I AM the Light of the World ‘I AM’-series on the claims of Jesus I AM the Light of the World John 8:12-30

THE GOSPEL OF JOHN The Gospel of John emphasizes Jesus is the Son of God. In Luke and Matthew Jesus’ (high) human offspring is shown in the first chapter. In John chapter 1 we learn that Jesus is (one with) God. Read John 1: 1-18. There we read about: The Word through which all is made, is (with) God The Light that shines in the darkness The darkness does not receive it But all who have received Him, they are born of God The Word has lived among us; and He who is one with Father has revealed God. Vs 10, 11: What was Johns feeling when he wrote this? He must have been very sad. The good Creator comes to His creation, the righteous King comes to his subjects: but they do not recognize him but instead they reject Him. 12. What does it mean to believe in His name? What is the consequence of such belief?

John 8:12-30 I AM the Light of the World ‘I AM’-series on the claims of Jesus I AM the Light of the World John 8:12-30

This passage is a conversation of Jesus with the Pharisees This passage is a conversation of Jesus with the Pharisees. It happens during or after a Jewish feast: the Feast of the Tabernacles. Then the people carried lighted torches through the streets to celebrate God's giving of the harvest. Jesus uses this ceremony to tell the people who He is. Pharisees: (verse 13) The Jewish religious leaders of Jesus' day. Definition of terms Valid: (verse 13) Convincing, supported by objected truth. Law: (verse 17) The commandments God gave through Moses and the prophets. Offerings: (verse 20) The sacrifice of something of value (to worship or thank God or to pay the penalty for sin). Sin: (verse 24) Rebellion against God and the laws He has given us in the Bible; turning away from God; not seeking a relationship with God through Jesus Christ. Our natural state apart from God is sinful, due to our decision to disobey God (Romans 5:12).

John 8:12-20 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.” 約 翰 福 音 8:12-30 12 耶 稣 又 对 众 人 说 ： 我 是 世 界 的 光 。 跟 从 我 的 ， 就 不 在 黑 暗 里 走 ， 必 要 得 着 生 命 的 光 。。 1. What promise does Jesus give to those who follow Him? What does it mean? Vs. 12: They will not walk in darkness; they will have the light of life. 2. Was Jesus claiming to be the light for everyone or the light for just a certain group of people? What phrases support your answer? Jesus was claiming to be the universal light. Vs. 12” “Light of the world”; “whoever.” 3. What are the functions of light? What characteristics would "the light of the world" or 'the light of life" need to have? What types of things would "the light of the world" need to reveal? Light reveals things, gives direction, illuminates the path, and exposes things as they really are. The "light of the world" would need to be Creator (John 1:10), reveal who God is (John 1:18), and demonstrate and teach truth (John 1:14). Light also reveals errors, weakness, failures, and misunderstandings.

John 8:12-20 13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.” 14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 約 翰 福 音 8:12-30 。13 法 利 赛 人 对 他 说 ： 你 是 为 自 己 作 见 证 ， 你 的 见 证 不 真 。14 耶 稣 说 ： 我 虽 然 为 自 己 作 见 证 ， 我 的 见 证 还 是 真 的 ； 因 我 知 道 我 从 那 里 来 ， 往 那 里 去 ； 你 们 却 不 知 道 我 从 那 里 来 ， 往 那 里 去 。 4. Which statement did Jesus make that the Pharisees strongly disagree with? Vss. 12 “I AM the light of the world” 5. Why do you think the Pharisees go against Jesus? What reasons could they have? Good ones and bad ones. Good ones: real concern for God, for the truth, for the people. Bad ones: jealousy, lack of faith, concern for their position, lack of understanding

6. Why were the Pharisees’ judgments about Jesus not valid? John 8:12-20 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are right, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two men is valid. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.” 約 翰 福 音 8:12-30 。15 你 们 是 以 外 貌 （ 原 文 是 凭 肉 身 ） 判 断 人 ， 我 却 不 判 断 人 。16 就 是 判 断 人 ， 我 的 判 断 也 是 真 的 ； 因 为 不 是 我 独 自 在 这 里 ， 还 有 差 我 来 的 父 与 我 同 在 。 6. Why were the Pharisees’ judgments about Jesus not valid? Vs. 14: They did not know where Jesus came from. Vs. 15: They judged by human standards instead of divine standards Charlotte and Jonathan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZsNlcr4frs4

(Jesus mentioned the Father two times) 19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 He 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 come. 19 他 们 就 问 他 说 ： 你 的 父 在 那 里 ？ 耶 稣 回 答 说 ： 你 们 不 认 识 我 ， 也 不 认 识 我 的 父 ； 若 是 认 识 我 ， 也 就 认 识 我 的 父 。20 这 些 话 是 耶 稣 在 殿 里 的 库 房 、 教 训 人 时 所 说 的 ， 也 没 有 人 拿 他 ， 因 为 他 的 时 候 还 没 有 到 7. Of whom were the Pharisees ignorant? Vss. 19, 25: They did not know Jesus or His Father. Although they were acquainted with Jesus, they did not know His true identity as God. 8. How is God's control of the events in Jesus' life shown in this passage? Vs. 20: He had God's timing in His life. No one seized Him because it was not the right time.

