Jesus — the Light of the World

Genesis 9–10; Matthew 9; Ezra 9; Acts 9

I’m reading about the connection between certain kinds of light and good health. Fascinating stuff. It is also practical.

For instance, sometimes my mind wanders when we give thanks before meals. The habit makes it a ritual and I catch myself and tell myself to be thankful. Light from God this morning tells me that “Every moving thing that lives shall be food for you. And as I gave you the green plants, I give you everything.”

This reminds me of God’s goodness. The rest of the passage is light too as it warns putting animals in the same class as humans and refusing to eat animals because that is the wrong reason. God puts humans in a class by themselves because we are made in the image of God. He says if man or animal kills a person He will require a reckoning because, “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” (Genesis 9:1–6) Besides my daily food, being created in His image is worthy of deep and heart-felt thanksgiving.

In Ezra, as throughout the Old Testament, God sheds light on the seriousness of disobeying Him. He forbade marriage to pagans knowing they would drag His people into idolatry. When it happened and Ezra was informed, he fasted and prayed:

“O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plundering, and to utter shame, as it is today. (Ezra 9:6–7)

As this prophet, “prayed and made confession, weeping and casting himself down before the house of God, a very great assembly of men, women, and children, gathered to him out of Israel, for the people wept bitterly.” (Ezra 10:1) They realized that the only ‘cure’ for sin is forgiveness that comes through faith, repentance and obedience. This covers sins like being unthankful, like taking God’s goodness for granted, and like the serious sin of linking up with pagans.

We all need forgiveness. Jesus knows this is our greatest need. When some people brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed, He put forgiveness at the top of His to-do list:

And when Jesus saw their faith, he said to the paralytic, “Take heart, my son; your sins are forgiven.” (Matthew 9:2)

After that, He healed the man.

Jesus was criticized for spending too much time with those called ‘sinners’ by other people who didn’t realize they are sinners too. He responded, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy, and not sacrifice.’ For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:12–13)

For me, this is also practical. Spiritual need is more important than physical. Are my priorities like the priorities of Jesus? If I am sick, God can use it for His glory. My desire for healing and comfort might be just that, not for the glory of God.

Acts brings thoughts to the power of Light. Is the Bible using it figuratively? Or is there more to the way God made us than most realize? Science is discovering how certain kinds of light reverse symptoms and even heal many disorders. Our biggest ‘disorder’ is sin — the desire to run our own lives. This describes Paul before conversion:

But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. (Acts 9:1–3)

The greatest light is the Light of the World who shone into this man’s heart and produced a new creation. Jesus did this to me also and to others I know who have ‘seen Jesus’ and in whose light they walk. The more I read and believe God’s Word and the more I understand who He is and what He wants from me, the more He enlightens and changes how I think and behave. This is awesome stuff, awesome indeed!