I Am the Light of the World |
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Key Verse: John 8:12
Picture this. Jesus is standing in the temple and it's packed full of people, shoulder to shoulder, celebrating the Feast of Tabernacles. As evening comes, candelabras are lit all over the courts. And with every bright candle, the Jews remember with reverence and gratitude how the Lord God guided their ancestors with light from Heaven through the wilderness in Egypt. Then, in that environment, Jesus begins to teach. A hush spreads through the crowd and He speaks these words, John 8:12, "I AM the light of the world." I've been thinking about how these words might have been received in this setting at this celebration. These people are all gathered to celebrate and remember God as the light. Is Jesus claiming He is the guiding light of God sent from Heaven? In the Old Testament, light is associated with God. All the way back to the beginning in Genesis. So when Jesus claims, "I AM the light of the world," He is actually claiming to be both the I AM (God) and the LIGHT (of the world). And not just 'a' light, but THE light. So what does it mean that He brings light to the world? We live in a world that is divided in so many ways. I mean today, over vaccines, mask mandates, politics, I mean, every topic you can basically imagine we are divided! And it's so easy for us to point to the problems 'out there' in the world or even 'over there' at another church, political party, neighbor, anything on the other side of your own opinion. We want Jesus, The Light of the World, to bring light to the things we don't like and disagree with. Now some of them need light for sure. But here's the truth, we need it too. And the 1st century Jews thought the same things! They expected Jesus to come in and defeat Rome… see, the problem the source of all of the darkness was "out there." But what the Pharisees missed was that The Light didn't just come to solve problems 'out there' but also to address the ones inside their own hearts and inside the church, in here. |
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"I am the light of the world." — John 8:12 |
"I am the light of the world." — John 8:12 |
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So let me ask you, are there places hidden in the darkness in your life or heart or maybe mind? The thoughts you think? Places that might be too painful to even think about or feel too dark to admit? Even in this moment listening to this. Are there thoughts that make you feel alone and anxious or isolated? Things that you don't even want to think about so it's easier to turn on Netflix at night, whatever distraction you tend to go to… When we allow Jesus, The Light of the World into those places He begins His work. Not to shame us or condemn us, in fact, it's quite the opposite. To bring healing and life and hope there. To show us a way out. A way to be transformed in order that we might become more like Him. In Matthew 5, Jesus turns to His disciples and says, "You are the light…" Meaning, you're meant to be a reflection of Him! Your life, when open to the light, becomes Christ in YOU as you "have the light of life" (John 8:12). When we invite Jesus, the light of the world and the source of all light to light up our lives, we carry His light to the world as we reflect His glory. Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for being the light of the world and for being light to me. I want to share Your light but I know that I must allow Your light to search my heart and mind first, exposing darkness, negative emotions, and doing whatever transforming work You desire to do in me. So even now I even just want to sit in silence, listening to this. Trusting that truly God, You are on the move. What are You bringing to the surface? Give me courage to identify and invite You into the places that I feel are hopeless or shameful. Heavenly Father we need Your light to shine in so that through us we might reflect You to the world. Thank You for being the light, Jesus. Amen. Adapted for Devotionals Daily by Megan Fate Marshman, author of John: Believe I Am. * |
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| If we want to be light in our towns, schools, communities, and work environments, we have to let The Light of the World in to every part of our lives and do His work in us! We need to be transformed by His love. Let's not hold back. Let's give Him every part of our hearts. |
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Get to know Jesus in a personal and intimate way |
John Bible Study Guide plus Streaming Video: Believe I Am |
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$24.99 $17.49 (30% off) + FREE U.S. shipping included! |
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We're not meant to simply know a lot of facts about Jesus. Truly knowing someone requires personal knowledge coming from being with someone over time and building trust. Knowing about someone is just the first step toward truly knowing them. It's the same with God: we come to know Him personally when we spend time with Him, when we build trust in Him, when we share our life with Him. Join Megan Fate Marshman in this eight-week invitation to respond to and really get to know Jesus in a personal and intimate way. This study through the Gospel of John will focus on dissecting His seven "I Am" statements, where we come to learn what Jesus wants us to know most about His character and love for us. This study guide includes: - Individual access to eight streaming video talks from Megan
- Group discussion questions and an opening group activity for each session
- In-depth personal Bible study between sessions
- Reading plan through the entire Gospel of John
- Scripture memory cards and coloring pages
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Save 30% on the John: Believe I Am collection |
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Creatively reflect on Scripture with the NIV Beautiful Word Coloring Bible Gift Set |
NIV, Beautiful Word Coloring Bible and 8-Pencil Gift Set Hundreds of Verses to Color |
With hundreds of inspiring verses illustrated in detailed, ready-to-color line art, the NIV Beautiful Word™ Coloring Bible employs the proven stress-relieving benefits of adult coloring to help quiet your soul so you can reflect on the precious truths of Scripture. Perfect for all ages, this unique journaling Bible is a wonderful way to spend time meditating on God's Word as you color in the Scripture art. The thick white paper with lightly ruled lines in the extra-wide margins also provides ample space for your own artistic expressions and journaling. This special Bible art set also includes eight colored pencils well-suited for Bible paper, making it a perfect gift that will become a cherished keepsake full of personalized, creative expressions of faith. |
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*Sale price for John: Believe I Am ends on 11/30/22 at 11:59 PM. Sale price for NIV, Beautiful Word Coloring Bible and 8-Pencil Gift Set ends on 11/24/22 at 11:59 PM. Limited quantities available. Sale pricing excludes ebooks and audiobooks. Free U.S standard shipping thru 12/03/22 at 11:59pm, excluding Alaska and Hawaii. **eBooks purchases are fulfilled by our partner, Glose. Please note that: To access your eBooks, you can download the free Glose app or read instantly in your browser by creating a Glose account using the same email address you use to purchase the eBooks. eBooks fulfilled through Glose cannot be printed, downloaded as PDF, or read in other digital readers (like Kindle or Nook). For more information about how to access eBooks purchased on this site, click here for our FAQs. |
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