to the gospel according to John
chapter 3. John chapter 3. You remember last week we looked
where the disciples of John had approached
the disciples of John had approached John concerning the Lord Jesus
Christ. And they had a question for John that had been presented
to them by the Jews. And it was about this thing of
purifying. You know, the Jews had washings.
They washed the cups. They washed their hands. And
they didn't realize that the purifying of the Old Testament,
of the law, the washings, was a symbol. It was a picture. It was a type
that Almighty God is going to be approached only in absolute
cleanness, spiritual cleanness. Almighty God is not approached,
He is not going to have anyone come into His presence except
there be absolute holiness, cleanness. of purity. He is of pure eyes
and to behold iniquity. So they knew something about
purifying according to the law. Well, there was John the Baptist
and he was baptizing. The Scripture says that the disciples
of the Lord Jesus Christ are baptizing. They're wanting to
know now which one of these baptisms now is associated with purifying. Now, we know what purifying concerning
the law. And they were putting great stock
in that. John's baptism, the Lord's baptism. Which one of these puts away
sin? And you know neither. John's
baptism was the baptism proclaiming a coming Messiah. John said,
I didn't know who he was. I knew that he was coming, but
I didn't know who he was. Therefore, come I baptize you.
Believer's baptism is the baptism, is the confession of our faith
that Almighty God has put away our guilt. by the grace and blood
of the Lord Jesus Christ. So neither John's baptism nor
believers' baptism puts away guilt. It's a confession of our faith
in Christ. But they came to John because
they wanted to start trouble. That's always the case. It's
always the case. I've got a question for you.
Well, is this question going to be presented in love, or do
you truly want another? And John, what wisdom John set
forth. You know, I think of this. I think about Solomon when the
Lord asked him, what would you have that I give you? I think how the Spirit of God
directed that man to ask for wisdom. Wisdom that I might lead
your people, direct your people. And I thought about that and
I found myself. I said, Lord, I'm not trying
to be presumptuous. I'm not trying to be anything
other than honest. Would you help me? Would you
grant me wisdom to pastor your people? You have no idea the
privilege that I feel in my heart to be able to pastor this congregation. This is a blessed place. Why? Because God's blessed it.
And that's what makes it a blessed place. Here was a man that God
had given some wisdom. And here's what John said when
they came and asked him. They asked him about, you know,
I know that those disciples of John, They were concerned about
his integrity and his reputation. And they were defending of him.
I don't doubt for one second that the people of this congregation
would be defensive of not only this pastor, but our blessed
friend and pastor that we had for years. You defend him. Don't talk about him. I'm going
to defend him. And that's what they were doing.
They were defending John. But John in wisdom, this is what
he said, verse 27, a man can receive nothing except it be
given him from heaven. Verse 28, I am not the Christ,
but that I am sent before Him. Verse 29, He that hath the bride
is the bridegroom, but the friend of the bridegroom which standeth
and heareth him rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice. He must increase. I must decrease. Well, I'll tell you, that's the
Spirit right there. exhibited in John the Baptist
as growing in grace. There's growing in grace. The
more a man or woman grows in grace, they speak very lowly
of themselves. And they don't do it out of a
false sense of humility and just trying to get people to say,
oh, isn't he humble? No, they mean it. And even while
they say it, Gary, while they're saying it, they know there's
enough pride in it. They know that. Well, today we'll take up with
the testimony of John the Baptist concerning the Lord Jesus Christ. And remember this, it's always
the right thing to point a person to Christ. You know, so-and-so
has done this, so-and-so has said that. Well, let's do this. Let's pray for him. And you know
the easiest thing to do Let me tell you the easiest thing when
something comes up. Let's join in and talk about it. Man, this
is good. I hadn't heard any good gossip
in a long time. Man, tell me everything. I'll tell you the right thing
to do. Well, let's pray for them. Lest we find ourselves in a worse
