Turn with me, if you would, to
the gospel of John, chapter one. John, chapter one. We could so go. I looked at the first five verses
of this chapter. We spoke. Said that which the
Lord said concerning himself. He said, in the beginning was
the Word. The Word was with God. The Word was God. Tonight I want to pick up in
verse 6. A Scripture declares that there
was a man sent from God. And his name was John. I read
that over, over, over, and I kept thinking about that scripture
right there. There was a man sent from God. You just stop for just a minute
and think about what was just said. It wasn't that a man was sent
from the President of the United States. That would be a great
honor. President Bush personally sent a man, an ambassador. The Scripture says that there
was a man sent from God Almighty, a witness. His name was John. The focus of what has been said
is not on John. It said there was a man sent
from God. His name was John. But the focus
of that statement is the surety of Almighty God, His Word. Malachi 3, 1 said, Behold, I
will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before
me. Matthew chapter 3 and verse 2
say, In those days came John the Baptist preaching in the
wilderness of Judea, saying, Repent ye, for the kingdom of
heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken
by the prophet Isaiah. This was prophesied. God was
going to send this man. God's Word is sure. God's Word
will not, cannot, shall not fail. Heaven and earth are going to
pass away, but not His Word. The voice of one crying in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord. make his paths straight."
Oh, just a short statement, but a blessed description of this
man, John the Baptist. He was a man sent from God. All men that are men that Almighty
God has called are sent of God. sent by him. He got one message. This man, John, was a man specially
raised up to hail the Messiah. And this man, verse 7, says, he came
for a witness, to bear witness of the light. That light that
Brother Scott just read about, John 8. the light of the world."
This man, full witness of the light that all men through him
might believe, came for a witness. That's the character of a preacher,
of a true preacher, a man taught of God, called of God, sent of
God. He's a witness. He declares what
God Himself has said concerning Himself, concerning God. And
that's all He says. That's all He's got to say. A
witness. He bore testimony of the Lord
Jesus Christ. To bear witness of the light.
He bore witness that Christ was the promised Messiah. He wasn't
drawing attention to Himself. Every time I flip through the
channels and I see one of these hucksters preaching, they've
got a huge, usually a huge, medallion-looking thing behind them. And it says
something like, you know, certain, certain guys' ministries. So-and-so's, you know, evangelistic,
whatever, whatever. And they'll say, now, I'm not
drawing attention to myself. Well, I'm sure they're not. You
know, it's just plastered all over. This man right here came
for a witness, to bear witness of the light that all men, through him, might believe. Came to bear witness. Now, you
know, that's a pathetic thought. It's a marvelous, wonderful thought
that God would send a witness. But it is pathetic when you consider
man by nature needs to be told that light is coming to the world. Only a blind man is not aware
if the sun is out and has to be told. This man came by the mercy and
grace of God, came into this world to bear witness of the
light. through him might believe." Now,
not all mankind without exception. Now, you know that's not so.
