Soar Like Eagles (Part 25)
I Am The Light of the World - John 8:12-30

I recently began to notice a word that keeps popping up these days.
This word can have several meanings, I guess, but it seems to be used
primarily to end discussions.
At first, I thought it was used only by teen-agers, but I have since
heard it on the lips of people of all generations. Increasingly, it is
used to say, "It doesn't matter enough to talk about any further." The
word is "whatever."
A parent says to a child, "You should do this!" and the child replies,
"Whatever."
A teenage girl encourages her friend to "do the right thing" in a
situation, and the answer is "Whatever."
Two adults argue over politics until one of them has had enough, so he
shrugs his shoulders and says, "Whatever."
On a more significant level, "whatever" can mean that truth does not
matter to people. It can communicate that you are entitled to your view of
truth, I am entitled to my view of truth, and we can assume that we are
both equally right.
In the United States in the 1990s, "whatever" is more than a cultural
fad; it is a oneword indicator of the way a nation is thinking.
What do you think about my evaluation of this interesting word? Did I
hear you say, "Whatever" ?
In our text, Jesus challenged the spirit of "whatever." His message is
bold, and His claims cannot be ignored. In the end, you may respond to
Him with a joyous "Yes!" or a defiant "No!"--but He will not allow you to
answer, "Whatever."

THE "I AM" PHRASE
In this passage Jesus talks of "following" himself. We often speak of
following Jesus; we often urge men to do so. What do we mean?

The Greek word for "to follow" is "akolouthein" and its meanings
combine to shed a flood of light on what it means to follow Jesus.

It has at least five different but closely meanings:

- It is often used of a soldier following his captain.
On the long route marches, into battle, in campaigns in strange lands,
the soldier follows whereever the captain may lead. The Christian is the
soldier whose conlmander is Christ.

- It is often used of a slave accompanying his master.
Wherever the master goes the slave is in attendance upon him, always
ready to spring to his service and to carry out the tasks he gives him to
do. He is literally at his master's beck and call. The Christian is the
slave whose joy it is always to serve Christ.

- It is often used of accepting a wise counselor's opinion.
When a man is in doubt he goes to the expert, and if he is wise he
accepts the judgment he receives. The Christian is the man who guides his
life and conduct by the counsel of Christ.
- It is often used of giving obedience to the laws of a city or a state.
If a man is to be a useful member of any society or citizen of any
commuaity, he must agree to abide by its laws. The Christian, being a
citizen of the kingdom of heaven, accepts the law of the kingdom and of
Christ as the law which governs his life.

- It is often used of following a teacher's line of argument, or of
following the gist of someone's speech.
The Christian is the man who has understood the meaning of the
teaching of Christ. He has not listened in dull incomprehension or with
slack inattention. He takes the message into his mind and understands,
receives the words into his memory and remembers, and hides them in his
heart and obeys.