situation than this, let's pray for them. He knew that men are always going
to disappoint men. But He endures forever. Absolutely perfect. He, verse 31, that cometh from
above is above all. He that is of the earth is earthly,
and speaketh of the earth. He that cometh from heaven is
above all." Now, remember, here's John's disciples and they've
come to John and they're wanting to be defensive of John. But John's greatest defense is
pointing men to Christ. That's the safest, that's the
best, that's the right thing to do. What think ye of Christ? Boy, you'd be surprised how quickly
that will shut a man's mouth. Let's pray for him. Let's ask
the Lord. Let's pray God's blessing on him. Man, that just kind of
just... He that cometh from above. The first thing John does is
sets forth the deity of Christ and the humanity of Christ. He
that cometh from above. Well, he had to come from above,
but it says that he came. He that cometh from above is
above all. He's superior to all. It's right. It's right to honor him. It's
right to speak well of him. It's right to speak of his sovereignty. in creation and providence and
salvation. It's right. Whatever we talk
about, it's the right thing to give honor to Almighty God. I
brought this up last week. Gary, you'll never know that
statement, what it's meant to mean. What's wrong with giving
God all the honor? What's wrong with giving God
all the glory? What's wrong with making salvation all of the Lord,
totally all of grace? Scriptural, that God would teach
me, Ephesians 121, far above all principality and power and
might and dominion and every name that's named, not only in
this world but also in the world which is to come. He that cometh
from above is above all. He that is of the earth is earthly
and speaketh of the earth. Every man that God has ever called
to preach the gospel of God's grace knows and realizes something
of his limitation. He knows that his grasp of truth
is finite. He knows that. There are times
that someone will ask me something Oh, I want to be able to. I may have just studied this,
you know, a week ago, two weeks, a month ago, last year. I had someone ask me something
concerning something. I preached twice through the
book of Revelation. Somebody asked me a question.
I said, you know what, I'm going to have to go back. I'm going
to have to go back and look over my notes. I'm going to have to
look again. Let me get back. Let me look at those words again.
Was you preached on it? Yeah, I know. But I just don't
remember. I'm just so frail. We know in
part. We preach in part. We're dust. Descend from Adam. We're earthly. Now, the thing that I realize
right here doesn't say that God's preachers preach in a way that's
worldly. He didn't say worldly. They're earthly, weak, because of the frailty
of their flesh. Even in the most honorable of
men, even in the most learned of men, there's always a savor
of humanity about them. I mean, they preach the truth. 1 Corinthians 3. Let me just
read this to you. 1 Corinthians 3, verses 4 to
7. 1 Corinthians 3, 4 to 7. For while one saith, I am of
Paul, another, I am of Apollos. Are you not carnal? Who then
is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believe? Even as the Lord gave to every
man, I planted Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So
then neither is he that planteth anything, neither he that watereth,
but God that giveth the increase." John says back here, you know,
look, the one that you're concerned
about, the Lamb of God that taketh away
the sin of the world, God Almighty, He cometh from
above. He's above all. He that is of
the earth is earthly, and He speaketh of the earth. He that
cometh from heaven is above all. What is a man? I go back to what
John said. He said, I'm just a voice. I'm
just thankful to be a voice. Thankful that God Almighty would
give me any understanding whatsoever. Thankful that God would give
me some light and teach me something. But how frail and how weak I
am. Earthly. Just always a saver. You think about it. Every man
that's ever preached saved the man, Christ. He's got a savor of humanity
about him. Frailness about him. I think
about Brother Scott. He's telling me there towards
the end, he said, Marvin, I just don't remember like I once did. How's that, Brother Scott? He's
a man. Precious man. Blessed man. Dear friend. Earthly. Earthly. He's above all. Verse 32, "...and what he hath
seen and heard, that he testifieth, and no man receiveth his testimony." John bears witness to the fact
that what the Lord Jesus Christ sets forth, he has perfect personal
knowledge of that. What he hath seen and heard, That He testified. I've been taught some things.
