Jesus is the true Light. The light of Christ reaches us as true believers and we reflect the light of Christ to the shadowy unbelieving world around us. We are the light and salt of the earth. Through our good deeds, people will praise the Lord. We are to brighten a dark world. Shine on me brightly, O Lord, so I can reflect and shine also brightly to this world. Lord, let my life become a shining testimony to your goodness and lovingkindness. Praise God.
Text: John 1:4 to 9 NIV
4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe.
8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light.
9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.
SCRIPTURE INSIGHT:
[From Our Daily Bread] To capture the beauty of reflective light in his landscape oil paintings, artist Armand Cabrera works with a key artistic principle: “Reflected light is never as strong as its source light.” He observes that novice painters tend to exaggerate reflected light. He says, “Reflected light belongs to the shadow and as such it must support, not compete with the lighted areas of your painting.”
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As with John, we’re chosen by God to reflect Christ’s light to those living in the shadows of an unbelieving world. This is our role, as one source says, “perhaps because unbelievers are not able to bear the full blazing glory of His light firsthand.”
Cabrera teaches his art students that “anything that has direct light falling on it in a scene becomes a source of light itself.” Similarly, with Jesus as “the true light that gives light to everyone” (v. 9), we can shine as witnesses. As we reflect Him, may the world be amazed to see His glory shine through us. - By Patricia Raybon
[From Commentary] John 1:1–4 describes Jesus as God’s Word—the source of life and light for all humanity. Both life and light in Jewish tradition would’ve been associated with God’s revelation in Scripture. In Deuteronomy, for example, the Israelites were told that through obedience to God’s law they could “live and increase” (30:16). In Psalm 119:105, Scripture is described as a “lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” Light was also understood as a symbol for holiness—being separated from the world and devoted to God’s purposes. Isaiah says Israel was called to be “a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind, to free captives from prison and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness” (42:6–7). In describing Jesus as life and light, John teaches us that He’s God’s fullest revelation, the ultimate source of hope for all people. - Monica La Rose
[From me] Jesus is the true Light. The light of Christ reaches us as true believers and we reflect the light of Christ to the shadowy unbelieving world around us. We are the light and salt of the earth. Through our good deeds, people will praise the Lord. We are supposed to brighten up this dark sinful world. Shine on me brightly, O Lord, so I can reflect and shine also brightly to this world. Llord, let my life become a shining testimony to your goodness and lovingkindness. Praise God.
March 19, 2023
