The Light of the World
Only Jesus is the Light of the World, the expression of God, and the source of truth, life, and salvation, and he alone reigns supreme.
From time immemorial, presidents, kings, dictators, and
religious deceivers have claimed to be humanity’s best hope for peace and
prosperity, self-proclaimed bulwarks of order who hold back the darkness that threatens
to overwhelm society. Today, this plague of pretenders is worse than
ever, especially in our churches and the political arena.
Contrary to such
claims, “life” is found in the “Word” or ‘Logos’ of God,
and this life is the “light of men.” It “shines in the darkness,”
and the darkness is powerless to extinguish it. This same ‘Logos’ became
the Living Word of God in the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus of
Nazareth, and the glory and life of God radiate through him alone - (John 1:1).
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[Light - Photo by Anthony Cantin (L'ile d'olonne) on Unsplash] |
The competing claims of politicians and religious charlatans are counterfeits and lies. Their arrogant pretensions are exposed when the true “Light of God” shines brightly through His Son. The God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” now gives us the “light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.” There is “no other name under heaven whereby men may be saved” – (Acts 4:12, 2 Corinthians 4:6).
Contrary to the
“wisdom” of the fallen world, life, truth, and salvation are found only in the
lowly man of Nazareth who died to redeem humanity from the tyranny of Sin,
Satan, and Death. Any suggestions that Satan’s servants or ideologies could
deliver men from his overlordship are ridiculous.
God validated
Christ’s words and deeds by raising him from the dead and making him “Lord
and Messiah.” He has reigned ever since on the Divine Throne as God’s only
appointed Lord, King, and “Anointed One.” Only he will bring peace,
salvation, and justice to the nations – (Isaiah 42:1, “I have
put My Spirit upon him. He will bring forth justice to the nations”).
As the Book
of Revelation declares, Jesus is the “Faithful Witness” through
his death, and the “Firstborn of the Dead” because his resurrection.
Therefore, he is also the “Sovereign over the Kings of the Earth,” and
no location, person or rival power is beyond his reach, not even the realm of
the dead – (“I have the keys of Death and Hades” - Acts 2:36, Revelation
1:4-6, 1:18).
The proclamation of
“the Word of his Cross” – Christ Crucified - is “God’s
power and wisdom.” True power does not come from the barrel of a gun or Caesar’s
Throne, but only through the Nazarene who was crucified on the Roman Cross and
raised from the dead by “his God and Father.”
Christ’s faithful “obedience
unto death” has redeemed us from Sin’s curse, and his Resurrection has secured
our victory over death. Like him, we will be raised from the dead and cry
triumphantly with him: “Death is swallowed up in victory! O, Death, where is
your sting?!” - (1 Corinthians 1:17-24, 15:3-4, 15:54-55).
No political or religious leader can make such bold claims, and Christ’s resurrection proves that his promises are neither fraudulent nor powerless, unlike those of his would-be replacements.
We are called to “testify” to this
great light. This must be so since God sent His Son and God is “light,
and in Him there is no darkness at all <…> The darkness is passing away,
and the true light is shining” through His Living Word, driving back the
lies of Satan as we proclaim the Gospel to the nations – (Matthew 24:14, 1 John
1:5, 2:8).
We become Christ’s
“lights in the world” when we let our “light shine before men so they
may glorify our Father in heaven.” God’s full light is manifested in
His Son, and that light is reflected in us as we bear witness to our one true
Messiah.
ONLY JESUS IS KING
Jesus possesses all power and authority. By
his death he purchased men and women from every segment of human society for
His Father; therefore, Heaven and Earth declare him “worthy to receive
all power, riches, wisdom, might, honour, glory, and
blessing” –
(Matthew 1:21, 28:18, John 1:1-14, Revelation 5:9-14).
Jesus is the “Light
of the World,” and there is no other source of life or lasting light. We as
the “Body of Christ” become the shining “City on a Hill” when we
let his light shine through us by denying ourselves, carrying his cross, and
following “the Slain Lamb wherever he leads.”
Our mission is to
preach Christ's Good News about his victory and reign to all men without
exception, thereby driving back the darkness and exposing the lies of
pretenders for what they are. In the end, “all liars will have their part in
the Lake of Fire,” including, if not especially, false prophets and false
apostles – (Matthew 16:24, 1 Corinthians 1:18, Revelation 14:4, 21:8).
Jesus Christ is the “Light of the World” because he is the full expression of God. There is no true knowledge or revelation of God apart from him, and only through God’s Son can anyone access the Father. “He who has seen the Son has seen the Father” – (John 1:18, 12:44-50, 14:6, Colossians 1:13).
The darkness cannot
smother the Light. It retreats wherever his message is preached and heard. Even
now, the forms and institutions of this present age are in the process of “passing
away.” This includes the political ideologies and structures of this
world. Only Christ’s Kingdom will remain in the end – (1 John 1:1-3, 2:8, 1
Corinthians 7:31, 15:24-28).
In a very dark
world, Jesus is the bright light that radiates God’s life, truth, salvation,
and hope, and there is no other source of life. The other
claimants to life, liberty, and light are liars who masquerade as “messengers
of light” – (2 Corinthians 11:14).
The Nazarene declared,
“I am the way and the truth and the life.” No one comes to God “except
through me.” There is no other way to know God. Jesus is the full and final
expression of the Father, the Creator of all things. Looking to anyone else for
light and salvation is foolishness.
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SEE ALSO:
- God is Speaking! - (God is speaking His definitive word in His Son. All previous words spoken by the prophets were preparatory, promissory, and partial)
- The Life-Giving Word - (Jesus is the Word made flesh in whom the glory of God is revealed, the same word by which God created all things)
- The Fullness of Time - (The previously hidden mysteries of God are revealed in Jesus, especially in his Death and Resurrection, the turning point of History)
- Seeing the Unseen God - (The fullness, grace, and truth of God are found in the Word made Flesh, Jesus of Nazareth, who alone has seen the unseen God – John 1:14-18)
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