Session Three: I Am the Light

In this session, we’ll explore:

• How Jesus is the Light of the World

• How that light affects us

‘No half-heartedness and no worldly fear must turn us aside from following the Light unflinchingly.’

J.R.R. Tolkien

1. Reflect

Read Luke 2:22-32.

Simeon had been waiting for the Messiah. When he takes the baby Jesus in his arms, he prophesies. What does this prophecy mean?

2. Read

Have a look at these three passages of scripture:

John 8:12
John 3:16-20
John 1:1-14

1. What does Jesus mean when he calls himself the Light of the World?

2. What does this light bring to us? What is the difference between light and darkness?

3. What do you think is meant by the glory of the one and only Son? Is there a connection between the light of Christ and his glory?

4. Light has many qualities, it:

   Illuminates things
   Enables us to see
   Enables things to grow
   Purifies

   In what ways does Jesus as the light of the world demonstrate these qualities?

‘When my eldest daughter was a couple of days old, she developed jaundice. This was very serious because she only weighed about 1kg. To solve this problem with her blood they put her under intense ultra violet light. The skin absorbs the light and converts the bilirubin into harmless chemicals. Exposure to the light purified her and brought her healing.’

John Walford

Need help? Here are some hints…

1. Compare what is said about light in the three passages and this will give you clues about what this means.

2. Light always chases out darkness not the other way round.

3. In the Old Testament, the glory (in Hebrew the shekinah) of the Lord is represented by fire and clouds. In Exodus, God leads his people with a pillar of fire at night and cloud by day (Exodus 13:21). Later when the Temple is built and dedicated it is filled with a great cloud representing the presence of God (1 Kings 8:10-13).

3. Act

Read Matthew 5:14–16.

• What does it mean for us to be the light of the world?

• What should we do with this idea?

‘The Bible is not the light of the world, it is the light of the Church. But the world does not read the Bible, the world reads Christians! “You are the light of the world.”’

 Charles Spurgeon

4. Pray

• For situations in which the darkness seems to be in control

• For ways in which we can let the light of Christ shine from our hearts to others