The world is a dark place. On any given day we hear about (or experience) violence, rape, murder, trafficking, injustice, or racism, and that’s just a short list. And not just darkness on the outside, but darkness in our own hearts. Our hearts are sick and perverse and dark. We are darkened in our understanding. We live in a domain of darkness and even love the darkness. Is there any hope?
Christ said in John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” It’s interesting He said He is the light. Light is the first thing God created in Genesis 1:3. God appeared to the Israelites as a fire and pillar of light in Exodus 13 and when He inhabited the tabernacle and temple, there shone a great light. Psalm 27:1 says, “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?” And His Word is a lamp onto my feet and a light onto my path (Psalm 119:105.) God promised to send the Messiah, “a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness (Isaiah 42:6-7).” The light of Jesus is the same light of God of the Old Testament. It’s the same person.
Are you blind today, a prisoner in a dungeon, sitting in darkness? The Bible says Jesus is life, and the life is the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. The true light, which gives light to everyone, has come into the world. The good news is that we are not doomed to walk in darkness. We need light and there is light and hope and warmth and safety and being able to see in the light. Jesus is the light of the world.
Isn’t that what we want and what we long for? To be able to see and not walk in darkness and have the light of life? Who likes bumping into furniture and stumbling through a dark hallway? Where can you get this light? The world does not have it or offer it. Nobody wants to sit in a dark room or walk through a dark house. We want and need the safety and direction of a light, a lighthouse, or Motel 6, “We’ll leave a light on for you.”
Do you see this light? Are you following this light? Do you have this light of life? There is joy and peace and victory in the light. Are you continuing in darkness? Sin lives in darkness; come out from the shadows! Live in the light and follow the light! No matter how hard or “dark” things are of the world, we have this light, we have Christ. Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”