We're going to be, once again,
in the book of 1 John this morning. And we're going to kind of review
a little bit of some thoughts from last time. But we're going
to be in the second verse primarily today. But to start with, I'd
like to read the first four verses here of 1 John. It says, That
which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we
have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our
hands have handled, of the word of life. For the life was manifested,
and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that
eternal life which was with the Father, and was manifested unto
us. That which we have seen and heard
declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with
us, and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with
his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto
you, that your joy may be full. And last time we looked at the
first verse and we looked at the first word in the first verse,
that word that, and it speaks of our Lord Himself,
but it speaks of a lot of, there's a lot to that word that's mentioned
in here. It's from the beginning, it speaks,
and we see that He created all things by the word of His power,
that He was, we're going to read a couple of places that we started
with. that which we, from the beginning,
and the beginning, a couple of beginnings that we looked into,
the beginning as Genesis speaks of in creation started, and beginning
that they held Him and had Him in their presence, that they
beheld and have handled, it says of the Word of Life, that beginning
of when He was on earth and when He was
in His human form amongst them, that they had that. And realizing,
as he showed them and as he shows us, that he was not just the
man that come and was born, that was spoken of in all of the scriptures
from the beginning we have all through it speaks of him. And
as the Old Testament speaks of one that's coming, that one that
was coming was that one that was from the beginning, and it
was not a new entity, as it were. He was the third person of the
Trinity from eternity past, and he was incarnate, and it said,
as God with us, and that that sounds like a simple phrase,
but there's quite a bit to that, that God that came down in the
flesh, and that takes God revealing some things to us to have an inkling of what that's
speaking of and those things. But I'd like to read, once again, before we get into
today's, but kind of as a little bit of a review, but in the book
of Hebrews, the first chapter, in a couple of places, to start
with, Hebrews first chapter, starting with verse one, it says,
God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners spake at time
past 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 worlds. who being the brightness
of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding
all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself
purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the majesty
on high, being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by
inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they. And in these
few verses here, it says that in time past God spoke by the
prophets, but now by His Son. And indeed, we have to realize
that when He spoke by the prophets, it was Him speaking. then, and
now in the flesh they had him. And as it says here, it was not
just a man coming that knew a few things, but it said, the brightness
of his glory expressed image of his person when he had And then the last
phrase, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down in
the right hand of the majesty on high. And so in this few verses,
the gospel is there, of who it's speaking about, who's speaking,
what he has to say, and that he's the one that was foretold
in all of the Old Testament, that he's coming and by him,
the sin would be taken care of. He had a people that he was coming
to deliver, and he indeed would save the people from their sins. And this is the one that John's
speaking of, the one that they had in their midst and they had
with them. They understood a little bit
of what who it was in their midst and he had to reveal that to
them. And even after revealing some things to them, they still,
it's spiritually taught and known and not human. There was many
people that he was in their midst that they had no idea who he
was. And unless he revealed himself to them, they did not. It was
special that they're in 1 John, where it says that they handled
the word of life, had him in their midst. in a way that the old fathers
didn't have him in their midst. They didn't have, they foretold
about him, but this, when he came, they actually had this
one in their midst. And it's quite a bit to wrap
your mind around that this is actually God with him, not a
representative of God, but God himself. in taking on not only
human flesh, but that nature that without sin, but that nature
that he must have to be the mediator between God and man. He had to
be very God and very man and that's that's a concept that
It makes no sense to human nature and human minds unless you reveal
that but this is the this is the one that that was with them
that they that John is speaking about that And that was the one that John
says he's declaring in this, and that the gospel declares
that fellowship with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ.
And that is what we're gonna see through
the rest of this book of 1 John. That word was, that word was not different than
what they heard before. The word of life was that same
word that from Genesis 1, 1 on through the Old Testament that
they declared. There was not another one. There
was not a There was not a God that was delivering His people
in the Old Testament, and then the New Testament, Christ comes,
something is different. It's not. It's the same. It's
the same. And Christ Himself, remember
the two on the road to Manasseh in Luke chapter 24, and they
said, Oh, fools are slow of heart to believe all that the prophets
had said concerning me. That's who they were concerning.