I've been taught a few things by the grace of God. And I bear
witness to what I've been taught. The Scripture says concerning
God's people, they're all going to be taught of God. God's going
to teach them. They're going to learn the Spirit
of God. But concerning the Lord Jesus Christ, what He has seen
and heard personally, He has eternally seen and heard
with the Father. We talk about that eternal covenant
of grace. And in my mind, in my little
fickle, failing, feeble mind. I can understand. I can enter
in a little bit to maybe a few of us sitting around and talking,
you know, two or three guys standing around. We're just kind of like
in a little huddle, just kind of conversing a little bit, you
know, bouncing a few things off. I can understand that. But then
when I began to think of that eternal, everlasting covenant
of grace that never began because if it would have had a beginning,
it would not have been eternal, everlasting. But beyond my sense of grasp
Knowing that that everlasting covenant that David said, this
is all my security, this is all my salvation, he has made with
me an everlasting covenant. In that everlasting covenant
that I'm not able to enter into, to perceive the depth of, the
Son himself with the Father and the Spirit, he was there. Beyond my capability to understand
and to set it forth. And here you are. You're hearing
what I'm saying. And you know exactly what I'm
talking about. That eternal covenant of grace.
When did it start? It didn't start. But He was there. Eye has not seen, ear has not heard,
neither has entered into the heart of man. that which God
has prepared. We don't even perceive. We can't
even perceive these things. And we believe them and rest
in them. And they're wonderful. These
marvelous things. He was there when God the Father,
in Ephesians 1, verse 4, when God chose a people out of every
nation, kindred, tribe and tongue and gave them to the Son. The
Son saw that. and heard that. And these things that he has
seen and heard, that is what he testifies. And the Scripture says forth, no man receiveth his testimony. Boy, you know when you first
read that, you think, No man receiveth his testimony. You know that some do. So what does that mean? What
does that Scripture mean? No man receiveth his testimony. None in themselves. No man by
himself. No man with his own natural capability. No man. No man seeks after God. What's it going to take? Now,
you know some will. Well, the next verse says they
do. What's it going to take? What's it going to take? No man
receiveth. The Scripture says in John 1,
11 and 12, He came unto His own, and His own received Him not,
but as many as received Him. Something had to happen. What
happened? "...But as many as received Him,
to them gave He power or the privilege to become the sons
of God, even to them that believe on His name." Leave a man to
himself and that man will not come to Christ. He will not come. Why? Because he's dead. He's
dead. He's spiritually dead. I said
before, you can talk to a corpse and tell the corpse, if you'll
just take that first step and lift your leg over that coffin,
I'll help you out. If he could lift his leg up,
he wouldn't be dead. Tell a man, if you'll come to
Christ, if you'll take the first step toward Christ, He'll receive
you. If you take the first one, you
can take them all. That which he's seen and heard,
that he testifies, and no man receiveth his testimony. No man comes of himself. First,
I quoted a while ago, John 6.45, it's written in the prophets,
they shall all be taught of God. And every man therefore that
hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me. A man has got to hear from God.
He's got to be given a heart to come to God, come to Christ. As I said last Sunday, last Wednesday,
what is it to come to Christ? It's to forsake every other false
security. Come to Christ. Verse 33, he
that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God
is true. He's believed Christ. That is to set the seal. Has
set to his seal. Has raised his Ebenezer. Has
taken his stand. Let me say it like that. He that
hath received his testimony has stood right here. This is it. I'm going to set my seal right
here. This is where I'm going to set forth. This is where I'm going to stand
right here. God is true. Every man's a liar
declaring publicly Faithfully. God's true. God's testimony. It's true whether
a man believes it or not, but imparted life is evidenced by
the fact that I believe it. And where life is given, I'll
tell you this, faith is given, there's a following after Christ.
A man that believes God, a woman that believes God has one desire. Let me be. Let me hear of Him
that all honor and all glory and all praise is given. And
where any praise and honor and glory is given to me, I don't
want to hear it. I don't want to hear it. I don't
want to hear it. The moment you start telling
me about how good I am. Old Brother Neal said a while
ago, the Scripture sets forth that God's people are the steps
of a good man, but wherein lies their goodness save in the imputed
righteousness of Christ. Do you realize that I stand before
God Almighty with one hope? That I stand in Him, accepted
in Him. Oh, let God be true. Every man
a liar. For he whom God has sent speaketh
the words of God. For God giveth not the Spirit
by measure unto him. He whom God has sent You know, the very word sent
there was amazing to me. He whom God has sent. I understand. I understand the word, I thought. He whom God has sent. But actually,
the word means to a place appointed. He whom God has sent. He didn't
just send him and just... I mean, it was by appointment.
