R254 The Light of the World

God has an encouraging word for you and me today to the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton and a message on the light of the world as we prepare to open our Bibles to John chapter 8 note of the phone line is open for you. Would love to talk with him and pray with you and 866-899-WORD that 866-899-9673 now strike your Bibles with me this morning.

Turning your Bibles. John's Gospel in chapter 8 I'm going to be reading from the same version that is in the pew Bible. It's important because this might shock some of you are actually have got nothing to say outside of God's word not know that I've said this to you before and I don't say it just to make a statement order sound correct, but I'm not going to be preaching from the readers digest from the National Geographic from the local newspaper to see friends. The Bible is a very special book.

It's God's word from Genesis to Revelation, doesn't contain the word of God. It is the word of God.

The Bible says that my word is a lamp unto thy feet, and it is a light unto thy path way and are subject this morning in John's Gospel, and beginning in verse 12 is the light of the world now want to say a few things and I know that you're getting used to me doing that. I want to say a few things before I begin to read this extraordinary encounter.

We begun to notice more and more particularly in the closer we move toward that incredible life-changing event that took place upon the cross of Calvary that the acquisition to the Lord Jesus Christ began to become far more prominent with every step. But Jesus took toward the cross is Dr. Billy Graham has preached before and will do so many more times the a frames of the cross. You see the cross and everything involved in the cross was and is completely offensive to the darkness of the world. There is nothing about the cross that the world can tolerate and I would remind you that in the first 11 verses of chapter 8 as we preached on the real meaning of forgiveness. It was an affront to read of the highest order that Jesus should have seemingly ignored the adulterous affair of this woman who was caught in sin.

Jesus was not ignoring her sin. Jesus condemned person.

I'm convinced today that the Lord Jesus Christ and the consistency of everything that he is would have spoken to her about the consequences of person. But what Jesus did with the woman in the first eight verses 11 verses of chapter 8 was an affront to re-to the human interpretation that mankind plays upon human life because they are interpreting life from the perspective of the darkness of the world. This 12 of John chapter 8 is an absolutely pivotal and key verse in fact, whilst there are so many verses, just like this.

May I suggest to you that verse 12 stands is probably the most critical verse in all of John's Gospel because it speaks so eloquently to the person and the ministry and the very nature of who God is.

So let's read together and I'm beginning in verse 12 when Jesus spoke again to the people. He said I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. The Pharisees challenged him. I'm sure we will surprised by now the Pharisees challenged him yeah you are Jesus appearing as your own witness. Your testimony is not valid. Jesus on soup.

Even if I testify on my own behalf. My testimony is valid for I know where I came from and where I am going you judge by human standards to see if they that's what Jesus told them, you judge by human standards ipos judgment on no one but if I do judge, my decisions are right because I am not alone I stand with the father who sent me in your own Lord.

It is written that the testimony of two men is valid. I am one who testifies for myself by other witnesses.

The father who sent me. Then I Austin where is your father. You do not know me all my father, Jesus replied, if you knew me you would know my father also not Jesus 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, once more Jesus said to them, I'm going away and you will look for me and you will die in your sin, for where I go you cannot come by the Jews lost will he kill himself. Is that why he says where I go you cannot come but he continued, you are from below. I am from above you all of this world. I am not of this world. I told you that you would die in your sins. And Garrett is this is the gospel message.

If you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins. Well, who are you them by August just what I've been climbing all along. Jesus replied I have much to say in judgment of you but he who sent me is reliable and what I've heard from him. I tell the world that they did not understand that he was telling them about his father. 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 that I do nothing on my own, but rather I speak just what the father has told me the one who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him, even as he spoke many put their faith in him.

May the Lord write his word upon our hearts. I'm sure that you would agree with me this morning that black is something which is universally accepted by old people and understood by most people and particularly all religions of the world. If you ever want to try and understand the meaning of life in the New Testament. You need to go back to the Old Testament that I don't have time to get into this, but black has its roots in the Old Testament and in fact I'm going to submit to you this morning my beloved friend that if we are ever going to be able to understand what Jesus said we have to understand the source of lack in the Old Testament, the psalmist says in Psalm 27 in verse one.

