Light Of The World Series

Intro – (List of ‘Children’s questions to God’ that ends with the following one…)

Dear GOD,

We read Thomas Edison made light. But the Bible says You did. So I bet he stole your idea.

-Sincerely, Donna

This morning Jesus declares the obvious truth that a little girl noted… all light originates in God.

As we continue our series A Journey with Jesus through the Gospel of John, we come to one of the great declarations.

(Throughout our series we have considered full sections as we have progressed through the text…

but this morning just one statement.)

John 8:12 (NIV)

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."

Profound words… more than we might initially be able to comprehend.

As you may recall from previous weeks…. Jesus has come to Jerusalem during one of the great

Festivals.. it is the Feast of the Tabernacles God had inaugurated this feast to help the people of

Israel to remember that for forty years they had wandered in the wilderness before God finally

brought them into the Promised Land. On the opening night of the celebration a couple of giant

Menorah or candelabras were erected in the Court of the Women. Each was reported to be 75 ft.

tall, with huge bowls at the top. Each bowl held 10 gallons of oil. Ancient accounts said that the

light from these huge candelabra literally lit up the streets of Jerusalem. At the end of the feast, the

lights were purposely put out. Why? because the Messiah had not yet come. Some scholars propose

that it is at this point that Jesus makes his declaration. Every Jewish person knew the significance of

the menorahs. They represented the presence of God among the Israelites in the wilderness in the

form of what is referred to as the Shekinah. It was this visible presence of God in the form of a

cloud by day and fire by night that guided the children of Israel. (Elements drawn from

John Hamby)

It is against this backdrop of events that Jesus makes His declaration in verse twelve,

“ “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the

light of life.”

> Jesus is declaring that the guiding presence and power of God is now here…in himself.

Today… many like to speak of being ‘enlightened’… and of Jesus as one of the most enlightened

who ever lived. But is Jesus simply declaring himself to be an enlightened spiritual teacher?

No one who heard him would mistake that he was declaring something so much more profound…

and meaningful to all of humanity than that. I say ‘more’ because he certainly does bear so much of

what is sought from those deemed ‘spiritually enlightened.’ People one who can offer the way,,,

the truth… and spiritual life. Jesus has declared just that he offers such… but not as a way…

but THE way, THE truth… and THE life. And here there is no question that he his claiming

to be THE presence unlike any other.

Jesus is not simply saying that he was “a” light to the world or that he was “another” light to

the world. Jesus is not saying that He is holding the light or that He has the light or even that He is

the way to THE light. He is declaring that He is the one and only light of the world.

This is the light of God’s presence being celebrated. He is declaring I am the Shekinah glory that

these candelabras symbolize. I AM the Shekinah glory.”

-

I want us to consider for just a few moments what Jesus is truly fulfilling and providing for our

lives. I want to consider the purpose of that light in the wilderness that Jesus now fulfills in a

more ultimate way.

1. In Jesus is the provision of God’s Presence.

The biblical record (Exodus & Numbers) reveals how the two pillars which guided the people of

Israel marked the presence of God in a dramatic way.

We read of the way in which God spoke from the cloud and that sometimes He broke forth from the

cloud in judgment upon the sins of the people (Ex. 13:21-22). At no time during their wandering in

the wilderness did the people of Israel forget that the presence of God was with them every step of

the way.

In Numbers 9:17-23 we are told of the relationship of the children of Israel to the pillar of cloud

and pillar of fire. Essentially it was very simple, when the cloud moved, the people followed. When

the cloud stood still, they remained where they were (Num. 9:18).