And that's what we've seen in Leviticus. That's who we're going
to see in the rest of Judges. That's what we see of all the
scriptures that we we go through and all the the books that we've
been that Norma's brought studies and sermons, lessons on in the
Old Testament. That's someone's coming. And that's that's what it deals
with. All of that. It wasn't a religious
system that was taught. And then someone's coming to
all those things that they had. were a foreshadow and a picture
and a type of the one that was coming and what he was going
to do and accomplish for his people. So that's the same was
in the beginning, verse 1 through 4 in the book of John. Let me
read that. We're going to be in the book
of John a little bit, but in the first few verses of the gospel,
according to John chapter one, it says, in the beginning was
the word. The word was with God and the
word was God. The same was in the beginning
with God, and all things were made by him, and without him
was not anything made that was made. In him was life, and the
life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness,
and the darkness comprehended it not." This states again what it says
in 1 John, and what it says in Hebrews. It speaks about this
one that was with them, that was in the flesh, God with us,
that He was God from eternity. He was creator from eternity.
He was not a laid on the scene representative of God. This was
the eternal God. And those things are, we can
read over them pretty fast sometimes, but what they entail and what
they speak to is, is only shown us by God himself. We can't comprehend or understand.
We can understand the meaning of the words, the English language
of them, or the Hebrew or the Greek that we have translations
in books that we can look to for study, but those only shed
some light, but not the spiritual light on it. God has to make
that make that connection from what we can comprehend in our
mind to what we cannot, and he has to reveal those things to
us. And so that is where we're starting
in 1 John. Let me go back there again. In 1 John 1, That first lesson that we looked
at was that word, and that word being our Lord Himself. And moving
on to a little broader look at the first through four verses there
in verse two. And today's look at this, I'd
like to entitle The Life Revealed. the life revealed. In verse two,
again, it says, for the life was manifested and we have seen
it, and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which
was with the Father and was manifested unto us. That verses, again, reading the
words of it is not hard, but the life was manifested. It said,
show unto you that eternal life which was with the Father and
was manifested unto us. And we're going to look at a
few places in the scripture that speak to this and speak to that
eternal life that they were that he's John is speaking of, and
that's the, it says that we declare unto you eternal life that was with the
father in the beginning. And in John, the gospel of John
again, And in John chapter 1, and we're going to read a few
verses and then kind of connect him together. Verse 14 of John chapter 1 says,
And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld
His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,
full of grace and truth. They beheld his glory, it says,
and the word was made flesh and dwelt among us. And that's what
in 1 John he's referring to, that he was with them, was among
them. And back up just a little bit here,
and it says, He was in the world,
verse 10, and was made by Him. The world knew Him not. 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. which were born, not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of
God." And then it says, the Word was made flesh and dwell among
us. We beheld His glory as the glory of the only begotten of
the Father, full of grace and truth. And then verse 29 of the
same chapter, 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. And a couple of things here.
It speaks in, And those that received him, it said, gave him
power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on
his name. And people stopped there in that verse. Very important, continue to—there's
a colon there. It's not a period there. that
it's not, and people in common religion, so-called Bible-believing
religion, says, you have to believe on him. Do you believe on him?
Yeah. Well, then you're good to go. No, it says here, it says, gave them power to become
the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name, which
were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of
the will of man, but of God. And then it goes on and speaks
to him down here, and as the word made flesh. But here the
believing is not the men believing and then you're good to go. This
is not done by man's will, it says, or flesh or blood or by
man's will. God is the one active one here. God is the one that makes that
belief in that name and what that entails and stands for. It's not a you believe and then
God's going to take care of business here. No. If God has not taken
care of business, it is not going to get taken care of. there in several places when
it speaks of that same thing, that must be born again. And that meaning of that is must
be born from above and not be born of our own self or our own
willing or doing. Let's see, I'm going to go to I want to go to, while we're
in John here, just a minute. Let's see where
I'm going to go to. Let's go to John chapter 15. And on the way there, stop at
John chapter three. On the way, on the way by John,
stop at John chapter three. And we're going to read just
a little bit here. Chapter three, starting with the verse one.
