The Light of the World

Continue to pray for Barb. She sees the oncologist in Des Moines on the thirteenth to set up chemo treatments. Pray all goes well. Problem is, she has been quite sick for nearly two weeks now, going back to just after Thanksgiving. Her stomach lining is irritated or inflamed. They gave her medication for that. It may also be that the tumor is growing rapidly and pushing against her stomach or small intestine. Pray that is not the case, and that the chemo shrinks the tumor. Thanks.

Now for today's overdue Bible Insight: A day came, while Jesus was teaching in the temple, that "the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery" (John 8:3). They demanded that Jesus condemn her to be stoned per the law of Moses (vs. 4-5). They were "testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him" (v. 6a). Jesus ignored them at first (v. 6b), but as they persisted (v. 7a), Jesus spoke: "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first" (v. 7b).

That didn't sit well with the scribes and Pharisees: "Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst" (v. 9). Seeing that no one remained to condemn her (v. 10), He said, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more" (v. 11).

Then Jesus made this profound statement: "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (v. 12). One of the famous "I Am" statements of Scripture. Later in this same chapter, after debating long and hard with the Jewish leaders, Jesus said, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM" (John 8:58). From the burning bush, God told Moses, "I am who I am. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I am has sent me to you'" (Exodus 3:14).

The technical name of God is "I Am." In other words, He is the One who always has been. No one missed the fact that on multiple occasions Jesus claimed to be the "I Am." He claimed to be God! And rightly so, because He is the everlasting Savior, the Son of God, the creator God Himself. John said, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it" (John 1:1-5).

We have come full circle. Jesus is "the light of the world" (John 8:12a). When you follow Jesus, you will "not walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (v. 12b). Life is in Jesus. He came that we might have life. Jesus clearly told us this: "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly" (John 10:10b).

His life is our light. He came and was born that first Christmas morning to bring us light and to shine in the darkness of our life, giving us true life, eternal life in His name. The darkness can not overcome His light. By walking in faith in Jesus, we do not "walk in darkness, but have the light of life" (John 8:12b). Amen.