Lord’s Day, Vol. 6 No. 21

Jesus Is the Light of Life

 Jesus says, “I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

Jesus imparts a newness of life to them that follow Him. They shall have the light of life. That light speaks of purification from the pollution of sin. That “light”, the life that He imparts, enables them to live an overcoming life over the corruption of sin, which Jesus depicted as darkness.

Jesus is that true Light and He bids us experience that joy that comes with a holiness of life that He alone can impart. Jesus had just freed the woman who was caught in adultery from the bondage of sin when He said to her, “Neither do I condemn thee: go and sin no more.” (John 8:11)What power, what glory is uttered in those compassionate words to the guilty sinner. There is a way out of the dreary of sin when He bids us to follow Him – He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness.

Walking in the snare of darkness is contrasted with walking in the light of life. One offers freedom and the other suffers bondage. One offers everlasting joy and the other perpetual misery. And wisdom, obviously, is to choose the freedom of the light of life.

Yet, the Pharisees said to Jesus, “Thou bearest record of thyself and thy record is not true” (John 8:14).

Jesus defended His Deity and His ability to impart life to men. He has been sent by the Father from heaven and that His testimony is true. Jesus said, “It is also written in your law, that the testimony of two men is true. I am one that bear witness of myself, and the Father that sent me beareth witness of me” (John 8:17-18).

He lovingly pleads with the sinner to follow Him before it’s too late, “I go my way, and ye shall seek me, and shall die in your sins: whither I go, ye cannot come” (John 8:21).

Dear brethren, the wages of sin is eternal death in the judgment of hell fire. And the gift of life in Jesus Christ saves the sinner from the eternal darkness of separation from God. That is the reason Jesus said to the unrepentant sinner, “whither I go, ye cannot come.” What grave words of warning! Jesus further explains, “Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world.I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins” (John 8:23-24).

The Apostle Paul explains how we may begin to follow Christ when he said, “⁴ For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. ⁵ For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. ⁶But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) ⁷ Or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) ⁸ But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; ⁹ That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. ¹⁰ For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. ¹¹ For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. ¹² For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. ¹³ For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Romans 10:4-13).

The Pharisees were so adamant to insist that they are the true sons of their forefather Abraham. Jesus rebuked them, “If ye were Abraham’s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.But now ye seek to kill me, a man that hath told you the truth, which I have heard of God: this did not Abraham.

 Jesus further gave the reason for their unbelief, a grim and sad reality,“⁴²… If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. ⁴³ Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. ⁴⁴ Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. ⁴⁵ And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not. ⁴⁶ Which of you convinceth me of sin? And if I say the truth, why do ye not believe me? ⁴⁷ He that is of God heareth God’s words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God” (John 8:42-47).

 To His disciples, Jesus encouraged them saying, “³¹ … If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; ³² And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” May the Lord be merciful to us. Amen.

Yours lovingly,

Pastor Lek Aik Wee