Knowing Him: The Light of the World

There is nothing greater than knowing Christ. Seven times in the book of John, Jesus offers us profound insight into His nature and character. In this series, we seek to guide the reader into a deeper understanding of these “I Am” statements, and the rich hope and comfort that can be found in Christ in the midst of grief.

In the months following our daughter’s passing, there was one verse that stood out to me as a source of hope and comfort. John 1:5 says,

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

I knew the darkness of doubt and unbelief—the questions that challenged God’s goodness and love—lurked at the corners of my mind and threatened the faith of my grief-stricken heart. I was desperate for a truth I could cling to so that I would not be overcome by the darkness of unbelief.

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

As I was reading in the book of John, this verse leapt off the page. Not only was there a light strong enough to shine in my darkness, but the darkness could not overcome that light. This light is Jesus, and I knew this was His promise to me. I would not be overcome by the darkness if I kept my face turned to His light.

“Again 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.”
John 8:12

Jesus spoke these words during the Feast of Tabernacles when large menorahs were lit to commemorate the fire that guided the Israelites during their 40 years of wilderness wandering. These lights anticipated the Messiah who would bring light to the nations. Jesus is proclaiming that He is that Light, He is their promised Messiah.

What is the significance of Jesus being the Light of the World? Let’s look back at John 1.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God… In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it… The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.”
John 1:1-2, 3–5, 9

The three words that open John’s book would immediately take the reader back to Genesis 1:1 where “In the beginning” God created the world. And the first thing God did to bring order out of chaos was to create light and separate it from the darkness. Here John is showing us that Jesus, who is God, was with God in the beginning, and is the ultimate light that brings order into the chaos of our lives. We can know and trust that anything that happens is under His sovereign control and will one day be made right, because He is the Light that brings order and goodness out of chaos and darkness.

Jesus Himself underscores this truth in John 12:46 when He says,

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

In the book of Isaiah, darkness was associated with oppression and judgement, but light was the evidence of deliverance. Isaiah 9:2 looks forward to the day when the coming Messiah would bring deliverance to His oppressed people,

“The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.”

And this light was none other than their Messiah. The land of Galilee was the first region of Israel to be taken captive by the Assyrians—the darkness of foreign oppression. But from Galilee, Jesus would come, bringing with Him the light of life that delivers us from darkness.

Jesus came into the world to overcome darkness and death. His light pierces through the darkest places of pain, emotional turmoil, grief, and heartbreak, and the darkness CANNOT overcome His light! 

Darkness threatens to ruin our faith, but Jesus… well, the darkness is not stronger than His light which offers us deliverance and brings with it hope, and peace, and joy.

In John 9:5, Jesus again puts Himself forward as the light of the world,

“As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

He spoke these words after healing the man blind from birth. Whether we are in darkness because of our own sin or simply because of the curse that darkens all of creation, every part of life where sin brings darkness, Jesus came to bring life-giving light.

In your darkest places of loss and heartbreak and grief, turn your face toward the light. Jesus is there. Pain will not all be erased, but there will be peace and joy and hope that digs in deeper than the pain can go and grows full bloom out of a heart that faces the light. Jesus is greater than any darkness. He is the Light of the World.

Abigail is mama to her toddler daughter and to Sarabeth who went to be with Jesus seven days after her birth in January 2018. She and her husband, Chad, live in Berea, KY on the family farm where they raise cattle. In addition to being a stay-at-home-mom and teaching piano part-time, Abigail blogs on Facebook and Instagram at A Healing Gratitude where her desire is to share Sarabeth’s story in a way that highlights the goodness and love of God and demonstrate how gratitude can lead to greater healing.

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