THE LIGHT OF LIFE

“Life was in Him, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:4-5 HCSB)

Have you ever considered the importance of light? Light can be equated with life. Move the earth just a small distance from the sun’s light and the earth becomes a frozen wasteland. Light is so essential that it was the first thing God created.

In God’s new creation—the imparting of spiritual life to those in the darkness of sin—the Light is found in a Person, Jesus Christ. The Bible tells us that God is light and dwells in unapproachable light. God’s Light is seen in its fullness in Jesus Christ (John 1:14). This is the Apostle John’s testimony found in these verses, and along with love and life, is a recurring theme in this Gospel, and, indeed, in all of his writings.

He first points to THE WITNESS OF THE LIGHT.

“There was a man named John who was sent from God. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light,
but he came to testify about the light.” (John 1:6-8)

This John is not the writer of the Gospel, but is John the Baptist.

John, the Apostle describes for us, John the Baptist, as he speaks of HIS CHARACTER.

“He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light.” (v.8)

Such was the quality of John the Baptist’s character that there were people who thought he was the Light!

That means he was Christ-like. This cousin of Jesus was so godly that there were those who wondered if he were the Christ. John reflected the glory of God, but Christ is the glory! It is like the relationship between the sun and the moon. The moon does not originate the light, but its landscape is a mirror that reflects the light. The sun, however, is the far greater light and is the source of that light. As witnesses we are to reflect the glory of Christ. This is why Jesus said, “I am the Light of the world,” (John 9:5) and of His followers, “You are the light of the world.” (Matt.5:14a)

John the Baptist was not only Christ-like, he was committed.

“There was a man named John who was sent from God.” (v.6)

He was sent and he went! Commitment was constant throughout his life. That commitment at last cost him his head. But he never compromised. God has called us to be faithful unto death, but should we lose our head, He will place a crown of life on that same head in eternity (see Rev.2:10). It was through Bible teacher, Warren Wiersbe, that I first encountered the statement, “This world is a battleground, not a playground!” God’s servants know that.

John the Baptist’s character might be described as Christ-like, committed and compassionate.

“He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him.” (v.7)

You may not think of this forceful prophet as having a heart of compassion—but he did. He confronted sin and called for repentance because he knew that was the only way to heaven! Those who have come to the Light of life want others to experience this Light of love.

As John the Apostle writes of John the Baptist, he not only presents his character, but HIS COMMISSION.

“There was a man named John who was sent from God.” (v.6)

His commission was divinely appointed. God sent him. He sends us. Jesus said, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21b) This is the Great Commission, and we must not allow it to become the Great Omission!

John the Baptist’s commission was not only divinely appointed, it was divinely assigned. When God sends us, He always sends us somewhere. God has a specific plan and purpose for His servants. He did for John and He does for us.

John the Baptist was divinely appointed, assigned and anointed. God’s commandment is His enablement. He will never send us where He won’t supply us. According to one of my pulpit predecessors, Johnny Tiller, “Wherever His finger points, His hand provides.” You will find that to be so—I have.

So, the Apostle John writes of the witness of the Light and then proceeds to describe THE WORLD OF THE LIGHT.

“The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him.

He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.” (John 1:9-11)

The old hymn had it right, “The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin…” and it is still! But, “the light of the world is Jesus.”

Jesus came into a world PREPARED FOR ILLUMINATION.

“The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.” (v.9)

The Sovereign God had prepared the world for the dawn of the Sun of Righteousness that rose in Bethlehem’s stable. The Pax Romana—the Roman peace—gave favorable conditions to the spread of the Gospel. The Romans not only enforced law and order, which gave the Gospel witnesses a measure of protection, but they were road builders, offering transportation. They also spread the Greek language throughout the empire, and so there would be a universal tongue in which the New Testament would be written and its message shared. It was a world that the Creator had made ready for the Light of life.

But, this world was also PERVADED WITH IGNORANCE.

“He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him.” (v.10)

I don’t mean that people are mentally deficient, but that they are morally dull. Instead of following the lesser lights—the sun, moon and stars—to their Creator, the God of Light, they worshipped the lesser lights of the creation, and their consciences were darkened (see Romans 1:18-32). A Greek philosopher said, “It is difficult to find out about God, and when you find Him, it is impossible to tell anyone else about Him!” To first-century man, God dwelt in shadows where no one could see or on a mountain none could scale. When Paul was in Athens, he found an altar to the unknown God. He is still unknown by most today.

This world of darkness was prepared for illumination, but pervaded with ignorance and PETRIFIED BY INGRATITUDE.

“He came to His own, and His own people did not receive Him.” (v.11)

Again, I refer you to Romans 1: “For though they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God or show gratitude. Instead, their thinking became nonsense, and their senseless minds were darkened.“ (v.21) The world rejected Him. They did not care that God loved them so much that He sent His own Son to be their Savior. They loved darkness rather than light. People still do. Here is a solemn warning, however—if you reject the Light you reject life, and outer darkness awaits you.

John is pointing people to Jesus, the Light of life and has spoken of the witness and the world of the Light. He proceeds to share THE WORK OF THE LIGHT.

“But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name, who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.” (John 1:12-13)

This is the great work of salvation. Matthew 4:16 says, “The people who live in darkness have seen a great light, and for those living in the shadowland of death,
light has dawned.”

The light of life is PROVIDED BY GOD.

“who were born, not of blood, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.”
(v.13)

The new birth is essential for salvation. It is “not of blood.” Your parents can’t provide it. Having a Christian father and mother is a great advantage, but they can’t save you. The Jews thought they were going to heaven because they were descendants of Abraham. Jesus said the devil was their father. The new birth isn’t “of the will of the flesh.” Your performance can’t provide it. It isn’t of works, but grace. Nor is the new birth “of the will of man.” People can’t provide it. No person—priest or even Pope—can get you into heaven. That takes an intervention of grace from above. Only God can! That only happens through Jesus. If God has saved us, it means He has sired us!

Therefore, salvation is POSSESSED BY GRACE.

“But to all who did receive Him, He gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in His name” (v.12)

To receive Jesus is to receive all that He is—Savior and Lord. You aren’t entering a religion, but a relationship. It isn’t allegiance to a creed, but to Christ. God then gives us the right to be children of God.

That’s what grace is. God does for you what you could never do for yourself. If you wait to get good enough for heaven you will wait too late—because you can’t be that good! But God can place His goodness in you. Receive Jesus and He will save you. His life becomes your life—and that is eternal life, the righteousness of God which is by faith.

The Light is still shining. Now, it isn’t that the Dark Lord did not try to extinguish the Light of life—he did. “That light shines in the darkness, yet the darkness did not overcome it.” (John 1:5). Satan tried to eclipse the Light on a tree and enclose the Light in a tomb. But—He could not! In the glorious dawn of Easter sunrise, the Light burst forth from the grave and now shines forever in glory! Jesus stands as a beacon showing the way to heaven.

Have you come to the Light?