Come to the Light, or YOU WILL DIE in YOUR SIN and Unbelief

[0:00] Is this your guys last Sunday? Might be, okay. Should we pray for them? Yeah, the service might do that. Wow, crazy.

[0:16] Shout. So the Lord's just gonna light it up today. Oh yeah. Take your Bibles and go to John's Gospel in John chapter eight.

[0:32] John chapter eight, if you're visiting with us, need a Bible, or you left your cell phone at home, go to that black Bible in the chair in front of you, pull that out, go to the back, find page 78 for John chapter eight.

[0:51] Page 78 of that black Bible, page 78, John chapter eight, starting in verse 12. We're gonna study this morning 12 through 30. A larger section, but it goes together.

[1:03] I should even do 12 through 59, but I decided to split this up into three different messages. There's just a lot here to unpack. And even these verses from 12 to 30, that's just, that's just a lot for us to do as well.

[1:20] But needless to say, we'll plow through it and we'll be able to pick up some good aspects of gospel truth and celebrate the gospel this morning as we see what Jesus says here about himself.

[1:33] John eight, starting in verse 12. Therefore again, Jesus spoke to them saying, I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in darkness, in the darkness, but will have the light of life.

[1:52] Therefore the Pharisee said to him, you testify of yourself, your testimony is not true. And Jesus answered and said to them, even if I testify of myself, my testimony is true, for I know from where I come and where I go, but you yourselves do not know where I come from or where I go.

[2:17] You judge according to the flesh. I'm not judging anyone. But even if I do judge, my judgment is true, for I'm not alone, but I am the one who sent me.

[2:28] The Father. Even in your law, it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. I am the one who testifies of myself and the Father who sent me testifies of me.

[2:41] Verse 19, and so they're saying to him, well, where is your Father? Jesus answered, neither me do you know, nor my Father. If you knew me, you would also know my Father.

[2:53] These words he spoke in the treasury as he taught in the temple. No one seized him because his hour had not yet come. Therefore he said again to them, I go, and you will seek me, and shall die in your sin.

[3:08] Where I myself am going, you yourselves are not able to come. Therefore the Jews are saying, surely he won't kill himself. Since he says, where I myself am going, you are not able to come.

[3:19] And he was saying to them, you are from below, I am from above. You are of this world, I am not of this world. Therefore I said to you, you shall die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins.

[3:39] And so they were saying to him, you, who are you? No. Jesus said to them, just from the beginning, what I've been saying to you, I have many things to speak in the judge concerning you, but the one who sent me is true.

[3:55] And the things which I heard from him, these I speak to the world. They did not know he spoke the Father to them. Therefore Jesus said, verse 28, when you lift up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am.

[4:12] And I do nothing for myself, but I speak these things as the Father taught me. And the one who sent me is with me. And he did not leave me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.

[4:28] And speaking these things, many believed into him. When I was a kid, speaking on my birthday, I was scared of the dark.

[4:45] Most kids are scared of the dark. And even the world understands, though, that light can dissipate fear, the fear of darkness.

[4:59] I mean, not to be morbid, but they even have it in horror films. When does a horror film always happen? In the dark. It's always happened in the dark. The lights always go out.

[5:12] I mean, they're gonna have things that happen during the day, but usually, most of the time, they present these in the dark. And the person's always looking for the light switch.

[5:28] Because it scares away the darkness. It'll scare away the boogeyman, right? Or so they think. Light scares away the darkness. I remember even as a kid, I'd be scared of the dark, and I'd be like, oh, no.

[5:43] And I remember the heater would come on. It would click on, and that would comfort me. Oh, the heater's coming. Oh, good. Isn't that weird as a kid? No, no, no, no. So when you come to this passage, when it comes to Jesus, he scatters the darkness of sin by his very presence, his identity.

[6:05] And especially his work, his mission. He dissipates the darkness, the darkness of sin. And we see this in John's gospel, telling the readers, those who he's writing to, come and receive Jesus.

[6:23] Come, believe Jesus. Know Jesus. And today we'll see, come to the light. Come to the light. Come to the light.

