Audio Sermon File: John 8:12-30
Going Deeper: Study Guide
The Power of Living in the Light
A number of years ago in one of the editions of the National Geographic, there was an article titled the Power of Light. This is what the introduction stated:
Light reveals the world to us. Body and soul crave it. Light sets our biological clocks. It triggers in our brains the sensations of color. Light feeds us, supplying the energy of plants to grow. It inspires us with special effects like rainbows and sunsets. Light gives us life changing tools - from incandescent light bulbs, to lasers, and fiber optics. Scientists don’t fully understand what light is or what it can do. They just know that it will illuminate our future
. Light has a tremendous impact on our life.
Light has a tremendous impact on our life. Today we are going to look at the topic of light. Not light as what was described in the National Geographic, but something which is more profound - the cause of light that being Jesus Christ the light of the world. We will consider THE POWER OF LIVING IN THE LIGHT through our continued study of the Gospel of John, chapter 8:12-30. As we look at this section we perhaps could divide this passage into three applications to consider this week:
1. Make sure you know who the Light is v.12-20
2. Make sure you understand what the consequences are v.21-27
3. Be Transformed by the Light v.28-30
Since the beginning of chapter 7 and now into chapter 8 we discovered that a direct and open hostility to Jesus and His ministry was growing. Jesus’ opponents hated Him and because of this Jesus could not move around as freely and openly as before, but despite this opposition - Jesus according to the Father’s will goes to Jerusalem. So in chapter 7, it was half way through the Feast of Tabernacles, that Jesus begins to teach in the temple. As a result there was a lot of grumbling about Jesus by the people different groups of people each had a distinct assessment of who Jesus was.
Some thought Jesus was the long awaited Prophet that Moses had written about, others thought that Jesus was the coming Christ. Alongside all this confusion was also the attempt by the chief priests and Pharisees to seize Jesus, as they dispatched the temple police, yet this proved unsuccessful since it was outside the will of God’s perfect timing.
Allow me to read to you today’s passage: 12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, "I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life." 13 So the Pharisees said to Him, "You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true." 14 Jesus answered and said to them, "Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. 15 "You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. 16 "But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone [in it], but I and the Father who sent Me. 17 "Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. 18 "I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me." 19 So they were saying to Him, "Where is Your Father?" Jesus answered, "You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also." 20 These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come. 21 Then He said again to them, "I go away, and you will seek Me, and will die in your sin; where I am going, you cannot come." 22 So the Jews were saying, "Surely He will not kill Himself, will He, since He says, `Where I am going, you cannot come'?" 23 And He was saying to them, "You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. 24 `Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am [He], you will die in your sins." 25 So they were saying to Him, "Who are You?" Jesus said to them, "What have I been saying to you [from] the beginning? 26 "I have many things to speak and to judge concerning you, but He who sent Me is true; and the things which I heard from Him, these I speak to the world." 27 They did not realize that He had been speaking to them about the Father. 28 So Jesus said, "When you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am [He], and I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me. 29 "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him." 30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him.
Today in chapter 8:12, the setting is the same as in chapter 7, but the Feast of Tabernacles was now over. Jesus continues to teach to those who stayed in the city. To set the stage for what Jesus states in our passage we need to understand the historical context of an event that takes place during the Feast of Tabernacles.
During the Feast of Tabernacles there were rites involving water drawing and lamp lighting, which the people observed. As I had explained before in chapter 7:37-38, the water rite symbolized the blessing of having water to satisfy the Israelites thirst in the wilderness. In this context Jesus therefore said - "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38 Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." Jesus was saying that He is the only source that satisfies spiritual thirst for all people and therefore fulfilled the symbolism of the water rite.
As Jesus makes His opening statement of our passage today, we are confronted with this application:
1. Make sure you know who the Light is v.12-20
v.12 - As Jesus again spoke to the people - He makes this statement - I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life. The impact of the statement would immediately draw the people’s minds to the lamp lighting rite they had experienced. On each evening of the Feast, there were four large golden candelabra which were lit in the court of the women. These were large candlesticks which were approximately 75 feet high, so the brilliant light they produced could be seen throughout the city.
