John 8:12-20

Well it's fantastic, I've been really looking forward to getting back into the book of John.

It's going to be great, I hope we'll all benefit, I'm sure we will benefit from that.

Keep that passage open.

You know, just a few weeks ago some friends came back from a summer trip to the south of France.

And I've got to say that they went Euro camping and I've got to say that as they were describing this,

it sounded like paradise, I was green with envy.

Until the moment they mentioned that they'd taken a day trip to Euro Disney with the kids.

Now I don't know if you've been there, you may love the place, but I've got to confess I don't really understand the concept of it.

You know, you go to the most romantic city in the world and then you spend the afternoon with Goofy and Mary Poppins.

It's sort of beyond me really.

But I don't have kids so there you go.

Anyway, one evening apparently they'd stayed on into the night to see the elaborate firework display that they show there at the end of each evening in the summer.

It was a huge affair, a spectacle, and probably thousands of Euros worth of fireworks were lit in one evening.

Truly magical and thousands of people were there on holiday to have a bit of a good time, to enjoy themselves.

They'd gathered for some good times, for a bit of fun, to light up their lives with the novelty of it all.

But after the show, and I don't know if you've ever had that feeling of dissatisfaction really, with even the best things in life.

When it was over they said they had a distinct feeling of an anti-climax as they headed back to the car park.

It's banal really, isn't it?

Because tomorrow the fireworks at Euro Disney would be lit up again.

And the night after that, and the night after that, it would be one trip back on the Eurostar to Waterloo.

Then back to Ealing.

And back to reality with a bump.

And you know, it's that kind of post-holiday blues, if you want to call it, that post-holiday scenario,

that the holiday makers in John's Gospel are about to experience for another year.

So it's a similar scene.

This section that Ian read out just a minute ago, it's a similar scene to what I've just described.

The section comes here in the public holidays of the Jewish people.

So if you flip back a page to chapter 7 and verse 2, you'll see there John tells us,

Now the Feast of Booths was at hand.

Or the Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.

So it's a Jewish public holiday.

It's a feast.

It's one of the most popular festivals of the year.

Thousands of people get a few days off work.

They and their families have poured into the streets of Jerusalem.

So it's a bit like the craze that's at Euro Disney.

It's the craze that we get at Christmas time.

It's what they've been looking forward to for a whole month.

Or if you shop at Harrods for eight months.

It would be a week of parties.

And then the grand finale, they'd have a lamp lighting ceremony.

In the court of the temple.

So there would have been torches.

There would have been lights illuminating the streets.

From the city.

From the temple mount.

So it's the annual family firework display, isn't it?

And these people are on a public holiday.

They are looking for something to light up their lives.

But as Jesus speaks in this passage, the post-holiday blues are setting in.

There is dissatisfaction in the air.

It's near the end of the festival.

John tells us in verse 37 of chapter 7.

We're going to land in our passage in a moment.

But he tells us there that it was the last day of the festival.

The celebration was coming to an end.

It was reaching its climax.

It was just about to end.

The torches were going to go out for another year.

The lamps were going to be extinguished.

And darkness was going to return to the streets of Jerusalem.

And to their lives for another year.

But Jesus stands up, doesn't he?

In chapter 8, verse 12.

They're looking for some light and hope in their lives on this holiday.

But they know that the lights of the festival are short-lived.

Those lights will be going out tonight.

But Jesus says, I am the light of the world.

And what he says here at this moment, it gets a reaction from the religious leaders.

It's well-timed.

It's well-targeted, this statement he's making here.

He makes it at this festival.

So, in the next few moments, I just want us to see two things about this passage.

Two C's.

Firstly, the claim.

The claim that Jesus makes.

And, you know, a couple of years after this event, they would look back.

It was the kind of thing that would make this Feast of Booths different from all the others.

Just let me give you a bit of background on this.

You know, here they are at the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Tabernacles.

And it was given, this feast, to the people of God in the Old Testament.

So, you can read about it in Leviticus chapter 23.

Leviticus 23 · chapter mention

It was given to them just after God had rescued them from Egypt.

And so, it was to remind them of how God had saved them from the darkness of slavery in Egypt.

It was to remind them of their journey in the wilderness when they'd lived in tents or booths or tabernacles.

And this lamp-lighting ceremony on the last day was to remind them of how God had led them out of the darkness of Egypt,

through the darkness of the wilderness, to the unknown land that he promised them.

But he'd led them in a pillar of light, in a pillar of fire, through the darkness of the night, out of Egypt.

And throughout the people's history, that that darkness of Egypt has become shorthand for the darkness of sin in their lives.

Egypt has become a kind of euphemism for the oppression that sin brings to life.