What is Faith in a rope walker?

“He can walk across the rope” “He can walk across the rope with a backpack” “He can walk across the rope with a person on his back” “I will climb on his back to get across the rope” What is faith? Faith = 4

7. What can we learn about Jesus from this passage? vs. 12: He speaks with power and authority; vs. 15: He didn't judge by human standards; vs. 16: He made right decisions; John 1: 1-12 Jesus is (one with) God Jesus was involved in the creation He is the light that shines in the darkness The world in darkness does not want the light People with faith in Jesus are children of God and have eternal life John 12: 44-50 Jesus (Jesus’ words) will judge each person Jesus has come to save the world Jesus words are words of God and give eternal life

Groups come together for some final thoughts and singing

Parallel texts Jesus again claims to be light of the world during the miracle of healing the blind man, saying: “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (John 9:5) 我 在 世 上 的 时 候 ，是 世 上 的 光 。 and saying: “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see . . ” (John 9:39) 我 为 审 判 到 这 世 上 来 ， 叫 不 能 看 见 的 ， 可 以 看 见 . . . 。 As an application of this claim for His disciples and for us Jesus said: “You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. “ (Matthews 5:14-16) 你 们 是 世 上 的 光 。 城 造 在 山 上 是 不 能 隐 藏 的 。人 点 灯 ， 不 放 在 斗 底 下 ，是 放 在 灯 ? 上 ，就 照 亮 一 家 的 人 。你 们 的 光 也 当 这 样 照 在 人 前 ，叫 他 们 看 见 你 们 的 好 行 为 ，便 将 荣 耀 归 给 你 们 在 天 上 的 父 。

“Light exposes people's deeds, whether good or evil “Light exposes people's deeds, whether good or evil. Those who do evil hate the light, but those who live by truth come into it. 19 This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. 20 Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God.” (John 3:19-21) 光 来 到 世 间 ， 世 人 因 自 己 的 行 为 是 恶 的 ， 不 爱 光 ， 倒 爱 黑 暗 ， 定 他 们 的 罪 就 是 在 此 。凡 作 恶 的 便 恨 光 ， 并 不 来 就 光 ， 恐 怕 他 的 行 为 受 责 备 。但 行 真 理 的 必 来 就 光 ， 要 显 明 他 所 行 的 是 靠 神 而 行 。

God’s light in the Old Testament For with you is the fountain of life; in your light we see light (Psalm 36:9) 因 为 ， 在 你 那 里 有 生 命 的 源 头 ； 在 你 的 光 中 ， 我 们 必 得 见 光 。 God wraps Himself in light as with a garment (Psalm 104: 2) 披 上 亮 光 ， 如 披 外 袍 ， How great is our God The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:2) 在 黑 暗 中 行 走 的 百 姓 看 见 了 大 光 ， 住 在 死 荫 之 地 的 人 有 光 照 耀 他 们 。 God’s light in the New Testament For God, who said “Let light shine out of darkness” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6) 那 吩 咐 光 从 黑 暗 里 照 出 来 的 神 ， 已 经 照 在 我 们 心 里 ， 叫 我 们 得 知 神 荣 耀 的 光 显 在 耶 稣 基 督 的 面 上 。

But everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for it is light that makes everything visible. This is why it is said: “Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” (Ephesians 5: 13-14) 凡 事 受 了 责 备 ， 就 被 光 显 明 出 来 ， 因 为 一 切 能 显 明 的 就 是 光 。所 以 主 说 ： 你 这 睡 着 的 人 当 醒 过 来 ， 从 死 里 复 活 ！ 基 督 就 要 光 照 你 了 。 God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin (1 John 1:5-7) 神 就 是 光 ， 在 他 毫 无 黑 暗 。 这 是 我 们 从 主 所 听 见 、 又 报 给 你 们 的 信 息 。我 们 若 说 是 与 神 相 交 ， 却 仍 在 黑 暗 里 行 ， 就 是 说 谎 话 ， 不 行 真 理 了 。我 们 若 在 光 明 中 行 ， 如 同 神 在 光 明 中 ， 就 彼 此 相 交 ， 他 儿 子 耶 稣 的 血 也 洗 净 我 们 一 切 的 罪 。 Purify my heart