Let us turn again to the portion
of Scripture we were reading in the Gospel according to St. John. And here in chapter 3,
and I'll read again the portion from verse 19 to 21. John 3,
19 through 21. And this is the condemnation that light is coming to the world,
and men love darkness rather than light because their deeds
were evil. For every one that doeth evil
hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds
should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh
to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they
are wrought in God. With these words then we have
the conclusion of that discourse between the Lord Jesus Christ
and Nicodemus. And then we're told in verse
22, after these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land
of Judea. So we're then introduced to another
episode in the Lord's life. But the whole section from verse
one through 21, details something of the discourse,
the conversation between these two men. Nicodemus, who was a
ruler of the Jews, a member of the Sanhedrin, and the Lord Jesus. And Remember how this man had
come to the Lord very much under the cover of darkness. He came to Jesus by night, we're
told in verse 2, and says, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher
come from God, for no man can do these miracles that thou doest
except God be with him. So he recognizes the significance
of the miracles, the signs that this man Jesus of Nazareth is
performing evidence that he has some authority an authority that
has come from from heaven. The man is careful to come in
the dark I suppose because of his position as a member of the
Sanhedrin And it's interesting because subsequently when we
read of Nicodemus as we do later in chapter 7 and verse 50 and
again in chapter 19 and verse 39 each time he's spoken of references
made to the fact that he came under the cover of darkness. And as we come to this closing
words of the Lord's discourse with the man see how Christ in
this passage from 19 through 21 does himself speak of darkness
and draws a contrast between those who love the darkness and
those who delight to come to the light Interesting what the
Lord is saying then, considering the circumstances in which Nicodemus
had approached him. This is the condemnation, that
light is coming to the world, and men love darkness rather
than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that
doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light,
lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh
to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they
are wrought in God." And it's his contrast that we
see. We were considering something similar a couple of weeks ago
when we looked at those verses at the end of Isaiah 50. Remember
the passage there in verses 10 and 11 where we have a contrast
between the child of heaven, the true believer, who is walking
in darkness, and the unbeliever, the child of hell, who seems
to be walking in the light. We looked at those words in verse
10 especially. Who is he among you that feareth
the Lord, and obeyeth the voice of his servant, and walketh in
darkness, and hath no light? let him trust in the name of
the Lord and stay himself upon his gods. That poor child of
God who is often times one who feels his groping for the wall
but he desires to come to the light, he loves the light, he
wants to see his path enlightened by the grace of God. Well coming
now to these words that we find in the Gospel here in the New
Testament. I want us today to look at these
two different characters that the Lord is speaking of. And first of all to look at that
one who has such a hatred of the lights. The man that does
evil. As the Lord speaks of him here.
In verse 20, everyone that doeth evil hateth the light, neither
cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. And looking at this particular
verse this morning, to divide the subject matter that I want
to bring to you into two basic parts. First of all, to say something
with regards to the light of God that the Lord is speaking
of, And then in the second place, why there are those who have
such a hatred of that light? First of all, then, the light
of God. John says in his first epistle,
and then in the opening chapter of verse 5, God is light, and
in him is no darkness at all. God is light. And so, it's not surprising,
is it, that when we come to consider the Lord Jesus, who is the image
of the invisible God, and remember how here in John's Gospel we
have these remarkable I Am statements. time after time. Amongst those
I Ams, the Lord says, I am the light of the world. He that followeth
me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. God himself then is light, and
that light is that that comes to shine here in the in the face,
in the person of the Lord Jesus. God is the source. God is the
source of all light. Now, we see that, of course,
in the great work of creation. The very first thing we're told
about God in Holy Scripture is how He created all things out
of nothing. You know the content of the opening
chapter of the Bible, Genesis 1, where we have the record of
God creating in six days. Day by day, God creates. And the very first part of that
creation, the creation of the first day, is light. God says, let there be light.
And there was light. Read those opening words in Genesis
1, verses 1 to 3. God then is clearly the source
of natural light in all men. And it's interesting, isn't it? Because it's not till the fourth
day that we read of the sun and the moon and the stars. It's
significant because it reminds us, surely, that those are but
light bearers. But God himself is the one who
is the true source of all light. Natural light. And as God creates
the first man, Adam, he is full of light. He's endued with such
an excellent understanding what light is in the in the understanding
the mind of this man who is made in God's image after God's likeness.
