John 8:12-30 “The Light of the World”

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

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We're going to talk about the light of the world this morning.

Before we do that, this is a special morning because you get a bonus sermon.

That's nervous laughter.

Before the actual sermon, you get an extra one.

We have come to a section in our study of John's gospel that almost certainly doesn't belong here.

So I'm not going to preach on it.

It's John 7, verse 53, through chapter 8, verse 11.

John 7:53

It's probably in brackets in your Bible if you're looking at it there.

And I want to address this situation briefly before we turn to our text for this morning.

Two things about this strange section that are really important to me.

The first is that this should strengthen, not weaken, your confidence in the Bible.

The primary reason that we know that this story does not belong here is that we have over 5,000 manuscripts and fragments of the New Testament.

Thousands more than any other historical document studied from this period in history.

And so we can now trace that the earliest of those handwritten copies of John's gospel, all the way back to around 200 A.D., do not contain this account.

They go from 752 to what is now labeled 812.

And we have tremendous records that show the reliability of the Scripture.

So in the small number of cases where it is hard to know what was original, there is no matter of history or doctrine that is at stake in any of those.

What a gift that is, that we can confidently study the Word of God.

The Word that He has given to His people that He's preserved for us by His Spirit.

And that is why I've chosen not to preach on this story of Jesus and the woman caught in adultery, even though I would really like to.

It's a great story.

If you can't say amen to anything to that, you should say amen to that.

Well, we need to hear from God, not from you.

That said, this story where religious leaders seek to trap Jesus by bringing a woman caught in the act of adultery to Him and asking if she should be stoned.

Where Jesus eventually responds, let him who is without sin cast the first stone.

Where they then one by one walk away.

And Jesus then tells the woman, neither do I condemn you.

Go and sin no more.

That story, which you may have heard, most likely really happened.

It sounds like Jesus, doesn't it?

It sounds like the religious leaders that we read about elsewhere.

And so this is the second important thing I want to tell you.

The beautiful truth of this story you don't have to throw away.

Because it illustrates powerfully truth that the Bible teaches elsewhere.

Many of us love this story.

I would love to preach it.

Because it's a beautiful picture of Jesus' forgiveness, isn't it?

It powerfully pictures the order of Christianity.

First grace, then godly living.

Go and sin no more.

This is so important.

Because this order is reversed from most other religions in the world and most of the instincts of our hearts.

They're backwards from this.

Christianity is not, we love God and neighbor well enough, then God loves us.

That's not what the Bible says.

It's not be godly and then God will accept you.

No, it is first grace.

Neither do I condemn you.

God loves and accepts you.

Then godly living.

Go and sin no more.

Because of the incredible heart transforming, life changing forgiveness you've received your whole life is different.

Friends, that's the good news of Jesus Christ and the whole Bible.

And this story illustrates that truth that we know already from the rest of Scripture.

So celebrate that relationship you have with God before you do anything for God.

End of bonus sermon.

Let's pray and then we'll move on to more really, really good news.

Pray with me.

Father, we thank you for your word.

We so need it.

We need to hear your voice.

And so we've opened it this morning.

Would you so work by your spirit that we would trust you, that we would find life in you, that we would place our hope in you.

We ask in Jesus' name.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

People around the world throughout the centuries have celebrated the power and the beauty of light.

Some have worshipped the sun.

Hindus in India celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights.

Imagine that you went every year with your kids to the July 4th fireworks and y'all just enjoyed them together and you wanted them to know what was really being celebrated when all these fireworks went off.

And it was going to be the very last time that you were with your kids for this celebration.

You'd want to talk about sacrifice and freedom and such things as that that these celebrate.

The Jewish people gathered in Jerusalem gathered in Jerusalem each year to celebrate the feast of booths.

To remember God's provision bringing them out of Egypt and walking them toward the promised land.

They lived in these makeshift tents for a week as they did for 40 years when they wandered while God fed them with manna.

And now all of a sudden here is Jesus, the bread of life we read about in chapter 6.

There was the water celebration as part of this festival in the temple that Pastor Derek taught us about last week.

As Jesus came and promised living water to those who believed in him just like the water God gave from the rock back in the wilderness.