[6:39] Come to the light, or you will die in your sin of unbelief. I mean, how can you put this passage, 12 through 30?

[6:51] You can even put 12 through 59 like this, if you want. Come to the light, or you will die in your sin of unbelief, of not believing in Jesus.

[7:05] I'm not saying that. Jesus said that. So if you disagree with that, you disagree with Jesus. Come to the light, or you will die in your sin of unbelief.

[7:20] Jesus' identity and mission matters. And we've been talking about this. His identity and mission, and why it should matter to you. Why does it matter? It matters because the only way we won't die in our sin, and face judgment, is trusting Jesus.

[7:39] Upon this truth of the gospel, hinges everything we do as a church. We stand or fall on this truth. This is why it matters.

[7:52] This is the only way, we won't die in our sin, and face judgment. It's keeping that perspective, that gospel truth perspective, as you watch atrocities in our world, as you watch politicians lie, whether you're on the right or the left, as you watch them speak, as you watch injustices happen, this is what the world needs.

[8:31] I don't say that. Jesus does. Because he says, I am the light of the, tell me, world. world. Jesus is the light for all humanity, and judges the world of their sin, declaring them guilty.

[8:50] Yet, as the light, he's also Savior. He's unique, and he's the great I am, taking their guilty charge upon himself. How are you able to have living light?

[9:03] Because Jesus takes the guilty charge upon you, upon himself. That's how. Christ, as the light, excuse me, promises to scatter darkness.

[9:17] When we follow him, when we follow him, we'll never walk in the darkness, but have living light, light that gives life, by means of the Spirit. So to come to Jesus, means, you believe who he is, and you believe what he's done.

[9:39] You embrace his identity, as the word may flesh the God man, as the light of the world, and you embrace his mission. He had to die.

[9:50] On your behalf. Jesus' charge is against the people of the world who must embrace his identity and mission, else they will die in their sin, or sins.

[10:09] And the greatest way his identity is revealed is in his mission, the cross. That's where you see the glory of God. That's where you see the glory of the Father.

[10:22] That's where you see the Father, excuse me, the Son pleasing the Father. The cross. Because Jesus will say, I do everything that pleases the Father, and he goes to the cross.

[10:36] Sin is darkness. John's making sure we understand that sin is darkness, and we're all stricken with darkness, with this darkness sin, which is why we cannot see the light.

[10:53] We're blind. And that's why the Father sent the Son so he can, the Son, dissipate the darkness by absorbing it for us.

[11:05] I mean, that's what light does. It absorbs the darkness, right? Turn the light switch on, it absorbs the darkness. You see, as light absorbs the darkness, so Jesus at the cross absorbs our sin upon himself so we can have living light.

[11:25] The light of life. So the call is to trust him as the sole authority over the darkness, and the sole judge of the darkness.

[11:42] So let's jump in. Verse 12 tells us, come to the light. This nicely follows what happens in chapter 7, verses 37 to 39.

[11:54] If you remember what Jesus talked about then, I'll make that connection in just a moment. He spoke again to them, saying, I am the light of the world. The one who follows me will never walk in the darkness.

[12:07] We'll have the light which produces life. I am the light of the world, the second of Jesus' seven I am statements.

[12:17] Actually, we'll see a lot of Jesus saying I am. Actually, two other times, maybe three. And when he says light of the world, there's two aspects to this.

[12:29] One aspect, light is seen throughout the Old Testament. So he's pulling all types of stuff out and pulling it and saying, this is who I am. In the coming messianic age, the Lord himself will be the light for his people, Isaiah 60.

[12:49] And this imagery of light, it forms the basis for John's use in his prologue, the first 18 verses of chapter 1.

[13:00] You see, he already starts calling Jesus the light. This imagery of light is a primary theme in John's gospel. And so, it's connected to the Feast of Tabernacles that takes us back to chapter 7, if you remember.

[13:20] Jesus came to Jerusalem during the Feast of Tabernacles. And he's the light correlating to the Feast of Tabernacles. How? At the time of him making this statement, four huge lampstands at the temple's court of the women would be lit.

