“I am the light of the world.” John 8:12
Years ago, my hubby and I were on a mission trip to the Philippines. On night we had to walk to our accommodation through part of the jungle. The only light we had to see where we were going, was a small kerosene lamp balanced on the head of our guide. It was quite a scary walk. We were on a small dirt path, flanked on either side by thick dark forest, from which we could hear strange noises. Not for a minute did we take our eyes off that light. If we missed the light, we would have been in serious danger of getting totally lost.
Jesus’ birth was heralded by a bright star that hovered over the place where he was living after He was born. It was this light that led the wise men to the place where they kneeled to worship Him. John opens his gospel with the announcement that Jesus was the light for mankind. The spiritual light, shining in the darkness of a dying world.
The Bible uses darkness to describe spiritual blindness. If you are naturally blind, you cannot see where you are going. When you are spiritually blind you cannot see where your life is heading. Spiritually blind people can be really nice, caring, happy people, who live good lives helping others. They may have no interest in the Bible, or desire to serve God, but in the eyes of the world, they are good people, who if there is a heaven, would be sure to get in.
Jesus came to show us how wrong this thinking is. No-one can earn their way to heaven, by good deeds or giving charitable donations. Jesus made this very clear in His dealings with the rich young man in Mark 10:17-27. There is only one way to heaven, and that is through accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour of your life. When Jesus shone the light of truth into this young man’s heart, he went away sorrowful. He wanted heaven on his own terms, not God’s.
Imagine you’ve been lying in a pitch-dark prison cell and someone switches the light on. There is an immediate pain in your eyes. You automatically shut your eyes tightly to keep the light out. But, as your eyes adjust, you open them and see that the cell door is open and you are free to go. Wouldn’t it be a tragedy if you refused to open your eyes because of the initial pain and stayed in that cell for the rest of your life.
This is the spiritual truth that the Bible teaches. When Jesus shines His light into our hearts, it hurts. It hurts to see our own sin and failings. We don’t want to acknowledge that we need His Light. We shut our hearts to stop the pain of the truth. We don’t want to acknowledge that we are sinners in need of a Saviour. So, we hold onto the darkness, blocking out His Light as hard as we can.
Jesus never forces anyone to believe in Him or accept Him as Saviour. He came to shine the Light of His love on our lives to show us the way out of this broken world, and into a new life by following Him. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.” John 8:12