our sermon text begins there
and it goes until
verse 30 of chapter 8
and I believe this is a good way
to read John because
he's taking a theme
and he reads in a story illustration
he sets up this amazing setting
and then the revelation of who God is
through Jesus Christ
comes through with power
so as you hear me read God's word
and follow along in your bible
remember listen to me
inspired, inerrant, insolubles
clear and sufficient word of God
the Holy Spirit breathed out the word
and the Holy Spirit in Christian
received it as truth
hear the word of the Lord
after Christ had
gathered around by the disciples
and one of the children
and the demon said wait
we have to have a child
and the last verse
I knew from Galilee too
they said
to make a meeting
Christians see that no prophet
and Rises
came down in
they said to the Lord
and they went
and reached to his own house
but Jesus went to the Mount of Harlan
early in the morning
he came again to the temple
all the people came to him
and he sat down
and taught him
the scribes and Pharisees
brought a woman
who had been taught in the gospel
and placed in the earth
in the midst
they said to him
this woman
has been taught in the act of the door
through now
in the wild
Moses
God commanded
to stone such women
so what did you say
which they said to text him
that they might
have some charge
to bring it against him
Jesus bent down
and wrote
with his finger on the ground
and as they continued to ask him
he stood up and said to them
let him
he would whip out sin among you
he was first to throw a stone at her
and once more
he bit down
and wrote on the ground
but when they heard it
they went away
one by one
and Jesus supported them
and Jesus
did run for one
of the witness
and of the witness
he supported them
Jesus stood up
and said to her
women
why are
where are they
have no one
to continue
he said no
no anyway
and Jesus said
neither do I can leave you
so
and from now on
sin no more
and then Jesus spoke to them
saying
I am
the light of the world
whoever follows me
will not walk in darkness
but will have the light
of life
so the Pharisees said to him
you are bearing witness
about yourself
your testimony is not true
and Jesus answered
even if I
do bear witness
about myself
my testimony is true
for I know
from where I came
and where I am going
but you do not know
where I came from
or where I am going
you judge according
to the flesh
I judge no one
yet
even if I do judge
my judgment is true
for it is not I alone
who judge
but I
and the Father
who sent me
to your law
it is written
that the testimony
of two people
is true
I am the one
who bears witness
about myself
and the Father
who sent me
bears witness
about me
they said to him
therefore
where is your father
he said
answered
you know neither me
nor my father
if you knew me
you would know
my father also
these words
he spoke
and them tread me
as he talked
in the temple
but no one
arrested him
because his hour
had not yet come
verse 21
so he said to them
again
I am going away
and you will seek me
and you will die
in your faith
where I am going
you cannot come
so the Jews said
will he kill himself
if he said
where I am going
you cannot come
he said to them
you are from below
I am from above
you are of this world
I am not of this world
I told you
that you would die
in your sins
so unless you believe
that I am he
you will die
in your sins
so they said to him
who are you
Jesus said to them
that's what I have been
telling me
in the beginning
I have much to say
about you
and much to judge
but he sent me
it too
and I declare
to the world
that I have heard him
they did not understand
but yet I'm speaking
to them
about the father
so Jesus said to them
when you have lifted up
the same as man
then you will know
that I am he
and that I do nothing
of my own authority
but speak
just as the father taught me
and he who said me
is with me
as he was big
out of sight
is with me
he has not left me alone
