JESUS: THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

JESUS: THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

John 1:1-18 (vv.3-9)

Dr. Wm. J. Maxwell

First Presbyterian Church, Newport, RI

December 4, 2005

October 30^th is the day it happened, but we’re still talking about it weeks later. It’s just so hard for many of us to adapt, in spite of years of following this procedure and practice. In fact, I understand that so many have complained over the years that Congress is considering taking action.

What I’m talking about here is the end of Daylight Savings Time. Most of us don’t mind getting “an extra hour” of sleep on that day, but then comes the darkness at way too early a time, or so it seems to us. Light is preferred to darkness, especially when it starts to get dark around 4:30 in the afternoon!

When John wrote his Gospel, he had no idea what Daylight Savings Time would mean. But he did understand the powerful difference between light and darkness. He was also quite aware of the biblical symbolism of light versus darkness. He was aware of light often standing for knowledge and truth, leading to good and commendable behavior. John was also aware of darkness standing for ignorance, misery, or sin and wrongful behavior. Apparently, John was also quite aware of several prophecies regarding the Messiah coming to bring His light into the world.

So it is that the powerful distinction between light and darkness, the biblical imagery, and the prophetic predictions of the Messiah, all combined in John’s mind to bring forth the following statements: “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. … The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.” [i]

To say that Jesus is the “Light of the world” is a statement full of meaning. But we can at least say this:

UNIQUELY, IT IS JESUS CHRIST

WHO CAN BRING THE LIGHT OF HIS TRUTH AND LOVE

INTO OUR LIVES,

In a physical sense, light enables us to see objects clearly. It is light that enables us to see

the form, distance, size, shape and relation of objects. Similarly, when we meet Jesus Christ, we find the light of His truth and knowledge revealing to us our true selves.

His searching eyes and total knowledge of us can strip away all disguises, facades and masks. While we may become an expert in concealing our true identity from others, we cannot do so with Him. An encounter with Christ will bring forth a full disclosure of who we truly and fully are in His sight, in terms of the depth … or superficiality … of our character.

We can see this so often in Jesus’ ministry. We can see it, for example, in His discussion with the Pharisees, who once complained that Jesus’ disciples had failed to follow their tradition of ceremonial washing. That’s when Jesus rebuked them for caring more about their own traditions than in following God’s Word. These Jewish leaders were simply adhering to a religion of mere appearance.

That’s also when Jesus took His disciples aside and explained to them the truth of the matter.

Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled? (Thus he declared all foods clean.)

And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” [ii]

The Light of the world was making it quite clear to them … and to us … that fallen human nature will always express itself in one or in many ways. Yes, I know, the subject of having a fallen human nature and of sin can make us uncomfortable. Many a pastor would rather talk about something else from the pulpit than this. But, here, I often think of the wise words of the Englishman John Stott in his classing book, Basic Christianity:

Sin is an unpopular subject, and Christians are often criticized for harping on it too much. But it is only because Christians are realists that they do so. Sin is not a convenient invention of parsons to keep them in their job; it is a fact of human experience. [iii]

Following upon Stott’s words, we need to be realists in looking at ourselves. The reality and seriousness of our sin will never go away by seeking to avoid the issue altogether or by only thinking “positive thoughts” about ourselves or others. Sin in all of its reality and in all of its power will not go away, and that is precisely why we need Jesus Christ.

As I read the Gospel accounts and as I look at my own life with Jesus Christ, there is absolutely no one who takes us so seriously as the Lord Jesus Christ. He knows the darkness of this world, and He knows the darkness in our lives. As He sheds His light upon the darkness of our lives, He calls us to recognize and acknowledge our sin and guilt, to see ourselves as we truly are.

At the same time, it must be said that He also is uniquely capable of bringing us the light of His love and mercy. In other words, Jesus Christ is not only the Revealer [iv], He is also the Redeemer[v]. He is the Holy One,[vi] but He is also the Healing One, as the apostle Peter declared: “He Himself bore our sins in His body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By His wounds you have been healed.” [vii]

Along this line of thought, Brennan Manning tells in one of his books of a profound experience he had while on a solitary spiritual retreat in Spain. It was during this time that Christ encountered Manning in a most dramatic and meaningful way. The assurance of the light of Christ’s truth, love and mercy came in stark surroundings. Manning was in a cave for 7 months, with primitive conditions, and absolutely no one to talk to. But He did talk to His Lord, often in worship in a very crude chapel, with a three foot crucifix hanging on the wall.

On the night of December 13, or actually around 2 a.m. in the morning at an appointed time for worship, Manning began his time of prayer. It was at that time that Manning heard in faith the Lord say to him: “For love of you I left my Father’s side. I came to you who ran from me, who did not want to hear my name. For love of you I was covered with spit, punched, beaten, and affixed to the wood of the cross.”

Manning looked at that crucifix for a very long time, pondering in his mind and heart what happened there. It was then as if he heard the Lord say, “This isn’t a joke. This is not a laughing matter to me that I have loved you.”

As time went on, Manning came to the conclusion that no one could ever love him in the way Jesus Christ had loved him. And that’s when he went to the opening of the cave, stood on the precipice and shouted out into the darkness: “Jesus, are you crazy? Are you out of your mind to have loved me so much?”

As Manning concludes his telling of this personal story, he writes: “I learned that night what a wise old man had told me years earlier: ‘Only the one who has experienced it can know what the love of Jesus Christ is. Once you have experienced it, nothing else in the world will seem more beautiful or desirable.’” [viii]

Dear friends, let me be very frank with you. If you have not yet let the light of Christ shine in your darkness, then I urge you by all means to do so right now. For Christ will surely prove not only to be your Revealer, but your Redeemer as well; the Holy One, and the Healing One.

And if He has shone in the darkness of your life before, but you have in time kept His light to the margins of your life, then let His light and love have their way with you again.

For all of us, we need His light and we need His love … and He offers us both!

How silently, how silently the wondrous gift is giv’n!

So God imparts to human hearts the blessings of His heav’n.

No ear may hear His coming, but in this world of sin,

Where meek souls will receive Him still the dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem! Descend to us, we pray;

Cast out our sin, and enter in; Be born in us today.

We hear the Christmas angels the great glad tidings tell;

O come to us, abide with us, our Lord Emmanuel. Amen. [ix]