LIGHT IN THE MIDST OF DARKNESS
OR
MORE TEACHING IN THE TEMPLE
SUNDAY MARCH 28, 2021
Scripture To Consider:
“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’ The Pharisees therefore said to Him, ‘You bear witness of Yourself; Your witness is not true.’”
“Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going; but you do not know where I came from and where I am going. You judge according to the flesh; I judge no one. And yet, if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone, but I am with the Father who sent Me. It is also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. I am one who bears witness of Myself, and the Father who sent Me bears witness of Me.’”
“Then they said to Him, ‘Where is Your Father?’ Jesus answered, ‘You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.’ These words Jesus spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one laid hands on Him, for His hour had not yet come.” John 8.12-20
Something To Consider:
Most men would have been through for the day, having rescued a woman from the stone clutching hands of murder thirsty religious leaders. Not Jesus! He had the people’s unhindered and undivided attention. Therefore, He began teaching again in the temple, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
The problem was that the people had been walking in darkness as they followed the religious establishment of the day that was led by men of much unscrupulous means and methods. But Jesus had come as light in order to bring life. Jesus came as light to bring a visible and viable way of deliverance from spiritual darkness and deception of overly legalized religion.
What is it that we have come into the world to accomplish? What is it that God, our Father, has or is preparing us to fulfill while here on planet earth? According to Jesus in Luke chapter 10; “The harvest is great, but the laborers are few. Pray therefore the Lord of the harvest, that He should send forth laborers into His harvest.”
And once we are sent into the harvest, we are to be light in the midst of darkness! And yet, we must be properly and biblically prepared. We do not need more unprepared false teachers educated by religious but not spiritual false prophets! Therefore, we must afford ourselves more of Jesus’ teaching in the temple of our minds and hearts.
Something Else To Consider:
John opened his gospel by announcing, “In Him [in Jesus] was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” In our text today these legalistic religious Pharisees did not comprehend or did not understand because they judged according to the flesh. How often do we not understand the situations and circumstances of life because we judge them according to our flesh and not according to the Word of God?
And again, according to Jesus in Luke 6.39; “Can the blind lead the blind? Shall they not both [the false preacher and the blind unbeliever] fall into the ditch?” What is it that we are studying in order to prepare us as 21st century laborers in the vast harvest field of life? Who is it that we are listening to in hope of becoming true light in the midst of the darkness of these end times?
Are we diligently observing all things Jesus taught and commanded? Or, are we being indoctrinated by the lies of the established but false self-serving so-called church of this worldly system? According to Jesus in Mark 1.15; “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of heaven is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.” And according to Jesus in Matthew 10.22, Matthew 24.13, and Mark 13.13; “He [or she] who endures to the end shall be saved.”
Something More To Consider:
The Pharisees walked in the darkness of their own flesh, rather than walking in the light of the spiritual evidence that was presented to them. But, they would not accept the witness of Jesus. Therefore, Jesus claimed that His Father in heaven bore witness that His words were true and remain true! Have we accepted Jesus’ and the Father’s witness that the words of Jesus are true? And if not why not? Believing and observing that which Jesus has commanded is absolutely a necessity for walking in the light and becoming the light in such vast earthly darkness and lawlessness.
John, later writing in his epistle, I John 5.7, proclaimed, “For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word [Jesus], and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.” Therefore, has the light of Jesus’ words shined in the darkness of our bodily temple today? And if so, have we accepted the truth of His words? What has the light in the midst of our own darkness taught us today?
A Few Final Words:
Jesus followed up His stating, “He [or she] who endures to the end shall be saved”, in Matthew 24.13, with this enlightened revelation in Matthew 24.14. “And this gospel [the gospel of enduring to the end in order to be saved], and this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all nations, and then the end will come.”
In our Scripture to consider, the people heard more light filled teaching by Jesus Christ in the temple. There is coming a monumental moment in the history of the human race, when the Antichrist will enter the yet to be built temple in Jerusalem and claim Himself to be God. At that moment or shortly thereafter, three angels will be dispatched from heaven to preach the gospel of enduring to the end, warning mankind not to worship the beast or the Antichrist.
It will be as great light in the midst of much end time evil darkness! The angel’s words are to be as Jesus’ words of warning while He walked this earth. Therefore, the words of Jesus bring life, light, and deliverance from the darkness of sin and death, if believed and stored into the treasury of one’s heart. What is it that we are storing in our hearts on a daily basis?
Prayer:
Our Father in heaven, may the light of Your Word shine brightly in our lives and hearts exposing any darkness of our flesh that still exists. In Him Always, Amen!
According to Jesus 