light Archives - Paula Wiseman

The Seven I AM Statements: The Light of the World

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

Last week, we began a look at the seven emphatic I AM statements Jesus makes in the Gospel of John. Each statement employs a metaphor to describe His salvation work. But in each of the conversations or discourses, He also exposes us.

We have to go back to John 7 to get the context of this statement. It is the Feast of the Tabernacles, the time when the Jews commemorated and celebrated God’s provision and presence with them in the desert. As part of that celebration, the lit huge lamps in the Temple court to recall the pillar of fire, God’s manifest presence.

In that setting, Jesus declares, “I am the light of the world.”

Then, Jesus presents a stark contrast for His followers. They do not walk in darkness but have the light of life.

We don’t walk in darkness. Right? Darkness is evil. We aren’t evil. In the big picture, no. If we’ve accepted Jesus Christ then we have that light of eternal life and that can’t be lost or taken away from us. But considering the timing of Jesus’s declaration, I think He was calling us to more than just salvation.

In Exodus 14:19, the pillar of fire moves between the children of Israel and the armies of Egypt, clearly dividing the two. There was no question which side of the fire you were on.

By choosing this moment to make this pronouncement, Jesus is issuing a pointed, convicting challenge to His hearers. That includes His hearers today.

There has to be a choice. A clear, definitive choice. And you have to go all in. In fact, Jesus spells this out multiple times. If you put your hand to the plow but look back, you aren’t fit for the Kingdom (Luke 9:62). If you are unwilling to forsake all that you have, you can’t be My disciple (Luke 14:26).

Jesus didn’t stutter when He said it, either.

If you want to play the “follow Jesus on Sunday but the other six days are mine” game, then you are choosing to walk in darkness rather than the Light of the World. Jesus says His followers aren’t like that. They don’t choose the far side of the fire. They choose light. They choose to live every day in His presence and under His protection. But that means saying no to everything else.

He is the Light of the World. Are you His follower?

Last week: I am the Bread of Life

Light out of Darkness

By Paula

For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

Light into darkness.
That’s the gospel in simple terms.
God gives us the knowledge of the His glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

But that is more than a one-time event.
He gives us the knowledge of His glory in the darkness of uncertainty.
And the darkness of fear and anger.
And the darkness of hopelessness and despair.

Honestly, if it weren’t for the light of the knowledge of His glory in Christ …
The world would be a very dark place.
Our very lives would be dark.

Perhaps someone you know needs to be reminded of that knowledge.
Perhaps someone you know needs to discover it.

Spread the light.

Why Tame Darkness is Nothing to Be Afraid of

By Paula

Even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you. Psalm 139:12

I asked my Sunday school kids what people were most afraid of, what THEY were afraid and I was surprised at how many of them said the dark. Whether it was the woods outside, or the basement or their bedroom, they did not like the dark. Even the kid who works in my office at the college is afraid of the dark. He is a big hulking kid, built like Hagrid’s little brother, but one trip through the darkened theater, down the back hallway to deliver something to the dressing rooms was enough to give him the shivers for the rest of the afternoon.

I admitted to my Sunday school kids that I was afraid of “wild” dark, but not the tame dark, like at my house. I’m not afraid of my living room or my attic, or even my basement. I asked them why that was so. We decided it was because I knew what was there, and I knew where the light switches were. In a couple of seconds, I can make the dark light. “But something could be hiding!” one of them added.

And that’s what makes the difference. What is hiding in the dark?

In David’s masterful psalm, he transitions from a discussion of God’s imperviousness to the dark to an examination of his innermost self. I don’t think that’s an accident. When David says in verse 1, “O LORD, you have searched me and known me!” that includes even the darkest corners of his heart and mind. Unlike most of us– who shy away from solitude, who shrink from deep confession, who avoid transparency– God is not hesitant to go there.

Why not? Because He knows what is hiding there.

That is the amazing, wondrous, awesome thing about the God we worship and serve. He knows all of those things about us, the secret sins, the hidden thoughts and He brings light to them. With His great grace and boundless love, He further ensures that we longer have to be afraid of what’s in the dark or of His discovery of it. He has already seen, already searched and inventoried and already chosen to love us. To love you. To love me.

Because He has seen and known and loved, the darkness is “tame” now. He knows what’s there and He can make the darkness light instantaneously. By the end of the psalm, David invites God in to deal with the darkness.

No one can tell you not to be afraid of the dark. That is something you have to reckon with on your own. In the same way, it does no good to tell you that you don’t have to be afraid of what’s hiding in the darkness of your innermost self, or that God can deal with all of it in love and grace. That is something you have to reckon with on your own.

But I hope you do.

I’ve gotten some great responses to the survey, – one question, no math – but I’m closing it down Friday (aka tomorrow Feb 2), tabulating the responses and drawing for the Starbucks cards.

Add your response

Light in the Darkness

By Paula

Then they will look to the earth, and see trouble and darkness, gloom of anguish; and they will be driven into darkness … The people who walked in darkness Have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, Upon them a light has shined. Isaiah 8:22, 9:2

If we look around, it is hard not to see trouble and darkness, the gloom of anguish.
It is difficult not to be driven into darkness.
If this was all there was, it would be a reasonable response.

But God didn’t leave us in the dark.

Zachariah prophesied of the one who would come after his own son, John.
Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace.” Luke 1:78-79

Simeon recognized who the baby Jesus was.
“A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” Luke 2:32

John affirmed His identity.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. John 1:1-5

Jesus Himself claimed it.
Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” John 8:12

But God has been bringing light into darkness since the very beginning. Paul explains that God has done that for each of us who believe.
For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

Every candle, every twinkling light reminds us.

Hope

By Paula

The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; Those who dwelt in the land of the shadow of death, upon them a light has shined. Isaiah 9:2

If all we had was the evening news
Or what the politicians said
Or what the economy provided
Or what the doctors proposed …

If our future rested solely on our strength
And ingenuity, and ability …
If it depended on our resources
Or our hard work, or our good fortune …

Then walking in darkness would be our lot.
We would live out our lives in the shadow of death.

Hopeless.

But we have hope.
But there is a light, a great light, in fact.

Every candle, every star, every little twinkling light is a reminder.
We have hope. We have light. We have Christ.

Be the Light

By Paula

“You are the light of the world.” Matthew 5:14

I like quotes. My kids got me a quote calendar for Christmas last year. A couple of weeks ago there was one from Eleanor Roosevelt that has laid on my desk in the days since. She said, “It is better to light a candle than to curse the darkness.”

Cursing the darkness is easy. It takes very little effort and requires no personal sacrifice. After all, the world is such a horrible place. There’s so much injustice and suffering and inhumanity… Cursing the darkness. And just that quickly we get dragged down in defeat and discouragement.

However, rather than just light a candle, Jesus gives us a greater task: Be the light. All through the preceding verses, the Beatitudes, He outlines the radical Kingdom lifestyle founded on grace and mercy. Because we’ve found peace with God, we can share what we’ve received.

We can be the voice of hope and encouragement when we are surrounded by cynicism and derision.
We can show mercy and love when we are faced with rejection.
We can demonstrate patience and kindness when we encounter frustration and hatred.
We can embody peace and security when pushed to fear and despair.

It won’t be easy. Living a counterculture lifestyle never is. But I think we can agree, the world is dark enough. Cataloging, quantifying and cursing the darkness will never chase it away. Only light can do that.

Be the light.

The Seven I AM Statements: The Light of the World

Light out of Darkness

Why Tame Darkness is Nothing to Be Afraid of

Light in the Darkness

Hope

Be the Light

Encounters Series

Covenant of Trust Series

Foundations Series