May 11 – Portraits of Jesus – The Light of the World

PORTRAITS OF JESUS – The Light of the World

We are continuing our devotional series on the 7 “I AM” sayings that Jesus uttered. We come to the next “I AM” saying in John 8:12:

“ When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.“

John 8:12

When Jesus said this, he was in the temple courts during the Jewish festival called: the Feast of Tabernacles. One of the rituals associated with this celebration was the lighting of four really tall stands that each held four golden bowls that were filled with oil and a wick. Each night a priest would climb a tall ladder to reach the top of these 4 stands. He would then light the 16 bowls of oil. The rabbis used to say that once these bowls were lit the whole of Jerusalem was illuminated!! In a world that did not have public lighting at night this light shining from the temple in Jerusalem must have been a wonder to behold!

Now imagine the scene! In this very temple court where the lighting ceremony was taking place each night, Jesus says that he is not only the true light of Jerusalem – he says: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Without Jesus in your life you are in spiritual darkness. Wandering without guidance, without hope, blind to the reality of who you are; blind to who Jesus is; blind to your hopeless condition!

Think of what light symbolises:

Light brings hope – when you’re lost in the darkness, seeing light in the distance brings hope. Isaiah said of Christ’s coming into the world: on the people living in darkness a light has dawned.

• Light brings comfort and warmth
• Light casts out fear – all the scary shadows disappear
• Light brings clarity – the Psalmist said that: in your light we see light! Light lets us see reality as it was meant to be seen
• Light exposes – it shows us that we are sinners in need of a Saviour – if Christ had not come to die on the cross, we would never have known we needed saving!Light brings guidance – think of lighthouses, the sun, the moon, the stars – Jesus brings purpose and meaning to life
• Light brings joy – in John chapter 9, the very next chapter, Jesus heals a blind man – the ability to see physically and the ability to see spiritually brings joy – when you come to see Jesus your entire life is changed – the lights go on and you are filled with a deep and inexpressible joy.

Do you know Christ or are you still in spiritual darkness? People who love darkness don’t want to come into the light for fear that their deeds will be exposed. But it is actually a liberating thing to step into the light and realise that Christ sees all of your sin and yet He willingly died on the cross. Repent of your sins and step into the light – pray & receive Christ and you will never walk in darkness again!

And if you do know Him, are you basking in the light of Christ? Or have your eyes so adjusted to His light that you take Him for granted? Are you enjoying the truth of God’s Word which is a lamp unto your feet and a light unto your path? Ask Jesus to shine His light into your life and you will experience hope, comfort, clarity, guidance, and joy.

Jesus is the Light of the World! There isn’t a dark place anywhere in your world that you can’t experience Jesus. What a wonder to behold Jesus – the Light of Life! The Light of the World!