I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD – LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS – JOHN 9 - PART 2
We have been working through the Series on THE “I AMs” of John’s Gospel, and last time we covered the first Part of “I am the Light of the World”. This is Part 2 and looks more at the Christian’s walk as followers of The Light of the World.
John 9:5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”
THE EMPHASIS ON THE CHRISTIAN’S WALK
(a). Children of light walk in the light. {{Ephesians 5 v 8 “for you were formerly darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light Eph 5:9 (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness and righteousness and truth), Eph 5:10 trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord. . . . Eph 5 v 13 but all things become visible when they are exposed by the light, for everything that becomes visible is light.”}} BEING children of light, means we must WALK as children of light (verse 8). In verses 9 and 10, Paul says what that means – it is producing the fruit of goodness, righteousness and truth, and pleasing the Lord. O, how we fail.
Did you notice I left a word out in verse 9 just then? Yes, I did. It was the word “all”. Some goodness, and some righteousness, and some truth is not good enough. It must be ALL. Yes, we do fail the Lord so much. May the Holy Spirit produce all these fruit in us (It is fruit, not fruits. The fruit of the Spirit, as in Galatians 5 v 22-23 is singular). Paul here is gentle with his dear people at Ephesus – did you notice the start of verse 10? “trying to learn” means put to the test, examine”. It is not always easy, and can be quite difficult at times. However, we have the light, and walk in that light.
Paul added to the Ephesian passage – {{“Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead, even expose them, for it is disgraceful even to speak of the things which are done by them in secret”.}} This is a direct command. There is a very distinct line of demarcation here between light and darkness in Ephesians 5. The Christian has no place in being part of what is of the world, that is, of what constitutes all of the natural man. Rather he may even expose the sinful works.
(b). Love is a Test of the Light. {{1John 2 v 9 “The one who says he is in the light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. 1John 2:10 The one who loves his brother abides in the light and there is no cause for stumbling in him.”}} John states this clearly in his “no compromise attitude” to the truth. Hate is darkness; love is light. Fellowship is another test of the light – {{1John 1 v 5 “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. 1John 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practise the truth, 1John 1:7 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.”}} The world says, “The proof of the pudding is in the eating.” God’s word says, “By their fruits you shall know them.” May our fruit not betray us as walking in the darkness. How do we walk in the light, and not in the darkness? How do we maintain walking in the light? We need light. How do we obtain light? That brings us to the Psalms.
(c). Light in the Psalms. Here is a remarkable verse – {{Psalm 18 v 28 “You light my lamp. The LORD my God illumines my darkness.”}} The Lord God supplies the light. He is the Light of the World and we walk in the light of his provision. David knew God lit his lamp. He also knew that all his defence and salvation lay in the light of the Lord – {{Psalm 27 v 1 “The LORD is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defence of my life. Whom shall I dread?”}} The psalms were all written through personal experience, often through very deep trials. I think David went through so many trials and experiences that we can nearly always find in these Psalms, the comfort we need in similar circumstances. {{Psalm 36 v 8 “They drink their fill of the abundance of Your house and You give them to drink of the river of Your delights, Psa 36:9 for with You is the fountain of life. In Your light we see light.”}} In verse 9, the fact is remarkable. “In Your light we see light”. The Light of the World shines on us. Any illumination we have on anything, comes from the Father of lights, and only when we stand in the light of God, will we gain light and understanding.
A little bit back I asked, “How do we obtain light?” The answer is twofold. The first is the illumination we have through the Spirit, but the central plank in all of this is contained in this verse now – {{Psalm 119 v 105 “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”}} In a similar way, the following verse supports the importance of God’s word. {{Psalm 119 v 130 “The unfolding of Your words, gives light. It gives understanding to the simple.”}} Please allow God to unfold His words to you. Don’t expect light when your bible sits in a disused place, or is casually opened, or accompanies you to church only to return to its place until the following Sunday.
EXTRA THOUGHTS FROM OTHER VERSES –
(a). Belief in Him Creates Sons of Light. {{John 12 v 35-36 Jesus therefore said to them, “For a little while longer the light is among you. Walk while you have the light, that darkness may not overtake you. He who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. While you have the light, believe in the light, in order that you may become sons of light.” These things Jesus spoke, and He departed and hid Himself from them.”}}
Darkness (blindness) overtakes all who reject the light. That makes a clear division here in the world. One is either a son of light or a son of darkness no matter how good the exterior may be.
(b). Christians are at a Disadvantage When it Comes to Cunning. {{Luke 16 v 8 “and his master praised the unrighteous steward because he had acted shrewdly, for the sons of this age are more shrewd in relation to their own kind than the sons of light.”}} The sons of light have a new mind, and new character, and new attitudes that don’t naturally resort to shrewdness and cunning, like the natural man does. The natural man is a schemer like Haman, and Jacob was, to steal the birthright. That natural man is manipulative, a product of this world. Christians are “the sons of light” or “children of light”, if you like. Their minds don’t think in devious and cunning ways.