for I always
do the things
that are feeding me
in time
with me
as he was then
being saved
many
in time
this is the word
of the Lord
let's sit down
and do the news
of the Lord
would you pray with me
oh Lord
your word
is a lamp
to our feet
and a light
to our path
give us grace
to receive
your truth
by faith
and strength
to follow
on the path
that you set before us
through your son
Jesus Christ
amen
the beloved congregation
of our Lord Jesus Christ
I have just one question
for you
from today's text
are you following
the light
of life
the Bible says
that if you're a Christian
you're a children
through this present realm
of death
and darkness
but we have that
glorious promise
throughout all of scripture
for example
Psalm 112 verse 4
life dawns
in the darkness
for God's people
behold Jesus
he is righteous
and gracious
and in the gospel
of God
he reveals God
to us
with seven things
we know the number
seven is the number
of perfection
of completeness
Jesus is the full
complete image
of God
the invisible God
made visible
to us
in the person
of Jesus
and these seven
I am statements
captured out
we've seen just
the first one so far
I am the bread of life
and in today's text
we have number two
and this is the focal point
of this entire sermon text
Jesus says
I am
the light
of the world
I believe that Jesus
has just one point
from this long sermon
that we just said
and this is what
in verse 12
put your eyes on this
one
if you are following
Christ
you will not
walk in
but you will have
the light
of life
so today's sermon
is just one point
and that's it
so my question then
is are you
walking
are you following
the light
of life
Jesus said
I believe that
everything that he gave us
up to this
well
was sending
this really colorful
stage
for this great revelation
and then
the part after that
after he made
this great revelation
he's showing you
why this matters
and why everyone
needs to hear
this pronouncement
so that's what
so it was
so it's one message
one point the whole way
through
but first we'll start
with the sending
and then the big
revelation
what Jesus
declares
he is
and then finally
why this matters
for his audience
and for you
and for the
end of the world
alright
what we saw
at the very end
of chapter 7
that one of the
great feasts
of Israel
there were six feasts
three in the spring
three in the fall
the last one in the fall
is called the
Feast of Tabernacles
or the Feast of Luke
or the Feast of the Nation
so the children
come and they're
setting up tents
all over Jerusalem
that feast
things went in
I told you a couple
weeks ago
that in the morning
every day
the seven days
during the Feast
of the Nation
there was a
water pouring ceremony
what I didn't tell you
is there's another
ceremony that took
place at night
and it was called
the Illumination
of the Temple
so if you
first of all
I just want you
to try to
try to imagine
Jerusalem
ancient Jerusalem
in the dark
and have you ever
had that sensation
when you get on
an airplane
and you get that
window seat
and it's a night
flight
and you're going
up into the air
and you just
start to see
like oh there's
a time
you kind of
look out
where the moon
roads are
and then you
leave
and then you're
over Montana
or something
and it's really
picked black
so if any business
you like to do
there must be
a little town
right there
so try to picture
ancient Jerusalem
from that vantage point
of the sky
and the darkness
this is before
electricity
so to talk about
light
and really to talk
about torches
and fire
so just keep that
in mind
so Jerusalem
the temple
is the center
of the city
and the temple
is up on the hill
Calvary
is a little hill
right next to the temple
so from the cross
our Lord Jesus
could actually
look up at the temple
it's very very close
and behind Calvary
is the hill
of the soul
so the dead body
and the filth
would be taken
so picture at night
time
that study
those hills
in Jerusalem
they would do
this ceremony
where they had
