Well it's fantastic, I've been really looking forward to getting back into the book of John.
It's going to be great, I hope we'll all benefit, I'm sure we will benefit from that.
Keep that passage open.
You know, just a few weeks ago some friends came back from a summer trip to the south of France.
And I've got to say that they went Euro camping and I've got to say that as they were describing this,
it sounded like paradise, I was green with envy.
Until the moment they mentioned that they'd taken a day trip to Euro Disney with the kids.
Now I don't know if you've been there, you may love the place, but I've got to confess I don't really understand the concept of it.
You know, you go to the most romantic city in the world and then you spend the afternoon with Goofy and Mary Poppins.
It's sort of beyond me really.
But I don't have kids so there you go.
Anyway, one evening apparently they'd stayed on into the night to see the elaborate firework display that they show there at the end of each evening in the summer.
It was a huge affair, a spectacle, and probably thousands of Euros worth of fireworks were lit in one evening.
Truly magical and thousands of people were there on holiday to have a bit of a good time, to enjoy themselves.
They'd gathered for some good times, for a bit of fun, to light up their lives with the novelty of it all.
But after the show, and I don't know if you've ever had that feeling of dissatisfaction really, with even the best things in life.
When it was over they said they had a distinct feeling of an anti-climax as they headed back to the car park.
It's banal really, isn't it?
Because tomorrow the fireworks at Euro Disney would be lit up again.
And the night after that, and the night after that, it would be one trip back on the Eurostar to Waterloo.
Then back to Ealing.
And back to reality with a bump.
And you know, it's that kind of post-holiday blues, if you want to call it, that post-holiday scenario,
that the holiday makers in John's Gospel are about to experience for another year.
So it's a similar scene.
This section that Ian read out just a minute ago, it's a similar scene to what I've just described.
The section comes here in the public holidays of the Jewish people.
So if you flip back a page to chapter 7 and verse 2, you'll see there John tells us,
Now the Feast of Booths was at hand.
Or the Feast of Tabernacles was at hand.
So it's a Jewish public holiday.
It's a feast.
It's one of the most popular festivals of the year.
Thousands of people get a few days off work.
They and their families have poured into the streets of Jerusalem.
So it's a bit like the craze that's at Euro Disney.
It's the craze that we get at Christmas time.
It's what they've been looking forward to for a whole month.
Or if you shop at Harrods for eight months.
It would be a week of parties.
And then the grand finale, they'd have a lamp lighting ceremony.
In the court of the temple.
So there would have been torches.
There would have been lights illuminating the streets.
From the city.
From the temple mount.
So it's the annual family firework display, isn't it?
And these people are on a public holiday.
They are looking for something to light up their lives.
But as Jesus speaks in this passage, the post-holiday blues are setting in.
There is dissatisfaction in the air.
It's near the end of the festival.
John tells us in verse 37 of chapter 7.
We're going to land in our passage in a moment.
But he tells us there that it was the last day of the festival.
The celebration was coming to an end.
It was reaching its climax.
It was just about to end.
The torches were going to go out for another year.
The lamps were going to be extinguished.
And darkness was going to return to the streets of Jerusalem.
And to their lives for another year.
But Jesus stands up, doesn't he?
In chapter 8, verse 12.
They're looking for some light and hope in their lives on this holiday.
But they know that the lights of the festival are short-lived.
Those lights will be going out tonight.
But Jesus says, I am the light of the world.
And what he says here at this moment, it gets a reaction from the religious leaders.
It's well-timed.
It's well-targeted, this statement he's making here.
He makes it at this festival.
So, in the next few moments, I just want us to see two things about this passage.
Two C's.
Firstly, the claim.
The claim that Jesus makes.
And, you know, a couple of years after this event, they would look back.
It was the kind of thing that would make this Feast of Booths different from all the others.
Just let me give you a bit of background on this.
You know, here they are at the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Tabernacles.
And it was given, this feast, to the people of God in the Old Testament.
So, you can read about it in Leviticus chapter 23.
It was given to them just after God had rescued them from Egypt.
And so, it was to remind them of how God had saved them from the darkness of slavery in Egypt.
It was to remind them of their journey in the wilderness when they'd lived in tents or booths or tabernacles.
And this lamp-lighting ceremony on the last day was to remind them of how God had led them out of the darkness of Egypt,
through the darkness of the wilderness, to the unknown land that he promised them.
But he'd led them in a pillar of light, in a pillar of fire, through the darkness of the night, out of Egypt.
And throughout the people's history, that that darkness of Egypt has become shorthand for the darkness of sin in their lives.
Egypt has become a kind of euphemism for the oppression that sin brings to life.
