I've entitled it, Christ is the
Light, and I was going to do a message just on Christ the
Light, but as I was looking at the passage, that this is in
the scripture portion, I decided to do a little bit of expositional
preaching tonight. So we're gonna look at that verse
specifically that speaks of Christ as our light and also the verses
before it and after it. So if you would turn to John
chapter 12, John chapter 12, we'll be looking at verses 44
to 50. 44 to 50. And here before us in this picture
of Christ, the light, we have a picture of one of the names
of Christ. He's our light. He's our light. And Jesus Christ has come a light
into the world. He's come a light into the world.
And this is good news for sinners who are in darkness, who are
in darkness. This is good news that Christ,
who is the light, has come into this world. because we live and
we abide in darkness. So let's look at the portion
of scripture. We will just look at each verse from 44 to 50. So let's look at the first one,
John 12, verse 44. Jesus cried and said, he that
believeth on me, believeth not on me, but he on him that sent
me. So we see here before us, that
he who believes in Christ believes on the Father. If you believe on Christ, you
believe in the Father, because it's the Father who sent him.
He was sent into this world, commissioned by God, the Father,
to come into this world and to save his people from their sins.
John 13, 20, if you want, turn over there, it's just one chapter
over, John 13, 20, Scripture declares this. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth
me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. You
see, it ties right in with what we see in verse 44. Jesus cried
and said, he that believeth on me believeth not on me, but on
him that sent me. So knowing Christ means you know
the Father. You know the Father. Our Lord
spoke of this in John 17, three, the high priestly prayer, when
he said of his people, and this is life eternal, that they might
know thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ whom thou hast
sent. How do we know him? The Holy Spirit reveals him to
us. He reveals him to us. So loving Christ and coming to
Christ means that you love the Father and you come to the Father
as well. Because the Lord Jesus Christ is what? The way, the
truth, and the life. He's the only way to the Father. Look over one chapter, or no,
actually, look at verse 45. John chapter 12, verse 45. And he that seeth me, seeth him that sent me. Now we
know that many saw Christ, many saw him in the flesh, who never knew the Father, and
who never knew Christ, because they just looked upon him as
a mere man, as a mere man. You hear it even today. People
say, well, he's a good prophet. He was a good man. They have
no idea who Christ is. No idea at all. So there was
many who saw him, who didn't know him. They looked
at Christ again as a mere man. Christ hadn't revealed himself
to them. He hadn't revealed himself to
them. Whoever sees and looks to Christ with the eye of faith,
which is a gift from God, They look to Christ with the eye of
faith is all our righteousness. Think of that. You as a believer,
do you look to Christ is all your righteousness. Do you look
to Christ as your surety? Do you look to Christ as your
redeemer? Do you look to Christ as the
one perfect sacrifice for the sins of all God's people? And we do, don't we? And in looking
to Him, we know we have access to the Father through Him. Because
He is sent, He is sent by the Father. And he that seeth me,
seeth him that sent me. This was one of the vital truths
which occupied a prominent place in our Lord's teaching, that
no man had seen God at any time, but the only begotten Son had
come to what? To declare Him. To declare Him. And He does. Christ enables God to be just
in the justifier of His people, And God's people see the glory
of God and the wisdom and power of God, and they see the redemptive
will of God all in Christ. Don't you see that? Don't you
see God's will and his redemptive plan worked out for all his people
in Christ? It's marvelous. It's because,
see, the gospel is all about Christ. The word of God is all
about Christ. We will never see the Father,
except through Christ. We will never know who God is
except through Christ in him alone. My what a great God we
have. So Christ enables God to be just
and justifier of his people. Then John 12, 46 says this, I
am come a light into the world that whosoever believeth on me
should not abide in darkness. Now look at look at this verse.
I am come a light into the world. And whosoever believeth on me
should not abide in darkness. Here before us again is the great
condescension. Of our sovereign God. Of our
sovereign God. The light of the world. He becomes
a man. I am come alive into the world. Note that speaks of his pre-existence. Note those little words. I am
come. Where did he come from? He came from heaven. He came
from glory. This speaks of his pre-existence,
beloved. This speaks of his deity. God
incarnate in the flesh. I am come into the world. He
dwells in eternity. Where was he before he came?
