The Life Behind the Light
David Wilkerson explores the profound connection between Jesus' life and how believers are called to reflect that light in their own lives.
David Wilkerson emphasizes that Jesus is the light of the world, and this light is derived from the life He lived. He explains that the 'life behind the light' refers not only to eternal existence but also to the entirety of Jesus' earthly experiences and actions. Wilkerson encourages believers to relate to Christ's life through His everyday kindness, compassion, and interactions with others, illustrating how these moments define the essence of the Christ-life. By reflecting on Jesus' relationships and acts of love, we can better understand how to embody His light in our own lives.
Text
"Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John 8:12).
Jesus was, and still is, the light of the world. John says this light was produced by the life that was in Christ: "In him was life; and the life was the light of men" (John 1:4). Simply put, the life that Christ possessed was his source of light to the world. And all who believe "shall have the light of life" (John 8:12). What is the "life behind the light" that Scripture speaks of?
Most of us think of this life as the eternal existence that's embodied in Christ. We see it as his power to bestow eternal existence on all who believe. But John is talking about something more here. When he uses the word "life," he is speaking of the whole biography of Jesus' existence.
Jesus tells us that we are to live as he did. For us to be as Christ was in the world, his life has to be something we can know and experience for ourselves. It has to relate to our own lives.
I want to tell you how I relate to the life that is in Christ. I rejoice in the kind, little things that Jesus did, touched and said. I believe his everyday deeds, words and walk with the Father are meant to define the meaning of the Christ-life to us.
I think of Jesus' friendship with Lazarus. I think of him as he retreated from the multitudes after a long period of ministry. I think of him as he enjoyed time in the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. And I think of Jesus taking the little children into his arms and blessing them. I think of his obedience to his mother, even as a grown man, when he turned water into wine at the wedding feast. I think of Jesus' love and care for the scorned, the unlovely, the poor. I think of his compassion for the woman caught in adultery or his honoring the widow who had only two mites to give.
I doubt there would be enough books to record all the loving, servant-like things Jesus did while on earth. In these passages, we find the ways we are to relate our lives to Christ's. This is how we comprehend the life that is the light.
Sermon Outline
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I
- Introduction to Jesus as the light of the world
- Understanding the life behind the light
- The significance of Jesus' life in relation to ours
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II
- The eternal existence embodied in Christ
- The biography of Jesus' existence
- Living as Christ did
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III
- Everyday deeds and words of Jesus
- Examples of Jesus' relationships
- Compassion and care for others
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IV
- The importance of relating our lives to Christ
- Comprehending the life that is the light
- Defining the Christ-life through His actions
Key Quotes
“In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” — David Wilkerson
“For us to be as Christ was in the world, his life has to be something we can know and experience for ourselves.” — David Wilkerson
“I doubt there would be enough books to record all the loving, servant-like things Jesus did while on earth.” — David Wilkerson
Application Points
- Reflect on the everyday actions of Jesus and strive to incorporate them into your life.
- Cultivate compassion and care for those around you, just as Jesus did.
- Understand that living a Christ-like life involves both knowing His biography and applying it to our daily interactions.