these 75 foot
tall
basically
candelabra
these big
oil lit lamps
and every lamp
had 20 gallons
of oil
so the priests
would do the ceremony
people would gather
and they would light
those
and there were
four massive towers
of lamps
on the corners
of the temple
the people
every night
would get to see that
and historians
have written how
that illumination
of the temple
that ceremony
for seven days
it would light up
the entire city
so the rest
of the year
Jerusalem is dark
but during the
feast of the nation
the whole city
is lit up
even at night
well we read
in verse 53
that each man
went to his own home
as this feast
has come to a close
we're going to go
another year
with the city
being in the dark
we'll find out
that at least
one woman
and one man
were not married
to each other
did not go
to their own home
instead they
walked in the darkness
of that night
after the feast
was over
we're told that
Jesus went
to the Mount of Olives
Mount of Olives
was really close
to Jerusalem
and very short
walking distance
and that's really
near where Mary
and Martha's home
was
as well
they're good
friends of his
dear friends
and so on
so he could
often retreat
their rest
and then from there
he could go out
and even more
solitary
than to the garden
and have time
alone
to pray
well look at
verse 1
in chapter 8
Jesus came
to the temple
now where was
he in the temple
we know that
in just a moment
here in the same
setting
a woman will be
drugged to him
by the keepers
of the law
so he's in a part
of the temple
where women
can be brought
we have other clues
from the text
itself
in verse 20
put your eyes
down at verse 20
you see a goodness
descending
that where Jesus
was teaching
was called
the treasury
so the treasury
were these
three chests
with like
a horn shaped
funnel
and that's where
people would bring
their alms
and their tithes
and their money
gifts
so the court
of the women
was a busy place
there's money changers
there's people
bringing money
there's women
and men
it's a big
loud men
on the other
side of that
wall
in this
court of the
women
is a big
hall
like
picture
almost like
a senatorial
meeting room
that's where
the same
Hebrew
would be
so Jesus
is teaching
in this
court
and within
earshot
is the same
Hebrew
the powerful
elite
of this
church
just the day
before
they had
tried to
come and
arrest him
the officials
were hearing
this teaching
said no one
speaks with
such authority
and if the
demons
ends up
would we
arrest him
without giving
him a trial
that's the
setting from
the day
before
and this
next morning
the feast
is over
and the
crowds gather
around him
and form a
circle once
again
and what
is it that
Jesus is
doing
what does
the Bible
say
he begins
to teach
you see that
Jesus begins
to teach
these people
once again
who are
starving
spiritually
he is
feeding them
these people
were not
being fed
by the
teachers
of the
law
they
shouldn't
even
be called
that
they
were
more like
self-promoting
parasites
on a
religious
system
he is
not
we can
hear
the
Lord
Jesus
has
compassion
on this
crowd
they are
begging him
to come
back
and show
us the
plan of
redemption
in all
of our
history
these people
were blind
to the
promises
they did
have in
their
law
like
Isaiah
42
it
says
behold
my
servant
says
God
the
father
whom
I
uphold
and
whom
my
soul
delight
I
have
put
my
spirit
upon
him
and
he
will
bring
forth
justice
to the
nation
and I
will
lead the
blind
in a
way
they do
not
know
in
paths
they
have
not
known
I
will
guide
them
I
will
turn
the
darkness
before
them
into
light
and the
rough
places
I
will
make
level
ground
Jesus
is
teaching
them
the
plan
of
redemption
throughout
the
history
of their
nation
they're
starving
and
teaching
them
I
want to
pause
even
here
we
need
Christ
to be
our
teacher
just as
much
now
as
they
did
don't
we
our
cities
are
lit up
by
electricity
but we
live
in the
dark
realm
and unless
Christ
speaks to
us
we live
in that
darkness
and we
will not
be overcome