So, the addictions that the misery, that sin, that rebellion against God brings to life, that is the darkness,
let alone the offence that it causes at God.
You know, one man said, you don't break God's laws, they break you.
That is the darkness that we feel when we go against God's laws.
We don't break them, they break us.
It is a dark thing to sin against God.
Going against God is a dark thing.
You know, another writer said it's like a banquet in the grave.
That is what sin is.
A banquet in the grave.
And there, that evening, at that moment, when the torches are burning,
and the fire from the four huge lamps in the temple court
is licking up into the cold night air.
The average Jew, with any sense of occasion, well, he'd be welling up at this point, wouldn't he?
So, it's the last night of the proms, isn't it?
The land of hope and glory.
They're thinking about the good old days.
The days of Moses.
And being led, rescued out of the darkness of Egypt.
The days of being rescued from the oppression of sin.
And the images of light in the Bible are going through their minds as well, aren't they?
Psalm 27.
The Lord is my light and my salvation.
Proverbs 6.
The word of God is a light to my path.
And the promise of Isaiah for the future,
the Lord himself would be a light for his people,
dealing with sin, finally leading them out of the darkness.
So, think of it, the average Jew at this feast, this festival,
he is thinking about being led through the darkness,
out of slavery, led by the light of God,
led to a land of life with God,
a promise of God himself coming,
and meeting and living with them,
being a light to them.
It's a wonderful image, isn't it?
And all of that is tied up with the image of light.
It's a loaded issue for them at this festival.
But it's a bittersweet moment, isn't it?
As they look at the lights of the festival,
because they're in Jerusalem,
and it isn't the land of hope and glory, is it?
The Roman occupation is in full swing,
all they've got are the lights of this festival.
What they need is the light of God.
And the promises of God seem like a myth.
And so what Jesus claims,
I am the light of the world,
he claims at a very specific moment,
so that the people will put two and two together.
They see the festival lights,
and all that they represent to them.
They hear his claim,
and they know he is claiming.
He is claiming to be the universal,
personal, and exclusive fulfillment
of all of that Old Testament prophecy.
He is the one to lead them out of slavery,
to be God's light to them,
to light up their lives, truly.
So everything that they're celebrating
is met in the person of Jesus.
Everything that they are remembering about God,
what he did for them in Egypt,
is met in Jesus,
and not only for them,
but for the whole world.
I am the light of the world.
I will lead the entire world,
if they will follow me,
out of the darkness of sin.
I will lead China.
I will lead India.
I will lead Libya.
And London.
Out of sin.
I am the light of the world,
Jesus says.
That is the great claim that he makes.
And it has a wonderful consequence,
doesn't it?
Did you see there,
verse 12 again,
the second part of his claim,
and whoever follows me,
will not walk in darkness,
but will have the light of life.
You will be free from sin.
Whoever follows me.
That is the claim.
But secondly,
and this is the flip side of it,
flip side of it,
there is corruption
at this festival.
There is corruption here.
And this is really where we get into the meat of the passage,
because it's this claim of Jesus
to be the light of God
to the whole world
that causes a kind of chain reaction,
doesn't it?
Ian read it really well, actually.
You'll see he makes, doesn't he,
this claim.
And what we hear next
is this reaction.
So if you look at verse 13,
the beginning of verse 13,
he makes the claim,
and then it says,
so the Pharisees said to him.
So the religious leaders
are reacting to this claim,
aren't they?
But they are corrupt.
They are the ultimate party poopers there,
aren't they?
The festival is drawing to a close.
Jesus is saying,
look, although the holiday is over,
the good news is
that actually everything that you need,
that this festival represents,
is in me.
Every day will be
the feast of booths with me.
Every day will be
a walking away from the darkness
with me.
But some people,
the religious leaders,
are corrupt
in their thinking.
They are corrupt
in what they love
in their lives.
They are corrupt
in what they,
what they want,
what they treasure
in their lives.
And they don't want,
want what is on offer.
The claim
shows
that they are corrupt.
They aren't having any of it,
are they?
So they start
interrogating
Jesus.
But they are corrupt.
Verse 15,
Jesus says,
look,
you judge according
to the flesh.
They are worldly men.
They like to,
they like the lights
of the festival,
don't they?
The lights of religion.
But they don't want
the true light.
They don't want Jesus,
do they?
They're not thinking
about God.
And this great claim
of,
and this offer of light
for them
in their lives.
Well,
they attack it.
They don't receive it.
They want to undermine
his claim.
So they want to discredit
what he says,
don't they,
about himself.
So they take pot shots
at him,
don't they?
So if you look at
verse 13,
there's the attack.
The attack they make.
You are bearing witness
about yourself,
Jesus.
Your testimony
is not true.
That's the attack.
