In this blog, we'll focus on the working being done at Sligo Presbyterian Church, Sligo, Pennsylvania. We'll also look at what's happening in Sligo, Rimersburg, Clarion, and all the other communities served by our congregation.
Pastor Rudiger wrote this essay last week, and it was published in The Clarion News on June 30, 2022.
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Soon, we’ll be celebrating the Fourth of July, our national independence day. And I think I’m safe in saying, we’ll do it with a lot of flags waving, fireworks exploding and hamburgers grilling, and I haven’t even mentioned all the holiday shopping. But of course, none of this is new and exciting; this is what we tend to do every year.
And while we celebrate, I’m sure we’ll hear the same names mentioned. For example, George Washington is always a big deal on the Fourth, as well he should. I mean, he’s our country’s father. And we’ll hear about Thomas Jefferson who wrote those immortal words: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” And somewhere in the middle of flags and fireworks and hamburgers, we’ll hear about the guy who literally put his “John Hancock” near the bottom of the document that was signed by Congress on July 4, 1776. Now, I think these are the players we can expect to hear mentioned on the Fourth.
Unfortunately, a name that we may not hear is John Adams, and I’ll tell you, I think that’s a shame. You see, not only was Adams a member of the five-man committee that wrote the Declaration, along with Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin, he was actually the first person who predicted that, in the future, we’d be celebrating the birth of our nation in early July. In a letter to his wife, John Adams wrote that Independence Day should be celebrated “with pomp and parade, with shews (shows), games, sports, guns, bells, bonfire and illuminations from one end of this continent to the other from this time forward forever more.” And of course, Adams was also the first Vice President of the United States and the second President, having been elected after George Washington decided not to run in 1796. Now those are some things that John Adams did, and in my opinion, that’s why he should be remembered somewhere during our celebration.
But as important as all he did was for the country he helped to birth, I believe his greatest gift to us as Americans was actually something he chose not to do. Remember, I wrote that he was the second President of the United States. Well, in 1800, he ran for reelection against his former friend and now political rival, Thomas Jefferson. And I’ll tell you, it was a nasty campaign, with both sides getting really personal in their attacks. They even misrepresented what their opponent believed and called one another names. Fortunately, we’ve risen above all this foolishness, right? That was the campaign of 1800. And after the electoral votes were counted, John Adams lost to the guy who’d called him a monarchist, the equivalent of be called a Nazi or communist now-a-days.
And it was right here that John Adams gave this nation the most incredible gift possible. He decided not to disregard the results and to stay in office, something he could have certainly done given the fact that he was not only the Commander-In-Chief but his political party controlled both houses of Congress and the Supreme Court. And since George Washington had won both his elections unopposed, there was no precedent for what a President was supposed to do if he should lose. President Adams could have simply refused to leave the White House, forcing President-Elect Jefferson to remove him, something that would have demanded force.
But of course, that’s not what President Adams did. Instead, on March 4, 1801, he simply left the capital, peacefully turning power over to his rival and establishing a precedent that other presidents have chosen to follow. And in my opinion, this saved America, allowing power to move between rivals without violence. I mean, it would have been impossible for the United States to survive, if every time a president failed either to be renominated by his party or to lose the general election (something that’s happened 14 times in our history), the country was thrown into civil war. That hasn’t happened. And for that, we can thank the voluntary sacrifice of John Adams.
Of course, we don’t know what motivated President Adams to step aside peacefully. He never offered a reason or rationale. But since he was a Christian who valued the Bible as a guide for both faith and practice, I’d like to think that his decision was grounded, at least in part, on these words of Jesus Christ:
You know that those foreigners who call themselves kings like to order their people around. And their great leaders have full power over the people they rule. But don't act like them. If you want to be great, you must be the servant of all the others. And if you want to be first, you must be everyone's slave. The Son of Man did not come to be a slave master, but a slave who will give his life to rescue many people. [Mark 10:42b-45, CEV]
This was the kind of perspective Jesus commanded his disciples to have. And since, in 1813 he wrote this in a letter, “I have examined all, as well as my narrow Sphere, my Streightened means and my busy Life would allow me; and the result is, that the Bible is the best book in the World,” I believe John Adams knew it.
