Jesus Banishes The Darkness (John 8:12-30)

Jesus has already claimed to be the only one who could give eternal life, then that only He could bring true satisfaction through being united to God the Father, the Son, and being given the Holy Spirit. Now Jesus is going to inform His hearers that He banishes the darkness.

Sin, death, and the overall darkness of the world are a tremendous hardship on everyone’s lives. When we look around at the world that surrounds us it doesn’t take us long to realize that darkness is everywhere. It’s like the ocean is for a fish. It’s everywhere. Sin surrounds us. I was working at the Post Office and had been living a life that in darkness. Drugs and drunkenness were pretty normal in that time period. I had succumbed to the darkness that surrounded me in a pretty horrific way. God, through the work of the Holy

I was working at the Post Office and had been living a life that in darkness. Drugs and drunkenness were pretty normal in that time period. I had succumbed to the darkness that surrounded me in a pretty horrific way. God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, drew me out of that darkness and into a new understanding of the work of Christ.

A friend of mine became a believer shortly after God turned my life around. He handed a sermon to me that I feel changed my life forever. You can still watch it online. It’s called “Shocking Youth Message” and it’s preached by Paul Washer. It’s so popular even now that it’s still the first thing that pops up in a google search for “Shocking Youth Message”. I had grown up hearing about the grace of God and very little about the power of that grace. I understood as a teenager that Christ forgave my sin, but I had little idea what that meant. I didn’t realize that Christ completely and totally defeated darkness on my behalf and I now participate in that victory.

You have probably heard your whole life that Christ saves, but what does that even mean. What are we saved from? How does that work itself into our lives in the here and now? And the ultimate question answered here is this, how am I rescued from the darkness that seems to completely surround me?

God has conquered sin and death through the work of Christ on the cross. He has conquered the darkness. And His people will live in the light.

After the water ceremony that we discussed last week there was also a light ceremony. This was considered to be the wonder of many people’s lives. It was quite a spectacle. In the ancient world, there was simply nothing like it. Four large stands held golden bowls. Sixteen golden bows on these stands were filled with oil and worn undergarments of the priests were within each bowl. They would be lit and all of Jerusalem would be lit. The yellow limestone walls glowed with light in an ancient world where there was no electricity. Choirs sang. People danced and celebrated in the glow of this bright light.

Now, consider what Jesus says here.

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”—John 8:12 ESV

There is light everywhere in the night time. The darkness has been cast away by the brilliant light of this ceremony at the Feast of Booths. And Jesus has the audacity to say that he is Himself the light of the world. And that those who trusted in Him would not walk in darkness but have the “light of life”.

Darkness has just been cast away by the light. Have you ever driven up to a Football Stadium with a game in progress after it is dark outside? In that place, there is no darkness. At this time, in Jerusalem, the darkness has been cast away by the Light. The picture couldn’t be any clearer. In the same way that the water ceremony pictured Jesus’ giving ultimate satisfaction and the gift of the Holy Spirit, this ceremony revealed that Jesus was the Light of the World. It must have been completely shocking.

That is the main point of everything that follows. Jesus is the light of the world. Jesus has come and banished darkness. He has conquered the darkness and delivers us out of it. He gives the “light of life” to those who believe.

The following discussion between Jesus and the Pharisees helps us to understand what Jesus meant when He said that He was the “light of the world.”

We Are Destined For Eternal Darkness (Vv. 13-24)

The Pharisees confront Jesus saying that He is testifying about Himself. This is not what people are supposed to do. Jesus again, like earlier in the message informs the Pharisees that He is not testifying about Himself. He has come because the Father has sent Him. The Father has borne witness about Him with every miracle that has been performed. Then, when they try to confront Him about who His Father is Jesus responds rather harshly.

“You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” (John 8:19 ESV)

They are from below, He is from above. They are of the world, Jesus is not. Jesus is here to rescue people from their sins and if they do not trust in Him then they will die in their sins. They did not understand and they did not trust in Jesus.

Just as Jesus said about people in the beginning of this message, we are wicked. We are sinful. We are rebels against God. He is revealing the sin of the Pharisees here, but His message goes further. He says that they will die in this state if they do not trust Him.

The Pharisees claim that Jesus cannot claim that He is Himself the “Light of the World”. Jesus’ response was to say that He was sent by God, which He was. Like the prophets that had come before, He was sent by God with a message from God. That message was that they were in darkness. They were not right with God; in fact, they were of this world, while He was from above.

We often times look at the Pharisees in a very judgmental manner. But the reality is that they were the people that everyone looked up to in Jesus’ day. These people were the best of the best. And what Christ says about them is that they are in darkness. We find ourselves in the same darkness as they. I am sinful and you are sinful. We are living in darkness and devoid of the light. We are in rebellion against God and if we remain this way, separated from Christ, then we will die in our sins (John 8:21).

This goes completely against popular thought today. Most people today believe that a few really horrible people are separated from God while everyone else is doing pretty well. The belief is that people are inherently good and the bad things that they do are going against their character and nature. Think about all of the superhero shows where a person stands there telling the bad guy that they know that there is good within them. Well, that’s not what we see here. It’s actually the exact opposite. There is goodness in people, but without Christ, we are characterized by darkness rather than light and are corrupted by the power of sin to our very core. And we can’t muster up enough goodness to escape.