Now what they're doing
here is actually
remembering
something that Jesus
has already said
that John has told
us about,
but they're taking it
totally out of context.
So if you turn back
to chapter 5
and verse 31,
chapter 5,
verse 31,
Jesus is having
a similar conversation
here with some people
and he says,
chapter 5,
31,
if I alone
bear witness
about myself,
my testimony
is not deemed true.
So he is saying,
isn't he,
yes,
that is true.
If I make these
outlandish claims
about myself
and if I'm the only
one who makes
those claims
about me,
well,
that's true.
I'm false,
aren't I?
I'm not making
a claim
that can be
validated.
But the next
verse after that,
he's pretty clear
as well,
isn't he?
He goes on to say
that there is
another who bears
witness about him
and he's talking
about John the
Baptist there
and he also goes
on to talk about
God himself.
So whenever he
is speaking,
those other witnesses
back him up
about whatever he's
saying about himself.
but the Pharisees
choose to forget
that.
So it's a cheap
shot really,
it's a bit of a
non-argument.
But Jesus
nevertheless
answers,
and I want us
to get this,
it's odd what he
says here,
turn back to
chapter 8,
it's odd what he
says,
verse 14,
Jesus answered,
even if I do
bear witness
about myself,
my testimony is
true,
and get this,
for I know
where I came
from,
and where I am
going,
but you do not
know where I
came from or
where I am going.
It's an odd
thing what he
says there,
isn't it?
But his argument
is to say there
that his testimony,
his claim of
being the light
of the world,
is validated
by his unique
origin,
and his unique
destiny.
Even if he
were to make
a solitary claim
about himself,
which he doesn't,
but even if he
was to do that,
his claim would
be valid,
he is saying,
because his
origin is unique,
and his destiny
is unique.
He knows where
he comes from,
and he knows
where he is going.
He has come
from heaven
itself,
and his destiny
is to return
there,
and the
knowledge of
that,
makes him
confident
in his own
claim.
Knowing where
he had come
from,
and where he
is returning
to,
makes him
sure that
what he is
saying about
himself is
true.
But they
don't know
that, do they,
about him,
so they don't
believe.
So, some
people's
problem, when
they hear the
claims of
Jesus, is
that they
refuse them,
they refuse
what's on
offer, because
they don't want
to recognise
where Jesus
has come
from, and
where he is
now.
He has come
from heaven,
heaven.
So, his
claim is
true.
And it's
ironic, isn't
it, you
know, that
the very
people who
are the
spiritual
leaders of
God's
people in
this passage,
don't know
the God
they claim
to worship.
What a
terrible
situation
they're in.
Jesus has
another
witness, God
the Father,
but when
they hear
the words
of Jesus,
they only
hear a
solitary
voice,
because they
don't know
God.
Where is
your Father,
they say,
verse 19,
you know
neither my
Father, if
you knew
me, you
would know
my Father
also.
Folks, we'll
continue to
look at this
passage, I've
given you a
bit of a
snack in that
this week,
we'll look at
this further,
but as we
close, now
we've got to
see the
claim that
Jesus makes.
He is
offering to
lead you
out of the
dark places
of your
life.
He is
offering to
lead you
out of the
darkness of
sin, to
give you the
light of
life.
But there
is a warning
here, isn't
there?
That by
judging by
the reaction
of these
other people,
Jesus'
claim will
either draw
you in,
or it will
expose your
corruption,
as you
hear his
claim.
You know,
it's worth
noticing,
isn't it,
that this
whole conversation,
I don't know
if you saw
that, look
at verse
20, where
are they?
This whole
conversation,
verse 20,
these words he
spoke in the
treasury, as
he taught in
the temple.
And you
wonder, don't
you, the
religious leaders,
they make the
choice, don't
they, between
accepting the
light of
Jesus, and
sticking with
the lights of
the festival,
the revenue
that that
brings in for
them, in
status, and
in repute, in
the temple.
But they
cannot accept
Jesus' unique
origin and his
destiny to
return to
heaven, so
they don't
realise that
his claim is
validated.
but as
they do
that, they
will settle
for the
lights of
this world,
but they
will go
out, they
will be
short-lived,
but Jesus
offers a
light that
will give
you life.
Following
him, the
light will
never go
out.
Well, let's
pray together.
Father, thank
you for this
fantastic
passage, and
we pray that
we would
understand that
the claim
Jesus makes
is right and
true, because
of his origin,
and where he
belongs in
heaven, that
you have
validated that.
Help us to
believe then
what he says,
that he is the
light of the
world, and
that those who
follow him will
not walk in
darkness.
Help us to
walk in the
light, following
Jesus this
week, we
pray in his
name.
Amen.