What does Jesus show us about God? Listen to the way John sums up the message of Jesus:
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5). M
In that context, “God is light” has a moral meaning: 3 God is pure and good and true. “In Him there is no darkness at all” means He rejects all forms of sin and falsehood. This message molds us morally. We too must love the light and leave the darkness. We “walk in the light, as He is in the light” (1 John 1:7). We stay “in the light” by learning to love (1 John 2:10). When we follow Jesus, He ends our night of ignorance, evil and death. He is the dawn of a bright new day for us.4
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). M
Before we turn to Jesus, we all are like light bulbs stacked on shelves in a store. At night, when the store is in darkness, those bulbs do no good at all. They have no power of their own. They can shine only when they have electrical power. Jesus has all power. He is “the Light of the world!” 5 Light, by its very nature, always shines. When Christ enters us, therefore, He keeps right on shining. His power fills us. Like light bulbs, we were made for this very purpose. From the moment we connect with Jesus, we too light up with dazzling brilliance as He shines through us!
3. For this context, see 1 John 1:5-9; 2:7-11 cf. Ephesians 5:9; Romans 13:12-14.
4. Research Subject – Dawn: Deuteronomy 33:2; Psalm 37:6; 110:3; 112:4; 118:27; Proverbs 4:18; Song of Solomon 6:10; Isaiah 8:20; 9:2; 58:8; 60:3; 62:1; Amos 4:13; 5:8; Malachi 4:2; Matthew 4:16; 28:1; 2 Corinthians 4:6 cf. Genesis 1:3; 2 Peter 1:19
5. John 8:12; 9:5 Research Subject – Jesus as light against darkness: Matthew 4:16; 17:2; Luke 2:32; John 1:4-5,7-9; 3:19-21; 12:35-36,46; Acts 22:6; 26:13,18,23; Romans 13:12-14; 2 Corinthians 4:4,6; Ephesians 5:14; Hebrews 10:32; 1 Peter 2:9
Pictures:
- Light bulbs on a shelf.
- You were made to shine!