A Light in the Darkness | Every Longing Fulfilled | December 14 2025 (10:30am)

Devotional

Day 1: Jesus, the Light in our endless night

Our world feels like a long polar night—beautiful in moments, yet shadowed by brokenness and grief. Into that darkness Jesus steps and says, “I am the light of the world,” not a small lamp for a few, but light for all who will follow. His light does more than expose; it restores, guides, and brings the life we cannot manufacture. Where despair whispers that nothing will change, His presence declares that darkness does not win. Today, turn toward Him and let His light steady your steps. [12:11]

John 8:12 — Jesus said, “I am the light for the whole world. Whoever follows me won’t keep stumbling in the dark; they will carry the light that gives life.”

Reflection: Where does the darkness feel heaviest for you right now, and what simple act of following Jesus into that place could you take today (a prayer, a conversation, or a quiet step of obedience)?

Day 2: From knowing about God to knowing Him

Many can recite facts about Jesus yet still feel far from Him—awake at night with a sense that something essential is missing. The good news is that you don’t have to grope endlessly for God; He turns on the light. When you admit your need and trust Jesus—crucified and risen—His life enters your heart, and you truly know Him. Fear gives way to joy; distance turns to relationship; darkness yields to light. Today can be the moment you believe and receive. [14:42]

2 Corinthians 4:6 — The God who once called light out of darkness has now caused His light to shine inside our hearts, giving us a clear sight of His glory as it is revealed in Jesus.

Reflection: If you sense you’ve known about God more than you’ve known Him, what would it look like to tell Jesus that honestly and ask Him to make you alive to His presence today?

Day 3: Renewed minds in the light of truth

Apart from God, our thinking is like a dark room—shapes look real that aren’t, and lies feel like truth. Even after coming to Christ, old pathways still tug at us with condemnation, self-reliance, and confusion. Jesus renews our minds by His Spirit, especially as we soak in Scripture until truth replaces the old scripts. His word becomes a lamp that shows a better way, teaching us to discern what is good, acceptable, and complete. Immerse your thoughts in His promises, and let His light rewrite your inner narratives. [17:05]

Romans 12:2 — Don’t be pressed into the world’s mold; be transformed as your mind is made new, so you can recognize and live out what God desires—what is good, pleasing, and whole.

Reflection: Identify one recurring condemning thought you battle; which specific Scripture will you carry into that moment this week, and when will you rehearse it each day?

Day 4: Healing beneath the wings of His light

Scripture pictures the Messiah like the sunrise whose rays spread with healing in their wings. In Jesus’ ministry, that light touched bodies as He restored the sick, fulfilling the promise that our pains and diseases are borne by Him. Because of His cross, the wellspring of healing remains open; we are invited to ask, to gather others to pray, and to keep asking with humble faith. God does not heal everyone every time, yet He still heals—and He welcomes us to come. Bring your pain to Him today and ask boldly. [22:58]

Matthew 8:14–17 — Jesus entered Peter’s home, touched his fevered mother-in-law, and she was restored; that evening He spoke a word and freed many from evil and sickness. In doing so, He fulfilled the promise that He takes up our sufferings and carries our diseases.

Reflection: Who is one person (including you) for whom you will ask Jesus for healing each day this week, and how will you invite one or two others to pray with you?

Day 5: Extending the table of grace and light

This season, hearts often open in fresh ways, and we get to extend the table of grace. The light that has filled you is meant to shine through you—in homes, workplaces, and neighborhoods. A simple invitation, a shared meal, a quiet prayer can become a doorway for someone to encounter Jesus. Don’t underestimate small steps; heaven celebrates when one person comes from darkness into life. Ask the Spirit to make you brave and kind as you carry His light into someone’s ordinary day. [29:30]

Matthew 5:14–16 — You are the light of the world; a city on a hill can’t be hidden. No one lights a lamp to tuck it away; it’s set high to brighten the house. In the same way, let your light shine so people see the good you do and honor your Father in heaven.

Reflection: Who will you personally invite to encounter Jesus this week, and what small act of hospitality will make that invitation feel like an open table?

Sermon Summary

Today we celebrated Jesus’ pursuing love and the beauty of new life in Him, then turned our hearts to one of the deepest longings we carry: healing. Our world feels like Svalbard in polar night—beautiful, but overshadowed by darkness. Scripture names that ache and answers it: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” In the hush of the extinguished lamps at the Feast of Booths, Jesus stood and said, “I am the light of the world.” He isn’t merely commentary on the darkness; He is the Light that drives it back, bringing life—zoe—fullness, wholeness, and restoration.