It says, there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a
ruler of the Jews. The same came to Jesus by night
and said unto him, 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. Jesus answered and said unto
him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born again,
he cannot see the kingdom of God. Nicodemus said unto him,
How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second
time into his mother's womb and be born? Jesus answered, Verily,
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of
the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which
is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the spirit
is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto you,
ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth,
and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it
cometh and whither it goeth. So is every one that is born
of the spirit. Nicodemus answered and said unto
these, How can these things be? And Jesus answered and said unto
him, Art thou a master of Israel? knowest not these things? Verily,
verily, I say unto you, we speak that we do know and testify that
we have seen, and ye receive not our witness. If I told you
earthly things and you believe not, how shall we believe if
I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to
heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of
Man which is in heaven. And a couple of thoughts here
that it says here. except a man be born again, he
cannot see the kingdom of God. And people will read that and
say, now, do you believe or do you not believe? And is a foolish question of a man
because they don't, they cannot understand those things. It says
here in verse five, He asked him if he can be born again after
he's old, which in a natural sense is You know, I mean, he's saying,
but that is, I don't understand this, that doesn't make any sense.
And it goes on to say, verily, verily, verse five, Jesus answered
and said, verily, verily, except a man be born of water and of
the spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom. That which is born
of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the spirit is
spirit. And that which by religion calls
itself born again is, as it said, it's born of the flesh, not the
physical birth of a baby, but of a religious experience or
someone claiming or claiming that someone is a believer because
they said so. And that is not the new birth.
The new birth is by God coming on a person. And it's a new,
it's a birth again. It's a birth from above, has
to be born from above. And it is, it says here, it's
not something you can see. It's not something that you can,
watch happening. But it says that is this like
the wind does what it is going to go and do what it does. And
the spirit is that way, everyone that is born of the spirit. And
so it's not, it's not a flesh born again, it's not, it's not
born of the flesh as it's as it says here. And, and then on
over to john chapter 15. There's much spoken about this
by our Lord and by the prophets indeed in the Psalms and in the
New Testament, but I'd like to look at a couple places in John
chapter 15. It speaks about, to hear about that the vine and the branches and
have to be engrafted in the vine, as the life is in the vine. And then verse 26 says, It says, but when the Comforter
is come, I will send unto you, whom the Father, even the Spirit
of truth, what's proceeded from the Father, he shall testify
of me, and also shall bear witness, because you have been with me
from the beginning. And here speaking about the Comforter,
the Spirit of truth, it says, from the Father, the Comforter,
which proceeded from the Father, testify of me, and ye also shall
bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning."
That speaks to what John says in 1 John, the one that he held
with them. And the Comforter was going to
come, it says, and testify of him. The Spirit doesn't testify
of other things. It doesn't testify of itself.
The testify of the Spirit is of the Lord Himself, is of the
Savior. And then verse 13 of chapter 16, and bear
with me here, starting with verse 12, it says, I have yet many
things to say unto you, but you cannot bear them now. How be
it when He, the Spirit of truth has come, the Comforter, He will
guide you into all truth, for he shall not speak of himself,
but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak, and he will
show you things to come. He shall glorify me, for he shall
receive of mine and shall show it unto you. All things that
the Father hath are mine, therefore saith I that he shall take of
mine and show it unto you. in this, this speaks to what
he said to those two on the road to Emmaus, those things that
that the Spirit testifies of, and it says that the those things
of the the Son, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit will
be testified of those things, and that take of mine and show
it to you, and the Spirit will do that. And it says, The Spirit
shall not speak of himself, but that whatsoever he shall hear,
that shall he speak, and will show you things to come. And
when persons are saying and speaking of the Spirit, what it may come
and do, speaking in the Spirit, whatever they may try to tie
to the Holy Spirit and the Comforter, If it is not testifying of the
Lord, there's a problem there. If the Spirit is testifying of
anything else other than Him, it will testify of our Lord and
the Father as one. And we're going to look at a
little bit that speaks to that. If it speaks to those things,
it's going to testify of the Father and the Son and the oneness
that we have with our Savior. But the testimony is not of himself
or other entities. It's of the Lord. It shall speak
to him and shall glorify him in the work that we have. That
life which is revealed, that life is revealed is our Savior
and that eternal life that he brings about to his people and
for his people. And in chapter 17, of John, chapter 17, starting
with the first verse and reading down a bit. It says, These words
spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes to heaven and said, Father,
the hour has come. Glorify thy son, that thy son
also may glorify thee, as thou hast given him power over all
flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast
given him. And this is eternal life. that
they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom
Thou hast sent." Stop for just a second there. It said, "...that Thy Son might
glorify Thee, and has given Him power over all flesh, that He
should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him."
