Jesus is the light of the world

​The apostle John, in the opening of his gospel, does not want his readers to misunderstand who Jesus is. John personally heard, saw and touched the Jesus, the Light of the World.  This is not a fairy tale. This is true; many witnesses testify & gave their lives to the true, living Jesus. 

In John 1:1-4, John lays out 7 things about Jesus. His pre-existence was as the Divine Word, emphasizing his divine nature and role in creation.

1) In the beginning was the Word (the eternal word who has no beginning and no end),
2) the Word was with God,
3) the Word was God,
4) All things were made by Him,
5) In Him was life,
6) that life was the light of men (from the beginning, God brings light from the darkness)
7) the Word became flesh. The Divine Word became one of us.

"In Him was life and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it,” verse 4-5.  The Word is the source of all life.  His Words transcend circumstances and break down barriers. His Words light up dark corners, remove doubt, fear and self-preservation.

Without Jesus, we are dead & in darkness. Living, but not alive, just existing. There is no LIFE without Jesus. He is the source of all life. This passage speaks about Jesus inviting ALL mankind to know His light and life. No one excluded. Jesus' light keeps shining through.

"This living expression is the Light that bursts through the gloom~ the light that darkness could not diminish" (The Passion translation).

I am praying through these verses for people in my life that do not know God. I am praying the TRUE LIGHT of the world would penetrate the darkness of the heart, moving them from darkness to light! That the Living Expression of Light would burst through all that has hindered the Gospel from breaking forth.
 
What does it mean to walk in the light?  To walk implies an action, obedience. Since Jesus is light, when we walk in the light, we walk where he is.
 
John 8:12, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” Which means that if we don’t follow him, we do walk in darkness. And where is that darkness? It is in the world and in our hearts.
 
Jesus’ light is available to anyone and everyone, but we must make the decision to follow him. Following (walking) is more than just tagging along. Following has intention and commitment, with allegiance to Jesus and His Kingdom.  
 
Here are a few ideas about this verse, John 8:12:
 
1. Jesus is “the light of the world” which means the world has no other light than him. It is Jesus or darkness. There is no other alternative; there is no other light. Charles Spurgeon said, “Jesus is the sun that never had a setting, always shining, always progressing in His mighty course”.
 
2. Everyone in the world, through every generation, needs Jesus as their light. It is Jesus' very nature to dispel darkness!  “In Him (Jesus) was life, and that life was the light to all mankind,” John 1:4.
 
3. It means that the world was made for this light. This is the light of the Creator and Sustainer of the world. When this light comes, it not only makes darkness (sin) plain, but it also makes everything good in the world shine with its full and true beauty. This world was made to be illumined by this light.
 
4. This light can never be kindled or quenched. John 1:5, "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it". This is uncreated Glory, which existed eternally and blazes on & on through infinity. 
 
Jesus was connecting who He was to what the prophet Isaiah spoke in Isaiah 9:2, “The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness, a light has dawned.” 
 
Turn on the light in darkened hearts Jesus!
 
This verse is a promise. Grab hold of the promise Jesus speaks over you today: you will never walk in darkness but have the light of life!
 
Declare “Jesus is the light and He lives in me.  Lord, turn on that light brightly!”  Prophesy the light of Christ over your life, over your children, over your marriage, over your circumstances. You have & possess the light of life, to the abundance of overflowing!

Jesus is the light come into the world for all mankind, everyone is every generation!  

Questions to Ponder:
*Where do you notice “darkness” in your own life—confusion, fear, sin, discouragement—and what would it look like to intentionally follow Jesus into His light in those places?

*If Jesus is the only true light of the world, how does that shape the way you think about other sources of guidance or “light” that the world offers?
​
*What would it mean for you to live today as someone who possesses the light of life—in your thoughts, words, relationships, or circumstances? How might Jesus’ light shine through you?