So, the addictions that the misery, that sin, that rebellion against God brings to life, that is the darkness,

let alone the offence that it causes at God.

You know, one man said, you don't break God's laws, they break you.

That is the darkness that we feel when we go against God's laws.

We don't break them, they break us.

It is a dark thing to sin against God.

Going against God is a dark thing.

You know, another writer said it's like a banquet in the grave.

That is what sin is.

A banquet in the grave.

And there, that evening, at that moment, when the torches are burning,

and the fire from the four huge lamps in the temple court

is licking up into the cold night air.

The average Jew, with any sense of occasion, well, he'd be welling up at this point, wouldn't he?

So, it's the last night of the proms, isn't it?

The land of hope and glory.

They're thinking about the good old days.

The days of Moses.

The days of Moses.

And being led, rescued out of the darkness of Egypt.

The days of being rescued from the oppression of sin.

And the images of light in the Bible are going through their minds as well, aren't they?

Psalm 27.

The Lord is my light and my salvation.

Proverbs 6.

The word of God is a light to my path.

And the promise of Isaiah for the future,

the Lord himself would be a light for his people,

dealing with sin, finally leading them out of the darkness.

So, think of it, the average Jew at this feast, this festival,

he is thinking about being led through the darkness,

out of slavery, led by the light of God,

led to a land of life with God,

a promise of God himself coming,

and meeting and living with them,

being a light to them.

It's a wonderful image, isn't it?

And all of that is tied up with the image of light.

It's a loaded issue for them at this festival.

But it's a bittersweet moment, isn't it?

As they look at the lights of the festival,

because they're in Jerusalem,

and it isn't the land of hope and glory, is it?

The Roman occupation is in full swing,

all they've got are the lights of this festival.

What they need is the light of God.

And the promises of God seem like a myth.

And so what Jesus claims,

I am the light of the world,

he claims at a very specific moment,

so that the people will put two and two together.

They see the festival lights,

and all that they represent to them.

They hear his claim,

and they know he is claiming.

He is claiming to be the universal,

personal, and exclusive fulfillment

of all of that Old Testament prophecy.

He is the one to lead them out of slavery,

to be God's light to them,

to light up their lives, truly.

So everything that they're celebrating

is met in the person of Jesus.

Everything that they are remembering about God,

what he did for them in Egypt,

is met in Jesus,

and not only for them,

but for the whole world.

I am the light of the world.

I will lead the entire world,

if they will follow me,

out of the darkness of sin.

I will lead China.

I will lead India.

I will lead Libya.

And London.

Out of sin.

I am the light of the world,

Jesus says.

That is the great claim that he makes.

And it has a wonderful consequence,

doesn't it?

Did you see there,

verse 12 again,

the second part of his claim,

and whoever follows me,

will not walk in darkness,

but will have the light of life.

You will be free from sin.

Whoever follows me.

That is the claim.

But secondly,

and this is the flip side of it,

flip side of it,

there is corruption

at this festival.

There is corruption here.

And this is really where we get into the meat of the passage,

because it's this claim of Jesus

to be the light of God

to the whole world

that causes a kind of chain reaction,

doesn't it?

Ian read it really well, actually.

You'll see he makes, doesn't he,

this claim.

And what we hear next

is this reaction.

So if you look at verse 13,

the beginning of verse 13,

he makes the claim,

and then it says,

so the Pharisees said to him.

So the religious leaders

are reacting to this claim,

aren't they?

But they are corrupt.

They are the ultimate party poopers there,

aren't they?

The festival is drawing to a close.

Jesus is saying,

look, although the holiday is over,

the good news is

that actually everything that you need,

that this festival represents,

is in me.

Every day will be

the feast of booths with me.

Every day will be

a walking away from the darkness

with me.

But some people,

the religious leaders,

are corrupt

in their thinking.

They are corrupt

in what they love

in their lives.

They are corrupt

in what they,

what they want,

what they treasure

in their lives.

And they don't want,

want what is on offer.

The claim

shows

that they are corrupt.

They aren't having any of it,

are they?

So they start

interrogating

Jesus.

But they are corrupt.

Verse 15,

Jesus says,

look,

you judge according

to the flesh.

They are worldly men.

They like to,

they like the lights

of the festival,

don't they?

The lights of religion.

But they don't want

the true light.

They don't want Jesus,

do they?

They're not thinking

about God.

And this great claim

of,

and this offer of light

for them

in their lives.

Well,

they attack it.

They don't receive it.

They want to undermine

his claim.

So they want to discredit

what he says,

don't they,

about himself.

So they take pot shots

at him,

don't they?

So if you look at

verse 13,

there's the attack.

The attack they make.

You are bearing witness

about yourself,

Jesus.

Your testimony

is not true.