by the
darkness
if we're
with his
people
we
just
read
James
read
for
us
in
Ephesians
5
do
not
be
given
to
drunkenness
but be
filled
by the
spirit
and what
comes
next
is you
do it
with the
church
you sing
songs
together
you
admonish
one
another
so even
as Christ
is teaching
us
together
as a
church
he is
serving
that
purpose
in our
life
to be
the
light
over
us
are
you
following
the
life
of
Christ
in
his
life
are
you
walking
as a
pilgrim
through
the
death
and
destruction
and
darkness
of
this
world
blind
like the
Pharisees
or are you
walking
by the
light
of
Christ
he
teaches
you
his
Holy Spirit
illumines
the
scripture
to you
as you
read it
you say
for
yourself
with your
loved ones
with your
family
Jesus
says
if you
listen
to me
you
will
not
walk
in
darkness
but
you
will
have
the
light
of
life
well
his
teaching
gets
interrupted
look at
verse 3
the
scribes
and
Pharisees
brought
a
woman
who
had
been
taught
in
adultery
placing
her
in
the
midst
so
you
need
to
picture
now
in
this
court
of
women
two
circles
and
this
is
important
so
it
sounds
confusing
what
happened
so
the
first
circle
is
the
outer
circle
away
from
Jesus
this
is
where
the
crowd
has
gathered
and
from
there
he
teaches
him
now
picture
the
Pharisees
and
scribes
grabbing
this
woman
bringing
her
now
into
the
middle
of
that
circle
forming
a
second
tighter
circle
closer
to
Jesus
so
in
their
midst
of
this
crowd that
surrounded
people
several
questions
come to
mind
that we
don't
have
the
answers
to
here
one
is
why
was
it
only
the
woman
brought
not
the
man
God
law
is
very
clear
you
shall
not
commit
adultery
doesn't
just
say
you
God's
people
will
not
do
that
now
here's
another
connection
is that
Deuteronomy
22
says that
if a
betrothed
girl
she has
found
guilty
she is
to be
stoned
it's not
saying it
needs to
be
a quick
murder
like a
capital
punishment
it's
specifically
calling
for
stoning
and
when you
think of
a
betrothed
girl
who
is
large
with
child
which is
evidence
that you
were
caught
in
the
act
of
adultery
who
comes
to
mind
Mary
is
another
of
Jesus
himself
right
of course
Mary did
not
commit
adultery
but
this
scene
is
very
powerful
I think
a great
insight
comes
from a
broader
context
from all
of the
gospels
Mark
chapter
10
we get
another
hint
of
what's
going
on
with
these
corrupt
lawyers
some
lawyers
are
very
good
but
some
obviously
they were
very
corrupt
they make
a case
of Jesus
in Mark
10
they say
Moses
would allow
a certificate
of divorce
and then we
could just
send the
woman away
when we're
done with
it
Jesus
looked
them in the
eye
and said
you are
committed
adultery
you're the
ones who
deserve to
deserve
so picture
the other
thing that's
set up
here
the outer
circle
represents
the masses
of the
people
the poor
the peasants
the ones
who are
spiritually
striving
they're
the ones
that are
so desperate
that they
will follow
Jesus
all around
just to
get
food
just to
have
them
heal
their
loved
one
who had
this horrible
disease
or maybe
a demon
but on the
inner circle
I think
they're weak
and this is a
massive power
struggle within
Jerusalem
and all of
this
is
so you
see what
trap
they're
setting up
there
it's a
couple
different
things
going on
number
one
it's
basically
that
are you
with
the filthy
dirty
people who
don't know
the law
and stand
condemned
them
or
are you
going to
take the
side with
the woman
that's who
you're
siding with
but if you
say no
don't stone
her
let her go
free
then you're
saying you
don't care
about the
law of
God
they're
trying to
trap you
either way
they're
going to
try to
arrest
him
ultimately
their goal
is not
to even
kill her
it's
kill him
can they
trap him
look at
verse 7
they
continue
to ask
him
so over
and over
they're
pressuring
him
pushing
in
first time
Jesus
bows down
and writes
on the
dirt
verse 7
says again
he stood
up
and said
to them
let him
who is
without
sin
among you
be the
first to
throw
a stone
at
him
once more
he
bit down
and wrote
on the
ground
a couple
observations
