I AM the Light of the World

[0:00] Anyway, those are not important. What is important you must know about me is! I am half Sarawakian. because my wife is from this city.

[0:11] ! in this land.

[0:32] And you have boomy Christians here. What a great testimony of the sovereign grace of God.

[0:43] Because over there, there's a different story over there where I'm from. But here, the Lord is doing His work and I continue to pray that the Lord will continue to shine His light as we are looking into this important theme of the Gospel of John, the light of the world.

[1:05] So as I'm thinking about the light of the world and also having the privilege of coming to my state here, half of my state is here, I think about a wonderful adventure that I had a few years ago with my brother-in-law to the exquisite, wonderful rainforest of the Borneo Island.

[1:37] So how many of you like the rainforest here? Nobody? Are you Sarawakians? Yeah, I know you like the rainforest here.

[1:49] Anyway, I have this very amazing experience. So my brother-in-law, who is very, like, he loves outdoor camping.

[2:02] So he brought us to one of these pretty exclusive rainforests in this state. I even forget the name of the place.

[2:15] But it's just so beautiful. Deep into the jungle of Sarawak. And then we passed by some trees with pink color fruit.

[2:28] And I've never seen this kind of fruit. And it's amazing. He said, go and eat it. We can just pick the fruit from the tree. It's pink color.

[2:40] I don't know what it is called, but it tastes fantastic. And then we arrived at our campsite. The campsite is by the river.

[2:53] And the trees are very gorgeous. And we even have warning. Don't simply, you know, wander off into the wood.

[3:05] and we don't know what is out there. And beware of some poisonous stuff. Animals, insects, spiders, snakes.

[3:18] So, I was with my four kids and my brother-in-law with his two kids. And then sunset. Sunset.

[3:30] And I've never felt that kind of darkness before. But in the forest of Borneo Island, I felt it. It's as if the darkness have some kind of weight.

[3:46] And then my children begin to feel a little bit of fear.

[3:58] Because you know, we city people and we have not experienced the kind of darkness. And then of course, being warned of, you know, all kinds of dangers out here.

[4:10] When darkness fell, yeah, children got scared. Because we don't know what we are going to step into. And we don't know what we are going to touch.

[4:21] Or don't know what will pounce on us. Then the moment came. my outdoor brother-in-law, he did something that we will never forget.

[4:37] You know what's that? He turned on his headlight. That was the moment I wish you were there.

[4:48] That was the moment is like what the Lord is saying in John chapter 8. But of course, the Lord is a million times more glorious and weightier than what my brother-in-law did.

[5:01] But just to give you some idea, the light got turned on. The switch of his headlight clicked. And then we see brightness.

[5:14] And the children, sign of relief, peace, and then joy came because with the brightness of his head light, we saw the surrounding and we felt we are safe.

[5:33] And as you transition to this theme in the gospel of John, what Jesus has just said as you have heard from the reading, thank you for the reading, it was fantastic.

[5:47] That is what Jesus is showing to those who are in deep darkness. darkness is so much more heavier than the darkness we felt in that place.

[6:06] This darkness is the darkness of the soul. It's in bondage to unending burden of sin.

[6:16] and can you imagine Jesus cried out, I am the light of the world.

[6:28] So as you look at the passage, I want you to see such a huge weight of darkness with the light piercing through the light of our Lord Jesus Christ.

[6:46] He is the light. Just draw your attention again to the text. Verse 12, chapter 8 of John, and of course the background, just to give you a very good contrast here, the Lord sovereignly say this verse in a very important context that you must also pay attention to.

[7:12] As you have probably read chapter 7 before, the context is the Lord is in the temple, temple in Jerusalem, set on the temple mount, the temple of Jerusalem, and it's there because it was during the feast of the tabernacle, or the feast of the booths.

[7:42] It has a history when the children of Israel lie in the wilderness back in Exodus, after they came out of Egypt, they wandered in the wilderness for 40 years because of their unbelief, and the Lord was very gracious back in the wilderness.

[8:00] The Lord provided for them a huge fire torch, you know that, the pillar of fire. They needed that because just like here in the forest, in the wilderness, it's pitch darkness without any light, and the Lord appeared as the pillar of fire by night, and the pillar of cloud by day.

[8:29] But anyway, in that wilderness experience, when they came out of that wilderness, the Lord commanded them, you need to celebrate the feast of the tabernacle because you guys were so needy, and I was with you, and I was the light, and you follow, and you are safe, and that experience telling you, I am truly your God, your Savior.

