09-20-2026 -I AM THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD - John 8:22; 9:1-34
MESSAGE BY PASTOR ROB INRIG
FROM BETHANY BAPTIST IN RICHMOND, BC
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I invite you to pray, make this prayer personal, and, for whoever needs support in difficult times, mention the names of those in need, and also pray for the person, family, and friends. You can also mention the name in need.
(Vicky O, Nancy R, Tere G, Stevie A, Socrates D, Sara’s mom H, Margarita G, Rosy Ch, Patricia L, Lina J, Manuel D, Silvia H, Miguel H.L, Manuel D.H, Alicia G, Margarita G, Brianda M, Alejandro M, Natalia M. Maria Elena C, Les N, Oscar N.D, Luis Carlos V, Alicia R. Jesse R.)
I ask for your healing over every part of my life – physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I ask that you make me strong and resilient for the days ahead. I know that you have a great purpose for those who believe in your name.
Help me not to allow the distractions and struggles of my days to weigh me down to the point of exhaustion. I know that your desire is for me to live this life abundantly and free. And my greatest desire is to reflect your love and light to a world that so desperately needs your hope.
For those I love who are facing cancer or a hard diagnosis, I pray for your covering of healing and grace. I pray for your strength and your great peace to fill their lives, reminding them that you are close. Thank you, nothing is impossible with you. Thank you for fighting for us, and you are bigger than anything this world throws our way.
I lean fully on You, Lord, for You alone are able. We love you; We need you this day, and always.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.
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Last week we stepped into looking at Jesus’ I AM statements with His declaration, I Am the Bread of Life, this week to consider the next I AM statement, I AM the Light of the World. But first I want to return to that Bread of Life statement that followed the feeding of the 5000, that miracle setting the stage where people were undeniably confronted with who this miracle worker was. Beyond things done were the things said - a prophet or THE Prophet - Son of God Messiah?
I want to come back to what time didn’t permit last week - the audacious things Jesus said following what He had done. At this point Jesus could have said, You’ve seen the miraculous so you decide. But He didn’t.
Instead Jesus said things that made believing hard. With words like these, there was no way you could place Jesus alongside other beliefs. His words were dividing and defining, with no room left for neutrality. If things said were true, it changed everything, but if not, they were nothing more than beyond strange
So what did Jesus say? I am the bread which came down from heaven. Strange, but given the miracle just done, at least with context, but coming down from heaven?
The response of many? Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven” 42-41
‘I mean come on - ‘You’ came down from heaven? You don’t think we know who your mom and dad are? So those words He’d spoken - nonsensical, baffling. Some who heard were also aware of the connection He was making with His acts and God’s giving of manna in the wilderness.
But Jesus adds to what He’s said, pushing it further, No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day :44.
This reference to Father troubling and some idea that He has power over death?
But then, Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who feeds on Me will live because of Me :53-57.
This taking things to a totally different dimension. These words truly audacious. Here Jesus making it plain that when it comes to Who He is there is no neutrality. He IS or He is not. And the imagery given? - eating His flesh and drinking His blood.
Even as a metaphor, the image is reprehensible - no Jew was to have anything even hinting at consuming blood and eating flesh. Jesus presenting Himself as Messiah in a manner that didn’t fit anything they were prepared for.
He presenting Himself as more than healer, more than rescuer, more than conqueror. He not among the company of the great. He not numbered among kings, not included in a listing of prophets, not sharing space with others thought to be gods. He not spoken of in the same breath as angels. Instead He in some way they could not yet understand, is connected to God’s Passover Lamb - the flesh eaten, the blood applied. He making it clear - He IS LORD GOD ALMIGHTY.
Until this point, there were many who wanted to be around Jesus. They liked the things He stood for. They learned from the things He said. They were amazed by the things He did. But this was too much. This went beyond any understanding they were willing to accept. And so we are told, They walked with Him no more 6:66.
Jesus’ declarations are not ambiguous. They are not, take it or leave it propositions that can be ignored or reframed more acceptably. His statements - audacious and hard. No room left for neutrality or indecision. They call us to decide. As John summates His gospel, These things were written so that you might believe. In short, here’s the evidence, the verdict - yours to decide.
Jesus’ I AM declarations were too strong for them to go in the direction Jesus was saying. Their problem and ours? - wanting to see the Jesus we want and in that, missing the Jesus who IS. For when we see as He is - we have no option other than to bow - in everything.
For some, His declarations meant walking away, it’s too hard, too strange, it’s more than I’m prepared to see. More relevant for most of us, isn’t that we will walk away but whether we will walk closer to Him and with that, living as He’s called us to live? Keeping us away from that is an enemy who may be resigned that Jesus is in our lives, his goal to make certain that He is not central to our lives. The enemy content that if needed, he will allow us to walk alongside Jesus as a teacher, as a friend, as one familiar, just as long as we do not bow to Him.