This man didn't come to make salvation possible. Turn with me to John 6.45, just
for a second. John 6.45, talking about that
all through him might believe. John 6, verse 45, it is written
in the prophets, and they shall be all taught of God. Now, who is this all? Who are
these all? Well, keep reading. Every man
therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh
to me. All that hear of God and learn
of the Father, taught of Him. they come to Christ, all of them. Now, the Lord Jesus Christ was
quoting Isaiah 54, 13. Turn back there with me. Isaiah
54, 13. Isaiah 54, 13. Now, here's the Scripture. He said,
back in John chapter 6 and verse When the Lord Himself said, It
is written in the prophets, here is what He was quoting, And all
thy children, all God's people, shall be taught of the Lord,
and great shall be the peace of thy children. So when John
came as a witness back in John 1 and verse 7, He came for a
witness to bear witness of the life that all men through Him,
all God's people, all God's elect might believe. He was not that
light. That's what verse 8 says. He
was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. 1 John 1 5 says that He was not
that light. 1 John 1 5 says This is the message which we
have heard of him in declaring to you that God is light, and
in him is no darkness at all. John was not that light. God
is light. The Lord spoke of John the Baptist
himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, in John 5.35. I know I'm flipping
around a lot here, but I'm going to show you some things. We're
settling some issues right here. the beginning of this book, the
declaration of the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, and we're
establishing this foundation, who He is, the Lord Himself. John's writing says He was not
that light. He came to bear witness of the
light, but He was not that light. Listen to the Lord's words in
John 5, verse 35. He was speaking of John. Well,
let's read verse 32. There's another that beareth
witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesseth
of me is truth. Ye sent unto John, and he beareth
witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from
man, but these things I say, that ye might be saved." And
there's the Lord speaking of John. He said, He was a burning
and a shining light, and you were willing for a season to
rejoice in His light. Now the Lord said that He was
a shining light, but that word light, Right there. And the word
light, back in John 1, is two different words. The Lord himself,
speaking of John, says that John was a candle or a lamp that doesn't
produce its own light, like the moon. The moon doesn't produce
its own light. The sun does. But the moon is
reflected light. John was a reflected light. The
Lord Himself is light. He is light itself. He said He
was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of the light. Verse 9 says, That was the true
light, Christ Himself, which lighteth every man that cometh
into the world. The true light. The sure light. He, first of all, is the undeceiving
light. He said He is the true light. Now, Satan himself is able to
transform himself into an angel of light, but he does so only
to deceive. A lot of men standing in pulpits,
a lot of men saying a lot of things. But I want to tell you
something. If they don't speak according
to this Word, they're messengers of Satan. Satan himself transforms
himself into an angel, appears as though that he's truthful. Christ himself is, the Scripture
says, the true light, the undeceiving light. He's secondly the revealed
light, who is the revelation of all types, shadows, figures
in the Old Testament. He is the revelation. We read
in the book of Genesis when Noah built an ark. That's a picture
of Christ himself. Christ is the revelation of that
ark. That brazen serpent that was
raised up, Christ. As Moses raised up the serpent
of will, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up. As that
rock that was smitten, you know that was a picture of Christ.
He's the revealed light. That's Christ. Thirdly, He's
the underrived light. He didn't come from another.
In the beginning. That's what Scripture says. That's
who we're talking about right here. In the beginning was the
Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. God is light. Fourthly, He is
the true light, meaning He is the light above all others in
rank, in dignity. One writer called Him the supereminent
light, the light that is everlasting. Light. Light. I know a little bit, I mean a
little bit about light. I took a few art classes. I studied a little bit about
light. Now light itself, light is invisible. Do you know that? Light's invisible. Can't see light. Invisible. You only know that light is there
when it reflects off of something. It's amazing, this thing of light. You start to study it, look at
it. You take a flashlight and you
turn it on at night or go into a room and flip that light on.
And you go into a dusty room, I'll tell you that, and kind
of move some stuff around and you turn that flashlight on and
dust particles, you see them. All you're seeing is the reflection. That's it. That's how you know
that light is there. Light. Turn these lights off
and you don't see anything. There's an absence of light.
Light itself. This is the verse that Brother
Scott just quoted, 2 Corinthians 4, 6, for God. who commanded the light to shine
out of darkness, has shined in our hearts to give the light
of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. Light. He is light. Light invisible without Almighty
God revealing Himself. You don't know that. as God commanded
light to shine out of the chaos of darkness that was upon the
face of the deep back in Genesis 1. So spiritual darkness broods
over the minds of men until God shines into their hearts and
reveals Himself. Man by nature does not know Him. He was not that light. John was
not that light, but was sent to bear witness of the light. God's preachers are witnesses. They're ambassadors. They're
messengers. That's all they are. Messengers
declaring what God Himself has said. That's what they are. They bear witness of the light. That was the true light that
lighteth every man that cometh into the world. That is, he lighteth
or he enlighteneth effectually. Jews and Gentiles, his elect,
his people, calls them out of darkness. He was in the world,
verse 10 says, and the world was made by him. And the world
knew him not. Oh, the gross! unbelief and blindness
of men. Men, by nature, are blind, spiritually
blind. He was in the world, John said. Now, I want you to notice this.
