This is the manuscript of the third sermon in a series titled "The Adequacy of Jesus Christ", which is a study of the seven ‘I am' sayings of Jesus found in the gospel of John.
Listen to an audio recording of the sermon by clicking on the YouTube link at the end of the manuscript.
You can also watch a video recording of the entire service on the Christ Church YouTube Channel https://youtu.be/CWG96yTHvC4
Visit the Christ Church website at christchurchlosangeles.org.
Scripture
John 1:1-13 NIV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
Introduction
This is the third in “The Adequacy of Christ” series of sermons. The series covers the seven ‘I am' sayings of Jesus found in the gospel of John. In his gospel John consistently shows the relationship between the revelation of God in the Old Testament and the revelation of Jesus as God in the New Testament era.
As God promised to be adequate to meet the needs of Moses and the children of Israel, so Jesus also claimed divine adequacy, man.
As John listened to Jesus’ teachings, he sensed a significant parallelism between God’s announcement of his name to Moses and Jesus’ repeated announcements about his person in the “I am” statements.
Here God’s an announcement to Moses;
Exodus 3:13-14 NIV Moses said to God, “Suppose I go to the Israelites and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ Then what shall I tell them?” God said to Moses, “I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I am has sent me to you.’ ”
Jesus' statement that He is the "bread of life" which we examined last week was the first of the I Am pronouncements Jesus.
Today we are going to take a look at the second one. It's in our text for today.
Text:
John 8:12 NIV When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The world of “light” can be divided into artificial light and natural light. Artificial light derives its energy from a manufactured source; lightbulbs, flashlights, lanterns, lamps, and heaters are powered by various energy sources. Some natural lights are our sun, stars, and lightning. Their light sources are found within themselves.
Artificial and natural light can also both be found in the spiritual world. Many kinds of artificial spiritual light have their source in something other than themselves.
2 Corinthians 11:12-15 NIV And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.
Jesus dispels the darkness of artificiality.
We live in a world of artificiality.
We have soft drinks with artificial color, artificial flavor, and artificial sweeteners. We are surrounded by synthetic fabrics, synthetic rubber, and even synthetic diamonds. In a world of false, fake, and make-believe, we need a true standard.
Christ is that true standard.
Often artificial light gives off a certain hue. For instance, incandescent light gives off a yellow tint and fluorescent light gives off a blue tint. True color tones are revealed when they are exposed to sunlight. Sunlight, however, is a white light, and colors are evenly beautiful under its glow. Everything looks different in the brilliance of sunlight.
There is only one natural spiritual Light, which has its own source of energy. That Light is Jesus, and his light dispels darkness.
Have you ever noticed that light brings change?
Did you know that once you’re in a room that is completely dark, I mean pitch black dark, the room cannot get any darker. However, if you’re in a lighted room, it can always get brighter and brighter. Ever notice that when you have a simple night-light, this little bulb can really illuminate a room.
That’s the very nature of light. . . to bring change to any given situation. Change, however, is almost a nasty topic. Wherever you work, wherever you go to school, even in the church, change is a hot topic. Yet, in order to grow and mature, we must change, otherwise we remain stagnant and ultimately die.
Look at our text again;
John 8:12 NIV When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Jesus proclaimed Himself to be the LIGHT OF THE WORLD. Just imagine the LIGHT that is available through Him.
In order to understand why Jesus said He is the Light of the World, and the impact of that statem, we need to understand the context in which He said it.
John 7:1-13 NIV After this, Jesus went around in Galilee. He did not want to go about in Judea because the Jewish leaders there were looking for a way to kill him. But when the Jewish Festival of Tabernacles was near, Jesus’ brothers said to him, “Leave Galilee and go to Judea, so that your disciples there may see the works you do. No one who wants to become a public figure acts in secret. Since you are doing these things, show yourself to the world.” For even his own brothers did not believe in him. Therefore Jesus told them, “My time is not yet here; for you any time will do. The world cannot hate you, but it hates me because I testify that its works are evil. You go to the festival. I am not going up to this festival, because my time has not yet fully come.” After he had said this, he stayed in Galilee. However, after his brothers had left for the festival, he went also, not publicly, but in secret. Now at the festival the Jewish leaders were watching for Jesus and asking, “Where is he?” Among the crowds there was widespread whispering about him. Some said, “He is a good man.” Others replied, “No, he deceives the people.” But no one would say anything publicly about him for fear of the leaders.
When you have some time read the rest of Chapter 7 and also Chapter 8 but for the sake of time I am going to read just our text again.
John 8:12 NIV When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
So you see this proclamation was made one day after the Feast of Tabernacles had concluded. Tabernacles was a 7 day long festival celebrated by the Jews that was inaugurated by God to help the Israelites remember that for 40 years they wandered in the wilderness before they finally entered the Promised Land
Leviticus 23:34-36 NIV “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the Lord’s Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. For seven days present food offerings to the Lord, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the Lord. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work.
During the Feast the entire nation camped out in booths. They were made of branches and leaves to remind the people of the hardships their ancestors endured in the wilderness. People would eat their meals in them, and some people would eat and sleep in them.