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of
the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, hut will have
the Iight of life."
In John 8 Jesus moves about the temple preaching. His message(s) expands
the discussion in chapter 7. We find him first in the court of the women
where thirteen trumpet-shaped vessels lined one wall. On the other side
of the wall was the meeting room of the Sanhedrin.
This court was reserved for the Pharisees. Here they taught their
disciples. Jesus took over their spot. Yet no one stopped him even though
he was within earshot of the Sanhedrin. Oh, they wanted to, but his time
had not yet come (cf. Jn 2:4; 7:6, 30; 12:23, 27; 17:1). From here Jesus
moves out to the porches of the temple. Outside the sanctuary the crowds
would be free to ask questions and enter into the conversation.
Unfortunately they didn’t much like what he said out there. In fact, they
picked up stones from the construction site to kill him (Jn 8:59).
This is the second of Jesus’ "I AM" statements (cf. Jn 6:35; 8:12; 10:7,
9, 11, 14; 11:25; 14:6; 15:1, 5). Perhaps it is the richest. Light is
used to represent truth because it exposes what is actually there, and
purity because of its own essence.
In the NT these two qualities of light are personified in: (1) God (1 Tim
6:16; 1 John 1:5). (2) Jesus—God’s envoy (Mt 4:16 [Isa 9:1-2]; Lk 2:32;
Jn 1:4-5, 9; 3:19; 8:12; 9:5; 12:36, 46-47). (3) Christians—as envoys of
Jesus (Mt 5:14; Lk 16:8; Jn 12:36; 1 Thess 5:5). (4) The gospel—as
proclaimed by Christians (Acts 26:23; 2 Cor 4:4; Titus 1:3; 2 Pet 1:19).
There is a fierce conflict between light and darkness (Jn 1:5; 3:19-21;
12:35; Acts 26:18; Rom 13:12; 2 Cor 6:14; Eph 5:8; 1 Thess 5:5; 1 Pet
2:9; 1 John 2:9).
Darkness hates the light because it exposes and thereby judges its evil
deeds (Jn 3:19-21; 1 Cor 3:13; 4:5; Eph 5:13-14). This competition
between darkness and light (i.e., God and Satan) will end with the
consummation of the kingdom (Col 1:12; 1 John 2:8). Finally, all this
"light" theology is embodied in the New Jerusalem which will have as its
light the Lord Jesus (Rev 21:23-24; 22:5).
The light of the menorah (candlestick) played a prominent role in the
Feast of Tabernacles. Its light spreads across the court of women where
Jesus is presently teaching. Perhaps this allusion connects directly with
God’s light of the tabernacle. Nonetheless, when Jesus applies to himself
the metaphor of "light," the Pharisees can hardly miss its Messianic
implication. They challenge him on such an audacious claim. Again they
call him a misguided maverick, speaking on his own behalf. According to
the Mosaic law of testimony, any statement required at least two or three
witnesses. Twice already Jesus has delineated his supporting witnesses
(Jn 5:30-47; 7:16-19). He hardly needs to cover that ground again here.
In fact, John has combined three "wilderness images:" the manna
(cpt. 6), the water from the rock (cpt. 7), and the pillar of tire (cpt.
8).
To "follow" the Lord means to believe and trust Him; and the results
are life and light for the believer. We follow His words (John 10:4) and
His example (1 Peter 2:21; John 13:15, 34-35).
There are some who say they believe on Christ, but they walk
contrary to their belief. One who sincerely believes on Christ will "walk
in the light".
There are two things we must do with the gospel of Christ: believe
it and behave it. If a man is soundly converted, he will not only believe
in his heart, but follow the Lord with his feet.
It may sound like Jesus is contradicting himself in v. 14 (cf. Jn 5:31,
and notes). But since the Pharisees have rejected or ignored all of
Jesus’ supporting witnesses, what can he do but simply verify his own
testimony? Truly, he is the only one who can testify about his heavenly
origin (v. 14), his unity with the Father (vv. 15-16), and the
consistency between what he says and what God says (vv. 17-18).
No one else has been to heaven and back who can verify the truth of what
Jesus says. John and Moses received divine revelation about Jesus, but
the Pharisees have rejected their testimony. Jesus’ miracles indicate
supernatural power, but the Pharisees have relegated them to a demonic
power. The only two witnesses left are Jesus and the Father. The
Pharisees have demonstrated a resolute refusal to listen to Jesus. And
since they know not the Father, they have no way to receive his
testimony. Sadly, Jesus is their only way to the Father, but they have
cut him off. They have now burned every bridge out of the valley of the
shadow of death.
All that is left is judgment and certain death. Jesus came not to judge
the world but to save it (Jn 3:16-17). However, in the process of
preaching the gospel of salvation, his words set some parameters around
who would and who would not be saved (Jn 5:24). In this slice of time we
call the incarnation, it is not the Son of Man who judges, but his words
most certainly do. The future nonincarnate Christ will, indeed, pass
judgment on this world and all evil men who refuse to accept God’s
messenger (Jn 5:26-30).
The unsaved are walking in darkness because they love darkness (3:
17ff). One of the major messages in this gospel is that the spiritual
light is now shining, but people cannot comprehend it--and they try to
put it out (1:4-5).
Jesus declared, "I am the light of the world" in 8:12. Although
modern readers tend to focus on the "light of the world" part of His
statement, the most important aspect of what Jesus was saying is found in
the first two words: "I am."
That small phrase has a rich Old Testament background; and to Jesus'
first-century Jewish audience, it probably was the most controversial
statement He had ever made. To them it sounded as if He were saying, "I
am God." In the context of the Gospel of John, that is exactly what He
was saying!
"I am" is the way God spoke of Himself in the Old Testament. When God
met Moses in the burning bush, Moses asked about His name. He was told,
"I am who I am" (Exodus 3:14).
"The Pharisees challenged him, "Here you are, appearing as your own
witness; your testimony is not valid. "
Not all the Jewish leaders had left the group, and others had no
doubt come along after the woman left. As usual, they debated with Jesus.
This time, they accused Him of bearing witness to Himself by claiming to
be the Light of the world; and Jewish courts would not permit a person to
bear witness to himself.
Their attitude progressively and heatedly escalates from
contradiction (vs. 13) to insinuation (vs. 19) to denial (vs. 33) to
insult (vs. 48) to sarcasm (vs. 53) and, finally and climactically, to
violence (vs. 59).
"Jesus answered, "Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is
valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no
idea where I come from or where I am going. {15} You judge by human
standards; I pass judgment on no one. {16} But if I do judge, my
decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who
sent me."
There were many reasons why the Pharisees rejected Jesus, but the main
one was their ignorance..and also because their zeal (Romans 10:1) lacked
knowledge. And it was consistent with their ancestors.
Hosea 4:1-3: "Hear the word of the LORD, you Israelites, because the
LORD has a charge to bring against you who live in the land: "There is no
faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land. {2} There is
only cursing, lying and murder, stealing and adultery; they break all
bounds, and bloodshed follows bloodshed. {3} Because of this the land
mourns, and all who live in it waste away; the beasts of the field and
the birds of the air and the fish of the sea are dying."
Hosea 4:6: "...my people are destroyed from lack of knowledge.
"Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests;
because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your
children."
Light has to bear witness to itself! The only people who cannot see
the light are blind people.
I recall the first time I flew in an airplane at night. I was
fascinated by the changing textures of colored lights in the cities below
me. 1 then understood why it was necessary to have blackouts during the
war...the enemy pilots could see the smallest evidence of light and thus
find the target.
Light bears witness to itself; it tells you it is here.
One of the key words in this section is witness; it's
used seven times. Jesus made It clear that their witness was not
dependable because their judgment was faulty. They judged on the basis of
externals, mere human judgment, but He judged on the basis of spiritual
knowledge.
They way they judged the woman taken in adultery proved that they
neither understood the Law or their own sinful hearts!
They also suffered from a lack of perception: they drew their
conclusions from the wrong standard. Looking at externals, they saw only
a carpenter's son. They didn't have the discernment to see beneath the
flesh and blood into the spiritual dimension. His meekness, poverty and
apparent powerlessness did wt fulfill their ideal.
John 8:17-20: "In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two
men is valid. {18} I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is
the Father, who sent me." {19} Then they asked him, "Where is your
father?" "You do not know me or my Father," Jesus replied. "If you knew
me, you would know my Father also." {20} He spoke these words while
teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put.
Yet no one seized him, because his time had not yet come."
Because they knew but abused the law, Jesus quotes from it: the
testimony of two men was required to validate a judgment.
Numbers 35:30: ""'Anyone who kills a person is to be put to death as a
murderer only on the testimony of witnesses. But no one is to be put to
death on the testimony of only one witness."
Deuteronomy 19:15: "One witness is not enough to convict a man
accused of any crime or offense he may have committed. A matter must be
established by the testimony of two or three witnesses."