Which brings us to where we are stepping into today in John chapters 7-9. The setting, Jesus teaching in the Temple during the Festival of Booths Tabernacles. This 7 day perpetual feast commemorated God’s care for His people during their wandering in the wilderness. During this festival, candelabras were lit in the Temple courts to illuminate the night, symbolizing the pillar of fire that guided in the wilderness. This fire was the light of God's presence, His Shekinah glory Heb. shakan which means to dwell or tabernacle. It’s now the last day of the feast, booths taken down, candelabras extinguished. Darkness returning, which due to Israel’s disobedience is their experience. God’s shekinah glory literally and visibly departed from the Temple. It’s in this context, the light of God’s presence long departed, Jesus will say, I AM the light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. God’s presence come
He who commanded light at Creation, Let there be light, and there was light Gen 1:2 was now here.
That Light not restricted to the global and far away but coming close which is what we now see in John 9. At the center of the story is a man born blind. No name just a description, a beggar. Someone occupying a place on the side of the road. Passed by, barely noticed.
His life before Jesus? Empty routine. Begging to get enough for another day. Hearing the passing of feet as people going to and fro from the market. Hearing prayers of the religious as they make their way to the synagogue. Hearing the laughter of children at play and the rebukes of parents for those who got too close. And hearing words that cut, Who sinned, his parents or this man?
Assessments like these consistent with the self-righteous toxins the Pharisees were quick to give. He deserving of his place in the street. He where is because of sin. Sadly, this is also the assessment the disciples were quick to make.
Though there is some genuine curiosity in the disciples’ question, this is also a reaffirmation of how they considered his worth. And even when he is healed, the assessment of his accusers remains unchanged, IF this is the same man, he’s still just a beggar from the street. In this we hear the imprisoning voice of the Accuser, ‘You are and always will be. Unworthy, Forgotten. Forgettable.
Into that place of dismissal and rejection, the I AM Light of the world stoops down doing what others wouldn’t. He brings light that overcomes every darkness. You’re not forgotten, not unloved.
Can you imagine what was going through this man’s thoughts as Jesus came close? At first, a sense of presence. Perhaps a gift of some coins to take him through another day. But instead - some talk about darkness and light and doing the work of Him who sent Him. Then the sound of spit and finally a touch. His actions audacious - invasive actually, something smeared over eyes dead since birth. Who was this man and what did He intend?
And then Jesus spoke – telling him to go and wash. An amazing, Be clean encounter. Perhaps like what you experienced when you first came to Christ. You had no idea where this Jesus would take you. You had no idea what things lay ahead. But you went – because His words had the ring of truth. In Him you found forgiveness. In Him, hope. In Him, the gift of eternal life. In that encounter with Jesus, something changed. You believed, in the same way that man believed. Knowing it to be true, he went. Going to the Pool of Siloam as told – not stopping at any other stream of water, no other bathing place. He went where he was sent and everything changed.
I wonder, how long has it been since I’ve allowed myself to be this close to Jesus? Trusting what He has called me to do. With eyes ready to see. With hearts ready to believe. Jesus, shine your light on me. Give me Your light to show me You. Where you remove the darkness I’ve allowed to hide You from who I need to see. Bring me back to all out belief, to a place of wonder; where I see only You; where I worship only You. To have a new encounter with Grace.
Perhaps this morning, Jesus is inviting you to step and make a decision you’ve not yet made. That Jesus, the Light of your world, has come to you - He waiting to end your darkness and give you sight. His offer to forgive your sin and make you new through His shed blood. Where He wants to give new sight of a future forever with Him. Sight that He takes the wreckage of your life and puts it back together in a way you never thought possible. You called to step into faith. Where you repent and bow, asking Jesus to do what you cannot do, forgive your sin – every sin. His invitation to be recreated by the One who was the Creator of light.
For others, God’s call comes to us in a different place - our challenge not to come from darkness into light but to return to the light’s radiance you once enjoyed. To return and step once again back into active embracing that you are deeply loved by Almighty God. Where you take hold of God’s unshakable Truth - you are loved. Not forgotten. Not unseen. Not unknown. God’s pursuing love that comes after you no matter how much you mess up, no matter how much you trip up, no matter how much you cover up - He wanting to restore you to Himself.
It’s not just that the Pharisees didn’t see Jesus as the light, their problem was that they never saw themselves in need of light. They with their tiny night lights were satisfied with ‘right doing’ but when this blind beggar stood before them, the façade of their right doing was stripped away. Their darkness exposed, the Pharisees wanted Jesus gone, something they thought they’d accomplished when they paraded the adulteress before Him. Instead, He turned His light - not on her but on them and their sin. Only moments before they had accused Jesus of being filled with demons and when Jesus took Jehovah’s name as His own, they took up stones to kill Him. Now with sight given to one who was blind was it possible that they had taken up stones to kill God’s Messiah? Was it possible that they had accused God’s Messiah of being filled with demons?
Did the words of Isaiah come rushing in, Take courage; fear not. Behold your God will come … He will save you. Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped Is 35:4,5 or, Behold My Servant whom I uphold, My Chosen in whom my soul delights, I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will be a light to the nations. To open the blind eyes, to bring out the prisoners from the prison, and those who dwell in darkness from the prison. Is 42:1,6,7.
