John 8 explores the transformative power of truth through profound insights about Jesus’ role in our lives. In this chapter, Jesus makes a powerful claim about Himself, saying, “I am the light of the world.” In our society today, we struggle with the concept of absolute truth. We are constantly redefining it as relative to the individual, which means that everyone is right in their own eyes. However, the problem with this is that if everyone is right, then nobody is right. Chaos ensues when there is no absolute truth.
The denial of truth is happening at an alarming rate in our world. If we continue down this path of relativism, chaos is waiting for us. It is important to understand that human morality alone is not enough to stand up for what is right. Without absolute truth, we risk making decisions that lead to the murder of innocent lives, such as in the case of abortion.
It is time to recognize the importance of truth and the danger of relativism. We must seek the truth and stand firm in it, even if it means going against the popular opinions of our society. Let us remember that Jesus is the light of the world and, in Him, we can find the truth that guides everything we do in service.
The Light of the World
In John 8, Jesus proclaims, “I am the light of the world,” a bold statement that connects Him to the power and position of God in the Old Testament. To fully appreciate the significance of this statement, it’s important to understand the context in which it was made. Jesus was in the Temple Treasury, a place where people would bring their tithes and offerings. The Treasury was also the location of the illumination ceremony, where priests would dump gallons of oil into golden lampstands and light them up at night, creating an immense light that would permeate beyond the temple into the city, making Jerusalem a city on a hill that could be seen for miles around.
This ceremony celebrated the Shekinah glory of God, which shone forth from the pillar of fire during Israel’s wandering years after the exodus, providing light and guidance to the people. In this same place, with the bowls of oil still smoking, Jesus proclaims, “I am the light of the world.” By doing so, He connects Himself to the divine power and position of God and declares Himself to be God in the flesh.
The connection to the Shekinah glory of God is a powerful statement, as it implies that Jesus is the light that guides and protects His followers. As Jesus says in John 8:12, “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” This is a message that is just as relevant today as it was more than 2,000 years ago. As we navigate through the darkness of our world, we can trust in Jesus as the light that shines forth the glory of God and guides us on our journey.
God is Our Light
Hebrews 1:3 says Jesus Christ is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being. We must believe that Jesus always has been and always will be God. Throughout the Old Testament, God refers to Himself as light, and every time He is referred to as light, it’s like God in action. In the wilderness, God guided and protected His people by lighting their path, keeping them from evil, and watching over them. His presence was light and salvation to them. In Psalm 119, we read that through His revealed Word, the law, He was a lamp to their feet and a light to their path. This light of His Word revealed the truth and sustained them on their journey.
In the Gospel of John, John connects the Shekinah glory of God in the Old Testament to Jesus in the New Testament in John 1:1. The Word was with God and was God, and the Word was Christ. John 1:4 tells us that this Word was the light of all men and came to enlighten men about the glory of God because He was the glory of God, the Shekinah glory in the flesh. In John 1:14, it says the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father because He is one with the Father. Clearly, Jesus claimed to be the light of God in this world. The burning lamps in the temple where Jesus spoke represented God Himself and the eternal light that He would always be. Jesus is telling the people that He is the light of God, who protected them in the past and guided them in the wilderness. He is the light who came down and filled the Tabernacle. He is the Shekinah glory of God standing before them, and He will be the Shekinah glory of God that lights up heaven for all of eternity.
The Light and Life of Jesus
As the verse continues in John 8:12, Jesus says that he who follows Him will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Jesus being the light of the world matters for us because, as the light of the world, He can be the life that saves us, the truth that guides us, and the light that shines from us. In this passage, light and life are intimately connected.
In John 1:4, it says, “In him was life, and the life was the light of men.” This means that faith in Jesus is the only way to become a spiritual child of God and receive eternal life and the light of God. Jesus has already claimed to be the entrance into this eternal light and life and the good Shepherd who laid down His life for His sheep. Salvation came at a price, which was the blood of our savior bearing God’s wrath on the cross. Jesus earned our forgiveness and position in heaven by living a perfect life on our behalf and defeating Satan, sin, and death.