[13:42] And then there would be a massive celebration taking place under that light all the way until nighttime. And then the people would have torches in their hands and they'd be celebrating the coming of the Messianic age so that if you look at Jerusalem from far away, Jerusalem would be kind of all lit up.

[14:03] So it'd be like a light in the world. But notice, yes, Jesus says, I'm the light not just for Jews.

[14:17] He's the light in the context of his mission to the whole world. Namely, he's the light not just for Jews but for Gentiles, for the world. Only he can open eyes to see since we all walk in the darkness of sin, all Jew and Gentile.

[14:39] Everything is in darkness without the light of Jesus. Anyone who's opposed to the gospel is in the darkness. Not because we put them in that category. Jesus does.

[14:53] Jesus doesn't care if it's politically incorrect to say this either. He doesn't care. This is the way it is. Here's the truth. Here's the truth. Either you trust Jesus and love him and you're in the light or you do not trust Jesus and you do not love him means you're in the darkness and you will die in your sin and face judgment.

[15:16] That's it. There's no, there's no in between as far as Jesus is concerned. Only he is the light notice and shall have the light of life, the light that produces life.

[15:32] Light, Jesus produces life in you because you're dead, because you're in darkness. And what did God say in Genesis chapter 1? Let there be light in the darkness and there's light.

[15:48] And he does that only Jesus can give that life, John chapter 5, by the Spirit, John chapter 3. and that one will never, never, ume from the Greek, never walk in the darkness.

[16:05] So come to the light. Now there's four truths that we're gonna see from this. Starting from verse 13 all the way to verse 30. Four different aspects, four different truths.

[16:15] I'm gonna point them out to you, okay? Aspect number one, come to the light. Aspect number one about Jesus being the light. One, Jesus truly is the light. Verses 13 to 20.

[16:29] Jesus truly is the light. As the light, he self-testifies, he is verified, and he reveals. He truly is the light.

[16:42] He's not making this up. Notice how this happens in verse 13. The Pharisees therefore said to him, you're testifying of yourself. Your testimony's not true. Why are they saying this?

[16:53] Because his claim was only from himself. And based upon the law of Moses, Deuteronomy chapter 17, Deuteronomy chapter 19, verse 5, it required multiple witnesses to verify a truth.

[17:10] Or verify a crime, actually. They're trying to undermine him, though. But notice how Jesus responds in verse 14. He answered and said to them, even if I testify of myself, concerning myself, my testimony is true.

[17:27] Why? For I know from where I come and where I go. You do not know from where I come or where I go.

[17:39] It is true. Even if it's from himself because of the fact that he simply is true. So it makes his claim valid and true. Light attests to itself by his very presence.

[17:52] Prove that light is shining. It just is. Light shining just self-attests to itself that it's shining. Prove that the sun is shining.

[18:05] Go outside. You don't need to self-testify. The sun doesn't need to prove itself. It just is. One does not need a proof of light but simply is. It's a brute fact.

[18:16] Jesus is a brute fact. He's the light fact. The weight of the proof lies upon the one who denies the very reality of that proof.

[18:27] The very reality of that fact. The very reality of that claim. Two plus two equals four. Prove that. You don't prove that. It just is. It's truth.

[18:38] It's a brute fact. Jesus is fact because he's just light. That's who he is. And notice the basis of this. I know where I came from. I know where I'm going.

[18:49] The reality is Jesus came from heaven and he would go back to heaven after the cross. They had no idea he came from heaven and was returning to heaven. For them it was disbelief.

[19:03] His testimony was true because he knew his unique divine origin and his destiny. His mission. Identity and mission.

[19:15] They knew nothing. They disbelieved before they looked at the facts. If they would truly look at the facts of Jesus' identity and his mission they would see and understand where he came and where he'll go.

[19:30] Look at verse 15. He goes farther. You judge according to flesh not in terms of something that's limited in their perspective. What they see. Instead they should judge according to what is from above.

[19:45] What's heavenly versus earthly. In other words he's saying you judge from what's shallow. What's superficial. Jesus says I'm not judging anyone by that.

