Kingsport Sovereign Grace Church,
located at 905 Yadkin Street in Kingsport, Tennessee, would
like to invite you to listen to a message of sovereign grace
by their pastor, Gabe Stoniker. And now, Pastor Gabe Stoniker. I invite you to turn with me
this morning to the Gospel of John, chapter 1, and I want to
begin reading in verse 29. It says, The next day John seeth
Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which
taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After
me cometh a man, which is preferred before me, for he was before
me. This is the third time that John
has said this. Back in verse 15 he said, John
bear witness of him and cried saying this was he of whom I
spake he that cometh after me is preferred before me for he
was before me and he also said it in verse 27 he it is who coming
after me is preferred before me whose shoes latch it I'm not
worthy to unloose and then he says in verse 29 behold the Lamb
of God which taketh away the sin of the world." Down in verse
36, it says, And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith,
Behold the Lamb of God. You know, it's almost like John
only has one thing to say. It's almost like he only has
one message. He does. There is one message
in everything we see in Scripture. And this is that message. I am
low and vile. He is higher than the heavens.
He is the great I am. He was before me. He always has
been. He always will be. He is holy. I'm not even worthy to tie his
shoes. I'm lower than the dust under
his feet. Don't look to me. Behold the
Lamb of God, the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.
Behold the Lamb of God. That's the message every time. Verse 31 says, and I knew him
not, but that he should be made manifest to Israel. Therefore
am I come baptizing with water. I knew him not. Ask John, you
know, I thought the two of you were cousins. John would say,
you're already thinking wrong about him. This is why I said
it three times. This is God manifest in the flesh
and no man knows him except who he reveals himself to. Verse
31, I knew him not, but that he should be made manifest to
Israel. Therefore am I come baptizing
with water. John was sent to prepare the
way for him. John was sent to prepare men
and women for him, and this is how he was commanded to do it.
Look back at Luke chapter 1. Luke chapter 1, verses 76 and
77 say this, and thou child, that's referring to John, thou
child shalt be called the prophet of the highest, for thou shalt
go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways. to give
knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their
sins. John was commanded to convince
men and women they were sinners. That's my commandment too. That's
how you prepare the way for salvation. I'm a sinner and you're a sinner. That's why John baptized in the
River Jordan. It was the river of death, the
river of sin. He told all who came, you've
got to go down under this water and acknowledge to everybody,
I deserve to die in my sins. We've got to get honest with
ourselves. I deserve to go all the way under. Every person who
lined up and came to John was confessing, I'm a sinner. And then the next one would come
and confess, I'm a sinner. An old preacher said, religion
is trying to get everybody saved. You know, come on over here,
we'll get you saved. He said, I'm trying to get somebody
lost. Instead of hearing somebody say,
well, I got saved. My son, he got saved. I'd rather
hear somebody say, I got lost. My son, he's lost. Why do I say
that? It's because the word, the lamb,
the Christ came to seek and to save that which was lost. It's
a good thing to be lost. That's the only way you can be
found. The song says, amazing grace, how sweet the sound that
saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm
found, was blind, now I see. John said in verse 31 that he,
the Lamb, should be made manifest. John says, that's why I'm telling
everybody, confess your sin. Confess your sin to God, not
to any priest, to God. Matthew 4, verse 17 says, from
that time Jesus began to preach and to say, repent, for the kingdom
of heaven is at hand. That's what our Lord preached.
That's what John preached. By God's grace and by his message
given to me, that's what I'll preach. The text in John chapter
one, verse 32 says, John bear record saying, I saw the spirit
descending from heaven like a dove and it abode upon him. And I
knew him not, but he that sent me to baptize with water, the
same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending
and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the
Holy Ghost." John bear record. This event has been recorded
in the Word of God. It's been on record since the
days of Isaiah. If you have your Bibles open,
turn with me to Isaiah chapter 11. Verses one and two say this,
there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse and
a branch shall grow out of his roots and the spirit of the Lord
shall rest upon him. the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge, and
of the fear of the Lord. Who is that talking about? The
Lord Jesus Christ. Turn over with me to Isaiah chapter
42. Verse one says, behold my servant. whom I uphold, mine elect, in
whom my soul delighteth. I have put my Spirit upon him. He shall bring forth judgment
to the Gentiles." Who is that talking about? The Lord Jesus
Christ. John said, I'm bearing witness
of that record right now. He said, I saw the invisible
Spirit of God. How does somebody see something
that's invisible? I thought about the Apostle Paul. The Lord brought
him up to the third heaven, and he said, I heard things that
are not possible to say. John is saying, I saw things
that are not possible to see. How can these things be? That's
impossible. With God, all things are possible. Turn over with me now to 2 Corinthians
chapter 4. 2 Corinthians chapter 4 verse 18
says, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at
the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen
are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. We see this with the eyes of
faith and we believe it. John said, I saw the spirit of
God. It descended on him and it stayed
there. It abode upon him. It stayed there because it's
his spirit. It belongs to him. He said, I
and my father are one. And the Holy Spirit of God is
his spirit. It's the Spirit of the Lord Jesus
Christ and He gives it to whomever He will, whoever He wants to.
