Read:John 7:53, 8:12

“I am the light of the world.”

I’m sure you remember the story of the Israelites wandering in the desert for forty years. Do you remember how they knew where they had to go? Yes, God lead them with a cloud during the day and a pillar of fire at night. They didn’t go anywhere without God. When the cloud moved, they moved; when the cloud stopped, they stopped. If they didn’t follow the cloud, they would end up lost and would die. If they didn’t have the cloud to protect them from the heat during the day, and the pillar of fire to keep them warm at night, they would die.

Jesus was talking to the Jewish leaders, who had just celebrated a feast that reminded them of the Lord leading the Israelites in the wilderness (John 7:2, 37), when he said, “I am the light of the world.” Just like the Israelites needed to follow the light in the wilderness, so we need to follow Jesus. There is only one way to stay in the light, and that is by following Jesus. If we don’t follow him, we will be in darkness.

It was when the Pharisees brought a woman who had sinned to him that Jesus said, “I am the light of the world.” They wanted to use this woman’s sins to try and trick Jesus. But Jesus didn’t fall for their trick. Instead, he told the women that her sins were forgiven. And then Jesus said, “I am the light.”

What Jesus meant is that he is able to forgive our sins. Sometimes we can feel like we are in darkness. Sometimes it may feel like we have sinned so badly that God might not forgive us. And yet the good news is that Jesus is the light. He will take away that darkness. As light, Jesus lifts away that darkness. He forgives us and takes away our sins.

Jesus is the true light. Let us always receive his forgiveness and follow him!

Reflection with your child:

How is Jesus the light in your life?

Source: Sermon by Rev. H. Alkema