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The Light:

Jesus Christ

John 1:1-9


By Pastor Dan Kennedy

© July 17, 2011

www.pastorkennedy.com

(On the website above, click the link to “recent message notes” to view this message online.)



Truth is a Comprehension of what Light reveals

There is a strong parallel between “light” and perception of truth – whether through visual reality, or the perception of truth discerned from a spiritual “light” illuminating truth to our spirit.   Vision, because of light, also gives us the ability to perceive truth because of what our eyes have seen – and thus, what our mind has perceived to be true.


Light allows us to see

Ironically, the spectrum of light, which allows the clarity of our vision, is very narrow in the overall spectrum of wavelengths that surround us.


[If we see clearly here on earth with such a narrow band of wavelengths available to our eyes but still provide such brilliant light and color, what will color and light be like in eternity when God gives us our new eternal bodies, which are unrestricted by the boundaries of our earthly limitations?  Our human physical bodies are also restricted to a narrow band of audio waves, which allow us to hear.]


Terminologies of Light

Light has been studied and its attributes measured and given specific terms:


  1.   Radiant Energy (measurement of energy known as a “joule” [jool])

  2.   Radiant Flux (measured by a “watt”)

  3.   Radiant Intensity (watt per steradian)

  4.   Radiance (watt per steradian per square metre)

  5.   Irradiance (watt per square metre)

  6.   Radiant exitance (power emitted from a surface)

  7.   Radiosity (emitted plus reflected power leaving a service)

  8.   Spectral Radiosity (commonly measured in W·sr−1·m−2·nm−1 )


And then there are SI photometry units like…


  1.   Luminous Energy

  2.   Luminous Flux

  3.   Luminous Intensity, etc., etc.


Reactions of our Eyes to Light

“The photometry units are different from most systems of physical units in that they take into account how the human eye responds to light. The cone cells in the human eye are of three types which respond differently across the visible spectrum and the cumulative response peaks at a wavelength of around 555 nm. Therefore, two sources of light, which produce the same intensity (W/m2) of visible light, do not necessarily appear equally bright. The photometry units are designed to take this into account, and therefore are a better representation of how "bright" a light appears to be than raw intensity. They relate to raw power by a quantity called luminous efficacy, and are used for purposes like determining how to best achieve sufficient illumination for various tasks in indoor and outdoor settings. The illumination measured by a photocell sensor does not necessarily correspond to what is perceived by the human eye, and without filters which may be costly, photocells and charge-coupled devices (CCD) tend to respond to some infrared, ultraviolet or both.”    – source from Wikipedia on light.


The Speed of Light


Different physicists have attempted to measure the speed of light throughout history.  Galileo attempted to measure the speed of light in the seventeenth century.  The most precise measurement of light was established by Albert A. Michelson, who from 1877 until his death in 1931, conducted experiments on the speed of light.  In 1926, Michelson refined Foucault’s methods of using rotating mirrors to measure the time it took light to make a round trip from Mt. Wilson to Mt. San Antonio in California.  The precise measurements yielded a speed of 299,796,000 meters per second. 


This measurement is approximately 186,000 miles a second, or 700 million miles an hour.  – ibid.


We can study light and know all the proper terminology and equations, but with light, the issue is not whether we know all the facts about light, but whether or not one can see, because of light!  We do not need the facts to enjoy the beauty revealed through light. 


Vision, because of light, gives our mind the ability to perceive truth because of what our eyes have seen.


There is a strong parallel between “light” and perception of truth – whether through visual reality, or the perception of truth discerned from a spiritual “light” illuminating truth to our spirit.


What is Truth?   Is “seeing believing”? 


In one sense “seeing is believing”, because Truth is a Comprehension of what Light reveals.  There can be different sources of light, so the question should be:

Is that which is being taught as truth from the source of God’s Spiritual Light, or is the source from a counterfeit ‘artificial’ or deceptive light?


This is particularly true when we speak in spiritual terms. 

Jesus is spoken of as being “Light”.  He is also spoken of as being “Life” and “Truth”.


John 1:1–9

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning.

3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it (and has not overcome it).


A Journey to Spiritual Life:  Accepting God’s Light as Truth


John 12:46

I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness.


>Divine Life, originating in Jesus Christ who came into the world, radiates the brilliance of the Supernatural revelation of Light from God (“The Source of Light”);

>Supernatural Light illumines darkness and gives the blinded eyes of our soul the ability to have the revelation of Spiritual Vision (“I can now see”);

>Spiritual Vision is critical to the Perception of Godly Truth (“I can now understand”);

>Perception of the Truth of God, by God’s Grace, is a necessary step in making Life Changing Decisions (“I now choose to believe in Jesus Christ as my Savior and Lord”);

>Acceptance of Life Changing Truth is central to the inheritance of Eternal Life (“I receive God’s free gift of salvation, because of His Grace”);

>Those who have the inheritance of Eternal Life are those who have been transformed by the Holy Spirit to have Divine Life (“I am now ‘Born Again’ into the Family of God”).

