Jesus, The Light Of The World

Christ the light of the world restores our sight and brings us into the light so that we can also become light. In the New Testament we read of stories of people who were brought to Jesus and healed. Many of them, after they had been healed wanted to go with Him. Jesus always refused and advised them to stay where they were to serve as a light for those who had known them and where the difference in their lives was evident for all to see. Christ came into the world to give light but it is left to us to accept that light or reject it. We need to understand that the gospel is not only good news but also bad news. Good news to those who receive it and bad news to those who reject it. The gospel heard and accepted is life; the gospel heard and refused is death. Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones puts it this way, “the same sun that melts ice hardens clay.” The story of the healing of the blind man is both a miracle and a drama of the central conflict going on in the gospel. The first character is the blind man himself. When first healed and asked about the miracle he replied that “a man called Jesus” healed him. The next time he was asked his reply was that “He is a prophet.” When pressed again about Jesus he asserts “If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.” And when he finally came face to face with Jesus, he fell down and worshipped Him. The man who was healed gained not only physical sight but also spiritual sight as he recognized Jesus as his Lord. Contrasted with this is the hostility of the Pharisees. At first some Pharisees defend Jesus but soon they all decided that Jesus’ defiance of the Sabbath was inexcusable and they told the man who had been healed to “give glory to God,” declaring that they knew him to be a sinner. Light represents what is good and holy and darkness what is sinful and evil. In the dark good and evil look alike. In the light they can be clearly distinguished. Just as darkness cannot exist in the presence of light, so sin cannot exist in the presence of a holy God. Let us come into the light and put aside our sinful ways of living.

There is to be a distinct walk on the part of those whose sight has been restored and who are in the light. It is a walk and lifestyle that is different from that of the world. It is a life that is blameless and pure. We are to live in such a way that our behaviour is above criticism. It is not living a perfect life, but a life that nobody can point a finger at. We should live a life that will astonish a darkened world. As someone has said, "People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do.” As people in the light we are to be a light. Being a light should remind us of the children’s song we used to love singing in Sunday school. I’m sure many of us still remember it but we only fail to live it. It goes like this: This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine. This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine; Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. We as Christians are to let our light shine. We are to be a light.