November 26, 2023

John 8:12

Rev. Kristen J. Kleiman

It seems like this year more and more people put up and turned on their Christmas lights days and even weeks before Thanksgiving.  I know of a few people who had their Christmas trees up right after Veteran’s Day.  On the one hand, I was not ready; I was not ready to skip Thanksgiving, and on the other hand, I totally understand – because we need light.

Physically, we need light.  The plants and trees we need for survival need light to make their food, which makes food and air for us.  In our own bodies, light boosts our Vitamin D levels and regulates our melatonin and serotonin levels, leading to deeper, more restful sleep and promoting calmness and focus.  (The Sunny Science of Why We Need Sunlight, University of California Irvine, August 5, 2021 by morningsignout)

We don’t just like or appreciate light.  We need light – in all its forms to survive as human beings.  And as much as we need physical light, we also need spiritual light.

In the gospel of John, Jesus makes seven statements about who he is.  Seven statements about what his purpose is.  “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35);  “I am the gate” (John 10:9); “I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11); “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25); “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6); “I am the vine” (John 15:5); and “I am the light of the world.” (John 8:12)

“I am the light of the world.”  Light is symbolic of many things in our culture; however to the people who first heard Jesus say these words, light had only one meaning: God.  Light meant God’s presence.

In the beginning, when earth was a formless void, God said, “‘Let there be light’, and there was light.” (Genesis 1:3).  When God appeared to Moses and called him to set God’s people free from oppression and slavery, God appeared to Moses as a burning bush, as light, and when God led God’s people out of Egypt, God appeared to them as a pillar of fire, light to guide them through the wilderness.

To the Israelites, light meant God.  Light meant God’s presence so when Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.”  what they heard was God is here.  God is with us, just as God was with those who came before us, God is also guiding us.

Just as God guided the Israelites through the wilderness, Jesus is the light that will lead us through the unknown of our lives and world.  Those who follow Jesus “will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

That’s not to say there will be no more darkness in our lives and the world.  It is not to say that everything will perfect, that we will have no troubles or challenges.  It also doesn’t mean that we will be perfect – that we will have no anger or frustration or resentment.

It does mean that with Jesus, there will be light for the next step.  With Jesus, we have hope, and hope is a very powerful thing.  Hope is that flicker of light that keeps us going when we don’t think we have one more ounce of strength in us to try.  Hope is the light that gives us the faith to believe when all seems impossible.  Hope is the knowledge that we are not alone, that Jesus is guiding us in the right paths, paths that lead to light and to life.

In his blog post, “The Powerful Meaning of John 8:12”, Jeffery Curtis Poor writes:

“Culture around us is never short of ways we can find happiness. The problem is all those paths don’t lead to where they promise.” (Jeffery Curtis Poor, Jan 16, 2023, The Powerful Meaning of John 8:12 (I am the Light of the World), rethinknow.org)

There is so much light to this season, so much cheer, and yet, you could eat a mountain of Christmas cookies; you could shop, shop, shop, and shop some more; you could run from festive gathering to festive gathering; and light up every square inch of your house, and still – and still, you could feel empty.  You could feel anxious.  You could feel like happiness and joy were still out of reach.

“Culture around us is never short of ways we can find happiness. The problem is all those paths don’t lead to where they promise.  They rob us and leave us stuck in the darkness. Jesus offers us a better way to live. A way that actually leads to love, joy, peace, kindness, the things you and I are actually after.” (Jeffery Curtis Poor, Jan 16, 2023, The Powerful Meaning of John 8:12 (I am the Light of the World), rethinknow.org)

The spiritual light of Jesus leads to the life we are actually after.  The spiritual light of Jesus leads to love, joy, peace, kindness, and wholeness.  The spiritual light of Jesus finds all of those dark places inside of us – our fears, our anxieties, our worries, our insecurities, our anger – the light of Jesus finds all of those dark places and shines light on them, bringing healing.

This is Jesus’ purpose.  Jesus is the light of the world.  He has come into the world so that we won’t be stuck in darkness, fumbling about, lost and hopeless.

I imagine I am not alone in sometimes feeling completely at a loss for how to move forward.  I’m faced with a problem, and I can’t come up with any solutions.  I struggle for a while.  Too often I visit the pantry looking for inspiration amongst the cookies.  And then I remember that I don’t have to fumble around in the darkness by myself.  Jesus is the light of the world, the light of my world, and God is not only with me; God is inspiring me, transforming me, guiding me.  God is leading me on a path that leads to light and life.

This is why we are Christians.  This is why we believe.  This is why we wait for Jesus – because he is the light of the world, because he reminds us we are not alone, because he brings us hope, because he shows us a way that leads to what we are actually after – the light of life, a life of love, joy, peace, kindness, and wholeness.

As the days grow darker, as the world seems to grow darker, we seek light.  We need light.  We need Jesus, the light of the world.