It was by purpose. I love to talk about the purpose
of God. The appointment of God. Here,
He whom God has sent. God in human flesh speaketh the
words of God. Here's the truth of His deity. He whom God has sent when He
speaks. He's speaking the words of God
Himself. I'm an ambassador. I'm an ambassador. The words I speak are His words. The word He speaks is His words. He is God Almighty. We are His servants. John is telling his disciples,
The one that you're concerned about taking honor away from
me, the one that God has sent is God
Himself. And God has not given the Spirit by measure to Him. Now, here's something that's
just too far. too deep, too high for me to
perceive. Here is the Son of God, the Son
of Man. Perfect union. And I can read in these scriptures
at times when things will be said concerning Him that absolutely,
I do know, setting forth His humanity. He was wearied. He thirsted. He marveled. I read those things. Here's a perfect example in my
mind. Here's the humanity of Christ.
He was sleeping in the back of the boat. Now, He wasn't faking
it. The Scripture says He was asleep. He who sleepeth not, the Son of Man, the Scripture
says, He was asleep in the back of the boat. Almighty God who
never sleeps in His humanity. Now when you figure that all
out, now you can explain it to me. And I will thank you for
it. But I can tell you this. who
never sleeps, deity in his humanity was asleep in the back of the
boat. And the disciples woke him up
because of the storm that was raging around him. And the Son
of Man stood up and spoke to those waves and said, Be still." And it was absolute calm. You know when it says absolute,
when it was calm and the seas were calmed. I would doubt even a ripple was
seen. And those disciples looked on
that and said, what manner of man is this? that He even speaks
to the water, to the elements, to the winds, and they obey. He whom God has sent speaketh
the words of God, for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto
Him. His own Spirit, the Spirit of
Christ Himself, the Spirit of God Himself, We're hindered. We know we are. But we believe concerning Him,
that which He says, God Almighty. Though we don't understand often
the depth of it, I can read you Scriptures, and I'm talking about God Himself
in human flesh, Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how I would have taken you under
My wings like a mother, like a hen takes her chicks and you
wouldn't come. Who said that? God said it. Do we believe it? We bow to it.
What do you know? I know this, that if a man comes,
he's going to come because God's given him a heart to come. And
if he doesn't come, it's because he didn't want to. God Almighty did not give the
Spirit. Us, we have a measure of God's
Spirit, partially. Concerning Him, unmeasured abundance,
boldness. He spake by the Spirit of God
who is His own Spirit. Leph went back to his father.
He said, I must go. It's expedient unto you that
I go away. Why? And he comes back himself by
his own spirit to indwell all of his people. The Father, verse 35, loveth
the Son and giveth all things into His hand. Now here again, by faith, we
perceive, we know concerning that blessed Scripture, the Father
loveth the Son and hath given all things into His hands. John 17, 2, when our Lord was
praying in His high priestly prayer, is, Thou hast given Him
power over all flesh. Now, listen to this. And if you
want to know some hope is." Here it is right here. "...Thou hast
given Him power over all flesh that He should give eternal life
to as many as Thou hast given Him." Does God Almighty have a people
that He's given to the Lord Jesus Christ? Has God chosen a people
that He is going to save? Thou has given Him power over
all flesh that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou
has given Him. When I think about the providence
of God, Brother Neal was mentioning a while ago, Thou has given Him
power over all flesh. Why? that He should give eternal
life to as many as Thou hast given Him. Think about how in
the providence of God, God has ordered this one to be here and
this one to put him or move him here or raise up this nation
or make that nation go to war with that nation over there so
that in that war that Almighty God would cause this to happen.
Why? Because He had an elect right
here. And He gave him power over all flesh. predestinated, He
determined the destination beforehand and moved all things. Do you
think that this is all by luck? Do you think it's all just happened
by happenstance? Man, I'm telling you, I sure
am lucky I got to get here. Luck? What's this thing is luck? He has given Him power over all
flesh. My mom and daddy had to get together. My daddy was in northeast Mississippi. My mom was from south Louisiana. Had to get there. He gave Mr. Cotton, he raised up Mr. Cotton one day and gave Mr. Cotton
the ability to, he started a bread company, blessed him. Mr. Cotton started it out on
MacArthur Drive there in central Louisiana. He raised up Mr. Cotton and blessed that business. One day my daddy went over there
and asked him for a job. My mama came up and asked him
for a job too. Mr. Cotton gave him a job. And
they were working. I don't know where they were.