God can bring all the creatures to the man and the man can give
them names and whatever Adam calls the creature that is the
name that's given to the man. He's not a man that has simply
appeared by mere chance, this is the work of God and he's made
the man in his own likeness. and he has a remarkable light
in his mind, in his understanding. And we know that the Lord Jesus
himself is that one who is there in the creation. What do we read
here in the opening chapter of this Gospel? The words at verse 4 concerning the words
that was with God and the words that was made flesh. It says
in him was life and the life was the light of men and the
light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehended it
not. And then again at verse 9, that
was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the
world. Now, it's interesting in his
commentary here, Dr. Gill makes the telling point
that all of this is best understood in reference to the light of
nature. Because what are we reading there
in the opening verses of this Gospel, we're reading of Christ,
who is the Word of God. And what does it say? All things
were made by Him, and without Him was not anything made that
was made. It's speaking of God's work in
creation, and that work is the work of God, Father, Son, and
Holy Spirit. By the Word of the Lord were
the heavens made, Isn't that the Lord Jesus, the Word of the
Lord? He is the Maker of all things, and He is the Maker of
man, and He is that One who endures the man that He creates with
such a remarkable light. That's the rational light that
is in the man. He has this ability. He has such
an enlightened mind because of the great work that God has accomplished
in his creation. However, now man is a fallen
creature, and his mind is now enveloped in all the darkness
and deadness of his sin. We read, don't we, in Ephesians
4, 18, of man having the understanding darkened, being alienated from
the life of God through the ignorance that is in him. because of the
blindness of his heart. That's man's condition. But what
do we read with regards to those men who are enlightened by the
Lord Jesus Christ in the Gospel? They are renewed in knowledge.
They are renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created
them. Oh, that's the wonderful work
that is accomplished then in the restoration of the man, when
he comes from the hand of his Creator in that pristine condition,
full of light, and yet fallen now and in a state of utter darkness
and blackness, but when saved. Oh, how that light comes to shine
in the Gospel. God who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness. has shined in our hearts to give
the light of the knowledge of His glory in the face of Jesus
Christ. We can think then of the light
of God in terms of what God did in creation, even in making man
in his own image and after his likeness. But then also When
we think of the light of God, surely we are to consider it
especially in terms of the coming of the Savior, when God sends
his only begotten Son. We see light in him who is the
mediator. I've already referred to those
words that we have later in chapter 8 at verse 12, I am the light
of the world, says Christ. He that followeth me shall not
walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life." That great I AM statement there,
that He is the light. And again, later there in chapter
12 and verse 46, He says, I AM come, a light into the world,
that whosoever believeth in Me should not abide in darkness.
How are we to understand then that light that has come in and
through the Mediator, the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ. Now three
things with regards to light as we have it revealed by the
Mediator. First of all, in Christ we have
the full and the final revelation of God. In Christ, you see, God has revealed
himself fully. God reveals himself in the Old
Testament scriptures. God reveals himself through the
ministry of the Lord of God. The Lord is a revelation of God.
God reveals himself through the ministry of the prophets. They
speak the words of God. But what are we told at the beginning
of the Hebrew Epistle? God, who at hundred times and
in diverse manner spake in time passed unto the fathers by the
prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made
the world, to be in the brightness of his glory, and the express
image of his person. Oh, He's the very image of God.
He's the brightness of the glory of God. There's that that is
full with the coming of the Lord Jesus. This is God's final revelation
of Himself. No man hath seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, which
is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him. Oh yes,
there's a revelation there in the Old Testament. When we think
of all the Levitical laws, all the ceremonies associated with
the tabernacle and the temple of the Lord, there's all these
types and shadows. That's what they are. They are
but shadows. The substance is there in Christ.
