Salvos For A More Inclusive Church invite you to join them each week as they share a Lenten reflection.
This year, as we prepare to travel with Jesus on the journey to the cross, the theme being considered is the seven “I Am” statements that John records Jesus sharing with his disciples.
Each reflection will be prepared by a different person from their community over the next seven weeks and they began last Friday considering Jesus as The Light of The World. I have been given permission to also share them via this blog and the first reflection written by Colin Daley.
Lenten Reflections 2021 (Week 1) “I am the light of the world”
Today we start the first of our weekly Lenten series as we explore the seven “I Am” statements of Jesus recorded in John’s gospel.
Over the next seven weeks, different writers will share a reflection through the lens of how Christ invites all to be included as he reveals who he is, through what he says about himself.
Of all of the things Jesus declared, “I am the Light of the World” resonates with me. As a young bandsman I was introduced to Commissioner Sir Dean Goffin’s epic brass band setting “The Light of The World” and had the privilege of playing it under the composer. As he prepared the music with us, he took the time to unpack the meaning and explained the imagery of William Holman Hunt’s picture. The music captivated my young mind.
To appreciate the full impact of this statement, it’s helpful to consider the context leading up to it. In Isaiah we read of the promise of light coming into the world. It is the message of hope that the prophet foretells (Isaiah 9:2) and in the midst of darkness, pain, suffering and rejection comes the affirmation that the was light was to come, bringing healing, hope and salvation.
John’s gospel further picks up this theme and records that John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way for the light, (John 1:4-9). It is in chapter 8 that Jesus declares “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
Powerful words indeed. Powerful words to change your life. Words that speak of grace, inclusion and acceptance!
To understand this we need to look at chapter 9 as it is there that this message takes a new twist as we gain greater insight into the inclusive nature of the gospel of Jesus. The first five verses are important.
“As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” “Neither this man nor his parents sinned,” said Jesus, “but this happened so that the works of God might be displayed in him. As long as it is day, we must do the works of him who sent me. Night is coming, when no one can work. While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.” (9:1-5)
The disciples did not fully understand that the man was not blind because of sin, but Jesus explains to them that God would use this situation to reveal his nature to those who would take the time to listen. Again Jesus reminds his followers that while he is in the world, he is the light of the world.
It doesn’t take too much of a shift of the imagination to refresh the context and consider the conversation as if the person were LGBTQ. Here’s the same passage of scripture again, this time based on The Message but with a key word replaced..
“Walking down the street, Jesus saw a man who was gay. His disciples asked, “Rabbi, who sinned: this man or his parents, causing him to be born homosexual?” Jesus said, “You’re asking the wrong question. You’re looking for someone to blame. There is no such cause-effect here. Look instead for what God can do. We need to be energetically at work for the One who sent me here, working while the sun shines. When night falls, the workday is over. For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of light. I am the world’s Light.” (John 9:1-5)
Jesus makes it clear, it is not about sin, but about the power of God. The healing he offers is about restoration and being empowered to share our stories that God may be glorified.
As we read further into the chapter, there is a point at which the way the Pharisees responded, is similar to what LGBTQ experience today in the church. Those who witnessed the man’s healing wanted to know how it had happened and when they could not accept the explanation he offered, they took the man to the temple. The Pharisees were more concerned that Jesus had broken the law of Moses by healing on the Sabbath. More importantly they questioned the man and his parents as to how it had happened. And when they failed to understand, they became irritable.
The man’s testimony was simple enough, “This one thing I know, God in great mercy pardoned me … once I was blind but now I see.” And what did the Pharisees do? They rebuked him for being so bold and they threw him out.
How often have we seen this scenario repeated in our own church? Maybe we’ve even experienced it ourselves and with it comes the pain of exclusion and rejection. Let us never forget the message from Jesus “I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all the distinctions clear, so that those who have never seen will see, and those who have made a great pretence of seeing will be exposed as blind.” (John 9:39 MSG)

As we prepare our hearts and minds for the journey to the cross over the next few weeks, let us commit again to travelling with those who are rejected and misunderstood. May we remember that while Jesus declares “I am the Light of The World”, the story doesn’t stop there. In the sermon on the mount we are charged to take the light and carry it forward.
(Matthew 5:14-16)
We are called to see the light, so that we too can be the light.
We often sing “Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness, Opened my eyes, Let me see …” but as we join with “Here I am to worship, Here I am to bow down, Here I am to say that You’re my God.” may you know that you are also welcomed, you are included and you loved.
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