[8:58] and as you celebrate the feast of the tabernacle, remembering you living in the camp, in the booths, you know how I protected you.

[9:10] So it was in that festival, and they added some festivity, or some ritual there, and one of the rituals, besides the water pouring thing, is the lighting of lights, lighting of lights, so you have Christmas lights, you have Christmas parade, you have all the lights, but there in the temple, in Jesus' time, as the temple set on the beautiful temple mount, on top of the temple mount, you see the temple, if you are coming up from the downhill, going up, and then they light up that place, that ritual, that ritual, is wonderful, because they know, God is their light, they follow him in the wilderness, and he is that amazing savior, and as the temple is lit up, and the pilgrims coming, they see, wow, what a sight, and it was at that moment,

[10:27] Jesus cried out, verse 12, Jesus spoke to them again, because it's in the context of chapter 7, after Jesus said, I am the water that you need to drink, now as they are doing this light ritual, and the Lord sees the moment, tell them the truth, is a compelling truth, I am the light of the world, you are lighting up all these candles, big hue, to light up this temple, but you know, the Lord of the temple is here, I am the light, so I want you to see this claim of Christ, as you consider this important point they are making here, you can see that in your sermon outline, the main point the

[11:30] Lord is making here is this, you must follow me, the light of the world, and if you reject me, you will surely die in your sin, it's a guarantee, because this claim is very serious, and this is the truth, so as he made this claim, I want you to know this, few things about this claims, things, I am the light of the world, whoever follows me, will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life, very quickly, this claim is real, and here are the three reasons why you must follow Jesus, the light of the world, if you reject him, you will surely die in your sin, three reasons why you must follow

[12:41] Jesus, as Jesus lays it out here, first is because what he just claimed in verse 12 is real, just like we felt the darkness in the jungle, it was real, the weight of it, sometimes you get deceived by some electricity here, you think you are pretty alright, some lights here, you don't feel the darkness of your soul, but Jesus ripped it apart and let you see you are in darkness, do you know that?

[13:25] And this claim is so real, I just want to draw out some points here, first, I want you to know this, this claim, yes, real, it is God exalting, God exalting, Christ is exalting the Father, because in the Old Testament, as you have read, yes, even in Psalm 27, the Psalmist say, the Lord is my light, he is the one, he is my light and my salvation, they know that, the Old Testament saints, they know that the light means salvation, remember the wilderness, without the pillar of light, the pillar of fire, we will all perish in that scary wilderness, the

[14:26] Lord preserve us, by giving us his light, so Psalm 27, make it very clear, Yahweh is my light and my salvation, without him, I perish, so it is God exalting, Christ said, I am the light of the world, he is exalting the Father, because all the Old Testament, who have read the Old Testament, they know God is our light, our salvation, but Jesus, as he is exalting God, and we also have read, you know, part of the Old Testament, saying that the Messiah is the light of the nation, Isaiah 49, in Isaiah 49, God said to the servant in

[15:27] Isaiah, the servant in Isaiah, quick note, the servant with a capital S, like ESV translation, you go to Isaiah 49, the servant is referring to the Messiah, the promised one who will come to save God's people, the servant, and God said, your servant, right, the servant, he is going to be the light of the nation, referring to the Messiah, is the light for all people, that's Isaiah 49, so Jesus, when he said, I'm the light of the world, he's exalting God, yes, he is the light and your salvation, but he is also fulfilling what he has promised in Isaiah 49, he will make his Messiah, the light of the nation, and

[16:30] Jesus is exhaling God in fulfilling that very prophecy, I am the light, remember that, Isaiah 49, the Messiah is the light of the nation, and the Messiah is also divine, is divine, because John chapter 1, make it very clear, in the beginning was the word, and the word was God, the word was God, Jesus Christ, the logos of God, the revelation of God, the revelation of the Father, he is divine, so Jesus is exhaling God,!

[17:16] also claiming he is the Messiah, the God in human flesh, Father God, and God the Son, is fulfilling the very truth that you have read in the Old Testament.

[17:35] So it is God exalting and Christ is claiming to be God. So as you read further, that's why Jesus has the Father and me, the Son, he is talking about the Trinity.

[17:51] God the Father and God the Son, they are one. John 8, 58, Jesus claimed that.

[18:02] You talk about Abraham, but before your father Abraham, before Abraham was, I am. So the Jews picked up stone and wanted to kill him because he is claiming himself to be equal with God.

[18:24] But anyway, this claim is God exalting because Jesus not only glorifying the Father, he is also fulfilling the very mission of the Father.