about our
Lord's
reply
he wrote
on the
dirt
he was
silent
there's
two things
I think
are very
interesting
he's
writing
on the
dirt
well we
told that
in the
Bible
that the
Lord
formed
the
man
from the
dirt
on the
ground
we know
that every
one of
us
when we
die
to dust
we shall
return
we don't
know what
he wrote
there's no
form of
speculation
but he
did it
two times
he
breaks
down
break
by
contact
with
him
and he
simply
left
in silence
to fill
the
temple
and in
that silence
the law
of God
was written
on every
single
image bearer
of God
working on
the conscience
Romans 1
2
and 3
the
silence
of God
is a
terrifying
thing
we celebrate
how God
speaks
that's
something to
celebrate
we're not
left
in the
darkness
listen to
what the
Bible
says
about
the
silence
of
God
Habakkuk 2
20
describes the
Lord in
his holy
temple
what is that
called for
let all
the earth
keep silence
before him
in Acts 8
32
here's the
passage that
the Ethiopian
unit was
reading
from Philip
is sent to
St. David
and helped
him
out of
his
hand
like a
sheep
he was led
to the
slaughter
like a
lamb
before
his
shears
in silence
so he
opened
his mouth
and he
began
teaching
he
knows
his
goal
is to
be that
silent
lamb
before
he
achieves
but now
is not
his
time
it
doesn't
end
with
Christ
being
slain
of
the
lamb
this
is
how
his
glorious
kingdom
talks about
silence
in the
eternal
state
revelation
8
1
when the
lamb
opened
the
seventh
field
there
was
silence
in
heaven
for
about
half
an
hour
we
will
all
hear
the
silence
of
the
lamb
of
God
one
day
look at
verse
9
when
Jesus
gave
his
answer
they
couldn't
scrap
him
they
went
away
one
by
one
beginning
with
the
order
and
Jesus
was
left
alone
with
the
woman
standing
before
him
well we
do know
that
the
Pharisees
are going
to talk
with him
again
in
verse
15
so they
didn't
go too
far
so again
just
picture
that
inner
circle
dispersing
mainly
back
into
the
crowd
and now
Jesus
now
is
going
to
everyone's
eyes
looking
wrong
him
and
the
woman
what
will
he
say
to
her
can
Jesus
be
accused
of
hating
the
law
of
God
is
he
really
not
one
who's
going
to teach
licentiousness
look at
her
sin
Jesus
stood up
and said
to her
woman
where are
they
has
no one
to
condemn
you
he
said
no
one
see
the
light
shining
again
in
the
darkness
the
darkness
pushing
in
the
darkness
cannot
overcome
his
light
the
light
of
Christ
has
shielded
this
sinner
she
cannot
be
condemned
by
fellow
sinners
but she
also
can't
be
justified
by
any
sinner
Jesus
stands
near her
and says
I
am
your
shield
I
will
stand
by
you
I
will
be
condemned
in
your
sin
if
you're
in
Christ
that's
the
same
promise
as
you
that's
what
we
see
in
this
beautiful
hymn
there was
a woman
bearing
shame
and
scoffing
guilty
and
hopeless
where
that
woman
caught
in the
eyes
of
sin
but now
because
of
Christ
we
can
see
bearing
shame
and
scoffing
rude
in
my
place
condemned
he
stood
sealed
my
pardon
with
his
blood
hallelujah
what
a
savior
guilty
helpless
lost
were we
blameless
lamb
of God
was he
sacrificed
to set
us
free
hallelujah
what
a
savior
so
Jesus
says to
her
neither
do
I
condemn
you
from
now
on
go
and
sin
no
more
what
is the
motivation
for
obeying
your
savior
what
is your
motivation
for
walking
in the
light
of
life
it's
gratitude
it's
gratitude
you are
not
condemned
go and
sin
no
more
out
of
gratitude
in
Christ
there
is
no
license
for
sin
in
Christ
there
is
perfect
love
you are
under
the
rule
of
Christ
which
is
love
you
obey
as a
child
whose
father
loves
you
and
son
and
his
son
has adopted
you
because
of
Christ
standing
in your
place
love
to
are
you
walking
in the
light
of
life
as many
days
as God
gives
you on
this earth
you are
called to be
a pilgrim
in the
present realm
of death
and darkness
Have you seen death and darkness this week?
I have.
Hold on to the promise that the light of the kingdom of heaven has dawned in Christ.
He is the light for his people.
He is gracious, merciful, and righteous.
Behold Jesus.
He commands you, go and sin no more.