[19:57] I don't judge anybody if something is superficial or shallow. But look at verse 16. But even if I do judge my judgment is true. When Jesus judges it's always true.

[20:08] Why? Because it's rooted in the Father. Who's not left Jesus alone he says. And that's true of Jesus' entire philosophy of ministry.

[20:21] The Father defines what the Son will do and the Son does entirely what the Father wants him to do. Entirely what the Father says. It's that connection that they have.

[20:34] Look at he gives that proof even more. Even in your law it's been written that the testimony of two men is true. This is human authority which is directed by God's authority and in their law the testimony of two is valid.

[20:53] Do you know what I mean? 19 verse 5. But remember Jesus is both the author and the writer of the law. And these do not contradict. He's proven it is really his law so therefore he says verse 18 I am the one who testifies of myself and the Father who sent me testifies of me.

[21:18] The two qualified testimonies. The two qualified witnesses. Himself and the one who sent him the Father. These two created all things. John chapter 1 verse 1 through 3.

[21:32] They testify of his original claim he is the light and it's true because of his relationship with the Father and the Spirit too. So not only did Jesus claim all authority here but also complete truthfulness.

[21:45] He is the definition of what is true. He has full authority. He's fully true in his claim. The validity of his claim lies on those who deny it not on the truth.

[21:59] Jesus truly is the light. Look what they say. Look at verse 19. And so they're saying to him well where's your Father? And they're not simply speaking in terms in human terms like his human father but more so they kind of mocked him which is why I was reading it like that in like a sarcastic way.

[22:21] Well where's your Father? They mocked him in his title for God Father. They're totally and arrogantly ignorant of Jesus and the Father.

[22:33] And by their very question of Jesus they were admitting they truly did not know him. Look at what Jesus says.

[22:45] Neither me Jesus answered neither me do you know nor my Father. If you knew me you would also know my Father. notice he says my Father.

[22:58] He revealed their true intentions. Notice Jesus he self testifies himself there's a testimony to him and notice how he reveals he makes known who they really are.

[23:10] Their true intentions their blasphemous ignorance is made known. If they knew Jesus they'd know the Father. they claimed to know God but vehemently denied his Son.

[23:26] So they truly did not know. See Jesus is the full self-expression and revealer of the Father so to know Jesus is to know the Father.

[23:38] A knowledge is given to you. Well apparently he didn't like that. It's a populated significant spot in the temple of the treasury. it says no one seized him verse 20 because his hour had not yet come.

[23:53] They tried to seize him because his hour at the cross didn't come yet. So here's the first aspect I want to make known to you. Jesus is saying he truly is the light.

[24:07] Aspect number two Jesus is also Savior he's unique and the great I am. verse 21 through 25 and from this we'll see believe his identity lest you will die in your sins.

[24:26] Believe his identity or you will die in your sins. Look at what he says in verse 21. I go and he's talking about the cross.

[24:39] He says I go I'm going to go to the cross and you're going to return to the Father and they're going to seek him but they would die he says in your sin you're going to die by reason of their sin their sin of what?

[24:53] Unbelief. Disbelief. And he says here where I go where I myself am going you yourselves are not able to come and not just in the physical sense but even deeper they won't be able to come they can't because they don't believe.

[25:14] They would not come to where he is because they did not believe him they rejected him they rejected the revelation about him that he brought in his person and you can tell this by how they mocked him verse 22 therefore the Jews are saying Jews were religious leaders surely they're not going to kill himself it's a mocking kind of making fun of him ridiculing Jesus here but they're challenging his statement and they're trying to slander him by claiming he's going to kill himself which in Judaism was abhorrent and they believed it was done by the insane no he would not commit suicide ah but he would willingly give his life they spoke better than they knew he would submit his life which was given to him by the father he would give his life because he does what pleases the father and notice what Jesus does here he's going to mention first he says here