And just for a thought there, it's not a universal no matter
what and who type of eternal life is spoken here. This is
to as many as thou hast given him. And we don't know that number,
but it is a number, and it is a definite number. There are
those that were given to him, given to our Lord, and those
that he has died for, would die for in the Old Testament, as
it speaks to, and has died for, He knows those, that's a number
that was given to him, and not a universal atonement to just
whoever, but to those who have been given to him. And this is
eternal life to those that were given to him, that they might
know thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast
sent. That's what eternal life, it
says here, and that is whatever else may be included in that,
that we might know the only true God and Jesus Christ whom he
has sent. And that is only done by that
new birth, that revelation of God to his people. It can't be
known otherwise. the things that we look into
in messages that are preached or lessons and passages that
are looked to, if God is not at work and delivering that message
himself to his people, we can know the words of it, but we
cannot know any deeper than that. And that's what we pray as we
approach the Word, to study that Word and to compare other scriptures
and put things together in that way that he show us what is there
and show us himself in these things and not just knowledge
packed away to no purpose, and if He doesn't
reveal these things to us, we can't reveal it to ourselves
or to each other. And then on there, on verse four
and going down a bit, it says, I have glorified thee on the
earth. I have finished the work that thou gavest me to do. And
now, O Father, glorify Thou me with Thine own self, with the
glory which I had with Thee before the world was. I have manifested
Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest me out of the world. Thine
they were, and Thou gavest them me, and they have kept Thy word. Verse 7, Now they have known
all things whatsoever Thou hast given me are of Thee. For I have
given unto them the words which thou gavest me, they have received
them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they
have believed that thou didst send me." And these things where
it says, they have believed and they have known, those things
we have known, those are not by flesh and blood revealed.
Those are believed and known by His revealing those things
to us. And that is, in this passage
here, it speaks directly to what in 1st John he's saying, that
one that they've held in their hands, this is the one that Christ
himself is speaking in prayer for for the church, for his people
here, and that speaks of him being with the Father in glory
before the world was. And those things that, it speaks
to that. Very few verses there to start
with in 1 John. And then, let me make sure I got the right
spot I wanna go to next. Okay, in the Book of Acts, this one that is being spoken
of, that John says this is who we declare, this is the one that
we're speaking of that our joy may be full in these things.
In Acts chapter 4, speaking of the one that was healed. But starting in verse 10 of Acts
chapter 4, it says, Be it known to you all and to all the people
of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom
you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him does
this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which
was set at naught of you builders, which has become the head of
the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other, for there
is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must
be saved." And they were told to not ever preach in that name
again. But our Lord, the one that was spoken of before, and
the prophets, the one they had record of, it says, the one that
they Said it not, it says, and he's become the head of the corner,
and there's salvation in none other name under heaven, given
among men, whereby we must be saved. And it's in that one that
they beheld and that they held in their hands. And then also
in the same chapter, It says, verse 19, and after
they commanded him not to teach in Jesus' name anymore, verse
19, Peter and John answered and said unto them, whether it be
right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than God,
judge ye. For we cannot but speak the things
which we have seen and heard. And they had seen and heard physically
and spiritually, who they were preaching and who they were speaking
of and how things were done by whose power. And the same is
today. Those things that cannot speak it says the things
but which we have seen and heard and that you can only give that
what you have if you have not and we pray God that that he
does give that to us at all times and and then Verse 2, a couple of thoughts,
and we're going to end for today and revisit this second verse. But John, or God, placed verse
2 in the parentheses, not that it could be set aside, but that
verse 2 explains, I believe, or describes the oneness of the
Godhead and the Word of life. and eternal life, that eternal
life which was with the Father and was shown unto us." He says,
they're saying that, but it has been shown unto us. And then
as we have been, turn to 1 John again in the fifth
chapter of 1 John. Let me turn back there. In the 20th verse of 1 John 5,
it says, And we know that the Son of God has come and hath
given us an understanding that we may know Him that is true.
And we are in Him that is true, even in His Son, Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal
life. And again, that's only done by
God's will, and He must do that. We're gonna stop for now. We're gonna be back and revisit
this verse two and some thoughts on it next time. Thank you for
your attention today.