Jesus says, if you obey me, you will not walk in darkness,
but you will have the light of life.
So that's the sentence.
Now come those words from the lips of my Savior himself.
Everyone in the crowd, maybe some of you today are standing there,
I haven't figured out who Jesus really is.
And that's okay, you're hearing his gospel, his own words from scripture.
Who is Jesus?
You need to answer this question.
In verse 12, Jesus says, I am the light of the world.
To those in his audience, this would have brought to mind several images.
Why did they have this illumination ceremony?
Why did they raise up these porches way up high in the sky like this?
They were reminding the people that God is their leader.
He will lead them through the darkness of the wilderness like a pillar of fire.
They had to dwell in booths and tents and pack it all up every day and sojourn and travel and be pilgrims.
But they were not alone.
God's very presence was with them.
No one brought along oil.
This was not a man-made magic show.
This was the glory cloud, the glory fire of God himself with his people.
And when the cloud of fire moved, the pillars would move at night, they would march.
They would follow him through the wilderness.
That's what's on everyone's mind right now.
And the promise of the Messiah will come.
And he will dwell with you, the glory fire of God with his people.
Jesus said, I am the light of the world.
I am the glory presence of God.
I am the pillar of fire.
I am that flaming cloud that leads you.
I am the light of God to all nations, not just Jerusalem, not just Israel, to the ends of the earth.
I am the one who fulfills Isaiah 42.
It's through the justice of my kingdom that all the coastlands will have the law of God.
They've been waiting for the one Redeemer, just as you have.
It's for all nations that I have come.
He says, I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, and in paths that they have not known, I will guide them.
Whoever follows me, Jesus says, will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
You will have the light of life, Jesus promises.
He promises to turn the darkness into light before you.
The rough places he will make level ground.
Jesus promises to guide you, church, his people now, through this wilderness.
He is the same light that led the people of Israel as a picture, so that you can have faith now today, church.
He is the Shekinah glory of God, always represented as light.
This is who Jesus Christ is.
He's not like John the Baptist who was a torch pointing to the one who would come.
He's not just a spotlight serving that purpose as an instrument.
Jesus is the essence of light itself.
These man-made torches were putting out light into the darkness.
Jesus is not the fire.
He is the light, the essence of God himself.
See, God is spirit, and our physical eyes can't see God.
But the glorious attributes of God, all that he is, they are radiated and refracted out through the person of Jesus Christ.
He is light.
He is the light of light.
Who is Jesus to you?
If Jesus is not your light of light, then you are still under the bondage of sin and death and darkness.
Jesus, Jude 1 says, we read that God has put the rebellious fallen angels, demons, in eternal chains, under gloomy darkness, until the judgment of the great day.
See, the demons, the powers of darkness, are in chains now.
And they're still causing damage and destruction, but they're under the chains of God, and they will be judged one day, finally and fully.
And if you are not in the light, in the light of Christ, you are still under the destructive power of those dark forces.
Ephesians 6.12 says,
Ephesians 6.12 says it this way.
When true Christians wrestle against sin, Satan, and death,
you are not wrestling against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, the authorities, against the cosmic powers.
Listen to how God's going to do.
Those powers rule over this present darkness.
You are too weak outside of Christ to live.
You will be devoured.
You will be devoured by sin in you and by sin in the world, and the wages of sin is death.
But if you are in Christ, if you are following the light of life, you have the promise that he will show you how to live in such a dark world.
He will be your light for you, and you must follow him, Jesus says.
And if you follow me, you will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
That's what Jesus is.
He is the light of God given to the world.
So what?
First part.
So what?
I break down the next verses, 21 through 30, into four responses.
Four reasons why you cannot leave here without responding to Christ.
Number one.
What Jesus is preaching is that you must trust me.
He says, my testimony is true.
I am my own witness.
I am God self-revealing to you.
Look at verses 14 and 15.
I know where I came from.
