THE ‘I AM’ SAYINGS OF JESUS - 2. THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

I am sure that most of you here have seen William Holman Hunt’s painting ‘The Light of the World’ representing the words of Revelation 3: 20. 

It’s a wonderfully romantic vision of Jesus in all his Pre Raphaelite splendour holding a very Victorian looking lantern and preparing to knock on an overgrown and long unopened door of a house in a little clearing. The closed door represents ‘the obstinately shut mind’ and there is no handle on the outside because, as Holman Hunt often had to explain, it is up to you and to me to open the door of our own lives to Jesus from the inside. The original resides in Keble College, Oxford, and a later version in St. Paul’s cathedral.

This morning we are considering the second of the ‘I am sayings’ of Jesus in John’s Gospel, a series of astounding claims on the part of Jesus which, when properly understood, answer any questions there may be about his true identity. Not only that, but the answers serve also to put the reader or listener firmly on the spot, forcing him or her, you and me, to make a decision about Jesus. 

The ‘I am’ sayings of Jesus leave us no room for sitting on the fence: indeed as Jesus himself says elsewhere, (Matthew 12: 30) ‘those who are not for me are against me.’ We cannot be disinterested; we cannot be indifferent to Jesus and his claims upon us. Jesus calls everyone to make up their minds about him and then to act upon their decision. The choice is ours.

Now if we have read the prologue to John’s Gospel (chapter 1), we have already learned that the ‘life’, Jesus, the Word of God, was ‘the light of men’/of mankind, of humanity – whichever you prefer! This light picture or metaphor is steeped in Old Testament allusions: for example - Psalm 27 ‘The Lord is my light and my salvation’. Psalm 119 ‘The word of God is a light to guide the path of those who cherish instruction’. 

Indeed our gospel passage this morning shows very clearly the intimate connexion there is between God’s light and God’s word. Isaiah 49 ‘The servant of the Lord was appointed as a light to the gentiles that he might bring God’s salvation to the ends of the earth’. The dawning of the promised light in the coming of Jesus is already a significant theme in John’s Gospel; but we are told too that this light is in mortal combat with darkness – the darkness of evil and of human pride.

John here, wanting to combat his Jewish readers’ attachment to their received traditions (Remember, he was writing his Gospel with them particularly in mind), portrays Jesus as the true light of the world, a claim that must challenge the claims today of atheists and secularists who believe that this light should be kept well out of politics and even indeed of morality. And although you and I, as Jesus’ disciples, called to be ‘light to the world’, his light, will find it increasingly difficult and dangerous to do so as atheism and secularism increase their atrophying stranglehold on the life of this country, we need to remember chapter ; that ‘the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.’

 So the next time you are faced with a challenge or an opportunity to be the light of Christ in a situation at work or at leisure, remember that his light is unquenchable; you are already on the side that has won the war against darkness. The Devil is beaten but he won’t lie down just yet; and there are many who either knowingly or unknowingly still play by his rules and desperately need to see God’s light and to learn of his love for them. 

Again, as we learned in John’s letters, that confidence assuring truth that ‘He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world’. We have a lot going for us! Don’t be duped or deceived by the lotus eaters in the media and elsewhere who claim that God is no longer relevant to the life of this country, to your life: they are, though they don’t know it, a dying breed.

For Jesus to make a claim like this was indeed nothing short of blasphemous: but he doesn’t let the statement just hang there on its own; there is an immediate consequence to recognising that Jesus is the light. 

It requires that we follow him; and as a result we shall not walk in darkness but have the light of life, i.e. the light that produces life – or genuine living; not the poor but temptingly attractive substitutes offered by the world, by those opposed to God and his kingdom, to which we all too easily give in and allow to rule us.

This is really as far as the theme of ‘the light of the world’ is taken in this chapter and the interest now turns to the authority of Jesus in making such a claim. But one thing we really must learn from this passage – verses 28, especially 31, 51, 52, 55 is how intimate and important is the connection between God’s light and God’s word. 

You see, we cannot walk in the light of Christ unless we have first opened the door of our lives and invited him in to banish the darkness and the artificial lights flickering away there with all their deceit and inherent danger; and we cannot walk in the light of Christ unless we submit our lives – our priorities, goals, and principles to the light of his word, allowing it - proactively rather than just by wishful-thinking accident! - to ‘direct and rule’ our hearts and minds. 

Now I know some people think that bible study is an optional extra, something for the ‘keenies’, the bible-bashers, or the professionals; but to expect to walk in the light of Christ without spending time mining the riches of his word is like trying to sew without needles, bake without flour, or play golf without golf balls. 

We simply cannot do it. You and I are called to be salt and light in the world. But we cannot know how to be these things effectively unless we steep ourselves in God’s word.

Another thing one can perhaps glimpse from this passage is just how debilitatingly strong can be people’s attachment to tradition and custom. Even when presented with the truth and with compelling evidence for the truth, they still refuse to accept Jesus. Why? Because their minds have become so calcified, so cemented, by their prejudices and preferences, they will not recognise the truth even when he is standing in front of their noses. 

As I have said before, I simply do not buy the argument that ‘I would believe if Jesus were here now’ or ‘I would have believed had I been there with Jesus’. Whether a person accepts Jesus as Saviour and Lord depends upon their openness to the truth and their readiness to welcome it even at the cost of everything that has sustained them spiritually or socially up until ‘seeing the light’ – to use that little phrase in jest, as many do - not realising that the joke is actually on them!

But just look at these claims of Jesus: no wonder he offended the religious establishment! ‘I am the light of the world’ v12, ‘whoever keeps my word will never see death’ v51, ‘Before Abraham was (before he existed) I am.’v58.

In Ch 9 you can read about the outworking of Jesus’ claim to be the light depicted in a miracle by which a blind man is made to see, while others who think they see remain blind to the light. It is actually one of the funniest pieces of theatre in the whole bible – the newly seeing blind man innocently showing up the religious experts. 

Do read it; it will certainly raise a smile, I’m sure.

‘I am the light of the world’, says Jesus. Do you know this light from personal experience? Is it burning strong in your life and so making a difference in the lives of those to whom you are his light? 

Or has the light grown dim and do you therefore need to refuel? Remember! He stands at the door and knocks. Whether we welcome him and his light in or back in is our choice entirely.