Perpetual Light for Every Person
Welcome to a new series called blinding lights! The imagery of Christmas is everywhere, candles, tinsel and fairy lights. Pastor Caleb’s hope for us, is that wherever we sit regarding Christmas, we know that Jesus is the light of the world, and that we can take a step closer to him when we know this.
What are we going to turn our attention to this Christmas? Light? It is just so prominent in our lives. Jesus claimed that he was the light of the world-
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
The power of light changes the way we see everything, Jesus claimed that he was the light of the world-not just for a specific group of people, but for the whole world! An outrageous claim! He was the light for everyone irrespective of their location or time, for rich and poor, for high or low born, everyone! Jesus’ claim means we should take a deeper look at his claim. He shone his light into our darkness and asks us some difficult questions.
The people of first century Judea would have been familiar with the concept of light, the Jewish festival of Hannukah deals with light, and dates back to 2BC. The write of Johns gospel uses light imagery to tell his story-
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 He was with God in the beginning.
3Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
Just try shining a torch into the darkness, the darkness cannot overcome the light. John introduces Jesus as the word and light.
See this verse from John 3:19-21
19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but people loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.
20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed.
21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.
The word verdict means that there is a judgement to come, there is something profound and honest in this truth. The light shows us things we want to see, but also the things that make us unhappy. Light provides sight-of things that are good and not so good. The light causes us to be honest with ourselves and face some uncomfortable home truths. Many of us may just turn our eyes away from the light because it is too bright and painful. Others may turn towards the light because it shines into areas that we can deal with. Light leads to life, just think of our sun, without its light we would not have day or night, plants need light to grow, our human bodies are regulated by light that is why we have circadian rhythms’. The light of Jesus also leads to life.
Jesus says this-
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”
Jesus gets right to the point here! HE is the light! The light of Jesus is going to hurt but it ultimately leads to salvation. Jesus came as a light in order that we may have life, eternal life, not a limited human life. A life spent in the presence of God himself. We have a clear choice to make, living in the darkness with pain, fear, hopelessness and death, or we can have a life living in the light with Jesus, joy, hope, peace, and all the promises of God.
Pastor Caleb asked us to consider wo questions this week,
1. Are there areas of your life where you have built walls where the light cannot shine in?
2. How might talking to Jesus about areas of weakness/doubt/pain/ shame, change your perspective?
Wherever you are this week, let the light of Jesus guide you deeper into his presence.