I know where I am going.
Verse 21, he says, you will seek me.
Where I am going, you cannot come.
Verse 22, the Jews said, will he kill himself?
Will he commit suicide?
Because we know that's illegal.
No, it could be that.
Jesus said to them, you are from below.
Verse 23, I am from above.
You are of this world.
I am not of this world.
Do you trust what I am doing?
You must trust what I am revealing is true.
1 Timothy 3.16
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of Godliness.
He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated by the Spirit,
seen by angels, proclaimed among the nations,
believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
And we trust how God has revealed himself in Christ.
Here's the second, so what?
Without Christ's light, you are blind,
and your foolish, fleshly mind is darkened.
In verse 18, he says,
I have a divine nature.
The Father bears witness to me.
But you don't know the Father.
So your minds are darkened.
You can't believe me.
You're outside of me.
How can you see my glory?
Colossians 1, this is this way,
that Christ's ministry through his church is exactly that,
to make the word of God fully known.
The mystery hidden for ages and generations,
but now revealed to the saints.
To them God chose to make known
how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory
of this mystery, which is Christ in you,
the hope of glory.
Jesus says, trust in me.
And I open your eyes.
See, the Father bears witness.
You hear the gospel.
My spirit gives you life,
so you can behold me.
And when you behold me, you believe.
But without my life, you are in darkness.
Here's the third, so what?
If you are still in darkness,
you get a stern warning.
Without Christ's light, here's his warning.
Look at verse 21.
He says, you will die in your sins.
In verse 24, Jesus says,
unless you believe that I am God,
you will die in your own sins.
See, the light of God,
that fire, glory, light,
it's meant to illumine and to draw you.
But those who approach God
without reverence,
without a contrite spirit of repentance,
that same fire,
that same glory of God consumes.
Deuteronomy 4.11,
Moses told the people,
your forefathers came
and stood at the foot of the mountain.
Listen to how this mountain of God
is described.
The mountain was burned with fire
through the heart of heaven,
wrapped in darkness,
cloud in gloom.
Leviticus 9.24,
fire came out from before the Lord
and consumed the burnt offerings
and the pieces of fat on the altar.
And when all the people saw it,
they shouted and fell on their faces.
See, God's glory,
God's shining glory,
is refracted through Christ as justice.
The justice of God
is shown nowhere more clearly
than in the person of Jesus Christ.
Isaiah 33 says it this way,
that the sinners in God's kingdom
who were afraid,
who trembled at God,
and who were seized by their sins,
they knew they were godless.
When they approached God,
they knew that His justice
would consume those
who did not walk righteously
and who did not speak uprightly.
So God's people,
when they behold His glory
and His justice,
they respond by saying,
who among us
can dwell with the consuming fire?
Who among us
can dwell with everlasting burnings?
If you behold God's glory in Jesus,
you will know
you cannot stand before Him
by your own merit.
2 Thessalonians 1,
When the Lord Jesus
is revealed from heaven
with His mighty angels
in flaming fire,
as that image again,
He will inflict vengeance
on those who do not know God,
on those who do not obey
the gospel of our Lord Jesus.
See the glory cloud of God,
the consuming fire,
that Jesus says,
I am that firelight to the world.
It's Jesus coming with the angels
like a flaming army.
And those who are not in His kingdom
will be devoured
because God is most just.
There is no middle ground.
You bow the knee to Christ
now by faith
in a contract heart,
repenting,
confessing your sin,
your need for Him
as your Savior,
and you have life
by His life.
You reject Christ.
You remain under the bondage
of darkness and death
and redeemers.
Jesus said in verse 21
and verse 24,
you will die
in your sins.
But the promise
is just as glorious.
If you know me
as your Savior
and your Lord,
you will not die
in your sins,
but you will have
the light of life.
This is the fourth
so what for you?
Believe
that God is most
gracious
through Christ.
See,
through Christ,
it's the glorious
grace of God
that shines forth.
