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John 8:12 - Imitate Christ And You Will Not Walk In Darkness.

John 8:12 - Imitate Christ And You Will Not Walk In Darkness.

John 8:12 (NKJV) Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am 
the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in 
darkness, but have the light of life."  

John 8:12 (TLB)  Later, in one of his talks, Jesus said to the 
people, "I am the Light of the world. So if you follow me, you won't be 
stumbling through the darkness, for living light will flood your path." 

CONTEXT

One of the distinctives of the Gospel of John is its series of 
"I am" sayings of Jesus. Their significance is underlined in 8:58, 
in which Jesus announces that "before Abraham was born, I am!" His 
hearers understood the implicit claim, for they knew full well that "I 
am" is the Greek equivalent of YHWH, Yahweh, the revelatory and 
personal name of God that vitalizes the Old Testament. What are the "I 
am" statements in John, and how do they display the deity that Jesus 
claimed? 
*	"I am the bread of life" (6:35). Jesus is the One who sustains 
physical and spiritual life. 
*	"I am the Light of the World" (8:12). Jesus is the source of 
spiritual enlightenment. 
*	"I am the Gate for the sheep" (10:7). Jesus provides access to 
God and salvation. 
*	"I am the Good Shepherd" (10:11). Jesus lays down His life for 
us, His sheep. 
*	"I am the Resurrection and the Life" (11:25). Jesus is the 
source and giver of life eternal. 
*	"I am the Way and the Truth and the Life" (14:6). Jesus alone 
provides access to God the Father and all of the Father's good gifts to 
humankind. 
*	"I am" the true vine (15:1). Jesus is the source of spiritual 
vitality. By remaining close to Him we are enabled to bring forth fruit 
and so glorify God. [Victor Bible Background Commentary mod] 

APPLICATION COMMENTARY with emphasis on verse 12.

Today's text is the second great "I AM" of Jesus, spoken with 
divine authority. Jesus is the source of spiritual enlightenment. 
[Passages Of Life SB] 

The religious leaders did not know where they were going or 
where He was going because they were in the dark spiritually. They had 
the light of the Law (v. 5; Prov. 6:23) and of conscience (v. 9), 
but they did not have the light of life. Consequently, they did not 
know the Father or understand what Jesus taught them. [Chapter by 
Chapter Bible Commentary by Warren Wiersbe re John 8] 

  Born into a dark world of plagues, church division, and 
countless wars, Thomas a Kempis sought nothing more than to have a better 
grasp on the heart and mind of the Lord Jesus. Although his biography 
is not recorded in detail, his personal meditations remain in his 
most celebrated work, The Imitation of Christ. Thomas's master piece 
begins with these words: "He who follows Me 'walks not in darkness,' 
says the Lord. By these words of Christ we are advised to imitate His 
life and habits, if we wish to be truly enlightened and free from all 
blindness of heart. Let our chief effort, therefore, be to study the life 
of Jesus Christ" (book 1, chapter 1). 
  As the definitive devotional guide for living a Christlike 
life for more than five hundred years, The Imitation of Christ pieces 
together Thomas's thoughts and meditations on discipling Christians for 
effective living. He was a quiet man who sought a quiet life, and in so 
doing, he provided humankind with some of the most profound words on 
the subject of how to live: "Let Your truth teach me. Let it guard 
me, and keep me safe to the end. Let it free me from all evil 
affection and badly ordered love, and I shall walk with You in great 
freedom of heart" (book 3, chapter 4). 
  Thomas a Kempis lived so that Christ's truth could lead 
him--and because he did, he no longer had to walk in darkness. 
  Thomas a Kempis (ca. 1379-1471), a fifteenth-century monk, was 
the author of The Imitation of Christ.  [The One Year Bible Live 
Verse Devotional] 

EXCELLENT MINI-VIDEO ON THIS TEXT:

http://www.itiswritten.com/television#episodes/2080