It Can Get Personal
Message two of five
I Am the Light of the World
March 11, 2012
Michael Wiley
Introduction:
We’re in our second message in our series, “It can get personal.” We are talking about the “I am” sayings of Jesus. I’ve got a lot to say today, so let’s get right into it. Ready?
In John 8:12 Jesus says “I am the light of the world. The man who follows me will never walk in the dark but will live his life in the light.” J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)
Transition:
I want to trace the idea of Light in Scripture then apply it to Jesus’ statement in John 8:12
The first one is:
Light as apposed to darkness
The Bible says in Genesis Chapter One, 1 In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was without form and void, and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good. And God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
Now, I want to point something out here. God spoke light into existence on day one. He doesn’t speak the sun, moon and stars into existence until day 4 of creation. How is this? How does light come before the sun moon and stars? Some Bible Scholars disagree with me on this one. But you know me; I try to interpret Scripture with a “plain sense” interpretation. If you’ve never heard me say that, let me expound a bit. A plain sense interpretation means, I’m going to interpret Scripture literally wherever I can. Some times the Scripture is speaking allegorically, using symbols or metaphors to explain a topic.
So since our scientific minds see light 3 days before the objects we know produce light are created, our mind wants to meld the two to make sense of it.
One commentator I read said this, “Verse 3 has often been taken to mean that God created the light before He created the sun…It should be noted however, that the sun, moon and stars are all to be included in the usual meaning of the phrase “heavens and earth” [so] these celestial bodies were all created in verse 1…Verse 16 [day 4 of creation] simply means they appeared through the clouds.” (Sailhamer, John H. EBC Commentary on Genesis, Zondervan pp. 26 1990)
Now, did God create the sun, moon and stars on day one or day 4? The Bible says, He created them on day 4! I’m sticking with that. Because, if I don’t stick with that, I’ve got to say the Bible is wrong here. If the Bible is wrong here, where else is it wrong?
Let me ask you this! Since when does God need a celestial body to produce light?
One of the manifestations of God is Light – referred to as the Kabod, the Shekinah Glory of God.
Revelation 21:23
English Standard Version (ESV)
23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and its lamp is the Lamb.
This same light that will illuminate Jerusalem in the coming kingdom without the sun is the same light that shone on day one of creation
This brings us to:
Light as the presence of God
God is manifest three primary ways in Scripture
He is Manifest by Ruach (Spirit) – wind, breath – you feel Him.
He is Manifest by Kabod (Glory) – light – you see Him.
He is Manifest by Word (Scripture) – hear Him.
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. English Standard Version (ESV)
God’s presence among the Israelites was a pillar of fire by night to lead them in the darkness.
Ezekiel 10:4
4 And the glory of the Lord went up from the cherub to the threshold of the house, and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was filled with the brightness of the glory of the Lord. English Standard Version (ESV)
In Luke the angels visit the shepherds to announce the birth of the savior and it says, “the glory of the Lord ‘shone’ around them.
Note too that all three of these manifestations are found in the first three verse of Genesis. 1 … And the Spirit(Ruach) of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
3 And God said, (Spoke Word) “Let there be light,” and there was light. (the Kabod of God).
John begins His gospel,
John 1
English Standard Version (ESV)
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
This brings us to:
Light as the Revelation of God in Christ
. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, (1 John1:4-5a)
John 8:12
J.B. Phillips New Testament (PHILLIPS)
12 [Jesus] said, “I am the light of the world. The man who follows me will never walk in the dark but will live his life in the light.”
What is He saying? He is saying, “I am the manifest presence of God the father in this dark world.”
“If you follow me, you will walk in the presence of God Himself.
Light exposes darkness
Light overcomes darkness.
Have you ever been up before sunrise? I mean when it is still dark outside. On a moonless night you can’t see but maybe a foot in front of you. Then it happens. All of a sudden you can begin to make things out you couldn’t a second before. And before you know it the sun is up on the horizon and darkness is overcome.
2 Corinthians 4:6
English Standard Version (ESV)
6 For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” (where did he say that? Genesis 1:3) has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
There’s a lot of people won’t come to church - who won’t come to God - because they’re afraid of what God will expose in their lives. What they don’t realize is that God will expose all of their sins–sooner or later. And if it happens later… it will be a time of judgment. But, if it happens sooner - then there is hope, because then it will be just between you and Him.
ILLUS: It’s like a person that goes to Doctor. and discovers he has cancer. The Doctor says if we act now, we can remove all of the cancer and you will live a full life… but if you wait, there’s a chance that it will destroy you
Jesus said: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
It is not God’s intention to expose our darkness to everyone around us and thus force us to hide from His presence in our shame & disgrace. Rather, it’s His intention to convince us that darkness isn’t the best place to live.
To believe in Jesus is to leave the darkness and walk in the light!
ILLUS: Children know this. I’ve learned (as every parent does) that kids hate being alone in the dark. They know that darkness is a scary place to be. There’s only 2 things that will help them overcome their fear of the dark. One is light… the other is to have someone bigger than they are in the room with them… to protect them.
Jesus said: "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
Light does expose the imperfections of life… but it also creates trust, confidence & a hope for tomorrow. When the accusing crowd left Jesus and the adulterous woman Jesus didn’t condemn her.
He was the light but He didn’t expose all the ugly corners of her soul. NO, instead He offered her hope and said: “Go and sin no more.” Leave that old lifestyle, change who you’ve been & let the light in.
Conclusion:
One of the greatest tragedies for people would be to live in darkness when they could live in the light…
Rose Crawford had been blind for 50 years. Then she had an operation in an Ontario hospital. She said, “I just can’t believe it,” as the doctor lifted the bandages from her eyes. She wept - when for the 1st time in her life she saw a dazzling and beautiful world of form and color greeted her eyes and she could now see.
The amazing thing about her story, however, was that 20 years of her blindness was unnecessary. She didn’t know that surgical techniques had been developed, and that an operation could have restored her vision at the age of 30.
The Dr. said, “She just figured there was nothing that could be done for her condition. Much of her life could have been different.”
Too many people live their lives in spiritual darkness, figuring nothing can be done to remove the shame and hopelessness that gnaws at their hearts.
But Jesus said, you don’t have to live like that… "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."
As the song says:
Just like a blind man I wandered alone
Worries and fears I’d claimed for my own
But then like the blind man that God gave back his sight
Praise the Lord, - I saw the light.