The Lord is my life and he is my salvation seems to me rather remarkable that this was done. Everything that we read about that was done during the time of the feast of the tabernacle that you will recall that I suggested to you some weeks ago that if you were to get a group of of young boys and goes around back in Jesus time and you were to say to them all right boys and girls you brought a choice. We could go to the feast of the Passover we could go to the feast of the Tabernacles and listed all of the different traditions and ebbing what would you like to do. It would've been a resounding a resounding amen to go to the feast of the tabernacle. This was the original Mardi Gras. There was no question about it. See the feast of the tabernacle was the most joyful, most exotic, most spirited food and I use that in a human sense. The most unbelievable time of celebration in the Jewish calendar.

Historians tell us that you could go to Jerusalem and outside of the walls of Jerusalem. There would be just hundreds of these tiny little tents you know Dr. pounds. The kinds that when we go with our sons on all right camps and in the middle of the night. You gonna wake up and wish you were back home with mom. Are you know watching TV in the eye and there they were.

They were just all these little tents all over the place. These tents were erected in order to remind the Israelites of their 40 years of wandering around in the wilderness. As a consequence of their sin. That's just how they live almost as nomadic tribes for such a long period of time, and in fact back in Exodus chapter 13 and verse 21. The Bible tells us that during the day the Israelites were guided by a pillar of cloud and at night the Israelites were guided by a pillar of fire will write you at the feast of the tabernacle, something extraordinary began to take place because in the middle of the night at the darkest moment in time. All of a sudden Fulbright candles were forbidden, described as Fulbright Blacks were elected by the clergymen of the day by the high priest, and these lights would radiate the Shekinah glory of God. Round about Jerusalem and historians tell us that these lights was so visible and I was so powerful that they literally pierced the nurse that hovered over the role of Jerusalem during the feast of the tabernacle and I lighted up everything for everybody to see what the did symbolize it symbolized a reminder to the children of Israel about the outstretched hand. As the psalmist says in Psalm 19 is where starting on Wednesday night that the whole heavens declare the glory of God and the declaration of the glory of God is bounding to the very heartbeat of the character of God is, and that God's holiness radiates down through his outstretched hands upon the firmament, and upon the people of the earth and God's glory is my present and manifest upon the earth here in the midst of this darkness. These lights shone for symbolizing the Shekinah glory of God reminding the children of Israel about their deliverance because of who God is reminding them about the fact that even though they had sinned and fallen far short of the glory of God that he is still the great and isn't it remarkable to think Jesus would have chosen this occasion to stand there before the skeptics to stand there before these men and women in boys and goes on to say to them.

I want you to know men and women, ladies and gentlemen, boys and goes teenagers children. I want you to know that you might look at that symbolical lack which symbolizes the glory of God.

Even in the midst of your depredation deprivation even in the midst of your Mardi Gras philosophy of life, but I want you to know there is a greater lack than even this I am the light of the world and whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the lack of life is not incredible. That's exciting. Please forgive the eruption will be back with the rest of today's message the light of the world with Dr. Don Wilton but he insists I remind you we are available to speak with you. Pray with you to connect with resources to help you grow in your faith at the other end of this number. Chinatown stored yourself where available 24 786-6899 word that's 866-899-WORD 9673 but also online at our website tewonline.org lodging that's TE W online.org Vince teaching with Dr. Don Wilton is letting Jesus Christ right there in the midst of that time would remind us of the greatest reason why he came to this earth so that he could shine forth in darkness and that people could receive them into their hearts and into their lives. There many reasons why Jesus referred to himself as the light of the world. I'm going to give you five reasons why he did that get in the Gospel of John.

You ready you need to turn there with me in your Bible number one.

He was telling them he was like of the world Festival because he is the revealer of the darkness of the world.

