Jesus Said,

“I AM the Light of the World”

Adapted from “I Am” seriesby K. Edward "Ed" Skidmore

http://www.sermoncentral.com/print_friendly.asp?SermonID=74671

John 8:12 ESV Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the

world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." 13 So the Pharisees said to him,

"You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true."

14 Jesus answered, "Even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.

15 You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. 16 Yet even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for it is not I alone

who judge, but I and the Father who sent me.

17 In your Law it is written that the testimony of two people is true. 18 I am

the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me

bears witness about me." 19 They said to him therefore, "Where is your

Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also."

20 These words he spoke in the treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour

had not yet come. 21 So he said to them again, "I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin. Where I am going, you cannot come."

22 So the Jews said, "Will he kill himself, since he says, 'Where I am

going, you cannot come'?"

23 He said to them, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told

you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will

die in your sins." 25 So they said to him, "Who are you?" Jesus said to

them, "Just what I have been telling you from the beginning.

26 I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I

have heard from him.” 27 They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that

I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the

Father taught me.

29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

John 8:46 ESV Which one of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth,

why do you not believe me?

47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God." 48 The Jews answered him, "Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?" 49 Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon, but I honor my

Father, and you dishonor me.

50 Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge.

51 Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see

death." 52 The Jews said to him, "Now we know that you have a demon!

Abraham died, as did the prophets, yet you say, 'If anyone keeps my word, he

will never taste death.'

53 Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died? And the prophets died! Who do you make yourself out to

be?" 54 Jesus answered, "If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my

Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, 'He is our God.' 55 But you have

not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a

liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.

56 Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was

glad." 57 So the Jews said to him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?" 58 Jesus said to them,

"Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am." 59 So they picked

up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

9:1 As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 Jesus answered, "It was not

that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be

displayed in him.

4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming,

when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the

world.“

We’re looking at the I AM statements of Jesus. All of these statements are

recorded in the Gospel of John. Last week we saw that right after feeding the

5,000 Jesus told the crowds I AM the Bread of Life. Jesus tended to use

current events as a way of revealing the truth about who He is.

Today we’re looking at John chapters 8 and 9. These events took place in

Jerusalem during the Feast of Dedication.

Josephus calls this the "Festival of Lights." It is known in our day as

Hanukkah. (Utley)

"How many candles do they light? It is commanded that every house should set up at least one, let the inhabitants there be more or one only. But he that does honour to the command sets up

his candles according to the number of the persons that are in the house. And

he again that does more honour to it still sets up one candle for every person in the house the first night, and doubles

it the second night.

For example, if there be ten persons in the house, the first night there are ten

candles lighted; the second night, twenty; the third night, thirty; so that

on the eighth night it comes to fourscore." (Lightfoot [Maimonides1135,

1204]) Can you imagine how the city was illuminated brightly with so many

candles?

During the Feast of Lights, Jesus came to the temple courts to teach the

people. Think of the overpowering light that was His backdrop when he made this announcement: John 8:12 ESV

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever

follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

The holy place of the tabernacle contained a table of showbread. Jesus declared himself to be the bread of life.

Right across from that table was the Golden Candle Stand. This impressive candle stand provided the only light in

the Holy Place.

In our text today, Jesus declared that he is the light of the world. It is fascinating that the more we study the items in the tabernacle, the more we see how they

foreshadow the coming of God’s anointed One. Jesus is the fulfillment of

everything the Tabernacle and the Temple stood for.

The Light shines in Moral Darkness

John 7:53 ESV [[They went each to his own house, 8:1 but Jesus went to the

Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the

people came to him, and he sat down and taught them.

3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and placing her in the midst

4 they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of

adultery.

5 Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you say?" 6 This they said to test him, that they might have some charge to bring

against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, "Let him who is without sin among you be the

first to throw a stone at her."

8 And once more he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 But when they heard it, they went away one by one, beginning with the older ones, and

Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus stood up

and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11

She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go,

and from now on sin no more."

It was near dawn when Jesus announced, I am the light of the world. The sun was rising and the darkness was fleeing. But some of the religious

leaders had been searching in the darkness for a way to set a trap for

Jesus.A group of people have gathered around Jesus, eager to hear his

teaching. Jesus sits down and begins to teach them.

Suddenly they are rudely interrupted by a group of religious leaders who break into the circle, dragging a disheveled

and terrified woman behind them. 4 they said to him, "Teacher, this woman has been caught in the act of adultery. 5

Now in the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. So what do you

say?"

