Embracing The Light Of Life Series

Directly after this sermon, we invite all believers to take the Lord’s Supper with us at the front. If you genuinely know Jesus Christ, we invite you to participate in the Bread and the Juice to celebrate Jesus’ death and resurrection.

Find John 8 with me, if you will.

Jesus went around teaching, doing miracles, and acting with tremendous compassion for around 40-42 months. As His ministry went along, He became more controversial.

Today’s Scripture

“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.’ These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour had not yet come.

So he said to them again, “I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come.” So the Jews said, “Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?” He said to them, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.” So they said to him, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning. I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.” They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. So Jesus said to them, “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.” As he was saying these things, many believed in him.” (John 8:12-30).

Sermon Preview

1. In a Category All by Himself

2. In a League of His Own

3. An Outcome that You Cannot Imagine

1. In a Category All by Himself

“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’” (John 8:12).

1.1 I AM

Jesus says, “I am the light of the world.” Bible experts have noted that Jesus gives us 7 “I am” statements in the gospel. The “I am” there is different than if I simply said to you, “I am bored,” or “I am around town.” I want to get a little more technical here for a moment if you’ll allow me. Jesus is doing much, much more here, and I want to pause to ensure each of us sees what Jesus is doing.

1.2.1 Jesus’ Title

First, Jesus is giving us His title here. Yes, He’s introducing Himself, but He’s also giving us His title. This is the Himalayan Mountain top of revelation.

It goes back to Exodus 3:14, where God gives Moses His name and title: “God said to Moses, ‘I am who I am.’ And he said, ‘Say this to the people of Israel: ‘I am has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14).

Today, we refer to God as Yahweh because of what God tells Moses here. Ancient Jews would not utter the word “Yahweh” because it was thought to be too holy for sinful lips. The original audience would have caught something that we don’t in English. Jesus is giving Himself the same name as God Himself here.

1.2.2 Ego Eimi

Second, Jesus chooses His words intentionally here. When Jesus says, “I am the light of the world,” He uses the words, “ego eimi” in the original Greek of the Gospel of John. Bible experts go so far as to call this “ego eimi” formula because these words are so highly specialized.1 When Jesus says, “I am,” He says, “ego eimi” in each of the 7 “I am” statements. Just like our word ego, only I am adding the eimi. Would you repeat those words with me, “ego eimi”? Again, there’s nothing random about Jesus’ choice of words.