WALK IN THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

Passage: John 11:7-16

Key verse: 9

NIV

7 and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”(A)

8 “But Rabbi,”(B) they said, “a short while ago the Jews there tried to stone you,(C) and yet you are going back?”

9 Jesus answered, “Are there not twelve hours of daylight? Anyone who walks in the daytime will not stumble, for they see by this world’s light.(D) 10 It is when a person walks at night that they stumble, for they have no light.”

11 After he had said this, he went on to tell them, “Our friend(E) Lazarus has fallen asleep;(F) but I am going there to wake him up.”

12 His disciples replied, “Lord, if he sleeps, he will get better.” 13 Jesus had been speaking of his death, but his disciples thought he meant natural sleep.(G)

14 So then he told them plainly, “Lazarus is dead, 15 and for your sake I am glad I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.”

16 Then Thomas(H) (also known as Didymus[a]) said to the rest of the disciples, “Let us also go, that we may die with him.”

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Footnotes
  1. John 11:16 Thomas (Aramaic) and Didymus (Greek) both mean twin.
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

7 Then after this he said to the disciples, (A)“Let us go to Judea again.” 8 The disciples said to him, (B)“Rabbi, (C)the Jews were just now seeking to stone you, and are you going there again?” 9 Jesus answered, (D)“Are there not twelve hours in the day? (E)If anyone walks in the day, he does not stumble, because he sees the light of this world. 10 But (F)if anyone walks in the night, he stumbles, because the light is not (G)in him.” 11 After saying these things, he said to them, “Our friend Lazarus (H)has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him.” 12 The disciples said to him, “Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will recover.” 13 Now Jesus had spoken of his death, but they thought that he meant taking rest in sleep. 14 Then Jesus told them plainly, “Lazarus has died, 15 and for your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe. But let us go to him.” 16 (I)So Thomas, called the Twin,[a] said to his fellow disciples, “Let us also go, (J)that we may die with him.”

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Footnotes
  1. John 11:16 Greek Didymus
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. A man who walks by day will not stumble (7-10)

Jesus is the light of the world (8:12; 9:5). His disciples, however, had not learned to walk in his light. When he told them he was going back to Judea, they objected, for they were under the power of death, and were full of fear. They knew that the Jews were waiting there to stone Jesus--and maybe themselves as well. But they needed to listen to Jesus and follow him without fear. This is walking in the day.

2. So that you may believe (11-16)

Jesus knew that Lazarus was dead. He spoke of death as sleep, for in Jesus there is no death. Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life. He wanted to set his disciples free from fear of death and teach them faith in the Creator God, the Giver of life. Thomas voiced their fears and their decision to go with him, even to death. They followed Jesus and learned resurrection faith.

Prayer: Lord, thank you for defeating the power of sin and death. Help me to walk by your light, so that I may not stumble.

One Word: Walk by Jesus' light