Later, when John the Baptist sends his disciples to ask of Jesus, Are you THE One who is to come or should we expect someone else? Lk 7:19 John asking, Are you THE One of whom Moses spoke? Jesus responds, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor Lk 7:22.
Of all the miracles Jesus did, none is mentioned more than the giving of sight to the blind.
And so, with the blind man before them, they stood at a crossroads – to see the miraculous Sight Giver as God’s invitation into a life changing encounter with Jesus or to firmly hold to their religiosity and power. Sadly, religiosity won out and that meant disassembling the story of the ‘blind’ man who stood before them. Verse 22 gives us penetrating insight, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus as the Christ, he would be put out of the synagogue. And there it is, no matter how convincing the evidence, the Pharisees’ verdict was already rendered. Nothing would shake their religiosity, no matter how wrong their beliefs might prove to be. They saw what they were prepared to see. As Scripture reminds, The light has come into the world but people preferred darkness to light Jn 3:19
Understand, being put out of the synagogue was huge. It meant exclusion from Jewish life – relationships walked away from, friendships severed, business partnerships ended. That’s why the blind man’s parents remained closed mouthed when asked how their blind son received his sight. He is of age. Ask him. Keep us out of this.
The issue clear, Jesus didn’t come to gather fans, He came to gather followers. Jesus not saying the things He did to make things easy but for they and us to understand, He wants our life. Making a decision about Jesus comes at a cost. That cost could put you at odds with family. It could cost in your place of employ. It could mean the loss of friends or a certain lifestyle. A price paid? Yes but nothing compared to the life Jesus offers us for now and all eternity. A life Paul reminds, The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory to be revealed to us”. Rom 8:18.
We laying aside a view of Jesus that is comfortable, that is familiar and exchange it for a life changing encounter with the One who said, I AM the Light of the World.
This was something the Pharisees refused to do and so they did their best to deny the miraculous, and when they couldn’t do that, they changed course to justify why Jesus couldn’t be the Christ. Their evidence was that Jesus violated the Sabbath :14, something He made no attempt to deny. How could He?
Against that backdrop – Jesus attacked all their beliefs that reduced knowing God to rules. His words and actions intentionally and deliberately confrontational.
Understand Jesus didn’t need to do any of what He did to give this beggar sight. One word and healing would have been done. Instead He bent down, took dirt and then spat. Wasn’t He aware that spit meant germs and well, dirt is dirt? Hardly hygienic. But taking the mixture in hand – He mixes it, then smears it onto eyes that had no idea what was coming. What Jesus did was nothing less than work – He made clay. As we’ve noted before, the act of spitting into the dirt was prohibited by Pharisaical law. You could spit on a rock but to spit on the dirt was considered to be tilling the soil. And putting mud on eyes, was considered medicinal and that, with everything else, was NOT allowed. Jesus doing the outrageous to reveal and hopefully open proud, stubborn hearts.
And don’t miss this, when He took dirt and turned it into something that would bring life where no life had been, does it remind you of anything? Like when God took dust and fashioned man? Jesus’ actions of bringing light into darkness and fashioning life out of clay was a bold declaration that He was God Creator, the I AM - sent to us as the Light of the World and the Bread of Life.
Jesus - coming to the unclean and the unworthy. Coming to the sinner and the outcast. Who kneels and touches. Who brings light where darkness has ruled. Speaking Grace and bringing light into the lives of all who will bow and believe.
But the Pharisees, still in their blindness writing laws. Rigid. Robotic. Judgmental. And when a blind man comes before them with the miraculous - attack instead of celebration.
The conclusion of this encounter with the blind man is almost comical if it weren’t so tragic. The Pharisees protesting, ‘This blind man now before us with sight cannot be the man’. Not possible. And the man responding, “I am him. I’m the one!”
The Pharisees pushing back, and he, finally hearing enough of what they have to say, pushes harder, It’s AMAZING! You have been schooled so long and studied so hard but all you have to show for it are chains that bind and eyes that don’t see. As for me? All I know is this: ONCE I WAS BLIND BUT NOW I SEE.
At the outset this morning I said that some of you here this morning for all intents and purposes have been living in a world of darkness - nameless in ways that really matter. Living in your own world of blindness - unnoticed, unvalued, unloved.
Here’s the great news Jesus wants you to hear this morning. You don’t have to live this way. You don’t have to feel this way. The Cross is God’s overwhelming shout to you that, You are loved. You are valued. His Cross is your invitation to have your sins forgiven and find new life in Him. Life for now and for all eternity.
And others - don’t you think it’s time? Aren’t you tired of living a comfortable, familiar faith where in your moving away from Him, Jesus has become little more than a walk along companion? He asking you today, don’t you think it’s time to bow and truly come to Me for Whom I am? To allow Me to be Lord in your life over everything?
Jesus coming to you asking you to take that step
from darkness into light He is offering you today?
May today be the day when you can say with him,
“Once I was blind but now I see.”
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