Listen to John chapter 20. John 20 verse 22 says, And when
He had said this, He breathed on them and said unto them, Receive
ye the Holy Ghost. It's His to give. He giveth it
to whosoever He will. Well, our text in John 1, verse
34, John said, I saw and bear record. That's all a true witness
can do. If a man is a true witness, that's
all he can do is tell what he's seen. John said, I saw and bear
record this is the Son of God. This man came from God. This man is God. And then in verse 35 it says,
again, the next day after, John stood and two of his disciples,
and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the
Lamb of God. And the two disciples heard him
speak, and they followed Jesus. John just lost his two disciples.
You know this has to be of God. Man by nature, sinful flesh,
he would never want to give up a follower. Never. And they were
following John, but they weren't really. They followed John to
hear him talk about the Messiah. And finally, John said, there
he is. There he is. The one men and
women have been praying for, studying, writing about for,
for 4,000 years. There He is. Follow Him. Follow Him. The Apostle Paul
said, Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ. We're all following Him together. The text, verse 37, says, The
two disciples heard Him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then
Jesus turned and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek
ye? What seek ye? It's not that our Lord didn't
know what they wanted. He knows the thoughts of the
heart of every person there. He was asking them for their
sake. What seek ye? He asked Adam when he was hiding
from the Lord, where are you, Adam? He knew where he was. He asked Cain right after he
killed Abel, Cain, where is your brother? And now he's asking
these two men, what seek ye? What he's saying is examine yourselves. Examine yourselves. Get to the
heart of it. What seek ye? I want to examine myself. Why am I here? Why do I do this? What do I seek? Ask yourself. Ask yourself deep in your own
heart. Why do I go to church? Why? Why do you go to church? Have
you ever asked yourself that question? Why? What do you want? What is your goal? What seek
ye? This is worth examining ourselves
over. Why do I go? Why do I go? Is it because I've always gone?
Or is it some other reason? Look at John chapter 2 with me.
Verse 23 says, Now when he was in Jerusalem at the Passover,
in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the
miracles which he did. But Jesus did not commit himself
unto them, because he knew all men, and needed not that any
should testify of man. For he knew what was in man, Am I here just looking for a
miracle? Am I here just because I need something new in my life?
I need a change in my life? Really? What seek ye? What do I seek? Turn with me
over to John chapter 6 and look at verse 26 with me. It says,
Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you,
You seek me not because you saw the miracles, but because you
did eat of the loaves and were filled." They came to him saying,
Lord, we're followers of you. And he said, no, you're not.
No, you're not. The only reason you follow me
is to get your belly filled. Oh, man. Do I follow him just for what
I can get out of him? I need to examine myself. We both do. Do I follow him just
for what I can get out of him? Think about that. Am I here just
to get my belly filled? Honestly. Do I go just because it makes
my conscience feel better? Am I here just because everybody
else is here? Everybody else is doing it. What
seek ye? Look here in John chapter six,
verse 66. From that time, many of his disciples
went back and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto
the 12, will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him,
Lord, to whom shall we go? Thou hast the words of eternal
life. You possess what we seek. We
seek you and your words of eternal life. Thou hast the words of
eternal life. To whom shall we go?" Back in our text, John 1, verse
38 says, Then Jesus turned and saw them following, and said
unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, which
is to say, being interpreted, Master, where dwellest thou? Lord, we want to know where you
live. Lord, we want to know where you
stay, where you dwell. David said, As the heart, the
deer, panteth after the water brooks, so panteth my soul after
thee, O God. Ask a true believer, a true follower,
a true lover of the Lord Jesus Christ, what seek ye? His or her answer will be, it's
not a what that I seek, it's a who. I want Jesus Christ. I want him. I love him. I need Him. I want to be with
Him where He is. I want to live with Him. It's not about heaven. It's not
about streets of gold. I want to live with Him. He is heaven. Wherever He is,
that is heaven. I want to abide with Him wherever
that is. Whether he's on a street of gold
or a dirt road, I want him. Whether he's made me strong as
an ox or I spend the rest of my life in a wheelchair, I need
him. Whether I'm 200 pounds or 60
pounds, I need him. It's not about health, it's not
about wealth, and it's not about happiness. I want him. I seek
him. Verse 38, then Jesus turned and
saw them following and saith unto them, what seek ye? They
said unto him, rabbi, which is to say being interpreted master,
where dwellest thou? He said unto them, come and see. Come and see. Our Lord said, seek and you will
find. If you seek miracles, you'll
find them. If you seek self-satisfaction,
self-gratification, you'll find it. And if you seek Christ, if you
seek Him, Him, you'll find Him. Verse 39, he saith unto them,
come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt
and abode with him that day, for it was about the 10th hour.