The Process of Following Jesus
To follow Jesus is not just a momentary decision, but a continual following of His commandments and truth all the days of your life. If Jesus is the light of the world for you, He will guide you not only in salvation, but also in daily guidance into truth. This guidance is essential because it enables you to know where to step and avoid danger and bumps in the dark. Jesus does this by revealing the truth to you through His Word and confirming it by His Spirit.
Therefore, if you repent, believe, and follow Jesus, He will guide you to paths of righteousness for His Name’s sake. He will be a lamp unto your feet and a guide to your future path, just as the Shekinah glory and the pillar of fire guided the nation of Israel by night. Jesus’ guidance not only saves, but also guides you through daily life.
How to Find Truth
The Holy Spirit of God communicates with you because He resides within you. However, this truth is verified by His Word. If you ever receive guidance you believe was from the Spirit of God, but it led you to make choices that were immoral, then it was not the voice of God speaking to you. Instead, it was your own inner voice. We must always compare our emotions to the teachings of the Bible. The Pharisees did not comprehend this; the entire chapter is about their inability to recognize Jesus as the Son of God. They refused to follow Him and, as a result, did not believe in God. In verse 19, Jesus says, “If you knew me, you would have known my Father also. But now you know him and have seen him.” Without Christ, the Pharisees were like people walking blindly in a dark room, which is perilous.
Have you ever been to a cavern like Sonora Caverns or Carlsbad Caverns? When the lights go out, it’s pitch black. Walking through life without the guidance of Christ is similar. You’ll stumble around, potentially fall into sin, and be lost forever. Jesus is the light of the world and wants to lead you. Don’t be swayed by the world’s false truths that suggest you can determine your own path. The world does not love you, God, or Christ. Listen to the voice of Jesus, the only true light, and ignore all other guidance that does not align with His Word. With Christ as your guide, you have eternal life, and the light is life.
Walking by the Light of Christ
As a follower of Jesus Christ, you have been given a light that shines meaningfully from within you. This light is meant to emanate and radiate from you, as stated in John 8 when Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” This statement holds a lot of theological significance that can be found throughout the Scriptures. In Matthew 5:14, Jesus explains that His followers are also the light of the world. This means that you are not only meant to shine like God in the flesh, but also to radiate His light to those around you. Jesus further clarifies this by saying that a city on a hill cannot be hidden and that people should be able to see the light of Christ emanating from them in every aspect of their life.
Becoming Cities on a Hill
As a follower of Christ, you were saved from darkness so you could shine. Ephesians 5:8 explains that you were formerly in darkness, but now that you are alive in Christ, you are the light in the Lord. Therefore, you are commanded to walk as children of light and to reflect the glory of God to the world through your relationship with Jesus Christ. Philippians 2:15 also encourages you to shine as lights in the world.
If Christ is your life, your truth, and your guide, He is also the fuel that will never run dry, allowing you to shine for Him for the rest of your life and into eternity. However, the brightness of your light can fluctuate based on how much time you spend in the light or with the light. The more time you spend in His Word and in His presence, the more your light will shine. You can see this in the story of Moses in the Old Testament when he spent time in the presence of God and came down the mountain shining with God’s radiance.
Next Steps
So, as a follower of Jesus Christ, you should aim to abide with Him daily, spending time in His Word and in His presence so that His light can shine brightly through you in every aspect of your life.
Continually abiding with Jesus in prayer and reading His Word on a daily basis is essential. When you come out of that time in the morning, you should shine with humility and let others see Jesus in you. It’s a beautiful thing to witness Christ as the light of the world, especially for those who follow Him. Instead of simply urging His listeners to go out and shine for Jesus, the speaker presents another option. In John 8, Jesus warns that those who deny Him will die in their sins. He says there are only two options: accept Jesus as the truth and shine brightly for Him, or reject Him and remain in outer darkness. While it’s impossible for a believer to remain in outer darkness, some believers who have strayed from God’s Word may still feel like they are in the darkness of sin. To truly shine, believers need to spend time with Jesus, reading His Word, and abiding in His presence. Then we can truly live out our call to shine the light of Jesus into this dark world.
