I want you to think of the darkest place you have ever found yourself. When God created the earth, he created the greater light (the sun) to govern the day, and the lesser light (the moon and stars) to govern the night. If you think about it, even on the darkest of nights God never leaves us without some light. The darkest place I’ve been was a cave in South Dakota. We traveled deep into some mountain, to an inner cavern, and for thrills, they killed the lights. Even though they told us what they were about to do, a degree of terror (of complete vulnerability) swept over me.
There are other types of darkness. None of us would be hard pressed to think of a time when we found ourselves besieged by darkness. The mounting pile of bills on the table, inflation, gas prices. Divorce, separation, relational conflicts, domestic violence can feel like darkness. Our common struggle with sin, against the flesh. The savagery of war feels like deepest darkness. Grief. Death. A struggle with mental health—anxiety, depression, suicidal thoughts.
In Matthew 6:23b Jesus makes an observation, “. . . So if the light within you is darkness, how deep is that darkness!” Now isn’t it amazing that even at our darkest moments, God in his grace hasn’t left us without some “lesser” light? Lesser light is better than no light right? You bet it is! But what we really need are the high beams. We need the greater light—not just of the sunshine—but of the Son of God.
In John 8:12 it says, “Jesus spoke to them again: ‘I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.’” Now this is quite a profound declaration. If you are walking with Jesus, it’s not that you will be trouble free. In fact, Jesus warned even believers that in this world you will have trouble. I cannot think of a single earthly category of trouble or tragedy that Christians are exempt from. The darkness is always lurking, creeping forth. But when you walk with Jesus you aren’t overcome by the darkness. It’s there, but it’s like the darkness is light. You understand it. You know your way through it.
I’m thinking of Psalm 139, which is one of the most profound declarations in all of Scripture about God’s knowledge. God searches us and knows us completely. He knows our thoughts, words, deeds, and ways. He knew us in our mother’s womb. He knows everything seen and unseen, past and present and future. But smack dab in this middle of Psalm 139:12 are these words, “even the darkness is not dark to you. The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to you.” What might feel dark to us (even as Christians) isn’t dark to God at all. He sees it as plainly, clearly as if in the full light of day.
So, here in John 8:12 Jesus announces himself to be the Light of the World! That if we’d follow him, we’d never walk in darkness, but have the light of life. Now, throughout John 8 Jesus lays out the case for how we can know that he is indeed the Light of World.
Reason #1 Jesus is Light of World: Jesus’ Origin + Jesus’ Destiny. In John 8:14 Jesus says, “. . . I know where I came from and where I am going.” Jesus claims to have been sent from God’s bosom to earth. From the most intimate closest place at Father’s side, here to earth, into our midst. But Jesus also claims he was about to return to the very same place—to the Father’s right hand. Jesus knew where he was coming from and going. Now, the Jews could have certainly taken Jesus at his word but they didn’t. But in John the final sign is going to be Jesus’ resurrection and ascension into heaven. Jesus is the light of the world because he came from God and is returning to God! If true, I think that would certainly qualify him. But of course, the Jews don’t want to hear anything of this and are in melt down mode in John 8.
Reason #2 Jesus is Light of World: The Father + Son’s Testimony. You would agree that any nut could claim anything they wanted. Just because Jesus was making a claim didn’t make it true. But the reason what Jesus is saying is true is because His self-testimony (about his identity) agrees with God’s testimony. His declarations are in agreement with all the Father promised Adam and Eve, all that he showed the Patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, Jacob), all that he revealed to Moses in the Law, David the King, the many prophets. In John 8:17-18 Jesus says, “17 Even in your law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am the one who testifies about myself, and the Father who sent me testifies about me.”
The Gospel writer John laboriously correlates the words and works of Jesus back to the Old Testament to show that the works and wonders of Jesus are fully congruent with everything the Father’s ever spoken, done, revealed! If you know the ancient, old testimony of scripture… Jesus Testimony isn’t New”, it’s continuation. But these Jews are in full denial, they refuse recognize Jesus is the Messiah or Christ, the fulfillment of the old. In John 8:19b-20 Jesus laments, “You know neither me nor my Father,” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would also know my Father.”
