I remember those who requested
prayer. I had a prayer list. Sylvia Franklin. Theresa's aunt? Okay. She fell and broke her
arm a couple of places. How old is she? She's in her
70s. Oh, bless her heart. About 76
or so. That takes a while to heal. I remember the others who requested
prayer also. Okay, let's begin our worship
service. Hymn number 126, Rock of Ages, play it for me. Rock of Ages, play it for me. ? Let me hide myself in Thee ?
Let the water and the blood ? From Thy wounds become much more ?
Thee have sinned, but God will cure ? Save from wrath and make
me pure ? Could my tears forever flow Could my zeal no longer
know? These four sins could not atone! Thou a slave and Thou alone! In my hand, O Christ, I bring
Simply to Thy cross I cling! Two pages back in number 118. When I survey the wondrous cross
When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of Glory
died By riches gained I count the lost And more contempt on
all my pride For me with more that I should boast, Chaining
the myth of Christ's might. All the blanklings that charm
me most I sacrifice them to His blood ? At his feet ? ? Sorrow, why in
love ? ? Lo, mingle now ? ? Be there such love ? ? And sorrow
mere ? ? Or thorn's clump, oh so rich a crown ? so divine my soul If you have your ballots, will
you turn to John chapter 3? John the Baptist says he must
increase and I must decrease in verse three. He says, he that
cometh from above is above all. He that is of earth is earthly
and speaketh of the earth. He that cometh from above is
above all. And what he has seen and heard,
that he testifies. And no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony
hath set to his seal that God is true. For he whom God has
sent speaketh the words of God. For God giveth not the Spirit
by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and
hath given all things into his hand. 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 abideth on him. Let us pray. Our Father, great Lord of heaven and earth, who rules everything that exists
with absolute sway, you who reign and your children are happy for
it. But we know that in us dwelleth
no good thing, and that everything we touch ultimately is destroyed. When you created man in the garden, and everything from that day
to this has gone downhill. Father, we pray that you would
give us a heart of great thanksgiving and praise that you did not leave
us to ourselves but interrupted our career in
sin and brought us to a knowledge of Jesus Christ. When this world passes away and
a new world is made, the psalm of heaven will be praised
God from whom all blessings flow. Father, we pray for those who
are sick and going through trials. We pray for this man, Teresa,
Sylvia, When she's had this broken arm, we pray that you bring her
back to a good measure of health and cause her to heal quickly.
Pray for the others who requested prayer, Lord. We ask your help
for them, for those who've lost loved ones, for those who are
going through troubles of heart and mind. I know it's their case. We ask, Lord, you would be merciful
to these folk. And if it would be according
to your goodwill, you'd bring them back. to a good state of
health. We pray for ourselves tonight,
Father, as we gather here that you might be pleased to open
up your word to us. Teach us. Cause us to look to
Christ. Help us, Father, to praise Him
and thank Him and give glory to His precious name. It is in
that name we pray. Amen. Now these last words of chapter
3 are John the Baptist's illumination of the statement he made in verse
30 when he spoke of Christ and said, he must increase and I
must decrease. And in this passage he speaks
in terms of heaven and earth, himself being of earth and Christ
being of heaven. And the distinction is made to
clarify Christ must increase and John must decrease. and explain
to John's disciples why he rejoices when he said, when they said,
all men come to the Lord Jesus Christ. He begins this message
by stating that Christ is from heaven. In verse 31 he says,
he that cometh from above is above all. This does not refer
to origin or to a change of location. who refers to the Lord's assumption
of human nature. He is God in human flesh. A great
controversy, Paul said, great is without controversy, great
is the mystery of godliness. God manifests in the flesh. John, writing this epistle, began
this epistle early in the first chapter saying, and the Word
who was God and was at the beginning with God was made flesh, and
we beheld His glory as the only begotten of the Father, full
of grace and full of truth. He is God in human flesh, but
as God is omnipresent, which is everywhere, He could not have
changed location. This speaks of His humanity.
