I Am the Light of the World

The second “I AM” statement in the Gospel of John is “I AM the light of the world.” We learn how Jesus, being the Light, reveals much about what He came to do.

The Gospel of John has seven “I AM” statements. Each one reveals a little more about who Jesus is.

These statements echo how YHWH reveals Himself to Moses in Exodus as the “I AM.”

This is the second post in a series covering each “I AM” statement. My hope is that we can journey together to learn more about who Jesus is from how He describes Himself! Here is what we learn about Jesus declaring Himself as the “Light of the World”.

Darkness Cannot Overcome Light

The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

— John 1:5

This seems like a simple, obvious truth. We all know that if you turn a light on in a dark room, the darkness immediately has to fall back. It’s not a fight or a struggle. But when it comes to Jesus being the light and our hearts being areas of darkness, we struggle to believe that Jesus’ light is great enough to dispel the darkness. We often doubt that the darkness in us is capable of leaving. We have become so used to it that we believe it is part of us. Just remember, darkness cannot overcome the Light.

Jesus is the True Light

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

— John 1:9

To mark something as true means there is a counterfeit. In times of old, people worshiped the sun, moon, and stars as true light-bringers. In the creation story, however, there is a light that shines before the heavens are created. Today, we look at enlightenment, politics, self-actualization, and medication as our lights to worship to dispel the darkness. These are modern counterfeits. There is only one true light, and He is Jesus.

We Naturally Love Darkness

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

— John 3:19

We cannot receive the good news of Jesus Christ without first realizing our need for it. So many reject Jesus (inside and outside the Church) because they cannot comprehend that their works are evil and that we naturally love darkness. It means my natural passions, inclinations, desires, and motivations are inherently wrong and need salvation. When my goal is to get God to bless my natural desires rather than change them, I will reject the light since it will remove the darkness I love and want.

Believing in Jesus Removes the Darkness

I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.

— John 12:46

This is a promise of God. His promises are always true. They are “yes” and “amen.” We are so often tricked into thinking the only way out of our darkness is through the prescriptions of the world. Therapy, prescribed drugs, uplifting music, and good conversations may help, but they are no substitute for believing in Jesus. If you feel you are in darkness today, the promise is to believe in Jesus, and you will not remain in it.

Following Jesus is a Promise of Life

In him was life, and the life was the light of men.

— John 1:4

When Jesus declares that He is the light of the world, He says that anyone who follows Him will have the light of life. We are so overstimulated with the bright lights of entertainment, social media, and phones that life has been drained from us. This type of light brings more darkness in the form of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. Jesus’ light is of a different kind. It is the true light that fills us with life. It is the promise of abundant life, not just the groggy, pre-coffee Monday morning existence we dread, but true life. The invitation is to follow Him to experience it.

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