I Am: the Light of the World
I AM:
THE LIGHT
OF THE WORLD
A Paper
Presented to Professor Cara L. Murphy
Liberty University School of Religion
Lynchburg, VA
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
The Gospel of John
BIBL 323 –B03-LUO
by
Matthew E. Murraine
July 3, 2011
INTRODUCTION
The concept of light has boggled the minds of men for thousands of years. We have tried to bend it, twist it, tube it, generate it, and once more are continually trying to travel as fast as it does. Light, fascinatingly enough travels at approximately 186,000 miles per second; that is roughly 670 million miles per hour! Yet, when we look up at God’s creation in the middle of the night, we do not think of the physics or nuclear mechanics that makes them work. We think of the beauty, perhaps our futures, some of us get lost in our imaginations and still others think of alien life.
Interestingly, there are more than 286 references to “light” in the Bible, and yet I find it altogether astounding that the blackness that surrounds God’s Word will never consume even the light of the smallest single candle of Christ. Since the beginning of creation, there have been divisions among the light and the dark and God in all of His grace has shown us something about the two. “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:5 KJV). There will never be darkness in the light (Christ) but the millions of candles (Christians) of the world will always break the deceit of darkness (Satan). Jesus exclaimed to the Jews, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in the darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12 NKJV). The Psalmist writes, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalms 119:105 NLT). I am quite certain if you were to ask, no one would wish to have darkness before his or her feet. No instead, they wish for light. Light guides the world. Moreover, some may say that water is the source of life on our planet, but I
THE LIGHT
OF THE WORLD
A Paper
Presented to Professor Cara L. Murphy
Liberty University School of Religion
Lynchburg, VA
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for
The Gospel of John
BIBL 323 –B03-LUO
by
Matthew E. Murraine
July 3, 2011
INTRODUCTION
The concept of light has boggled the minds of men for thousands of years. We have tried to bend it, twist it, tube it, generate it, and once more are continually trying to travel as fast as it does. Light, fascinatingly enough travels at approximately 186,000 miles per second; that is roughly 670 million miles per hour! Yet, when we look up at God’s creation in the middle of the night, we do not think of the physics or nuclear mechanics that makes them work. We think of the beauty, perhaps our futures, some of us get lost in our imaginations and still others think of alien life.
Interestingly, there are more than 286 references to “light” in the Bible, and yet I find it altogether astounding that the blackness that surrounds God’s Word will never consume even the light of the smallest single candle of Christ. Since the beginning of creation, there have been divisions among the light and the dark and God in all of His grace has shown us something about the two. “And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not” (John 1:5 KJV). There will never be darkness in the light (Christ) but the millions of candles (Christians) of the world will always break the deceit of darkness (Satan). Jesus exclaimed to the Jews, “I am the light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in the darkness, but have the light of life” (John 8:12 NKJV). The Psalmist writes, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalms 119:105 NLT). I am quite certain if you were to ask, no one would wish to have darkness before his or her feet. No instead, they wish for light. Light guides the world. Moreover, some may say that water is the source of life on our planet, but I
Cited: Colorado University: Physics 2000 Science Trek. Electronic Waves: Measuring The Speed of Light. 2000. http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/waves_particles/lightspeed_evidence.html (accessed July 01, 2011). Elwell, Walter A. Evangelical Dictionary of Theology: Second Edition. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House Company, 2001. Intellectual Reserve, Inc. The Holy Bible. Cambridge: Intellectual Reserve Inc., 1979. Metzger, Paul Louis. The Gospel of John: When Love Comes to Town. Downers Grove: IVP Books, 2010. Morris, Leon. Jesus is The Christ. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1989. Thomas Nelson Inc. The Holy Bible. Nashville: Thomas Nelson Inc., 1982. Towns, Elmer. John Believe and Live. Canada: CLW Communications Group, Inc., 2002. Tyndale House Publishers. The Holy Bible. Carol Steam: Tyndale House Publishers, 1996. [ 2 ]. Leon Morris, “Jesus is The Christ: Studies in The Theology of John,” (Grand Rapids, William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 1989) 42. [ 3 ]. Paul Louis Metzger, “The Gospel of John: When Loves Comes to Town,” (Downers Grove, IVP Books, 2010) 119. [ 4 ]. Elmer Towns, “The Gospel of John: Believe and Live,” (Canada, CLW Communications Group Inc, 2002) 91. [ 5 ]. Walter A. Elwell, “Evangelical Dictionary of Theology: Second Edition,” (Grand Rapids, Baker Book House Company, 2001) 492.