ï» THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD John 8:12 January 26, 1994, Frederic Green was found stiff and cold on his bedroom floor. A neighbor contacted the police after noticing nearly two weeks of mail and newspapers piling up at the eightytwo-year-old man's door. Officers broke into the house in San Leandro, California, and discovered Green. The report noted, "He did not appear to be breathing, his flesh felt hard and chilled, and the stench of decay permeated the house." Protocol for such events required a coroner's office technician to gather evidence and take photographs. Lt. Dennis Glover told the Oakland Tribune, "As the technician's camera flashed, there was a very soft gasp." Green was revived and immediately rushed to the hospital, where he was treated for a number of problems and doctors believed he suffered a stroke. This Associated Press release reminds us of a spiritual truth. Satan has deemed us dead and gone with no hope for life. Yet one flash from the Light of the World can bring about new life and the experience of being born again. THE WORD LIGHT IS USED 235 TIMES IN SCRIPTURE..Light is a noun and a verb Light, without which we can see nothing, is itself invisible. It seems to move from place to place instantaneously, passing ghostlike through solid materials such as glass. If it is part of the material world, it is matter- it can be weighed and measured! 1. Light is a tool of discovery... 2. Light is a tool of direction... Do people know of Christ because of you? 3. Light is a tool of deliverance... 2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Have you ever gotten out of bed at night and stumped your toe on the bed or door jam. It s not fun. A few months ago, I got up to get a drink of water and ran smack into the door it just about knocked me out. Darkness is dangerous. Making decisions in the dark can lead to some regrettable consequences. Back in the days before electricity, a tightfisted old farmer was taking his hired man to task for carrying a lighted lantern when he went to call on his best girl. Why, he exclaimed, when I went a-courtin I never carried one of them things. I always went in the dark. Yes, the hired man said wryly, and look what you got!
Jesus doesn t ask us to make decisions in the dark. In order to better understand John 8:12, we need to understand the context in which Jesus is speaking. When Jesus was speaking he was probably at the temple in Jerusalem. He was there for the celebration of the Feast of Tabernacles. This is the final feast of the year. The Feast of Tabernacles commemorated the wilderness wanderings of the Jewish people as they left Israel and traveled to the Promised Land. One of the ceremonies at this feast was the lighting of 4 menorahs (each having 4 lamps) in the Court of the Women at the temple. This huge candelabra gave a tremendous amount of light and this light reflecting off of the golden walls of the temple, would cause the temple to be noticed from all of Jerusalem. The light was a reminder that God had guided and protected his people with a pillar of fire. Exodus 13:21 - And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: As this feast has come to a conclusion, these menorahs would probably still be sitting in the temple area. Jesus arrives early in the morning (Jn 8:2). People have heard that he was there and started to teach, the Pharisees have come to try to trap Jesus and turn the people against him. The sun may now be beginning to appear into the area in which they were seated, and Jesus says unto all that is there vs 12 A staggering statement of His sovereign supremacy. All other religious founders. Muhammed, Buddha, Krisha were all SEEKERS of light- Jesus alone said He wasn t looking for the light He IS THE LIGHT!!! I. JESUS IS THE REAL LIGHT John 1:9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. A. The light of the lost is false Isaiah 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. 1. Religion of man is a false light. 2. Philosophy of man is a false light. 3. Secular education is a false light. 4. The appearance of light may not be light at all. As someone said, "The fact that your head is shaped like a light bulb doesn't necessarily mean you're bright!" B. The light of the Lord is first Compare Gen. 1:1-3 with Gen. 1:16 to see that there was light for this earth before the sun ever showed up. Day one and day 4. He made grass on Day 3
and Sun on 4. Pretty hard for those plants to wait a million years for sun to show up!! Why did God create light first? I can't say for sure, but I believe it has to do with his nature! God is light! Psalms 104:1-2 - Bless the LORD, O my soul. O LORD my God, thou art very great; thou art clothed with honour and majesty. Who coverest thyself with light as with a garment: who stretchest out the heavens like a curtain: 1 John 1:5 - This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. Paul saw a light above the brightness of the sun (Acts 26:13). 2 Peter 1:16-17 - For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. When did Peter witness this majesty? At the transfiguration of Jesus. Matthew 17:2 - And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. C. The light of the Lord is forever 1. In eternity future, Jesus will be the light of the new earth. 2. The light bulbs of this world eventually burn out. They have one now that they say will last a year- but they cost more than a years worth of light bulbs!! 3. Praise God, He NEVER goes out but continues to bring light throughout eternity! II. JESUS IS THE REVEALING LIGHT Darkness conceals and light reveals. Without light we can t see anything. I believe in Christ like I believe in the sun. Not only because I see it, but because by it all things are seen. John 3:21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. By the way, that s why some people avoid coming to church. They really don t want Christ to shine His light on the way they ve been living.
