We have been speaking about the words I am; and how God calls himself, I am. It is no surprise that Jesus who is part of the trinity also calls himself I am, in fact; Jesus speaks seven I AM, statements in the chapter of John driving home this point and fulfilling scripture in the Old Testament. John 6:35. I am the bread of life. John 8:12 I am the light of the world. John 10:9 I am the gate. John 10:11, 14 I am the good shepherd. John 11:25 I am the resurrection. John 14:6 I am the way, the truth, and the life. John 15:1-5 I am the true vine. Last week we talked about Jesus stating that He is the bread of life, and tonight we will talk about Him being the light of the world. Many people fear the dark; they think the darkness hides things that are out to get us. Things that might not be considered dangerous to us in the light of day suddenly become much more dangerous when they are swallowed up by the darkness of night. Light gives us clarity. Obviously, God thought that light was important too since it was the first thing that He did that creation week. It says in Genesis 1:3-5 that God said, "let there be light", and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness. God called the light "day" and the darkness "night". And there was evening, and there was morning, the first day. In fact the very first act that He did – He continues to do still today. He's still at work separating the darkness from the light. How many of you were or are afraid of the dark? From what God's Word has to say – maybe growing out of that fear is something that should never really happen. Jesus because of His relevant nature spoke to people in ways that they could "wrap their minds around." All human beings can relate to light and darkness…it doesn't take a rocket scientist to get it. God calls Himself light, and tells us that without Him we live in darkness. It's pretty simple; He said it this way that even a child could perceive it… maybe using light and darkness because nearly all children are at some time afraid of the dark. But could it be that we don't actually lose our fear of the dark as much as we just get much more comfortable with it? Maybe it's just like when we first step out into darkness - it's blindingly dark… it almost hurts to look because there's nothing that we can focus on, but soon our eyes begin to adjust and we become much more comfortable with it. We fear the things that are cloaked in darkness, but you need to understand that sin brought about a darkness much more ominous than the one we could ever see at sundown. Maybe, just maybe… the reason why people have such a fear of the dark is that it's God given. Maybe it's natural from the way that we were created. Maybe darkness is our kryptonite, Superman. Light is what lets matter live in this world. If we removed the SUN – this planet would die. A plant will die if you hide it away and not let it be in the light. This same truth can be used in the spiritual sense – if a human does not get in the light of Jesus; if they don't get in the light of the SON; they too will surely die. He is the Son/Sun. He is the true light; He removes darkness and deception by showing people the true path to salvation. Everyone who follows Jesus is delivered from the darkness of sin, the world and Satan, and God's word says that those who continue to walk in darkness DO NOT actually follow Him. 1 John 1:6, 7 this is the message we have heard from Him and declare to you; God is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. Jesus spoke – I am the light of the world, whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. Remember how I told you a few weeks back that God called Himself the, I am. I told you by definition it means - Singular, present. Jesus again makes it clear to us that Singular, present; is what's needed to get out of this darkness. When He spoke the words… I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. The word follows means presently doing, it's a continuing action; it's something you have to do every day. When you follow someone, you cannot stop and sit down and rest and still keep up, because if you do… you'll lose sight of them! Last week when we spoke of Jesus calling himself the bread of life… He used this visual because He had just fed 5000 people with two small fish and five loaves of barley bread and He knew that people would be able to relate to a story of physical hunger. He also brought it up because of the Old Testament scripture which told of the Israelites being fed manna from Heaven while they were in the desert for those forty years after Moses helped them escape. He was actually telling them that God had provided food for their descendants then and that He who was God, had just done the same thing. Jesus calling himself the light of the world while He was inside the temple next to the place where the offerings were put has great significance too. In John chapter 7 it says that He was there for the Feast of the Tabernacles; which was actually the celebration of that same time when the Israelites were provided for and traveled those 40 years in the wilderness. During the celebration; a huge candelabra would be lit to remind those people of the time when there was a light that God provided for those people to reach the Promised Land. Exodus 13:21 By day the LORD went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so that they could travel by day or night. Jesus was using this opportunity to remind those people that He was and still is that same light that guides us out of the darkness. Those pillars of cloud and fire were sent as proof of God's presence and His care for the people of Israel and it never left them until they reached the Promised Land those 40 years later. When it moved – they were to move; when it stayed – they were to stay, and it kept them on the right path so that they didn't have to stumble around in the darkness. That same promise is here for us today… Jesus is the light of the world. He promises us to never leave us or forsake us… His light will stay with us until we reach that Promised Land. But when He moves – we're to move and when He tells us to stay, we're to stay. And we are to follow this light every single day. It cannot be done once a week. Jesus goes on to heal a man of blindness in the very next chapter; telling His disciples that "while I am in the world, I am the light of the world." This man, proving the point, doesn't JUST GET HEALED either, he too becomes a follower. There is a story about a woman named Rose Crawford who had been blind for over 50 years; finally having an operation in an Ontario hospital. Afterwards, she just kept saying over and over again, "I can't believe it," after the doctor lifted the bandages from her eyes. She cried when she was able to see for the very first time…a dazzling, beautiful world filled with form and color. But the most amazing thing about her story was that for the last 20 years of her life her blindness was unnecessary. She wasn't aware that surgical techniques had been developed, and that she could have had her vision restored to her at the age of 30. The doctor said, "She always just figured that there was nothing that could be done for her condition. Much of her life could have been so different." The same thing happens spiritually every day; people walk away from Jesus and they don't experience this beautiful, glorious light that lights us the darkness. Maybe the real question should be… Are you afraid of the light? Plato –We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light.
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