There is a uniqueness to Jesus' ministry. There is an equally uniqueness to his claims. One moment he's drawing people to himself and the next he's flipping tables over in the temple. One moment he's describing how he is the Good Shepherd and the next moment he's tight-roping the lines of cannibalism. Just when you think you have Jesus figured out he slaps a weighty truth on you! It's seemingly madness! However, this madness is very much intended. It's desired. It's planned. Or in other words, there is meaning behind the madness. God intends that we never get used to Jesus. Getting used to Jesus is a very dangerous thing. If we stop seeing the madness as madness we will handicap the gospel's effect on our life. If we stop wrestling with God's word we will become numb to God's love. That is a horrible place to be in. That is a place of methodical, halfhearted devotion to Christ that leads to more and more darkness. We need light! You cannot ignore light! There is no getting used to bright headlights obstructing your vision on the highway! It cannot be ignored, rather, it must be dealt with. In the same way, we find Jesus in John 8 proclaiming, "I am the light of the world" (v 12).
As you trek through John and reach chapter 8, you will most likely have the startling realization that John has been setting you up. You realize that he has been secretly preparing your heart for the past 7 chapters. In chapter 1 he laid the foundation of Jesus being life, and that life being the light of men. He tells us that the light shines in the darkness and that the darkness cannot overcome it. (1:4-5) In chapter 3 he builds on this foundation by adding that those who do what is true go to the light. (3:21) Now we arrive in chapter 8 already preheated. It is his crescendo! Jesus tells us that He is the light. We find that light produces life whereas darkness produces death.
I find it important that Jesus identifies himself as "the" light of the world. He is communicating something singular. He is communicating that he is the only light in the world. Meaning, true life is exclusive. Without Christ, you are in darkness. Even worse, it is possible to grow accustom to darkness. Our spiritual eyes adjust to "dealing" with it. However, when Mom flicks on the lights in your room early in the morning, it hurts! You fight it! You burrow under the covers and squeeze your eyelids shut. The light seems unbearable! However, like always, there is meaning behind the madness. That light is good for you. It wakes you up. It produces life in you. We ought to wake up and seek after life!
However, we must be very careful in our pursuit of life. There is a type of pursuit that will cause more emptiness and darkness. This is why we find Jesus proclaiming, "I am going away, and you will seek me, and you will die in your sin" (v 21). This should startle us. However, John has prepared us for this. He doesn't intend that we approach this statement unprepared. He's already laid a framework of Jesus being synonymous with life and light. Therefore, what Jesus is communicating to us is this: "What you seek in your idols, your vanity, your money, your relationships, or in whatever your sin of choice may be, is me. You crave life and life can only be found in me. Your pursuits are silly. They're destructive. They will cause more darkness and that darkness will be the death of you." Therefore, if you seek life through anything other than Christ, you sin, and "the wages of sin is death" (Rom 6:23). This is exclusive. This is offensive. This is the gospel. It is meant for both the nonbeliever AND the believer. The remedy is the same; experience life by following Christ. You don't have to walk in darkness. There is an alternative. Christian, you don't have to walk in darkness. You have the "light of life" (v 12). Redirect your pursuits towards Him and faithfully follow Him. I pray that God would pierce through the darkness with the light of Christ so that you would have life and have it abundantly.
"He who calls you is faithful, he will surely do it"
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