But regardless of his motivation, President Adams offered us a wonderful gift in 1801, one that allowed us to develop as a nation and a people. Instead of holding onto power with bloody fingernails, he simply let go, trusting in the providence of God and confident that who we are as a country is so much more than a person or a party or an ideology. And for me, this is why we should remember John Adams on July 4th.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes seven statements beginning with the words I am. Each of these “I am” proclamations furthers our understanding of Jesus’ ministry in the world. They also link Jesus to the Old Testament revelation of God.
In the Old Testament, God revealed His name to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14). Thus, in Judaism, “I AM” is unquestionably understood as a name for God. Whenever Jesus made an “I am” statement in which He claimed attributes of deity, He was identifying Himself as God.
During seven messages, we’ll consider the following “I am” statements found in John’s gospel:
June 12–“I am the bread that gives life!” (John 6:35, 41-51)
June 19–“I am the light for the world!” (John 8:12-20)
June 26–“I am the gate for the sheep.” (John 10:1-10)
July 3 –“I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11-18
July 10 –“I am the one who raises the dead to life!” (John 11:1-44)
July 17 –“I am the way, the truth, and the life!” (John 14:1-14)
July 24 –“I am the true vine.” (John 15:1-8)
In this third message, we considered the statement, “I am the gate for the sheep.” The sermon text and podcast is below:
Well, here we are, my second Sligo Presbyterian Church picnic. The weather’s pretty good, so long as the rain holds off for a little while. We’ve got plenty of food, including Marcy’s world famous sloppy joes and the very first hot dogs cooked on our new hot dog cooker, and if they don’t taste quite right, we can blame Craig. And (if we had musical instruments out here, there should be a drum roll.) The Meadows frozen custard truck will be here in less than 90 minutes. Now that’s a lot better than shoveling mud, isn’t it? But you know, even though all that’s true, there’s something even more important happening here this morning; we’ve gathered together to worship God and to hear his word. And I think that even trumps sloppy joes and frozen custard.
And today, we’re continuing the series we started a couple of weeks ago that I entitled “I AM – Jesus in Seven Words.” You see, in seven messages during June and July, we’ll look at the seven times Jesus said “I AM” in the Gospel John and then followed it with some image that can help folks better understand who he was. For example, during the first service, we focused on the time “Jesus replied: I am the bread that gives life!” [John 6:35a, CEV] and we looked at how this is a reminder to us that, like bread is to a starving man, Jesus is the source of life, namely eternal life, one that we can claim when we respond to God’s call and simply believe. That was week one. And then last week, we looked at the statement, “I am the light for the world” [John 8:12c, CEV], and we sort came to the conclusion that Jesus was saying that as the light, God entered our space to bring life and that, even though we can always choose to stay in the dark, we can also decide to walk in the light, a decision that will change not only our view of ourselves and others but also the lives we live. And like I said, that was what we talked about last week.
And this morning, we’re going to look at the third I AM statement in the Gospel of John, one that’s found in the middle of a little passage right at the beginning of chapter ten. Just listen to what the Evangelist John wrote:
Jesus said:
I tell you for certain only thieves and robbers climb over the fence instead of going in through the gate to the sheep pen. But the gatekeeper opens the gate for the shepherd, and he goes in through it. The sheep know their shepherd's voice. He calls each of them by name and leads them out.
When he has led out all of his sheep, he walks in front of them, and they follow, because they know his voice. The sheep will not follow strangers. They don't recognize a stranger's voice, and they run away.
Jesus told the people this story. But they did not understand what he was talking about.
Jesus said:
I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep. Everyone who came before me was a thief or a robber, and the sheep did not listen to any of them. I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture.
A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so everyone would have life, and have it fully. [John 10:1-10, CEV]
Now that’s what John wrote, that “Jesus said: I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep.” [John 10:7, CEV]
And that’s going to be our focus this morning. And as we’ve done with the first two messages, we’ll approach it by answering three questions. First, what did Jesus mean when he said “I am the gate for the sheep”? [John 10:7b, CEV] Second, how can we respond to what he said? And then third, why is our response important? Now that’s going to be our approach this morning. And remember, as we move through it, remember we’re getting closer and closer to sloppy joes, hot dogs and of course, frozen custard.