[26:32] I'm the savior unless you're going to die in your silence you believe me and then he's going to bring out how he's unique notice his uniqueness here from verse 23 he's saying to them you are from below I'm from above you're of this world I'm not of this world I'm unique I'm distinct I'm separate from you what's the reason they could not come to where he was going what's the reason they thought him to be insane because of these two antagonistic realities you're from here I'm from above you're from this world I'm not of this world and world meaning that which is in rebellion against its creator and because they were from the world he's from not of this world because they're from the world they couldn't recognize his identity and mission they couldn't see his uniqueness his origin is rooted in God because he's God and he's light their origin is rooted in darkness sin death that's the reason we need life from above that's the reason we need the rebirth that's the reason we need a new birth by means of the spirit that's why we need this and notice how he emphasizes again he's savior first he says in verse 21 you're gonna die in your sin then he says it again here in verse 24 therefore I said to you that you shall die in your sins now it's plural because as

[28:12] Calvin says the fountain and cause of all evils is unbelief evil and wickedness they mushroom from the sin of disbelief you will die in your sins notice for unless you believe that I am ego e me that's all it says in the Greek unless you believe that I am which takes us back to Isaiah chapter 40 through 55 where God says he calls himself I am he I am the one it's me he takes them back to that unless you believe I am you will die in your sins Jesus is humanity's authority and judge he's deity the only way to escape from sin and his consequences is to believe in Jesus it's the only way you must trust Jesus to be saved else you will die in your sins and face judgment this is the gospel if you're here you don't know

[29:17] Jesus you must trust Christ or you will face condemnation you will face the judgment of God forever the way you pay for your sins is you're in hell forever or you can trust in Jesus who paid the price by dying for sinners he says come Jesus gives us life because he is the light that produces life it's that life that produces trust in Jesus to truly see him as he is he's the only way you can come out of darkness and into the light it's the only way this is what our country truly needs this is what our president truly needs this is what Donald Trump truly needs both of them Biden and Trump need to bow before the Lord Jesus Christ and say he is Lord and repent both of them need to do that and every other senator and representative in the office that's what they should do it's not about a political view it's about trusting Christ it's about the kingdom of God let America go to hell for all we care but God's church will stand strong forever won't it

[30:36] God is about his kingdom his kingdom will never fall nations rise and fall God's kingdom will endure forever this is what our country needs this is what our politicians need this is what they need else they will die in their sins well look at their response verse 25 so they're saying to him you are you kidding me you who are you to be saying these kinds of things who do you think you are who are you that's the nuance of this question ridiculing mocking come on and Jesus just what I've been saying to you from the beginning hello

[31:37] I've been telling you this the whole time and not just the beginning of his ministry but true but if they truly knew Jesus then they know the father and they know that he's the creator he's been saying that from the very beginning of time Jesus truly is the light he truly is he is the light and second he is also savior he's unique and he's the I am that's the second truth truth number three number three the cross lights up Jesus identity it's gonna say reveal but I think it's better say lights up because you know Jesus is light I'm not as dumb as I look the cross lights up Jesus identity it makes it known look at what he says in verse 28 we're gonna come back to verse 27 excuse me verse 26 and 27 look what he says in verse 28 therefore

[32:40] Jesus said when you lift up the son of man then you'll know that I am lift up the son of man then they know that I am lift up what does that mean lift up means the cross his suffering his death his defeat but also his exaltation his glorification only in that place of execution done by them will he be given his place of honor and here is the great paradox of the gospel here's a great paradox of his mission the most humiliating cruel act that's done by the Romans and notice he says lift up the son of man that goes back to Daniel chapter 7 the son of man he's the one who represents power glory authority so power glory authority is humiliated shamed naked crucified there's the paradox and it's this judge who will receive the judgment it's this judge who receive upon himself as one writer says the guilt of the defendant he takes our guilt for our freedom from sin from the last week on the freedom of sin so this event this mission from Jesus on the cross it lights up his true identity it lights up who he is the cross is as one writer says

[34:35] God's final word about his son he's the savior of the world and he saved the world by dying for the world and this was the father's will which takes us to this last this fourth aspect that we need to bring out here first Jesus truly is the light second he's savior he's unique he's the I am third the cross lights up his identity and fourth the cross lights up Jesus bond with the father his communion his fellowship his relationship with the father it lights that up because look at verse 26 I have many things to speak in the judge concerning you many more things you have to speak in the judge about them there's way more to come later on chapter 8 chapter 9 the rest of the gospel there's many more things Jesus had to say all of us the father who's true he says meaning he's reliable he's authentic he would do to vindicate his son because notice the things which I heard from him these I speak to the world

