I am the light of the world

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “ I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”-John 8:12

One day the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman, who had been caught in adultery, and threw her down at the feet of Jesus. They rehearsed before Jesus the law of Moses and how the punishment for such activity was death by stoning. Then they turned to Jesus and asked, “But what do You say?”

“So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw the a stone at her first.”-John 8:7

Upon hearing this, her accusers being convicted by their consciences left one by one until only the woman was left with Jesus. Jesus then turned to the woman and said:

“Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you? She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”-John 8:10-11. 

Then Jesus turned to the Pharisees and the scribes and declared that He is the light of the world. In just a matter of moments Jesus exposed the duplicity of these men’s hearts. They had come to trap Jesus and pass judgement upon this woman; however they became conscience stricken when their own sinfulness was exposed.  Light has a way of exposing things hidden in the darkness. From the very beginning God has been distinguishing between light and darkness:

“Then God said, “Let there be light”’ and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness.”-Genesis 1:3-4

God declared the light was good and throughout the scriptures light has been associated with God:

“This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all.”-1 John 1:5

Light is mentioned 23 times in the Gospel of John, more than any other New Testament book. Each time it is associated with the life of Christ:

“In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”-John 1: 4-5

Jesus’ life was the light for all men. His life revealed the true nature of the Father; exposing God’s will and the path of reconciliation. Each passage describing the various ways that Jesus guides our path and keeps us out of darkness. Left to their own devices, men would wander in darkness; however the introduction of light announced that their was another way to live and another path to follow:

“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice 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 Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.”-1 John 1:6-7

When we walk in darkness, we are walking outside of the influence of God. We are choosing a life of rebellion, disobedience and rejection of God's standards to pursue our own selfish desires. When we walk in the light it means we have accepted God's truth, as revealed in His Word, and have purposed to live by that truth and standard. In order to walk in the light we must allow the life of Christ to guide our lives.

Pastor Scott Burr & Pastor Jon Gaines
Dayspring Community Church