I Am The Light Of The World Series

So this week, I want to do the same. As the Light of the World, who is Jesus, and what does he do? What does it mean for US that Jesus is the Light of the World?

1. The Light of Jesus gives us freedom from darkness

So first of all, the Light of Jesus gives us freedom from darkness. Darkness is of course sin and death in this picture. What we saw in the verses today was that the religious leaders did not understand, because they were in darkness. Jesus says “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness”. As the light of the world, He gives us freedom from sin, he leads us out of the wilderness, and into new life.

1 John 1:5–10 (NASB95)

This is the message we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is Light, and in Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.

If we follow Jesus, he leads us out of the darkness, and into the light. Out of the wilderness, and into the promised land. Out of a world of death and sin, and into eternal life.

2. The Light of Jesus enables us to see and know the truth

Second, the light of Jesus enables us to see and know the truth. As you saw in this story today, the religious leaders just didn’t get it, and neither did most of the crowd. Jesus is the light of the world, and it is only through him that the truth is illuminated to us. We can’t understand truth without him.

1 Corinthians 2:14–16 (NIV)

The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit. The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

And then

John 8:31–32 (NASB95)

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”

Jesus is the light that illuminates the truth for us. If you follow him, he will enable you to see and know the truth.

3. The Light of Jesus gives us a light of our own

Just as Jesus reflects the light of God the Father, we reflect the light of Jesus. But with that light comes responsibility.

Matthew 5:14–16 (NASB95)

“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”