They are types. But what do we read in Colossians
2.17? The body is of Christ. And we see how the Lord Jesus
here, in this portion that we're considering this morning, as
I said, the opening 21 verses are taken up with this discourse,
this conversation between Nicodemus and the Lord Jesus. Christ is
speaking very much to a Jew and one who is supposedly a master. In Israel he is a ruler of the
Jews. What does the Lord say to him? a master of Israel, and knowest
not these things." For all his learning, for all the knowledge
that he has of the Old Testament Scriptures, yet the man appears
to be in such darkness. What is it that the Lord is doing
here as he speaks to this particular man? Well, he begins to speak
to him of the Gospel day. He speaks of that final revelation
that God is now giving of himself with the coming of the Christ. Look at the words that Christ
says to him in verse 18, "...he that believeth on him," that
is, the one that God has sent, neither believeth on him is not
condemned but either believeth not is condemned already because
he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." Oh, in these last days, in these
last days God has spoken unto us by His Son. This is the fullness of the Revelation
but this man is so immersed in the Old Testament and the types
and the shadows, that he is unable to see clearly what God is doing. It's the final revelation, but
more than that, in the second place, it is such an extensive
revelation. Because the Lord Jesus Christ,
that one to whom Nicodemus is speaking, is the light of the
world. Remember what we have in Simeon's
song there in the second chapter of Luke. Simeon speaks of this
child as a light to lighten the Gentiles. There's an extensive
revelation now of of God it's not something that is going to
come simply and solely to to Israel that was true in the Old
Testament God didn't deal with any other nation as he dealt
with the children of Israel he could say of them you only have
I known of all the families of the earth but now the gospel
is to go out extensively even to the ends of the world and
Remember what we are told concerning the ministry of Christ. Even
though he is sent to the lost sheep of the house of Israel,
and his ministry throughout all his earthly life is confined
to Israel, but what are we told with regards to the beginning
of that ministry? In Matthew 4 verse 12, after the forerunner, John the
Baptist, had been put into prison. John had accomplished his mission,
fulfilled his ministry as the one who is the harbinger of the
Christ. There at verse 12 we read, When
Jesus had heard that John was caught into prison, he departed
into Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, he came
and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast in the
borders of Zabulon and Naphtalim, that it might be fulfilled which
was spoken by Esaias the prophet, saying, the land of Zabulon and
the land of Naphtalim, by the way of the sea beyond Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles, the people which sat in darkness
saw great light, And to them which sat in the region and shadow
of death, light is sprung up." The fact that the Lord's exercising
His ministry, yes, is in Israel, but it's the borders, the northern
borders. It's Galilee. Galilee of the
Gentiles. It's indicative, you see, that
the Lord's ministry, this revelation, is to go to the ends of the world. Christ is the light of the world. As it is the final revelation
of God so it will extend ultimately the gospel will go out as we
see of course through the act of the apostles and the ministry
of Paul in particular he is the apostle to the Gentiles and this revelation as it is
extensive so we also have to recognize It is that that is
internal. It is that that comes into the
souls of men. There's an illuminating of the
mind. The natural man receiveth not
the things of the Spirit of God. Their foolishness to him neither
can he know them because they're spiritually discerned. All the
light must shine in the darkness of the sinner's mind. The psalmist
says, in thy light shall we see light. Or there must be that inward revelation. That's
where the revelation must come. And of course, we know that that
was certainly the case with regard to the experience of Paul himself. Like Nicodemus wasn't Saul also a
master? In Israel he'd been scored at
the feet of one of the great Jewish rabbis, Gamaliel. He was
a Pharisee. He tells us he was the son of
a Pharisee, and yet his mind was in complete and utter darkness
until there was that inward revelation that came from God. Though he
speaks of it in some detail when he writes to the Galatians, there
in Galatians 1.11, he's speaking of the Gospel. I certify you, brethren, that
the Gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of
man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus
Christ." And he'll go on now to explain what the revelation
of Jesus Christ was to him. For
ye have heard of my conversation, my manner of living, in time
past in the Jews' religion, out of the unmeasure I persecuted
the church of God and wasted it, and profited in the Jews'
religion, above many my equals in mine own nation, being more
exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. But, when it pleased
God, who separated me from my mother's womb, and called me
by His grace to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him
among the heathen, immediately I conferred not with flesh and
blood. Neither went up to Jerusalem,
to them which were apostles before me." How personal it was to this
man. And it was the work of God, and
it was a revelation that took part, or took place I should
say, in the very depths of his soul. He pleased God, he says,
to reveal his Son in me. It was an inward revelation. Again, it's that truth that we
have in 2 Corinthians 4.6, that God who commanded the light to
shine out of darkness must shine in our hearts to give the light
of the knowledge of His glory, the glory of God, in the face
or in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Well, this is the light then
that is being spoken of, it's that light of God that is revealed
in him who is the only mediator between God and man revealed in the person of the
Lord Jesus Christ and the experience of a man like Saul of Tarsus
the enshining of the gospel but we're told men love darkness
rather than light Because their deeds were evil,
it says. For everyone that doeth evil
hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deed should
be reproved. All men don't want the light,
because it exposes what they really are. It exposes their
condition before God. They're in that state of alienation.