He was in eternity, in heaven. I'm coming to the world. When the appointed time of God
was come to pass for him to enter in this, he came into this world,
to redeem his people from their sins. My, that thrills my soul. Speaks of his pre-existence.
Think of this, the one by whom all things consist here proclaims
that he came into the world. The very one who gave him birth,
he created. The very world that he created,
he enters into. God incarnate in the flesh. God. And think of this. It was at that exact time that
God had ordained, right? And that God had appointed. And
he had appointed this and ordained this by his decree, by God's
decree, from eternity. From eternity. Now, this passage
here parallels two other passages in John. Turn, if you would,
first to John chapter 8, and then we'll look in John chapter
9. This verse here, I am come a light unto the world that whosoever
believeth on me should not abide in darkness, parallels two other
portions in John. John 8, 12. Look at this. Then spake Jesus again unto them,
saying, I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall
not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. And in
turn, if you would, over to John chapter 9. We'll look at verses 2 to 5. And his disciples asked him,
saying, Master, who did sin, this man or his parents, that
he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath
this man sinned, nor his parents, but that the works of God should
be made manifest in him. Let's stop there for a second.
When I read that, That applies to every one of
God's alliance. We are born into this world.
We are dead sinners, but we are trophies of God's grace. And
God's grace has been manifested in us and to us in Christ Jesus,
our Lord, beloved. He says, I must work the works
of him that sent me. Well, this day, the night cometh
when no man can work as long as I am in the world. I am the
light of the world. That's our king. Turn back to
our text, if you would, John 12, 46 again. I am come alive
into the world. This speaks of Christ's preexistence.
Now, think of this. Think of this. I got this from
a commentator. This is not mine. The guy said
that he was saying just as the sun rises from the east, right?
Just as the sun rises from the east, it appears over the eastern
hills. So Christ existed in eternity.
The sun existed before it came up. And every day it comes up,
right? And that sun existed before it
came up over those hills. Just because it came over those
hills doesn't mean it didn't exist. It existed. And just as the sun
appears over the eastern hill, so Christ existed in eternity,
the Word, the Word of God, before He came into this world. And
this scripture speaks of His incarnation, I am come alive
into the world. The incarnation of God Himself. God in man. The perfect, spotless
Lamb of God. And note, When it says, he came
a light into this world, this ties right in. Now folks look
at that and they say, oh look, he died for the whole world.
Folks say that, right? Right off the bat they say that.
But think of this. He came a light into the world
and this to me ties right in with the fact that God's people
are from every kindred, tongue, people, and nation. Because the
scripture says this in Revelation 5, 9, it declares this. And they
sang a new song. saying, Thou art worthy to take
the book and to open the seals thereof. For that was slain and
has redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred. And
tongue. And people. And nation. And it God's elect beloved are
a number that no man can number and think of this, too. Christ
alone is the Savior of the world, His people. He's the only Savior,
right, for His people. The saints in Revelation, from
every kindred, tongue, and people and nation are saying, Thou art
worthy, because You have redeemed us, Lord. We say the same thing. Lord, you're the one, you're
the only one who's worthy to receive all glory and all honor
and all praise. Because you have redeemed us,
Lord. You have redeemed us, you have come into the world, a light
into the world. My, our text continues. He that followeth me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. He comes into this world as a
light revealing God, revealing the Father and exposing man and
exposing how we love darkness rather than light. Turn, if you
would, to John chapter 3. John chapter 3. Verse 19 and 20, look at this. This is the natural bent of man. And this is the condemnation,
that light has come into the world, and man loved darkness
rather than light. Why? Because their deeds were
evil. And then verse 20, For everyone
that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light,
lest his deeds should be reproved. Now, I've never been in a house
that has cockroaches, but I heard that that if you have cockroaches
in your home and it's dark and you flip on the light, I heard
they just scatter. They just take off. Well, men
do not like the Bible because it exposes who they are and what
they are. And they run just like them cockroaches.
