Darkness to Light

Lesson #200

Jesus has been teaching throughout the Gospel of John that he was the Son of God, the Son of Man, the Christ their coming Messiah, but the people believe that the Christ would not die, but live forever. Let us go back to the text and see what the crowd had to say: “So the crowd answered him, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?”” (John 12:34 ESV). The people have been listening to Jesus, but based on information they have received from public teaching, they believe the Law states that Christ will remain forever. The people realize that Jesus has been holding himself up as the Christ and that he must die a violent death, which ran counter to all their ideas of the Messianic prophecies; prophecies like: “I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a son of man, and he came to the Ancient of Days and was presented before him. And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him; his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom one that shall not be destroyed.” (Daniel 7:13 – 14 ESV). They could not see that Jesus who was the Christ must die first.

“So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.” (John 12:35 ESV). Jesus did not respond to their question but instead refers back to John 8:12, where he claims to be the light of life and as that light he will not be with them much longer and when he leaves they will be left in darkness. The idea of being with them “for a little while longer” has been stated before: “I will be with you a little longer, and then I am going to him who sent me.” (John 7:33); “Little children, yet a little while I am with you.” (John 13:33); “Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live.” (John 14:19); “A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” (John 16:16). Jesus is encouraging them to use this “little while” to understand their need as sinners and to see Jesus as their savior to allow them to be with their Messiah. Jesus says to them that they need to come to this understanding while they have the light among them, because if darkness overtakes you, you will not know where you are going. In that darkness are unseen perils and pitfalls to stumble over. They will have no perception of imminent danger and will be driven on by a measureless force to their eternal destruction. Their only hope is to be in the light that only Jesus can offer.

Jesus holds out an offer to them: “While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” (John 12:36 ESV). While the light is among you, believe in the light; believe in Jesus who is that light that gives life. By coming to the light and believing in the light you will be born again and will become sons of light. Paul speaks of this in 1 Thessalonians 5:5: “For you all are sons of the light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of the darkness” (NET). We as believers carry this light throughout the world, providing people the opportunity to come to it, but many will refuse and continue to walk in darkness into eternal destruction. Now is the time of salvation. We must not wait.

Prayer

Father, the more time I spend preparing these lessons the more aware I am of the darkness of the world in which we live and of the darkness that prevails in the hearts of unbelievers. Father, even many believers tend to stay in the shadows because of the pleasure of sin and the enjoyment the world offers. Father, I find that these things are nothing compared to the love, joy and peace you offer. Father, thank you for your training and discipline used to guide my life.