Verses: John 8 : 12 - 20
My thoughts about the verses:
This is hard for us in modern days of electricity to understand just how important the light of day was. We are so use to being able to flip a switch and light to fill the room. Yet, in the times of Jesus this was not an option. The people had to use lamps sparingly to fill their nights with light. The moon and stars were often all the light the people had to see by. Understanding this part of history we can understand the significance of Jesus calling him the light of the world.
Jesus was letting the people know that by trusting him the darkness that they lived in would be filled with everlasting light. The darkness was symbolic of the divide that exists between humankind and God. The fact is that we start our lives in a shadow of the past. Yet, over time our own hearts begin to fill with darkness. The only way to break that darkness is to allow the Holy Spirit in our hearts. When we choose that gift we are giving a light that never fades.
Jesus also used the law to further explain what we did not fully understand. Jesus was accused of speaking of himself in a way no other person did. He reminded the leaders that he was not the only one that was teaching this. That their own stories had talked about his arrival. That God was the witness of the salvation that would come through his sacrifice. The fact is that the leaders did not fully understand that Jesus was the Messiah that they had prayed for.
See the leaders were expecting someone that would come into the land and free them from the rulers over them. They did not understand that Jesus was talking about freeing them from their own deeds. Jesus was not the great warrior that they had always thought would come and reestablish the great Jerusalem. In fact, what they missed is that Jesus was the lamb being sacrificed so that they could live forever.
They did not understand what Jesus pointed out to them that they did not even know God. You can imagine that it infuriated them. How could this man say that they did not know God? Yet, the truth was that they believed in the law, but did not truly understand it. The law was preparing the way for the new covenant. By living in the old covenant they had to spend all their time living a certain way. They also spent a lot of time judging others. What Jesus wanted them to see is that you must accept the new covenant into your life to truly connect with God. In all reality it is impossible to live within all the law all the time. We were destined to fail because we are not perfect. So the necessity came for a new light to break through our hearts.
The thing about light is that it must be shared. So once you have the light inside you the gift must not be blocked from others. In the days of Jesus when the earth was basked with light everyone worked. Therefor having the light in you drives you to share your experience. This is a way of helping others accept the light in their heart.
Like the song says you cannot hide your light under a basket. You must let it shine. By letting it shine you will spread it to others. This means that Jesus will fill many hearts and break the world from darkness. For the gift isn't just for us, but for everyone.
Prayer:
Dear God we thank you for the light of the world. We thank you for breaking through the darkness in our life so that we may be freed from our own sins. Help us accept the light into our life. We ask that you help us spread the light to others and not keep it to our self. Dear God we know that you came for everyone we ask that you open our hearts and souls to those in need. May we truly be the people that know who you are. In the holiest of holy names we pray. Amen
Questions:
My thoughts about the verses:
This is hard for us in modern days of electricity to understand just how important the light of day was. We are so use to being able to flip a switch and light to fill the room. Yet, in the times of Jesus this was not an option. The people had to use lamps sparingly to fill their nights with light. The moon and stars were often all the light the people had to see by. Understanding this part of history we can understand the significance of Jesus calling him the light of the world.
Jesus was letting the people know that by trusting him the darkness that they lived in would be filled with everlasting light. The darkness was symbolic of the divide that exists between humankind and God. The fact is that we start our lives in a shadow of the past. Yet, over time our own hearts begin to fill with darkness. The only way to break that darkness is to allow the Holy Spirit in our hearts. When we choose that gift we are giving a light that never fades.
Jesus also used the law to further explain what we did not fully understand. Jesus was accused of speaking of himself in a way no other person did. He reminded the leaders that he was not the only one that was teaching this. That their own stories had talked about his arrival. That God was the witness of the salvation that would come through his sacrifice. The fact is that the leaders did not fully understand that Jesus was the Messiah that they had prayed for.
See the leaders were expecting someone that would come into the land and free them from the rulers over them. They did not understand that Jesus was talking about freeing them from their own deeds. Jesus was not the great warrior that they had always thought would come and reestablish the great Jerusalem. In fact, what they missed is that Jesus was the lamb being sacrificed so that they could live forever.
They did not understand what Jesus pointed out to them that they did not even know God. You can imagine that it infuriated them. How could this man say that they did not know God? Yet, the truth was that they believed in the law, but did not truly understand it. The law was preparing the way for the new covenant. By living in the old covenant they had to spend all their time living a certain way. They also spent a lot of time judging others. What Jesus wanted them to see is that you must accept the new covenant into your life to truly connect with God. In all reality it is impossible to live within all the law all the time. We were destined to fail because we are not perfect. So the necessity came for a new light to break through our hearts.
The thing about light is that it must be shared. So once you have the light inside you the gift must not be blocked from others. In the days of Jesus when the earth was basked with light everyone worked. Therefor having the light in you drives you to share your experience. This is a way of helping others accept the light in their heart.
Like the song says you cannot hide your light under a basket. You must let it shine. By letting it shine you will spread it to others. This means that Jesus will fill many hearts and break the world from darkness. For the gift isn't just for us, but for everyone.
Prayer:
Dear God we thank you for the light of the world. We thank you for breaking through the darkness in our life so that we may be freed from our own sins. Help us accept the light into our life. We ask that you help us spread the light to others and not keep it to our self. Dear God we know that you came for everyone we ask that you open our hearts and souls to those in need. May we truly be the people that know who you are. In the holiest of holy names we pray. Amen
Questions:
Have you accepted the light into your heart? Are there dark spots that you allow to creep up in your heart? What must you put aside so that the light can shine brightly? Are you sharing the gift that you have been given? Have you become a stumbling block or are you a beacon of hope?
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