Scattering. But beloved, we are delivered
from from we are delivered from the darkness, from the power
of Satan, from the rune of sin and Adam we fell. We're delivered.
We who believe are delivered from that. And it's the Lord
Jesus Christ and him alone who has delivered us. It's only by
what he has done, he's delivered us from the power of darkness.
And from our sin, turn, if you would, to Ephesians chapter four,
Ephesians chapter four. Look at this, verses 17 to 24. Scripture declares. Ephesians 4, 17 to 24. This I say therefore and testify
in the Lord that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk
in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened,
being alienated from the life of God through ignorance that
is in them because of the blindness of their heart. And that's where
we all were. who being past failing have given
themselves over unto lasciviousness to work all uncleanness with
greediness. But ye have not so learned Christ. If so be that ye have heard him
and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus, that
ye put off concerning the former conversation of the old man.
We don't desire the things that we used to do and the things
that we used to say and the things we used to be, do we? No, we're
new creatures in Christ. which is corrupt according to
the deceitful lust, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind. And
that you put on the new man, which after God has created in
righteousness and true holiness, God's people, we hunger and thirst
for righteousness. We seek to live a life pleasing
to God. We're not antinomians. We don't
believe we can walk out the door and do whatever you want. But
there's people out there who believe that. I've never heard
a grace preacher ever say anything like that, but I know there's
people out there that teach that stuff. And my goodness, no. No. I often say it's the love
of Christ that constrains us. I know I'm more of a sinner probably
than anyone else. And I know you all feel the same
way who believe. We know what we are. We probably
have an argument over who's the chief of sinners. Because we know we are. Oh my, think of this so. Our
Lord, he comes from eternity. He comes from eternity. And as
one commentator said, Hawker said this, coming up from all
eternity in the councils of peace for the salvation of his people.
He is the everlasting light and the glory of his people. He comes
into this world for the salvation of his people. Do you ever think of this? God
himself came to satisfy his own law. God himself came into the world
to satisfy his own, to turn away his justice from sinners like
me and sinners like you. That's amazing. And the reason
he did it is because we can't save ourselves. What love. See, it's the goodness of God
that leads us to repentance, isn't it? We're just in awe of
what he's done for us. So let us remember, turn if you
would to Genesis chapter one. Let us remember this, that he
who caused the light to shine out of darkness in the creation
of the world is the very one who came to redeem his people
from their sins. And in Genesis one, you have
a picture of regeneration. You have a picture of regeneration.
Genesis chapter one. So the very one who, the very
one who's here is the very one who came into this world. Look
at this. In the beginning God created
the heaven and the earth. This is His. It's all His. Everything is His. There's nothing
that's not under His dominion. And the earth was without form
and void, and darkness was upon the face of the deep. Now that's
a picture of us, dead in trespasses and sins, in darkness. And the
Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said
what? Let there be light. And there was light. God said,
You're mine. Right? The Holy Spirit regenerated us.
Let there be light. And that's what happened in every
believer's life. My goodness. And there was light. And God saw the light and that
it was good. And God divided the light from
the darkness. And God called the light day
and the darkness He called night. And the evening and the morning
were the first day. Just as He was the one who said, let there
be light in the creation of the world, He is the one who causes
the light to shine out of darkness in the new creation, in the new
creation, beloved. When we're born again by the
Holy Spirit of God, when the day spring from on high first
shines in the heart of the believer, and he is our day spring, he
is the rose of Sharon to us. Oh my, what a Savior, what a
Savior. And it is God who must give the
light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus
Christ. It's God who must reveal to us who Christ is, what we
are, and who Christ is. Otherwise, we're just groping
around in the dark. He takes his people from the
darkness to the light. Oh my, my. Second Corinthians 4.6 says this.