I got to reading that. He was in the world. The world was made by him. The
world knew him not. Certainly, He was in the world
in His incarnation. I know that. In the birth of
our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. But He was in the world even
before He was manifest in the flesh. He was in the world. He was in the world in creation.
Creation declares the handiwork of God. We see it. The creation itself declares
God himself in that man is without excuse. As I said, you go outside
and you see a tree standing outside. That tree right there declares
the handiwork of God. These mountains around here,
I'm amazed. These are mountains to me. This looks like the Alps to me.
This declares the handiwork of God. Man is without excuse. He
was in the world. In the days of Noah, he was in
the world. Before his incarnation, Noah
preached 120 years. He was in the world. In the works of providence, in
types and figures, he was in the world. And the world was
made by him. Didn't know Him. Didn't know Him. Look in Romans 1, verse 20. Romans 1, 20. I believe this is what Paul had
reference to right here. Romans 1, verse 20. For the invisible
things of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen
being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal
power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse." Invisible things from the creation. He was in the world, and the world didn't know Him.
didn't believe Him, weren't subject to Him. He came to His own, and
His own received Him not. Now, this shows you the depravity
of a man. You would think that a man by
nature would desire salvation, deliverance,
hope, peace, peace with God. Do you think he would? Man is
of such rebellion. Man is such a scum. Man despises Almighty God. and absolutely despises the thought. By nature, he despises the thought
of being at peace with God. He hates God. You think, how
can that be? You know that's so. Man, by nature,
says, I will not have that man rule over me. I won't do it. Man by nature says in his rebellious
heart, I will. I would rather be separated from
him than to bow. I will not obey him. His word
is not worthy to be kept. He is not trustworthy. You say, well, that's a little
strong. You go back and read and see what Adam did. God told
him, ìEat of all the fruits of these trees. In the day that
you eat of this tree, youíre going to die.î Do you know what
Adam said in his heart? Thatís not true. Godís not worthy to be trusted. ìHe came to his own, and his
own received him not.î Clearly, he came to the Jews first and
was rejected But I'll tell you this, leave a man to himself. Leave God's elect to themselves. Leave a man alone, and that man
will receive him not. Old Saul of Tarsus, do you think
he was one of God's elect? That's where he was. He was one
of mine, chosen, set apart, called by. When did Saul of Tarsus bow?
When the Lord Jesus Christ arrested him on the road to Damascus,
called him by his grace, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? Who are you, Lord? Who are you?
Who are you? I am Jesus. It is who you are persecuting.
He came to his hall. He came to his own, and his own
received him not. But, my, what a word! But, that reminds me, in Ephesians,
you have read this so many times, turn with me there, Ephesians
chapter 2. Look at verse 3 and 4. Well, I'll read verse 1, Ephesians
2, 1, And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses and
sins, wherein in time past ye walked according to the course
of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air,
the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience,
among whom also we all had our conversation in times past, in
the lust of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and
of the mind, and were by nature the children of wrath, even as
others, but God." Oh, my. Or could we not just stop for
just a minute and just feast on those two words right there,
but God? We all had our way. We all had
our walk. We all had our conversation.
