Light breaks into our days as a gift from God. It began with Genesis 1:3, when God declared, “Let there be light.” and continued till Jesus proclaims in John 8:12,
“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
As we walk with Jesus, the light of the world, we live the contrast Jesus exemplified. There is fruit in our lives and the contrasting light exposes the darkness.
Jesus is the Light of the World
Jesus invites us to walk in the light as He is in the light. Our fellowship with Him happens in the light of who He is.
He says,
“I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
Paul in his letter to the Romans explains how darkness took over when mankind exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped the creature instead of the creator. It darkened their foolish hearts. Jesus is the light of the world, we live the life Jesus exemplified.
Fruit in Our Lives
Paul tells the reader that fruit follows when one walks in the light. Here he mentions goodness, righteousness and truth. It proves what is acceptable to God. In his letter to the Galatians, he states, “For the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” When we walk in the Spirit of Jesus, his Spirit changes us. The evidence shows up. There is fruit in our lives.
Exposes the Unfruitful Works
Evil hides. It works in the cover of darkness and in hidden allies. When the fruit of the Spirit casts its light, it exposes the dead, unfruitful works.
In John 3:20&21 we read,
“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.”
“Does the truth,” intrigues me. It implies a way of life, a working out of truth in our behaviour. Much more than the opposite of a lie; as a long, soft rain, it satiates all of life. It is light over darkness, integrity over double mindedness.
When Jesus said,
“I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.”
Pilate asked, “what is truth?”. He did not realize Jesus claimed to be the truth. Jesus is truth. He is the light of the world. His Spirit produces fruit in our lives and His light exposes unfruitful works.
Paul says it is shameful to even talk about the evil that happens in secret. The light, however, shines on it and shows it for what it is.
“Awake you who sleep,
Arise from the dead,
And Christ will give you light.”
As we walk with Jesus, the light of the world, we live the contrast Jesus exemplified. There is fruit in our lives and the contrasting light exposes the darkness.
Hear Isaiah 60:1;
“Arise, shine;
For your light has come!
And the glory of the Lord
is risen upon you.”