And so let’s start by thinking about the first question, what did Jesus mean when he said “I am the gate for the sheep”? [John 10:7b, CEV] Now that’s a good one. And I’ll tell you, to find the answer, I think we need to identify the symbols in the passage and then to talk about what those symbols might mean. And for me, when we look at the symbols, four sort of jump out. I mean, one, right at the beginning, we have a bunch of sheep, who frankly, don’t really do very much other than wandering around. We’ll get back to them later. And then, two, we’ve got the image of the sheep pen, something that Jesus said was surrounded by a fence. And because of that, when the sheep were on the inside, they were protected from wolves and coyotes and all the other stuff out in the world. You see, for the sheep, the pen was a place of safety. That’s two. And three, Jesus mentioned several different kinds of people: you know, the thieves and robbers and the shepherd and the gatekeeper. And each one relates to the pen in a different way. For example, the thieves and robbers could only get in by climbing over the fence while the shepherd entered through the gate. And the gatekeeper, well, Jesus didn’t say he entered at all, but he must have kept the thieves out and let the shepherd in. But remember, and I think this is interesting, according to what Jesus said, only the shepherd would lead the sheep out. And that really points to image number four, the gate itself and its function. You see, the gate was how the sheep entered the pen, this safe and protected place. It wasn’t used by the thieves and the robbers either to get in or out, but it was by the shepherd who would not only go in through it, he’d also lead the sheep out of it, you know, out into the world where they could find green pastures and still waters. Now those are the symbols Jesus used.
And as to what he had in mind when he used them, well, I’ve got to admit, some of these images aren’t particularly flattering, at least not to us. I mean, I’ve got a gut feeling we all know who was represented by the sheep, and if any of us don’t, after the picnic, we might want to go home and look in the mirror. No, in this passage, I think it’s pretty clear that we are the sheep, one of the dumbest animals God created. And the sheep pen, that place of protection and safety, for me that would sure seem to be the church or at the very least, the Christian community, a place where, in spite of all our other differences, we share an identity and a focus and a hope. And maybe, if you want to push it a little farther, we might see the fence that surrounds us as God’s Word and those principles and values Christians are supposed to share. But before we, the sheep, become too comfortable in our cozy little pen, it’s important to remember that not every person in the pen can be trusted. As a matter of fact, even though some the people to whom we might look to for direction and guidance, man, they may be on the inside with us and they may look remarkably alike, at least on the surface, thieves and robbers are a heck of lot different than shepherds in terms of their motivation and goals. And how can sheep, as dumb as they are, how can we tell the difference? Well, that’s easy; we can look at the gate. You see, shepherds enter the pen in the same way we entered; they entered through the gate. And that’s why these shepherds, and I’m talking about these leaders whom we can trust, that’s why they know us by name and we can recognize their voice, something that those folks who entered some other way just can’t do. And who is the gate? Well, that’s easy. Jesus said, “I am the gate. All who come in through me will be saved. Through me they will come and go and find pasture. A thief comes only to rob, kill, and destroy. I came so everyone would have life, and have it fully.” [John 10:9-10, CEV] Now, for me, this is what he meant when he said I am the gate. And that’s the answer to our first question.
But what about the second question, and I’m talking about how can we respond? I mean, how can we, a bunch of sheep, enter into a place of security and hope? And how can we know the difference between the thieves and robbers and the shepherds? In other words, how might we respond to what Jesus said and meant? Now that’s another good question.
And the answer, well, I think that’s pretty clear. We can respond by focusing our attention on the gate, you know, on Jesus Christ, on what he did and what he taught. Let me explain. It’s through him, through Jesus that we entered this place of peace of hope; this we know. But how did it happen? How were we able to enter? Well, it wasn’t because of us. In fact, a little later in the Gospel of John, Jesus will say, “You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. So I command you to love each other.” [John 15:16-17, CEV] Now that’s how we entered. We entered through the gate. But more than just that, by focusing on the gate, we’ll be able to tell the difference between the thieves and the shepherds, and I’m talking about the difference between those who want to kill and destroy and those who offer life. You see, the robbers had to climb over the fence to get it. But the shepherds, they came right through the gate, they came right through Jesus Christ; therefore, we can expect them to say the same thing about God that Jesus said to Nicodemus: “God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die. God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them!” [John 3:16-17, CEV] And we can expect them to say the same thing about the Christian life that Jesus said to his disciples at his last supper with them: My children, I will be with you for only a little while longer. Then you will look for me, but you won’t find me. I tell you just as I told the people, “You cannot go where I am going.” But I am giving you a new command. You must love each other, just as I have loved you. If you love each other, everyone will know that you are my disciples. [John 13:33-35, CEV] Now, I believe that’s the kind of stuff people who enter through the gate say. But maybe more important than that, they also live as though they believe it. You see, the gate shows us who to trust. And through the gate, that’s the way we re enter the world. You see, we were never intended to live in a pen all the time. That would be like me leaving Coco Chanel in a crate 24/7. No, according to what Jesus said, the shepherd leads us out. And we go out the same way we came in, carrying with us his words and signs. And in my opinion, that’s how we can respond to Jesus being the gate. And that’s the answer to our second question.