<The Divine Life experienced by New Birth, through the Holy Spirit, radiates the brilliance of Supernatural Light from those who are Born Again (“I now am a bearer of God’s Light to the world”).


Romans 10:13–17

13 for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15 And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”…

17 Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ.


The Illumination of Spiritual Light:

This illumination speaks to what God has revealed in the past and what He is revealing about the future…


The Believing Faith in God evidenced by Abraham, is also personally understood and experienced.

The Revelation of the meaning of the Old Testament Sacrificial System is understood as that which establishes the reality of “without the shedding of blood there is no redemption”.

The Comprehension of Christ’s Sacrificial Redemption given for all mankind, through His death on the Cross, as the Lamb of God whose blood can cleanse me from all sin.

The Illumination of the meaning of Christ’s Resurrection means that there will be a resurrection (for me and you!) after death.

The Brilliant hope of Eternal Life for those who have been redeemed by Christ’s blood.

The Precious Treasure of the Inheritance that awaits those who are Children of the Most High God.


An Altar of Unknown Light:  Paul’s Response to the Athenian altar for “An Unknown God”


Everyone wants truthful illumination from some source, even if they do not know where it comes from!


Acts 17:22–34

22 Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “Men of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. 23 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.

24 The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. 25 And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. 26 From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live. 27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 28 ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

29 “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by man’s design and skill. 30 In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. 31 For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”

32 When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” 33 At that, Paul left the Council. 34 A few men became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.


The Stark Reality of the Dark Cycle of Death:


John 3:19

And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.


>We are born into the kingdom of darkness.

>We are carnal, selfish and depraved, and cut off from a vital relationship with our Creator, because of our sin against Him – and we don’t care if we continue living in darkness – in fact, we prefer it.

>We live for ourselves and for our own pleasure.

>We grow old never totally being fulfilled, having enjoyed the pleasures of sin for a season, because we loved the darkness and have become deceived and bound by it.

>We go to our grave in darkness, never choosing to be illuminated by the light of the Gospel of Christ.

<We are judged and eternally condemned by our own works (they are never “good enough”), having never received the free gift of life, because we have rejected the light of the life of Jesus Christ.


Where are the Truths of Light found?


Are these Truths found by doing good things by which to look good before others and hopefully appease a god, if he is there?


Are these Truths consistent with teachings found in other religious books or teachings, such as:


o  The Koran, which teaches one can never know if they have done good enough to please a wrathful god, unless, of course, one dies a “martyr”?

o  The Hindu and Buddhist holy books and teachings, which claim endless repetitions of “reincarnation” life cycles (all the while worshipping a multitude of gods and goddesses along with other animals and natural things), finally reaching an unknown state of oneness with the universe.

o  The book of Mormon, Pearl of Great Price, etc., which teach one must do good and follow the Mormon teachings to earn a place in a higher strata of heavens and propagate spirit babies to populate their own planets – where they can become their own creator god.

o  The Watchtowers of the Jehovah Witnesses, which deny the Deity of Jesus Christ and His Redemptive blood sacrifice; and, have a skewed mistranslation of the Scripture that they follow to earn their way to try to please God (and their watchtower handlers).

o  Or, New Age teachings, which make ourselves somehow god?


All of these world religions and cults are built on doing good according to the teaching of their religion…in order to earn a place in the hereafter and an acceptance with their deity.


What is the source of the revelation of light that comes from these religions or teachings?


The Problems and Abnormalities of Artificial Light


There seem to be benefits to “artificial light”, but artificial light is also representative of something far more sinister:  spiritual blindness and continued deception in the kingdom of darkness.  


o  Satan’s primary disguise seems to be as an angel of light


2 Corinthians 11:14

14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.


Galatians 1:8

8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned!


What do you think the “basic Truths of Light” would be for a lot of folks in our community?


o  Live a good life.

o  Be kind to your neighbor.

o  Survive.

o  Make lots of money if you can.

o  Be in control of my life.

o  Get even.

o  Get as many toys as you can.

o  Travel lots.

o  Have fun.

o  Die old.


What are the Basic Truths of Light as taught through the Scripture?


1.  There is a God in heaven who is over all.

2.  This God created all things.

3.  God is Perfect and Holy.

4.  Everyone has sinned against God and broken His Laws. 

Sin has broken our relationship with God and has plunged us into spiritual darkness and an inability to perceive Truth.

5.  God has sent His Son into the world to reconcile those in the world to Himself.  The Son of God’s coming brings the world spiritual Light.

