Gospel of John Series - A Man Sent from God

                                                         A Man Sent from God

John 1: 6-18

It was said about John the Baptist, “You wouldn’t want to invite John the Baptist to be the guest speaker at a minister’s conference or denominational conference.” For his message has nothing to do with celebrating numbers, organizational plans, mission statements, or 6 steps spiritual growth seminars. He came as the Holy Spirit filled and divinely led witness to the plan and purpose of God. The true light that gives light was about to come into the world. Let’s read this portion of the text, “There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.” 

First, John was sent by God. The word “sent” is the same one used for apostles, “sent ones.”  Before John was born, Elizabeth, his mother pregnant with John, was filled with the Holy Spirit when she saw Mary the mother of Jesusand, and John also leaped for joy within the womb. (“When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” Luke 1:41) John was set apart (holy) for the purpose of fulfilling prophecy (A voice of one calling: “In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” Isa.40:3). 

Second, John was a witness to the Light. He was not the light but one who understood the light in context to the right and wrong, good and evil through the Old Testament law and prophets. He understood light as good and dark as evil, and though he was filled with the light of the Holy Spirit, He was a small light compared to the Light of the World. Jesus was the true Light. John was a witness, one who would testify to the coming of the light. In scripture, Zechariah, John’s father, was a priest before God. Elizabeth, Mary’s aunt, was John's mother, who bore him out of barreness late in her life. John was raised by parents who knew from God that their son would be greatly used by God (Lk. 1:15, 64-79). It is thought by scholars that John may have been schooled by the Essennes because he was raised in the wilderness (Lk.1:80). John austerely lived in the desert, ate locust and wild honey, and wore camel hide clothing.

With all of this background, John was set apart for God as a witness to testify of the Light who was yet to come. Let's look at the text again, “He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him.” 

John knew he had a purpose, a calling to fulfill from God. John yielded himself to the Holy Spirit and the message of testimony from God to the people. The Light of the World was coming in the midst of a corrupt and sin-filled world. He would challenge sinful rulers, call for repentance through baptism, and that God will bring justice to the lawlessness of His world. The Light of the world would come to show up sinfulness, but also shine on the faithful as a guide to the way to salvation and of holiness. 

John knew the Light came into the world to deliver it from darkness (sin and death), and the light would not be received by some of the religious elements of the world, nor by the sinful element. Nevertheless, The Light of the world was the creator of the world, and would fulfill the purpose and plan of God. The world would not recognize him, even though from "...the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." Rom.1:20  In regard to God’s calling, John never compromised his testimony about the coming light.

Application - What still amazes me, God is still sending men and women to do His plan and purpose. Like John, we are set apart, made holy for God’s use. We are to be Holy Spirit filled witnesses (But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses.) Acts 1:8. God is raising John’s in our time, to call out sinful lies from the Herod’s of our days to the teachers of another gospel, one that denies Jesus’ divinity and sacrifice for our sins, and to the sinful lies of the enemy that have infected many parts of our culture.

We may not have had godly parents, nor been baptized in the Holy Spirit before birth. Nevertheless, God’s calling is just as true to us. John was considered great among those born to women, “yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.” Matt. 11:7-15. We are to be Holy Spirit filled witnesses to what God’s Word says, and what God has done in our lives. The Light of the world has come, and He sent the Holy Spirit who indwells all who have been born of God. We have the Light and are to be a light to the world. Even if the world doesn’t accept the truth, it has seen the Light through creation and us.  We live in the last days before His coming, and just as Jesus said, “From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven has been subjected to violence, and violent people have been raiding it.” Matt. 11:12 

The days are evil and violent, and people are given over to whatever the inclination of their heart’s desire, like the days before Noah entered the Ark. We need to be uncompromising in our witness of the Light. Who knows that today, someone will see the light in you. Don’t hide your light, but let it shine upon a dark sinful world.

Next, Let’s look at the next portion of the text, “He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God— children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.”

 John came knowing that some in the world wouldn’t accept the word of the Light coming, even to God’s people, Israel. He ran headlong in conflict with the religious leader and teachers of the law (the written and oral law). Along the banks of the Jordan river, they would come to test him and ask him if he was from God, if he was Elijah, a prophet, or the Messiah. They would ask him, “By what authority did he baptize if he were not Elijah, a prophet, or the Messiah? Again and again he told them he was a witness, he was “the voice calling out in the desert, make straight the way for the Lord.” 

