Jesus, The Light of The World

[titushome]

I want you to imagine with me.

Imagine what our lives would be like if there were no sun, no moon, no stars (suspend the technical impossibilities for now).  Imagine that every single day of our lives, our routines of going to work or school, working around the house, eating lunch and dinner, attending church services, taking a walk or going to the grocery store, had to be done under an ever-oppressive canopy of darkness.

We can well suppose that if this was the type of world in which we lived, we would find way to push back the darkness.  We would probably all get used to carrying flashlights with us, all the time.  We'd have to always drive with headlights on, always have the streetlamps lit, etc.

But we could never change the fact that just beyond the glow of our artificial lights, the darkness still would lurk, and along with it the unknowns, the dangers that live in the darkness.  No matter how bright a lamp man could invent, its light would eventually fade, like all the others, into inky blackness.

My friends, this is the world in which we live.

The people of this world live and walk in darkness.  Their existence is shrouded in a never-ending night.

And yes, men have come up with ways to combat the darkness: religions and philosophies, goals and ambitions, things that illuminate their lives and give them a reason to live.

But no matter what man has come up with, the darkness persists.  Maybe we could say that Buddhism is a match, Islam is a candle, Judaism is a bonfire – but none of them can compete with the darkness.

Then, Jesus steps into history, steps into the world, steps into our lives, and says:
I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.¹

To someone who has lived his entire life in darkness, these words make absolutely no sense.  Jesus says what?  He who follows Me will not walk in darkness?  But, the whole world is covered in darkness!  Jesus, You're talking about a fantasy world, a world that doesn't exist!  I can't go anywhere without my trusty flashlight.  That's the real world!

But at the same time... there's something about this Jesus.  Something that's different.

Then I notice: He doesn't have a flashlight.

In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd say He was glowing!  Not only that, but I've noticed that whenever Jesus is around, the whole room seems brighter.

Jesus: what was that You were saying about being "the Light of the world"?  And that whoever follows You "will not walk in darkness"?

You know what?  I'm beginning to believe it!

Whenever I'm with Jesus, the darkness somehow doesn't encroach as much as it usually does.

Then Jesus says:
Let Me tell you something more: For a little while longer the Light is among you.  Walk while you have the Light, so that darkness will not overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes.  While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light.²

Oh, Jesus - what does it mean to be a son of Light?

Do you believe that I AM the Light of the world?

Yes, I believe.

Then let Me show you...

Then, all at once, my whole world is transformed – everything is flooded with light, the darkness is dispelled, I see colors where once there were only greys, shapes where once there were only blurs!  Oh God, I can see!  And to think that I used to walk in darkness, I used to think what I saw was normal, I used to think that's all there was!  I used to think my little flashlight was bright enough, that my own wisdom and understanding could get me through.  But now I know that then, I was blind – it is only now that I can see!

Now, I am enveloped in the glorious radiance of the Lord, the God of heaven and earth!

How could I ever go back to stumbling through the darkness?  Compared to the bright, pervasive, relentless piercing light of the sun, what good is this flashlight?  Everything I thought I saw and thought I knew is worthless in the Light of His Truth!

Jesus is the Light of the world.

Because of His great love for us, by His mercy and grace, He has called us, He has chosen us, He has brought us "out of darkness into His marvelous light"!³

"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 practice 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."⁴

Walk in the Light, as He is in the Light.

Jesus has shown us the way in which we should walk.  God Himself walked on earth as a man, lived the same life we live, faced the same challenges we face, was tempted in all the same points in which we are tempted, yet without sin.⁵

He showed us the way wherein we should walk – because He Himself walked the way.  He is our guide; He is the Light.  Truly, He didn't just show us the way – He made the way.  He is the Way!

He died, that His shed blood and broken body would be the propitiation for our sins.

He was buried, and rose again on the third day to show us He is the Resurrection and the Life, and to give each of us new life.

This is the gospel message as summarized by the apostle Paul:  "... that Christ died for our sins according the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve."⁶

When we come into the Light, begin to walk in the Way of Jesus Christ, we become partakers of the gospel, and our lives will follow the same pattern established by Jesus:

We too will die – we die to ourselves; we turn away from our own, sinful ways, and turn towards God.
We too are buried – with Christ in baptism.
We too are given the gift of new life – we are born again; filled with the Holy Spirit, the living water.
We too appear before others – we present ourselves to the world, as new creatures.  Now we are the light of the world!

That's what Jesus said:
You are the light of the world.  A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.  Let you light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.⁷

As Jesus is the Light of the world, so when He comes into us and fills us with His Light are we made the light of the world.

And while Jesus has brought us out of darkness, brought us into His light, most of the rest of the people of this world are still living in darkness – they need the Light!

While the gospel is no longer hidden from us, it is still hidden from the world: "And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing, in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so 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 you 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."⁸

"The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it."⁹  Darkness cannot comprehend light; we must work patiently, tenaciously, lovingly.

Jesus is calling us to work with Him: We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.  While I am in the world, I am the Light of the world.¹⁰  As long as we are in the world, and Jesus is in us, we are the light of the world; we must do the work to which Jesus has called us.  We must work while it is still day.  We must let our light shine.


¹John 8:12; ²John 12:35-36; ³I Peter 2:9; ⁴I John 1:5-7; ⁵Hebrews 4:15; ⁶I Corinthians 15:3-5; ⁷Matthew 5:14-16; ⁸II Corinthians 4:3-6; ⁹John 1:5; ¹⁰John 9:4-5.  All quotes from NASB.

[SippinTea]

Nice post, Titus!! Excellent thoughts.

[rmandy22]

wow  wow wow that was awsome

[MelodyB]

AWESOME!!!