This is one of seven statements Jesus made about himself, all beginning with the phrase 'I am'. The others are: 'I am the Bread of Life,' (6:25). 'I am the Good Shepherd 'and 'I am the Gate' (10:7 & 11). 'I am the Resurrection and the Life' (11.25), 'I am the way the truth and the life' (14:6). 'I am the Vine' 15:1 & 5).

Jesus went early one morning to the temple in Jerusalem to instruct the people, but was interrupted by the teachers of the law and Pharisees when they dragged in that woman who had been caught committing adultery (8:1-11). There are those who argue that the account of this woman (8:1-11) doesn't fit in with the teaching which follows (8:12) about Jesus being the Light of the World, and that the story about that woman shouldn't be there. But there are three links at least.

Having just rescued this woman from moral darkness and hopelessness it was natural for Jesus to speak about himself as the Light of the World.

As he was in the temple courts (8:2) where huge lampstands were illuminated during the Feast of Tabernacles, it was natural to refer to himself as the Light of the World.

As it was dawn (8:2) with the sun rising, it was natural to refer to himself as the light (Malachi 4:2).

A. The world is in great darkness

1. The darkness of ignorance. The world is always boasting about its great enlightenment, but the fact of the matter is that on the central issues of life and death, such as God, their souls, heaven and hell, men and women, even the most educated, are in the dark.
2. That leads, inevitably, to the darkness of sin and guilt. Because men and women are ignorant of the truth about God, and their souls, and judgment, and heaven and hell, they live as though there were no God to obey, as though they had no soul to save, as though there were no judgment to come, as though there were no hell to be avoided, nor heaven to be gained. A darkened mind always leads to dark behaviour and all around us we see men and women living in the darkness of sin, rebelling against God and ignoring His laws.
3. That leads in turn to the darkness of hopelessness. Because men and women are ignorant of God and have sinned against him they have no hope.

B. In the midst of this darkness, Jesus says 'I am the light of the world'

1. He can give light on spiritual matters and dispel the darkness of ignorance. He shows us what God is like. He shows us what we are like. He shows us the danger we are in. He shows us the way of salvation.
2. He can also deal with the darkness of sin and guilt. The sinners life is like a dark, dismal, dirty room, full of selfishness and greed, pride and arrogance, lust and immorality, and other acts of rebellion against God. But Christ as the light can shine into that situation and dispel all the darkness and give them pardon. Or, to develop the metaphor of light, the light of the sun has healing properties. (Malachi 4:2). Christ shines into people's lives and take away the disease of sin, giving them pardon and spiritual health.
3. He can also dispel the darkness of hopelessness. He can shine into your life and give you the wonderful hope and certainty of eternal life in God's everlasting kingdom. 'The Light of Life.' He's the only one who can give light. This verse could be translated "I and I only am the light of the world"

C. How can we benefit personally from Christ, the light of the world, here and now?

Jesus gives the answer in verse 12, 'I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life' if you want to benefit from any light you must come close to it and follow it. If we want to benefit from the light which only Jesus can give then we must come to him in faith, submit ourselves to him and follow him. If we do that, we will never again walk in darkness.

Sadly so many men and women will not come to Christ. In many ways the next few verses (8: 13-20) illustrate that, as they describe how the Pharisees and Jewish law teachers argued with Jesus. They said (verse 13), 'What you are saying about yourself being the Light of the World, is not valid and we won't accept it.' They spoke like that because of their darkness (v 14). They had no idea who Jesus was, where he had come from or where he was going. Many today are like that, but though they spurn Christ, God the Father affirms him (v18) as the one true light.