Carry the Light

Scripture
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil.”
—John 3:16–19 (NLT)

Almost everyone has heard John 3:16, but fewer remember the full context of that verse. God put His love on display for the whole world by giving us the greatest gift imaginable, His one and only Son. Everyone who puts their faith in Jesus will receive eternal life. This was God’s purpose in sending His Son: not to condemn the world, but to save it.

For those who believe in Him, there is no judgment. As Paul would later write, “There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” But without Him, we all stand condemned. Our sin separates us from God, and we cannot fix that on our own. This is why we need a Savior. And God has done everything necessary to take care of our sin problem. On the cross, Jesus paid the full price for the sin of the world.

This is the good news, that salvation is a free gift. All a person needs to do is receive it. But as Jesus says here, too many choose the darkness over the light. They prefer to cling to their own ways rather than walk in God’s truth. Yet God’s light has come into the world, shining brightly for all to see.

If you have received that light, you are now called to carry it. Walking in the light changes not only the way we live, but also the way we see everything around us. The truth and love of Jesus give us clarity and perspective that the world’s darkness can never offer. As C.S. Lewis once said, “I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen, not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”¹ When we live in the light, it transforms our vision, and that new way of seeing shapes the way we love, serve, and shine for Christ in the world. God’s love is too good to keep to ourselves. Let’s be bearers of His light in a world that desperately needs it.

Reflection

1. Why do you think some people choose darkness over light, even when they know the truth about Jesus?
2. How have you personally experienced the light and life that Jesus brings?
3. In what ways can you reflect God’s light to others this week?

Prayer
Thank God for His love and the gift of salvation. Ask Him to help you walk in His light and shine that light into the lives of others. Pray for boldness to share His love with those still in darkness, so they too can receive the life that only Jesus offers.

Footnote
¹ C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory (HarperOne, 2001), 140.