He is the revealer of the darkness of the will turn with me to John chapter 1. Let's go to John chapter 3 John chapter 3 in there with me in your Bibles John chapter 3 verses 19 and 20. Listen to what Jesus said back. He said this is the verdict winner verdict seeking people we want to know Yellowknife.

We want to know whether it's blue or gray wizards black what this is the verdict life is coming to the darkness is coming to the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light there. It is for fear that he is deeds will be exposed to see Jesus was saying to these Pharisees and to the Sadducees and to the scribes and to the skeptics.

Jesus was saying, I am the light of the world and my function as life is to reveal the truth about who God is and the truth about the deprivation and the sin of man, but he's not.

I need to revealer as likely as our guide number two is our God made John chapter 11 let's turn over there I was, hope I can find it myself.

John chapter 11 verses nine and 10, John wonderful to hear all those pages turning John chapter 11 verses nine and 10. Guess what Jesus said not remember this was written in the context of the death of Lazarus, Jesus on certain all day and not 12 hours of daylight. A man who walks by day will not stumble. For he sees listen, for he sees by this worlds lacked.

It is when he walks by, and not that he stumbles, for he has no lack Jesus said I am the way the truth and the life no man can come unto the father but by me. And what Jesus was saying to these people was I'm black, not only because I'm revealer but I'm life because I'm the God I show the way, and outside of me you going to stumble and fall. You cannot see your way through the darkness of this world outside of the indwelling lacked of the Lord Jesus Christ.

But then there's 1/3 reason why Jesus said he was like he said he was light because he was presently available. He was like because he was presently available. Look at me. John chapter 12 and verse 35 now you know I'm going to come back to these as we go through John John chapter 12 and verse 35 this is what Jesus told him again. He said you are going to have the life just a little while longer will wow you have the lacked before darkness overtakes you the man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going put your trust in the lacked. Wow, you have so that you may become the sons of black beloved friends this morning.

This is one of the most solemn warnings of old Scripture. I believe that what Jesus Christ is teaching at this juncture, and we going to come back to.

I'm going to preach on what it means to send away your day of grace, I believe the Bible teaches very clearly that Jesus Christ the light of the world is presently available but that God's grace is extended to us in God's sovereign time and I'm convinced in my heart that there are men and women in this world today who have so often and so often and so often rejected the convicting power of the spirit of God that have so many times said no to the life of the world that I'm convinced that God has taken away the present availability of the lacked of the world. What a tragedy. What a tragedy, but there's a full thing that Jesus said about himself. He said not an easy life because he is revealer guide presently available but he is like because he is life itself. Turn back with me to the first chapter of John again. John chapter 1 and verse four yet.

This is in the prologue, the beginning part of the gospel of John. John chapter 1 and verse four. Jesus said in him was life and that life was the lack of man. One of my favorite verses goes like this, Jesus said, I have come that you might have life and that you might have it more abundantly.

Is not something is not incredible to think that we can tell people that the word of God is the lack of God is the joy of the world is the peace of the world is the hope of the world is the fact that we can know that we know that we know that we know beyond any doubt that when we dive Jesus were to come again that we can be transported by the Angels into the presence of the king of kings and the Lord of lords and how is this possible.

It possible because the lacked of the world is life itself. That's the life of which God speaks in John 316 for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish but should have everlasting life should have everlasting life, which is the very life of Almighty God in Christ Jesus you see is lacked he is not on the revealer. He is not only God is not any presently available but he is life itself, Minister of youth called me the other day and told me that he had had the privilege of leading to young people to Christ, and we were just rejoicing over the phone together and we talked about the fact that we have the greatest joy in our hearts is hub and I rejoice together in the fact that another to young people had Carlton love the Lord Jesus Christ, who is life is not any revealer and guide and presently available in life itself. There's 1/5 thing about Jesus is lacked Jesus was trying to say to them that he is universally available. How this is the greatest mission statement that you could ever read Dr. Brown's it's right there in God's word. John chapter 1 and verse nine the true lacked that gives lacked to every man was coming into the world.

