The Light Of The World Has Come

THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD HAS COME

John 8:12

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. Robert Baptista was attending his church’s program and noticed how many men were wearing full beards. Knowing his wife’s aversion to facial hair, he teasingly whispered to her, “How do you think I’d look with a beard and a mustache?” She whispered back, “Lonely!”

B. INSPIRATION FROM A POWER OUTAGE

1. Christmas Sunday was only 3 days off, and the Pastor was still without a sermon. He was getting anxious. Of course, he could resort to an old sermon, if necessary, but he shrank from doing that. He wanted something fresh.

2. So on this night he was kneeling by his desk, praying earnestly for a new inspiration, when suddenly, all the lights went out.

3. He looked out the window. The entire street was dark. Whereas a moment ago the neighborhood was aglow with Christmas decorations, now it was all black. No strings of pretty lights illuminated the houses. No Christmas tree lights shone through the windows. No lighted stars hung from the lampposts. What a different scene! How desolate and depressing.

4. Then, after a few minutes, the lights came on again. Once more the neighborhood was filled with brightness and beauty to celebrate the happiest season of the year. How good it felt. How it lifted one’s spirit.

5. Now the pastor had his sermon. He would preach about Jesus, the Light of the world -- had come!

C. TEXT & IMPLICATIONS:

1. “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.’” John 8:12.

2. What did Jesus mean when He said, “I am the light of the world?” What difference did it make when His light came into the world?

I. JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

A. REASON/ORIGIN FOR THIS STATEMENT

1. Jesus had entered the Temple very early, probably before daylight (8:2). As Jesus stood teaching, the sun probably rose over the Mount of Olives & a shaft of sunlight cut through the darkness – and shown on Him.

2. The sun is the source of light, heat & energy for the earth, so Jesus is spiritually. Without the sun, there could be no light. Jesus is the Sun of Righteousness!

B. JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

1. Before His coming, the world dwelt in darkness. “For behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and deep darkness the people; but the Lord will arise over you, and His glory will be seen upon you” Isa. 60:2.

3. Bob Woods took his son, 11, and his daughter, 7, to Carlsbad Caverns. When the tour guide reached the deepest point in the caverns, the guide turned off all the lights to dramatize how completely dark and silent it is below the earth’s surface. The little girl, suddenly enveloped in utter darkness, began to cry. Immediately her brother spoke up; “Don’t cry! Somebody here knows how to turn the lights back on!”

4. Being in darkness is a terrible thing, but Jesus has brought light into our darkness!

C. JESUS IS THE TRUE LIGHT

1. Many claim to be “the Light” or to have Light.

a. Psychic hotlines – supposedly tap into source.

b. Cults/world religions – “I am the Christ”

c. Education – the panacea for all the ills of society

d. Science/Medicine – twin-headed gods of modern man.

e. Opinion polls – public opinion must be right.

2. But there’s only ONE TRUE LIGHT!

a. “I am the Way, the Truth, & the Life.”

b. There were other lights in Jesus’ day:

1). Oily noxious lamps in the Temple.

2). Stars in the predawn sky – gave slight light.

3). But when the mighty flaming orb of the Sun/Son arose, all recognized the true light had dawned!

3. And when you put Jesus Christ the “Righteous One” besides other supposed lights, they’re only noxious lamps that twinkle!

II. FOLLOW JESUS, NOT WALK IN DARKNESS

A. MANY KINDS OF DARKNESS

1. Ignorance/superstition – Hindus broke microscopes when they were shown they were eating living organisms.

2. Death – shroud of the unknown

3. Sin/moral evil

B. SELF DECEPTION (quote scripture)

1. You can’t say you’re following Jesus if you’re living in sin.

a. Mt. 6:23 AMP; “But if your eye is bad [spiritually blind], your whole body will be full of darkness. So if the [very] light inside you is darkness, how great and terrible is that darkness!

b. John 3:19-21 NIV; “This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.”