{"id":1754,"date":"2017-03-22T11:07:36","date_gmt":"2017-03-22T15:07:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/anglicanconnection.com\/?p=1754"},"modified":"2017-03-22T11:07:36","modified_gmt":"2017-03-22T15:07:36","slug":"i-am-the-light-of-the-world","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/anglicanconnection.com\/i-am-the-light-of-the-world\/","title":{"rendered":"‘I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD’…"},"content":{"rendered":"

I<\/span>n her recent\u00a0Wall Street Journal<\/i>\u00a0article (03\/18\/17), Peggy Noonan referred to \u2018the observation that\u00a0a great leader has more in common with an artist than an economist. Economists drill deep in narrow fields, but the artist\u2019s view is more expansive; he\u2019s more able to grasp the big picture, and see how it is changing\u2019.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

Any serious consideration of Jesus challenges us with the evidence that he is not just \u2018a great leader\u2019 but an exceptional one, who grasps life\u2019s \u2018big picture\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

H. G. Wells, historian, and author of\u00a0<\/i>books such as\u00a0The Time Machine\u00a0<\/i>and\u00a0The War of the Worlds<\/i>, once remarked: \u2018I am a historian. I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very centre of history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant figure in all history\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

In John\u2019s Gospel, we read:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\n

Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, \u201cI am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life\u201d\u00a0<\/i>(John 8:12).<\/span><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

When Jesus said this he was in the Jerusalem temple for the Feast of Tabernacles. A feature of the festival was the lighting of four huge elevated bowls filled with oil. The light they gave was spectacular. They symbolized the great day of God\u2019s Messiah.<\/span><\/p>\n

Again his words\u00a0\u201cI am\u2026\u201d\u00a0<\/i>stand out. Again he\u00a0claims to be one with the God who revealed his name to Moses as,\u00a0\u201cI am who I am\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(Exodus 3:14). As\u00a0the<\/i>\u00a0light of the world<\/i>\u00a0Jesus invites everyone to come out of the darkness of self-absorption and turn to the true light that uniquely shines from God.<\/span><\/p>\n

LIGHT AND TRUTH<\/h2>\n

Light<\/i>\u00a0is a metaphor for\u00a0truth<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 which includes moral attitudes and actions. Later he tells us that he is committed to truth and is himself\u00a0the truth<\/i><\/b>\u00a0<\/i>(John 14:6). He also calls on us all to live in the light of his truth. When we think about it, we can\u2019t experience great relationships at any level \u2013 with God or with another human being \u2013 unless they are framed in truth.<\/span><\/p>\n

Because our age insists on political correctness and tolerance we easily lose the impact of Jesus\u2019 imagery. We don\u2019t see the moral darkness of life around us. Yet when we digest Jesus\u2019 words here we feel the weight of how far we all fall short of the God standard.<\/span><\/p>\n

Significantly, he promises us freedom:\u00a0\u201c\u2026If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free\u201d<\/i>\u00a0(John 8:31-32).<\/span><\/p>\n

FREEDOM IS SOMETHING WE ALL LONG FOR<\/span><\/h2>\n

Yet, when we rightly understand it we see that freedom is not the absence of all constraints, but submission to the right constraints. It is not the rebellion that recognizes no authority, but the discernment that distinguishes legitimate authority. As someone observed, \u2018true freedom is not the license to do as we please, but the liberty to do as we ought\u2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

We need to relearn this vital distinction, for\u00a0we are all in danger of failing to observe the difference between exercising liberty and taking liberties<\/b>. Jesus is telling us that true freedom is bound up with knowing him.\u00a0This is why he wants us to\u00a0continue in his word.<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

We\u2019ve already noticed his insistence on our need to know\u00a0the truth<\/i>\u00a0\u2013 about who God is and what he expects of his people. This\u00a0truth\u00a0<\/i>is not just head knowledge. It is a knowledge that awakens, drives and frames our relationship with God and our relationships with one another, impacting our mind, conscience, will and heart. So, as with any relationship, we need to work at knowing God better through his special written self-revelation in the Bible.<\/span><\/p>\n

Furthermore, as with any relationship, we need to persevere with it, even when things don\u2019t seem to be going our way. Jesus is not asking us to join him in a one hundred yards sprint, but in the marathon of life. The extraordinary thing is that when we do this he, being the leader he is, frees us from our bondage to self-interest and sin and opens our lives up increasingly to develop a world-view through his lens,\u00a0and so enjoy life as we were meant to live it.<\/span><\/p>\n

Prayer<\/b>\u00a0\u2013\u00a0Almighty God, give us grace so that we may cast away the works of darkness and put on the armor of light now in the time of this mortal life, in which your Son Jesus Christ came amongst us in great humility: so that on the last day, when he comes again in his glorious majesty to judge the living and the dead, we may rise to life immortal; through him who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, now and for ever. Amen. (BCP, Advent – adapted)<\/i><\/span><\/p>\n

\n

\u00a9 John G. Mason<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

n her recent\u00a0Wall Street Journal\u00a0article (03\/18\/17), Peggy Noonan referred to \u2018the observation that\u00a0a great leader has more in common with an artist than an economist. Economists drill deep in narrow fields, but the artist\u2019s view is more expansive; he\u2019s more able to grasp the big picture, and see how it is changing\u2019. 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