12b I am the light of the world.
These words of our Lord Jesus Christ indicate that the world is in darkness. The darkness that covers the world is moral and spiritual darkness. Darkness symbolises ignorance, iniquity, error, superstition and everything that opposes truth and godliness. People are living in the darkness of spiritual ignorance and moral corruption. In John 3:19, Jesus said, “men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” People are said to love darkness more than light when they are more pleased with error than truth, more preoccupied with sin than holiness, and more enamoured with the world than Christ.
By his own cravings and passions, man is pushing himself further and further into spiritual and moral darkness. Though he tells himself that he is seeking the “good life”, he is falling further into the bleakness of a stark moral darkness. That darkness seems even darker today. Some sit in darkness of sorrow and fall into darkness of hopelessness. Others sit in darkness of loneliness for a long time and slip further into dark pits of emptiness and worthlessness. Their life seems to spiral down relentlessly into dark, bottomless pits. Many, in seeking better and brighter days, are sucked right into deeper darkness. They plunge headlong into the dark grip of alcohol, illicit sex, drugs, devil-worship and the ultimate darkness of suicide, which is nothing but a great plunge into eternal darkness.
But there is light as Jesus declares unto us, “I am the light of the world”. Christ came to this world to give us the light of His salvation, grace, forgiveness, righteousness, joy, peace and hope. Jesus assured us in John 8:12 that “he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.” He will drive away the darkness that had filled our souls, and cast the light of His glory into our hearts.
When those who lived in darkness come to Him, their sins, ignorance, foolish thinking and suchlike shameful realities will be exposed. If they would humbly acknowledge their sins and repent, and turn fully to the light of Christ and His wisdom, they can be assured of a bright and cheerful life. As Luke 1:78-79 declares about Christ, “Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”