That's the attack.

Now what they're doing

here is actually

remembering

something that Jesus

has already said

that John has told

us about,

but they're taking it

totally out of context.

So if you turn back

to chapter 5

and verse 31,

chapter 5,

verse 31,

Jesus is having

a similar conversation

here with some people

and he says,

chapter 5,

31,

if I alone

bear witness

about myself,

my testimony

is not deemed true.

So he is saying,

isn't he,

yes,

that is true.

If I make these

outlandish claims

about myself

and if I'm the only

one who makes

those claims

about me,

well,

that's true.

I'm false,

aren't I?

I'm not making

a claim

that can be

validated.

But the next

verse after that,

he's pretty clear

as well,

isn't he?

He goes on to say

that there is

another who bears

witness about him

and he's talking

about John the

Baptist there

and he also goes

on to talk about

God himself.

So whenever he

is speaking,

those other witnesses

back him up

about whatever he's

saying about himself.

but the Pharisees

choose to forget

that.

So it's a cheap

shot really,

it's a bit of a

non-argument.

But Jesus

nevertheless

answers,

and I want us

to get this,

it's odd what he

says here,

turn back to

chapter 8,

it's odd what he

says,

verse 14,

Jesus answered,

even if I do

bear witness

about myself,

my testimony is

true,

and get this,

for I know

where I came

from,

and where I am

going,

but you do not

know where I

came from or

where I am going.

It's an odd

thing what he

says there,

isn't it?

But his argument

is to say there

that his testimony,

his claim of

being the light

of the world,

is validated

by his unique

origin,

and his unique

destiny.

Even if he

were to make

a solitary claim

about himself,

which he doesn't,

but even if he

was to do that,

his claim would

be valid,

he is saying,

because his

origin is unique,

and his destiny

is unique.

He knows where

he comes from,

and he knows

where he is going.

He has come

from heaven

itself,

and his destiny

is to return

there,

and the

knowledge of

that,

makes him

confident

in his own

claim.

Knowing where

he had come

from,

and where he

is returning

to,

makes him

sure that

what he is

saying about

himself is

true.

But they

don't know

that, do they,

about him,

so they don't

believe.

believe.

So, some

people's

problem, when

they hear the

claims of

Jesus, is

that they

refuse them,

they refuse

what's on

offer, because

they don't want

to recognise

where Jesus

has come

from, and

where he is

now.

He has come

from heaven,

heaven.

So, his

claim is

true.

And it's

ironic, isn't

it, you

know, that

the very

people who

are the

spiritual

leaders of

God's

people in

this passage,

don't know

the God

they claim

to worship.

What a

terrible

situation

they're in.

Jesus has

another

witness, God

the Father,

but when

they hear

the words

of Jesus,

they only

hear a

solitary

voice,

because they

don't know

God.

Where is

your Father,

they say,

verse 19,

you know

neither my

Father, if

you knew

me, you

would know

my Father

also.

Folks, we'll

continue to

look at this

passage, I've

given you a

bit of a

snack in that

this week,

we'll look at

this further,

but as we

close, now

we've got to

see the

claim that

Jesus makes.

He is

offering to

lead you

out of the

dark places

of your

life.

He is

offering to

lead you

out of the

darkness of

sin, to

give you the

light of

life.

But there

is a warning

here, isn't

there?

That by

judging by

the reaction

of these

other people,

Jesus'

claim will

either draw

you in,

or it will

expose your

corruption,

as you

hear his

claim.

You know,

it's worth

noticing,

isn't it,

that this

whole conversation,

I don't know

if you saw

that, look

at verse

20, where

are they?

This whole

conversation,

verse 20,

these words he

spoke in the

treasury, as

he taught in

the temple.

And you

wonder, don't

you, the

religious leaders,

they make the

choice, don't

they, between

accepting the

light of

Jesus, and

sticking with

the lights of

the festival,

the revenue

that that

brings in for

them, in

status, and

in repute, in

the temple.

But they

cannot accept

Jesus' unique

origin and his

destiny to

return to

heaven, so

they don't

realise that

his claim is

validated.

but as

they do

that, they

will settle

for the

lights of

this world,

but they

will go

out, they

will be

short-lived,

but Jesus

offers a

light that

will give

you life.

Following

him, the

light will

never go

out.

Well, let's

pray together.

Father, thank

you for this

fantastic

passage, and

we pray that

we would

understand that

the claim

Jesus makes

is right and

true, because

of his origin,

and where he

belongs in

heaven, that

you have

validated that.

Help us to

believe then

what he says,

that he is the

light of the

world, and

that those who

follow him will

not walk in

darkness.

Help us to

walk in the

light, following

Jesus this

week, we

pray in his

name.

Amen.