He pictured the temple
and the hills,
the people ascending.
He pictured Calvary
with the cross.
And on Good Friday,
darkness.
In a spiritual sense,
the cross becomes
the pillar of fire.
The cross becomes
the torch ablaze
so the world
can look on
at Christ.
And you see
the justice of God
on the cross
and you see
the grace of God
through Christ.
poured out,
proclaimed,
declared,
lifted up
on that mountain,
that glory light
shining out now
of the grace
of Jesus Christ.
Look at verse 28.
Jesus said to them,
when you have
lifted up
the Son of Man,
see,
a light is not
meant to be
tucked away
and put under something.
The light is meant
to be put on display.
And the cross of Jesus
is on display
on Calvary
for all the world
to see.
Then you will know
that I am
he,
Jesus said,
and that I do
nothing by my own
authority.
He's fulfilling
what Isaiah prophesied
in Isaiah 53,
9.
There was no
deceit
in his mouth.
He only speaks
as the Father
taught him.
Look at verse 29.
God,
he who sent me
is with me.
He has not
left me alone,
for I always do
the things
that are pleasing
to him.
God being just
and God being gracious
was pleased
to offer his Son,
his only Son,
on the cross.
Isaiah 53 says,
it was the will
of the Lord
to crush him.
Surely,
he has borne
our griefs
and carried
our sorrows,
yet we
have seemed
him stricken,
smitten,
afflicted by God.
Who has believed
what he has
heard from us?
And to whom
has the arm
of the Lord
been revealed?
All we like
sheep have
gone astray.
We have turned
everyone to
his own way,
and the Lord
has laid on him
the iniquity
of us all.
He was pierced
for our transgressions.
He was crushed
for our iniquities.
Upon him
was the chastisement
that brought
us peace,
and by his
wounds,
we are healed.
Are you following
the light of life?
Jesus says,
believe in me,
and you will not
walk in darkness.
You will have
the light of life.
How do you know
if you have
the light of life?
If you have
the very essence
of God with you?
Well, Jesus
promises that
after he's lifted up,
many who are
hearing him teach
will believe.
And look how
our passage is today.
Look at verse 30.
As he was teaching,
many believed.
You can believe
today as well.
And you can have
that assurance
that you have
the light of life.
That assurance
is a gift to you
when the Holy Spirit
of God himself
made available to you,
poured out through
the cross of Jesus,
the Holy Spirit
in the people of God.
And as we gather
as a church
of saved sinners,
that's exactly
who we are,
nothing more,
nothing less.
We rejoice
because that Holy Spirit
gives us the assurance
that we have
his light in us now.
He does not
leave us alone.
He is physically,
bodily,
resurrected in heaven,
but in his majesty
and in his spirit,
he is very near to us
and you will never
leave his people alone.
Do you see
the glory fire of God
lifted up on the cross
of Jesus Christ,
put on display
so you can believe?
He took the just
wrath of God
in your place
so that through
that same cross
you can come now
freely
and receive
the life everlasting
of the age to come.
It's been inaugurated now.
His kingdom has dawned
in this dark age.
Behold King Jesus,
there is no other Savior.
Be sure that he is your Lord.
Listen to him.
Believe him.
Obey him.
Trust him.
And keep following
the light of life.
Let's pray.
O loving God,
you are faithful
to keep your covenant.
We confess that you,
Lord Jesus,
are the great I am.
You are the light
of the world.
We trust
that Jesus Christ
was consumed
on the cross
as the Lamb of God
so that your judgment
might rightly
pass over your people.
You were crushed
for our sins.
You were lifted up
on the cross
that we might believe.
May the gospel
of your life,
death,
and resurrection
now be lifted up
through your church,
through our lives,
as a torch
for the world
to see
and have faith
that Jesus Christ
alone
is our only hope
in life
and in death.
We trust you, Lord Jesus.
Amen.