If you want to turn there, you can. It's a wonderful verse. Let's turn there, 2 Corinthians
4, 6. And let us remember that Christ
alone is the light to lighten the Gentiles. Christ alone, the
glory of thy people Israel. Look at this, 2 Corinthians 4,
6. And look, look, now think of this. Who's doing the work
in this verse? Who's the one? That's all I'll
say. Look at this. Look at this. For
God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, has
shined in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of
the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. God was the
one who commanded the light to shine. Just as Christ said, Lazarus,
come forth. And what did Lazarus do? He came
forth. He came forth just as Lazarus
come forth. God's people come forth out of
darkness when we're called by called by the Holy Spirit of
God to faith. He grants us faith and repentance
on to believe on Christ for God who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness and all how dark was that darkness. has shined
in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So God's elect themselves in
the state of unregeneracy and unbelief are in darkness. Every
human who comes into this world is in darkness, but when Christ
shines upon them and grants them faith to believe when the Holy
Spirit grants them faith to believe they're born again by the Holy
Spirit of God, they are no longer in darkness. You who believe
are no longer in darkness. Now we see through a glass darkly
while we're here, but we're not in the darkness we were in. Oh,
just ask a believer who he is. Oh, I'm a sinner. Did you think you were a sinner
before God saved you? Now we know we are. I need Christ. Did you think you needed Christ
before the Lord saved you? We didn't, did we? Christ is
my all in all. Christ meant nothing to me before
I was saved. He was a figment of my imagination,
the Christ that I worshiped. He was a false Christ. But when
God, the Holy Spirit, revealed the true Christ to the Bible
to me, oh my, everything changed. Everything changed. shines upon us. We are no longer
in darkness. The darkness has passed. The
true light shines and we see the glory and grace of Jesus
Christ, our Lord and Savior. By faith, we're given a hope
of heaven. Think of this, too. By faith, we're given a hope
of heaven in invisible reality. Heaven is an invisible reality.
It's real. We can't see it though, can we?
We have no clue. We were talking about that last
night. I mentioned someone wrote a book on heaven, some evangelical
guy years ago, and I thought, how can someone write a book
on heaven when they've never been there? And we were talking
about heaven and how it's so far beyond what we can even comprehend. I hath not seen nor heard. The
things that God, the things that he has for us, we can't even
comprehend it. But we're given a faith and a
hope of heaven, an invisible reality to which the believer
is going. We're going there. We're going
to be there. We saw this morning, our life's
but a vapor. We're going to be there. When
we depart from this world, to be absent from the body is to
be present with the Lord. We who believe on Christ will
see him face to face. Can you imagine what that's gonna
be like? We can't, can we? We can't, we
can't even. My goodness. And we no longer live in the
darkness of sin, ignorance and unbelief. Now we struggle with
sin. Before we drank it like water,
but now we struggle. Now in Christ we walk in the
light of truth. Faith, holiness, until the perfect day when our
faith shall one day be made sight. And that's what'll happen when
we see Christ, when we die and depart from this world, our faith
shall become sight. Shall become sight. And we'll
be one of those blood-washed saints that we read about in
Revelation. We'll be in glory. Oh my. It's incredible. It's absolutely,
and it's all, it's all based upon Christ's merit and Christ's
work and nothing in ourselves. Isn't that wonderful? And we can't spoil it. It's wonderful. It's wonderful,
beloved. Oh my goodness. It's absolutely wonderful. Look at John... Actually, no. Look at verse 47. We'll take a look at verse 47
now. And if any man hear my words
and believe not, I judge him not, for I come not to judge
the world, but to save the world. Now, men and women, they hear
the gospel, don't they? Some come and sit and hear the
gospel. of Christ, and some understand in their natural mind what's
being said, the words, but they don't understand the spiritual
application. Or they haven't had Christ revealed to them,
so they don't really know who Christ is. But yet, they don't
believe what the word says. And they reject, they reject
the Lord Jesus Christ. And you know that they are fully
responsible for their sin. You've heard me say it many times.
If a man or a woman goes to hell, it's all them, isn't it? But
if we go to heaven, it's all God. It's all it's all his work. What does God have to do for
a man to go to hell? Just leave him alone. Just leave
him alone. And we know that faith comes
by hearing. But here we know it doesn't come to all, does
it? Not all here. Now all may hear with the natural
ear, but not all hear with the spiritual ear. The Holy Spirit
has to give us understanding, doesn't he? The natural ear receives no profit
from the Word of God, but rather it rejects the truth. And look at here, he says, and
if any man hear my words and believe not, I judge him not. Now, he won't judge him now when
he's in this text, and this is what this is speaking about.
