This is Spoken Gospel.

We’re dedicated to seeing 
Jesus in all of scripture.

In each episode, we see what’s 
happening in a Biblical text

and how it sheds light
on Jesus and his gospel.

Let’s jump in.

John says the Gospel of Jesus 
can be summed up this way:  

“God is light; and in him
there is no darkness at all".

Just as light brought life on the first day of
creation and light gives life to every  green plant,

Jesus brings the light and
life of God even from the grave.

Like the pillar of fire led Israel 
through dark nights in the wilderness,  

Jesus guides us by his Spirit.

Just as light judges and expels darkness, 
Jesus judges and expels the devil and his evil.

And one day, the brightness of God’s
light will even swallow up the actual night.

The message “God is Light” is the eternal good
news of Jesus summed up in three words.

But John also says the good news that 
God is Light, is a command to be obeyed.

The command is that we should love 
one another as Jesus has loved us.

Like the fire in the
wilderness or the sun in the sky,  

this good news and good 
command will lead us to life.

But several in John’s community claimed to be
members of the light, while hating one another.

John says this is a
contradiction and a self-evident lie.

True members of the light, walk in the light.

People transformed by the good news 
that “God is Light” will act like it.

These liars are so darkened by their 
self-deception, they call their hate loving.

And while the liars are busy hiding 
their darkness under the guise of light,  

Christians freely confess their 
darkness because they know the light.

They know that forgiveness has been bought by 
Jesus' blood and are willing to step towards him.

John says that those who walk
towards the light, even if they sin,

are truly God’s people
and will be forgiven.

But those who refuse to admit their
darkness and pretend to be in the light,

will soon be blinded by the
same light that they deny.

[music]

The good news is that God is light
and in him there is no darkness at all.

The light of God has come to us in Jesus.

Jesus is the light of the world.

And like the fire that led 
Israel through the wilderness,  

Jesus’ Spirit always teaches us where to go.

Jesus has overcome both our own and
the world’s evil by his loving, sacrificial death.

But how do we know that we’re in the light?

How do we really know that we are in the
life of God? John says that assurance
comes when we love one another.

Love for each other is how we
know that we belong to God  

and experience the
fullness of God’s love and light.

God’s light was most clearly seen in Jesus’ 
love on the cross, so it makes sense that  

we will most clearly experience our 
assurance as we live and love like Jesus.

And what’s beautiful is that even when we fail to love,
if we confess our sin to the God in whom there is

no darkness, we can fully expect
the light of his forgiveness.

Because of Jesus we have an example to follow, 
but we also have an Advocate before God who has  

covered our sins, takes away our guilt, and 
shines the light of his love on all who ask.

May the Holy Spirit open your 
eyes to see the God who is Light.

And may you see Jesus as our atoning 
sacrifice who covers all our sins.