And yet, many who were common and untrained in the law, believed John’s testimony and received the word and were baptized in repentance in preparation for the coming of Christ, the Messiah. So much so, that even some of the rulers of the day and people from other countries heard of John’s message and were coming to be baptized to repentance. (Acts 19:1-4) 

John was experiencing a following, he was discipling those daily who came to learn more about the Light in the law and the prophets. The words of his father, Zechariah, by the Holy Spirit were coming true, “And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High; for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins, because of the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven to shine on those living in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the path of peace.” Lk.1:76-79 

John’s teaching taught the words of the prophets of the coming of the Messiah. Even more so, John’s teachings were on repentance for sins. Many local villagers and foreigners wanted to know what they must do to repent: tax collectors, Hebrew and Roman soldiers, all were told in practical terms of acts of repentance of righteousness that must be done (Lk.3: 10-14). John even called the ruling authority, Herod the Tetrarch, in judgment because he had stolen the wife of his brother and was living in adultery according to the Word of God.  “If a man commits adultery with another man’s wife—with the wife of his neighbor—both the adulterer and the adulteress are to be put to death.” (Lev. 20:10)  

Application - It will not take long for people to either believe or scoff at the testimony and witness of what God did in your life. The enemy of God has blinded them, “If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.” 2 Cor. 4:3-4

Nevertheless, we are to stand girded in truth, armed with the sword of the Spirit, the Word of God. We know the enemy’s scheme is to kill, steal, and destroy, but the Light’s way is to give life and that in abundance. (Jn. 10:10) Let us be like John, standing with the Word of God to light the way to those who have been blinded by Satan. 

 

Last, let’s look at the text, “The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’”) Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” 

John the apostle addressed the Light as the Word, spoken at the creation of the universe. The Word and the Light came miraculously as a babe, in fulfillment of prophecy (“The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of deep darkness a light has dawned...For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the greatness of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this.” Isa. 9:2, 6-7) John and the other apostles saw, heard, and walked with Jesus, the Word, for three years. They all understood the grace and peace that came from being born of God. 

Now Back to John the Baptist, he knew that one day the Lamb of God, the Messiah would come, just as God had spoken through him to all who would listen. The day Jesus stepped into the Jordan River, John saw him and proclaimed “This is the one I spoke about when I said, ‘He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me...“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie...Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is the one I meant when I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me.’  I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.” Jn.1:15,26-27,29

The Word had come just as God had spoken and promised in the prophets. Even John the Baptist was taken by surprise at the revealing of Jesus' appearance at the river, especially when He baptized Jesus according to the law, and the Holy Spirit came like a dove, landed upon his head and Jesus was baptized in the power of the Holy Spirit. John the Baptist knew that his time had been fulfilled, the Word and the Light had come. He knew that the one who surpassed him, would now be greater and he would become lesser in importance. He sent his own disciples to follow Jesus.

John the apostle closes the text with the fullness of grace, “Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.” God’s grace, His unmerited favor, had come in fullness from the Father, through His Son, Jesus Christ, and the present and power of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is the truth, the undefiled and absolute truth. Jesus being God the Son was with God at creation, and is the only one who has ever seen God the Father, and the relationship between them was unbroken, the glory of the Father would be seen in the Son.

Application - Out of His fullness, we have received the work and presence of God. God’s marvelous and amazing grace and truth. At first, there was grace given only to the Israelites, God’s chosen people. From Abraham through Moses, God took a people to be His people. Now grace in fullness has come to all who would believe in the Word that saves by grace. 

John the Baptist understood something we have taken arbitrarily today. God gives grace to those who humble themselves (placed in submission), confess Him as Savior and Lord (seek his face in prayer), repent of their sins (turn from their wicked ways), and God would give them eternal life, born of God (heal them and their land). John the Baptist knew the grace of the Old Testament, John the apostle understood grace in a new and wondrous way. Jesus is the Truth, the Light to all (Israelites and gentiles), and the Word, the creator who has written His word on their hearts and their minds on all who will believe and are born of God.

  I’m again including the ABC’s of salvation (JD Farag). Please, Jesus, God the Son, came to this world to save all who would believe and trust in him. He is Life and that eternal, He is the Light that overcomes the darkness of this lawless world. If you haven’t asked him to be your Lord and Savior, today could be that day.

 First, A - Admit that you are a sinner. This is where that godly sorrow leads to genuine repentance for sinning against a righteous God and there is a change of heart, we change our mind and God changes our hearts and regenerates us from the inside out. Romans 3:10 - As it is written: "There is none righteous, no, not one." Romans 3:23 - For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. (We are all born sinners which is why we must be born spiritually in order to enter the Kingdom of Heaven). Romans 6:23 - For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. The bad news is that the wages of sin is death, in other words our sin means that we have been given a death sentence, we have the death penalty hanging over our heads, that's the bad news. But here's the good news: The good news is that the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Ephesians 2:8-9 - For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith —and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Second,

 B - Believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is trusting with all of your heart that Jesus Christ is who he said he was. Romans 10:9-10 - That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. Third, 

C - Call upon the name of the Lord. Every single person who ever lived since Adam will bend their knee and confess with their mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, the Lord of lords and the King of kings. Romans 14:11 - For it is written: "As I live, says the Lord, Every knee shall bow to Me, And every tongue shall confess to God." Don't wait until later — do this now. Romans 10:13 - For "whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved." "O God, I am a sinner. I'm sorry for my sin. I want to turn from my sin. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son; I believe that He died on the cross for my sin and that He was buried and You raised Him to life. I have decided to place my faith in Jesus Christ as my Savior, trusting only in His shed blood as sufficient to save my soul and to take me to heaven. Thank You, Lord Jesus, for saving me. Amen."

Please share this with someone this week, the Lord knows that we and they need it.

If you would like other lessons, please go to http://pmdinhisservice.blogspot.com 

Until next week, In His Service Mike Davis