A. He reveals our sins Hebrews 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Psalms 90:8 Thou hast set our iniquities before thee, our secret sins in the light of thy countenance. Secret actions Secret thoughts Secret motives B. He reveals our steps Exodus 13:21 And the LORD went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night: C. He reveals salvation! Our direction in life Our destiny in eternity Buford wasn t to bright he was a deputy. Two convicts escaped and the Sheriff and Buford were in hot pursuit-they came to river and the Sheriff shined a big bright light- a strobe light-looked like a big white log going across there and saw the criminals getting out of a boat some of their family had left for them. The Sheriff knew there was no way they could swim across and catch em so he decided to have some fun with ol Buford. Hey Buford- you ever seen this light before? No sir we just got it in Yeah Buford this is high powered light so powerful its solid- it can hold you up. What I want you to do is while I m shing the light you walk up on it and walk across this beam of light and go get them convicts. Sheriff I don t believe I m gonna do that Why not Buford don t you trust the light will hold you up? Yeah Sheriff I do- but Im afraid that when I get half way acros you ll turn that light off! You can trust the light and who hold it! 1. Hank Williams said he saw the light, but he probably saw the wrong light and went to hell when he died. 2. Paul saw the TRUE light and died and went to heaven. 3. We may not see a literal light, but every person who is saved beholds the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (2 Cor. 4:3-4).
III. JESUS IS THE REJECTED LIGHT John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. A. He is rejected by the proud There are many who don't want to admit that they are in darkness. Why we wont ask for directions! PRIDE!!!! They won't admit that their light does not work. B. He is rejected by the pleasure-seekers He lets the earthly pleasures keep him from trusting Christ. They love the beach, not the Bible. They love pleasure, not preaching. They love sin, not the Son of God. C. He is rejected by the prosperous They trust in their riches. They think they can buy heaven with their money. Jesus quoted the 10 commadments- but left out one. only one- COVETOUSNESS. The fellow said Yeah then he layed it on him. IV. JESUS IS THE REQUIRED LIGHT John 11:10 But if a man walk in the night, he stumbleth, because there is no light in him. Light gives life. Light is necessary for life itself. It sets our biological clocks, triggers in our brains the sensations of color, and supplies the energy for things to grow. Speaking of Jesus, John 1:4 states: In him was life, and that life was the light of men. There is no light within. This is certainly a popular teaching today, the idea that we each have an inner light which we need to follow. A. Without Jesus, you will stumble into heartache In marriage, In your job, In your finances, In your family Light gives warmth. Did you know that one small candle, properly reflected, will raise the temperature of an igloo from below freezing to over 45 degrees? In the Bible, warmth is often equated with the comfort of God.
Isaiah 60:20 Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Ecclesiastes 11:7 Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: B. Without Jesus, you will stumble into heresy Jesus is the truth (Jn. 14:6). His word is truth (Jn. 17:17). The word of God is a light unto our path and a lamp unto our feet. C. Without Jesus, you will stumble into hell Light provides guidance. Jesse Jerkins turn lights off meeting. "Come to the Light, tis shining for thee, Sweetly the light has dawned upon me. Once I was blind, but now I can see The light of the world is Jesus!" The story is told of grandfather who took his little grandson for a walk in the woods. As they were walking along they stopped and the grandfather asked his grandson a question, Do you know where we are? The boy looked up and said, No! Grandpa then asked, Do you know where we re going? The boy replied, No! The man chuckled and said, Well, I guess you re lost then. The boy smiled at his grandpa and said, No, I m not lost. I m with you. Psalms 43:3 O send out thy light and thy truth: let them lead me; let them bring me unto thy holy hill, and to thy tabernacles. Light will destroy the wicked 2Th 2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: John 1:4-5 - In him was life; and the life was the light of men. [5] And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. John 3:19 - And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. Its JESUS or HELL!!! The outer darkness of Hell! CONCLUSION:
Light will not reduce You cannot dismantle the parts of light and have light. It will not work if you try to reduce it or dismantle any of lights parts. God himself is light and he is non-reduce-able. You take away any part of God you don t have God. 1. The Claim of Light, I am the light of the world (also John 1:4, 9) 2. The Contrast of Light, shall not walk in darkness 3. The Conditions of Light, he that followeth me 4. The Consequences of the Light, shall have the light of life Re 22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.