“And Jesus cried out and said, 'Whoever believes in me, believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. If anyone hears my words and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. The one who rejects me and does not receive my words has a judge; the word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day. For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment--what to say and what to speak. And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me" (John 12:44-50, ESV).
I love the rain. Especially, when I was a still a small boy. I enjoyed taking a bath in the rain. When I was able to have a house, I still like the rain. Our place does not have enough ventilation and so, when it rains, there is coolness inside the house. But when rainwater began to leak in the roof, I was now hoping that it would not rain. Now, because of more and more leaks of rainwater in the house, I already pray for the rain to stop.
Because of raining during the past days, am always looking forward for the sun to shine. And when sunlight shows in the sky, for me it is “refreshing.”
According to Google, “Light has significant effects on an individual’s physical and mental well-being.” For our mental health, “Natural light can boost serotonin levels, which can help improve mood and reduce symptoms of depression.” For out physical health, “Sunlight exposure allows the skin to produce vitamin D, essential for bone health, immune function, and overall well-being.”
The benefits of light, not only from the sun, are many.
For example, “Proper lighting can reduce eyestrain and discomfort, particularly during tasks that require prolonged visual focus, such as reading or working on a computer.” Also, “Adequate lighting in homes and workplaces reduces the risk of accidents and injuries by improving visibility.”
This time, however, we will direct our spotlight on the very different kind of “light,” as we explore our topic, THE LIGHT WHICH TRANSFORMS while we study our text (John 12:44-50).
Of course, the “light” that I am referring is the Glorious Divine Light, Jesus Christ. And If that kind of Light shines on a particular person, it is not only refreshing, not only “has significant effects on an individual’s physical and mental well-being.” But what will exactly happen? What will be the effect on us, if the Brilliance of the Light of Christ is manifested to us?
We are familiar that the Gospel of John was written by the Apostle John. He addressed himself repeatedly in the book as, “the disciple whom Jesus loved.”
In verse 5 of chapter 9, the Apostle John quoted Jesus Christ saying, “I am the light of the world.” And we also read the account, how Jesus made the blind man from birth to see the physical light.
Jumping to chapter 12, Jesus told the Jews in verse 36, “While you have the light, believe in the light…”
We read, however, that they “did not believe in him’ (verse 37). They could not believe, because John quoted the words of Isaiah in verse 40, “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.” In other words, God allowed them in their spiritual blindness and disbelief.
Verses 42-43 showed that the belief of the Jews was not genuine. It was self-generated. It was not God-given. “They did not confess it.” There was no “full conviction.” They did not progress to genuine belief, because there was no fear of God in their hearts. The Jews did not have that high regard for God. They did not fear Him. So the Jews were not motivated to exercise genuine faith. What they had was “fear of the Pharisees.”
Now, in our text, what will be the effect on us, if the Brilliance of the Light of Christ is manifested to us? We will…
... NOT REMAIN IN DARKNESS (verse 46).
We read verse 46, “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. ."
Before we go on verse 46, let’s consider first the whole text, verses 44-50. As we examine it, we observe the close connection of Jesus Christ to the Father. We note it in three respects. (1) If we believe Jesus, we believe the Father; (2) if we see Jesus, we see the Father; and (3) if we receive the Word of Jesus,we receive the Word of the Father.
We observe not only the close connection of Jesus to the Father. We note also that Jesus as “light.” And as Light, He came to save (v. 47). In other words, He came as Savior.
Anyone who sees Him, as Light, what will be it’s effect?
According to Jesus, the person will not remain in darkness (v.46). And how did Jesus define one who is in darkness?
One who remains in darkness is the one who hears His words and does not keep them (v. 47). Also, who rejects Him, who does not receive His words (v. 48). And has no eternal life (v. 50),
Other passages also identified those who are in darkness. We read in John 3:19-21, “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God."
So, what is the condition of one who does not remain in darkness? (1) he hears the words of Jesus and keeps them, (2) he will not reject Him and will receive His words, (3) he has eternal life, (4) he hates the darkness, (5) He abstains from doing wicked things, (6) he loves the “light, (7) he comes to the light, (8) he is doing what is true.
