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Sermon Notes

The 7 “I Am’s” of Jesus
Pt 2
“I Am the Light of the World”

John 8:12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’”
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We’re in part 2 of our new series, “The 7 ‘I Am’s’ of Jesus.”

Remember from last time that the words I AM is the name God gave Himself when Moses asked before going to Egypt, “Who shall I say sent me.”

“Tell them I AM has sent you.”–Ex 3:14

I AM means “I am the eternal, self-sufficient one.”

All the Jewish people knew this, as well as the Jewish leaders who flew into a ballistic rage when Jesus dared to use that designation when He said to them,

“Before Abraham was, I AM.”–John 8:58

7 times in the gospel of John, Jesus uses the I AM designation to describe who He is to us as God the Son.

Last time we looked at the first time he said it, I am the BREAD of life.”

And now he uses it a second time by saying, “I am the LIGHT of the world.”
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The Bible is filled with descriptions of Jesus as a LIGHT.

The OT prophets that predicted his coming described Him this way:

Isaiah 9:2 “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined.”

Notice how the human race is described as living in a world of darkness and shadows–the darkness of spiritual blindness.

The Prophet Malachi used a beautiful metaphor to describe the coming Messiah, “But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.”–4:2
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The NT writers also described Jesus as a LIGHT:

John 1:4-5;9 “Eternal life is in him, and this life gives light to all mankind. 5 His life is the light that shines through the darkness—and the darkness can never extinguish it…he was the true Light…”

When Jesus took Peter, James, and John to the top of the mount of transfiguration, the Bible records:

Matt 17:2 “There he was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and his clothes became as white as the light.”
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In the Book of Revelation the Apostle John describes his vision of the risen Savior, saying:

Rev. 1:16 “…His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance.”
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So Jesus is described over and over again as a light–a brilliant, piercing, illuminating, darkness-chasing light!

Now of course, we’re not talking about normal light like the light in this room.

Nor are we speaking of a person with a cheerful, positive personality that,
as we would say, “lights up the room” when they enter.

No, the light the Bible describes is spiritual light–
the light of penetrating TRUTH and redemptive HOPE.

He’s the bright light of salvation for all that place faith in Him.

His is the light that hell fears and heaven enjoys.

His light dispels the darkness of devil and demons,
and lights our path to keep us safe.

He’s the light King David rejoiced in:

Ps. 27:1 “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear…and of whom shall I be afraid?”
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Now, the context surrounding the first time Jesus said, “I am the light of the world” is the gripping account of when a woman caught in adultery is thrown at His feet.

The Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do you say.”–John 8:4-5
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Imagine the scene!

There stands the woman,
staring at the ground,
humiliated and ashamed,
trembling head to toe,
with a hundred angry, condemning eyes trained on her.

She knows the Pharisees have rightly quoted the OT law of Moses regarding someone caught in adultery:

“The man who commits adultery with another man’s wife…the adulterer and the adulteress, shall surely be put to death.”–Leviticus 20:10

She’s likely a younger woman who no doubt thought her life was over.

She would soon die the excruciatingly painful death by stoning.

“How was I so foolish!” she must have thought.
“It wasn’t worth it;
it wasn’t worth my life!”

As she ventures a glance up, she sees the young Nazarene miracle worker she’s heard so much about but never met.

He is stooped down and etching something in the dirt with his finger, acting as if he doesn’t even hear her accusers.

A heavy, dramatic silence hangs in the air while they all wait for His response.

Finally, Jesus slowly stands up,
surveys the crowd of accusers ready to hurl the rocks they’d gathered,
and drops a bomb:

“He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.”–8:8

The simple but powerful response of Jesus delivers a gut punch to every man standing there.

“Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.”–vs 9

As they walk away one could hear a series of dull thuds as they all dropped the stones for her execution.
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Now the woman stands there,
alone and speechless,
with only herself and Jesus.

Jesus stood and said, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?”–8:10

With stammering lips she could only reply with three words, “No one, Lord.”

Then came the sweetest music to her ears she’d ever heard in all her life:

“Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”–8:11

The very next thing Jesus says are the words, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”–8:12
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Now, why would Jesus speak those words right on the heels of saving and forgiving this adulterous woman?

Because it is why He, as the Light, left heaven to come into our world:

“The Son of Man came to find lost people and save them.”–Lk 19:10

As the LIGHT, Jesus first:

Shines a light into our lost and darkened souls

As Scripture says, “For God, who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.”–2 Cor. 4:6

ILLUS: He shines into our darkness like a person sitting in a dark and musty room when an unknown stranger suddenly pulls the shades up and sunlight floods in, revealing all the cobwebs, dirt, and dust.

The stranger, who is Jesus, says, “Place your faith in me and I’ll not just clean the room up, I’ll give you a brand new room!”
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And then next, as enlightened ones, Jesus calls His children to:

II. Walk in His light

Eph 5:8-9 exhorts, “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light, for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness, and truth.”

There’s two kinds of people in this world–
those that walk around in spiritual darkness
and those that walk in the light of Christ Jesus!

Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me won’t walk in darkness but will have the light of life.”–John 8:12

And how to walk in the light is simple–by obeying His word:

John 14:21 “Those people who obey my commands are the ones who really love me. They accept my words and they do what I say. My Father will love everyone who loves me. I also will love them and I will show myself to them.”

–So Jesus is first the LIGHT that shines into our sin-darkened soul, who then calls us to WALK in the light.
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And lastly, as light bearers we’re called to:

III. Reflect His light to the world!

In Matt 5:14-16 Jesus tells His disciples,

“You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a basket. Instead, they set it on a stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

ILLUS: In the Book of Acts when Stephen was brought before the Sanhedrin Court, it says that as he declared the truth of Jesus Christ,

“…everyone in the Council chamber saw Stephen’s face become as radiant as an angel’s!”–Acts 6:15

Stephen was literally reflecting the light of Christ that was shining on and through him!

Christians reflect his life, his love, his patience, his kindness, goodness, and mercy.
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Receive the light of Christ
Walk in the light of Christ
Reflect the light of Christ