I shared my own story of realizing I knew facts about God but didn’t know Him. Years of searching ended one winter night when I cried out to Jesus and His presence flooded my soul. That is what He delights to do: break spiritual darkness with Himself. He invites us to believe—not as a vague sentiment, but a surrender to the crucified and risen Lord who gives eternal life now.

His light doesn’t stop at our spirit; it renews our minds. Sin warped our perception of reality, leaving us vulnerable to lies. The Spirit uses the Word as light to retrain our mental reflexes, displacing condemnation with adoption, isolation with presence, and self-reliance with Spirit-empowered dependence. As we meditate, memorize, and obey Scripture, our thinking is re-formed and our lives regain alignment with truth.

We also opened our hands to physical healing. The prophets foresaw a day when the “sun of righteousness” would rise with healing in its wings, and the Gospels show Jesus fulfilling it—healing bodies as a sign of the Kingdom’s arrival. Matthew ties those healings to the atonement itself. Because Jesus bore our sin, griefs, and diseases, we ask boldly. Not everyone is healed every time, but the command remains: call the elders, be anointed, and keep asking. We will not let disappointment harden our hope.

So we asked—right in the room—for Jesus’ light to flood spiritual, mental, emotional, and physical darkness. We worshiped, we prayed, and we made room for God. And we extended the table: take an invite card, bring someone with you. Let the light that has found us flow through us into a searching world.

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus, the Light, dispels darkness He steps into real history and real pain, not as a symbol but as the self-revealed I AM who overcomes the gloom. When He speaks, darkness loses its claim and hope gains substance. His light is not fragile—it restores what sin has unraveled and reorders what chaos has distorted. [52:35]
2. Invite Him into spiritual darkness Information about God cannot substitute for communion with God. Believing is the door through which His life enters, and He is ready to meet you in the exact place you are. Don’t wait for better conditions; ask Him now, and receive the life only He can give. [63:01]
3. Renew your mind with Scripture The fall didn’t just wound our hearts; it fogged our perception. God’s Word functions as light, cutting through lies and retraining our mental reflexes toward truth. As Scripture saturates our thoughts, condemnation gives way to sonship, and self-reliance yields to Spirit-empowered dependence. [70:22]
4. Ask boldly for physical healing Jesus’ atonement is the wellspring of all healing, and He still moves in bodies as well as souls. Not every prayer results in instant wholeness, yet our assignment is clear: call the elders, be anointed, and keep asking in faith. Persistent petition is not presumption; it’s obedience to a faithful God. [82:00]
5. Extend the table of grace Light is meant to spread, not be stored. Make room in your rhythms, your row, and your relationships so others can encounter Jesus. A simple invitation can be the doorway to someone’s first steps out of darkness. [44:16]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome

Bible Study Guide

Bible reading
- John 8:12

Observation questions (3–4)

Read John 8:12. What stands out about Jesus’ claim “I am the light of the world,” and what immediate promise does he attach to that claim?
The Feast of Booths included large lamps that were later extinguished, leaving the temple dark. Why would Jesus’ declaration in that moment be especially striking to those gathered? [50:59]
The sermon linked the word life (zoe) with Jesus’ light. What difference does “zoe” (fullness of life) make for understanding what the light brings? [54:26]
Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light.” How does John 8:12 speak into Isaiah’s promise about a coming light? [49:37]

Interpretation questions (3–4)

What does Jesus’ use of the divine name “I am” imply about his identity and authority in the context of Jewish expectation? [53:10]
How does the description of Jesus’ light as bringing “life” (zoe) help interpret whether that light is limited to spiritual realities or intended for whole-person restoration (spirit, mind, body)? [55:41]
Isaiah 53:4–5 links the Messiah’s suffering to healing; Matthew ties Jesus’ healings to that same atonement. How should the connection between atonement and physical healing shape the church’s expectations and prayers for bodily healing? [01:18:29]
James 5 instructs believers to call the elders and anoint the sick. What does this teach about the role of the church community and persistent prayer in seeking healing? [01:22:00]

Application questions (4–7)

