经文：【约翰福音八章12 – 30节】
12耶稣又对众人说：我是世界的光。 跟从我的，就不在黑暗里走，必要得着生命的光。 13法利赛人对他说：你是为自己作见证，你的见证不真。 14耶稣说：我虽然为自己作见证，我的见证还是真的;因我知道我从哪里来，往哪里去;你们却不知道我从哪里来，往哪里去。 15你们是以外貌（原文是凭肉身）判断人，我却不判断人。 16就是判断人，我的判断也是真的;因为不是我独自在这里，还有差我来的父与我同在。 17你们的律法上也记着说：两个人的见证是真的。 18我是为自己作见证，还有差我来的父也是为我作见证。19他们就问他说：你的父在哪里？ 耶稣回答说：你们不认识我，也不认识我的父;若是认识我，也就认识我的父。 20这些话是耶稣在殿里的库房、教训人时所说的，也没有人拿他，因为他的时候还没有到。 21耶稣又对他们说：我要去了，你们要找我，并且你们要死在罪中。 我所去的地方，你们不能到。 22犹太人说：他说：我所去的地方，你们不能到，难道他要自尽吗？ 23耶稣对他们说：你们是从下头来的，我是从上头来的;你们是属这世界的，我不是属这世界的。 24所以我对你们说，你们要死在罪中。 你们若不信我是基督，必要死在罪中。 25他们就问他说：你是谁？ 耶稣对他们说：就是我从起初所告诉你们的。 26我有许多事讲论你们，判断你们;但那差我来的是真的，我在他那里所听见的，我就传给世人。他们不明白耶稣是指着父说的。 27所以耶稣说：你们举起人子以后，必知道我是基督，并且知道我没有一件事是凭着自己做的。 28我说这些话乃是照着父所教训我的。 29那差我来的是与我同在;他没有撇下我独自在这里，因为我常做他所喜悦的事。 30耶稣说这话的时候，就有许多人信他。
导言 ：
这段经文是耶稣在约翰福音里的七个「我是」中的第二个：「我是世界的光（v.12）」，这是主耶稣的宣告，也是从神而来的对于真理的直接启示。
光是生命的来源，也是生命丰盛的具体体现。 没有光，不单没有受造界，也没有受造界所能看到、经历到的一切美好。 耶稣在这段经文里的教导，不仅只是物质上、身体上的光的意义。 更深层来说，光意味着审判，意味着光明与黑暗的对决;也意味两套价值观与世界观的对决——从上头来的与从下头来的，属世界的还是不属世界的;耶稣的教导不仅只是呈现两种对比——就像诗篇第一篇「义人的道路与恶人的道路」的对比，而且还是一个挑战——你是相信从人本而来的知识，还是相信神儿子从天上而来的启示？
一、光的宣告（约8：12-20）
1. 耶稣的宣告：我是世界的光（v.12）
法利赛人的质疑：你的见证不真（v.13）
2． 耶稣的回应：你们是以外貌判断人（vv.14-18）
法利赛人的质疑：你的父在那里？ （v.19a）
3． 耶稣的回应：你们不认识我，也不认识我的父。 （vv.19b-20）
二、光的证明（约8：21-30）
1． 耶稣的宣告：死在罪中与光的永恒（v.21）
犹太人的质疑：难道他要自麽？ （v.22）
2． 耶稣的回应：从下头来的与从上头来的/属这世界的与不属这世界（v.23-24）
犹太人的疑问：你是谁？ （v.25a）
3． 耶稣的回应：那差我来的是真的。 （vv.25b-26）
犹太人的不解：不明白耶稣是指着父说的（v.27）
4． 耶稣的宣告：必知道我是基督（v.28-29）
结果：许多人信祂（v.30）
三、在光明与黑暗之间——救赎与审判
1． 我们在一个有眼看不见的世代
2． 我们在一个黑白颠倒的世代
3． 我们在一个没有盼望的世代
结语：
虽然我们身处一个败坏的世代，但神的话已经清楚告诉我们：耶稣基督的救赎与再来的审判是真实的、可信的，是必会完全成就的。 信耶稣的人活在这个世界，但不属于这个世界;光不仅能让我们的眼睛看到被造世界的美好;耶稣就是光，祂的话就是生命的粮，耶稣的宣告是神亲自的启示——光是审判与救赎，凡信的就在真光里，不再黑暗里。 虽然这个世界满了黑暗，但唯有耶稣是光，唯有耶稣是公义的审判，唯有耶稣是永恒的盼望。
Scripture: John 8:12-30
12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”13 The Pharisees challenged him, “Here you are, appearing as your own witness; your testimony is not valid.”14 Jesus answered, “Even if I testify on my own behalf, my testimony is valid, for I know where I came from and where I am going. But you have no idea where I come from or where I am going. 15 You judge by human standards; I pass judgment on no one. 16 But if I do judge, my decisions are true, because I am not alone. I stand with the Father, who sent me. 17 In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. 18 I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”19 Then they asked him, “Where is your father?” “You do not know me or my Father,” Jesus replied. “If you knew me, you would know my Father also.” 20 He spoke these words while teaching in the temple courts near the place where the offerings were put. Yet no one seized him, because his hour had not yet come.21 Once more Jesus said to them, “I am going away, and you will look for me, and you will die in your sin. Where I go, you cannot come.”22 This made the Jews ask, “Will he kill himself? Is that why he says, ‘Where I go, you cannot come’?”23 But he continued, “You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world. 24 I told you that you would die in your sins; if you do not believe that I am he, you will indeed die in your sins.”25 “Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied. 26 “I have much to say in judgment of you. But he who sent me is trustworthy, and what I have heard from him I tell the world.”27 They did not understand that he was telling them about his Father. 28 So Jesus said, “When you have lifted up[a] the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he and that I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me. 29 The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him.” 30 Even as he spoke, many believed in him.
