"I AM the Light of the World"
Beloved of the Lord......In the past couple of weeks, we have all heard the common escalation about what is called "gun violence". Many believe there will be less murder and less violence if there are less guns. While this argument has a certain appeal to it, it is quite illogical. Guns do not kill people. Not even bullets kill people, but people kill people. Murder is as old as Cain and Abel, and the problem isn't guns. There were no guns when Cain murdered Abel, but Cain may have used a rock or club, or even his bare hands. It is pure folly then when people today base violence and murder on guns. The true darkness which causes all violence in our world, is the sin darkened human heart. Jesus said "Out of the heart proceedeth evil thoughts, murder."
Properly speaking, the first murder on earth was not by Cain of Abel, but Satan of Adam and Eve. He spiritually slew our first parents, by lying to Eve so she and Adam rebelled against God's holy commandment. This is when gross darkness entered their heart and and we have been breaking God's commandments ever since. This spiritual darkness also brings death. Jesus said of the devil, "He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him." When we today consider our sins, and the gross darkness of our own natural hearts, there is only ONE LIGHT in this world Who can chase all our darkness away, and His name is Jesus Christ, the True Light of this world. The prophet Isaiah long ago spoke of Christ in this way saying, "The people that walked in darkness have seen a great Light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the Light shined." When Christ therefore comes to fallen man, proclaiming Himself to be the Light of the world, Jesus is saying to us sinners, I have come neither to judge or condemn you, but only to save you from sin. I am your Light of Life." While our sins are indeed grievous and offensive to God, the greatest sin which rises far and high above all others is the sin of unbelief. The greatest darkness on this earth than is unbelief concerning Christ the Son of God, the True Savior of this entire world. FIRST let us see……
I. The Light of the World as opposed to the lesser and greater darkness. The background to our lesson today is Jesus teaching in the Temple. "All the people came unto Him and he sat down and taught them." Shortly thereafter the Pharisees enter in with the adulterous woman. They set her down in the midst of all people, publicly declare her sin, assuming surely Christ will judge and condemn her. Jesus however said, "He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her." What is remarkable here is that Jesus didn't judge or condemn even the Pharisees. Jesus didn't say "I judge and condemn you Pharisees, for you also are sinners ", rather with one sentence alone Jesus let their own conscience judge and condemn them. They left in shame because now their sins were publicly known. On top of all that Jesus said to the woman, "Neither do I condemn thee, go and sin no more."
This background is crucial to our lesson today, for Jesus now continues in His office as Savior of the world, and not judge. He says now loud and clear to all the people, "I am the Light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the Light of life." To walk here in darkness, is to walk in the darkness of unbelief concerning Christ. We are not born into this world believing Christ is our Savior, but we are born in the darkness of sin. This original sin causes all our actual sins, and it blinds us from seeing the true identity of God, namely Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. The apostle Paul describes our natural fallen state in Ephesians two, and please note Paul is speaking to believers. "And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others." No doubt these words are said so no Christian becomes high-minded with self-exaltation. We are the darkness and Christ alone is the Light who saves. Thanks be to God, Second Corinthians 4:6 says, "For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ."
The Gospel of Christ then brings to us the highest glory of Christ, that He is not our judge, but our Savior. Jesus therefore is called the "the Light of the world", not the "Light of a few or some or those who sin less". Physical light has a point of origin and also a direction in which it goes. The sun for example is the source of physical light on earth, but the sun itself radiates out light in all directions, indiscriminately. It shines not only upon the earth, but the other planets and moons. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is like that too. Whenever the grace of God is preached, the voice of Jesus carries the forgiveness of sins to all ears who would hear. This Gospel is like the sun radiating out God's rays of grace in every direction. "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear." As the "Light of the world" Jesus seeks entrance into every sin darkened heart, bringing only the Light of His grace, forgiveness for all sins without money and without price. When Jesus said to the adulterous woman, "Neither do I condemn thee", her sins which were many were forgiven. They vanished from her sight, because Jesus was the True Light who did not condemn her. So the Bible says for all ears who will hear today, "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death." Believers then do not die in darkness, for they have the Light of Life."