But God also led his people when they had no idea where to go in that desert wilderness.

His glorious presence in the fiery pillar every dark night.

It gave them light for this whole huge caravan of Israelites to follow.

And that was celebrated at this festival.

Every night what they would do there in the temple is that they would climb ladders to the top of four golden lampstands.

And they would fill four huge, these massive tall lampstands would have massive golden bowls that they would fill with oil.

And they would light them aflame at the end of the evening.

And it illumined the whole city of God.

Jewish records reveal this.

There was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that did not reflect the light of these lamps.

Could you imagine how far that's stretching?

Everywhere it's reflecting.

People cheered and they celebrated the promise of the prophet Isaiah.

That a great light would one day shine on the land of darkness.

That a Messiah was coming to be the light of the nations.

That's the setting for what Jesus says right here.

You've got to feel that excitement.

This annual celebration that they've all gathered for.

And then remember, this is the last feast of booths that Jesus will have here.

He wants to tell them what they're really celebrating that they may not realize.

John 8 and verse 12.

God's holy, inerrant, infallible word.

Again, Jesus spoke to them saying,

I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,

but will have the light of life.

So the Pharisees said to him,

You're bearing witness about yourself.

Your testimony is not true.

Jesus answered,

Even if I do bear witness 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.

You judge according to the flesh.

I judge no one.

Yet even if I do judge,

my judgment is true,

for it is not I alone who judge,

but I am the Father who sent me.

In your law,

it is written that the testimony of two men is true.

I am the one who bears witness about myself,

and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.

They said to him,

Therefore,

Where is your Father?

Jesus answered,

You know neither me nor my Father.

If you knew me,

you would know my Father also.

These words he spoke in the treasury

as he taught in the temple.

But no one arrested him

because his hour had not yet come.

So he said to them again,

I am going away,

and you will seek me,

and you will die in your sin.

Where I am going,

you cannot come.

So the Jews said,

Will he kill himself

since he says where I am going,

you cannot come?

He said to them,

You are from below.

I am from above.

You are of this world.

I am not of this world.

I told you that you would die in your sins,

for unless you believe that I am he,

you will die in your sins.

So they said to him,

Who are you?

Jesus said to them,

Just what I have been telling you

from the beginning.

I have much to say about you

and much to judge,

but he who sent me is true,

and I declare to the world

what I have heard from him.

They did not understand

that he had been speaking to them

about the Father.

So Jesus said to them,

When you have lifted up the Son of Man,

then you will know

that I am he

and that I do nothing

on my own authority

but speak just

as the Father taught me.

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.

As he was saying these things,

many believed in him.

There is very little scarier to me

in a dark room at night

than Legos.

I have broken CDs.

I have bumped my knee on bed frames.

But nothing makes me more desperate

for a light to be turned on

than realizing that there are Legos

all over the floor,

and I don't know where they are,

and I'm stuck in the middle.

We all live in painful darkness like that,

just in different ways.

The darkness of this broken world

that Jesus acknowledges

that we face, all of us.

In this room, just individually,

we're facing the mental darkness

of depression,

of dementia,

struggling to help those

who are battling

those difficult situations.

The emotional darkness

of being left out

by friends,

of feeling overlooked

by everyone.

It's easy to feel alone

in a dark room

with no light,

and it hurts.

But then many of us

feel not so much

the alone dark room.

We feel like we live

in a crowded dark room

where we're just constantly

bumping into others.

We wake up uncertain,

anxious about life,

torn over schooling decisions

for our children,

facing conflict

with classmates

and coworkers,

and we're walking

into it again.

We end up in arguments

about elections,

not knowing how to handle money.

What will I do today

to eat?

How do I organize

my business

so I can provide

for my family tomorrow?

We're fearing

unknown threats

from Russia,

wondering if I really know

what I'm doing in life,

honestly feeling

less than,

probably,

I think to myself,

more confused

than everyone else is

about how to do life.

Then there's

the unconfessed sin.

Sin we're hiding,

probably unwilling to admit

even to ourselves.