Preface:
This passage is the second of seven "I am" of Jesus in the Gospel of John: "I am the light of the world (v.12)". This is the declaration of the Lord Jesus and the truth from God. Direct inspiration.
Just being the source of life is also a concrete manifestation of the abundance of life. Without light, there is not only no creation, but also none of all the good things that creation can see and experience. Jesus' teaching in this passage is not only about the meaning of material and physical light. At a deeper level, light means judgment, a confrontation between light and darkness; it also means a confrontation between two sets of values and a worldview-from above and from below, whether it belongs to the world or not; Jesus's teaching not only presents two contrasts—just like the comparison between the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked in the first Psalm, but it is also a challenge—do you believe in knowledge that comes from humans, or believe the Son of God Revelation from heaven?
A. The proclamation of light (John 8:12-20)
1. The declaration of Jesus: I am the light of the world (v.12)
The Pharisee’s questioning: Your testimony is not true (v.13)
2. Jesus’ response: You judge people by appearance (vv.14-18)
Question of the Pharisees: Where is your father? (V.19a)
3. Jesus’ response: You don’t know me or my Father. (Vv.19b-20)
B. The proof of light (about 8:21-30)
1. The proclamation of Jesus: death in sin and eternity of light (v.21)
Jewish questioning: Is he going to commit suicide? (V.22)
2. Jesus' response: what comes from below and what comes from above/of this world
and not of this world (v.23-24)
The Jewish question: who are you? (V.25a)
3. Jesus' response: The one who sent me is true. (Vv.25b-26)
Jews’ puzzlement: I don’t understand that Jesus is referring to the Father (v.27)
4. Announcement of Jesus: I must know that I am the Christ (v.28-29)
Result: Many people believe in Him (v.30)
C. Between light and darkness-salvation and judgment
1. We are in an invisible generation
2. We are in an upside-down generation
3. We are in a generation without hope
Conclusion:
Although we are in a corrupt age, God's words have clearly told us: Jesus Christ's redemption and second coming judgment are real, credible, and will be fully accomplished. People who believe in Jesus live in this world, but they do not belong to this world; light not only allows our eyes to see the beauty of the created world; Jesus is light, and his words are the bread of life. Jesus’ declaration is the revelation of God Himself -- light is judgment and redemption, whoever believes is in the true light and no longer in the darkness. Although the world is full of darkness, only Jesus is the light, only Jesus is the righteous judgment, and only Jesus is the eternal hope.