Lessons from John 8: Jesus is the Source of Light and Life
Jesus is the Source of Light and Life~John 8:12-30
We are told in verse 12 that when Jesus spoke again to the people, He testified that He was the light of the world. He promised that whoever follows Him will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
Now this statement seems quite fitting after the previous scene. The more light or truth of Jesus was exposed, the darker the hearts and minds of the religious leaders became. Jesus was speaking in the part of the temple where the Jewish people had just celebrated the Feast of the Tabernacles. It was also the place where offerings were put. Candles burned, symbolizing the pillar of fire that led the people of Israel through the desert in Exodus 13:21. It reminded people of God’s presence, protection, and guidance at that time.
If we were to go back to Genesis 1 we would read these words, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.”
And the first thing God did was speak light into existence. And God said in Genesis 1:3-5,
“‘Let there be light,’ and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light ‘day,’ and the darkness he called ‘night.’ And there was evening, and there was morning–the first day.”
This reveals to us that God is the Creator of light, the source of light, and the sustainer of light. Yet when Adam and Eve sinned in the garden of Eden, they began to suffer the effects of their sin. The perfect world which God created also began to suffer the harsh and horrible effects of sin. And that which was created to be perfect became tainted and tarnished.
Yet, when Jesus came and lived among us, His perfect, holy, and sinless life shed true and pure light where sin had brought pollution, corruption, and contamination.
So here, Jesus revealed and offered Himself as the light of hope in the darkness of a sin-filled world. He followed up this statement by promising that anyone who follows Him will never walk in darkness. They will have the light of life.
So what does it mean to follow Jesus? It simply means to die to self and to live for Him. It means learning who He is through the study of His word and applying what you learn. Following Jesus means putting off the old way of life and putting on the new. It means loving Jesus more than you love yourself. And it means surrendering your will to His and not living for self but rather for Him and His purposes for you.
Some have said the real way to have “JOY” is to love and obey Jesus first, then love Others second and Yourself last.
How do you show JOY in your life?
Terri Hamman
Faith & Fitness Coach