Jesus – The Light of the World

Darkness the natural order of things?

Jesus – the Light who shines in the darkness - Through him all things were made ⁴In him was life, and that life was the light of men. ⁵The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. John 1:3-5

But sin entered the world and death by sin and death ruled from Adam on.

Thousands of years later it was promised to the prophet Isaiah, “¹ Nevertheless, there will be no more gloom for those who were in distress. In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the Gentiles, by the way of the sea, along the Jordan-
² 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.

Hundreds of years later a baby was born who grew up and said about himself "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (John 8:12)

⁴⁶I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness. (John 12:46) This man who claimed to be the Light and so to possess life offered to give them both to whoever believed in him, whoever followed him.

In an astonishing act of self-destruction, millions refused the light and embraced the darkness, “¹⁹ Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. ²⁰Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. ²¹But 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)

The climax of hatred of the light came when they killed the author of life.

But death could not contain him and God raised him from the dead.

So Jesus has for 2000 years now made the same offer he made when he walked this earth, Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; (John 11:25)

So the Light of the world has increasingly been lightening this dark world so that life and light has changed an army of committed disciples at least 1/8 people on earth.

Has darkness finally begun to stem the advance of this light? On the West Coast of Ore/Wash 15-20 % church affiliation. In Europe, Christ only a memory.

But in Africa in 1900 only 9% Christians Today 46% (360 million) Latin America 480 million, Asia 313 million. The light is spreading there so that Christianity is the fastest growing religion in those 3 continents.

And the light is spreading through PBF. – Jesus said, "You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. ¹⁵Neither 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. ¹⁶In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-17)

1000 kids heard about Jesus this year in orphanages, darkness in Basque country is being pushed back, in Malawi his light is being testified to, and in South Asia the Word of Life is coming. And weekly in this church men and women, boys and girls, teenagers and folks in nursing homes and jails are seeing this light.

Sam in LOR 2 “We have to fight to uphold the good in this world.” No we struggle to live and speak about the light of the world. ¹⁸I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. (Revelation 1:18)

³No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. ⁴They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. ⁵There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever. (Revelation 22:3-5)

⁵The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it. (John 1:5) And it never will!!