During this time the Levites would play music and the people would dance and sing songs, and cry out praises. These four candelabra reminded the people of God’s Shekinah glory that had once graced the Temple (1 Kings 8:10-11). The priests would declare on behalf of the people their allegiance to God as their source of light, the One who would also send forth the Messiah to save His people. As Jesus stood teaching in the temple near the treasury, these now darkened candlesticks would have been clearly visible. Their lights were out, but Jesus offered them a light which would never be extinguished - Himself. Jesus declared that He is the Light of the world. When we examine what light does we all know that light dissipates darkness. Many of us have at one time or another been caught in a blackout. At that time it was likely that we lit a match to see, or even turned on a flashlight. When we did that the result was that everything around us in the room was illuminated.
Spiritually speaking, Jesus is the only light that enlightens us so that we can see Him for who He is. Jesus is the Light of the world and if we do not have a personal relationship with Him then we will walk in the darkness - and we have no means of salvation from the toll of sin that is ever present in us. Jesus is the Light of life. Jesus calls all of us to accept Him as the true light by following Him. There is a commitment that we are to make to Christ if we are to be His true disciples.
By nature and definition, light is invisible yet it has the ability to illuminate all things. To follow Jesus is to possess THE POWER OF LIVING IN THE LIGHT. It is a hard call that Christ calls us to….to make a radical shift in every aspect of our life - Jesus calls each of us to turn away from sin and to turn to Him in denial of our self, and to be in full submission to Him - it is also a call to live a life of obedience to Jesus as revealed in the Bible. Hard stuff isn’t it? Yet Jesus is sufficient for empowering us to live a life of godliness.
When this takes place THE POWER OF LIVING IN THE LIGHT will dispel the deeds of darkness - we will have entered into the process of sanctification, being set apart each day more for Christ. Each day the sins that have characterized us will be put away, as in Christ we are new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). Each day we will be shaped to be more like Christ in the beauty of His holiness. That is why if we are sure who the Light is and repsond to Christ, then we will have all that we need to bring glory to Him.
It is important to note that Jesus begins speaking by using the words I am. This is significant because it is a strong and clear allusion to His nature - that Jesus just as God had declared to Moses in the Old Testament that He was the great I AM - Jesus gives an answer to the Jewish authorities and the people’s questions of who Jesus is - back in chapter 7 - that Jesus is deity. The ‘I AM’ statements by Jesus will become absolutely and unmistakably clear, by the end of chapter 8. The words I am - confront us and say to us today that Jesus is no mere man, but that He is in very nature God (cf. Phil. 2:6)….therefore make sure you know who the Light is.
THE POWER OF LIVING IN THE LIGHT necessitates that we believe that Jesus is God, otherwise we have a false religion, no salvation from our sins, and no hope of eternal life with Christ.
v.13 - The Pharisees challenged Jesus on His statement. In a cloaked and slick way - they try to make Jesus out to be a liar. They come at Jesus from a technical aspect - that anyone who is to be a witness was to have supporting witnesses. What they are saying to Jesus is this - If you claim to be the light of the world, then where are your witnesses? …if you don’t have any one to back you up on this then your testimony is not true …. we are not going to accept what you say - it is not pertinent, it is unconvincing, groundless, - it is null and void - it is not true…but was it? Was what Jesus claimed really unfounded and therefore not true - a lie?
v.14 - This is how Jesus responds and He gives the first of three reasons why His testimony is true.
1. a) The first reason is by virtue of His Divine origin
- Jesus asserts His authority to make such statements which are fully valid - since He is absolutely clear on where He came from - speaking to His divine origin, and also His sure destination - His heavenly home - where He will be going. The Pharisees, despite outward religious piety, were living in spiritual darkness and therefore had no clue about the truth - in this condition truth could not penetrate their blackened and spiritually dead hearts. Just because the Pharisees rejected Jesus’ statements…it will never nullify the truth.v.15 - Jesus continues and presses His point a little deeper. Jesus points out that the Pharisees judge according to the flesh - that is that they make their assumptions based on external perception - so they were not capable of bringing down a verdict because they used the wrong criteria. It was by the unregenerate mind that mislead them to their unfounded and erroneous conclusions. But Jesus doesn’t operate in this way - Jesus’ whole premise lay in what He said back in chapter 3 - 16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. 17 "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. 18 "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 "For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God."
