Category: Thoughts

The Coming of the Light of the World   Part 6 of 10

“The voice said, ‘I am rescuing you, and sending you to the Gentiles to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me’ “ (Acts 26:17-18)

During his testimony before King Agrippa, the apostle Paul described his conversion experience.  The voice he heard from heaven gave Paul this commission that succinctly summarized not only his mission, but the gospel itself.

We proclaim the gospel today so that folks’ eyes may be opened that they may turn from darkness to light, from the dominion of Satan to the kingdom of God.  When they do this, they receive the complete forgiveness of their sins, become co-heirs with Christ, and are sanctified by their faith in the finished work of Jesus who died in their place.

One of the hallmarks of the grace message is the complete forgiveness of sins.  And it is the hallmark of the gospel that Paul was called to preach.  And it is the hallmark of the gospel that we were called to preach.

When Jesus appeared before His disciples on the evening of His resurrection, He left them with this charge, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  You are witnesses of these things.  And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:46-49).

Our number one message to the world, “to all the nations,” is this, “Repent, change your mind about how you are made right with God, and you will receive the complete forgiveness of your sins.”  And we spread this message in the same power as the apostles, the power of the Holy Spirit that lives in us.

When we believe the gospel message of Jesus, we turn from darkness to light because Jesus is the Light of the world!

The Coming of the Light of the World   Part 5 of 10

“Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life’ “ (John 8:12).

If you have believed the gospel message of Jesus Christ, you are in God’s family just like His first-century followers.  And this verse is a promise to us, believers after the cross.

First, we will “not walk in darkness.”  This is God’s promise.  Believers do not walk in darkness.  Any verses in the New Testament about walking in darkness are not referring to you.  How can we be sure that we are we not walking in darkness?

The answer is the second part of the promise; the Light of life is living in us.  The Light of life – Jesus – has come to live in you by His Spirit.  We have “the Light of life.”

Here is the promise again.  Jesus said, “While you have the Light, believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light” (John 12:36).  The promise of the gospel is just that simple.  Behold the Light.  Believe in the Light.  And you will become sons and daughters of Light.

A “son of Light” has the light living in him.  In Matthew chapter 5, Jesus declares that a day is coming when we will be known as “the light of the world” (Matthew 5:14).  How can we be the light of the world?  I thought Jesus was the light of the world.  Do you see it?  By virtue of the Light living in you, sons and daughters of Light, you are joined with Jesus and have become “the light of the world.”

We are sons and daughters of Light and do not walk in darkness because Jesus is the Light of the world!

The Coming of the Light of the World   Part 4 of 10

“¹In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  ²He was in the beginning with God.  ³All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.  ⁴In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.  ⁵The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

“⁶There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.  ⁷He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him.  ⁸He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.  ⁹There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (John 1:1-9).

Jesus came as the Light shining in the darkness.  John testified about the Light; introducing us to the Light proclaiming, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29).

When you believed the gospel message of Jesus Christ, your sins were taken away by the Lamb of God and you went from darkness to light.  And you went from death to life because “in Him was life” (vs 4).  And everyone is invited to come to the Light because the “true Light, coming into the world, enlightens every man” (vs 9).

Jesus is the Light of life because Jesus is the Light of the world!

The Coming of the Light of the World   Part 3 of 10

“God says, ‘It is too small a thing that You should be My Servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also make You a light to the nations so that My salvation may reach to the end of the earth’ “ (Isaiah 49:6).

I wonder why “You” and “My Servant” are capitalized in my Bible.  Do the translators know something about what is coming?  Or, more importantly, Who is coming?

“Then Simeon took Jesus into his arms, and blessed God, and said, ‘Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, according to Your word.  For my eyes have seen Your salvation which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, “A light of revelation to the Gentiles,” and the glory of Your people Israel’ “ (Luke 2:28-32)

When Jesus was presented at the Temple as a baby, God’s servant Simeon recognized Him as the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 49.

“Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, ‘It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first.  But since you repudiate it and judge yourselves unworthy of eternal life, behold, we are turning to the Gentiles.  For so the Lord has commanded us, “I have placed you as a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the end of the earth.” ‘  When the Gentiles heard this, they began rejoicing and glorifying the word of the Lord; and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:46-48).

Later, in the book of Acts, Paul and Barnabas proclaimed Jesus as the fulfillment of the prophecy of Isaiah chapter 49.  And proclaiming Jesus as the Light beyond just the Jews – the Light to the nations – led many Gentiles to glorify God and believe the gospel.

Jesus is the Light of Isaiah chapter 49 because Jesus is the Light of the world!

The Coming of the Light of the World   Part 2 of 10

“But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.  The people who walk in darkness will see a great light; those who live in a dark land, the light will shine on them” (Isaiah 9:1-2).

What light is going to drive out the darkness for the people of Zebulun and Naphtali?  What light is going to shine upon them?

Jesus began His earthly ministry in Capernaum, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali.  Matthew described it this way, “This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, ‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles; the people who were sitting in darkness saw a great light, and those who were sitting in the land and the shadow of death, upon them a light dawned’ “ (Matthew 4:14-16).

Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 9.  Notice the people were sitting in the “shadow of death.”  Another contrast between light and darkness, saved and lost, is those who possess eternal life and those under the punishment of death.  When we believed the gospel, we went from death to life (John 5:24).  Jesus transferred us from death to life.

Jesus is the Light of Isaiah chapter 9 because Jesus is the Light of the world!