And that really leads to question number three: Why is our response important? I mean, why is it important for us to recognize that Jesus is the gate for the sheep? And why is it important for us to keep our focus on him? And why is this something that’s important for us right here and right now? Now that’s the question. And here’s the answer; I think we have three pretty good reasons for accepting and celebrating Jesus as the gate. You see, first, it reminds us that we’ve really been blessed. I mean, we are here because of him and not because of us. And we’ve been led into this community because of what he did and not because of anything we’ve said or promised. And we’ve been given life, eternal life, life with God because he loved the world just that much and not because the world loved him back. You see, the presence of the gate reminds us that we’ve been blessed. But second, it also reminds us that we can’t be naive. You see, there are people within the Christian community who really got in by jumping the fence because they couldn’t come in through the gate and who want us to use the church as a hide out rather than a launching pad and who may say all the stuff we want to hear but who are actually trying to destroy and to kill us. They are within the body. Of course, that’s not what we want to believe, but when you get right down to it, reality isn’t based on what we want. They are here. But so are the shepherds, and I’m talking about those who, like us, came into the community through the Jesus revealed in the Bible and not the one created by our imagination. And these are the ones who’ll know our name and if we listen whose voice we’ll recognize. You see, both are present with us. And for that reason, we probably need to follow Jesus’s advice when he said, “So be as wise as snakes and as innocent as doves.” [Matthew 16:10b, CEV] I believe, the presence of the gate also reminds us that we can’t be naive. And third, I believe the gate reminds us that the work we’ve been called to do is principally out there and not just in here. I guess you could say the gate swings both ways. I mean, it’s certainly the way we enter. But it’s also the way we leave, taking with us to share the bread that gives life to share and the light that can overcome the darkness to reflect. And as we move through that gate into the world, I think it’s important for us to remember that we’re not doing it alone. A shepherd is with us every step of the way. You see, I think seeing Jesus as the gate reminds us of what we have and what we face and what we’ve been called to do. And I’ll tell you, that’s why I think it’s important.
You see, when Jesus said that he was the gate, he was actually telling us a lot. I mean, he was saying that he is the way through which we can enter and from which we must leave so that we can take his message out into the world. Now for me, that’s what he meant. And because of this, we can focus our attention on him, because it’s his truth that draws us in and enables us to separate the true from the false and that we can carry with us. And that’s how we can respond. And I’ll tell you, that’s good news for us, because, as I said just a little while ago, the gate reminds us of what we have and what we face and what we’ve been called to do. And that’s why it’s important. And for me, that’s the what and the how and the why behind the statement, “I tell you for certain that I am the gate for the sheep.” [John 10:7, CEV]
On Saturday, June 25, I officiated the wedding of Remington Himes and Jasmine Wiser in Sligo Presbyterian Church, Sligo, Pennsylvania. If you're planning your wedding and need an officiant, please give me a call at 304-479-3402.
