I Am the Light of the World (January 21, 2024)

The speaker greets the audience and reminds them that they are beautiful and bountiful in Christ. They read from John chapter 8, verses 1-12, where Jesus encounters a woman caught in adultery. The religious leaders try to trap Jesus by asking if she should be stoned, but he responds by saying that whoever is without sin should cast the first stone. The accusers leave one by one, and Jesus tells the woman that he does not condemn her, but to go and sin no more. Jesus then declares himself as the light of the world. The speaker thanks the listeners for their support and prayers, and emphasizes the importance of focusing on Christ and his teachings. They discuss the context of the Feast of Tabernacles and how Jesus fulfills it. The speaker encourages gratitude and praise for God's protection and provision. The eighth day of the festival is highlighted as a day of rest and reflection. So on this morning, as I greet each of you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, the beautiful and bountiful people of the Most High God, I'm not sure how you, what attitude or what mindset you enjoy in the call, I just want to remind you that each of you, for the men you're handsome, for the women you're beautiful, but for all of us, we are bountiful in Christ. There is no lack in us because there is no lack in Him, and He is supplying all of our needs according to His riches and His glory. And I am so fortunate to be assembled with you, the beautiful, the handsome, the bountiful people of God. I would ask that you turn with me once again to John chapter 8. We'll read verses 1 through 12. And as we read, I just ask for you to consider verse 12 as being our primary text for consideration on today. John chapter 8, verses 1 through 12. Jesus went unto the Mount of Olives, and early in the morning He came again to the temple. And all the people came unto Him, and He sat down and talked. And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto Him a woman taken in adultery, and when they had set her in the midst, they said unto Him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery in the very act. Now Moses in the law commanded us that such should be stoned. But what did He say? This they said, tempting Him that they might have to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down, and with His finger wrote on the ground as though He heard them not. So when they continued asking Him, He lifted up Himself and said unto them, He that is without sin among you let Him first cast a stone at her. And again He stood down and wrote on the ground. And they which heard Him, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest even unto the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had lifted up Himself and saw none but the woman, He said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? Has no man condemned you? She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more. Then Jesus spake again unto them, saying, I am. I am. I am the light of the world. Those who follow me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Pray, pray, pray, pray for me. Pray for me and let us pray. In the name of the blessed Savior, Jesus Christ, may the Father of light bless the spoken word to penetrate our minds and our hearts to move us from bitter to better. From condemnation to consolation, from misery to hope, from turmoil to peace, from fear to faith. We pray, God, that your Holy Spirit will come alongside, inside to illuminate our own darkness and sharpen our own darkness so that we may simply do God's will in this era of your great revival, O God. It is in the mattress, Lamb of God, we pray, God, that you will move only as you can move in us and through us. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen. Amen. I don't do this often, and I probably should, and forgive me for not doing this often, but let me say thank you to each of you. Thank you for allowing me, allowing this cadre of great elders, whether or not it's Rev. Deb or if it's Rev. Glenda or if it's Elder Bobby, the fact that you call in and you allowed us to pour out what he has poured in, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for your continued prayers. Thank you for your prayers specifically for me and for Chiquita and for our family, and thank you for what you do. Thank you whether it's by word, deed, thought, email, text, voice, memo, thank you for what you do to help us and to encourage us. And it's so thoughtful because as you continue to bless us in so many ways, it helps us to create and to maintain an environment that is judgment-free, condemnation-free. We all need a resting place, and we need a safe zone, and we need opportunities like we are experiencing right now to just come together as believers, to renew and to reestablish our faith in Christ. Our faith is in Christ and him alone, and that faith, that faith, true faith, that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. And just so as to make sure that none of us, including me, gets it twisted, you know, our purpose, our purpose, my purpose is only to proclaim the good news of Jesus Christ. I'm not interested in gossip. I'm not interested in spilling some tea. I'm simply and sincerely focused on Christ from pre-incarnation, from pre-incarnation through revelation. I'm all about he who is and is to come. So thank you for allowing me and for allowing us to just pour out what I believe the Holy Spirit has poured in to move us even