The greed,

the addiction,

the pornography,

disobedience to parents,

the bitterness

and resentment

that we harbor,

the anger

we lose control of.

Need me to keep going?

But this aspect

of darkness,

Jesus is

specifically clear about

that this darkness

in us,

if we keep that sin

unconfessed,

if we don't believe

in Him

as the light

that exposes

and expels

our sin,

we will die

in our sins.

That is serious.

Friends,

we are a

desperate people,

yes?

As enlightened

as we like

to call ourselves

sometimes,

we are desperately

needing deliverance

from the darkness

within us,

the darkness

around us,

aren't we?

Isn't that true

of us?

Now,

some days

we prefer

to live in denial

about that.

Life is fine.

I mean,

I totally know

what to do

all the time

in every situation,

don't you?

With all our society's

technological advancements,

we have finally

now,

in our enlightened society,

figured it all out

and gotten life

under control.

Isn't that what

your phone has done

for you?

It's made everything

simpler for me.

Sure,

Pastor,

I can be

totally transparent,

totally comfortable

with every thought

and word

and deed

that I have,

every fear

and failure.

Expose any of them.

Tell my wife

all of them.

Scroll them

on the screen

for everybody

to see this morning.

No darkness here.

Nope.

Bring it on.

No way.

No.

No.

Like the Israelites

in the dark desert,

uncertain

where to go next.

in the temple courts,

at the feast,

uncertain really

how to follow God

or where they're

going to find freedom

from Rome.

We desperately,

like them,

need light

from outside

of ourselves.

I hope we can be honest

about that

in our hearts.

I hope we can be honest

about that

with one another

as well.

Share a struggle

of darkness

with someone today.

it will make the light

so much sweeter.

See,

that's the context

into which

Jesus announces

his second

great

I am

statement

in the Gospel

of John.

I am

the light

of the world.

What does he mean?

Let's connect

some dots

briefly.

I am

the very

presence

of Yahweh

himself

with you

to guide you

step by step

in this dark world

until you reach

the promised land.

In fact,

apart from me,

verse 12,

you will be

stuck in

darkness

with

no true

sense of direction

in this life.

and it's

not merely,

Jesus says,

that I show you

how to live

to get to God.

No,

no,

no.

I am God

come to you.

Verse 19,

if you know me,

Jesus says,

you know the Father.

I will lead you

out of your sin

if you will

but believe,

verse 24,

that I am

he,

that I am

the one

the Father

has sent

as the light

of the world,

the promised

light of the nations

that you've been

longing for,

the glory

of God

risen upon you

with his people

like the pillar

of fire,

the one

the lamp stands

remind you

to hope in

every year.

Here I am!

Are you beginning

to see

what a

grand

and glorious

statement

Jesus is making

here?

Can you imagine

being there

and hearing

him pronounce

who he is?

The light

of the world.

This is the light

that John told us

about in chapter 1.

In him was life

and that life

was the light

of men.

Light

that shines

in the darkness

and the darkness

has not overcome it.

Light

that powerful.

Remember the power

of light?

Have you been

in a dark cave

where you wave

your hand right here

in front of your nose

and you can't even

see it?

And then all of a sudden

somebody turns

on the light

and the power

of that light

drives out

the oppressive

overwhelming

darkness.

It's the light

of life

that Jesus

says he is

again

verse 12.

Light

is the

source

of all

life

and creation

isn't it?

Think

photosynthesis.

It produces

life.

It guides

life.

So instead

of death

and darkness

of sin

Jesus

is promising

to be the one

who brings life

in every way

physically

emotionally

spiritually.

Could it

really be true?

I need that.

light.

Many of us

are so deep

in our darkness

that we fear

there is no

true light.

Or if there is

or possibly could be

it can't be Jesus.

What he promises

is too fantastical

and there couldn't

be that great

of a light

that could actually

shine into my

darkness.

I just see no light

at the end of the tunnel

will.

The darkness

is too real.

Listen.

Jesus says

I know all too

well that the

darkness is

real.

Hang with me.

I'm not asking you

to deny that.

Hang with me

Jesus says

because I am going

to a cross

to lay down

my life.