Join with your friends and neighbors at Sligo Presbyterian Church to meet Jesus in the Gospel of John. During the study, we’ll follow the outline below:
Session 1 - Introduction and Prologue (1:1-18)
Session 2 - Let the Witnessing Begin (1:19-51)
Session 3 - Transforming the Old (2:1-25)
Session 4 - In a Nutshell (3:1-35)
Session 5 - A Woman at a Well (4:1-54)
Session 6 - Jesus as Testimony (5:1-47)
Session 7 - Jesus as Bread (6:1-71)
Session 8 - Who Is Jesus (7:1-52)
Session 9 - Who Is Jesus [Part 2] (8:1-59)
Session 10 - The Blind See and the Sighted Become Blind (9:1-41)
Session 12 - Lazarus (11:1-57)
Session 13 - Jerusalem for the Last Time (12:1-50)
Session 14 - The Last Supper (13:1-38)
Session 15 - Someone Else Is Coming (14:1-31)
Session 16 - Since We Abide in the Vine (15:1-26)
Session 17 - To Our Advantage (16:1-33)
Session 18 - Last Prayer (17:1-26)
Session 19 - Jesus Is Still in Control (18:1-40)
Session 20 - Lifted Up (19:1-42)
Session 21 - Raised (20:1-31)
Session 22 - Love vs. Like (21:1-25)
In our tenth study, we'll looked at John 9:1-41. The passage and a recording of the lesson is below:
John 9:1-41
As he walked along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” Jesus answered, “Neither this man nor his parents sinned; he was born blind so that God’s works might be revealed in him. We must work the works of him who sent me while it is day; night is coming when no one can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” When he had said this, he spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva and spread the mud on the man’s eyes, saying to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). Then he went and washed and came back able to see.
The neighbors and those who had seen him before as a beggar began to ask, “Is this not the man who used to sit and beg?” Some were saying, “It is he.” Others were saying, “No, but it is someone like him.” He kept saying, “I am the man.” But they kept asking him, “Then how were your eyes opened?” He answered, “The man called Jesus made mud, spread it on my eyes, and said to me, ‘Go to Siloam and wash.’ Then I went and washed and received my sight.” They said to him, “Where is he?” He said, “I do not know.”
They brought to the Pharisees the man who had formerly been blind. Now it was a sabbath day when Jesus made the mud and opened his eyes. Then the Pharisees also began to ask him how he had received his sight. He said to them, “He put mud on my eyes. Then I washed, and now I see.” Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not observe the sabbath.” But others said, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And they were divided. So they said again to the blind man, “What do you say about him? It was your eyes he opened.” He said, “He is a prophet.” The Jews did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they called the parents of the man who had received his sight and asked them, “Is this your son, who you say was born blind? How then does he now see?” His parents answered, “We know that this is our son, and that he was born blind; but we do not know how it is that now he sees, nor do we know who opened his eyes. Ask him; he is of age. He will speak for himself.” His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that anyone who confessed Jesus to be the Messiah would be put out of the synagogue. Therefore his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.” So for the second time they called the man who had been blind, and they said to him, “Give glory to God! We know that this man is a sinner.” He answered, “I do not know whether he is a sinner. One thing I do know, that though I was blind, now I see.” They said to him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?” He answered them, “I have told you already, and you would not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you also want to become his disciples?” Then they reviled him, saying, “You are his disciple, but we are disciples of Moses. We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where he comes from.” The man answered, “Here is an astonishing thing! You do not know where he comes from, and yet he opened my eyes. We know that God does not listen to sinners, but he does listen to one who worships him and obeys his will. Never since the world began has it been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.” They answered him, “You were born entirely in sins, and are you trying to teach us?” And they drove him out.
Jesus heard that they had driven him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” He answered, “And who is he, sir? Tell me, so that I may believe in him.” Jesus said to him, “You have seen him, and the one speaking with you is he.” He said, “Lord, I believe.” And he worshiped him.
Jesus said, “I came into this world for judgment so that those who do not see may see, and those who do see may become blind.” Some of the Pharisees near him heard this and said to him, “Surely we are not blind, are we?” Jesus said to them, “If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now that you say, ‘We see,’ your sin remains.
Below is the bulletin for our service, on Sunday, June 19, 2022. We're continuing our series entitled I AM: Jesus in Seven Words. Over seven weeks, we'll be looking at the following "I am" statements made by Jesus:
“I am the bread that gives life!” (John 6:35, 41-51)
“I am the light for the world!” (John 8:12-20)
“I am the gate for the sheep.” (John 10:1-10)
“I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11-18
“I am the good shepherd.” (John 11:1-44
“I am the way, the truth, and the life!” (John 14:1-14)
“I am the true vine.” (John 15:1-8)
During the third message, we'll consider the meaning and significance of Jesus saying, “I am the gate for the sheep.” Since we'll be enjoying our annual picnic at the Union Pool Park in Sligo, we won't worshiping at the church. Instead, we'll gather at the large pavilion at 10:00 a.m. with the picnic lunch following. And The Meadows ice cream truck will arrive at 12:15.
