Sermon Notes - John 8:12-20 - His Light - Littleby Baptist Church - April 30, 2023

1.     Last week we looked at a bit of Scripture that there is some debate on if it should still be in our Bibles or not.

a.      It is believed to be a true event, just one that was not in the oldest manuscripts.

b.     It is likely in the copies when the council decided on what is Canon.

c.      It teaches us about Jesus and His Grace.

d.     It may be out of place, but it still teaches us about our Jesus.

e.      Which to me makes it worth studying.

2.     The scribes and Pharisees who brought the woman to Jesus were trying to test Him.

a.      They were trying to find a way to discredit Him and hurt His influence.

b.     His response to them was that only a sinless person can throw the first stone, only a sinless person is qualified to decide someone’s fate.

c.      No one in the crowd met that qualification.

d.     No one here does either.

e.      Only Jesus does.

f.      In the end the crowd dispersed and only Jesus and the woman were left.

g.     He showed her grace by not condemning her but told her to sin no more.

h.     Does not mean she would lead a perfect sinless life from that day forward.

i.       None of us live that perfect sinless life when we turn to Jesus.

j.       Jesus was speaking truth to her and us, saying that we need to pursue the path of righteousness.

k.     We need to turn from our sinful ways and turn to His ways.

l.       Cut things from our lives and devote time to talking to our Father and reading the Word.

m.   We need to work at growing as a child of God.

n.     We are going to falter, and we are going to sin.

o.     Thankfully, Jesus will show us Grace and forgive us.

p.     But if He was talking to us after each sin, He would encourage us to go and sin no more.

q.     We would mess up, He would forgive us, and then tell us to go and sin no more… over and over.

r.      To us it might it would get old, but His Love for us drove Him to the cross and will have Him standing there to forgive us after each sin.  

3.     Jesus is the Lord of Grace and Truth.

a.      Grace that is seen in His forgiveness day after day.

b.     His Truth lets us know that we need to change.

4.     The events we have covered over the last several weeks since starting chapter 7, all take place during the Feast of Tabernacles or Festival of Shelters.

a.      During the Festival giant lamps would be lit in the Treasury or Woman’s Court in the Temple.

b.     This was done in remembrance of the pillar that accompanied the people of Israel while they wandered the wilderness.  

c.      It is during this festival, while Jesus is teaching in the temple area that the words of verse 12 were spoken.

5.     John 8:12

a.      As they are remembering God’s guidance in the wilderness, Jesus states He is the ‘the light of the world.’

b.     John 1:4 “In him was life, and that life was the light of men.”

c.      Jesus is the light of this world that guides our path.

d.     John 12:46

e.      He is the light that breaks through the darkness.

f.      The world is a sinful place, a dark place.

g.     It is this Light that can bring revival and awakening to those who walk this earth.

h.     That sin is all around us and in us.

i.       Jesus as the light shines through that darkness.

j.       He helps us to see what is in our lives that needs to change.

k.     He shows us the sin we hold on to.

l.       Jesus is also that light that can break through the darkness in this world.

6.     Jesus is the light of the world, but he did not stop there.

a.      Those that follow Jesus will no longer walk in darkness.

b.     Those that believe in Jesus, who He is, what He did, and how it saves us… will no longer controlled by that darkness.

c.      Through Jesus we are saved, we become children of God.

d.     As God’s children we are to live differently.

e.      1 John 1:7

f.      As we walk in the light, we are making choices each day to pursue our Jesus.

g.     We are choosing to step away from the things that cause us to sin.

                                                    i.     Cutting out junk on TV, hanging out in places that lead us to make those bad choices, and more.

h.     Choosing to walk in the light, we are choosing to embrace God.

                                                    i.     Spending time talking to our Father, looking in His Word for the wisdom we need to make choices for our lives, giving of our time to Him, and more.

i.       As we follow Jesus, we will give Him our lives.

j.       We won’t be perfect, but we will continue to turn to Him.

7.     John 8:13

a.      Biblical law required two witnesses to testify for something to be seen as the truth, but that was a rule reserved for capital offenses.

b.     What Jesus was saying would not qualify as a capital offense.

c.      Rabbinic tradition applied this rule across pretty much anything they wanted to apply it to.

d.     In this case they were trying to make it so anything Jesus said about Himself was not valid.

8.     John 8:14

a.      The Pharisees did not know who Jesus really is.

b.     They did not know where He came from.

c.      Only Jesus knew the truth.

d.     Only Jesus, as God, could testify about Himself.

e.      If Jesus says something about Himself, it is true.

f.      Proverbs 12:22

g.     If lying is detestable to God, He is not going to lie.

h.     If Jesus says something, we can trust that it is True.

9.     John 8:15-16

a.      The Pharisees can only judge by what they can see, hear, and touch.

b.     They are limited like we are as humans.

c.      They saw Jesus as only a man, because they were not interested in who He really is.

d.     They could not see that He is also God.

e.      They were judging based on their limited understanding.

f.      Jesus saying that He does not judge, is saying that He will not pass judgement.

g.     Jesus came to save all who believe, but He will carry out the Father’s will.

h.     A person’s choice to either turn to Jesus or reject Him will decide their fate.  

i.       Judgement comes from our ability to adhere to the Mosaic Law perfectly.

j.       We cannot, so we either have Jesus as our Savior to wipe away our sins or we do not.

k.     The Law calls out our sins, it is Jesus that is offering forgiveness.

10.  John 8:17-18

a.       At this point in time, there were only two who could authenticate Jesus’ claim to be the Light of the world. Him and His Father.

b.     Jesus words spoke the truth.

c.      His miracles, or signs, were the Father’s agreement or authentication of who Jesus is.

d.     The power manifested through Jesus was proof that His words are true.

e.      That He is the Light, that He is the Son of God, that He came to save us.

11.  John 8:19-20

a.      They did not understand who Jesus could be talking about.

b.     They may have been wondering where His human father was, where was Joseph?

c.      They really did not understand who Jesus is.

d.     Which per Jesus, meant that they did not understand who God is.

12.  We see God’s touch in everything around us.

a.      The sunrise each morning.

b.     The refreshing rain.

c.      A new bud blooming on a flower.

d.     The birth of a child.

e.      More things that I can even think of, point to God’s awesomeness.

13.  Sadly, even with all of it happening before our eyes and His words spelled out before us.

a.      Many will not see the Light for who He is.

b.     Many will not see Jesus as their Savior.

c.      They will not understand that they are lost without Him.

14.  As Christ followers, we need to continue to let God work in us.

a.      To mold us and shape us.

b.     To let His light, point out our sin that we need to cut out of our lives.

c.      One it helps us draw closer to our God, but it also allows others to see Him at work in us.

d.     As they see Him at work in us, it should be our hope that they will see the Light of the World for who He is.

e.      That they will see that Jesus is more than a man.

f.      That He is God, who came to this earth to offer us a path to Paradise.

g.     That He died for us, because we are lost without Him.

h.     He paid our debt and is offering a gift of life to all who accept Him.

15.  Pray that God works in us.

16.  Pray that people will see the change.

17.  Pray that God’s light shines so those who do not know Him will wake up.

18.  That they will ask you about why you are different? What changed you?

19.  Through God at work in you, He will give you opportunities to share Him with others.