“The crowd answered Him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever. Why do You say, “The Son of Man must be lifted up”? Who is this Son of Man?’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. He who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have light, believe in the light that you may become sons of light.’ Jesus said these things, and departed and hid Himself from them.” John 12:34-36

Jesus had told the crowds of Jews who came to the Passover feast that He was about to be lifted up on the cross and die for the sins of the world, but they did not understand or believe that He was God the Son sent into this world to redeem them from sin and death. They did not understand the prophecies of Scripture that spoke of the Messiah’s sufferings and death for the sins of all people (cf. Isaiah 53:4ff.). They did not look to Him in faith for pardon, forgiveness, and eternal life.

Jesus told them, “Yet a little while the light is with you. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. He who walks in darkness does not know where he is going. While you have light, believe in the light that you may become sons of light” (John 12:35-36).

Jesus is the Light of the world, as he said in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows Me shall not walk in the darkness but shall have the light of life.” He speaks the truth about our utter sinfulness before God and the condemnation we justly deserve, and He speaks the truth when He calls upon lost sinners to repent and trust in Him for forgiveness and life everlasting (cf. John 8:23-24; 8:44; 8:34-36; 8:51; 3:3-6,14-21).

Jesus, the very Son of God, took on human flesh and blood and came into this world to save sinners like you and me. He lived a holy life under God’s law and then suffered and died on the cross to bear the full and just punishment for our sins. Jesus’ resurrection is proof that God accepted His sacrifice for sin and that we can be pardoned, forgiven and justified before God through faith in Jesus and His cross (Rom. 4:23-25). Jesus is “the Light of Life.” In Him alone can we sinners have life in fellowship with God our Maker, both now and forever!

Jesus told His hearers that He, the Light of the world, would only be with them in this world a little while longer. He urged them to walk in the light, to come to Him and trust in Him as their Messiah and Savior while they had the chance and still heard the truth before the darkness overtook them and left them to wander in the lies and darkness of sin and unbelief.

The same thing is true for you and me today. We have the light of God’s Word, which reveals our utter sinfulness but also tells us of Jesus Christ, God’s Son, our Savior. It tells us of His perfect life in our stead and of His innocent sufferings and death on the cross for the sins of the entire world and of His glorious resurrection, and it calls upon us to turn from our sinful ways to Jesus in faith, trusting that He paid the just penalty for our sins and that through faith in Him and His cross, we have God’s pardon, forgiveness, and the promise of everlasting life in heaven.

The light of God’s Word shines now upon our hearts, pointing us to Jesus and His cross as the only way of salvation. However, if we reject that light and won’t let it shine into our hearts and lives, revealing our sins but also pointing us to Jesus for forgiveness and life — if we block out that light — we will be left to wander in the darkness of Satan’s lies and deception and, on the last day, to face God’s judgment without Christ and guilty of all our sins. If we fail to walk in the light while we have the light, we face an eternity of darkness!

O gracious and merciful God, shine the bright light of Your Word upon my heart, revealing my sins but pointing me to Jesus and His cross for pardon and forgiveness. Grant that I walk in that light while it still shines and repent of my sinful ways, looking in faith to Jesus and His atoning sacrifice for my sins and the sins of all. I ask this for Jesus’ sake. Amen.

[Scripture is quoted from The Holy Bible, Modern English Version, Copyright © 2024, 2017, 2014 by United Bible Association. Published and distributed by Charisma House. All rights reserved.]