I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Victor M. Eskew

 

INTRODUCTION

 

A.   Two times during His earthly ministry, Jesus made the affirmation that He is light of the world.

1.    The verses:

a.    John 8:12

 

Then spake Jesus again unto them, I am the light of the world…

 

b.    John 9:5

 

As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.

 

c.    On another occasion, Jesus simply said:  “I am come a light into the world (John 12:46).

 

I am come a light into the world…

 

2.    This is one of the seven “I am” statements of Jesus recorded for us in the gospel of John.

a.    The words, “I am,” are important.

1)    They take us back to the days of Moses when God told Moses to tell Israel that “I AM” hath sent me unto you (Exo. 3:14).

 

And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM:  and he said, Thus shalt ye say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

 

2)    The words are in the present tense. 

a)    Jesus is what He is at this very moment in time. 

b)    Jesus was the light of the world then, and, right now, Jesus is still the light of the world.

b.    We often simply say them without giving thought to their significance.  Each one of them proclaims something about the essence of the Christ.

1)    The essence is what exists at the core, the root of the individual.

2)    The essence of something involves its basic, real, invariable nature.

3)    The essence is the significant individual features.

c.    Part of the essence of Jesus is light.  NOTE:  This is opposed to darkness (Job 30:26; Isa. 5:20; John 1:5; 3:19; 2 Cor. 6:14; Eph. 5:8; 1 Thess. 5:5; 1 Pet. 2:9; 1 John 1:5).

 

This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

 

B.   Let’s examine this quality of Jesus’ essence under the title:  “I Am the Light of the World.”

 

I.             THE WORLD IS DARK SPIRITUALLY

 

A.   There has only been one time when this world was light from a spiritual standpoint.  It was at the Creation.

1.    Man dwelled in the world in innocence (Gen. 2:25).

 

And they were both naked, the man and his wife, and were not ashamed.

 

2.    There was no sin.

3.    There was no violence.

4.    There had been no death.

5.    There was a rich fellowship that existed between God and man.

 

B.   When man transgressed the command of God, the world fell into darkness.

1.    Lies and deception became part of the world.

2.    Sin entered into the pristine garden.

3.    Man now had an association with the evil one.

4.    Hardship, pain, and violence became a part of life.

5.    Death was now a reality for man.

6.    Fellowship with God was severed, and blood sacrifices were needed to pay the penalty for sin.

 

C.   All of these things are associated with the darkness of the world.

1.    John 1:5

 

And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehendeth it not.

 

a.    The light is the Christ.

b.    The darkness is the world.

2.    John 3:19

 

And this is the condemnation that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, lest his deeds should be reproved.

 

3.    Paul told the Ephesians:  “Ye were sometimes darkness…” (Eph. 5:8).

4.    In Ephesians 6:12, Paul refers to “the rulers of the darkness of this world.”

5.    The Colossians had been “delivered from the power of darkness” (Col. 1:13).

6.    Peter’s readers had been called out of darkness (1 Pet. 2:9).

 

II.           THE SPIRITUAL WORLD NEEDS LIGHT

 

A.   Light is essential to life (John 1:4).

 

In him was life; and the light was the light of men.

 

B.   Light removes darkness (Matt. 4:16)

 

The people which sat in darkness saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death light is sprung up.

 

C.   Light enables one to see.

1.    Matthew 6:22

 

The light of the body is the eye:  if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light.

 

2.    2 Corinthians 4:6

 

For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

 

3.    Light enables one to walk on a clear path (Luke 1:79; John 12:35).

 

Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you.  Walk while ye have light, lest darkness come upon you:  for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

 

D.   Light warns of danger (Ex., lighthouses)

 

E.   Light provides healing (Ex., jaundice children)

 

F.    Light provides warmth (Ex., warming hands with a single candle)

 

G.   Light gives hope and cheer (Ex., the dawning of day to those who are on beds of affliction)

 

III.         THE METHODS OF CHRIST’S ILLUMINATION

 

A.   Jesus illuminated the world through His teaching.

1.    To be without knowledge is to be in darkness.  To possess knowledge is to have light.

2.    Jesus brought the knowledge of truth into the world (Hab. 2:14).

 

For the earth shall be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea.

 

B.   Jesus enlightened the world by His example.

1.    There is an old saying that goes like this:  “I would rather see a sermon than hear one anytime.”

2.    Jesus enlightened the world to many things by His example.

a.    How to serve others (John 13:14-15).

b.    How to confront sin and iniquity (Matt. 23).

c.    How to endure temptation (Matt. 4:11-11).

d.    How to persevere through persecution (1 Pet. 2:21).

 

C.   Jesus shined in the world by means of His works.

1.    John said that if all the things that Jesus had done “should be written, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” (John 21:25).

2.    Many of the works that Jesus did were miraculous in nature.  One purpose of these miracles was to manifest to the world the wonderful power of the Almighty God.

a.    Power over sickness and disease (Mark 1:30-31)

b.    Power over death (John 11:43-44)

c.    Power over nature (Matt. 8:26-27)

d.    Power over demons (Matt. 9:32-33)

e.    Power over time (John 2:7-9)

 

D.   Jesus brought light to the world through His death.

1.    The death of Jesus was a very dark day in the history of humanity.

a.    An innocent man was condemned to die.

b.    The Son of God was placed on a cross.

c.    Religious leaders manifested their darkened hearts.

d.    Satan successfully attacked the disciples of the Lord.

e.    NOTE:  The three hours of darkness that fell upon the land was symbolic of the darkness and depravity of the event.

2.    Yet, the death of Jesus brought the light of salvation to mankind.

a.    One had to die to pay the penalty for sin (Ezek. 18:20).

b.    Blood needed to be shed for the remission of sins (Heb. 9:22).

c.    A sacrifice was needed to please God (Isa. 53:10).

d.    A death was needed to bring life (1 John 4:9).

e.    A ransom had to be paid to release man from bondage (Matt. 20:28)

f.     An offering was needed to divert the wrath of God (Rom. 5:9)

 

CONCLUSION

 

A.   In John 12:35, Jesus expressed a simple truth in the last part of the verse:  “…for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.”

 

B.   As the “light of the world,” Jesus came to alleviate the plight of darkness.  There are two things man must do to walk in the glorious light of Christ.

1.    Believe on the Christ (John 12:36; 46)

 

I am come a light into the world, that whosoever believeth on me, should not abide in darkness.

 

2.    Follow the Christ (John 8:12)

 

Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world:  he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.