How does God hear witness to the supreme authority of Jesus?
- The witness of God is in Jesus' words.
No man could speak with such wisdom unless God had given him
knowledge.

- The witness of God in Jesus' deeds.
No man could do such things unless God was acting through him.

- The witness of God in the effect God had upon men.
He works changes in men which are obviously beyond human power to
work. The very fact that Jesus can make bad men good is proof that his
power is not simply a man's power, but God's.
Wherever and whenever Jesus has been fully displayed (and the cross
has been preached), there has been an immediate and overwhelming response
in the hearts of men.
Jesus never really answered their question, "Where is your Father?"
The word father is used 21 times in
this chapter, so Jesus did not avoid the issue but faced it honestly. He
knew that "their father" was not God--but the devil!
These men were religious, and yet they were the children of the
devil. Their further attempts to arrest Jesus were again thwarted by the
Father, for it was not yet our Lord’s our when He should give His life.
When the servant of God is in the will of God, he can have courage and
peace as he does his duty.
Why would John mention the fact that Jesus was near the Treasury when
He said these words? Because the temple treasury was very near the
council chambers of the Sanhedrin.
(8:22) "This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that why he
says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?""
Jesus had already mentioned His leaving them (7:34), but the Jews had
misunderstood what He said once again, He warned them: He would leave
them, they would not be able to follow Him, and they would die in their
sins.
They were wasting their God-given opportunities by arguing with Him
instead of trusting Him; and one day soon, their opportunities would end

