The Light of the World
A Sermon on the Light of the World from John 8:12
Scripture
12¶ Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
Sermon Description
Will the world ever be free from evil? In this sermon on the light of the world from John 8:9–12, Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones shows that the darkness of the world can only be overcome by Christ, who is the true light of the world. By His death, burial, and resurrection, He overcame the power of sin and the devil. Evil can never be overcome by worldly philosophies or wandering religions that reject the God who created everyone. There is only one way of salvation. Many people find this message offensive and backwards, saying that humanity is ever-evolving and progressing to higher levels of morality and sophistication. Yet Dr. Lloyd-Jones argues that this is in direct contradiction to both Scripture and the history of the world. Scripture says that all are born is sinful rebellion, looking only to themselves for guidance. The gospel brings hope and forgiveness, peace and renewal. It tells not that the world is getting better because people are getting better, but that Christ saves sinners who cannot save themselves.
Sermon Breakdown
- Christianity is about the person of Christ, not just his teachings.
- Christ makes an exclusive claim about himself - "I, and I alone am the light of the world." This means there is no other hope or light apart from him.
- The world's wisdom, philosophies, and religions have failed to provide answers to life's deepest questions. Only Christ provides true light and hope.
- Legislation, education, and world organizations have failed to solve humanity's problems or provide hope. Only Christ provides the solution.
- Christ is not just a moral teacher or example. He came to do something for us - to conquer Satan, sin, and darkness.
- The world is in darkness due to the influence of Satan and sin. Christ came to dispel this darkness.
- Christ has conquered Satan and dealt with the problem of sin, but he is allowing the world to continue for a time under Satan's limited influence. During this time, Christ is saving individuals out of the world.
- The world cannot be reformed or saved, but individuals can be saved out of it through faith in Christ.
- Christ will one day return, judge the world, destroy Satan, and establish his eternal kingdom. This is the Christian's hope.
- We must follow Christ, not the world, if we want to walk in light and not darkness. We must look to Christ alone for salvation, not ourselves or the world.
The Book of John
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) was a Welsh evangelical minister who preached and taught in the Reformed tradition. His principal ministry was at Westminster Chapel, in central London, from 1939-1968, where he delivered multi-year expositions on books of the bible such as Romans, Ephesians and the Gospel of John. In addition to the MLJ Trust’s collection of 1,600 of these sermons in audio format, most of these great sermon series are available in book form (including a 14 volume collection of the Romans sermons), as are other series such as "Spiritual Depression", "Studies in the Sermon on the Mount" and "Great Biblical Doctrines". He is considered by many evangelical leaders today to be an authority on biblical truth and the sufficiency of Scripture.