farther and further to do greater works. And having said that, just thank you, thank you, thank you, and keep us in your prayers. I want to redirect our attention specifically to verse 12 of John chapter 8. And as I read it again, I am reading primarily from the King James Version. I have modified it somewhat because I believe that God is no respecter of persons. So I rephrase verse 12 in particular once again without the gender specificity. But verse 12, then Jesus spake again unto them. The them refers back to his Sunday school class who are there sitting along with him as he is teaching in the temple and primarily in the court of women. Then spake Jesus again unto them saying, I am the light of the world. Those who follow me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. I'm sure that I'll be dealing with this particular verse for the next couple Sundays. God be willing, we shall live in the Lord. The Lord delays his return. And so this morning, I just want to kind of step back for a moment to kind of give some context to the text. And it's going to take me more than today to do it. I'm not going to try to rush through it. I'm just going to say what I need to say just to lay the predicate, if you will. So as I step back, I need to point out that in chapters 7 and 8 of John's Gospel, that we find Jesus participating in one of the three high religious festivals of the Hebrew people. Those three festivals being the Feast of Tabernacles or the Feast of Booths, Passover, and Pentecost. And they were very significant or high festivals that required for men to actually attend. You might miss the other service, but these three services, the men were supposed to be there. And when we read chapter 7 and 8, we are seeing Jesus during this period, this festival that is referred to as the Feast of Booths or the Feast of Tabernacles. And just to explain what that means, the Feast of Tabernacles was basically an eight-day religious festival that coincided with the celebration of harvest. So we started on a Sunday, and we would end on a Sunday, just to commemorate this eight-day period. And in particular during the first seven days, the Hebrews would camp out, if you will, and would dwell in tabernacles or tents, temporary tabernacles or tents that were constructed with leafy materials like, say, palms. And this period of time would be celebrated with praise and with worship unto God, as well as bringing sacrifices of value from their agricultural harvest. It was not a blood sacrifice. I know we want to get deep sometimes, but what was the offerings that were brought were agricultural sacrifices. And the feast was simply a reminder not only of God's task of vision in the wilderness to the promised land, but it was also a reminder of his blessings from bringing them through Babylonian exile, and their later return to Israel. And that should really strike something within us, maybe this morning, that we need to recognize God for not only who he is, but also what he has done in our lives. And maybe we are getting too busy that we can't find ourselves overtaken with praise. Maybe just riding in your car, just saying, thank you, Jesus, for what the Lord has done. In particular, as we think about our text this morning, we find in John chapter 7, verses 37 and 38, Jesus says something that's very profound. He says that in the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, if any person thirsts, let that person come unto me and drink. The person that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of that person's belly shall flow rivers of living water. And based on those two verses, it is understood that when he said that part, that's on the seventh day of the festival. And it's also recognized that as he is saying that, hallelujah, the person that believes on me, as the scripture has said, out of that person's belly shall flow rivers of living water, that he is saying that I am the fulfillment of the feast. Of tabernacles. And I wonder right now, if we have grown to know him so sincerely in our lives, we could say that Christ fulfills us. Christ completes us. He was saying here that as I have come to fulfill the feasts of the tabernacles, he's reminding us that it is God. Emmanuel, Christ is God who tabernacles with us. The word was made flesh, and dwelt among men, and we beheld him. Is Christ tabernacling with you right now? Can you say, do you have this testimony that you're abiding in him, and he's abiding in you, so that you can ask what you will, and it shall be. It is God who tabernacles with us. The word being made flesh in our own lives. We can give honor, we can celebrate for protecting us, and providing for us. I think that some of us have a testimony that he has protected us from danger seen, and unseen. And so, as we see here, Christ is saying, I have fulfilled the tabernacle, I fulfilled the feasts of the tabernacle. We get here to chapter 8, and now we're on the eighth day. We're on the following Sunday, and that Sunday was also specifically set aside and recognized as another day of holy convocation for the people to make one last offer, and practice solemn and sacred rest. However, so we're not missing this point, it was the primary focus of the Hebrew people to recall during this religious festival, how abundantly and graciously Jehovah had protected them, and provided for them, when he brought them out of African bondage, out of Egypt, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out of the land of Israel, out