John 8:12 - I Am the Light of the World
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
[INTER] Are you afraid of the Light?
Most of the time we ask, “Are you afraid of the dark?”
But this morning I want to know if you’re afraid of the Light?
[ILLUS] Dalton and Lydia were turning out the lights in the sanctuary the other night. It was about 8:30 or so, and once the lights were out, it was really dark in here.
I was standing at the big metal doors, and as soon as the lights went out, I closed and locked them with Dalton and Lydia trapped in the darkness.
Immediately there was screaming and crying, but Lydia told Dalton to man up.
I honestly had a hard time hearing their pleas over the sound of my own laughter…
…but later Lydia asked me, “Dad, are you scared in the sanctuary when all the lights are out?”
In other words, she was asking, “Dad, are you afraid of the dark?”
Jesus said that people don’t fear the darkness; it’s the Light they can’t stand.
19 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.
Did you hear John 3:20? Listen again…
“For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”
Are you afraid of the Light?
Have you come to the Light?
Do you know who you could be in the Light of Him?
[READING - John 8:12-20]
12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not 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 true.” 14 Jesus answered and said to them, “Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 “You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 16 “But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. 17 “Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. 18 “I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.” 19 So they were saying to Him, “Where is Your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” 20 These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.
[PRAYER]
[CONTEXT] They were His people, but they were trapped in Egyptian slavery. They cried out for rescue, and God heard their cry; He sent them Moses who told Pharaoh to set God’s people free. Pharaoh refused, so God sent plagues on Egypt.
The Nile turned to blood.
Frogs swamped the land.
Gnats swarmed.
Flies filled the air.
Livestock died.
Boils covered the skin.
Hail pummeled the earth.
Locusts devoured everything.
Darkness… well, listen to Exodus 10:21-23…
21 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even a darkness which may be felt.” 22 So Moses stretched out his hand toward the sky, and there was thick darkness in all the land of Egypt for three days. 23 They did not see one another, nor did anyone rise from his place for three days, but all the sons of Israel had light in their dwellings.
Then the final plague: death of the firstborn.
God’s people were saved by the blood of the lamb, but the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sat on a throne to the firstborn of the captive in the dungeon, they all died.
And Pharaoh let Israel go.
But as Israel went, God was leading the way…
21 The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.
Soon, however, Pharaoh pursued the Israelites to the shores of the Red Sea. With Israel trapped between the sea and Pharaoh…
19 Then the angel of God, who had been leading the people of Israel, moved to the rear of the camp. The pillar of cloud also moved from the front and stood behind them. 20 The cloud settled between the Egyptian and Israelite camps. As darkness fell, the cloud turned to fire, lighting up the night. But the Egyptians and Israelites did not approach each other all night.
God sent a strong east wind to part the waters. God’s people passed through the Red Sea on dry ground, but the Egyptians perished in the waters.
Nehemiah picks up the story…
12 “And with a pillar of cloud You led them by day, And with a pillar of fire by night To light for them the way In which they were to go. 13 “Then You came down on Mount Sinai, And spoke with them from heaven; You gave them just ordinances and true laws, Good statutes and commandments. 14 “So You made known to them Your holy sabbath, And laid down for them commandments, statutes and law, Through Your servant Moses. 15 “You provided bread from heaven for them for their hunger, You brought forth water from a rock for them for their thirst, And You told them to enter in order to possess The land which You swore to give them.
19 You, in Your great compassion, Did not forsake them in the wilderness; The pillar of cloud did not leave them by day, To guide them on their way, Nor the pillar of fire by night, to light for them the way in which they were to go.
All of this is what God’s people were celebrating at the Feast of Tabernacles in John 8 when Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world.”
The Feast of Tabernacles celebrated God guiding and caring for His people during their 40 years of wandering in the wilderness.
During that time, God provided them bread from heaven, and John has already shown us Jesus as the true bread come down from heaven.
During that time, God provided them water from a rock, and John has already shown us Jesus as the living water that quenches thirsty souls.
And during the wilderness wandering, God provided His people light…
“With a pillar of cloud He led them by day,
and with a pillar of fire by night,
to light for them the way,
in which they were to go,” (Neh. 9:12).
In John 8:12, John shows us Jesus as the true Light—the Light of the world.
As the sun went down on the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles, four giant golden menorahs measuring 70-75 feet tall were placed in the court of the women in the Jewish Temple.
Each giant menorah had four bowls for oil.