The Feast of Tabernacles was a happy, joyous holiday as the Israelites would dance and sing, remembering God’s glory among them, as God traveled as a cloud during the day and fire at night.
Exodus 13:21-22 NIV By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Neither the pillar of cloud by day nor the pillar of fire by night left its place in front of the people.
The celebration also focused on the promise of God sending a light, the Anointed One, the Messiah, who would free them from bondage.
Sacrifices were offered and Scriptures like this one from Isaiah were read:
Isaiah 9:2 NIV The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.
In ancient Israel, at the time that Jesus was on the earth, the Priests would take 4 large candelabras, each containing 4 bowls of oil. These 16 golden bowls were placed high up in the Temple. The candles would be lit each night and it was believed all Jerusalem was illuminated from these candles. Remember, in those days, they didn’t have street lights.
On the final night of the festival the candelabras were extinguished and there was darkness. The lights were extinguished because God had not yet sent the Messiah; so the Temple grew dark. The booths are torn down.
With this as the backdrop the next morning Jesus enters the Temple, He’s surrounded by people, and stands up and declares He is the Messiah, by saying
John 8:12 NIV…“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Imagine the scene! In the very court where the lighting ceremony took place, Jesus stands beneath the 16 UNLIT bowls of oil and says He is the light of the whole world.
Now that’s a great history lesson, but what does all of this mean for us today?
We must seek the Light and follow the Light, Jesus. If Jesus is the light of the world, it means we should never have to walk in darkness again. Jesus is THE only way to God. He is the only way to living a life that is filled with peace and strength; grace and courage; love and mercy; forgiveness and power.
It means we must believe Jesus is who He said He is.
The Pharisees didn’t believe Jesus was the Messiah. They wanted someone to be in their image, not in God’s image.
John 7:37-44 NIV On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified. On hearing his words, some of the people said, “Surely this man is the Prophet.” Others said, “He is the Messiah.” Still others asked, “How can the Messiah come from Galilee? Does not Scripture say that the Messiah will come from David’s descendants and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?” Thus the people were divided because of Jesus. Some wanted to seize him, but no one laid a hand on him.
Jesus knew who He was and He knew where He came from, but they couldn’t accept that.
Colossians 1:15-20 NIV The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy. For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.
Today there’s a need for Light in our world. We live in a world filled with darkness because everyone is choosing their own god and even if it’s Jesus, they make Jesus into what they want Him to be.
Jesus calls us to accept Him as our Savior, as the Light of our world. But He doesn’t stop there, Jesus calls you and me to join Him and be a light to the world.
The word “LIGHT” can be both a noun and a verb - in other words, “We are not only to BE the light but we should also SHINE the light.”
Here's what Jesus said in His Sermon on the mount;
Matthew 5:14-16 NIV “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.
Here's that same scripture in The Message Bible paraphrase
Matthew 5:14-16 MSG “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven.
Jesus proclaims He is the LIGHT OF THE WORLD, but amazingly, wonderfully, God also considers you and me to be the Light of the World.
If we are the Light of the World, then why . . . why would any of us choose to live in darkness?
Yet, it’s a choice we make every time we make a decision, every time we make a comment, every time we gossip, every time we do anything that is contrary to being light. It’s a choice. And that choice is yours and mine to make. Do you choose to be a light to the world, or will you choose the dark side, like Dark Vader of Star Wars, and live in darkness.
Darkness is a lot of things. It can be rage and anger; addictions, control; bitterness and unforgiveness; pride and arrogance; or you pick any sin which speaks to you. God always gives us options, always. I realize that choosing the light is more difficult than choosing the darkness, because to live in His light, means we must change our ways, our thoughts, our desires. And that’s never easy - - but it leads to the fruitful, joy-filled life.
Galatians 5:22-23 NIV But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
Philippians 4:8 NLT And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.
It’s all about giving glory to God and living in such a manner that others come to know God, because of you. Because you stand on a hill and let your light SHINE!
So, how do we let our light shine? Every person who believes in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, who believes He is the One who has led you to life change, should reflect the life of Jesus. We should be the very real representation of Jesus wherever we go. We’re to be the ones who reflect His light.
Have you ever seen a breathtaking picture of the moon? Yet you do realize that the moon gives off absolutely no light of its own. The moon, which is a dark mass, can be so amazingly beautiful and powerful at the same time, because the moon reflects the light of the sun. Our job is to reflect the light of God’s Son. Just like the moon, which on its own has no light, on our own we have no light either
When we’re out in the world, we’re supposed to reflect the power and glory of God. Everything we do becomes a reflection of our experience of God’s love. When we are rude, arrogant, gossips, prideful, controlling, bitter, joyless people we aren’t reflecting Christ’s love.
Eastern religions, false prophets, counterfeit Christianity, and humanitarian enterprises are artificial substitutes for a personal walk with Jesus Christ. They offer a “light”, but it is manmade. The are shown to be artificial light when they are exposed to the light of Jesus Christ.
Jesus offers true light to a world walking in shadows and darkness. He exposes artificial light as being inferior. He dispels sin and leaves no room for it in a person’s life. He adds zest for living by giving us hope in our darkest hours.
Sermon Audio
No comments:
Post a Comment