SCRIPTURE BY Raufu Spagnoletta
Scripture Lesson Text: John 8:12-20; 12:44-46
Related Scriptures: Isaiah 9:2-6; Matthew 5:14-16; John 1:1-10; 1 John 5:5-13
The Gospel of John includes seven significant “I AM” statements by Jesus. The second of the statements, “I AM the Light of the World,” is the focus of this week’s lesson. In the opening verse (8:12), Jesus proclaims Himself as the Light of the World and promises His followers: you shall not walk in darkness; but you shall have the light of life. In John 12:44-45, Jesus, as the Light, claims two things about Himself and His relationship with the Father. “He that believeth on me believeth not on me but on Him that sent me. And He that seeth me, seeth Him that sent me.”
We read in the related scriptures: Isaiah 9:2-6, “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.” This great light will cause joy, and rejoicing for the burden of oppression will be broken. Isaiah foretold of the coming of the Messiah, ” For unto us a child is born and unto us a Son is given.” Matthew 5:14-16, is a reminder that believers are the light of Christ in the world. When we reflect His goodness all men will see our good works and glorify our Father in heaven.
John 1:1-10, records great truths about our Lord Jesus Christ. He was and is the Eternal One who always existed, and is a Person distinct from God the Father. He was and is God and was coexistent with God the Father from the beginning. He was the Creator of the Universe and is the source of all life and light (both physical and spiritual). (John 1:1-4; Ref: Unger’s Bible Handbook). 1 John 5:5-13 gives the testimony, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.
SYNOPSIS BY Brittenne Boykin
In this week’s lesson we find Jesus teaching in the temple and get to listen in on a dialogue between Jesus and the religious leaders. These Pharisees sought every occasion to discredit Jesus as the Messiah. On this particular occasion Christ was proclaiming that He was the light. He declared that anyone who follows Him does not have to try to manage life in darkness, fumbling, stumbling and falling trying to see their way. He offers the listener the opportunity to live and dwell in the light through Him. (Vs.12).
The Pharisees rejected Christ authority saying that He vouched for himself and was not telling the truth!. (Vs.13) I love that Christ is so secure in who He is and who His Father Is, He simply responds that His word is enough! He is sure of where he came from, who sent Him and where He is going. He pointed out that the Pharisees had missed the whole point! (Vs.14) . “You judge after the flesh and I judge no man” (Vs. 15).He then makes clear that if He were to judge that His judgements would most certainly be true.
Over the course of this exchange with the Pharisees He continued to reiterate and firmly stand on the fact that He was sure that He was sent by His Father. He even pointed them back to their own law that the testimony of two men was true. The Pharisees as they had done time and time again were missing the main point, that Christ was the light sent into the world to dispel the darkness that enveloped sin sick people. John 12:44-46 offers a sobering thought in that when we doubt Christ we doubt the Father who sent Him .We are left with the blessed hope that whoever believes in Christ may forever walk in the light, no longer bound by the darkness but free to see life through the bountiful hope that Christ brings.
PRACTICAL APPLICATION BY Janice Hall
“For with thee is the fountain of life: In thy light shall we see light”(Psalm 36:9). To follow Jesus, is not just saying that we are followers of Jesus, and it ends there. Jesus does not say, that you will not walk in darkness, but you will walk in the light. In fact He says that you will have the light of hope, be in relationship with the One who is light, and will possess the light. Without the light of Jesus, we cannot see anything in life properly, but as we follow the light of Christ we are privileged to be brought on the journey in the safety of His companionship.
When Jesus identified Himself as the light of the world, He was identifying Himself with the Shekinah Glory of God. Jesus’ authority and teaching comes from the Father, and speaks of Himself as the truth and being confident that He embodies God’s presence. Jesus is light in the sense that He helps us to see the truth about ourselves, also to see and understand and appreciate God. Jesus helps us to understand the things of God and the way to eternal life.
No matter how dark things may seem, I remind myself that darkness can never overpower light. The light of God’s Spirit will be with us, no matter the circumstances of life. The light shows us how to die to ourselves, that we might live an abundant, true life in Him forever. The Light shines brightest in the darkest places, so will you embrace the Light and follow Him? “ The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear ?” (Psalm 27:1)