He'll judge him later. But not at the time of this,
when he was speaking here, because he came into the world to save
his people from their sins. But he will later. He will judge
them later. Christ came not to condemn the
world because it's already condemned. We saw that in John chapter 3,
didn't we? He came at this time spoken of
in our text to save sinners. To save sinners. So Christ will
leave those in their sin for another day when righteous judgment
will take place. The Father judges no man, but
hath committed all judgment unto his Son, that all men should
honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth
not the Son honoreth not the Father, which hath sent him,
John 5, 22 and 23. Now this righteous judgment will
take place. Look at our next verse. It's
actually spoken of in our next verse. He that rejecteth me and
receiveth not my words hath one that judges him. The word that
I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day." Again, here we see men rejecting
and not receiving the words of Christ, and note that they are
rejecting the word which Christ has spoken. How does He speak to us? Through
the gospel being preached. But natural man does not receive
it, they reject it. They do not receive the words
of Christ. And the only reason we who are
redeemed receive it is because the Holy Spirit has has regenerated
us. We're made willing to flee to
Christ. And we receive that word, don't we? Oh, we rejoice. But note here in verse 48. And
keep in mind what we looked at in John 3, 18 and 19. I'll read
that again right here. He that believeth on him is not
condemned, but he that believeth not is condemned already. Because
he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
And this is condemnation, that light has come into the world.
And men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds
were evil. And in our verse here it says, He that rejected me
and received not my words, hath one that judged him. The word
that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last days.
Note it says, the same shall judge him in the last day. Think of this. This world will
not last forever. This speaks of a last day. God has set a boundary, beloved.
The sovereign God of the universe has set a boundary, a time and
a length for this world. And it is set out and appointed
by our divine sovereign God. We know that the day of the Lord
will come as a thief in the night Which the heavens shall pass
away with a great noise and the elements Shall melt with fervent
heat and the earth and the works that are therein shall be burned
up And let us take note that the
last day will be a day of judgment Turn if you would to act 17 verse
31 Look at this Acts 17.31, "...because he hath appointed
a day in which he will judge the world in righteousness."
By who? "...by that man whom he hath
ordained by the Lord Jesus Christ, the perfect man, wherever he
hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him
from the dead." The righteous will be vindicated as they are
clothed in the spotless righteousness of Christ, beloved. The law has
been satisfied. There is therefore now no condemnation,
no judgment for the righteous. But there will be a day when
God's broken law will be magnified against those unbelievers. And
his holy justice will be honored. And all his enemies will be defeated.
God shall demonstrate on that great day that He is God. That He is God. His true word, divine word, a
word suited to men, yet men have slighted it and attacked it and
denied it and made it holy contents. the subjects of blasphemous jesting,
they joke about scripture, they joke about Christ, they reject
Christ the Messiah, they refuse the truth of the gospel, of his
grace, they shall be judged. Though Christ does not judge
them now, let none think that he will escape For the words
of Christ declared by the prophets, and by Christ Himself, and by
the apostles, and by faithful preachers, shall raise up in
judgment against all who do not believe. That's sobering. That's sobering. Look at John
12, 49. For I have not spoken of myself,
but the Father which sent me gave me a commandment, what I
should say, and what I should speak. Beloved, our Lord did
not speak as a man separate from the Father. His gospel was not
human, but the gospel is divine. The gospel is divine, beloved.
It is the everlasting gospel. He came, remember? He came from
the glories of heaven. He came from the Father. The
Father sent him into this world. He spoke the words of the Father.
Look at John 14, verses 10 and 11. A couple chapters over, look
at this. John 14, verses 10 and 11. Believest
thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? The words
that I speak unto you I speak not of myself. But the Father
that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I
am in the Father, and the Father in me, or else believe me for
the very work's sake. Christ as a man, beloved, had
a mission, a commission from God, and his instructions from
the Father to preach the gospel unto man.