Jesus didn’t come to judge like the Pharisees, but Jesus came to save us - to be the light that imparted eternal life. THE POWER OF LIVING IN THE LIGHT gives us real living and meaningful purpose.
v.16 - Yet when Jesus does judge us, there will be no decision that is unjust - everything Jesus does is right and true. In fact when this takes place, Jesus will not be acting alone, but He and the Father who sent Him will act. Therefore Jesus, God the Son, acts in full harmony with God the Father.
1. b) This is the second reason why Jesus’ testimony is true - it is by virtue of His unity with the Father. This oneness is the guarantee that whatever judgement that Jesus declares will be valid. This relationship gives us the security that Jesus justifiably has the right to make the jusdgement that He does.
1. c) The third reason why Jesus’ testimony is true - is by virtue of identical witness proclaimed by Jesus and God.
v.17 - In the law, in the book of Deuteronomy, there was a requirement that there be two or three witnesses to establish the truth (Deut. 17:6; 19:15). When this took place then whatever was agreed upon by the testimony of these witnesses - it would be valid in a courtroom to establish justice.
v.18 - If by the Law, it allowed for and relied upon mere men as witnesses….then isn’t it infinitely more valuable and sound, that what Jesus testifies to be true come from Himself…and the second witness is God the Father? Jesus had made the claim to be the light of the world - and now He backs it up with two witnesses. Now if Jesus was lying about being the light then the testimony would fall apart because God the Father’s testimony would contradict His. But God was the One who sent Jesus, so it goes to demonstrate that Jesus is indeed the light of the world. There was no higher authority than Jesus and the Father’s testimony.
v.19 - In response the Pharisees want Jesus to call forth the second witness, and they say to Jesus - Where is Your Father? They don’t ask who is your father…for Jesus made that clear three times is chapter 7 - but with sarcasm they mock Jesus by asking Him to bring forth the invisible God. Does Jesus answer their question? NO. Instead He goes and points out their ignorance, that they have no clue to who either Jesus or God is.
If they had knew anything about Jesus then it would go without saying that they would know the Father also. As in the past and now here, the Pharisees are shut up. It was a well established fact that the Pharisees proudly made themselves out to be tight - in close touch with God ….but they didn’t know Christ, which would conclude that they had no substance to their boasts. If we remember back to John 1:18 - it is only through Christ that we can know anything at all about God. If you know Christ then you know God - it doesn’t always work the other way around.
v.20 - This whole confrontation between the Jews and Jesus takes place in the treasury, as He taught in the temple in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put. This once again is in the court of the women, a very public place - where 13 boxes for collecting offering were located. Despite the fury of the Pharisees, Jesus was not seized and taken away - once again we see the sovereign hand of God effecting His will - because His hour had not yet come.We all are called by God today, to make sure we know who the Light is, and that is to believe that Jesus is God, Jesus is the sustainer and agent of life, and that His testimony is true - based upon His Divine origin, unity with the Father, and identical revelation with the Father. Next you are to…
2. Make sure you understand what the consequences are v.21-27v.21 - At verse 21 Jesus once more addresses the Pharisees and the people. This time Jesus lays out the consequences of not knowing who the Light is. Jesus unmasks 4 ways that these people reaped the consequences of spiritual death...4 marks of apostasy.
2. a) The first mark of spiritual apostasy is Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit. This is what Jesus says about unbelief about Himself - he tells everyone present that He is to go away. The words go away is the usual wording that the Gospel writer, John, expresses Jesus’ death. So when Jesus voluntarily dies on the cross, is resurrected from the dead, and ascends to heaven…when that takes place, the people will seek for Jesus but they are not going to be able to find Him. It will be too late because of the consequences of unbelief. When Jesus dies He is going back to the Father who sent Him and that place is in heaven. And because the Jews were so hardened to the truth, even though Jesus - God in human flesh appeared and spoke to them, they cannot come to the place that Jesus will be.