But God, who is rich in mercy, For His great love, wherewith
He loved us even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened
us together with Christ. By grace ye are saved. The Scripture says, He came unto
His own, and His own received Him not. But as many as received
Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God. even
to them that believe on his name. As many as received, as many
as believed him, as many as by faith acknowledge him, know him,
cast themselves upon him, the Messiah, as many, as many, whosoever,
as many, as many as received him, as many as believed him,
To them gave He the right, the privilege. It is Christ Himself
who grants salvation. It is not that a man receives
Christ and then God saves him. It is Christ Himself who saves. As many as received Him, here
is the evidence of that. He gave them the privilege. As many as believed on His name,
not merely that there is a Lord Jesus, not merely that there
is a Jesus Christ, but that He Himself is the Christ. Nicodemus knew that the Lord,
he said, the One that came to Jesus by night, was a teacher
come from God. We know that you're a teacher
come from God. But it was Peter himself that
confessed to the Lord Jesus Christ. He said, you are the Christ.
That's who you are. Nicodemus said, you're a teacher.
I know that. I know you're a teacher come
from God. Peter said, you're the Messiah.
You're the promised one. You're the one that we look for.
That's who you are. The Son of the living God. Christ
Himself saves His people. As many as received Him, to them
He gave the privilege to become the sons of God. Salvation is
of the Lord first. Salvation is not in the hands
of man. Which were born? John is going
to make something perfectly clear. I know how men will take that
12th verse and say, well, it says, as many as received Him,
well, then them He gives the power. Now, John is going to
clarify something right here in verse 13. Which were born,
spiritually born, reborn, regenerated. Which were born, not of blood,
not from descent, not from bloodlines. I said the other day, just because
your mom and daddy are believers doesn't make the children believers,
which were born not of blood and not born of the will of the
flesh, not of the efforts of the old natural heart, not of
man's free will. Nature can never change itself. That which is flesh is flesh. You can talk to it. You can try
to reason with it. You can try to make it understand.
It has still, it has always amazed me. I do understand it. I remember
one night, I was in Louisiana, riding down the road at night
with the light turned on in a truck. Trying to get a fellow to read
John chapter 17. I thought to myself, there is
no possible way, I'm sure, that you can't at least understand
something about what he's saying. I said, just read the chapter
to me. While we're driving, just read
it. And he came to that knife verse and the Lord says, I pray
not. I pray not for the world, but
I pray for those that you gave me out of the world. I pray for
them. I pray for them." I said, and
I turned to II Thessalonians 2.13. We are bound to give thanks
to you, brethren, beloved of the Lord, because God has, from
the beginning, chosen you to salvation through sanctification
of the Spirit and belief of the truth. I said, you understand
that? He said, yeah, I understand it. I said, obviously, a man
doesn't have a free will. He said, yes, he does. The Scripture says, men were
born not of blood or the will of the flesh or the will of man. I would desire God to be pleased
to save all my family. I've got a brother. I've said this. I wish I could
be as nice as he is. He's the most pleasant fellow
I've ever met in my life, most generous. He is just so kind
and so, you know. He lives, he's got five miles
from Milton Howard. He just won't come. No desire. Every once in a while I really
get to thinking about that. I'm thinking you're going to
meet God. You're going to meet God one day. Men were born out
of blood. nor of the will of the flesh,
nor of the will of man, but of God." Believers are what they are solely
by the grace of God. Free grace, calling grace, converting
grace, sanctifying grace, keeping grace, There was a sovereign
grace. There was a man sent from God. And he came to bear witness of
the light. Christ came into this world to
save sinners. Paul said, of whom I am cheap. I don't deserve this. Tonight, if you know Him, You
know Him by grace. If you've received Him, if you've
believed Him, if you've called on Him, you've done so because
He was pleased to grant you a heart to do so. He removed the heart
of stone. He gave you a heart to call.
He made you with Him. In the day of His power, you
are what you are by God's sovereign grace. Our Father, how we thank You
for this time we've got just to come together and consider
Him who is altogether lovely, wonderful, the lily of the valley,
the bright and morning star, the light, the Word, the door,
the way, the truth, the life. How we pray tonight, would you
hide this Word in our heart? We might behold Him, feast upon
Him, muse upon Him. For Christ's sake, Amen.