6.  Jesus Christ, God’s Son, died on the cross to pay for each person’s sin and rebellion of breaking God’s holy Law.  Jesus died, was buried and He rose again on the third day, just like the Bible says.

7.  Those who repent from their sin and are reconciled to God by genuinely accepting God’s Truth, are “Born Again” into His spiritual Family, by the Holy Spirit, and will live with God in His Heavenly Kingdom forever.

8.  There will be a day of judgment and of true justice, on which every person must give account of him or herself to God.  Those who have not accepted God’s truth, and are not found in the Lamb’s Book of Life, will be eternally condemned.


These Truths are only consistent with the teachings of the Holy Bible.


The Obviousness of Spiritual Truth is often skewed by deceptive Religious or Traditional beliefs:

Jesus Heals the Man Blind from Birth and Causes Religious Controversy

John 9

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. 2 His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?”

3 “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life. 4 As long as it is day, we must do the work of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. 5 While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 Having said this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man’s eyes. 7 “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means Sent). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

8 His neighbors and those who had formerly seen him begging asked, “Isn’t this the same man who used to sit and beg?” 9 Some claimed that he was.

Others said, “No, he only looks like him.”

But he himself insisted, “I am the man.”

10 “How then were your eyes opened?” they demanded.

11 He replied, “The man they call Jesus made some mud and put it on my eyes. He told me to go to Siloam and wash. So I went and washed, and then I could see.”

12 “Where is this man?” they asked him.

“I don’t know,” he said.

The Pharisees “Investigate” the Healing

13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who had been blind. 14 Now the day on which Jesus had made the mud and opened the man’s eyes was a Sabbath. 15 Therefore the Pharisees also asked him how he had received his sight. “He put mud on my eyes,” the man replied, “and I washed, and now I see.”

16 Some of the Pharisees said, “This man is not from God, for he does not keep the Sabbath.”

But others asked, “How can a sinner do such miraculous signs?” So they were divided.

17 Finally they turned again to the blind man, “What have you to say about him? It was your eyes he opened.”

The man replied, “He is a prophet.”

18 The Jews still did not believe that he had been blind and had received his sight until they sent for the man’s parents. 19 “Is this your son?” they asked. “Is this the one you say was born blind? How is it that now he can see?”

20 “We know he is our son,” the parents answered, “and we know he was born blind. 21 But how he can see now, or who opened his eyes, we don’t know. Ask him. He is of age; he will speak for himself.” 22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews, for already the Jews had decided that anyone who acknowledged that Jesus was the Christ would be put out of the synagogue. 23 That was why his parents said, “He is of age; ask him.”

24 A second time they summoned the man who had been blind. “Give glory to God,” they said. “We know this man is a sinner.”

25 He replied, “Whether he is a sinner or not, I don’t know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!”

26 Then they asked him, “What did he do to you? How did he open your eyes?”

27 He answered, “I have told you already and you did not listen. Why do you want to hear it again? Do you want to become his disciples, too?”

28 Then they hurled insults at him and said, “You are this fellow’s disciple! We are disciples of Moses! 29 We know that God spoke to Moses, but as for this fellow, we don’t even know where he comes from.”

30 The man answered, “Now that is remarkable! You don’t know where he comes from, yet he opened my eyes. 31 We know that God does not listen to sinners. He listens to the godly man who does his will. 32 Nobody has ever heard of opening the eyes of a man born blind. 33 If this man were not from God, he could do nothing.”

34 To this they replied, “You were steeped in sin at birth; how dare you lecture us!” And they threw him out.

Spiritual Blindness

35 Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”

36 “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”

37 Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”

38 Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”

40 Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”

41 Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains.


Reflecting Spiritual Light


What does Spiritual Perception of Truth and New Birth mean for our Daily Lives?


Israel did not fulfill their calling to reflect spiritual “Light for the Nations”


Isaiah 49:6

6 he says:  “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel;  I will make you as a light for the nations,  that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” 


John the Baptist’s Calling was to Be a Light, Revealing Christ the Messiah to others


John 1

6 There came a man who was sent from God; his name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all men might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to every man was coming into the world.



Conclusion


Whether or not we understand anything about the physics of light.  We can still enjoy the reality of light!!


What are the real Basic Truths of life that you have built your life on?

Do you have assurance that the Bible is the guide for your life?


What is our purpose on earth, if we have had the Light of Spiritual Life revealed to us?  How do you and I reflect the Truth of God’s Spiritual Light in Jesus Christ?



“I am the light of the world.

Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness,

but will have the light of life.”

- Jesus Christ

John 8:13


“I am the way and the truth and the life.

No one comes to the Father except through me.”

– Jesus Christ

John 14:6