They thought they had Jesus there. If he imposed the law, he would lose his

popularity. After all, stoning was an ugly business. But if he showed mercy, he would be breaking Jewish law. They could use that as an excuse to arrest

him.

Well, Jesus did not excuse the woman. But he did not accuse the woman either.

In fact, for several moments he said nothing. He simply bent down and

wrote in the sand. I think it must have been absolutely quiet when he finally

stood up, looked straight at the woman’s accusers, and said, "Let him who is without sin among you be the

first to throw a stone at her."

We don’t know what Jesus wrote in the sand. There are theories about it, but we don’t know. What we do know is at that

moment, Jesus was the light of the world for the accused woman. His light illuminated the deep Moral Darkness of

the woman caught in adultery.

I picture this accused woman cowering with her eyes closed. She must have been braced for the blow of the first

rock. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one

condemned you?"

When the woman looked up, she saw that all of her accusers were gone. One by one they had turned away and left the scene. You see, the light of Jesus

did not just shine on the accused woman. His light had also illuminated the Moral Darkness of her accusers. These Religious Leaders could not

condemn the woman because they had come face to face with their own guilt.

That’s the way it is when the Light of Jesus shines in the Moral Darkness. All of our sins are illuminated. Whether you are an obvious sinner like the woman in

this account or even if you are a supposedly “upstanding citizen” like

the Religious Leaders who accused her, the Light of Jesus will expose the stark

ugliness of every sin.

The sad truth is that many people avoid the light of Jesus. They avoid Him

because it is painful to face the light. The Light of Jesus will force you to face your own guilt. But the amazing thing is that Jesus does not want to condemn you. Look at the words Jesus spoke to

the woman caught in adultery.

She must have looked around in wonder before she told him, No one is here to condemn me. Listen to what Jesus told the woman. It is the same

thing Jesus says to any of us who choose to Live in His Light. 11b And

Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more."

An American woman lived in Belgium for a few months with her husband &

small son. The woman met a Muslim girl named Miriam. While at a Laundromat, the woman noticed this beautiful young girl watching her play with her son. The

girl asked the son’s age and they started talking. The girl explained that her Muslim family ran a restaurant in another city. She was staying with a

friend.

As they continued talking, she told the woman that she had recently found out she was expecting a baby. She was not married. When she told her family they were furious. She said her family now

hated her. Her mother would not look at her or talk to her. They demanded she

get an abortion. She wanted to keep the baby, but she didn’t know what to do.

Before the American family flew home, the woman gave the girl information about a group of Christians who had

converted from the Muslim religion. She also told her about a Pregnancy

Resource Ministry that would help her. She didn’t hear from Miriam again until she received an e-mail some time later.

Miriam told what had happened in the days since the woman had seen her.

What she wrote is too horrible to bear, and it shows the evil darkness of our world. Miriam said that her brothers

came to where she was living and beat her until she miscarried the baby.

They broke several of her ribs. More than that, the tone of the e-mail showed they had broken her spirit. She wrote, “I’m sorry to have wasted your time.”Is there any doubt in your mind as to the darkness that covers most of this planet? Do you see why we need to

shine the light of Jesus in dark places?

What was done to this young woman was done in the name of Religion. And this kind of atrocity is more common

than any of us want to believe. We need to realize that Religion can be full of Darkness. Religion that teaches fear

and hate, Religion that is full of condemnation and legalism is Religion of Darkness. Jesus came to shine His

light on a world full of Religious Darkness.

The Light shines in Religious Darkness

The scripture says, 12 Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 13 So the Pharisees said to him,

"You are bearing witness about yourself; your testimony is not true.”

The Religion Leaders immediately challenged him. The Pharisees basically demanded, “Who says so? Why should

we take your word for anything?”17 In your Law it is written that the

testimony of two people is true. 18 I am the one who bears witness about

myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”

Throughout the rest of the chapter, Jesus explained His relationship to

God, his Father. 19 They said to him therefore, "Where is

your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also." 20 These words he spoke in the

treasury, as he taught in the temple; but no one arrested him, because his hour

had not yet come...

28 So Jesus said to them, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you

will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. 29 And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that

are pleasing to him."

It is good to notice how Jesus emphasized the close, loving

relationship between God the Father and God the Son. When a father and

son have a close relationship, it is true that to know the father is to know the

son.* If you can trust the father, you will tend to trust the son. * If the father has shown himself to be a hard-worker, you’re more likely to want to hire the son.

* If a young man wants to marry your daughter, you’re going to be interested in what kind of father he has.