Although we won't be streaming this week, you can hear a podcast of the service by going to the Sligo Presbyterian Church YouTube page later in the week.
Sunday, June 19, we continued our sermon series entitled “AM - Jesus in Seven Words.” For seven weeks, we’ll focus on the "I AM" statements found in the Gospel of John. During that time, we’ll follow the following schedule:
June 12–“I am the bread that gives life!” (John 6:35, 41-51)
June 19–“I am the light for the world!” (John 8:12-20)
June 26–“I am the gate for the sheep.” (John 10:1-10)
July 3 –“I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11-18
July 10 –“I am the one who raises the dead to life!” (John 11:1-44)
July 17 –“I am the way, the truth, and the life!” (John 14:1-14)
July 24 –“I am the true vine.” (John 15:1-8)
During the second message, we considered the statement, “I am the light for the world!” A copy of the bulletin, a recording of this message and a video of the service is below:
In the Gospel of John, Jesus makes seven statements beginning with the words I am. Each of these “I am” proclamations furthers our understanding of Jesus’ ministry in the world. They also link Jesus to the Old Testament revelation of God.
In the Old Testament, God revealed His name to Moses: “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: ‘I AM has sent me to you’” (Exodus 3:14). Thus, in Judaism, “I AM” is unquestionably understood as a name for God. Whenever Jesus made an “I am” statement in which He claimed attributes of deity, He was identifying Himself as God.
During seven messages, we’ll consider the following “I am” statements found in John’s gospel:
June 12–“I am the bread that gives life!” (John 6:35, 41-51)
June 19–“I am the light for the world!” (John 8:12-20)
June 26–“I am the gate for the sheep.” (John 10:1-10)
July 3 –“I am the good shepherd.” (John 10:11-18
July 10 –“I am the one who raises the dead to life!” (John 11:1-44)
July 17 –“I am the way, the truth, and the life!” (John 14:1-14)
July 24 –“I am the true vine.” (John 15:1-8)
In this second message, we considered the statement, “I am the light for the world!” The sermon text and podcast is below:
Now, if you were here last week, then you know that we’ve started a new series of messages entitled: I AM – Jesus in Seven Words. You see, over seven weeks in June and July, we’ll be looking at the seven times Jesus said “I AM” in the Gospel John and then followed it with some image that can help folks better understand who he was. And last Sunday, we started this off by looking at the first time he made one of these “I AM” statements, and I’m talking about the time when “Jesus replied: I am the bread that gives life! No one who comes to me will ever be hungry.No one who has faith in me will ever be thirsty.” [John 6:35, CEV] And as y’all may remember, this image, you know, the image of the bread that gives life, well, it can help us understand that Jesus really is the source of life, namely eternal life, one that we can claim when we respond to God’s call and simply believe, and one that will enable us to enter a new and a living relationship with God. Now that’s what came out of our first discussion.
And this morning, we’re going to look at the second of these “I AM” statements, the one that stands right at the beginning of this passage written by the Evangelist John:
Once again Jesus spoke to the people. This time he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.”
The Pharisees objected, “You are the only one speaking for yourself, and what you say isn’t true!”
Jesus replied:
Even if I do speak for myself, what I say is true! I know where I came from and where I am going. But you don’t know where I am from or where I am going. You judge in the same way that everyone else does, but I don’t judge anyone. If I did judge, I would judge fairly, because I would not be doing it alone. The Father who sent me is here with me. Your Law requires two witnesses to prove that something is true. I am one of my witnesses, and the Father who sent me is the other one.
“Where is your Father?” they asked.
“You don’t know me or my Father!” Jesus answered. “If you knew me, you would know my Father.”
