Let us say that you walk outside on a dark night in an unfamiliar location.  You would, of course, need to take a flashlight or lantern with you so that you could see.  A light allows you to see where you are going – where to put your footsteps and what to avoid.  But if you were to turn off your light and keep walking, you would be in danger.  You might stumble over an obstacle and fall.  You might step on something that would harm your foot. You might fall down a steep hill or cliff.  You might run into a tree.  You might run into a wild animal that would harm you.  Many are the dangers you might encounter while walking in the dark without a light.  Now let us look at the spiritual application of walking in the dark without a light.  We need the light of Jesus to give us spiritual light.  Our future is like the unfamiliar location.  Where do we put our footsteps and what do we avoid?  When we walk in the light, we know where we are going and we avoid the dangers of the dark.

The Bible records that Jesus came to dwell in Capernaum. Matthew 4:13-16 “And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and the shadow of death light has dawned.’”  Jesus was that great light that came to Galilee. He brought the truth of God to the world.

The gospel of John begins by describing the Word, who is Jesus.  John 1:1-9 “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 nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.  And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.” John the Baptist came to bear witness to Jesus who is the Light.  Jesus gives light to every man coming into the world.

Unfortunately, many reject Jesus because they love darkness rather than light. John 3:18-21 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” The contrast is between deeds which are evil (darkness) and doing deeds of truth (light). Do you love darkness or light?

Jesus said that He was the light of the world.  John 8:12 “Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.’”  If we follow Him, we will not walk in darkness but have light that leads to eternal life.  Jesus said in John 12:46  “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.” Zechariah prophesied about Jesus in Luke 1:79  “To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”  As our light, Jesus will guide us to the way of peace with God.

So how is Jesus our light?  He is our light in teaching us the truth and the way for us to live. Whoever hears the teachings of Jesus and does them is one who walks in the light.  Whoever hears the teachings of Jesus and does not do them is one who walks in darkness (see Matthew 7:24-27). Jesus is also our light in that He was our example of how to walk in the light. 1 Peter 2:21  “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.” He is our light by showing us love, mercy, compassion, speaking truth, and demonstrating other characteristics of light in His life.

The apostle John taught us that loving our brother is light but hatred for our brother is darkness.  1 John 2:8-11 “Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining. He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” To walk in the light, we must walk in love.

John also taught in 1 John 1:5-7 “This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we walk in darkness, we do not have fellowship with Him. All those who walk in the light have fellowship with one another and are cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus.

We have been called out of darkness into light.  1 Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.”  I encourage you to walk as children of light. Ephesians 5:8 “For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light.”