These so called religious leaders had committed the unpardonable sin - the fullest expression of depravity and ultimate hard heartedness - which is attributing the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan - sheer irrevocable blasphemy (Matt. 12:22-32). These Pharisees personally witnessed the miracles of Christ, they knew in their heart that Jesus claims were true, but instead of attributing these things to God - they deliberately gave the credit to Satan and out rightly reject Christ - therefore they sinned against the Holy Spirit….this why Jesus says so plainly - you will die in your sin. THE POWER OF LIVING IN THE LIGHT was suffocated, because they did not desire to know and love Jesus the light of the world.
v.22 - Of course the Jews once again misunderstand what Jesus is saying…they have consistently been doing that through out our Gospel. Yes, they reckoned that Jesus was speaking about His death - because they ask Surely He will not kill Himself, will He. But in the Jews minds they sincerely must have believed that they were heading for heaven - yet Jesus had already just told them that they were not going to heaven. The Jews didn’t want to hear that so they re-interpreted (cf. Rom. 1:25) what Jesus was saying, to mean that he was going to kill Himself - that is to commit suicide. Suicide was an abomination to the Jews - and they believed that those who killed themselves would be transported to hell…. so hesitantly they surmised that Jesus was going to commit suicide.
They in their unbelief were trying hard to give another meaning to what Jesus clearly stated - they wanted to rationalize the truth - and that is why these Rabbis wanted to think that could not go down that path - there was no way that they would end up in hell. In their blind pride, and self righteousness they mistakenly thought they were headed for heaven…but they were wrong about what Jesus was clearly saying.
v.23 - So Jesus continues to establish the truth and sets out a contrast.
2. b) The second mark of spiritual apostasy is the love for earthly darkness.
Jesus says in verse 23 - You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world. Let’s look at this verse together for a moment - Jesus says that You are from below - meaning that they are earthly; I am from above - that is Jesus has a heavenly origin . You are of this world - once again earthly; I am not of this world - once again heavenly. Because these religious Jews were so caught up in themselves and reject Christ, they belonged to the world. The consequence of having a hardened heart towards Jesus, the light of the world - bound them to live in, and submit to the dominion of Satan…they were living in earthly darkness.v.24 - It is apparent that after all that Jesus said up to this point, the truth still did not get into the thick skulls of the Jews - so Jesus continues and makes a strong and emphatic statement and therefore unmasks 2. c) The third mark of spiritual apostasy which is unbelief in the true identity of Jesus. Jesus says in verse 24 - Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am [He], you will die in your sins.". Once again Jesus uses those two words - I am - which once again are a clear allusion to His nature. What Jesus is declaring again is that if you do not come to believe in the Person of Christ - that He is God the Son - absolute Deity - God veiled in human flesh appearing to men - all that He is and has done to save us from our sins - then you have no hope - you are dead in your trespasses and sins (cf. Eph. 2:1).
The consequence of not believing in the true identity of Jesus Christ is that when you die all your sins will not be forgiven and you will be judged - and the greater implication of this verse is that one who is in this condition will be condemned to eternal darkness in hell. Hard to swallow isn’t it - the Jews certainly thought so, as they were burning inside as their hatred towards Christ intensified. But this is what Jesus wants us to clearly know.
Doesn’t this discourse sound perhaps like some of the conversations that you may have had with unbelievers? You speak the truth but the truth doesn’t seem to take hold of their heart. In the mean time other issues will arise out of the conversation - questions and statements which dance around the main issue - the saving message of Jesus Christ. Unbelievers would rather ponder upon the existence of angels, miracles, suffering, purpose, dinosaurs, the way that the earth was created, and more….and there is a place for these topics…but instead the person who is in love with earthly darkness - lives in unbelief, fails to seek the One who said - I am the light of the world. Like the unbelieving Jews, they do not want to hear the reality that their sin will condemn them to hell…and that they will not be able to enter into heaven where Jesus is.
v.25 - Jesus is clear in the truth that He speaks, yet the more He explains and restates things…the Jews became more exasperated…and after all that they had seen in the ministry and words of Jesus they ask Jesus a question. This question by the Jews reveals 2. d) The final mark of spiritual apostasy which is willful ignorance. They ask - Who are you? The bottom line is that at this point - Jesus does not give them the answer they wished to hear - which was a direct statement that He is God - which would launch the Jews in a charge of blasphemy. Yet Jesus allows His mission, works, and character to speak for themselves.
v.26 - There was a lot to speak and to judge of those who stood in unbelief before Jesus that day. There was no way, no matter what the people thought - that they would be able to evade the truth - to shrink back from the responsibility of applying what Jesus had said - judgement would await them in the future, because they rejected His claims and His person. But for now, Jesus didn’t get side tracked by the central issue at hand - the truth that God who is fully true, had given Jesus to proclaim to the world. The central issue at hand was what are they going to do with this Jesus guy, who dispensed hard truth….hard truths which had consequences related to one’s response to Him.
v.27 - John gives us an insight into the heart of these people, that they are in a sense brain dead. They do not understand - they were fixed upon earthly thoughts - a Messiah made in their own minds , though it was made so clear that Jesus was speaking to them about the Father .