It may yet be difficult for you to see the depth of your own sin and wickedness. If you’ve grown up in the right family situation and other good circumstances then you may not have done a whole lot that you see as bad. Even if this is the case, without Christ you still belong to the darkness. Which one of us has not lied? Which one of us has not stolen anything? Which one of us has not hated people? Which one of us has not lived with lust in our hearts? These aren’t isolated situations. These are the inner workings of our wicked heart. If I placed the thoughts you’ve had over the last few hours on the computer screen then you’d run out of here in sheer terror because now everyone would see your wickedness as you do. Others of you may have no problem with this at all. You may see the depth of your sin a little clearer than others. You may have acted on the rebellion of your heart many times, or you may be clear headed enough to see all the wicked things that you’ve wanted to do as a symptom of the wickedness of your heart.

Others of you may think that you’re pretty good because you’ve done a lot of good things. Again, the Pharisees were the best of the best. And we are so wicked and God is so holy that even the most righteous things that we have done are “like a polluted garment.” (Isaiah 64:6 ESV)

Christians know and feel the wickedness that resides within us is terrifying. It causes great thankfulness within me to know that God has chosen to save me despite the horror that lives within me.

We are simply left hopeless without Christ.

Jesus Conquered the Darkness, Giving Eternal Life (John 8:28, 19, 24)

Darkness surrounds us and is part of who we are by nature. Because of our sinfulness, there is a great gulf between us and God. We are separated from Him. And here is the good news. Jesus came as a prophet declaring our separation from God, but also as our Savior making a way for us to be brought near to God as His adopted sons and daughters rather than separated from Him as enemies.

Jesus has already stated that they would die in their sins unless they trusted in Him. Now He is saying that they will know and understand what is going on when they have lifted up the Son of Man.

 “When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And He who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him.” (John 8:28-30 ESV)

They will know or understand in greater and greater ways just exactly what He means when He says these things later. They will understand them when He is “lifted up”, or when He dies on the cross. At that point, it is obvious that He is not coming of His own accord. And it is there that He conquers darkness. So, what is Jesus talking about here?

The Pharisees would be at the forefront of lifting Jesus up on the ground while He was fastened to a Roman Cross and crucified. It was here that the sin of all who would believe was placed upon Jesus. It was here that Jesus died in the place of sinners. It was here that He bore the wrath of God in our place. We are sinners who have rebelled against God and here is Jesus taking the punishment in our place. It is in Him that the Pharisees should have trusted. He would rise from the dead three days later. He has conquered the power of sin and death on our behalf.

The only answer to the wickedness in us and the wickedness that surrounds us is the gospel. The good news of what Christ has done is the good news that conquers the darkness. The sin of those who would believe was placed upon Christ. Jesus paid it all. There is no plan b. This is it. Jesus conquered and if we don’t trust in Him then we will not have eternal life.

There is a separation between us and God. God has made a way for us to be brought near to Him, yet many people think that there are many ways to be made right with Him. God made a way for us and we have the audacity to say, “No! This way!”.  Jesus is the Light. He’s not one of many. He is the One Light. He is the One Way. He is the One who conquered the darkness and no one else has and no one else can.

And as I say this you may be sitting there thinking that the death of God the Son seems like a high price for your sin. We are people destined for darkness and your sin really is so great that it took the death of God’s own Son to save you from it.

You may be reading this and thinking that your sin is too great to bring you to God. You must know that this is God the Son. God the Son, who has infinite value, has died in your place. You could stack up every person and everything in this entire Universe on one scale while placing the value of Christ on the other and He would still be worth more. There is no possible way that you could have sinned so much or done something so awful that you cannot be forgiven.

We are terrible sinners wandering in darkness, and even though all we’ve done is deserve God’s wrath He made a way for us to be brought near to Him.

Jesus’ People Respond By Abandoning The Darkness And Living In The Light (V. 12)

At the close of the evening, there would be a procession up the steps as trumpets blasted. Then they would walk down to the Eastern Gate and face the west. They would recite these words as they stood in the glorious light.

“Our Fathers when they were in this place turned their backs toward the Temple of the Lord and their faces toward the east, and they worshipped the sun toward the east; but as for us, our eyes are turned toward the Lord.”—Mishnah, Sukkah 5:4

It was a public declaration. It was a response to God as the True Light as opposed to those in the past who had worshipped the sun. They were declaring that they would worship the Lord. And then Jesus stands up and says,

“I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”—John 8:12 ESV

Our response, whether Christian or Lost, is to stand here with our backs to the world and trusting in Him. We are to turn from the darkness and turn to the Light.

It is not about the reciting of a prayer or being good enough on your own. It is about trusting the One who has conquered the darkness for us. Our response to His conquering is to turn from sin and trust in Him. This is what Jesus demands of us. We must abandon the darkness and trust in Him.

Abandon the darkness. Abandon your own self-righteousness. Abandon any thought of a goodness of your own meriting God. Abandon saving yourself. You must respond in repentance and faith. You must stop ruling your own life and trust in Him.

Christian, know this. This abandonment does not end once we trust in Christ. It is a decision we make at a point in time, sure. Yes, we are justified already. But, we are not through fighting our own sin and wickedness. We are not finished abandoning the world. We are not finished turning our backs toward the darkness and turning to Christ.

Many people, John says, believed in Him (John 8:30). Are you one of them?

Response

Christ has come and conquered the darkness on our behalf. He died on the cross paying the full punishment for sin. He rose from the dead. He conquered. Our response is to abandon the darkness, turn from it, turn from our sin, turn from ruling our own lives and trust in Him. If you do not then you will die in your sins.

If you are a believer here today then you must know that Christ has come and conquered darkness. You are to live in that reality. Christ has saved you from the realm of darkness. Now, live in the Light.

R. Dwain Minor