Introduction

Good morning, beloved family in Christ, and welcome to this blessed gathering. I am so glad to see each one of you here today. There's a certain warmth in the air, a certain fellowship that only comes when we gather in His name. And today, we are here to unwrap and understand the profound message embedded in the Gospel of John, chapter 8, verses 12 to 21.

The passage reads, "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 Pharisees challenged Him, 'Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.' Jesus answered, 'Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.' Then they asked him, 'Where is your father?' 'You do not know me or my Father,' Jesus replied. 'If you knew me, you would know my Father also.' He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come."

In this passage, we see Jesus, the Light of the World, standing firm against the Pharisees, those who were shrouded in the darkness of disbelief and misunderstanding. Jesus is not just a beacon, but the source of illumination that banishes all darkness.

As we embark on this sermon, let's remember the words of the great preacher J.I. Packer, who once said, "Once you become aware that the main business that you are here for is to know God, most of life's problems fall into place of their own accord."

Let us now bow our heads in prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for this day, for the opportunity to gather in Your name, and for Your Word that guides us. As we discuss Your Word today, open our hearts and minds to understand Your message. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of our hearts be pleasing in Your sight, O Lord, our Rock and our Redeemer. In Jesus' name, we pray, amen.

Harnessing the Light of Jesus

When we think about light, we often think about its physical properties. It illuminates our path, it helps us see things clearly, it brings warmth and comfort. But the Light of Jesus is more than just a physical entity. It's a spiritual force that guides us, that helps us see the truth, that brings warmth and comfort to our souls.

In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares Himself as the Light of the World. This is a profound statement. It means that Jesus is the source of all truth, the guide in our spiritual journey, the beacon that leads us to eternal life. To harness this Light, we need to follow Jesus, to believe in Him, to live according to His teachings.

Following Jesus is also about living a life that reflects His love and compassion. It's about showing kindness to others, about forgiving those who wrong us, about helping those in need. When we live this way, we are harnessing the Light of Jesus. We are allowing His light to shine through us, to illuminate our path and the path of others.

Believing in Jesus is another way to harness His Light. Belief is not just about acknowledging the existence of Jesus. It's about accepting Him as our Lord and Savior, about trusting in His promises, about surrendering our lives to Him. When we believe in Jesus, His Light shines in our hearts, dispelling the darkness of doubt and fear, filling us with peace and joy.

Next, living according to the teachings of Jesus is also a way to harness His Light. Jesus taught us to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. He taught us to be humble, to be merciful, to seek justice, to be peacemakers. When we live according to these teachings, we are letting His Light guide our actions, our decisions, our relationships.

But harnessing the Light of Jesus is not just about our personal spiritual growth. It's also about helping others see the Light. When we live a life that reflects the love and compassion of Jesus, when we believe in Him and live according to His teachings, we become a beacon of His Light. We become a source of hope and inspiration for others. We become a channel through which the Light of Jesus can reach those who are still in darkness.

Highlighting the Darkness of the World

Moving on we find ourselves in a world that is not always illuminated by the Light of Jesus ... View this full PRO sermon free with PRO