This verse implies several things:
- There are certain opportunities which come and do not return. To
every man is given the opportunity to accept Christ; but that
opportunity can be refused and lost.
- Truth and life are limited. The time to make a decision is
limited--and none of us knows what his limit is. There is every reason
for making that time now.
- There is judgment . The greater the opportunity, the more clearly it
beckons, the oftener it comes, the greater the judgment if it is refused
or missed.
Luke 12:47-48: ""That servant who knows his master's will and does
not get ready or does not do what his master wants will be beaten with
many blows. {48} But the one who does not know and does things deserving
punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been
given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been
entrusted with much, much more will be asked."
Make no mistake about it...Jesus said they would "die in their sins."
The word for sin is ''hamartia" which onginally had to do with shooting
and literally means "a missing of the target." The man who walks in his
sin has missed the target in life.
The other idea is that sin separates us from God. When Adam committed
the first sin, his first instinct was to hide himself from God:
Genesis 3:8-10: "Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the
LORD God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they
hid from the LORD God among the trees of the garden. {9} But the LORD God
called to the man, "Where are you?" {10} He answered, "I heard you in the
garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.""
John 8:22-24) "This made the Jews ask, "Will he kill himself? Is that
why he says, 'Where I go, you cannot come'?" {23} But he continued, "You
are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this
world. {24} I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not
believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your
sins.""
Once again, the people misunderstood His teaching. They thought He was
planning to kill Himself! Suicide was an abhorrent thing to a Jew, for
the Jews taught to honor all life. If Jesus committed suicide, then He
would go to a place of judgment. And if this were true, whyu would they
want to follow Him?
The Christian has his citizenship in heaven; his affection and
attention are fixed heavenward.
Philippians 3:20-21: "But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly
await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, {21} who, by the power
that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform
our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body."

(John 8:25-27) ""Who are you?" they asked. "Just what I have been
claiming all along," Jesus replied. {26} "I have much to say in judgment
of you. But he who sent me is reliable, and what I have heard from him I
tell the world." {27} They did not understand that he was telling them
about his Father."
It seems incredible that these religious "experts" should ask, "Who
are You?" He had given them every evidence that He is the Son of God, yet
they deliberately rejected the evidence.
Jesus replied as if to say, "If you don't believe what I've already
said and done, I'm not going to give you any new evidence."

Jesus boldly made several claims to deity:
- He said He would judge, and judgment to the Jews belonged only to God
- He claimed to be sent by God
- He claimed to have heard from God the things that He taught
John 8:28-30: "So Jesus said, "When you have lifted up the Son of Man,
then you will know that I am the one I claim to be and that I do nothing
on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. {29} The one who
sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what
pleases him." {30} Even as he spoke, many put their faith in him."
Certainly, it is clear here that Jesus spoke about His own death, when
He would be "lifted up" on the cross (3: 14; 12:32). He would be lifted
up in crucifixion and in exaltation and giorification!
It would be His death, burial, resurrection, and ascension that would
reveal Himself finally to the Jewish nation. This was the message Peter
preached at Pentecost in Acts 2.
Even a Roman soldier, who saw the events of the cross, would say,
"truly this man was the Son of God" (Mark 15:29).
The early church, following the example of their Lord (Luke 24:25-27),
would show from the Old Testament prophecies both the sufferings and the
glory of the Messiah.
Jesus made another stupendous claim: not only was He sent by the
Father...but the Father was also pleased with Him.
Salvation is a matter of life or death. People who live in their sins
and reject the Savior must die in their sins There is no alternative!
We either receive salvation by grace or experience condemnation under
God's law. We either walk in the light would have eternal life, or walk
in die dark-
ness and experience eternal death.

