John 8 verses 11 – 20
In John’s gospel chapter 8 verse 12 we have one of the greatest statements of Christ. Throughout the gospel there are stepping stones – I am the bread of life, I am the door and I am the Good Shepherd. The great I am statements of Christ. When we think of the light we think of the light we know so well. Light divides in the darkness. Light makes its presence felt. If you go outside at night it is very dark, hit the light and all of a sudden the darkness is divided. Genesis 1 whenever God was creating this world it is recorded for us “the earth was without form and darkness covered the earth.” God said “let there be light and the light divided the world.” Jesus said “I am the light of the world.” After Zacchaeus climbed down from the tree Jesus told him “I am come into this world to seek and to save that which was lost.” He was coming into the world to make division. Light divides. In John 7 verse 43 we read “there was a division among the people.” Jesus was going up to the feast of tabernacles when he found a great crowd in Jerusalem. On the final day there was a celebration of water ceremony when the high priest would carry water through the town. Jesus said “If any man thirst let him come unto me and drink.”(verse 37) Jesus was making a division because of that. There is always a division amongst men when Christ is mentioned. Jesus asked “whom do people say I am?” The disciples replied who people thought he was. Jesus then said “but whom do you say that I am?” They replied “you are the Christ.” Division of his testimony. In John 9 we see a division in his teaching. Jesus comes to the city and saw a man that had been blind. The disciples asked “master who did sin this man or his parents that he was born blind?” A misconception of sin that is what disciples had. We were born in sin shapen in iniquity. Does not matter how good a person we are, we are sinners by nature and practice. This is why He had to send his son into the world, to take our place on the middle cross of Calvary. That was his purpose in coming into this world. Caused a division as a result. Verse 3 “neither hath this man sinned nor his parents.” Jesus was explaining that it was not because of who the person was or who his family were. Jesus took and spat on the ground, then he made it into clay and he anointed the eyes of the blind man. He told him to go and wash in the pool and he came back seeing. The Lord restored unto him his sight that day. There is one thing we do not have as we are born into this world – eternal life. Not born with it but have to come to the foot of the rugged cross. That is the only place we can receive eternal life.
There was a division about his teaching. Verse 19 – speaking to those who would know about shepherding sheep. They knew the shepherd would take them into good pasture and bring them in to clear waters. The shepherd would risk his life for the sheep. You and I can come to a dividing point as sit under the Lord’s word. At this place outside Jerusalem on the hill called Calvary look on the middle cross see the one who shed his blood that we might be saved. There have been multitudes who have looked on the Saviour and have turned away. They have finished hundreds of miles away from Christ. A lost eternity. For others they have been saved by God’s grace.
Not only does light divide but light draws. Jesus Christ divides and Jesus Christ draws. When you go back to warm evening, leave the light on you will see the flies gathering around it. The light has drawn them to itself. When Jesus went out into the wilderness people came from everywhere to hear him preach. “It was noised abroad that he was there and people came to hear him.” The illustration to Nicodemus took him back to the Old Testament scriptures – children coming out of Egypt disobeyed God. God sent serpents into their midst and people died as a result. God told Moses to make a brazen serpent on a pole and place it right in the middle of the camp. If any man looked to that serpent they would be healed. Those who were bitten were drawn to the pole for there they could be healed. Jesus uses the same illustration to Nicodemus and said “if I be lifted up I will draw all men to myself.” The Lord Jesus was lifted up between heaven and earth, spat on, brutally treated but he was doing it so that he might draw you and I to himself. Which part of the dividing line do you come down into tonight? When Jesus came into the world he made that division. There are those going out into a Christless eternity. The Lord wants to draw you to himself.
The light divides, draws but it also delivers. Red lamps spell danger to road users using any particular road. They are there for a reason – that you be warned of them. Take another road. The lighthouse sends its beams across the waves and the captain knows to steer away from the rocks. The Lord can save to the uttermost all them that come unto him. No man cometh to the father but by me. Read in the scriptures of the farmer who had sown his seed and it grew well. He thought of the harvest, he hadn’t one other thought in his mind but to pull down his barns and build greater “then I will take my ease for I have much left in store for years to come.” God said “thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee.” Whose will everything be then? Missed all the warning signs through life. What has Christ done in your life? Have you allowed him to do anything to make that division? No longer on way to Christ and eternity. Have you allowed him to draw you to the foot of the cross?
There was a division about his teaching. Verse 19 – speaking to those who would know about shepherding sheep. They knew the shepherd would take them into good pasture and bring them in to clear waters. The shepherd would risk his life for the sheep. You and I can come to a dividing point as sit under the Lord’s word. At this place outside Jerusalem on the hill called Calvary look on the middle cross see the one who shed his blood that we might be saved. There have been multitudes who have looked on the Saviour and have turned away. They have finished hundreds of miles away from Christ. A lost eternity. For others they have been saved by God’s grace.
Not only does light divide but light draws. Jesus Christ divides and Jesus Christ draws. When you go back to warm evening, leave the light on you will see the flies gathering around it. The light has drawn them to itself. When Jesus went out into the wilderness people came from everywhere to hear him preach. “It was noised abroad that he was there and people came to hear him.” The illustration to Nicodemus took him back to the Old Testament scriptures – children coming out of Egypt disobeyed God. God sent serpents into their midst and people died as a result. God told Moses to make a brazen serpent on a pole and place it right in the middle of the camp. If any man looked to that serpent they would be healed. Those who were bitten were drawn to the pole for there they could be healed. Jesus uses the same illustration to Nicodemus and said “if I be lifted up I will draw all men to myself.” The Lord Jesus was lifted up between heaven and earth, spat on, brutally treated but he was doing it so that he might draw you and I to himself. Which part of the dividing line do you come down into tonight? When Jesus came into the world he made that division. There are those going out into a Christless eternity. The Lord wants to draw you to himself.
The light divides, draws but it also delivers. Red lamps spell danger to road users using any particular road. They are there for a reason – that you be warned of them. Take another road. The lighthouse sends its beams across the waves and the captain knows to steer away from the rocks. The Lord can save to the uttermost all them that come unto him. No man cometh to the father but by me. Read in the scriptures of the farmer who had sown his seed and it grew well. He thought of the harvest, he hadn’t one other thought in his mind but to pull down his barns and build greater “then I will take my ease for I have much left in store for years to come.” God said “thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee.” Whose will everything be then? Missed all the warning signs through life. What has Christ done in your life? Have you allowed him to do anything to make that division? No longer on way to Christ and eternity. Have you allowed him to draw you to the foot of the cross?
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