Verse 28

when you have

lifted up

the son

of man

we know in

John's gospel

that's the cross

right?

then you will

know

that I am

he.

Then when

he dies

when darkness

comes in the

middle of the

day

we'll know

he's the source

of life

and light.

Yes.

That's why the

darkness goes

out then.

That's why

creation mourns.

We'll see he's

not in that

moment merely

blowing smoke

with all these

claims to

to gather

followers

and become

a celebrity.

No, no.

His life

is really

about

sacrificing

for others

so that

they get

life.

Now we

see it.

Doesn't it

resonate

with your

inner sense

of worth

and dignity

and value

that you were

created for

to be loved

like that?

Jesus is

saying that

he is the

voice

from the

outside

world.

He comes

from beyond

this world

verse 23

he's that

one that

can then

shine light

into all

of this

world's

confused

uncertain

darkness.

See Jesus

doesn't ask

you to deny

your deep

darkness.

No, no, no.

That's not how

he gets rid

of the darkness.

He enters

right into

the darkness

for us

when he dies

to give us

life

because he knows

that apart from

his intervention

that aspect

of our darkness

will be

permanently

hopeless

will be

left

stuck

in our

sins.

So he is

the light

that we

desperately

need.

Listen

the kind of

light we need

is light that

says you can

call darkness

darkness

and yet

have hope.

That you

can admit

your confusion

as a parent

and not

lose heart.

That you

can acknowledge

your repeated

struggle with

the same

sin

and not be

condemned.

That you

can look

death

itself

in the face

and cry

and yell

and grieve

and know

at the same

time that

it does

not get

the last

laugh

and you

can have

hope.

That's

the kind

of light

that we

desperately

need in

our darkness.

Light

that will

shine

again.

Amen?

Glory

to the

light

of the

world.

That's

what Jesus

comes to

be

for us.

how can

this happen

for you

in your

darkness?

Listen to

this last

bit of good

news

in verse

12.

Jesus

is being

the light

of the

world

means those

who follow

him

who believe

who he is

who embrace

him as

their light

not only

will not

walk in

darkness

even when

life's hard

there's hope

and there's

purpose

but also

how does

it end?

We'll have

the light

of life.

Catch this

don't miss

this.

What is

the light

of life?

It's

Jesus

right?

He just

told us

that.

The light

himself

we will

have

within

us.

Do you

remember

just a few

verses ago

when Jesus

set the

living

waters

would flow

to us

and then

through us

his Holy

Spirit

his presence

in us

to give

life

just as the

water flowed

from the

temple at

the festival

now as

they finish

the celebrations

and the

lampstands

blaze

as they

start reflecting

off of every

courtyard in

Jerusalem

Jesus says

the same

thing about

light.

He comes

as the

light to

us

and then

he is

the light

shines

through us

all over

the place.

A couple

weeks ago

at Laura

Wolfson's

memorial service

I quoted

author

Edith

Wharton

who wrote

there are

two ways

of spreading

light

to be

the candle

or the

mirror that

reflects it.