It does not mean, therefore, that one who does not remain in darkness does not commit sin.
But he, who does not remain in darkness, does not just let the words of Christ enter his ears. He let them enter his heart and lock them inside. He will keep the words of Christ. According to Jesus in John 14:23-24 --
“If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words…”
He, who does not remain in darkness, does not just believe in Jesus. He loves Him. Jesus said in John 8:42, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here…” The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:22, “If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed…”
And if he does not remain in darkness, he practices what is true or what is right. He does what is accord with God’s Word. He does not only avoid sin; he hates it. He hates what is contrary to the Truth. He does not like the kind of Jesus that is not according to the proclamation of the Apostles (2 Cor. 11:4).
However, “The true light,” the Biblical Jesus -- taught by the Apostles, “which enlightens everyone…” (John 1:9) is not appreciated by everyone.
Though the Glorious Brilliance of Jesus shines in the world, others do not see it. Why?
Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 4:3-4 --
“And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled only to those who are perishing. In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”
To those who are perishing, who cannot see the light of the glory of Christ, who cannot understand the truth of the gospel, they are spiritually blind. They remain in darkness.
But to those who are being saved, for those whom Christ came to save, what did God do? Paul continued in verse 6, “For God, who said, ’Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”
In the same way that God created light in creation, He gave the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus to them. So, they did not remain in darkness.
Believers or lovers of Christ, are we among them? Do we also not remain in darkness?
In the Old Testament, one of the kings of Judah who was in darkness was Manasseh (2 Kings 21:1-8; 2 Chronicles 33:1-11).
We read, “And he did what was evil in the sight of the LORD, according to the despicable practices of the nations whom the LORD drove out before the people of Israel” (2 Kings 21:2).
“... Manasseh led them astray to do more evil than the nations had done whom the LORD destroyed before the people of Israel” (v. 9).
But he did not remain in darkness. There was a point in his life that “… he knew that the Lord was God” (2 Chronicles 33:11-20).
In the New Testament, we can also remember Zacchaeus who was in darkness. He was a tax collector, who became rich by overcharging others. But when he saw the Light, when he encountered Jesus, what did he do? He told Jesus, "Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold" (Luke 19:8). He did not remain in darkness.
So, like Manasseh who saw the Light, who knew that the Lord was God, and we also know the true Jesus is our God and Saviour, we will not remain in darkness.
Like Zacchaeus, who saw that the Light, Jesus, was more valuable than his material possession, and we also perceive the Glory of the Biblical Jesus, we will not remain in darkness.
Thus, let us not remain in darkness.
Let us be interested not only to hear the words of Jesus. Let us keep them. Let us do what Proverbs 7:1-3 tells us: “… keep my words and treasure up my commandments with you; keep my commandments and live; keep my teaching as the apple of your eye; bind them on your fingers; write them on the tablet of your heart.”
The words of Jesus in John 15:20, “Remember the words that I said to you…” And Paul wrote in Col. 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…”
Let us not remain in darkness.
Let us not just believe in Jesus. Let us love Him greatly. Jesus said, “Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me” (Matt. 10:37).
Let us not remain in darkness.
Let us practice what is true or what is right or what is good. Let us do what is in accord with God’s Word. Let us not only avoid sin. Let us hate it. Because if we commit it, the Holy Spirit of God is grieved (Eph. 4:30).
If there is brown out, do we like to remain in darkness? We do not want to remain in physical darkness.
Let us not remain also in the spiritual darkness. Let’s have the Light which transforms. Come to Jesus. Come to His Words. Often. And treasure them. Keep them.
CONCLUSION:
In closing, do not forget what Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:8 -- “For at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”
Before we became believers, we were not just "in darkness"; we were darkness. As if personification of darkness. How depraved we are. No wonder God's wrath remains on the unbelievers.
But Jesus Christ, the Glorious Light, transforms us from darkness into light. From children of the devil into children of God. From those who are perishing into those who are being saved. From lovers of darkness into lovers of Christ, the Glorious Light. Let's, then, not remain in darkness.