Jesus’ light is available the moment someone invites him in. Will you personally invite Jesus into any spiritual darkness you are living with this week? If so, what simple words will you use to invite him now? [01:03:01]
The mind is renewed by Scripture. Identify one lie you often believe about yourself (e.g., “I am condemned,” “I am alone,” “I must perform to earn love”). What specific Bible verse will you memorize and mediate on this week to replace that lie? [01:10:22]
The atonement is connected to physical healing and the church is instructed to pray with elders and anoint with oil. Is there a physical need you will bring to the prayer team or ask an elder to pray over in the next seven days? What practical step will you take to do that? [01:22:00]
Light is meant to spread. Who is one person you will invite to an upcoming service or to hear the gospel in the next week? Name them and plan the specific step you will take (call, text, give a card). [44:16]
Corporate worship and prayer create space for God’s presence. What posture (silence, going forward to pray, staying after for a prayer team) will you commit to the next time the church gathers so you make room for the Holy Spirit? [01:25:26]
Testimony encourages others. If Jesus has moved in your life, whom will you share that story with this week to extend the table and invite someone into the light? How will you share it (coffee, phone call, social media, bring them to church)? [21:10]

Sermon Clips

Isaiah, he says, the people who walked in darkness have seen a great light. And those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them light has shown. It's as if Isaiah is saying, I know what you see. Like, I see what you're seeing, all the brokenness and the loss and the suffering and the polar night gloom that's all around your life. But I wanna tell you that there's actually a light coming on the horizon, and there's a hope and there's a savior coming in the world. [00:49:45] (29 seconds) #LightOnTheHorizon

It's into that context that Jesus speaks what he speaks in John chapter eight and verse 12. I want you to imagine Jesus walking into the dark halls of the temple where everyone is sort of gathered around, still in celebration, but still in waiting. And he speaks these words over the people in the temple. He says, I am the light of the world. And whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but they will have the light of life. [00:52:22] (36 seconds) #LightOfTheWorld

So when Jesus brings his light into the world, he is bringing life, wholeness, order, goodness, beauty, restoration, healing to the people that he encounters. In other words, when he arrives on the scene, Jesus actually wants to heal you spiritually. He wants to heal you emotionally. He wants to heal you mentally and maybe even he wants to heal you physically. Jesus is the light of the world. [00:55:05] (40 seconds) #HealingAndWholeness

I wanna say this really clearly, if we don't have a relationship with Jesus, we are living in spiritual darkness. And so at 13 years old on Christmas Eve night, I realized that this was my condition. I realized that I knew facts about God but I didn't really know him and it set me on this journey where I started seeking and wondering. I would actually go into my bathroom at night and I would take my Bible and I would search for answers and search for direction and almost like I was groping in the dark for God and yet God still didn't seem to show up. [00:59:15] (34 seconds) #SeekingGodNotJustFacts

And as I was preparing for this morning, I couldn't help but shake the reality that there's probably some in this room that are wondering and longing for the light of Christ to shine on their heart this morning. And he's ready and willing and waiting. And I wanna tell you, you don't have to wait. You don't have to search. You don't have to look. You don't have to pursue. I'm here to tell you this morning, there's nothing else you need to read or look for. Jesus Christ is the light of the world. [01:02:40] (24 seconds) #JesusIsReady

Now, how do I do that? The Bible would teach that we receive his life by believing. We believe that Jesus is God. We believe that he went to the cross outside of Jerusalem 2,000 years ago and died for our sins. We believe that he was raised to life again. And because of that, he can give us newness of life. And in John 6, Jesus says, truly, truly, I say to you, Whoever believes has eternal life. [01:03:20] (28 seconds) #BelieveForLife

Where the enemy brings a lie and he says, no, you're just a loser. Like you deserve to be condemned and you're always gonna be a failure. He just slinging lies at you. The Bible actually says, there's no condemnation for those who are in Christ. Jesus. And God actually says that he's loved you with an everlasting love. And the truth of what the Bible says, guess what? That's true. And when you renew your mind according to that truth, he begins to restore you in your mind and that trickles down into your spirit and it begins to change you in vibrant and life-giving ways. It's like the light of Christ entering your being. [01:11:04] (30 seconds) #RenewedByTruth

So this morning, it's a simple response to the Lord. If you need Jesus' light to shine into your spiritual darkness, if you need Jesus' light to shine into your mental darkness, if you need Jesus' light to shine into your emotional darkness or your physical darkness, you can just simply ask. Invite him. Lord, we right now, we ask, come Holy Spirit. You're the one who brings this light into our life. [01:22:56] (44 seconds) #InviteTheHolySpirit

Ask a question about this sermon

Chatbot

Why does the Feast of Booths illuminate Jesus identity?

What connects Isaiah 53 to physical healing today?

How does Scripture renew a darkened human mind?