The Only Light
A Sermon on John 8:12
Originally preached May 8, 1960
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
Over the course of civilization, humankind has diagnosed its problems many different ways. Some generations have determined that poverty is the great motivator of crime. In other generations, ignorance was the culprit. The world has, therefore, gone from one false hope to another. At one time it says “education will be our savior” and at other times “riches will free us from crime.” What these nearsighted solutions cannot comprehend is that humankind’s main problem is an ignorance of God. In this sermon on John 8:12 titled “The Only Light,” Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones elaborates and says that the main problem is a lack of knowledge of God, regardless of whether one is a prostitute or a philosopher. From here he shows his audience how Jesus the Messiah is the ultimate revelation of God to humankind. It is for this reason, Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains, that Jesus is called the light of the world. He shines true knowledge of God on the world, which cannot know God apart from God’s revelation. Jesus had compassion on the crowds and on the lost. Similarly, the Christian should likewise have this burden for unbelievers: that they are sheep without a shepherd, that without hearing the gospel of Christ they will have no saving-knowledge of God.
Sermon Breakdown
- Jesus is the only source of light about God. He alone can reveal God to us.
- Men cannot find God through their own wisdom or searching. We are finite and sinful, so we cannot comprehend God on our own.
- God must reveal Himself to us. He has done this supremely through Jesus Christ, who is the "brightness of [God's] glory and the express image of his person."
- Jesus reveals that God is the Creator, all-powerful, majestic, holy, righteous, and the Judge of all. God hates sin and will punish it.
- Jesus also reveals that God is love, grace, mercy, and compassion. Jesus had compassion on people and cared for individuals.
- We can know God through Jesus. He said, "He who has seen Me has seen the Father." We see God's character and attributes in Jesus.
- We must turn to Jesus, the light of the world, to know God. We will walk in darkness without Jesus, but with Him we can know God and have eternal life.
Sermon Q&A
Understanding Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones' Sermon on John 8:12
What is the central message of John 8:12 according to Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, the central message of John 8:12 ("I am the light of the world. He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life") is that Jesus Christ alone is the true light that reveals God to humanity. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that Christ is not merely offering a philosophy or set of teachings, but presenting Himself as the exclusive source of divine revelation. As he states: "I am the light of the world. We haven't got a philosophy here. We are dealing with a person, and this person is even more important than his teaching."
Why does Dr. Lloyd-Jones believe modern society is in darkness?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones believes modern society is in darkness because of humanity's wrong relationship with God and ignorance about Him. He says: "All these problems, all our problems, are due to one thing only, and that is man's wrong relationship to God." He points to moral problems like juvenile delinquency, violence, and theft as evidence of a "rot" that has set in society. Lloyd-Jones rejects explanations that blame circumstances, poverty, leisure, or evolutionary "lag" for society's problems, insisting instead that "the fundamental trouble is due to our ignorance, our darkness with respect to God."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain why human attempts to find God fail?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that human attempts to find God through philosophy, reasoning, and speculation inevitably fail for two key reasons:
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God by definition is beyond human comprehension: "If God is God, well, then obviously he is so altogether above me that my mind can't encompass him."
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Humans are both finite and sinful: "Man is as he is, and he's not only finite, but he's sinful. He doesn't understand himself, leave alone God."
He quotes Job's question, "Can a man by searching find out God?" and Paul's statement that "the world by wisdom knew not God" to support his argument that human efforts are insufficient to find God.
What makes Jesus uniquely qualified to reveal God according to this sermon?
According to Dr. Lloyd-Jones, Jesus is uniquely qualified to reveal God because He has direct, intimate knowledge of God the Father. He cites Jesus' words from various passages in John's Gospel to establish this point:
- "No man hath seen God at any time. The only begotten God... in the bosom of the father, he hath declared him."
- "No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the son of man that is in heaven."
Lloyd-Jones elaborates: "Here is one, you see, who speaks with authority... because I have looked into the face of my father. I know him. I have come from him. I am in his bosom at this moment... I am with him in heaven, though I'm speaking on earth."
What does Dr. Lloyd-Jones say Jesus reveals about God's character?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones explains that Jesus reveals a complete picture of God's character with two essential aspects:
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God's holiness and justice: "He is a God who hates sin... He's a God who hates rebellion... God will punish the transgressor. God is of such a pure countenance that he cannot look upon sin."
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God's love and compassion: "God is also love and grace and mercy and compassion. God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son..." Lloyd-Jones points to how Jesus treated individuals with compassion - the sick woman in the crowd, the thief on the cross, and even prostitutes and sinners - as evidence of God's character: "He who hath seen me hath seen the father."
How does Dr. Lloyd-Jones explain the importance of knowing God personally?
Dr. Lloyd-Jones emphasizes that knowing God personally is humanity's greatest need. He states that mere philosophical concepts of God are insufficient: "I don't find the absolute of great help to me when I'm tempted sorely, or when I sin, or when I'm lying on my deathbed. Don't talk to me about an absolute. I want someone. I want a person."
He explains that personal knowledge of God provides: - Forgiveness of sins - Acceptance and adoption into God's family - New understanding of time and eternity - New strength and power - "The very light of life itself"
Lloyd-Jones concludes: "This is life eternal, that they might know thee, the only true God and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent."
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.