Reason #3 Jesus is Light of World: His Teachings are True. We have to be really careful at this point. One of the ways Christians have really undermined Jesus, is by putting words…predictions… human wisdom into his mouth. Don’t tell me what you want Jesus to say. Don’t tell me what you think he is saying. Open your Bible and read for yourself what Jesus said. In John 8:23-24 Jesus says, “23 “You are from below,” he told them, “I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 Therefore I told you that you will die in your sins. For if you do not believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.”
When we read the words of Jesus, they strike us as odd. Why? It’s because Jesus isn’t making judgements from an earthly or worldly perspective. But Jesus has a heavenly or spiritual perspective. From an earthly perspective our biggest problem is that we are going to die. But from a spiritual perspective it’s that apart from God’s intervention, we will also die in our sins! Our sin problem has to be rectified. Jesus, the Lamb of God is the remedy, who alone has the authority to forgive and take away our sin. Jesus knows and teaches things that could only be known if not only he were God, but if he has the spiritual perspective of God.
In John 8:28-29 Jesus says, “When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own. But just as the Father taught me, I say these things. 29 The one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, because I always do what pleases him.” It’s only after they lift Jesus to the cross, and he dies for the sins of the world, that the light bulb is going to click on. That the spiritual perspective is going to make total sense. For us, the next big event will be either our own death, or the Day of the Lord. The light bulb will click but on, but that day it will be too late if we haven’t believed on Jesus.
Reason #4 Jesus is Light of World: Jesus’ Words Bring Actual Freedom. In John 8:29b Jesus says, “I always do what pleases Him [Father].” In John 8:31-32 Jesus says, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” In John 8:34-38 Jesus says, “34 Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 A slave does not remain in the household forever, but a son does remain forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you really will be free. 37 I know you are descendants of Abraham, but you are trying to kill me because my word has no place among you. 38 I speak what I have seen in the presence of the Father; so then, you do what you have heard from your father.”
John 8:42-43, “42 Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and I am here. For I didn’t come on my own, but he sent me. 43 Why don’t you understand what I say? Because you cannot listen to my word.”
John 8:46-47, “46 Who among you can convict me of sin? If I am telling the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 The one who is from God listens to God’s words. This is why you don’t listen, because you are not from God.” John 8:51, “51 Truly I tell you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”
The bottom line is that if we obey and follow Jesus’ words we will discover that his words are true. Where the Son shines, where the Son leads, darkness is expelled. Sins are forgiven. Freedom is attained. Where the Son leads, the struggle against sin, the tyranny of death, the chains of slavery to fear are forever broken!
Now ironically at the end of John 8, Jesus accuses the Jews of behaving more like sons of their father (the Devil), and less like sons of Abraham, or even the sons and daughters of His Father in heaven. Talk about whacking the hornet’s nest! I think there is something to be said here. We have to make sure that God’s word doesn’t just lead us to forgiveness of sin, but also freedom from sin. The freedom comes in the following, the listening, the obeying, the abiding in Word.
Reason #5 Jesus is the Light of the World: Jesus is the Ancient of Days. These Jewish leaders had the evidence of Jesus’ life itself to weigh. Either he is the Son of God, or he is not. In John 8:49-53 Jesus throws down the gauntlet. They accuse Jesus of being possessed not by Spirit of God, but a Demon… a Spirit of Evil.
“I do not have a demon,” Jesus answered. “On the contrary, I honor my Father and you dishonor me. 50 I do not seek my own glory; there is one who seeks it and judges. 51 Truly I tell you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” 52 Then the Jews said, “Now we know you have a demon. Abraham died and so did the prophets. You say, ‘If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death.’ 53 Are you greater than our father Abraham who died? And the prophets died. Who do you claim to be?” 54 “If I glorify myself,” Jesus answered, “my glory is nothing. My Father—about whom you say, ‘He is our God’—he is the one who glorifies me. 55 You do not know him, but I know him. If I were to say I don’t know him, I would be a liar like you. But I do know him, and I keep his word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day; he saw it and was glad.” 57 The Jews replied, “You aren’t fifty years old yet, and you’ve seen Abraham?” 58 Jesus said to them, “Truly I tell you, before Abraham was, I am.” 59 So they picked up stones to throw at him. But Jesus was hidden and went out of the temple.”
You know, Light just “Is.” If we would listen to Light, follow Light, obey the Light, honor the Light… not only would we never walk in darkness, but we would never see death. We have the Light of life itself. Forgiveness. Freedom. FUTURE!