Young men would climb the ladders and filled the bowls with nine liters of oil in each bowl.
Wicks were made from discarded priestly garments, and the menorahs were set ablaze!
Light pierced the darkness, and someone said “There was no court in Jerusalem that was not bright from the light…” (WBC).
Pious men danced with torches in hand and sang songs of praise.
Levites made joyful noises with zithers and harps and cymbals and trumpets and other musical instruments without number.
This lasted until dawn.
Then two appointed priests would slowly descend the steps into the court of the women, and turn toward God’s Temple and say, “Our fathers who were in this place turned their backs to the temple of God and their faces eastward and threw themselves down eastward before the sun; but we direct our eyes to Yahweh. … We are Yahweh’s, and our eyes are directed to Yahweh!”
In other words, as the light of giant menorahs dwindled and the light of the sun rose, these priests said in essence, “Our fathers were blind, but we have seen the light! Our eyes are directed to I AM!”
But Jesus said in John 8:12, “I AM the Light of the world...”
But were their eyes directed toward Him?
Are yours?
[TS] Notice a few things about what Jesus says in John 8:12…
Major Ideas
Major Ideas
If you direct your eyes to Jesus as the Light, you will follow Him.
If you direct your eyes to Jesus as the Light, you will follow Him.
[ILLUS] Perhaps you’ve seen the videos of the dog owners who place their pup on the ground and walk in opposite directions. One owner walks this way, one walks that way, and the pup has to decided which way to go. Does he love this owner more? Or does he love that owner more?
Cheryl and I tried that with Lillian, but she just went to Stan!
[APP] To follow Jesus as the Light means that we always run in His direction.
We are not torn between two masters.
We are not torn between darkness and Light.
We follow Jesus because we belong to the Light!
We belong to Jesus!
Do you belong to Jesus? Will you follow Him?
Turn with me to John 12:35-36
35 So Jesus said to them, “For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. 36 “While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.” These things Jesus spoke, and He went away and hid Himself from them.
Notice that this decision to follow Jesus is a time-sensitive decision.
Notice that this decision to follow Jesus is a time-sensitive decision.
“For a little while longer the Light is among you. Walk while you have the Light...” (John 12:35-36a).
You do not have forever to make your decision; you must make your choice soon or the decision will be made for you.
For a little while longer the Light of Jesus shines, but when He comes again there will only be eternal darkness for those who reject Him.
Notice that the decision to follow Jesus is an important decision.
Notice that the decision to follow Jesus is an important decision.
“Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walk in the darkness does not know where he goes,” (John 12:36).
In John 12:46, Jesus said…
46 “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.
The Pharisees were in the darkness of unbelief. They accused Jesus of testifying about Himself, but light must bear witness to itself for nothing else can. Light shines on everything else, but only light bears witness to light.
Jesus told them that the Father also witnessed to Him—God the Father said, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased”—but they didn’t know the Father, so they didn’t recognize the Son.
Because of unbelief, they remained in darkness and would walk in darkness.
This is not true for those who step into the light of Jesus by believing in Him. Those who believing in Jesus walk in the light of Jesus.
Ephesians 5:8-14 tells us…
8 For once you were full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light! 9 For this light within you produces only what is good and right and true. 10 Carefully determine what pleases the Lord. 11 Take no part in the worthless deeds of evil and darkness; instead, expose them. 12 It is shameful even to talk about the things that ungodly people do in secret. 13 But their evil intentions will be exposed when the light shines on them, 14 for the light makes everything visible. This is why it is said, “Awake, O sleeper, rise up from the dead, and Christ will give you light.”
Notice that the decision to follow Jesus is an intentional decision.
Notice that the decision to follow Jesus is an intentional decision.
“While you have the Light, believe the Light, so that you may become sons of Light,” (John 12:37).
You will not accidentally trust in Jesus.
You must intentionally decide to believe, trust, and follow Him.
“While you have the Light, believe the Light!”
[TS]…
Conclusion
Conclusion
By way of His miraculous deeds…
By way of the divine authority in His teaching…
By way of His resurrection from the dead…
…Jesus has proven that He is the Light of the world.
And now He calls you out of darkness into His marvelous light.
There is no need to fear the Light for although He bids you come and die to yourself, He has died for you on the cross and offers you eternal life in His resurrection.
Will you receive it?
Will you follow Him?
While you have the Light, will you believe it?
[PRAYER] Father…