John 8
“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” Jesus goes on to say, “These claims are valid even though I make them about myself. For I know where I came from and where I am going, but you don’t know this about me. You judge me by human standards, but I do not judge anyone. And if I did, my judgment would be correct in every respect because I am not alone. The Father who sent me is with me. Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact. I am one witness, and my Father who sent me is the other.” Later in verses 28-29, “I do nothing on my own but say only what the Father has taught me. And the one who sent me is with me-he has not deserted me. For I always do what pleases him.” In verse 55 Jesus says, “I know the Father, I know him and obey him.”
What is our goal? As Christians, what are we after? What should our lives be aiming at? The simple answer is that we want to become more like Jesus. This chapter in John is loaded with Jesus’ words and explanations of who he is and how he thinks and operates in this world. If I want to be more like him, I should look at what is important to him, what he says is true, and how he behaved while here on earth.
He tells me if I follow him, I won’t have to walk in darkness. I will have access to the light that leads to life. When I follow him or decide to believe he is who he says he is and I choose to have relationship with him, I spend time talking to him and listening to him, I get help. I see situations differently because he sheds light that I can’t produce on my own. He knows everything! He understands every nuance of each situation and of every person. He is perfect truth and perfect love. He desires relationship with us so he can light our way. He wants to help us change and become more like him.
Jesus doesn’t judge anyone. A beautiful example of this appears earlier in chapter 8 (vs 3-11) when the woman is caught in adultery and brought before Jesus. When pressed to give an answer for how she should be dealt with he says, “All right, but let the one who has never sinned throw the first stone.” After her accusers had slipped way, Jesus asked her if any of her accusers condemned her. She answered, “No Lord” and Jesus told her, “Neither do I, Go and sin no more.” If Jesus, whose judgment is perfect, doesn’t judge, than I, whose judgment is flawed, should definitely not judge others.
Jesus wasn’t alone when he was on this earth living in human form. The Father was with him and taught him. If Jesus needed the Father while here, how much more do I need Him? Jesus makes it really clear in this chapter that he is not alone, that God is with him and that God has not deserted him. As God’s children, we have the same access to God and the same promises from Him that Jesus did while here. I think I get distracted in life and forget Who’s I am, Who is with me always, and Who will never desert me.
Jesus chose to obey God and did what pleased Him. Jesus flat out tells us that he submitted to God. If his attitude was set to obey and please God, my goal should be to do the same. Part of getting obedience right is knowing God well enough to know what he asks of us. Jesus had a bit of an advantage over us in this department as he lived/lives in heaven with God always, except when he was here on earth. He knew what was required of him in every situation and he chose to obey. If God knows that our intent is to obey him, he won’t hold himself back from us. He wants us to grow to be more like him. He will do all he can to help us along that path, but he won’t choose it for us. We have to decide every day to follow him.
John 12:46 “I have come into the world as light, so that no one who believes in Me should walk in darkness.”