Looking Through the Eyes of Darkness
by Rev. Kirby Williams
Studying the relationship between the Light of Christ and the spiritual blindness of unbelief.
Text: John 8:13-20
Date: 08/08/2017, the Traditional service.
Series: "John: Encountering Love" Part 59
Description:
As Jesus continues to teach in the Temple after the Feast of Booths, the Pharisees react to His impassioned statement that He is the "light of the world". Once again they question His legitimacy and the truth of His claim by returning to the forensic subject of the validity of His witness. But Jesus knows their spiritual blindness prevents them from seeing His Light. And so, rather than quibble with them, He insists that His witness is true by nature of who He is and His relationship with the Father. The question that results is whether they have any ability, after choosing the darkness for so long, to acknowledge or make valid judgments concerning the Light. We will find in this passage a deep warning that unbelief is a progressive spiritual disease, robbing in ever-deepening stages the ability to see the Light of truth at all. Eventually the absolute Light of Christ (that now saves but one day will judge) is lost by those who insist upon looking at Him through the eyes of darkness.
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I. Introduction
II. Exposition of the text, John 8:13-20.
A. Context
1. The spiritual and moral darkness.
2. The light in the darkness, John 8:12.
B. Confronting the eyes of darkness.
1. Another challenge to Christ's witness, vs. 13-14.
a. The Pharisee's legalistic objection, vs. 13.
i. Constant combatants.
ii. A legalistic attack. John 5:18, 7:21, Deut. 19:15.
iii. Undermining Jesus' testimony.
b. An unexpected reply, vs. 14.
i. Remembering a previous discussion, John 5:31-39, 46.
ii. A vastly different situation.
iii. The difference between light and dark, John 17:5.
iv. The absoluteness of light and truth, John 3:20.
2. Righteous judgment, vs. 15-16.
a. Judgments according to the flesh, vs. 15.
i. Judgments grounded in weakness.
ii. A strong double negative.
b. Judgments based on truth, vs. 16.
i. How Jesus judged.
¥ A seeming contradiction, John 3:17-18.
¥ Two standards of judgment.
¥ A modern perspective, Matt. 7:1,6.
ii. Making "right judgments", John 7:24.
iii. "Oneness" with the Father.
¥ The absoluteness of Christ's truth.
¥ The Apostler from Heaven.
3. The only witnesses necessary, vs. 17-18.
a. The requirements of the Law, vs. 17, Deut. 19:15, 17:6.
b. Authenticating Himself, vs. 18.
4. How hardened hearts get harder, vs. 19.
a. A derogatory insinuation, John 14:8.
b. Eyes that seek and perpetuate darkness, John 5:37.
c. The Path to salvation, Heb. 1:1-3, John 1:18.
5. The sovereignty of the Father, vs. 20.
a. Noting the location.
b. The sovereignty of God in history.
III. Application
A. A voluntary reaction.
B. The danger of unbelief, Rom. 1:28.
IV. Conclusion
