Jesus, the Light of the World
Minister: |
Rev. Ronald Van Overloop |
Date: |
2/24/2013 PM
|
Text:
|
John 8:12
|
Psalters: |
285, 292, 68, 73 |
- The meaning.
- The setting is the Feast of Tabernacles (7:2).
- God had led Israel out of Egypt and through the wilderness by the pillar of fire.
- Jesus is explaining that He is the fulfillment of this light of God.
- Jesus came to manifest the glory of God in a sin-darkened world (cf. 1:7-9).
- Because He is God, He is the “brightness of His glory” (Heb. 1:3).
- Light represents the ability to have life, moral purity and to be clean, and to give knowledge (of God).
- He came into our darkness.
- The Light of the world has an effect of giving life to man.
- Jesus gives life, when He gives the light of the knowledge of God (to know God is to live).
- He is the source of spiritual life to sinners – able to give them real life.
- In Jesus God’s light shines in the elect giving the light of the knowledge of the glory of God (II Cor. 4:6).
- As such, He (light) drives away the darkness of sin and death, delivers us from the night of dying and creates in us new life.
- Jesus enlightens us so we see (the blind was made to see).
- He also delivers us from the power of darkness, enlightening us with the knowledge of the truth.
- Jesus is also a light which blinds and hardens (8:39; 9:39).
- Our calling arises from knowing the effect the light of the world has on man: follow Him as Israel follow the pillar.
- First, we must follow the light (“Me”), i.e., trust and obey Him.
- This means that we don’t walk in the darkness of sin, but repent whenever our sins are exposed to us.
- Believe the light and follow the light, even as Israel followed the light in the wilderness.
- Jesus’ promise is that they will have the light of life (cf. 4:14).