[35:46] Jesus only speaks and does what the father wants him to speak and do no other the father finally and fully speaks to and through his son and the things he speaks through the son is to give life to the world which is steeped in darkness they need the light else they'll die in their sin and notice they didn't understand he's talking about the father to them he says this in the narrator John says this in verse 27 so then Jesus says in verse 28 when you lift up the son of man you'll know that I am and then notice the next part verse 28 and I do nothing for myself this mission this event shows that Jesus has a bond with the father his mission also lights up the intimate relationship he has with the father because he does nothing from himself what the father's taught him notice he says but I speak the things as the father taught me end of verse 28 those things

[37:00] Jesus speaks he only speaks for the father tells him to speak and to do which is the cross see it was the father's will for Jesus to go to the cross because that's how we will glorify the father chapter 17 verse 1 and 2 when Jesus is praying his high priestly prayer he says father the hour has come now glorify the son how's he going to glorify the son glorify the father he's going to go to the cross and that cross it shows this bond that Jesus has with the father look he says it even deeper in verse 28 and the one who sent me is with me he did not leave me alone why for him this intimate relationship he has with the father it's a reciprocal communion that they have together and what the father never leaves the son and the son always does what pleases the father so you have both the presence and the action define this relationship between the two of them so what was it that pleased the father the son of man went to the cross that's the only way the light can save humanity so he shows

[38:31] Jesus in this statement come to the light he says I'm truly the light I'm the savior I'm unique I'm the I am and my mission is going to light up who I am is going to light that up and it's also going to light up my bond that I have with the father look at verse 30 and speaking these things many believe into him literally these are the words that John uses to show how someone comes to faith in Jesus although we read these verses and we question it's this validity of this belief in Jesus because the same thing happened in chapter 2 verse 23 to 25 you remember that somebody believed in Jesus plus what you're going to see later in chapter 8 of verse 31 and following because you'll see in verse 31 he says to those

[39:37] Jews who had believed him he begins to make known this belief which really was not genuine belief in Jesus because the judge sees the light reveals the truth as light absorbs the darkness so Jesus at the cross absorbs our sin upon himself so that we can have living light Jesus charged against the people of the world who must embrace identity and mission else they will die in their sins the greatest way his identity is revealed is in his mission the cross Jesus is a light for all humanity and he judges the world of their sin he declares them guilty yet as a light he is savior he is unique and the I am taking their guilty charge upon himself so Jesus identity and mission and why should matter to you it matters because the only way we won't die in our sin is trusting

[40:44] Jesus we as a church as a body of Christ we live and die we rise or fall on this truth the gospel it must be central in everything we do as we read that book the compelling community it must flow out of the gospel as we connect together Sundays Wednesdays it must flow out of the gospel come to the light or you will die in your sin of unbelief and we get to not only see this truth the revealing of the truth of who Jesus is but then we get to be thankful and joyful that he's been so gracious to us to show us this we we did not deserve this so let's take a moment and pray and thank him yes father we do we thank you we were steeped in darkness but your love your grace the light came and opened our eyes by your spirit so we could see who you truly are

[41:57] Jesus we pray that we will have a response to you in praise and thanks we pray we have a response to you by having the same mercy and grace towards each other as a body we are praying that we will hold fast to this words of the faith as a body as we pray each week at the end of our service we pray that we'll speak to the world that they need the light they need to be saved else they will die in their sins come to the light or you will die in your sin you will face the judgment of God God I encourage you take this minutes or so minute and a half fill your mind with truth fill your mind with the identity and mission of Jesus who he is and what he's done we'll sing our songs in a few moments we'll have our closing prayer

[43:19] I encourage you to take this time to ponder what we've seen in God's word reflect upon what we've seen God speaking to us this morning from his word do that now please an organ d audio d l m an