Jesus the Light That Brings Life - John 1
Pastor Dan Walker, PhD, MDiv
Introduction
Merry Christmas to everyone. This is a wonderful time of the year. A time to celebrate the birth of Jesus with our church, our family, and our friends.
Today, we’re going to talk about “Jesus the Light That Brings Life.”
Imagine for a minute, a child being lost in a pitch-black forest at night. The child wouldn’t know which way to go, they’d be terrified and disoriented. Every direction looks the same. The darkness feels overwhelming, pressing in on every side.
Suddenly, through the dense trees, a faint light appears in the distance. The child’s heart leaps with hope as they begin moving toward the glow. Step by step, the light grows brighter, guiding them out of danger and into safety.
Just as the light pierces the darkness of the forest, Jesus, the Light of the World, shines in the midst of the darkness in our lives.
Isaiah 9:2 (ESV): "The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone."
This verse speaks of the deep darkness that people dwell in without the light of Jesus. When we feel overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty in the darkness of life, we can hold onto the truth of…
Psalm 27:1 (ESV): "The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?"
The light of Jesus dispels the darkness of sin and hopelessness. He brings clarity, courage, and peace. Like we would follow the light out of a dark forest, we are invited to follow Jesus, knowing that His light is leading us toward life and safety.
But this light is not meant for us alone. Jesus calls us to share His light with others, just as He said:
Matthew 5:16 (ESV): "In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven."
When we reflect Christ’s light, we illuminate the way for others who are still lost in the darkness. Just like the child following the light to safety, we are invited to follow Jesus, who is the true Light that brings life. This Christmas, we remember that Jesus came not just to give light to one person or nation, but to the entire world.
As we receive His light, we are called to reflect it to others.
Recognize Jesus as the Source of Life and Light
John 1:1–3 (ESV): "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not anything made that was made."
Jesus is the eternal word and creator. John’s gospel does not begin like the others with Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem. John begins with Genesis 1.
In the beginning, before the creation of the world, Jesus existed as the Word. He was not created but is fully God. Through Jesus, everything came into being and was created through Him. Jesus is the foundation of all creation and life. Recognizing Jesus as the Creator gives us confidence that our lives have purpose and meaning. Our lives were made by Jesus and for Him.
John 1:4–5 (ESV): "In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it."
Jesus brings life and light to humanity. He shines truth and hope into the darkness caused by sin. The darkness of this world, fear, confusion, and evil, cannot defeat or extinguish His light. Jesus’ light and life go together; His light brings eternal life. Darkness and death go together; the darkness of sin leads to eternal death.
Jesus’ light reveals the truth about God and ourselves. It offers freedom from sin and hopelessness. God calls us to recognize Jesus as the source of life and light.
Application
Recognize Jesus as the foundation of your life; He created you for Himself.
When darkness surrounds you—in struggles, confusion, or sin—trust that His light is powerful enough to overcome it. Let His light guide your steps each and every day.
Pray daily for clarity in areas where you feel lost or overwhelmed. Read and meditate on Scripture each day to let His truth dispel lies, doubts, and darkness.
Share testimonies of how Jesus has brought light into your darkest moments to encourage others. Never forget that Jesus’ light always overcomes darkness as you let it shine in you.
Recognize Jesus as the Source of Life and Light.
Respond to Jesus’ Light with Faith and Obedience
John 1:6–8 (ESV): "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light."
John the Baptist was sent by God to prepare the way for Jesus. John pointed others to Him as the true light. John humbly fulfilled his role, understanding that his purpose was to direct people to Christ. John said, "He, that is Jesus, must increase and I must decrease."
Like John, we are not the source of light, but we are called to reflect and point others to Jesus. We are to follow the example of John the Baptist, pointing others to Jesus.
John 1:9–11 (ESV): "The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him."
Jesus came to seek and save the lost. He came to bring salvation to the world, but many rejected Him. Though He was the creator of all things, the world failed to recognize and welcome Him. Jesus came to His own, the people of Israel, and yet most of them did not receive Him. Rejection of Jesus keeps us in darkness. A choice must be made: accept His light or remain in spiritual blindness and darkness. Do not reject the light like the world did.
Application
God calls us to respond to Jesus with faith and obedience, in that order. First of all, we must believe in Jesus, which means entrusting your entire life to Him. When a person truly believes in Jesus, they will obey everything He tells them to do. Jesus said, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments." Faith without obedience is not faith at all.
Today, we must evaluate our lives and ask: Are there areas where I am rejecting His light? Jesus’ light always calls us to follow and obey Him. Pray for a heart that is open to His leading and humble before His truth.
Share His light through small acts of obedience, whether in your relationships, workplace, or ministry opportunities in our church family. Be bold in witnessing to those who are still blind to the truth of Christ’s light.
Respond to Jesus’ light with faith and obedience.
Reflect Jesus’ Light to a Dark World
John 1:12–13 (ESV): "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."
To receive Jesus means to believe in His name, to trust Him as Lord and Savior. As we do that, we are spiritually reborn as children of God. This is what Jesus refers to as being born again. Everyone is born physically of flesh and blood, but only those who believe in Jesus are born again as a child of God. This new identity brings security, purpose, and a relationship with the Father. We are no longer defined by our past, but by God’s grace.
John 1:14 (ESV): "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth."
Jesus, the creator, the eternal Word, became human and lived among us on this planet. He revealed God’s glory, full of grace and truth, offering salvation and transformation. Jesus’ presence transforms our hearts. He fills us with His grace, truth, and light that can shine into a broken and dark world. God calls us to reflect Jesus’ light to a dark world.
Application
Live as a child of God and let Jesus’ light transform you. Spend time in His presence through prayer, worship, and Scripture to reflect His grace and truth. Identify areas in your life where transformation is needed and surrender them to Him.
Intentionally seek opportunities to share His light. We can share His light through acts of service, words of encouragement, and the sharing of the Gospel, especially during this Christmas season.
You may have noticed when you entered the sanctuary, our new Invitation Station. On the station are three different types of invite cards to invite people to come to church. We encourage you to take an invite card this week and ask God for an opportunity to share that invitation with someone.
As we all learn to boldly share Jesus’ light, we’ll see those in darkness come into His light. Let’s reflect Jesus’ light in a dark world.
Conclusion
Jesus is the Light that brings life to a world in darkness. This Christmas, we celebrate His coming as the true Light. He is not a distant light, but a personal Savior who meets us in our struggles and invites us to follow Him.
To truly experience the impact of His light, we must recognize Him as our source of life, respond with faith and obedience, and reflect His light to others. As you leave today, remember: the light of Christ is in you. Carry His light into your homes, workplaces, and communities, and let it shine brightly.
Just as a single candle illuminates the darkness, your life—transformed by Jesus—can light the way for others to see His love, truth, and grace. This Christmas, let us live as people of the Light, bringing hope to a dark world that desperately needs Him.
