Light of the World
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)
Apart from Jesus, we live in darkness. As humans we have a limited capacity to understand who we are or what we see in the world.
We are all created to crave the Creator, our Father, and only through a relationship with our Savior Jesus can the dark parts of our hearts brighten up.
Jesus consistently focused on linking Himself to the Father. The Greek word for light in this verse is phos, defined as the light. God is Light is part of who He is –the light. This is subtle but powerful.
Light is required for any vegetation to grow, and THE LIGHT clarifies the human spirit. Christ was present at the creation of the world. The Author of Light has the authority to illuminate His creation in its truest form. Jesus’ saying, He is the Light of the world is the outer recognition of His Father’s creation and presence, and the inward dwelling of the Holy Spirit, by which we know our Father and walk with Jesus. Jesus is the Light of the world, our world, and the whole world. Just as God is omnipresent, so Jesus is Light. Through Him and His sacrificial death on the cross, we are exposed to the light of our sins.
Just as ships follow lights to ensure safe passage, so we rely on THE LIGHT. Jesus’s death broke through the darkness, lighting the way for us. God’s Word, through the enlightening of the Holy Spirit, helps us understand and remember when we need His wisdom to steer us. Prayer, which serves dually -- as lifeboat and lighthouse throughout our everyday lives is an open line of connection and communication to GOD THE LIGHT.
Darkness, in John 8:12, is the Greek word skotia, defined as the darkness due to the want of light and used to describe ignorance of divine things. It’s associated with wickedness, and the resultant misery in hell. Genesis 1:4 says, “God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.” Jesus is the Light of the world, and all who are separate or far from Him live in darkness. Being separate, ignorant, or unaware of the dark leaves us wanting for something we cannot produce on our own. We come to the end of ourselves in frustration, hopelessness when we walk through life in darkness. With Christ, we have the absolute fullness of life.
Through Christ, we have access to the Father. Our perspective brightens when touched by the Light. Illumined by the Creator, we can hang onto the shreds of light that permeate the darkness. Jesus shines light into the cracks of our hearts that harbour sin. Once revealed, the conviction of the Holy Spirit instructs and guides us to repent. We grow wiser as He sanctifies our hearts to reflect His light.
We are self-centred and self-driven without Jesus. We come to the end of ourselves and our efforts and become overwhelmed by the natural darkness in our hearts. No one has “a good heart” in a natural state. We all fall short. Jesus came so we would experience the power of the Holy Spirit. God’s loving embrace through the wisdom of His word and our relationship with Him sheds His light on others living in darkness.
Jesus gives us the vision to see who we are in Him. Only the light of the world can show us who we are and guide us responsibly through life. Walking in the light means embracing our individuality when we release our self-centred methods for His definition of love.
Matthew 5:14 says, “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” When we live our lives reflecting the Light, it allows others to see His love. We are called to share the gospel, but more importantly than what we say is how we live.
Light affects everything. It permeates truth into every situation. It Is True Love, on earth.
Jonathan Cortes