(c). Light Gives Discernment. {{Matthew 6 v 22-23 “The lamp of the body is the eye. If therefore your eye is clear, your whole body will be full of light, but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in you is darkness, how great is the darkness.”}} Spiritual cataracts cause spiritual darkness. Even Christians can have spiritual cataracts so that their persons don’t minister light, for they are embraced by ignorance and blindness and lack of discernment. In that case it is a great darkness. Have a cataract surgery performed by the Great Physician, so that you may walk properly as people of the light.
In Luke chapter 11, he adds more, suggesting the body or person may be shining only partially, for there are pockets of darkness. {{Luke 11:35-36 “Then watch out that the light in you may not be darkness. If therefore your whole body is full of light with no dark part in it, it shall be wholly illumined as when the lamp illumines you with its rays.”}} The instruction here is to be on the alert, which requires self-examination and the willingness to do that so that you are full-shining for the Lord.
(d). Light That Spreads Hope and Ministry is Not Hidden. {{Matthew 5 v 13-16 “You are the salt of the earth, but if the salt has become tasteless, how will it be made salty again? It is good for nothing anymore except to be thrown out and trampled under foot by men. You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden, nor do men light a lamp and put it under the peck-measure, 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.”}} Lighthouses are put on cliffs, and candles and lighted torches are elevated. Christian witness must be open and available, reaching out as a light spreads its beams. In this passage the followers of Christ are called “the light of the world”. That is true now as we disperse the light we receive from the TRUE Light of the World.
(e). Light Can Never Be Bound to Darkness. {{2Corinthians 6 v 14 “Do not be bound together with unbelievers, for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?}} As you can not join into one, ice and steel, or fine venison and rotten eggs, or gravy and sawdust, so a believer can not have any part of an amalgamation with an unbeliever. I won’t expand on this with the applications, but it is suggested that these matters are included ? Christian fellowship and worship; the marriage union; the business union; and lots more. There is one word I will drop into the mix – the ugly word for a Christian of light – “compromise” or better still, “Christian compromise”.
(f). The Light of the Gospel is Blinded, But the Saved Have the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God. {{2Corinthians 4 v 4-6 “in whose case, the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, for we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake, for God, who said, “Light shall shine out of darkness,” is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ.”}} The contrast here is between the sons of the world and the sons of light. In the first case Satan has blinded their minds so that they can’t consider the things of the Lord, and in the second case, God’s light has shone in a Christian’s heart to light him up in the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Christ.
(g). Walking in the Light is a Requirement for the Christian. {{1John 1 v 5-7 “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 practise 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.”}} Because God is light and in Him no darkness can ever be, then those who are God’s must be in the same condition. Walking in the light of the Light of the World means having fellowship with God, and true fellowship with each other. It is the position where Christ's blood keeps cleansing us from all sin. To claim to walk aright, but actually walk in darkness, is a lie. John Wesley and his followers believed that they could understand the deep things of God only to the extent that they were willing to "walk in the light." In his Notes on the New Testament, Wesley says, "Whatever light you then receive should be used to the uttermost, and that immediately. Let there be no delay. Whatever you resolve, begin to execute (put into practical use) the first moment you can. So shall you find this Word to be indeed the power of God unto present and eternal salvation."
CLOSING – WALKING IN THE LIGHT OF GOD’S WORD
I think we might all know this hymn –
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His word,
What a glory He sheds on our way.
When we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And will all who will trust and obey.
Trust and obey, for there is no other way
To be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.
The Light of the World, our blessed Saviour, is our light. Christians use the expression, “walking in the light of the word” (the bible). In what way can we really walk in the light of the word of God?
The blind man in our story, through faith, moved from darkness into light as sight was given to him for the first time. He washed in the pool in obedience. We follow him in John chapter 9 and see he stood boldly in the words of the Lord and faithfully followed and witnessed for the Saviour. It is the same for us. That man stood against all opposition from religious leaders and lack of support from his parents. He suffered abuse and rejection, but he continued to stand in the light. There could be no better example for us. Our days will see increasing opposition to the Christian faith from a hostile world; and a rejection of many Christians by a liberal and careless “so called Christian community”. When you stand for the purity of truth and walk according to the revelation of God in the light, then you will know opposition and persecution, even from within too many of our churches.
Therefore how do we walk in the light? I think some of these pointers are useful helps in the desire to be open before God following the Light of the world.
(a). Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb
(b). Relying daily on the Lord for direction
(c). Having no known or hidden sin
(d). Willing to be humble so that the Holy Spirit can do His work in you
(e). Having a great desire to know God’s word.
(f). Ever seeking the places of light, to be with the Light of the world, and to be a lighthouse for God.
May God bless you all. Amen.
ronaldf@aapt.net.au
