Jesus Came to Bring Light to the Darkness

Main Point: To receive the light of Christ is to receive knowledge, guidance, healing and hope.

I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. —John 12:46

God fulfilled His promise to bring light to the world through Christ

Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—

The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;

on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned.

You have enlarged the nation and increased their joy;

they rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest,

as warriors rejoice when dividing the plunder.

For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered

the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders,

the rod of their oppressor.

Every warrior’s boot used in battle and every garment rolled in blood

will be destined for burning, will be fuel for the fire.

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Of the greatness of his government and peace

there will be no end.

He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom,

establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness

from that time on and forever.

The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this. —Isaiah 9:1-7

As a light in a dark world, Jesus reveals, leads, heals, and comforts.

The light of Jesus is a revealing light

Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God. —John 3:19-21

The light of Jesus is a leading light

“Because of your great compassion you did not abandon them in the wilderness. By day the pillar of cloud did not fail to guide them on their path, nor the pillar of fire by night to shine on the way they were to take. You gave your good Spirit to instruct them. You did not withhold your manna from their mouths, and you gave them water for their thirst. For forty years you sustained them in the wilderness; they lacked nothing, their clothes did not wear out nor did their feet become swollen. —Nehemiah 9:19-21

The light of Jesus is a healing light

“While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing. (John 9:5-7

The light of Jesus is a comforting light

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
    along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn the darkness into light before them 
    and make the rough places smooth.
These are the things I will do;
    I will not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16)

What ought we do in response to the light of Jesus?
• Receive it
o “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

• Live from it
o For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. (Ephesians 5:8)

Takeaway: Let the light, love and life that is offered to you by Jesus change you, guide you, heal you, and comfort you.

Questions
1. Our family had a tradition of driving around the city and looking at the Christmas lights on Christmas eve. Have you done that, or do you do that now? Do you get any particular feelings as you look at the lights? Do you put lights up at your house? Why?

2.What does “spiritual darkness” mean to you? Have you been in a spiritually dark place in the past, or are you in one now? How does Jesus speak to that place?

3.In the message we focused on four ways that the light of Jesus operates in our lives: it reveals, leads, heals, and comforts. Are you experiencing the light of Jesus in one of those ways in a particularly strong manner right now? Is there one of those that you really need Jesus to be offering you right now?

Table Discussion Question: Part of what it means that “Jesus is the light of the world” is that Jesus shows us what God is like (see 1 John 1:5). What can we learn about God from looking at Jesus?