Can you imagine how happy they were that day? Can you imagine? There's a song that says, Oh,
happy day that fixed my choice on thee, my savior and my God. He brought them into the place
where he was staying. He brought them into his quarters. He brought them into his inner
chamber. He entertained them. They'd been
listening to John talk about him, trying to describe him.
You know they weren't in there five minutes before they looked
at each other and said, the half wasn't told. The half wasn't
told. They walked with him. They talked
with him. You know what he told them? They
were his own. And the joy they shared as they
tarried there, none other has ever known. They got to spend
a whole day with no interruptions talking to God. It turned into
three years. What do you want? Lord, we want
you. You've got me. Verse 39, he saith unto them,
come and see. David said in Psalm 34, taste
and see. Taste and see that the Lord is
good. Do you want to know what salvation
is? Dear listener, do you want to know what salvation is? Have
you been trying to find it? Have you been looking for it?
What seek ye? People talk about getting saved.
Do you want to know what salvation really is? It's union with Jesus
Christ. It's abiding with Him. It's a living union with him. It's a dying union with him in
him in his death. It's him. Salvation is him. Salvation is a person. It's not a thing. It's not an
idea. It's not an understanding. It
is not a doctrine. It is a person. And His glorious name is the
Lord Jesus Christ. Come and see. Verse 39 says,
They came and saw where He dwelt and abode with Him that day,
for it was about the tenth hour. They abode with Him. I want to
give you a poem that well describes this difference in seeking religion
and seeking the Lord. This poem is written in Old English,
but let's see if the Lord will let us enter into it. It says,
Once it was the blessing, now it is the Lord. Once it was the
feeling, now it is his word. Once his gifts I wanted, now
the giver own. Once I sought for healing, now
himself alone. Once t'was painful trying, now
t'is perfect trust. Once a half salvation, now the
uttermost. Once t'was ceaseless holding,
now he holds me fast. Once t'was constant drifting,
now my anchor's cast. Once t'was busy planning, now
t'is trustful prayer. Once t'was anxious caring, now
he has the care. Once t'was what I wanted, now
what Jesus says. Once t'was constant asking, now
t'is ceaseless praise. Once it was my working, his it
hence shall be. Once I tried to use him, and
now he uses me. Once the power I wanted, now
the mighty one. Once for self I labored, now
for him alone. Once I hoped in Jesus, Now I
know He's mine. Once my lamps were dying, now
they brightly shine. Once for death I waited, now
His coming hail. And my hopes are anchored, save
within the veil. What seek ye? What seek me? What do we seek? What do we seek
in all of this? May the Lord God give us a heart
to say it's Christ. It's Christ. It's Christ I seek. Christ alone. What is salvation about? It's
about Christ. It's about His will. It's about
His purpose. It's about His blood. I seek
His blood. I need His blood. That's what
I need. I need Him. There's a song that says, Jesus
Christ is made to be all I need. All I need. Christ is all I need. Until next Sunday morning, may
the Lord bless His Word. You have been listening to a
message by Gabe Stoniker, pastor of Kingsport Sovereign Grace
Church in Kingsport, Tennessee. If you would like a copy of this
message or to hear other messages of Sovereign Grace, you can write
to our physical mailing address at 905 Yadkin Street, Kingsport,
Tennessee 37660 or log on to our website at kingsportsovereigngracechurch.com. If you would like to come and
worship with us, our service times are Sunday morning Bible
study at 10 o'clock a.m., worship at 10.45 a.m., and 6 o'clock
p.m. Wednesday evening at 7.30 p.m. Please tune in next Sunday morning
at 8.30 for another message of God's free and sovereign grace.