Jesus said this while he was still teaching in the place where the temple treasures were stored. But no one arrested him, because his time had not yet come. [John 8:12-20, CEV]
You see, this morning, we’re going to talk about Jesus saying, “I am the light for the world!” [John 8:12c, CEV]
And just like we did last week when we looked at Jesus as the bread that gives life, we’re going to consider this statement by answering three questions. You see, first, we’ll talk about what Jesus meant when he said “I am the light for the world!” [John 8:12c, CEV] And then second, we’ll consider how we can respond. And then third, we’ll take the what and the how, and look at why it’s important for us to choose the light. Now this is what we’ll be doing for the next ten minutes or so.
Of course, there’s no way we can ever make sense of the how and why until we answer the first question: What did Jesus mean when he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.” [John 8:12c, CEV] In other words, what’s all this business about light and darkness and life? And what did Jesus actually have in mind when he didn’t just compare himself to light, which anyone could do, but actually said, “I am the light for the world”? [John 8:12c, CEV] Good question.
And I’ll tell you, I think we can start to understand what he was getting at with this business about being “the light” when we look at some scripture found in the Old Testament and within the Gospel of John itself. For example, back in Old Testament times, the image of “light” was a really big deal. I mean, in the beginning and I’m talking about the very beginning “God said, ‘I command light to shine!’ And light started shining.” [Genesis 1:3, CEV] And later in the Old Testament, light was associated with divine instruction, you know, like when the Psalmist wrote,
Your word is a lamp
that gives light
wherever I walk. [Psalm 119:105, CEV]
As a matter of fact, in other places, Old Testament writers used light as a symbol for God himself. And I think that was what the Psalmist had in mind when he wrote,
Our Lord and our God,
you are like the sun
and also like a shield.
You treat us with kindness
and with honor,
never denying any good thing
to those who live right. [Psalm 84:11]
Now, that’s all in the Old Testament. Let’s just say light was pretty important back in the day.
But I’ll tell you, that fades in comparison (no pun intended) when we look at some of the stuff the Evangelist John wrote. For example, right at the beginning of his gospel, John offered all three images we’re looking at right now, and I’m talking about “light” and “darkness” and “life.” I mean, just listen to how the Gospel of John begins:
In the beginning was the one
who is called the Word.
The Word was with God
and was truly God.
From the very beginning
the Word was with God.
And with this Word,
God created all things.
Nothing was made
without the Word.
Everything that was created
received its life from him,
and his life gave light
to everyone.
The light keeps shining
in the dark,
and darkness has never
put it out. [John 1:1-5, CEV]
Now that’s what John wrote. And a little later, also in John, during his conversation with Nicodemas,
Jesus said,
The light has come into the world, and people who do evil things are judged guilty because they love the dark more than the light. People who do evil hate the light and won’t come to the light, because it clearly shows what they have done. [John 3:19-20, CEV]
You see, for John, light would sure seem to be the way God entered our time and space.
And I’ll tell you, when we carry all this idea into the passage we’re looking at this morning, I think Jesus was making a pretty profound statement when he said “I am the light for the world.” You see, I believe he’s saying that he, in and of himself, represented the very presence of God. And when he came, he brought that presence into our space. And through that presence, the world received the possibility of life, new life, eternal life; in fact, the same kind of life we talked about last week when he said that he was bread that brings life. Now that was what God did for the world.
But you know, again according to John, even though Jesus was the light that entered into this world, the very people to whom he came, man, they preferred to stay hidden in the dark. You see, the light came, but people preferred darkness to light. Now, I think that’s exactly what he had in mind when he said, “I am the light for the world! Follow me, and you won’t be walking in the dark. You will have the light that gives life.” [John 8:12c, CEV] And for me, that’s the answer to the first question.
And how can we respond? In other words, how can we respond to the light that entered a dark world? How can we respond to the one who came to us, bringing life? Now, in a nutshell, that’s the second question.
And I’ll tell you, in the scripture that precedes and the scripture that follows what Jesus said, I think John has given us two excellent examples of what not to do. You see, whether it’s the incredible hypocrisy of those Pharisees and the teachers of the Law who brought a woman caught in adultery with stones in their hands only to hear Jesus say, “If any of you have never sinned, then go ahead and throw the first stone at her!” [John 8:7b, CEV] or the intentional ignorance of those Pharisees in our passage who totally ignored what Jesus said about himself and the life he was offering and instead focused on whether or not he was speaking for himself, I think these are two textbook examples of people who should have known better intentionally choosing the darkness rather than the light. And you know, this is something that we can also do when we run around chucking stones at people whom we don’t like while trying to keep our own garbage neatly out-of-sight or when we ignore all those things that should unite us and focus on all the secondary stuff that will keep us apart. And you know, I think these are just two examples of intentionally deciding to live and to walk in the dark. I’ll tell you, I believe this is something we can choose to do. But that’s not our only choice.