There is no exclusion as far as God is concerned, there are no people, no races, no cultures, no tongues, no ethnic origin. There is nothing that is exempt or excluded from the love of the Lord Jesus Christ. The Bible says the true lacked and gives lacked to every man was coming into the world. Jesus chose the feast of the Tabernacles. There they were having an incredible time. Historians tell us a lot of drinking going on a lot of debauchery, a lot of immorality and get in the midst of this symbolically. There were these four great black shining forth to represent the Shekinah glory of God who rescued them from the one ring in the wilderness and delivered them into the land of Canaan, which flowed with milk and honey you know something these people began to respond to that black you see, Jesus says, is the lacked of the world.

You are not going to respond and I want you to notice very briefly. Five responses that we notice to verse 12 here in this great chapter I'm going to give them to you.

Write them down. Number one, there were the challenges, the challenges we gonna read about them in verse 13, number two, they were the listeners in verse 20 the listeners are like that group. We gonna talk about the but even though I like them. I'm going to cite you. They are the most tragic group that you can never meet. As far as God's word is concerned. They were the challenges, then they were the listeners. Then in verse 19 and 22 in verse 25.

They were the inquirers.

Then in the fourth place we going to notice the rejected those who rejected the light of the world.

In verses 23 and 24. But then in the first place.

There were those who were the receivers. That's right there in verse 30 probably the greatest reversible even as he spoke, many put their faith in him that Sam will look at them very quick. We've encountered them already. These gentlemen, the Pharisees all day with the scholastics, they knew everything about anything. They wore those clerical robes. They were the Sadducees we've learnt about them, but I didn't believe that Jesus rose from the dead.

That's why they were Sadducees. I mean, they had all kinds of problems. The Sadducees and the Pharisees and then there were the scribes describes where God's personal gift to mankind.

They were charged with the solemn responsibility of interpreting the oral tradition of the Lord.

They were the ones who stood at the temple gates. They were the ones with the scribes. They were the ones who were the learned men and the Bible says that when Jesus and when Jesus confronted them with their own with their own sin and deprivation.

They immediately began to challenge and give Amanda challenger challenges of people who every time the name of Jesus is mentioned by got something to say about.

They challenge it from a scholastic point of view. They challenge it from a spiritual point of view they challenged him from a religious point of view they challenged him they always are fronting him saying we don't believe you. We don't accept how the world could you ever say that you are the only one. These people who challenged him were classic Universalists. The but then there was a second group of people.

They were the listeners. I'm not any taking this from verse 20 but every time Jesus encountered the presence of men and women in poison goals. They were those were on the periphery. Those are just some time Saturday and listen liquid. Verse 20 says he spoke these words while teaching in the temple area near the place where the offerings were put yet no one here they were these people all over the place. No one sees them because his time had not yet come. There were not any the challenges in the listeners but in the third instance there were the inquirers you see the spiritual litmus test of the spiritual nature of man is not measured by his inquiry.

It is measured by the intent of the heart related to and as a result from the inquirer but sadly in the fourth place they would want to change, but all my heart bleeds for joy when I read about the receivers in John chapter 8 and verse 30. The Bible says even as he spoke, many put their faith in him as a friend. These people came to understand that salvation is not achievement it is received greater understanding. Salvation is is not achievable, but know it is receivable. I pray that is you've heard Dr. Wilton speak today that you would open your hearts, not just to his teaching and his wonderful engaging stories and his South African brother, but in these next moments as he comes in the studio shares heart, a prelude open to what God might want to say to you through him next.

Are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Why don't you pray this prayer with me right now. Dear God, I know that on the center and I know that Jesus died for me on the cross today, I repent of my sin and by faith I receive you into my heart. In Jesus name, my friend. I would welcome you today into the family of God. This is exciting new futures. Dr. Wilton moments ago. Give your life to Christ or we dedicate your life, all welcome to the family welcome Dr. Wilton has wonderful resources. He wants you to have so call us and let us in to you, 866899 words. The phone number Chinatown stored in your cell 866-899-9673. Speak with you. Pray with you and connect you with these resources. Dr. Wilton wants you to have 5 m resources on our website as well.

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