They're full of ignorance and blindness. See how Paul writes to the Ephesians,
there in Ephesians 5.13, All things that are reproved, he
says, are made manifest by the light. For whatsoever doth make
manifest is light. That's what the light does, it
reveals things, it shows things. for what they are it exposes
them it's interesting isn't it because the word reprove that
we have in that verse we have the alternative in the margin
discovered all things that are discovered are made manifest
by the light that's what the light does it exposes things and so here what does Paul say
with regard what does the Lord Jesus say with regards to men
in their natural condition as fallen sinners oh yes they were
or man himself was created in God's image the wonderful light
that was there in in Adam the light, the natural light the
rationality of his soul how remarkable a man he was naming all those
animals but then fallen and now his mind full of darkness and
ignorance. This is a condemnation, that
light is coming to the world and men love darkness rather
than light, because their deeds were evil. For everyone that
doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light,
lest his deeds should be reproved. And these are words of the Lord
Jesus, quite remarkable words, how cutting they are. as the
Lord describes what man is in his sinful rebellion against
God. And so, I want us to turn secondly
to consider more carefully why the light is so much hated. If that light is God, man is in this awful state, you
see, where he has no desire to know God. He's God's enemy. He's set himself against God.
Two things that I want us to observe with regards then to
the reason why the light is hated. First of all, there's the disposition
of man, and then secondly, there's the deeds of man. The Lord says, light is coming
to the world and men love darkness rather than light. That's man's
disposition. He loves darkness. His very nature, you see, is
sin. We're all born, aren't we, dead
in trespasses and sins, and now David And this is a man who is
spoken of as the man after God's own heart. What God does in the
heart of a man when he is pleased to visit that man in mercy and
grace and work salvation in his soul. But how David knew what
he was as a sinner before God. And how he has to acknowledge
and confess it there in Psalm 51. Behold, he says, I was shapen
in iniquity. and in sin did my mother conceive
me. Behold, thou desirest truth in
the inward parts, and in the hidden parts thou shalt make
me to know wisdom." We knew where the problem was. The problem
was his heart. The problem was the dreadful
darkness that enveloped all the man's soul. God desires truth
in the inward parts. And yet there was this gross
ignorance in David. And that's man, isn't it? The
guy in the language of Ephesians 4.18. I know in the context Paul is speaking
of the Gentiles. But it's true of Jew and Gentile,
really. Having the understanding darkened.
alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is
in them. Because of the blindness, the Mahajan says, the hardness
of their hearts. Look at the, look at the words
and the forcefulness that's brought out of the original there in
the authorized version. The strength of the language
that Paul is using. The understanding darkened, alienated. Ignorance. These strong words
that are used to describe what man is. He is so willful. He is so willful in his sinning. He doesn't want the light. Men
love darkness rather than light. So what does Him who is the light
of the world say concerning these men? He will not come unto them. that you might have life you
will not come unto me everyone that doeth evil hateth
the light neither cometh to the light this is man's disposition
he is so set against God and again The words of the Apostle,
I know he's quoting, he's quoting from the Old Testament, but it's
interesting, isn't it, what he does there in the third chapter
of Romans. Romans chapter 3 at verse 10
following. And of course, he's repeating
what we have previously in the Psalms, in Psalm 14 and Psalm
53. Man's condition, as it is written,
there is none righteous, no, not one. There is none that understandeth. There is none that seeketh after
God. They're all gone out of the way. They're together become
unprofitable. There is none that doeth good,
no, not one. Their throat is an open sepulcher.
With their tongues they have used deceit. The poison of asps
is under their lips, whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness.