The Power of Living In the Light as Christians calls us to do the same as Jesus did - that is not to be get side tracked by all the peripheral issues, but instead to proclaim the truth of the Gospel.
Jesus Christ is the sole object of true saving faith.
The consequence of not knowing Jesus is great. It is marked out by blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, a love for earthly darkness, unbelief in the true identity of Jesus, and willful ignorance. Not coming to Jesus with a repentant heart for the forgiveness of sins is eternally damning to your soul. Therefore you will never be able to experience THE POWER OF LIVING IN THE LIGHT in your life. So it is imperative that we make sure we know who the Light is, and that we also know what the consequences are of rejecting Jesus the light of the world…if we sincerely do that and confess our sin and need for Christ then we can….
3. Be Transformed by the Light v.28-30
v.28 - Jesus continues and now turns to something which will happen to Him as His ministry comes to a close. Jesus speaks of His death. It will take place that in Jesus’ last moments on earth that the sinful desires of the religious authorities will be played out - that is that they will carry out the murder which was welling up in their hearts. Jesus will die by crucifixion - that is what is meant in verse 28, where Jesus uses the phrase - lift up the Son of Man (cf. 3:14; 12:32). At this time and beyond, many will know that Jesus is God - incarnate - the One who came down into darkness in the person of the Son - the great I am - and that everything that He has stated is true because it was what the Father has taught. Jesus will be glorified in His death and therefore draw sinners to Himself as their Savior.v.29 - Jesus is God sent, yet being sent Jesus is not alone but God is with Him. Jesus makes a point that whatever He does - it is always that which are pleasing the Father. Jesus found great joy in fulfilling the Father’s will as He actively worked in perfect sinless obedience to the Father, it would go against His essential character to be and to do otherwise. Jesus was devoted to do the Father’s will, which produced a life that was marked out by holiness.
v.30 - We end our passage by witnessing the transforming power of God’s Word - that as Jesus spoke the truth, many came to believe in Him. Some of those in the crowd were saved from their sin. It becomes apparent in the following verses that these people who believed in Jesus only possessed a shallow commitment of faith, which would be tested.THE POWER OF LIVING IN THE LIGHT calls all who have no faith to respond to the loving command of God to repent of sin and to turn to Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. To respond in belief that the only way that we can be cleansed from our sin is that we believe in the death, resurrection, and ascension of our Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus’ death is the only means that satisfies the wrath of a Holy God - at the beginning of 1 Jn. 2:1-6, God tells us this…
My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; 2 and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for [those of] the whole world. 3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, "I have come to know Him," and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him; 5 but whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been perfected. By this we know that we are in Him: 6 the one who says he abides in Him ought himself to walk in the same manner as He walked.
If the Lord draws you to profess Christ and to believe in what was spoken today, then you will Be Transformed By The Light. For us Christians whether young or mature in the faith - THE POWER OF LIVING IN THE LIGHT is a wake up call to us. Jesus said this - " "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; 15 "nor does [anyone] light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 16 "Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matt. 5:14-16).
We are to live our lives in the power of the light so that all men will know that we are saved by His grace. God has given us the Gospel of Christ… not for us to keep, but it is to be given away - offered to all. It is God’s gospel, not ours - so we must fulfill our identity as light , and share the Gospel.
There are some people who live their whole life rejecting God and they make it very plain and evident for all to see. Then there are some people who live their life well, but you would be hard pressed without asking - if all that they do and are as a person, whether it is powered by the light of Christ’s saving grace - with these kind of people - you could say that it is a 50/50 probability that they are Christians. For these kind of people, when they die, they leave the Christians who are still living with a burden upon their minds - asking…was he/she really a Christian?
It is an awful thing to go through life living in such a lukewarm way. Yet we really should take stock of our own lives and if we have really been transformed by the light - I encourage you to live your life in such an unmistakable way, that those around you do not have to guess or question your salvation….this is the kind of Christian Jesus wants you to be. Jesus wants all of us to live in the power of His light…Jesus is the Light of the world. Let us all unmistakably shine for Him.