This is why unbelief concerning Christ is a far greater darkness than the darkness of our daily sins. While our daily sins might be compared to the darkness of the night, unbelief is like the thick darkness which once befell Egypt. The Bible says, "They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings." We are these children of Israel, who daily enjoy the light of God's grace, by faith alone. Christ Himself has taught our hearts so that we know, all our pride, lust, greed, and adultery are forgiven. Are sins which are many, are likewise forgiven, because Jesus in the Gospel said, "Neither do I condemn thee". "For God sent not His son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" and "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh but the Spirit."
II. The difference between Judgment of the flesh and judgment of the Spirit. Since the Pharisees did not have the Spirit of Christ, they were quite incapable of receiving His one true witness of Himself. Jesus answered, "Though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true: for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye cannot tell whence I come, and whither I go. Ye judge after the flesh; I judge no man." The Pharisees judged after the flesh, because they had no faith to judge by the spirit. To judge after the flesh means to judge all matters without faith, without grace, by appearance, in a superficial manner without going into the essence of the matter. For example, when Jesus healed a lame man on the Sabbath, rather than rejoicing in this good work, the Pharisees judged and condemned Jesus for "working" on the Sabbath." They understood only the letter of the law and they had no concept of mercy, grace, and love. Jesus therefore said, "Are ye angry at me, because I have made a man every whit whole on the sabbath day? Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment." This applies to us today for it is our natural tendency to judge by the flesh and not the spirit. We do this when we stringently apply God's law to our neighbor in a superficial way, without understanding the heart of the matter. The Pharisees judged only according to the flesh because they thought they could keep God's law. I've kept it, you haven't…..that was their judgment. Christians know better. We are lawbreakers not lawkeepers. We have broken the law in every possible way, and we are saved by grace alone, through faith alone in Christ alone.
Jesus kept the law for us, and we now live only under His grace. This is the starting point for all righteous judgment, and faith alone will judge rightly. Concerning our neighbor then, to put it another way, we care little whether or not our neighbor keeps God's law. Even if they kept it the law can't save them or us and the law brings no souls to heaven. Yet being saved by grace, what matters most to us is that our neighbor knows Christ is their Light and their Savior, and Jesus kept the law for them so they would not burn eternally in hell as we all deserve. If we take the lowest seat under Christ and neighbor, knowing we are saved by grace alone and not the law, we will begin to judge matters in the true Christian spirit of love, charity, and discernment. We therefore judge all things in light of the Gospel and faith, for faith alone conforms to God's law and love alone fulfills.
III. The second Witness above. Finally beloved of the Lord, Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees, the second witness they desired was His Father above, and "the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world". Throughout the New Testament we therefore find this second Witness above, agreeing with that first Witness below, Jesus Christ the Righteous. For our Father sent His Son not to condemn the world for sin, but save the world from sin. Even when He lived on earth, Jesus said to His Father above, "Lo, I come to do thy will, O God….By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Throughout His ministry below, the Father gave witness from above that Christ was sent by God by the countless miracles Jesus did. Also the voice above said, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased, hear ye Him". These two witnesses therefore always agreed as one. In John 8 Jesus said, "Because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not…..And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me?" John 10, " If I do not the works of my Father, believe me not. But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him." John 14, "The words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake." To this day, these two witnesses agree perfectly: Jesus did not come to this earth to condemn any Pharisee, adulterer, or harlot, but Jesus came to save all sinners, without discrimination "of whom I am chief". The Light of His grace, the Light of this world still shines and radiates toward all fallen sinners, and so He is called the "Light of Life." Your eternal life dear believer begins on earth when you believe, and this Light carries you to the eternal lights of heaven. Do not walk in darkness, but by faith follow your eternal Light to your eternal life in heaven. Amen.
