Seeing the Light
Luke 11:33–36
Therefore be careful lest the light in you be darkness. Luke 11:35

Jesus had been talking to the crowds, among whom were some of his enemies. He had cast a demon out of a man, and they claimed that he had done it by the power of the devil—that is, that Jesus was an agent of Satan. Later they asked for a sign, and he replied that no sign would be given to that wicked generation except the sign of his coming resurrection. Those people had been seeing his miracles and would see the even greater miracle of the resurrection. But they were not believing—they were actually opposing him—and the reason for their disbelief was not a lack of evidence but rather their own warped vision that prohibited their seeing Christ clearly. His challenge was for them to change their outlook so that they would not stumble on in spiritual darkness forever.

This is what Jesus meant when he applied the image of a lamp to their eyes. It is as though he were talking of trimming the wick or polishing the glass. The light is shining; he is the light. But they needed to polish up their perception of him.

Here were people enveloped in spiritual darkness so that they could not perceive the light of the Lord Jesus Christ. They were so blind to him that they imagined his works were done by Satan’s power. Jesus told them to take heed to their eyes, to see that the light within is not darkness. Does that mean that they could regenerate themselves, that they could give themselves the spiritual vision they did not have? No. But it does not mean that they were to sit back and do nothing. Here we think of Christ’s teaching in John 3. “And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed” (vv. 19–20). Those men were doing evil. They did not see the light because they did not want to see it and thus be exposed as the sinners they were. To such people Jesus says, “Turn from your sin. Repudiate your evil way of life. Seek righteousness. And the light of the gospel will flood your soul and bring you to faith.”

You cannot have sin and Jesus too. Sin will keep you from him. But if you want the light and will turn to it, you will find that he’s already shining and that God is already at work to save you through the gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Taken from Come to the Waters by James Boice ISBN 9798887790954 used with permission from P&R Publishing, Phillipsburg NJ 08865

Scripture quotations are from the ESV (the Holy Bible English Standard Version) copyright 2001 by Crossway a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. All rights reserved.