And this being the case, John states that Christ as a human
being He is above all. He is above all. He is above
all humanity in that He is not the son of Adam. He was born
of a woman, born under the law. He was the promised seed that
would bruise the serpent's head in Genesis 3.15. And this is
the distinction made as to why John must decrease and Christ
must increase. John is from earth, a son of
Adam, born in sins and transgressions and can only relate to earthly
things, and his language is an earthly language. Back in verse
six of this very chapter, our Lord said, that which is born
of flesh is flesh, and that which is born of spirit is spirit. In Romans chapter eight and verse
five, he said, those that are in the flesh do mind the things
of the flesh, pay attention to, look to the things of the flesh,
and those that are in the spirit look to the things Paul told
the Colossian church in Colossians chapter 3, set your affection
on things above and not on things of the earth. For Christ is above
and when he comes we'll come with him. When John the Baptist
preached repentance, he was preaching an earthly, fleshly repentance. For he said, He said, I baptize
you with water. There's someone coming that will
baptize you with fire and with the Spirit. But look back at
Luke chapter 3. The language used by John in
his matter of repentance speaks of earthly things. The repentance
calls earthly things. In chapter 3 of Luke, in verse
17, or verse 7, rather, it says this. asking him, O generation of vipers,
these are religious folks that come to be baptized with John,
who hath warned you to flee the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore
fruit worthy of repentance. and begin not to say within yourself,
we have Abraham our father, for I say unto you that God is able
to make these stones, raise them up, children of Abraham. Now
also the axe is laid to the root of the trees, every tree therefore
that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into
the fire. And the people ask him, what
shall we do then? He answered and said, he that
hath two coats, let him impart to him that he that hath none.
He that hath meat, let him do likewise. Then came the publicans to be
baptized and said to the master, what shall we do? And he said
to them, exact no more than that which is appointed you. The publicans
were tax collectors. And the soldiers likewise demanded
him, saying, what shall we do? And he said, do violence to no
man, neither accuse any falsely, and be content with your wages.
And as the people were in expectation and all mused in the hearts of
John, whether he were the Christ or not, John asked and said,
I indeed baptize you with water. One mightier than I has come
up and latches the latchet of his shoes. I'm not weathered
or loosed. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with
fire, whose fan is in his hand. He will thoroughly purge the
floor and will gather the weed in his garden, but the chaff
he will burn with the fire. unquenchable now everything he
told these people to do whether they were the pharisees and the
republicans or the soldiers had to do with something they could
stop doing or repent of or turn from what they were doing in
the flesh but he said when jesus christ comes it's going to be
a whole nother ball game a whole nother ball game so john said
i'm a man of the earth I'm a man of the earth. John Gill, on this
verse quoted from the Apocrypha, in the second Idris 4.12, he
says, which said, For like as the ground is given unto wood,
and the sea to his floods, even so they that dwell upon the earth
may understand nothing but that which is upon the earth. And
he that dwelleth above the heavens may only understand the things
that are above the height of heavens. Now our Lord said that
in a little different way in 1 Corinthians chapter 2 verses
9-11. He talked about the spirit understands
the things of the spirit. The flesh understands the things
of the flesh. We as a man understand what's
in man. And we, if God has given us a spirit, we understand the
things of God. For I have not seen nor heard
what God has prepared for them that love Him, but He has revealed
them to us by His Spirit. By His Spirit. But we're still
tied to this earth, aren't we? And we still view a great deal
of our understanding comes from circumstances. What happens to
us? A spiritual understanding is, and thank God for this, that
we know that God's in control of all things. go to sleep at
night knowing whatever happens will be for his glory and for
our good. Now John asserts that our Lord
speaks God's words directly sent from above in verse 32, and what
he has seen and heard, that he testifieth and no man received
his testimony. Our Lord said this, when they
said, tell us what your doctrine is, he said, my doctrine is not
mine, but him that sent me. Revelation, our Lord has said
to be the good and faithful witness. Over in Colossians 2 and verse
3, it says, all understanding and all knowledge dwells in the
Lord Jesus Christ. In reference to all men coming
to Christ, John said, no man receiveth him. Now, remember
his disciples said, all men come to him. But he said, and this
is a distinction between why men came to him and why they
left him. They came to Him because of the
miracles He did. They followed Him. Now some didn't
come because God brought them and taught them who Jesus Christ
was. Some didn't come to Him for salvation. But most followed
Him for the miracles that He did. And that's why John said,
no man receiveth Him. No man receiveth Him. There are
many who receive the words of Christ. But most of them did
not. Look back at chapter 3 and verse
11. This is the word I say to you, we speak that which we know.
This is Christ speaking to Nicodemus. And testify that which you have
seen and you receive not our witness. How many times in the
Old Testament did the prophets say to Israel over and over again,
this is the good news that God has set forth. This is the glory
that He set forth. This is the refreshing that He
set forth. And you wouldn't. He would not. Our Lord said to
Jerusalem, O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, how oft art thou that killest
the prophets? How oft would I have gathered
thee as a hen gathers her chicks? But he would not. He would not. In chapter 1 of John, verses
10 and 11, it says this, he was in the world. And the world was
made by Him, and the world knew Him not. He came to His own,
and His own received Him not. To the same people in John chapter
8, to the Pharisees. See, He said this in John chapter
8, verse 45. He says, And because I tell you
the truth, you believe Me not. That's an amazing statement.