Somehow they got and started dating each other. And pretty
soon they got married. He has given Him power over all
flesh that He should give eternal life to as many as thou hast
given Him. Man, I could go on and on and
on. I don't have to. I know this. He works all things after the
counsel of His own will. And all that the Father has given
Him are going to come to Him. And He gave them to Him before
the foundation of the world. And they're going to be born.
They're going to be born. They're going to come into this
world and they're going to absolutely, God's going to cross them with
the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace. And how is He
going to save them? In power. In power. And when it pleases God, He's
going to call them. And they're going to hear. And
they're going to come. How do you know that? Because the Lord
Jesus Christ said in John 6, 37, All that the Father hath given
me shall come to me, and him that cometh to me I will in no
wise cast out. The Father loveth the Son, and
hath given all things into His hands. And He is the one that's
working all of these things. But what if I get sick and die?
His will is going to be done. What if my kids... He works everything,
everything pertaining to salvation is in His hands. All of these things are going
to come to pass. The Father loveth the Son and all in Him. He, last verse, that believeth
on the Son hath eternal life. That's the evidence that He has
eternal life. He believes on the Son. He believes on the Son after
He's given life. He didn't believe to become alive. Nobody believes to become alive. I've got Debbie's nurse. She works in a hospital and children,
new babies and stuff. And do you know not one of those
little babies, I know when they're born, not one of them is patted
or slapped or ever how they get them to cry. Not one of them
has done that in order to give them life. They come forth alive. And they cry because they're
alive. There was the evidence. There's
the evidence of life. Evidence of life that's there
already is they cry. And they're listening for that.
Man, that's the first thing that mama wants to hear. I want to
hear that baby cry. First thing, when that mama hears
that baby cry, I don't know, but I'm just saying, I bet you
she's, oh, it was all worth it. Baby's alive. Baby cried. I heard
that baby cry. Do you want to know how you know
a man has everlasting life? He believes God. He believes
God. There's no sweeter sound. There's
no sweeter note to another believer than to hear a note of a man
or woman who speaks life, grace, grace, grace. He that believeth
on the Son. Notice that. Not anything else. What is he believing on? The
Son. What else is he resting in? Walking
down an aisle, reading his Bible, being able to pray a lot, being
able to be baptized, being able to do what? He that believeth
on the Son hath everlasting life. And he that believeth not the
Son shall not see life but the wrath
of God. Believe it. Abide on Him. Believe on Christ. I say, listen,
here's the essence. Here's the essence of regeneration.
Let me give you the essence of regeneration, of life, eternal
life. I wasn't looking for Him. I was
not looking for God. When it pleased God, God Almighty in mercy and grace gave me life, imparted a new
heart. That's how the Scripture says
it. I will give them a new heart, a new will, a new mind. And He
gave me eyes, spiritual eyes and spiritual ears to see and
hear. And I heard the message of God's
purpose to do what God Almighty had everlastingly purposed to
do. And first of all, I realized
I never knew God had a purpose. I thought He was trying. I just
didn't know. I thought He was trying to do something and He
was waiting on me to do something else so that He could save me.
I never knew that salvation was all of grace. I didn't know that. And Almighty God opened my heart and told me in the Scriptures
through a preacher That Almighty God had purposed
to do something before the foundation of the world. And what He demanded
for me, which was absolute obedience and perfection. God Almighty provided Himself,
the Lamb Himself. And the Lamb in whom I was chosen came into this world. And God
watched the Lamb, but held the Lamb and trusted the Lamb. That's right. The Father trusted
in the Son. He was the first one to trust
in the Son. And He trusted and looked to and was pleased with,
well pleased with. And there I am in Him, mysteriously
gloriously, graciously in Him and being carried in Him and
in life and death and burial and ascension, seated with Him, always in Him. And there is life
right there, all together. God Almighty never looked to
anyone but the Son. and in the Son. He that believeth
in the Son hath everlasting life. Lord, give me a heart to believe
Him and trust Him and keep me by Your grace for Christ's sake. Amen.