“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” So the Pharisees said to him, “You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.” Jesus answered, “Even if I do bear witness 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. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone who judge, but I and the Father who sent me. In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.” They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” —John 8:12-19
Jesus declares himself to be the Light of the world. Let’s remember why we are looking at these statements. Each statement gives us a look into the heart of who God is. It tells us about Him. It reveals His identity to us. Last week we talked about how Jesus is the Bread of Life and how that connects with his identity as Jehovah-Jireh, our God our provider.
“This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” —1 John 1:5-7
The World Is Walking In
Darkness represents at least three different things in Scripture -
Jesus Is The True
“In his right hand he held seven stars, from his mouth came a sharp two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining in full strength.” —Revelation 1:16
“In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” —John 1:4
Walking in the light
- It
- It Produces
- It Gives
References - Acts 1:8; 1 Cor. 2:2-5
There Is No Other Light
When it comes to the true light…there is only one. All other lights submit their light to Jesus. Jesus is the only light. Jesus is the true light of the world.
We
His Light To The World
This is my main application point for today. Because Jesus is the light of the world, how then should we live? What should we do? We are to carry his light into the world.
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” —Matthew 4:16-17
Reference: Ephesians 2:10