Because I tell you the truth, you believe Me not. Which of
you convinces me of sin, and if I say the truth, why do you
not believe me? He that is of God, heareth God's
words. Ye, therefore, hear them not,
because you are not of God. John said, no man receiveth him. No man receiveth him. And it
was true, most of religion. There were some Jews that didn't
follow Christ. Some of the Pharisees even followed
him but didn't confess him because of the fear of the Jews, Nicodemus
being one of them. But by and large, in this world,
even today, we know we tell people about Jesus Christ, they laugh
at our faith. They look at us strange. However, those who receive
his testimony, those who receive his testimony attest that he
speaks the words of God. Over in 1 Thessalonians chapter
3, chapter 2, In verse 13, he said, For this
cause also we thank with God without ceasing, because when
you received the word of God, which ye heard from us, ye received
it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth the word of
God, which also effectually worketh in you that believe. He received
it as if God Himself said it. Paul said to the Galatian church, in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, he
said, we speak as if Christ is speaking to you, say, be you
reconciled to God. It's as if Christ himself was
speaking to you. How does a man hear the voice
of Christ? Christ said, my sheep hear my
voice. How do they hear that? They hear
this. This is his voice. This is his word. This is his
language. And those who receive the testimony,
they speak of God being true. Of God being true. That's what
it says in verse 33. He that received the testimony
has set this seal, set his seal that God is true. What is the testimony? The testimony
is the gospel of Jesus Christ and that seals with men that
God is true. It's a wondrous thing. One version
speaks of those who receive his testimony as he is already sealed
because God is true. In 2 Corinthians chapter 1 and
verse 22, that's the language that's used there. We won't have
to look there, but you can if you want to. 2 Corinthians chapter
1. It speaks of the children of
God being sealed by God, who also has sealed us and given
the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. You remember what
it says in Ephesians chapter 1, after you received the word
of truth, the gospel, and your salvation, you were sealed with
the Holy Spirit of God. This is the seal. You believe
and know because Christ has spoken to you through his word that
God is true. Those who receive not Christ's testimony make God
a liar. If you receive the testimony,
you say God is true. If you don't receive it, you
say God is a liar. Over in 1 John chapter 5, 1 John chapter 5 verses 10 through
12, it says, He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness
in himself. He that believeth not God hath
made him a liar, because he believeth not the record that God has given
of his Son. And this is the record. that
God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in His
Son. He that hath the Son hath life, he that hath not the Son
hath not life." Now the prophets of old and the preachers that
God had sent to speak the Word of God, they spoke the Word of
God, but they had the Spirit by measure. That's what he says
in the next verse. He says, of him by measure, and it's all
about Christ having received the Holy Ghost completely. Of course, Christ said that the
Holy Ghost was his own spirit when he was talking in John chapter
16, but he said as a human being, Jesus Christ received the Holy
Spirit without measure. He was given the Spirit without
measure. I don't know what that can mean. except that we look at the life
of Jesus Christ and see he was able to do things by the Spirit
as a human being that nobody else was able to do. He could
raise people from the dead. And he didn't do that by the
power of his deity. He did that as a human being
endued with the entire Spirit of God without measure. That's
what it says in Acts chapter 10. When Peter's preaching about
the Lord Jesus Christ, 10 and verse 38 says this, how God
anointed Jesus Christ of Nazareth, or Jesus of Nazareth, with the
Holy Ghost and with power, who went about doing good and healing
all that were oppressed of the devil, for God was with him. He did that by the Holy Spirit.
That's what the Lord said. He anointed him with the Holy
Ghost. Our Lord often said, God sent me. God sent me. as the one sent from God. He had the full measure of the
Spirit's power. His very words, he said, were
Spirit and they were life. He said that after he told the
disciples that they was going to have to drink his blood and
eat his flesh. And then told them he was not going to be there
for them to do it. And they were astonished. They
were astonished. He says, my words, these words
are somehow In the wondrous scheme of salvation, spirit and life. Spirit and life. Remember when Simon Peter answered
the Lord, when the Lord said, will you go away also? He said,
to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life. The words of eternal life. Over
in John chapter 12, our Lord said this. in John chapter 12 verse 44 Jesus cried and said he that
believeth on me believeth not on me but on him that sent me
remember what our Lord said back here in verse 34 for whom God
has sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth him not spirit
measure for whom God has sent I am come a light into the world
that whosoever believeth on me should not abide in darkness.
And if any man hear my words and believe not, I judge him
not. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world.
He that rejected me and receiveth not my words hath one that judges
him. The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him the
last day. For I have not spoken of myself,
but the Father which sent me. He gave me a commandment that His commandment is life
everlasting. Whatsoever I speak, therefore,
even as the Father said unto me, so I speak unto you. God
sent His Son into this world to die in the womb instead of
His people. But to accompany that great thing, He spoke. He spoke words of life and words
of eternal life. This is the language our Lord
talks about when He talks about the new birth. Over in first
Timothy or first Peter chapter 1 is that you are born not a
corruptible seed but incorruptible seed. What does that say? Even
the word of God which liveth and abideth forever. This is
how you're born from above. Don't ask me to explain that.