[18:39] He has come the Messiah, the light of the nations. It's God exalting. Further, this claim, yes, it is real, but it is also executing.

[18:58] And this part, this part helps you understand why the reaction was so severe from the Pharisee, as the next verse tells you.

[19:12] But before we go there, look at this one more point. This claim, yes, is real, not only it is God exalting, but it is also pride executing, putting pride to death.

[19:30] because Jesus said, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.

[19:43] Light of life, meaning life producing light. So Jesus Christ, the Messiah, it is the life giving Messiah.

[19:54] So his life is life giving, life producing. If you follow him, you will not walk in darkness because darkness represents sin and death.

[20:08] But light is revealing the truth, the truth of salvation, the truth of God, and is life giving.

[20:22] And this life giving doesn't end. It is eternal life giving light. And he makes this claim, whoever follows me will not walk in darkness.

[20:40] In the original, will not walk in darkness is very emphatic. That's why you have other translations say, will never walk in darkness.

[20:53] Never. You will never walk in darkness. If you follow this light, you will be set free forever from darkness.

[21:05] Do you believe that? Do you believe that? So it is pride executing. Not only God exalting, it is pride executing because you want to follow him, it means you acknowledge you are in darkness.

[21:28] Because if you don't think you are in darkness, you won't follow him. And that is the problem with human pride.

[21:40] Even right now, as you hear this truth, I wonder how many of you will acknowledge that you are in darkness. Because if you don't, you won't appreciate the light.

[21:55] Just like the jungle experience. You won't appreciate the Savior. It is a very real claim.

[22:09] But you got to humble yourself. You have to admit you are a sinner.

[22:23] Because if you don't, Jesus said that only those who are sick, who look for a doctor, if you don't think you are sick spiritually, you won't come to the light.

[22:42] You won't. So friends, where are you? are you in darkness or you think you are alright because you can turn on these lights.

[22:59] But the claim is real, meaning you are in darkness. And this is not coming from some ordinary man on the street.

[23:14] this is coming from the Saviour's mouth. He knows you are in darkness because He is the only light.

[23:31] There's no other lights. This claim is exclusive. I am the light. In the Greek it has the article exclusive.

[23:44] the rest is in darkness. I am the light. So it is pride executing. But sadly not many like to hear that.

[24:03] So you have the first reaction. Verse 13. First reaction. So verse 13 the Pharisees said to him you are bearing witness about yourself.

[24:16] Your testimony is not true. So what are they saying? They are accusing the source of truth, the very light incarnate, they are accusing him of not telling the truth, meaning in a nice way.

[24:43] not telling the truth, meaning you are a liar. You are not telling the truth, you are lying. Why? Because you claim it for yourself.

[24:55] You are bearing witness about yourself. Your witness is not true. Of course, they have a little bit of legal background because back in the law of Moses in Deuteronomy, they talk about anybody want to bear witness, you must have two witnesses at least for any facts to be established.

[25:20] You need to have two witnesses. You can say whatever you want to say. Your witness is not true. So they attack Jesus who is giving them the truth they desperately needed.

[25:36] they accuse him of lying. How dare they say that to the Messiah? But that's how sinners react even today.

[25:48] Even today, try to tell your unbelieving friends, you know, you are a sinner and you need Christ. I'm a sinner, you are sinners too, and we all need Christ.

[26:05] You have the same reaction. They will attack you. Who are you? Who are you? So they're attacking Christ, the Messiah.

[26:20] You are lying. You are saying this on your own authority. Who are you? They say that later. But Christ in his compassion, Christ responded to them.

[26:36] He answered, verse 14, even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true. For I know where I came from and where I'm going, but you don't.

[26:50] You do not know where I come from or where I'm going. You judge according to the flesh. I judge no one according to the flesh.

[27:02] you judge me according to your standard, your human standard, like you in your law, the two witnesses, but I need you to know I don't belong to that standard.

[27:19] And Jesus said these very powerful words, you do not know where I come from.

[27:30] Neither do you know where I'm going. Jesus is saying I am from eternity. I am the one who created you.

[27:43] I am the maker of the entire universe. I am from the beginning as the gospel of John started in the beginning I am pre existent.

[27:56] I existed before you. I brought your existence into reality. I know where I come from.

[28:09] You don't. Jesus in his compassion telling them I'm not in your category. I'm of a different category.

[28:22] I'm the creator. You are the creature. And I'm telling you the truth because I know where I come from and where I'm going.

