When we do something good, people will notice that we are different from the world who usually does things only for themselves. Jesus’ claim to be the Light of the world is a claim to be the Lord God in human flesh. Psalm 27:1 proclaims, “The Lord is my light and my salvation ….” In a prophecy about Jesus Christ (Matt. And He is the only light of the world. We can only know the Father through the Son (Luke 10:22). Jesus came from heaven and He was returning to heaven. 5:20-21). It seems like a simple question. Do you trust His many claims about Himself? I assure you that I did not, even for a fleeting second, wonder, “Could this really be the apostle Thomas?” I shrugged him off as a nut case, as I’m sure everyone else did. 27:15. We are wise in our own sight (Isa. He is the source of light; we only shine as we reflect His image. It is about what it means to be a light of the world and how to be a light to other people. It commemorated God’s provision of water from the rock that sustained Israel in the wilderness. “We are reminding children that Jesus Christ is the light of the world,” said Sister Joy D. Jones, Primary General President. Ebook 327 new Testament Bible Stories for Children with 100 Children s Bible Songs Dramatized . That hurts. How can you best answer these excuses. Jesus’ claim to be the Light of the world demands that you respond by following Him. By participating in the “Light the World” initiative, children can do the things that help them not only come to know, but also emulate, the Savior. Let Your Light Shine Coloring Page Jesus came in the midst of a dark time. But when we go with the gospel and pray that God will open spiritually blind eyes, He does so as He reveals the glory of Christ (2 Cor. If you have trouble getting your brain around the fact that God is invisible and that He “dwells in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see” (1 Tim. As Paul said (Rom. The church is to be the channel of Light to this dark world. John 1:18 put it, “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.” Thus Jesus uniquely reveals to us the truth of who the Father is and what He is like. How do the following verses refute this: 2 Cor. Place toilet paper roll in the middle of the purple paper and roll up. When you’re spiritually dead, you need God’s resurrection power to impart new life to your soul. That wisdom and knowledge applies to all people, whether to primitive, illiterate tribes or to highly educated intellectuals. When the cloud moved, the people followed (Num. 1:17; 6:16), then look to Jesus. And, the Lord guides us through His Word, His Spirit, and the wise counsel of mature believers. How should you respond to this astounding claim today? So Jesus makes this astounding claim: “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.” That claim inherently calls for a response: First, we need to understand what it means to follow Jesus: You won’t follow someone you don’t trust. I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.”. He charted their course to the Promised Land. If, as we saw last week, the story of the woman caught in adultery (7:53-8:11) was not a part of John’s original Gospel, then the incident before us, where Jesus claims to be the Light of the world, took place either during or just after the Feast of Tabernacles, when the spectacle of these huge torches being lit in the temple would still be fresh in people’s minds. Also, 1 John 1:5 tells us, “God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all.” This reveals that God is absolutely pure and holy. I can only skim these verses, but note two things: The Pharisees are going back to Jesus’ statement in John 5:31, “If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.” The translators have added alone; Jesus actually said “If I testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.” In the context, He meant that if He acted independently of the Father, His witness would be invalid. But when you turn the … Neither does He mean that people can figure out spiritual truth apart from His followers taking the gospel to them. 2:15; Eph. Ones who follow Jesus should be known by the love and kindness they show to others. You could use this lesson and craft in children’s Sunday School or Kids Church. John 8 Light Of The World Sunday School Crossword Puzzles: An classroom ready activity that is both fun and an amazing teaching tool, this John 8 crossword will make a great addition to your upcoming light of the world Sunday School lesson. So, in the same courtyard where the torches were lit, Jesus boldly proclaimed, “I am the Light of the world.” How would you have reacted if you had been a Jew listening there? How could anyone see with a basket over the light? 4:4, 6). I wish I could end the message here and we could all go our way basking in the goodness of the Lord toward those who follow Jesus as the Light. Needed: Bibles, flashlight, blindfolds, obstacles. Do you trust the apostolic witness to Jesus? Although his birth wasn’t extravagant, God’s glory lit … As Jesus states (John 8:14), He has come from the Father and He is returning to the Father. One summer day in 1969 I was sitting on the lawn at U.C.L.A. Great for children… Give kids construction paper light bulbs and allow time. He gives us wisdom in trials as we ask Him in prayer (James 1:3-5). Furthermore, light is often used as a metaphor for God. He taught the people not only how to be happy in life and to make others happy, but also taught His followers how they should present themselves or behave themselves. Do you trust that I know what I’m talking about? And when you follow Jesus, you are never alone because He is always with you just, like turning on a lamp in a dark room makes you feel less lonely. Jesus calls himself the light of the world. Jesus would have rebuked him for that. This story is found in the Bible and tells about the birth of a very special baby who was born to be the light of the world. But in that same context, He showed that the Father testified of Him through the witness of John the Baptist, Jesus’ works (miracles), and God’s Word. (Light the second candle.) Exhortations on how to improve your morals are of no use to a corpse. 