Jesus Is The Real Light That Illuminates Our Life :: John 1:9-10

The real light that enlightens all men was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world came into being through him, yet the world did not know him.

There is a difference between what is true and what is real. 

Truth is based on empirical evidence ... on the experiences or observations of the external world. To establish something as true, you must test it, touch it, see it. Truth is an established fact. To speak biblically, you know Jesus is true. We saw him and touched him. 

Reality, on the other hand, is based on universal existence. Reality does not change. Reality is a fact that exists. It is historical. It too can be observed, but you need the right light. The difference between reality and truth could be explained this way. Gold is real and it has true value. The value of gold constantly changes, but the reality of gold never does. It always remains the same. 

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So why am I telling you all of this ... dissecting the words truth and reality? They are basically synonyms of each other ... two words that are almost completely interchangeable. 

Well, in our reading today, Saint John uses a significant word to describe Jesus, and I will translate it differently than our English Standard Version. John calls Jesus the “real” light ... τὸ φῶς τὸ ἀληθινὸν. John writes, the “real” light that enlightens all men was coming into the world. I am making this distinction because there is a difference between what is real and what is true. Jesus is the real light. ... He is the fact that exists in the world and doesn’t change. He has existed from the beginning because Jesus is God. There are many true lights in the world. But they change. Jesus never changes. 

I am mincing over this because the implications of what is true and real will help us understand what the Holy Spirit is telling us through the pen of Saint John. Just like our English words have nuanced meaning, so too does the Greek. 

In Greek, the word true is ἀλήθεια. This is the word Pilate used when asking Jesus what is truth? This is the word scripture uses to describe true teaching, which expresses content that is true but can nevertheless be expressed with words that change. 

Our word for today is different. Our word is ἀληθινός. This Greek word describes something that is constant, trustworthy, reliable ... you know, real. This word is very specifically an attribute of God. So when John says that Jesus is the “real light” coming into the world, he is saying ... yet another way ... that Jesus is actually God. 

Jesus, the real light of the world, is Immanuel coming into the world. Jesus has universal existence. Jesus does not change. Jesus is trustworthy. Jesus is reliable. And he was coming into the world. Jesus is real ... God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten not made ... unchanging. Jesus is historical fact. 

Before Jesus, there were many other lights that men followed. But all of those lights faded away ... they all proved to be flickers ... faint glimpses of reality. They came. They changed. They went. They lived. They died. And they didn’t rise again. 

There had been so many lightbearers before Jesus that many people struggled with the idea that Jesus is really true. As we heard Sunday, the disciples of John the Baptizer undoubtedly thought the same thing. So when he was in prison, John the Baptizer sent his disciples to Jesus to ask, Are you the coming one? That is ... are you the real light that is coming into the world? Or should we expect [someone else]? Should we expect to look for a different light?

It didn’t take them long to realize the truth. Jesus showed them the real light ... the evidence that they could see and observe ... the blind gaining sight, the lame walking, the deaf hearing, the sinners forgiven, the Good News being proclaimed. They quickly recognized that the “real” light that enlightens all men was in fact in the world ... yet the world did not know him.

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The world all around us thinks it can see the light. 

Most Americans talk about this truth all the time. They talk about their god who is constantly changing. The Jews have one, and the Muslims another. The Hindus have many gods, including one they call Jesus. The Mormons who name their church after Jesus even think they can even become a son of god just like Jesus. Yes, the world all around us is bathed in artificial light and submerged in spiritual darkness. But the world really has no idea what real light actually is. 

The world doesn’t see or hear the Gospel. The world talks about God in the abstract ... about their observations and experiences. The world talks about feelings and tingles in the spine. The world turns Jesus into something other than God, saying he is merely the son of God ... not real God. They then turn him into just a good man with a good word about good living. Jesus is just a good role model for us. 

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Brothers and sisters in Christ, you hear what I’m saying, don’t you? The world thinks it sees the light. Yet the world does not know Jesus. There are many paths to God, the world says ... nevermind that salvation comes through no man except Jesus (Acts 4:12). Nevermind that Jesus says he is the light of the world, and that whoever follows him will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life (Jn 8:12). ... There are many paths to God, they say. But they are all wrong.

Two thousand years ago, John the Baptizer recognized this truth. John came to bear witness concerning the light (v 8). ... that is, literally to point out that Jesus is God (Jn 1:1). And how did he do that? He stood in the waters of baptism waiting for the Son of God to manifest himself ... you know ... show himself ... to be illuminated. And then it happened. And John cried out, Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

The Real Light has come into the world. Do you see it?

When you see and hear John’s call to repentance, don’t shrink back into the spiritual darkness. Don’t smother the rays of divine light. Don’t hide from God. Allow the light of God’s word shine upon you ... confess your sins ... and then repent everyone of you.

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Just like he did in the garden when the man and the woman fell into sin ... the Real Light of the world comes to us. Christ has overcome the darkness, taking on human flesh just like us. We couldn’t comprehend that God ... the maker of heaven and earth ... would really do this. The darkness cannot comprehend the reality of God (v. 5) ... that he was born to die ... and in this way, that he was able to overcome the darkness of sin and despair and death. Jesus carried our sin to the cross to be crucified so that he would be lifted high and that all the world would see the real light shining forth in the darkness: Our sin died with Jesus. By doing this, the Real Light of Life destroyed death to guarantee us eternal life in the Light through the resurrection. 

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Brothers and sisters in Christ, you who are baptized, have seen the real light. You have real life, eternal life. That is God’s promise to you. His promise can’t be changed. It is your reality.  As Luther wrote (AE 22:74), we who are named for Christ find our chief article of faith in the light of this reality: God justified you through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. He has declared you innocent. 

There is absolutely no other correct and true belief than this one. The Light of the World shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. Let whoever insists on another go his way and see how he fares. If reason turns to her artificial light and refuses to believe that God could become man, let her shift as she will. But we Christians believe it because God’s Word says he has transferred you into the kingdom of Light where we do receive the gift of salvation ... in Jesus’ name.