John 8:12

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” ~ John 8:12

This is another of the “I Am” statements made by Jesus. He had already met the woman at the well (one of my favourite scriptures), and said he was the living water, and as I wrote from the other day, he has said he was the living bread to those in Capernaum. Now, he is Light. We don’t think much about light in our generation. We flip a switch, and it is there. We go out on a dark night and we have streetlights, all night long. At my apartment building there are so many outside lights none ever fear any darkness, for it is like daylight, no matter the hour. But in those days, darkness was to be feared. One could be walking and attacked by a highway robber, and a thief, or lost and fall over a deep embankment. Even the corners of a room would be flooded with darkness, so, the people in Jesus day knew that the dark and night hours were to be feared and not toyed with. Jesus is saying that he is likened to a lamp that floods a room. He is the Light of faith, and hope, and those who were blind would now be able to see and know where they are, at all times. The darkness of unbelief, the darkness of error and waywardness was now transformed, for the truth of the Gospel, the Good News was now present. That Good News is that the God of grace and love had come to them, to all, in the form of a man who now could know what they feel, and see, and despair. This God of flesh could now be their High Priest for his compassion was broadened by human incarnation. He is a Light which will never be extinguished; he is comfort and presence; he is never fading joy and pleasure.