19:15). He protects us from the spiritual enemies that wage war against our souls. Explain that at Christmas time, Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus. Jesus told a parable in Matthew 15 through 16, “neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl instead they put it on its stand and it gives light to everyone in the house. I know we don't actually glow like light bulbs, but he's talking about a different kind of light. Some argue that God has done all that He can do to save people and now it is up to their response. Also, the cloud guided Israel through that harsh, untracked wilderness. During that feast, as we’ve seen, the Jews performed a ceremony where a priest went to the Pool of Siloam, drew water in a golden pitcher, and returned in procession to the temple, where he poured it out at the base of the altar. both from Pharaoh’s advancing army and later from the fierce desert sun by day and the dark and cold at night. Today, we will introduce our children to the Light who has come to shine in the darkness, and we will challenge them to look for and wait for him in worship. There was an old man in the Temple called Simeon. He also said (7:37-38), “If any man is thirsty, let Him come unto Me and drink. Why do the claims of Christ eliminate the common idea that He was a good religious teacher, but He is not God? Copyright, Steven J. Cole, 2014, All Rights Reserved. OBJECTS SUGGESTED: Candles, a flashlight, picture of a lighthouse, a sunrise, a sunset. 2:15; Eph. over children in the home or in the Bible class. The Bible tells us that we’re in Christ, but also that He is in us. Children Bible Story. In Isaiah 60:19-20, God says to His people, “No longer will you have the sun for light by day, nor for brightness will the moon give you light; but you will have the Lord for an everlasting light, and your God for your glory. 10:14-15a), people can’t believe unless we go and tell them the good news. Have children draw a cross on the candle to represent that Jesus is the light of the world. The light shines through us, but we are not the source of that Light. But eliminating Christ from your life does not eliminate God as the sovereign of the world. The fallen human heart is deceptive and desperately wicked (Jer. Other religions claim to enlighten and give spiritual insight, but they don’t deliver. II. He graduated from Dallas Theological Seminary (Th.M., 1976 in Bible exposition) and Califo... More. “We have faith in them to be lights. And does your trust translate into obedience to His commands? But when we go with the gospel and pray that God will open spiritually blind eyes, He does so as He reveals the glory of Christ (2 Cor. If you get up in the dark to go get a drink, you might stub your toe or bump your shin. If you say that you’re following me, but wander off in another direction, you’re not really following me. Check out these helpful resources Biblical Commentary Sermons Children’s Sermons Hymn Lists. “We love the children,” she said. As I said, in the Old Testament, the Jews recognized the pillar and the cloud as the Lord (Exod. But the Pharisees were in the dark. But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone. He gives us wisdom in trials as we ask Him in prayer (James 1:3-5). 17:9). Background: Jesus was in Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles. Our lights are the good deeds that we do. In the same way, Jesus is our protection. Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. Conceding their point about two witnesses, Jesus claims that He has not only His own witness, but also that of the Father. And, the Lord guides us through His Word, His Spirit, and the wise counsel of mature believers. Whether we are mothers, grandmothers, aunts, neighbors, or Bible teachers, what a responsibility we have as Christian women to teach our children the Bible! The children will learn where the Light is darkness will flee. The evidence of spiritual darkness is that you want to get rid of Jesus from your life (8:20). 13:5), “I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.”. The lesson is followed by a craft activity in which the children will make their own light switch cover for their bedroom at home. By Lois Parker Edstrom. Exodus 13:21 states, “The Lord was going before them in a pillar of cloud by day to lead them on the way, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night.” Throughout the time that Israel was in the wilderness, the cloud hovered over the tabernacle and symbolized God’s presence with His people. Today we celebrate Christmas Day, the day our Savior, Jesus Christ was born. No one can put out the light that Jesus brings into the world. To follow someone means to trust him and to obey him. Jesus Light of the World was in the world, the same world which He created, but the world did not know Him. 5:8), but only Christ is the true light. Jesus said that a city that is built on a hill cannot be hidden. He is either a religious crackpot or He is who He claimed to be. Also, the cloud and the fire protected Israel both from Pharaoh’s advancing army and later from the fierce desert sun by day and the dark and cold at night. We are merely the instrument, the bulb or candle that reveals the light. 2:1, 4). 28:19-20). How do we let our lights shine? In John 8, Jesus is the pillar of fire in the wilderness, providing protection and guidance by His presence with them. Materials needed: empty toilet paper roll, 11" x 17" yellow tissue paper, 17" x 22" purple tissue paper, scissors, marker. Jesus is the Light of the World is my newest Bible program for preschoolers that will teach them that Jesus is the light of the world and that He wants them to shine their light for all to see, too! The Bible says that we who know Christ shine as lights in the world (Matt. He needs life! But in their minds, they had “biblical reasons”! Dig Deeper. But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. See more ideas about light of the world, advent prayers, prayer journal. 5:8), but only Christ is the true light. In John 7, Jesus is the water from the rock in the wilderness, providing for their thirst. Jesus declared, “I am the Light of the World” (John 8:14). But if I’ve been in these woods many times and have guided people out of them successfully every time, and you know my reputation, you’ll follow me. From 1977-1992 he was the pastor of Lake Gregory Community Church in Crestline, California. Then the Pharisees retorted (8:19), “Where is Your Father?” They were probably thinking of Jesus’ human father, and may have been questioning His paternity based on rumors of His mother’s pregnancy before she was married (8:41). But our text (in fact the major part of it!) Paul combines the imagery both of darkness and spiritual death when he says (Eph. Just as He protected Jesus here, even though His enemies wanted to seize Him (8:20), so He protects His children until it’s our time to be with Him. 4:4, 6; Eph. He is sovereign over all things, including the timing of the death of His Son (Acts 2:23; 4:27-28). An accumulation of teaching methods, ideas, songs, and activities is offered freely to you in hopes that we may teach our children the Bible…and the Bible only. This is the flame. We just reflect Him. What does the Bible say to the church, and to the individual Christian, about the role of politics in the church? 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