JESUS' CLAIMS TODAY
What are we to think about Jesus today? Most people are willing to
accept that Jesus lived and that He was a good man, but many are not
willing to accept that He is, indeed, the Son of God.
Jesus made such a view absurd. He did not claim to be just a good man;
He claimed to be "I am." He did not present Himself as a great
philosopher; He presented Himself as the only way to the Father. He did
not teach that He had special insight into God; He claimed that He was
one with the Father.
His bold claims force us to make a choice to believe or reject His true
identity. When it comes to Jesus, "whatever" is not an option. In this
matter, the furious Jewish leaders with stones in their hands understood
what Jesus was saying better than do unbelievers today who talk about how
Jesus was "a good man."
Concerning this, Josh McDowell wrote:
"To Jesus, who men and women believed him to be was of fundamental
importance. To say what Jesus said and to claim what he claimed about
himself, one couldn't conclude he was just a good moral man or prophet.
That alternative isn't open to an individual, and Jesus never intended it
to be.'

Years earlier, C. S. Lewis came to a similar conclusion:
"I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that
people often say
about Him: "I'm ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I
don't accept His
claim to be God." That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was
merely a man
and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral
teacher. He would
either be a lunatic on a level with the man who says he is a poached
egg--or else he
would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man
was, and is,
the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him up
for a fool,
you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet
and call Him
Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His
being a great
human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to."

CONCLUSION
What does all of this mean for us today? First, for those who have
grown up in the Christian faith, it forces us to move beyond the "Jesus
was a nice man" phase of our own spiritual development. As my children
grow up, I want them to be impressed at an early age by Jesus' kindness
and gentleness toward children and people who are hurting. Having such a
picture of Jesus is good.
However, if my children never grow beyond that picture of Jesus, if
they never realize that Jesus was not only gentle but also bold and
demanding, then their faith will fail to mature. Jesus claimed to be "I
am." The old saying is true: "Either Jesus is Lord of all, or He is not
Lord at all!"
The encounter with Jesus in John 8 hits sleepy, apathetic Christians
like a cold slap in the face. Is He who He says He is? If He is not, then
why are we still "playing church"? If He is, then why are we not living
and working as if nothing else in life matters as much as the Lord Jesus?
To the man or woman who still attends worship services but is not
living as a Christian Monday through Saturday, this meeting with Jesus is
a call to make a decision. Each of us must stand on the side of faith or
on the side of disbelief.
What do you think about Jesus? Was He a blasphemer? Was He a liar? Was
He a lunatic? Is He Lord? You must decide! "Whatever" is not an option!

Jesus as the "I Am"
Of all the Gospel writers, John places the most emphasis upon the
deity of Christ through recording His actual claims about Himself.
When Christ said, "Before Abraham was born, I am" (8:58), the people
knew that He was claiming the very name of God that was revealed to Moses
at the burning bush (Exodus 3:14).
This is why the people tried to stone Him for alleged blasphemy.
Christ was and is the eternal I Am. In a series of assertions, He
amplified that claim:

1. I am the bread of life (6:35).
2. I am the light of the world (8:12; 9:5).
3. I am the door (10:7).
4. I am the good shepherd (10:11, 14).
5. I am the resurrection and the life (11:25).
6. I am the way, the truth, and the life (14:6).
7. I am the true vine (15:1).

Other supporting statements in John include "I and the Father are one"
(10:30) and "He who has seen Me has seen the Father" (14:9).

Jesus as the One Sent
As Jesus worked to establish His identity and His purpose in the minds
of His listeners, He emphasized that He was "sent" from God:
1. Jesus stated plainly that He was sent from the Father (6:57; 7:29;
8:42; 10:36).
2. He said, "He who sent Me is with Me;..." (8:29).
3. He spoke the words of the Father who sent Him (3:34; 7:16; 12:49;
14:24).
4. He did the will, or the works, of the One who sent Him (4:34; 5:30,
36; 6:38, 39; 9:4).
5. The world is called to believe in the One who was sent (6:29; 11:42;
17:8, 21, 23, 25).
6. Jesus said, "No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me
draws him;..." (6:44).
7. He said that the Father who sent Him has borne witness of Him (5:37;
8:18).
8. He said, "He who beholds Me beholds the One who sent Me" (12:45).
9. To accept or reject Jesus is to accept or reject the One who sent Him
(5:23, 38; 12:44; 13:20).
10. Jesus said that He would go to Him who sent Him (7:33; 16:5).
11. He promised that eternal life would come through knowing the One who
was sent (5:24; 17:3).
12. He said that as the Father sent Him, He was sending His disciples
(17:18; 20:21).
13. Jesus warned His followers that they would be rejected by those who
do not know the One who sent Him (15:21).
14. He said that He and the One who sent Him are true (7:18, 28; 8:16,
26).

Last modified: April 18, 2006