Out of the Night; Into the Light

John 8:12; John 9:1–41

1. The Light that Reveals: Jesus reveals the truth about God and ourselves.

In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.

John 1:4–5 (CSB)

The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact expression of his nature, sustaining all things by his powerful word.

Hebrews 1:3 (CSB)

This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil.

John 3:19 (CSB)

2. The Light that Restores: Jesus opens eyes that cannot open themselves.

In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (CSB)

For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God's glory in the face of Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:6 (CSB)

3. The Light that Requires a Response: We must believe in Jesus and follow Him.

But be doers of the word and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.

James 1:22 (CSB)

But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name.

John 1:12 (CSB)

“In the Storm”

John 6:15-21

1. Keep obeying when the wind turns against you.

Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds.

Matthew 14:22 (CSB)

2. Trust Jesus when you cannot see him.

After he said good-bye to them, he went away to the mountain to pray. Well into the night, the boat was in the middle of the sea, and he was alone on the land. He saw them straining at the oars, because the wind was against them. Very early in the morning he came toward them walking on the sea and wanted to pass by them.

Mark 6:46–48 (CSB)

Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, since he always lives to intercede for them.

Hebrews 7:25 (CSB)

3. Don’t let fear cause you to miss Jesus in the storm.

Seeing them straining at the oars—for the wind was against them—at about the fourth watch of the night, He came to them, walking on the sea; and He intended to pass by them. But when they saw Him walking on the sea, they thought that it was a ghost, and they cried out;

Mark 6:48–49 (NASB 2020)

Immediately Jesus spoke to them. “Have courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”

Matthew 14:27 (CSB)

4. See Jesus as greater than your storm.

God replied to Moses, “I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you.”

Exodus 3:14 (CSB)

He alone stretches out the heavens and treads on the waves of the sea.

Job 9:8 (CSB)

The Bread of Life

John 6:1-15, 22-40 (ESV)

1. We all need Jesus

John 6:1-5 (ESV)

2. When things don’t add up, Jesus has the power to multiply.

John 6:5-7 (ESV)

3. Entrust what you have to Jesus

John 6:8-15 (ESV)

Charles Spurgeon - Now, I daresay that some of you have had Satan saying to you,

“What is the use of your trying to do anything?” To you, dear mother, with a family of

children, he has whispered, “You cannot serve God.” He knows very well that, by

sustaining grace, you can; and he is afraid of how well you can serve God if you bring

up those dear children in His fear. He says to the peddler of books over yonder, “You

have not much ability; what can you do?” Ah, dear friend! he is afraid of what you can

do, and if you will only do what you can do, God will, by-and-by, help you to do what

now you cannot do. But the devil is afraid of even the little that you can do now; and

many a child of God seems to side with Satan in despising the day of small things.

4. When you don’t have enough, Jesus is enough.

John 6:22-40 (ESV)

Whenever God reveals something about His nature, it always comes with the

invitation to know Him in that way. Never does the understanding of His nature

come to us just to make us more theologically sound. That's important, but it is

secondary. What's important is to know Him in that way, to encounter Him.

He who is already king, has come to open his kingdom to men; but in their

blindness, men try to force him to be the kind of king they want; thus they fail to get

the king they want, and also the kingdom he offers.

Jeremiah 2:13 (ESV)

Isaiah 55:1-2 (ESV)