Lessons From a Confrontation – Part 6, Family of Light, Family of Darkness
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This will be our final message in this series on John 8, and we pray it has been a blessing. While our last message focused on Jesus proclaiming Himself the great ‘I Am’, in this message we will see that Jesus makes it clear that there are two families in the world: the family of God and the devil’s family. The two families have nothing in common spiritually, and they never will.

As you read the passages we have been studying, you notice how clearly and forcibly Jesus contrasts himself with the devil. Did you notice that there was no room for a grey-area? There is good and there is evil – there is no middle ground for a person to stand on. This should not surprise us, since it is very consistent with the Bible’s teachings and philosophy. There is never any compromise with the Lord. For example, when we read the Old Testament book of Leviticus, God explains what is clean and what is unclean, and there’s no category in between; it doesn’t exist.

To help us understand that there can be no overlap between good and evil, the Lord has taught us by using the vivid imagery of light and darkness throughout the Bible. The first contrast between light and darkness occurs in Genesis when God literally, physically, separates the two,

	1 In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. 2 The earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was]moving over the surface of the waters. 3 Then God said, "Let there be light"; and there was light. 4 God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light day, and the darkness He called night And there was evening and there was morning, one day.
	Genesis 1:1-5 (NASB)

God created the laws that gave darkness and light distinctly different characteristics. In our mind’s eye, we can wonder what it must have been like to watch the Lord physically create light for our world and then divide that light from darkness. It must have been amazing to see the first day break upon creation. Light and dark could never exist as one; they would forever be different. Picture a cave one mile deep in the earth. It is absolutely black and devoid of light, but what if a torch is lit? What was dark is now illuminated and light devours the darkness. The darkness was dominant until the light shone in the cave: then, light replaced the dark.

We see God set the physical rules for light and darkness in Genesis, and the remainder of the Bible contains imagery contrasting the two. We see this vividly in the beautiful introduction found in John 1:5, “The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.” (NASB) When God first created the world it was ‘formless, void and dark’, but He gave the world physical light. Similarly, our Father God gave the world spiritual light when He sent Jesus Christ into our world as flesh. Jesus entered a world lost in sin and changed it forever. Like a million, billion torches being lit in our little cave, Jesus Christ shattered the darkness. Evil waged war against Him, but in the end, it could not contain or extinguish His light.

The passage from John 1 points out that the darkness could not comprehend the Light that is Jesus. Light and darkness represent different spiritual languages, and if one is in darkness, they cannot understand the language of Jesus Christ. Again, this does not surprise the believer who has tried to preach the Gospel to the unsaved; they simply do not understand what is being said. It has not been revealed to them. In one way, this is the spiritual parallel to the physical laws God put into effect in Genesis. There, physical light and darkness could not co-exist; here, spiritual light and darkness cannot co-exist. You have accepted Jesus Christ’s sacrifice for your sins or you have not. If you have, the light of Jesus now shines within you, and it is He who cleanses the darkness from you. Without the work of Jesus Christ in your life, you are left in darkness, sin and isolation from God. Those arguing with Jesus were in this darkness; they were not part of the family of God,

	43 Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. 44 You are of your father the devil...
	John 8:43-44 (NASB)

They could not understand the language of goodness, purity, love, peace and light that Jesus was speaking.

If you have been saved, you are part of God’s spiritual family, and you now understand His language. You can study the Bible, and the Holy Spirit will illuminate the words. You can listen to a sermon and understand the message. You can pray, meditate and fast to move closer to our God. You are destined to spend eternity with God. He wanted you in His family; you have been chosen and are loved as His child.

Do you understand how special you are? Do you understand all that this means? Darkness and evil can and will rage against you, but they will never, ever, overtake and extinguish the Light of God that has been set in your soul. No matter what it is that you are currently going through, God is still your Father. He has not abandoned you and He never will. We will leave you with several passages explaining this, and we hope, again, that they will bless you: let these beautiful words sink into your heart and soul.

	12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
	John 1:12-13 (NASB)

	15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" 16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ...
	Romans 8:15-17 (NASB)

	1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.
	1 John 3:1 (NASB)

	4 You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world.
	1 John 4:4 (NASB)

May the grace and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you today and always…

*** Words of Jesus Christ appear in red



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