THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Jesus Christ (Yeshua) declared boldly “I AM the light of the world” (John 8:12; see also 1:9)
Of course, Yeshua was NOT saying He was the sun in the sky! Yeshua Himself made the sun!
The sun sends energy to the earth for plants to live and grow. But the sun cannot give us spiritual life. Only Yeshua gives us spiritual life!
The sunlight from the sun allows us to see things with our eyes. But Yeshua gives us spiritual light to see spiritual truths! His Word lights our path!
Without Yeshua, the True Light, people walk in darkness.
THE PROMISED LIGHT
People, ever since Adam and Eve sinned, have turned from the Light of God by disobeying God’s Holy Word. But God loves people and wants us to return to His Light and His Way of Love. So He sent Yeshua to be the Light for people to follow back to God.
God revealed to the Prophet Isaiah that the promised Savior of the world would be a light to all the people groups of the earth! (Isaiah 42:9)
“I will also make You [the Messiah] a light for the Gentiles,
that My salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6)
The good news of salvation, that “YAH saves”, the meaning of “Yeshua”, has truly gone to the ends of the earth! YAH saves people from darkness!
THE TRUE LIGHT
Here are some more Scripture verses about Yeshua, the True Light:
“God is Light.” (1 John 1:5; John 8:12)
“In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.” (John 1:4)
Yeshua is “the True Light, who gives light to everyone…” (John 1:9)
People 2000 years ago saw the light in Yeshua as He walked on earth. Some rejected that light because they chose to live in sin and wickedness. Others saw the joy, hope, peace and light that Christ offered and believed.
Today people should see the Spirit of Christ alive in His Church. They should be able to look at Christians and see the love of God in their eyes. They should feel the love of God by our touch. They should see our actions are Godly and moral. Sadly, too many Christians act and look more like the sinful world than the holy LORD of Love!
Why is that? It’s because we have not yet learned to walk by the Spirit of God in us. We’re doing things our way or the devil’s way, instead of His Way! We’re still following our selfish soul and the wicked world, instead of following God’s Word and the True Light of Christ!
THE CHURCH IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD
Yeshua wants us to shine His Light. Not only does He want us to shine His Light, He says that we, those who believe in Him, are light! Jesus called believers, “sons of the light”. (Luke 16:8)
“You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden.” (Matthew 5:14)
“I have made you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’” (Acts 13:47)
Yeshua described Himself in the Book of John in many ways such as “bread”, “the Resurrection”, “the Way, the Truth, and the Life”. We, believers, are not the Bread of Life. Yeshua is. But we can offer the “Bread of Life” to people by sharing about Yeshua with them. We are not “the Way”. Yeshua is. But we can point people to “the Way” Yeshua.
While Christ didn’t call us, His followers, “bread” or “the Resurrection”, our Redeemer Yeshua DID call us “light”!
If we are truly “born again” of the Spirit of God, our new spirits take after our heavenly Father God. His “light” DNA is inside us! His Spirit is inside us and we must learn to live according to that Spirit, and not by our old bad habits. We are called to live by His Word and Spirit, NOT by our bodily cravings, NOT by worldly desires, NOT by our soul. We live in the world, but we are no longer of the same dark spirit that is in the world. We are light and should shine for God!
BE LIGHT – DO RIGHT
So let us shine for Yeshua! Don’t hide your light under worldly ways! Don’t act like the world, like the ungodly who live in darkness without the truth. BE LIGHT – DON’T HIDE!
You don’t have to use bad words because everyone else is using them. Speak kindly in truth. BE LIGHT – SPEAK RIGHT!
You don’t have to watch and read all the sinful movies, books, and things that teach things that are the opposite of what God teaches. THINK ON GOOD THINGS!
You don’t have to dress like others, wearing clothes that cause others to sin in their thoughts. Be modest. BE LIGHT – DRESS RIGHT!
You don’t have to wear things that look evil and gruesome and have “death” written all over. Choose clothes that glorify God and life. BE LIGHT – DRESS RIGHT!
You don’t have to follow the crowd in wicked ways and temporary fun. Follow Jesus in the Way of Truth, Life, and Everlasting Joy! BE FULL OF THE JOY OF THE LORD!
This sad, dark world only knows darkness until it sees the light. Be light and share Light: the light living in you – the Light of Christ!
So…. BE LIGHT AND SHINE BRIGHT!
“How blessed are the people who know the joyful sound! O LORD, they walk in the light of Your countenance.” (Psalm 89:15)
SONG:
///This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine!/// Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine!
///Hide it under a bushel? No! I’m gonna let it shine!/// Let it shine! Let it shine! Let it shine!
Granny Vee 