Is Jesus the Light -- or Are We?

Just which is it? Is Jesus the Light or are we the light? This question is answered in the Scriptures. John 8:12 quotes Jesus as saying, “I Am the light of the world.”

In other passages in Scripture, John refers to Jesus as the light. We know that the prophecies about Jesus in the Old Testament speak to Him being the light in the darkness that the Israelites were waiting for. Just check out Isaiah if you want to see them in print. 😊 

And He did come – born a baby on Christmas Day – to bring His Light to the darkness of a sin-sick world. Jesus lived a perfect life and died the death that we deserved. He did this out of love for us and so that we could be reconciled to His Father – and ours.

But Jesus also told us during His Sermon on the Mount that we are the light of the world. I love this passage from The Message: “Here’s another way to put it: You’re here to be light, bringing out the God-colors in the world. God is not a secret to be kept. We’re going public with this, as public as a city on a hill. If I make you light-bearers, you don’t think I’m going to hide you under a bucket, do you? I’m putting you on a light stand. Now that I’ve put you there on a hilltop, on a light stand—shine! Keep open house; be generous with your lives. By opening up to others, you’ll prompt people to open up with God, this generous Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

We are to reflect the Light of the Triune God in all that we do. I love the term “light-bearers.” It’s such a great picture of what we are to do as children of God and brothers and sisters of Jesus. Jesus, while His Presence is all around us, is no longer physically here. So it is up to us to bring His Light to the world. Not only in the words we speak, but in our actions.

Just like the moon reflects the light of the sun and is a lesser light, so we are to reflect the Light of the Son as lesser lights. Our lights are still important as that is how people see Jesus. They hear us speak. They see our compassion and care and love. They see us living into the life that Jesus modeled for us. We care for the least of these and make no judgments about others. This is the light that we are to bear to the world. This is the light that we are to bear to our families. This is the light, the reflected Light of Jesus, that can and will change the world. We are the light that can change the darkness that is in our world.

Our world needs Jesus – will we be light-bearers or will we hide our light under a bucket. Will we reflect truly the Light of the Son or will we hide under the bed for fear of rejection? Will we shine as we keep open house and exercise the generosity we are tasked with by our Father and His Son, our Savior?

How will you allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through you as you live as a light-bearer of the Son leading people to true faith in our Triune God?

Did we answer the question? I think so. Jesus is the Light of the world who came to shine in a world dark with sin. He has told us that we are to do the same by reflecting His light to the world around us.

What an amazing and exciting assignment. Let’s all go shine!