I know that I speak these words, but I have no power. I can't
make anything happen. But God takes the Word spoken,
the preached Word of God, for He goes on to say, after He says,
you're born of incorruptible seed, even the Word of God which
liveth and abideth for ever. All flesh is Christ, as the flower
of the field that taketh away. But the Word of God endureth
forever, and it is by this Word, by this Gospel, the Word is preached
unto you. We preach this word by preaching
the gospel and nothing else. And that's what God uses. It's
a wonder and an amazing thing. And the reason behind it all
is that God loves his son. He loves his only begotten. This
is my beloved son, he said several times at his baptism. This is
my beloved son in whom I am well pleased, satisfied, propitiated. He said it on the Mount of Transfiguration. This is my beloved Son in whom
I am well pleased. You hear Him. You hear His words. You hear His words. God loves His Son. And He says
that back in our text. In verse 35, The Father loveth
the Son, and hath given all things into His hands. All things. Scott Richard, you say God has
put all His eggs in one basket, and that basket is Jesus Christ.
This simply declares that all things, animate, inanimate, spiritual,
and carnal, temporal, and eternal, are all in Christ's hands. They are all controlled by the
Lord Jesus Christ. He is Lord, sovereign Lord over
all. He's established the earth upon
the floods, it says in Psalm 24, but it starts out this way. And all that dwell therein belong
to the Lord. Belong to the Lord. Our Lord
said over in Matthew chapter 11, speaking to those who did not
hear Him or would not hear Him or would not hear John. He said
in verse 27, all things are delivered unto me of my Father. neither knoweth any man the Father,
save the Son. And he to whomsoever the Son
will reveal him." So if you know of Christ, it's because you're
in His hands. But if you don't know of Christ,
you're still in His hands. Well, the Scripture says, Our
Lord prayed in His high priestly prayer in John 17, He's given
me authority over all flesh to give eternal life to as many
as God has given me. The world serves the elect of
God. All happenings serve the elect
of God. Whatever's going on in this world
is for God's glory and for your good. Everything. Everything. Oh, that's a hard lesson. It's
hard for my mind to even begin to comprehend it. I have so much
to gripe about. It's just I gripe about so much.
I ought to be ashamed of myself. Because what I've got to gripe
about is working for my good and for His glory. And that's just a fact. He's
put everything into the hands of my Savior, who loved me with
an everlasting love, and died in my room instead. And to receive
the testimony of Christ whom God has sent is to believe on him. That's
what it is to receive the testimony. You believe the gospel. The gospel
is Jesus Christ and him crucified. You believe. To believe on him
is to receive his testimony and it's the evidence of something.
It's the evidence that you, if you believe on Christ, it's because
you have eternal life. If you believe on Christ, it's
because you have life. That's what the Lord told Nicodemus
in chapter one The Lord spoke in chapter 1 verse 12, not to
make a big deal, but John was preaching. But as many as received
him, verse 12, gave either authority or right or privilege to become
the sons of God. Even, and that word even actually
is in italics. So that means it can be lifted
from the context without doing damage to the context. So let's
read without the word even. Gave him power to become the
sons of God to them that believe on his name. That is what it
is to receive him, is to believe him. That's what it is, to believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ, one who is born again. Born from
the Lord, has received Christ and believes on Him. He believes
because He hath. Eternal life. That's what it
says back in our text in verse 36. He that believeth on the
Son hath. And that is an interesting little
word. It is in the present tense. It is in the active voice. And
it is in the indicative mood. And what that means is it's going
on right now, it's occurring right now. The reason you believe
is because you have life. Now this whole thing works together,
one thing. The word brings faith and repentance
to a person. That word brings life to a person.
And a person believes because he's alive. Dead people don't
believe nothing. He has eternal life. You believe
on Christ? Why do you do that? Because you
have eternal life. Isn't that what our Lord told
Nicodemus? Nicodemus said, we know you're
a man come from God because no man can do these things except
God. Be with him. He said, you can't know anything.
See anything. Understand the Kingdom of God
unless you're born again. Unless you have eternal life. He that does not believe on Him
shall not see life. Shall not see life. The wrath
of God abides on him, it says in our text. This means that
the wrath of God awaits him because he's already condemned. He that
believeth not on the Son of God In the third chapter, verse 18,
he's condemned already because he's not believed on the Son
of God. Christ alone is what John is
saying in this text as he illuminates the person of the Lord Jesus
Christ who must increase and he must decrease. He says he
deserves all the glory and all the honor. Over in John chapter
5, we'll finish that all men should honor the
Son, even as they honor the Father.
He that honoreth not the Son honoreth not the Father which
hath sent him. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me
hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation what
is past, from death to life, to life.