You see, we also have the ability to choose to live in the light. I mean, we can choose to live in the light even though we know there’ll be times when the light’s going to seem more like a florescent bulb than a flickering candle and we’re going to have to face all those flaws and blemishes we’d prefer to keep hidden. You see, we can choose to do this, because we believe, man, we trust that this light is also the source of life. It’s the way we enter into a living and growing relationship with God. In fact, it’s the ultimate gift of our Father, but not just for me or for you, but for the entire world, including those whom we believe should be stoned as well as those who’ve chosen to live in the dark. You see, right here and right now, as a matter of fact, every minute of every day, we have a choice, and it’s remarkably simple. We can decide either to hide in the dark or to live in the light. You see, in my opinion, that’s how we can respond to what Jesus said about himself. And that’s the answer to the second question.
Which leaves us with question number three: Why is it important for us to choose the light? In other words, why is it important for us to step away from the comfort and security found in the dark and step into the harsh and unavoidable reality that we’re going to find in the light? Why is this important for us to do?
Well, for me, it really comes down to two very clear and simple reasons and I’ll tell you, both involve change. I mean, for one, stepping into the light is going to change the way we see ourselves and others. You see, when we’re hidden in the dark, man, we can pretend. We can pretend that, like those Pharisees and teachers of the law, we’re so much better than others and that we have the right to throw stones, because what they’re doing is wrong and what we’re doing is hidden. And we can pretend that what we want to do is exactly what God wants us to do and what we want to ignore, well, those things and people, man, they don’t matter to God anyway. You see, in the dark, we can pretend. But when we choose to step into the light, pretending is no longer possible. In fact, as we look around, I believe we’re going to be able to see the same kind of thing the Apostle Paul understood when he wrote this to the Romans: All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. [Roman 3:23, CEV] I’ll tell you, that may be one of the few things all humanity shares. But I’ll tell you something else, that awareness is really a good thing, because without it, we may never be able to appreciate divine love and grace and mercy, all those wonderful things that Paul described to the Romans in the very next verse. Remember, he wrote, “All of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory.” [Roman 3:23, CEV] But then he continued, “But God treats us much better than we deserve, and because of Christ Jesus, he freely accepts us and sets us free from our sins.” [Romans 3:24, CEV] I guess, it’s only when we step into the light that we can appreciate the fact that God loves us, warts and all. And that, brothers and sisters, is what life is all about. You see, the light of Christ can change the way we see ourselves and others. And that’s one.
And two, I think it can also change the way we live our lives. I mean, once we step into the light, we’ll be able to do something we could never do in the dark. You see, we’ll now be able to reflect the light for the world and to share the bread that gives life to all those who are lost and who are hungry. As a matter of fact, we’ll be like all those disciples we’ve known from our past, and I’m talking about those men and women, those fathers and mothers who touched our lives by simply doing what Jesus told them to do, when he said, “You are the light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, and no one lights a lamp and puts it under a clay pot. Instead, it is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Make your light shine, so others will see the good you do and will praise your Father in heaven.” [Matthew 5:14-16, CEV] You see, as men and women, with all our strengths and weakness, and as brothers and sisters who are loved by God in spite of our flaws and faults, we can decide to work together and to reflect the light for the world to those who shiver in the dark. And I’ll tell you, that’s the reason it’s so important for us to choose the light.
Of course, having said all that, it will always be tempting to remain in the dark. Not only is it comfortable, it allows us to pretend that we’re better than others. But you know, when we understand what Jesus meant when he talked about being the light, that through him God entered our time and space to bring life, and when we understand how we can respond, that we always have a choice either to stay in the dark or to step into the light, and when we understand why that response is important, you know, that our decision will change not only our view of ourselves and others but also the lives we live, I believe this decision to step out will be a whole lot easier. And for me, that’s the what and the how and the why behind the statement, “I am the light for the world!” [John 8:12c, CEV]
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