judas Iscariot as the final task of this masterpiece.
This was the Apostle, you remember, who betrayed his Lord for thirty pieces of silver. For weeks Da Vinci searched for a man with a hard, callous face, with a countenance marked by scars of avarice, deceit, hypocrisy, and crime. A face that would delineate a character who would betray his best friend. After many discouraging experiences in searching for the type of person required to represent Judas, word came to Da Vinci that a man whose appearance fully met his requirements had been found in a dungeon in Rome, sentenced to die for a life of crime and murder. Da Vinci made the trip to Rome at once, and this man was brought out from his imprisonment in the dungeon and led out into the light of the sun. There Da Vinci saw before him a dark, swarthy man his long shaggy and unkempt hair sprawled over his face, which betrayed a character of viciousness and complete ruin. At last the famous painter had found the person he wanted to represent the character of Judas in his painting. By special permission from the king, this prisoner was carried to Milan where the picture was being painted. For months he sat before Da Vinci at appointed hours each day as the gifted artist diligently continued his task of transmitting, to his painting, this base character representing the traitor and betrayer of our Saviour.
This was the Apostle, you remember, who betrayed his Lord for thirty pieces of silver. For weeks Da Vinci searched for a man with a hard, callous face, with a countenance marked by scars of avarice, deceit, hypocrisy, and crime. A face that would delineate a character who would betray his best friend.
After many discouraging experiences in searching for the type of person required to represent Judas, word came to Da Vinci that a man whose appearance fully met his requirements had been found in a dungeon in Rome, sentenced to die for a life of crime and murder. Da Vinci made the trip to Rome at once, and this man was brought out from his imprisonment in the dungeon and led out into the light of the sun. There Da Vinci saw before him a dark, swarthy man his long shaggy and unkempt hair sprawled over his face, which betrayed a character of viciousness and complete ruin. At last the famous painter had found the person he wanted to represent the character of Judas in his painting. By special permission from the king, this prisoner was carried to Milan where the picture was being painted. For months he sat before Da Vinci at appointed hours each day as the gifted artist diligently continued his task of transmitting, to his painting, this base character representing the traitor and betrayer of our Saviour.
As he finished his last stroke, he turned to the guards and said, I have finished. You may take the prisoner away. As the guards were leading their prisoner away, he suddenly broke loose from their control and rushed up to Da Vinci, crying as he did so, “Da Vinci, look at me. Do you not know who I am?” Da Vinci, with the trained eyes of a great character student, carefully scrutinized the man upon whose face he had constantly gazed for six months and replied, “No, I have never seen you in my life until you were brought before me out of the dungeon in Rome.” Then, lifting his eyes toward heaven, the prisoner said, “Oh God, have I fallen so low?” Then turning his face to the painter he cried, “Leonardo Da Vinci, look at me again for I am the same man you painted just seven years ago as the figure of Christ.”
As he finished his last stroke, he turned to the guards and said, I have finished. You may take the prisoner away. As the guards were leading their prisoner away, he suddenly broke loose from their control and rushed up to Da Vinci, crying as he did so, “Da Vinci, look at me. Do you not know who I am?” Da Vinci, with the trained eyes of a great character student, carefully scrutinized the man upon whose face he had constantly gazed for six months and replied, “No, I have never seen you in my life until you were brought before me out of the dungeon in Rome.”
Then, lifting his eyes toward heaven, the prisoner said, “Oh God, have I fallen so low?” Then turning his face to the painter he cried, “Leonardo Da Vinci, look at me again for I am the same man you painted just seven years ago as the figure of Christ.”
Jesus came to offer grace, salvation and freedom from sin. This is the purpose of His first coming to earth…receive His grace and salvation before He comes the second time to judge the living and the dead!
Pharisee Response Part Two
Pharisee Response Part Two
“Where is your Father” — They wanted to know where this Father was who provided a corroborating witness to the claims of Jesus.
Jesus makes clear that He and the Father are one…He is God! Yet no one seized Him for His time had not yet come.
An interesting point is made in this last verse of our study today. Nothing and no one can hinder or prevent God’s will from being carried out in our life. We live our witness until He sees fit to bring it an end on earth.
The life of Jesus was being lived out, day by day, according to the purpose of the Father in heaven. Our life, as a follower of Christ, is being laid out day by day according to the plan of the Father for our life as well.
The question is…what are you doing with the time God is giving you? What are you doing with your opportunity to be a witness?
Conclusion
Conclusion
Jesus came to save and His church is here now to proclaim His salvation for this generation.
Have you received Him? re you telling others about Him?
Do you know that you belong to Jesus? Does your heart bear witness to what your mouth is confessing?
Could you do more with the time you have been given? Would you like to do more with the time God has given you?
One of the world’s best known children’s songs is “Jesus Loves Me”.
Jesus loves me this I know
For the bible tells me so
Little ones to him belong
They are weak but he is strong
Jesus loves me this I know
For the bible tells me so
Little ones to him belong
They are weak but he is strong
The song was originally composed for a novel, Say and Seal, published in 1860. It tells the story of a little boy, Johnny who is sick and dying. He is being rocked in the arms of his Sunday School teacher John Linden and asks John to sing him a song. John sings “Jesus Loves Me”.
The song was originally composed for a novel, Say and Seal, published in 1860. It tells the story of a little boy, Johnny who is sick and dying. He is being rocked in the arms of his Sunday School teacher John Linden and asks John to sing him a song. John sings “Jesus Loves Me”. The profundity of that song extends way beyond simplistic childhood faith. Karl Barth was one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century. He possessed a brilliant mind and wrote thousands of words exploring the interrelation of faith, theology and culture. Towards the end of his life Barth gave a lecture at the University of Chicago Divinity School. At the end of the lecture he was asked what he considered to be the greatest theological discovery of his life. Everyone sat with bated breath ready for an extended and complex answer. Karl Barth paused for a moment, then smiled and said “The greatest theological insight that I have ever had is this: Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!”
The profundity of that song extends way beyond simplistic childhood faith. Karl Barth was one of the most influential theologians of the twentieth century. He possessed a brilliant mind and wrote thousands of words exploring the interrelation of faith, theology and culture. Towards the end of his life Barth gave a lecture at the University of Chicago Divinity School. At the end of the lecture he was asked what he considered to be the greatest theological discovery of his life.
Everyone sat with bated breath ready for an extended and complex answer. Karl Barth paused for a moment, then smiled and said “The greatest theological insight that I have ever had is this: Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so!”
Jesus loves you…He truly, radically, completely without exception or caveat, loves each and every person. He loves us beyond our ability to comprehend…the height depth, width and breath of His love is incomprehensible. It is too great to know
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
and that the Messiah may dwell in your hearts through faith. I pray that you, being rooted and firmly established in love,
may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the length and width, height and depth of God’s love,
and to know the Messiah’s love that surpasses knowledge, so you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
Will you believe in God’s love for your salvation? Will you believe in God’s love for your life and witness…that He has a plan for you…a purpose right in the middle of His purpose?
Would you believe God loves you so much and so unconditionally that he offers you a a place in Jesus…The Light…
Would you believe God loves us so much that He gives us eternal life and an unshakeable purpose in Christ?
And would you believe His power is enough to keep anything or anyone from destroying His plans for your life?