Jesus Lights Up the Darkness

 "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness." – John 8:12

As the Feast of Tabernacles was drawing to a close in John 8, Jesus was teaching in the inner courts of the temple, surrounded by the huge candelabras that were lit every night of the feast. It was said that these candelabras burned so brightly that on a dark night, they would light up every courtyard in Jerusalem. Standing just a few feet from those massive beacons of light, Jesus declared, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (v. 12).

Jesus was basically saying, “These candelabras can light up Jerusalem for one night, but I’m the One sent by God to light up the whole world forever. These candelabras provide physical light for your eyes, but I provide spiritual light for your souls that leads to eternal life.”

The religious leaders weren’t sure what Jesus was talking about, but they didn’t like it. So they challenged His right to speak on His own behalf. They were baffled when He answered, “I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me” (v. 18). And when they asked where His father was, Jesus responded, “You do not know me or my Father…. If you knew me, you would know my Father also” (v. 19). They got even madder when He warned them, “I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am the one I claim to be, you will indeed die in your sins” (v. 24). This probably didn’t win Him any new fans among the religious leaders. But according to verse 30, many others who heard did believe in Him.

Jesus came to be the light of the world. Aren’t you glad He didn’t leave us to keep stumbling in spiritual darkness? If you let Him, He can flip the switch and light up your life, illuminating the sin that you need to confess. He can lift the blinders from your soul so that you can see clearly that He is the Christ and the Son of the living God. And He provides a lamp for your feet and a light for your path, so that you can see which way to go.

Here are two lessons we can draw from this passage:

Lesson #1: No matter how many lights are shining around you, let Jesus light your way. After all, He is the Light of the World. There is no light like the Light of the World, Jesus Christ.

Lesson #2: Your life and time are both limited, and you don’t know what that limit is. Therefore, there is every reason for making the decision to trust in Jesus Christ now, before it’s too late. Sadly, it appears that most of the religious leaders missed their opportunity. Don’t make the same mistake they did.

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.

Don’t Watch the Church. Be the Church.

There’s a crisis in America today—a crisis much bigger than the dysfunction in Washington, much bigger than Covid-19, much bigger than high gas prices. It’s a crisis that has eternal repercussions.

For years, historians and researchers have warned us that Christianity is dying in America. Study after study has confirmed that belief in God, church attendance, and commitment to biblical values are ALL on the decline. In 2019, the year before the Covid-19 lockdowns, 3,000 new churches opened in America. That sounds great until you realize that 4,500 existing churches closed. And during the pandemic, the situation went from bad to worse.

Why? Researchers agree that the biggest reason is the growing number of “nones” in our country. In recent years, researchers have started using this term as a label for people who don’t claim any religion. Some “nones” are atheists; others are agnostics; still others say they’re religious but don’t identify with any specific religion. But it shouldn’t surprise you to learn that as the number of “nones” across America INCREASES, the number of church attenders DECREASES. Because more than 95% of “nones” don’t go to church.

Since the year 2000, the number of “nones” in America has grown dramatically across all age groups—but especially the younger generations. According to a 2021 Barna Group study, about half of Generation Z (those between ages 11 and 26) claim to be Christians … but around 30% of them claim no religion at all. Some studies show that number over 40%.

And here’s an even scarier number. According to Barna’s research, only 4% of those 11-to-26-year-olds have a biblical worldview. In other words, although over 50% of Generation Z claim to be Christians, only 4 out of every 100 actually believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God and that Jesus is the only path to salvation.

That’s tragic. Worse, it didn’t have to be this way. Parents, to a very large extent, it’s our own darn fault. Not only have we failed to teach our kids God’s Word every day in our homes, we have failed to surround our kids with other Christians who are ready and willing to teach them God’s Word at church. We haven’t maintained our commitment to Christ’s Bride, the Church, and we haven’t taught our kids about commitment to church. And if you’re worried that “dragging them to church” will chase them away from God, believe me: There’s a much higher likelihood of them walking away from God if they’re not in church at all.

God’s Word in Hebrews 10:24 is clear: “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.” And that begins at home. You’ve taught your kids to persevere in school work, in their chores and in their tooth brushing. Now, teach them to persevere in the most important way: Teach them to persevere with the Church to bring honor and glory to God. 

Dane Davis is the pastor of Impact Christian Church. Join us for worship on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. or 10 a.m. at 16209 Kamana Road in Apple Valley, or livestream us on Facebook or YouTube. For more information, visit www.GreaterImpact.cc.