see

Jesus

was

Laura's

light

so she

loved to

sing a

song some

of you will

be familiar

with

this little

light of

mine

I'm gonna

let it

shine

let it

shine

let it

shine

let it

shine

she got

to be

a mirror

to reflect

the true

source of

light

the light

of the

world

she had

him

the light

of life

so

she faced

desperate

poverty

with a

peace

that she

would have

whatever she

needed most

she brought

joy

and warmth

into the

dark

and difficult

places

in other

people's lives

including

many of you

because she

knew love

that entered

the darkness

to love

the hurting

she faced

aging

and health

concerns

and heart

surgery

with a

certainty

that home

was not a

place here

on this

earth

but a

place

Jesus

was taking

her one

day

with him

see she

had the

light

of life

and as a

result she

does

she still

does

because

Jesus

came

to her

he lived

in her

and shined

through her

to many

many

others

that is

your joy

too

as Jesus

lives in

you now

by faith

as you

trust him

as you

embrace him

for that

light to

shine

through you

to this

dark world

to hurting

neighbors

to hopeless

friends

maybe

maybe having

the light

of the

world

living

in you

the

light

of life

will shine

through your

honesty

about your

mental health

struggles

because you

know

that no matter

how long

it takes

and how long

the struggle

goes on

here

he is

making

you whole

maybe he

will shine

through your

sincere words

of sympathy

and hope

offered to a

friend who

has just

had a

spouse

or a

child

run off

on them

maybe he

will shine

through your

intentionality

with the

friend

and your

grace group

you can

tell just

is not

buying this

Jesus

stuff

right now

but you

ask them

to coffee

and you

listen to

them

and you

share your

story

your journey

with Jesus

whoever

follows Jesus

will not

walk in

darkness

but have

the light

of life

isn't it

glorious

that though

Jesus came

from another

world

by his

spirit

he makes

his home

in you

and in me

so we can

know light

and life

to shine

in whatever

darkness

we face

he's come

to be with

you for

that

pastor

Tim Keller

recounted

an old

fairy tale

about a

man

who was

born

and grew

up in

a prison

dungeon

he and

everyone else

in that

dark dungeon

had only

ever seen

the prison

and they

often debated

whether or

not anything

existed outside

the prison

wall

the wicked

warden told

them repeatedly

this is all

there is

but the man

wondered

one day a

new man

came to

the dungeon

the guard

said from

another part

of the

prison

but the

new man

said he

came from

outside the

prison

from the

outside world

and he

began to

scribble

pictures on

the wall

to show

them what

life was

like beyond

the prison

walls

a tree

he scribbled

on the

dark walls

the sun

as best he

could represent

it

he told

him about

colors

not just

black and

gray

gray but

red and

yellow and

white

could this

other world

be real

one last

thing the

man said

there's a

prince in

the outside

world whose

commitment it

is to break

into this

prison and

to set you

all free to

the outside

world

the new man

eventually left

the dungeon

but soon

thereafter the

man who had

only ever seen

the dungeon

heard scratching

on the wall

of the dungeon

and a hole

suddenly broke

through the

size of a

man's hand

and light

beamed through

the hole

he looked out

through the

hole and he

saw what

oh it must be

a tree

he saw what

oh that must

be that must

be the sun

they weren't

exactly like

what he had

pictured in his

mind but

but sure enough

they had to

be

and then he

heard the

voice of the

prince say

now you know

that I'm real

and this world

is real

I'm preparing

to break

through and

bring you out

here

in the meantime

live in hope

of what you see

through the hole

in the wall

almost instantly

a hope that he'd

never felt before

transformed the

man in the

dungeon

every day he

went and looked

out the hole

longingly and

as light poured

in he turned

around and with

a new sense of

his own value

everything around

him changed in

that dungeon

his seemingly

mundane tasks

there in the

now less dark

dungeon were part

of a bigger

world the other

inmates around him

in the dungeon

had a new worth

in his eyes

and they talked

together hopefully

about the outside

world and the

prince whose

voice they had

heard see the

light transformed

his view of

everything in him

and around him

he couldn't wait

to be with the

prince in the

other world

this is what

Jesus the light

of the world

offers to us

isn't it a

chance to live

every day now

in this dark

world with him

the prince in

reality is

actually with us

and in us

so as we look

to his light

every day as we

get to sit with

him and say

Jesus what does

it look like

today as we

look through the

hole that he has

made in this dark

world and hear his

voice we have the

privilege and the

responsibility to

shine the light of

the reality of

another world

a light that gives

us peace and even

courage in the face

of our fears

a light that gives

us love for

everyone around us

especially those who

are hurting and

hopeless because we

want them to know

about this light

a light that gives

hope no matter how

dark things get in

the dungeon that

there is another

world where we'll be

home and with Jesus

forever in a city

where he the light

of the world

eclipses the need

for a son and is

the lamp of the new

Jerusalem where we

live finally free

from the darkness

amen and forever

forever shining in

his light oh

Jesus let your light

so shine on us

today

that we would see

the very glory of

God in the face of

Jesus Christ

that we gazing on you

Jesus would be so

transformed into your

image

be so different so

renewed

we'd be transformed

into those who would

shine the light of the

light of the world you

are our hope you are

our king you are our

rescuer and we thank

you amen

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