Jesus - The Light of the World

Jesus – The Light of the World John 7:37-39; 8:12

7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.
39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

The setting is the last days of the Jewish Festival of Booths (Leviticus 23:42-43) 42 Ye shall dwell in booths seven days; all that are Israelites born shall dwell in booths:
43 That your generations may know that I made the children of Israel to dwell in booths, when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.

which looked back to the wilderness wanderings of the nation of Israel. God sovereignly (apart from their merit) and providentially (according to His power and His plan) cared for His chosen people for nearly forty years as they dwelt between Egypt and the Promised Land. The feast portrayed their temporary homes and reminded them of God’s provision of water from the rock which followed them (1Corinthians 10:4) 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.

and direction and identity by the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night (Psalm 78:14-16). 14 In the daytime also he led them with a cloud, and all the night with a light of fire.
15 He clave the rocks in the wilderness, and gave them drink as out of the great depths.
16 He brought streams also out of the rock, and caused waters to run down like rivers.

JESUS IS THE CURE FOR SPIRITUAL THIRST. v.7:37,ff The priests poured water out of golden vessels to remind people of God’s provision. Jesus makes the point that God has always had an answer to a need more profound than the physical. The answer is and always has been… the Promise – Jesus. Matthew 5:6

Ø You can drink and not be cured. 1Corinthians 10

o In the midst of miracles

o Delivered to be saved

o Participant in the symbols

o Desire for self-will rather than God’s glory

Ø Believer will have his need met and become a channel.

v.5:38 Water is for:

o Drinking to sustain and refresh (Acts 3:19) 19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

o Washing (Ephesians 5:26, John 15:3) 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, John 15: 3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you.

o Watering to grow (Isaiah 55:10-11) 10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

JESUS IS THE REMEDY FOR SPIRITUAL DARKNESS

v.8;12

Ø What is spiritual darkness?

o Imitating someone other than God: Ephesians 5:1-8

1 Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;
2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.
6 Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience.
7 Be not ye therefore partakers with them.
8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:

o Living without purpose/direction John 12:35

35 Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth.

o Believer who hates fellow believers and thereby serves as a booby trap 1John 2:9-11

9 He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now.
10 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.
11 But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.

o Playing games with Jesus rather than trusting Him John 8:3-9, 13, 19

3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,…

Ø How do you get out of spiritual darkness?

o Trust the Light to reveal 1John 1:7-9 Dust on a dark surface does not show up in the shade.

7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.

8 If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.
9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

o Let the Light in. Follow Jesus v.8:12b

…he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

o Let the Light lead. Psalm 119:105-106 Let it mark your path and show you what needs doing.

105 Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.

106 I have sworn, and I will perform it, that I will keep thy righteous judgments.

o Let the Light mark your home and identify you. Numbers 14:14

14 And they will tell it to the inhabitants of this land: for they have heard that thou LORD art among this people, that thou LORD art seen face to face, and that thy cloud standeth over them, and that thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pillar of fire by night.

o Let the Light shine. Matthew 5:14-16 Don’t be ashamed. You mark the path for others. Light can be seen a long way off, especially in a dark environment.

14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

o Enjoy the freedom of the Light John 8:31-32

31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Many of the people who heard Jesus speak, inviting them to walk in the light, had participated in the feast which was to show that only God could meet their needs. But they came to festival after festival, heard sermon after sermon, recited scripture, … and never saw the Light.

They enjoyed some benefits of the light but never let the light change them.