Jesus: The Light of the World

Happy New Year everybody.

I will continue looking at Jesus "I Am" today by looking at his statement "I am the light of the world."  He makes this statement twice, in John 8:12 and again in John 9:5.  In fact, the Gospel of John has "Jesus as Light" as a constant theme throughout.  In John 1 it says a number of things about Jesus being the light, including making connections between the Light and life (John 1:40).

John takes some time in John 1 to compare the light of Jesus with the darkness of the world and explain how the darkness has rejected the light.  In John 3, in talking to Nicodemus, Jesus says that people love the darkness rather than the light because they are afraid that their evil deeds will be exposed. (John 3:19-20)

In John 12:35-36, Jesus again compares light and dark, saying that those who walk in darkness do not know where they are going.  I personally have found this to be true.  Getting up at night and trying to navigate my way around in the darkness has sometimes proven painful.  I have injured myself bumping into things in the dark, sometimes I have walked into things I knew were there.  I just didn't see them clearly.  The great thing about light is that it enables us to clearly see our path.  I seldom walk into things when the light is on.  It is the same in our spiritual walk.  Walking by the light of Jesus, we can see more clearly the path that has been marked out for us.  This is a good thing.

But here is what I want to focus on today.  Twice Jesus says, "I am the light of the world."  Once he says, "You are the light of the world."  (Matt. 5:14)  We can share in this one.  This makes this "I Am" statement unique.  I cannot be the Bread of Life.  Nor can I be the Gate, the Good Shepherd, the Way, the Truth, the Resurrection or the True Vine.  And I certainly can't be The Life.  However, Jesus tells me that I can be the Light.  So I want to be the Light.  The question becomes then, How?

II Cor. 3:18 says: "And we, who with unveiled faces reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."  The light doesn't actually come from within us.  We become the light by reflecting the the true light of Jesus.  As we get closer to Jesus we reflect his light and therefore light the way for others to see how to live.  I like the way Steve Kinnard put it in his book King Jesus, (p. 126): "We are to be "the light of the world."As Christians, we are to be the spiritual light that allows the world to see spiritual truths.  The light of our example will expose lies and darkness and show people what they need to change."  Well said.

Jesus is the light.  We can share in that or we can walk in darkness.  Not much of a choice really. 

Tom