Jesus Christ: Mr. Light of the World or Mr. Arrogant?

Sometime I met people who always seem to be full of themselves. Singing their own praises, full of their own important, and think of himself or herself more than anyone else. They are not the kind of people I like to get around with. But as I read the Scripture, I noticed that, Jesus, at first impression, seems to be a bit like that: he talks a lot about himself and seems to offer himself to others as the answer to their needs. I ask God who writes Bible: Does Jesus have any right to talk this way?

What about this (for example): “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12, ESV)? That is a strange thing for anyone to say. In what possible way can one man be the source of light for the whole world? What?! And is he telling us that apart from him and without him people are, in effect, in darkness? If you read this passage carefully, “I am the light of the world,” that would certainly seem to be the case, for he goes on to say: “Whoever follow me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (8:12).

As if it was not clear enough, Jesus repeats it: “I have come into the world as light, so that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness” (John 12:46). Follow him, believe him, is what Jesus saying, because without him we are simply blind and will stumble our way through life, risking making wrong decisions and going to the wrong directions. Without Jesus it will be like walking in the dark!

Now, unless it is true (which I personally believe to be true), that is an arrogant talk! And for those who were there when Jesus said it, it was made worse because they would detect, realized in these words – “I am the light” – that Jesus was claiming to be divine. For them, “light” was a description of God Himself, and the ONLY one who had the right to claim to be the light of the world is God! So Jesus’ claim was daring indeed: He claimed to be what God alone is supposed to be, and therefore claimed to offer people light which would make a radical difference to their lives.

“I am the light of the world.” This was a shocking statement from Jesus (maybe not so much today, but during Jesus’ time, that claim is blasphemous if it’s not true), so to you, who do you say Jesus is: The liar of the world? The looser of the world? Or “The light of the world”? Seek Jesus for yourself, pray to God and read the Gospels first hand before you make any decision, because any decision you may make will make a difference in your life – either into the light or into the darkness. May you choose the brighter future in Him. Choose Light. Amen.

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.