Text: “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life.‘” – John 8:12 (NKJV)
I. I am the light.
Walking with Jesus was an eye-opening experience for His disciples.
• Not just the miracles but His rhetoric.
Jesus knew what He was saying when He said I am the light of the world. He knew the Scriptures made many references to light coming from and being an attribute God.
• Isaiah 9:2 (NIV) The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.
• Psalms 36:5-9 (NIV) Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains, your justice like the great deep. O LORD, you preserve both man and beast. How priceless is your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of your wings. They feast on the abundance of your house; you give them drink from your river of delights. For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light.
John 1:4 (NIV) In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.
• I am the One who will show you what’s really going on. What’s real. What’s true.
II. He who follows Me.
Disciple: “one who follows another for the purpose of learning,”
I believe Jesus was referring to something much heartier than what they were used to.
• They were used to following the rules, the rituals, and the commandments.
• Jesus was advertising something very different – and it was about Him.
• It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.
III. The light of life.
The promised blessing is the light of life (eternal life in heaven and the fullness of life on earth.)
From my time with the Lord: “Thank You for giving Your life so I could have this life, and all that comes with it.”
Psalm 4:7 “You have filled my heart with greater joy than when their grain and new wine abound…”
And when you know the One who lights up our life, we can say about the details of our lives: “Lord, I may want it my way, but because I trust in Your love for me, in my heart I prefer Your way.”
When we know the heart behind them, when we know the love of God, we realize every word in this book is intended to help us to better see and experience the light of life.
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