He's the sinner's substitute. God's preachers we have a commission
from God to preach and proclaim Christ crucified and every man
who fills this pulpit has a Commission to preach and proclaim the Lord
Jesus Christ No one else We don't preach ourselves. We preach the only Savior for
sinners Christ Jesus our Lord And he He was anointed by the
Holy Ghost and sent by the Father. We saw last week the whole trinity
is involved in our redemption. The One who is spoken of as the
Light, the One who is spoken of as the Light, willingly, willingly came into this world to save this sinner. If you're one of his people to
save you, he left heaven. God himself becomes a man. Now, all I am is a sinner. But to think that he never sinned
in thought, in word, in deed, in action. And he's the perfect one. He's
absolutely incredible. But he's God. I'm just a man. He's the God-man. God incarnate
in the flesh. One who came into this world.
Came into the very world he created to redeem his people from their
sins. Look at verse 50, and I know
that His commandment is life everlasting. Whatsoever I speak,
therefore, even as the Father said unto me, so I speak. Note here in our text, our Lord's
commandment is not the law, because the law of God cannot give life.
It reveals our sinfulness, our imperfection. The way to eternal
life is spoken of in the gospel. And it points us right to Christ
and Christ alone. John Gill said this commandment
spoken of is the gospel. Turn if you would to Romans chapter
1. Romans chapter 1. Romans chapter 1 verses 15 to
17. Beloved, the gospel. It's the gospel that's the power
of God unto salvation. And who does the gospel speak
of? Only Christ. Only Christ. It wouldn't be good
news without Christ. The reason it's good news is
because it's all about Christ. It's all about He who came from
heaven. He who came from above. Romans 1, 15 to 17. So as much
as is in me, I am ready to preach the gospel to you that are at
Rome also. The gospel that Christ came into
this world, that he died upon the cross, that he rose again
the third day, and that God is absolutely satisfied with his
sacrifice. For I am not ashamed of the gospel
of Christ. Why? It's the power of God, the
dynamite of God in the Greek. It's the power of God unto salvation. To who? To everyone that believeth.
To the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness
of God revealed from faith to faith, as it is written, the
just shall live by faith. And His commandment, our text
says, His commandment is life everlasting. Again, this is the
Gospel. The gospel is sent forth by God's
commandment, beloved. By His commandment, Christ came
into this world. By His commandment, the Holy
Spirit comes. It's amazing. By His commandment,
remember? God commanded the light to shine
on the darkness. By His commandment, we're saved.
It's amazing. Salvation is all of the Lord. So the gospel is sent forth by
God's commandment, the one who is the everlasting God. And it's been published by Christ
and his apostles and published by faithful preachers all through
time. And the gospel proclaims Christ.
And Christ alone is life everlasting for his people. And we are saved
in Christ and we have everlasting life. Oh, may we let that sink in this
week, may we ponder that, may we meditate upon that. We have
everlasting life. We who believe have everlasting
life. We have it. Christ has obtained
eternal salvation for us. Like I said, we can't mess it
up. Because he has obtained it. Isn't it wonderful that our salvation
is not dependent upon us? Why? God, the Holy Spirit, he takes
the preaching of the word of the gospel and gives life and
turns unwilling sinners and makes them willing to flee to Christ.
It's a miracle of grace. It's a miracle of grace. So let
us remember the one who is the light. The Word of God came down
from heaven. And He is the Lord Jesus Christ.
And He came on a mission commissioned by God the Father to save His
people from their sins and praise be to God, He did it. It is finished. What a Savior. Gracious Heavenly Father, we
come before Thy throne in awe. In awe with the fact, Lord Jesus,
that You left heaven where angels bowed down before you, covered
themselves because of your holiness, because of your perfect holiness,
that you left all that to come to this sin-cursed world to redeem
your people. And you did it by shedding your
precious blood for us on Calvary's cross. Oh, Lord, may we be grateful
this week and just remember the great things that you have done
for us. the great things that we could never do for ourselves,
you have done it. Glory to your name, Lord, and
honor and praise to thy name. In Jesus' name, amen.