[28:33] I'm going back to God, the eternal God because I belong there. I came to tell you this good news. The light has come but they rejected him.

[28:47] friends, will you reject Christ this morning? But I'm going to show you because of time, Christ followed with his second reason.

[29:03] The second reason, first reason, his claim is true. Second reason, his claim is decisive. Decisive.

[29:16] Absolutely. his claim has consequences because it is real. What are the consequences?

[29:28] Decisive consequences. Look at verse 21. Verse 21, this further angered the proud because verse 21, the Lord said, so he said to them again, I am going away and you will seek me and you will die in your sin where I'm going.

[29:56] You cannot come. That is very offensive. Have you heard anybody say to you, if you don't believe in Jesus, you are going to perish in your sin.

[30:17] You are going to die. You are going to die in your sin. And note here, the sin here is singular. It's a singular.

[30:29] Without the S, you will die in your sin. Singular. But then further, further, it is puro.

[30:41] like verse 24, Jesus repeated this claim of his is very decisive because the consequences are very real.

[30:56] Verse 24, I told you that you would die in your sins. For unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins.

[31:11] So that's verse 24. So if you reject Christ in verse 21, you know what further you will go?

[31:22] You will go further into your depravity. It just gets worse. It will be the sin will multiply. So the sin, the singular one in verse 21 is as verse 24 also revealed to you unless you believe.

[31:40] So what is that sin singular? Because you don't believe. Unbelief is the mother of all the other sin.

[31:52] So the singular sin in verse 21 just to highlight because of the language is so obvious here as you read you might also wonder what is it singular in verse 21 and then poor in verse 24.

[32:06] all. So the singular sin the crisis condemning in verse 21 is that sin of unbelief.

[32:19] They rejected him because they don't believe what he said. So you trace through the gospel of John you will see this importance of belief because the purpose of the gospel in chapter 20 verse 30 and 31 tells you this gospel is written so that you might believe that Jesus Christ is the savior and then in believing you will have eternal life.

[32:56] So he's teaching how to believe the Messiah in the gospel of John and believing means taking his word at face value meaning you can take his word to the bank meaning what he say is real.

[33:25] So you have the story about John chapter 2 the wedding in Cana and Jesus went there went to the wedding remember what the mother said to Jesus and then what Jesus said to the mother basically that's the lesson the mother learned that and the mother said to all the waiters at the wedding the mother basically say whatever he said just do it that's what faith is whatever Christ said you are to follow meaning obey so the following the light is not some like mental ascent oh yes Jesus wonderful Christmas wonderful yes I believe Jesus but live a totally different life that's not believing believing means obeying whatever

[34:32] Christ said and that's real faith and Jesus said that as well in John 14 and 15 he explaining faith all throughout the gospel he said why do you say you love me but you don't do what I said there's no faith there you say you love me but you never obey me and gospel of John written by apostle John if you go further to what John said in 1st John chapter 2 verse 3 the apostle John he learned this from Christ and he he want to make it so clear in the gospel of John as well as in 1st John chapter 2 written by him also 1st John chapter 2 verse 3 and by this we know that we have come to know him if we keep his commandments you know how how you know you are followers of

[35:50] Christ you keep his words his commandments you obey what he says and then further verse 4 1st John chapter 2 verse 4 whoever says I know him or I believe him or I follow him but does not keep his commandments is a what is a liar and the truth is not in him so the Lord give a very decisive claim I'm the light whoever follows me will never walk in darkness whoever obey my words will have eternal life there's a true belief in the gospel of

[36:54] John so! in verse 21 they committed the greatest sin was that unbelief they don't believe what he said they attack him some more verse 22 so the Jews said will he kill himself since he says where I'm going you cannot come they totally ignore that decisive point there which is if you continue in your unbelief you will die in your sin they don't want to entertain that because they don't believe that after all so they just attack him about his claim that he is going away so they make a joke out of it they said will he kill himself since he says where

[37:54] I'm going you cannot come so you see unbelief get worse there's so much dishonoring of Christ here because of their unbelief so they make a joke of his claim they ignore his point and finally they say verse 25 who are you that's not a sincere question by the way verse 25 so they said to him who are you it's not the sincere seeker like who are you lord tell me I want to believe no this is this is like all the mockers the mockers will mock Christ and mock Christians they say who do you think you are who do you think you are that's so sad the very light the

