Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the World. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8.12
The Light of the World is the One who shines brilliantly and purely to reveal truth and evil.
Has your teacher ever given you a look that made you sit up straight or a friend given you goofy googly eyes that made you laugh? Sometimes, when people want to tell you something, they have to get your attention first. God certainly did this when He sent angels to tell the shepherds about Jesus!
But every once in a while someone will really be paying attention to you. They will see a glimmer in your eye and know what you mean without you even saying a word. The wise men who visited the baby Jesus were these kind of people. They figured out so much, not from a glimmer in God’s eye, but from a glimmer in God’s eye, but from a glimmer in His sky.
These men had really studied the Old Testament Scriptures, so they knew what a new star over Israel would mean. It would mean the birth of the King of the Jews. (The Jews are the Israelites who all came from Abraham.) The wise men were ready to worship Him and bring gift worthy of the King.
Like the glimmering star, the gifts said so much about what was happening without saying a word. God said the wise men considered Jesus worthy (full of worth and value) and royal. Frankincense was an incense (similar to a perfume) used during temple worship to God. This gift said they saw Jesus as God’s Son, the perfect Great High Priest. Myrrh was used when preparing dead bodies to be buried. This was a very strange gift. But since the wise men read the scriptures, they knew this baby would grow up, suffer, and die for the people He loved.
The wise men were guided by a small speck of light through very nights. That light led them to Jesus, who is also called the Light of the World. This world and many people in this world are full of darkness because sin still has control. When we believe in Jesus, He becomes our light. He allows us to see what is true about God and helps us recognise the lies of sin. He shows us God’s love for us, so that we can trust Him and come near to Him again.
For believers, Jesus' light continues to grow until the day in heaven when we see Him face to face. Then, the light will be fully bright as we know fully and are fully known. If we trust in Jesus, we will never be alone in the dark. He will brighten our lives and He will be our Light of the World.
The Wise Men worship Jesus.
Matthew 2.1-2, 9-12
In the dark, how do you feel without a light? How might people feel without Jesus in their lives?
What are some ways that having a spiritual light in your life would be helpful?
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