The Light of the World is Jesus

John 8:12-32

 

INTRO: In verse 12 of John 8, Jesus says: “I am the light of the world...”  This is the second of the seven great “I am”’s of John’s Gospel.

Fundamentally, our Lord’s message was Himself.  He did not come merely to preach a Gospel; He Himself is the Gospel.  He did not come merely to give bread; He said: “I am the bread.”  He did not come merely to shed light; He said, “I am the light.”  He did not come merely to show the door; He said, “I am the door.”  He did not come merely to name a shepherd; He said: “I am the shepherd.”  He did not come merely to point the way; He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.”  He did not come merely to plant a vine; He said, “I am the vine.” (Baxter 308).

 

I.        VSS 12-18, CHRIST THE DIVINE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

A.       Vs 12, After the rude interruption of the Pharisees and their departure, Jesus again teaches those gathered around Him at the temple.  Jesus did not let the disturbance perturb Him.  When we are doing the work of God, we do not need to let disturbances perturb us.

1. “I am the light of the world.”

a. Jesus is the light of the world.  He is not a light; He is the light.

b. Jesus and none other is the light of the world.

c. Jesus, the light of the world, proclaims:

1- Wisdom to the ignorant.

2- Holiness to the impure.

3- Gladness to the sad.

4- Guidance to the wayward.

5- Salvation to the lost.

2. “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness...”

a. Follow -accompany Jesus- means to trust and obey.

b. Follow means to believe in Him and keep His commandments out of love.  It is more than gazing at the light.

c. We are to follow where the light leads us.  “Where He leads me I will follow.”

d. As the Jews followed the pillar of fire in the wilderness, believers are to follow the Light of Christ in this desert of life.

3. “Shall not walk in darkness....”  Absence of light.

a. True followers will not walk in moral darkness.

b. True followers will not walk in spiritual ignorance.

c. True followers are delivered from the power of darkness and the power of sin Rm 6:11-14, 18).

B.       Vs 13, When Jesus said, “I am the light of the world,” He was laying claim to His deity.  He was saying I am Jehovah-elohim- the God of light.

1. The Pharisees said His claim was false.

2. Because Jesus had no witness but Himself, they rejected the Light.

C.      Vs 14, Jesus says that His record is true.

1. His record was true because He knew where He came from.  He had come from the right hand of the Father in heaven.

2. His record was true because He knew where He was going.  He would soon be returning to the Father in heaven.

3. The Pharisees were completely ignorant of the heavenly nature and character of Christ and were incompetent to judge Him.

D.      Vs 15, The Pharisees were judging by earthly standards; they were full of the world’s ideas and could only judge carnally.  When people are full of the world, it is hard for them to see spiritual things.  Jesus did not come to judge; He came to seek and to save the lost.  The first time John 5:16-17.

E.       Vs 16, Jesus did not come to judge, yet when judgment was rendered, it was true, genuine, the real thing in the divine will of God because Jesus and God are one.  God and His son never disagree.  Never any disagreement.

F.       Vs 17, This verse points to the Old Testament (Deut 17:6).

G.      Vs 18, At the baptism of Jesus, God the Father bore witness of His Son (Mt 3:17).

 

II.       VSS 19-24, THE DOOM OF UNBELIEVERS PRONOUNCED

A.       Vs 19, In reply to what Jesus had said in the previous verse, the Pharisees say: “Where is thy Father?”

1. These men were lost, still in darkness.

2. The only way to know the Father is through the Son . “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” (Jn 14:6).

B.       Vs 20, The treasury was in the Court of the Women.  Against the wall of this court stood thirteen chests in which the people place their offerings for different causes.

1. The Court of Women is the only place the woman taken in adultery could be brought.  Jesus taught them again; He never tired of teaching.

2. Although the Pharisees were fighting mad, they could not lay hands on Jesus.

a. God’s hand of restraint stopped them.

b. Men are unable to work their evil designs until God allows them (7:30, 44; 8:59).

C.      Vs 21, When Jesus said, “I go my way,” He was speaking of His departure to the Father in heaven.

1. Jesus warns the Pharisees of the remorse of seeking Him too large (Pro 1:28-29).

2. “In their death, they will experience no comfort and no peace of any kind, only dark despair.  The one whom they have rejected will not be present to help them in their need” (Hendriksen 45).

3. Because they will die with their sins unforgiven, they will go to hell to the place of everlasting fire and punishment.  They will not be able to go to heaven where Jesus is.

D.      Vs 22, The Pharisees sneer at the doom pronounced upon them.  They insinuate that Jesus is contemplating suicide.

E.       Vs 23, The motives and words of the Pharisees are hell-inspired.  The words of Jesus are heaven-inspired.

F.       Vs 24, They will die in their sins and go to hell as a result of not believing.  This is the only reason people go to hell.

1. Jesus is all that He has claimed to be, and those who do not believe this will go to hell.

2. The scripture plainly state that unbelief is what sends souls to hell (Jn 3:18, 36).

 

III.      VSS 25-32, THE TESTIMONY OF JESUS

A.       Vs 25, Jesus consistently claims to be the Messiah, the Savior of the world.

B.       Vs 26, Jesus was saying and doing what God the Father wanted Him to do.  God had sent Him. and it was the will of God that He was doing.

1. Jesus gave out the Word of God.