[38:56] Messiah standing in front of them calling them to repent and follow him believe his word he is coming all the way from heaven he humbled himself he took on flesh he left heaven's glory and he called them believe I'm telling you the truth if you continue in your sin you will go to hell forever you will find yourself in the lake of fire that burns forever and ever they mock him they mock who do you think you are my friends are you mocking christ you know how we mock christ we turn our back on what he said we live a different life so in our life we are mocking him because we don't live the way he called us to live he called us as light live holy life we we defile his words by our sinful disobedience we mock him how you live you make a mockery of christ and not only you mock christ with your life you make a mockery of him at your workplace in your neighborhood in your community in your family you make a mockery of him when you disobey him the pharisees they are experts of that that's why christ in his compassion in matthew 23 he called them out in matthew 23 you blind guides you think you are walking in the light you are blind and you are leading so many to in blindness and they're following you and they're going to fall off into eternal pitch of darkness you hypocrites matthew 23 the lord is telling all these pharisees and all the opponents of his you you are white washed tomb outside look white but inside they're full of dead man's bones so jesus jesus claim is decisive decisive whether you continue in your hypocrisy but you know the consequences are real those who follow him will never walk in darkness but those who play a fool with his words those who mock him those who reject him those who lie to him they will find themselves in hell you will die in your sin and that death is not the physical death physical death is pretty easy right you breathe your lust you are gone but that you have a soul and that soul will have the second death and that's the death of the soul and

[42:57] that will not die and jesus keep warning them you know there's a place there's a fire a lake of fire the fire will not be quenched and the worms do not die hell suffering there is eternal conscious eternal suffering in our sin we land ourselves in the lake of eternal fire by our very sin of unbelief so Christ said you will die in your sin I'm telling you the truth unless you repent and follow me you will end up in that place and there is no return there no return there's no exit and there's no return and it's going to be forever so don't make a mockery of

[43:59] Christ whether in your own privacy in your family at work or in your community because Jesus sees and his claim is still decisive but that is grace that's what we want to move to third reason third reason his claim is undefeatable undefeatable and there is hope for us undefeatable you go to verse 28 Matthew sorry John chapter 8 verse John chapter 8 verse 28 so Jesus said to them when you have lifted up the son of man then you will know that I am he what is Jesus saying here when you lift me up meaning crucifixion more than that the lifting up is also exalting Christ glorification so

[45:00] Christ death but three days later he rose from the dead the father lift him up from the dead so when you crucify me is also my exhortation the father will exalt me the father will raise me from the dead then you will believe who I am that is true Jesus said that in john chapter 12 verse 32 when I am lifted up I will draw all men to myself so Jesus when he is lifted up when he is crucified and glorified the father lift him from the dead the atonement the atonement is done he came to atone for sin the sinless one came to die for sinners so when that is done atonement is available for all who believe in

[46:10] Jesus Christ and you if you believe you will receive the forgiveness of his sin all your mockery of him all in thoughts in words in deeds all sin past present future Christ pay for all on the cross when you lift him up the atonement is complete that's why Jesus before he breathed his last he said it is finished it is that moment he is indeed the savior he is indeed the savior so friends I call you to follow him just like what

[47:12] Christ said I am repeating what he said because that is what we need to know in this very passage will you follow him and it's decisive either you are following him or you are not following him there's no middle ground there's no sitting on the fence because all those who sit on the fence they are in the category of unbelief because if you believe you will not sit on the fence you will follow him you will carry the cross and follow him just like one back to the jungle story just like the moment when the light turn on it is safe when you follow the light because step out of the light is danger is perishing follow the light so friends the claim of

[48:26] Christ is real is decisive but we praise God undefeatable bullet proof even they nailed him to the cross that crucifixion it was the very means to complete the atonement for your sin let's pray heavenly father thank you for your word lord indeed just like the prayer we heard just now it's so easy for us to be dialed by the festivity during this season so easy for us to think this is another festival that we celebrate and we have we have not taken your word seriously and we are so numb by our love for sin we lose the weight of your claim we lose the the gravitas of your birth you came to shine in darkness so easy oh lord that we just follow the world and we also think you are like the

[50:00] Santa Claus we think you are so nice that you will let us live in our darkness in our hypocrisy lord have mercy on us you are not the nice Santa Claus you are the judge and you have said one day you will judge the living and the dead and all who have believe will enter your kingdom and all who don't believe will find themselves in the eternal lake of fire where the fire is not quenched and the worms does not die so lord we pray this very moment you will extend your grace to awaken sinners you will bring them to repentance and cause them to walk in the light from this day forward for we pray all this in the name of

[51:13] Christ amen to