We all know that the relationship between father and son is one of the

most significant relationships on earth. That is the way Jesus described his

connection to God the Father.

Obviously Jesus loved his Father dearly, followed his father’s lead

obediently, and was proud that his father had sent him into the world to do

the work he was doing. The close, loving connection between father and

son was demonstrated so eloquently in this passage. They are one in character,

personality, and purpose.

I’m stunned when someone says Jesus never claimed to be divine. Obviously they had to bypass the gospel of John to say such a thing. Either that or they

purposefully misunderstand it. And that is exactly what the Religious scholars of Jesus’ day did. They purposefully misconstrued everything Jesus said.

Instead of recognizing the truth of his relationship with God the Father, they

twisted everything he said. At one point Jesus bluntly asked them, 46 Which one

of you convicts me of sin? If I tell the truth, why do you not believe me? 47 Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear

them is that you are not of God."

The arguments and accusations intensified until, finally, He made this

bold statement: 58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before

Abraham was, I am." When He made that claim, Jesus used the very name

God used for himself in the Old Testament. In the book of Exodus, Moses asked God his name. God

answered: I AM what I AM.

The religious leaders felt the full impact of what Jesus was claiming. The same

men who had walked away from stoning the woman caught in adultery now

picked up rocks to stone Jesus. But the scripture says Jesus hid himself and

slipped away from the temple grounds.

These men continued in their Religious Darkness. They showed the truth of John 1:4-5 where John introduced

Jesus this way: John 1:4 ESV In him was life, and the life was the light of

men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

It reminds me of an old saying which proves true. Ray Stevens used it in “Everything is Beautiful.” “There is

none so blind as he who will not see.” The Religious Leaders were blinded by their pride and self-righteousness. They were quick to condemn others but blind

to their own need for the LIGHT.

Soon after these events, Jesus met a man who was well aware of his need for light. This man was literally, physically

blind. In healing him, Jesus had the opportunity to show once again that he

is the Light of the World.

The Light shines in Physical Darkness

John 9:1 ESV As he passed by, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 And his disciples asked him, "Rabbi, who

sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?" 3 Jesus answered, "It

was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God

might be displayed in him.

. 4 We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming,

when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the

world." 6 Having said these things, he spit on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then he anointed the man's eyes with the mud 7 and said to him,

"Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which means Sent).

So he went and washed and came back seeing. 8 The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar were

saying, "Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?" 9 Some said, "It is he."

Others said, "No, but he is like him." He kept saying, "I am the man." 10 So they said to him, "Then how were your eyes

opened?"

11 He answered, "The man called Jesus made mud and anointed my eyes and

said to me, 'Go to Siloam and wash.' So I went and washed and received my

sight." 12 They said to him, "Where is he?" He said, "I do not know."

Just before Jesus healed the blind man, he told his disciples, 4 We must work

the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I

am the light of the world."Jesus then proved that He is the Light

of the World by giving this man his sight.

The account says he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put in on the man’s eyes. 7 and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which

means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

This is a beautiful picture of what Jesus, the light of the world, can do for

every one of us, IF we are willing to admit we are blind.

Because the man born blind was willing to do as Jesus instructed, he was

healed of his blindness. He didn’t argue with Jesus as the Pharisees had done,

and he didn’t attempt to to point out someone else’s sin while not owning up to his own like those same leaders tried

to do with the woman caught in adultery. Instead, the blind man

accepted Jesus healing and gave credit where credit was due.

Later on, those same religious leaders argued with the blind man. They tried to

tell him that Jesus was a notorious sinner. John 9:25 ESV He answered,

"Whether he is a sinner I do not know. One thing I do know, that though I was

blind, now I see."The healed man knew that his light

came from Jesus.

Later on, when the man spoke again with Jesus, he worshiped Jesus as

God’s Son. His physical eyes AND his spiritual eyes were opened! The religious leaders remained in the

Darkness, but this man recognized that Jesus is indeed the light of the world. Jesus became the light in his personal

world.

Jesus is able to banish darkness from the lives of those who believe in Him. His I AM statements show that he is

God who has come to earth. He came to earth for our benefit: to give us what we

need.* He is the Bread of Life. * He is the Light of the World.He existed before Abraham, and those

who believe in Him will never taste death.

Because of those claims Jesus made that day, some people walked away.

Others wanted to stone him. But those who believed stepped from Darkness

into Light. There is no other light. Those who claim to have light from any other source are blind and are living in darkness. Today, will you see Jesus, not only as the light

of the world, but as the light of your world?