FEBRUARY 16, 1947 JESUS, THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD J oh n 8:12-16, 31-36; 9:1-5.
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Outline and Exposition M eeting D arkness ( J oh n 8:12-16)
Points and Problems “I am the light of the world” (8:12). What the sun in the heavens is to the physical world, Christ is to the moral and spiritual world. The sun warms the earth and man’s body; Christ warms the soul of man and gives him rest and comfort. The sun purifies the part of the earth with which it comes in contact; Christ is the only solution to the problem of man’s sin. The sun pro duces growth in all living things; Christ is the nourisher of man’s spir itual life. The sun gives direction so that people who have eyes need not lose their way; Christ is "the way, the truth, and the life” for man’s spiritual being. The sun produces energy; Christ energizes the soul. Furthermore, the sun reveals what ever of beauty or ugliness there is in the natural world; Christ reveals the sin and unloveliness that is in the heart of man. That is what Jesus had done immediately preceding the teaching of our lesson. He had cast the light of His holy presence upon the accusers of the woman, and they could not stand the purity of that light. “He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness” (8:12). The light of the sun is pure. It cannot be de filed. It reaches man to bless him. Man may refuse to receive the light. He may hide himself from it, but, unobstructed, it will bring blessing. So with Christ. He is altogether pure. Those who walk with Him cannot be corrupted. It is when men refuse to walk in His light that they become sinful. How many there are who walk in darkness today because they have a "bushel” of worldliness, rebellion or disobedience over their heads, hid ing the light of Christ from them! “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed” (8:86). There is no liberty to be found anywhere like that offered to men in the Lord Jesus Christ. He offers freedom (1) from the guilt of sin through His precious blood, (2) from the power of sin in the daily life through His quickening Word, (3) from the presence of sin through His glorious appearing, when the saints shall be taken to Heaven. This is liberty incomparable. During the late war, the world be came interested in “four freedoms,” but it is significant that not one of these deals with the matter of the greatest liberty — deliverance from sin. The Christian must proclaim this freedom to his fellow-man.
The world had followed many paths, each growing dimmer than the one before, until they all ended in complete darkness. Into this situa tion came Jesus, the Light of the world. He came to bring relief from the world’s darkness to all who would follow Him (v. 12). The Phari sees, ever ready to seize upon any pretext for opposing Jesus, declared that His witness was not true be cause He testified for Himself. They were quickly silenced and put upon the defensive (vs. 13-16). Jesus ex plained why He was the Light of the world. He was not alone; the Father was with Him (v. 16). Therefore He brought light with Him into the world so that His followers might walk through its darkness upon a path of light. M eeting B ondage ( J o h n 8:31-36) Abiding in His word, the believers would become His disciples, and He Himself would teach them the truth that would set them free (vs. 31, 32). They were in bondage to tradition, to religion, and to sin (vs. 33, 34). Jesus told them that sin was their master, and they were helpless to break its chains. They needed lib erty from the bondage of sin if true freedom were to be enjoyed. Only the Son, abiding forever, could give them immunity. This He was very willing to do. M eeting B lindness (J o h n 9:1-5) “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents.” This, of course, did not mean that the man himself or his parents had never sinned, but rather that this blindness was not the direct result of sin. It gave occasion for the Light of the world to be revealed (vs. 1-3). Giving that light was the purpose for which Jesus came (vs. 4, 5). Hence He recognized the necessity— “I must work” ; the authority—“him that sent me” ; and the opportunity— “while it is day.” Men would attempt to put the Light out of the world, but, as long as He remained, He would be “the light of the world” (v. 5). Darkness, bondage, and blindness all give way to the incoming of the Light—Jesus Himself. JA N U A R Y , 1947
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