Their feet are swift to shed blood. Destruction and misery
are in their ways. And the way of peace have they
not known? There is no fear of God before their eyes." That
long, long quotation that the Apostle makes. And so it's recorded
in the Psalms twice, it's recorded again there in that Epistle,
three times! Three times! And the threefold
cord says the preacher in Ecclesiastes is not easily broken. Well, true
it is. The carnal mind, enmity against
God, not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. That's man's disposition. He loves the darkness. He refuses
to come. Ye will not come unto me, says
the Lord Jesus. Now where is free will in all
of this? There's no free will. Because man's will is bound up
with what man is in his natural condition. He's in a state of alienation,
he's dead in trespasses and in sins. But the reason why the
light is hated isn't just a matter of the disposition, because the
emphasis here really falls upon his deeds. That's what's spoken of, isn't
it, here in verses 19 and 20. This is the condemnation. This
is the condemnation. Light is coming to the world,
and men love darkness rather than light, for a reason, because
their deeds were evil. For everyone that doeth evil
hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds
should be reproved, or lest his deeds should be recovered." Oh,
it's actual sins. It's actual sins. It's not just sin as a concept. It's the things that we do. Men
love darkness rather than light. Why? Because they want to cover
their sins. They want to hide their sins.
Job speaks of it, doesn't he? Turn back to the book of Job,
and there in chapter 24, Job 24, verse 15, The eye, also of the adulterer,
waiteth for the twilight, saying, No eye shall see me, and disguiseth
his face. In the dark they dig through
houses which they had marked for themselves in the daytime.
They know not the light, for the morning is to them even as
the shadow of death, if one knoweth him. they are in the terrors
of the shadow of death and what Job is saying there why the same
truth is declared in the book of Proverbs in Proverbs 7 verse
6 through to the end of the chapter you can read that portion there
in Proverbs men you see love the darkness because It gives
them opportunity to cover their sinful deeds. They imagine that
God doesn't see them. But of course, God is omniscient,
is all-knowing. Why? The darkness is as the light
with God. We cannot hide or conceal anything
from that eye that is all-seeing and all-searching. Well, look
at the exhortation then that Paul gives when he writes there
in the Ephesian epistle. You know, when we come to the
end of these letters of Paul, we have the practical part. He gives words of instruction,
words of command, words of exhortation. And the language that we have
there in Ephesians 5 and verse 11. Have no fellowship with the
unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. for
it is a shame even to speak of those things which are done of
them in secret. But all things that are reproved
are made manifest by the light, for whatsoever doth make manifest
is light, or were to be those who love the light." To be reproved,
you see, to be discovered. As I said here in verse 20, that's
what the margin gives us. These are the words of the Lord
Jesus. And remember, when we come to the last book of Scripture,
there in the Revelation, the opening chapter, John sees that
remarkable sight. He has a vision of the glorified
Christ. And it's a glorified Christ,
of course, that we are mindful of, surely, as we come to worship
Him. And what does John say as we have that description? Revelation
1.14, His eyes were as a flame of fire. His eyes a flame of
fire. Oh, the Lord's eyes, you see.
Oh, they penetrate into the very depths of our souls. They're
running to and fro through the whole earth. He sees us. He sees us as we are. He sees
us where we are. He knows everything about us.
There's nothing that we are able to conceal from Him. He is that
Word of God, that Word that is quick and powerful, sharper than
a two-edged sword, piercing to the dividing asunder of soul
and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, a discerner of the
thoughts and intents of the heart. Neither is there any creature
that is not manifest in His sight. All things are naked and open
to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. says the apostle. And men don't want that, they
don't want that light. Or they don't want dealings with
this one, the Lord Jesus Christ. But Nicodemus, Nicodemus comes
and we have this remarkable discourse recorded. And we see these two
characters, the one who hates the light. But there's another
character spoken of, isn't there? oh there's a but, the beginning
of verse 21 but he that doeth truth cometh to the light that his
deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God well
God willing I want us to come to consider that other character
this evening if the Lord will What of this man? He so loves,
he so loves the truth that he'll come to
the light. He wants to know that what he has is something real. Something in his soul that's
been wrought of God. It's that man after God's own
heart. It's David again, isn't it? He
doesn't just confess his ignorance. as a sinner, one
conceived in sin and shapen in iniquity, he also expresses his
great desire. There at the end of the 139th
Psalm, search me, O God, he says. Know my heart, try me, and know
my thoughts, and see if there be any wicked way in me, and
lead me in the way everlasting. O God, grant them that we might
rather be the character spoken of here in the 21st verse. And yet, those who certainly
be made aware of what we are by nature, even that awful character
spoken of in the previous 20th verse. Well, God willing we'll
come back to the portion tonight. The Lord be pleased to bless
His Word to us.