It just kind of continued to stick on my mind. And I think there was a little more to pull out of these passages in John 3. I want to go ahead and turn back to John chapter 3. Are we good there? John chapter 3, back where we was last week, the last couple weeks. Really kind of wanted to speak a little more on this and possibly bring out a little more of this Christ being the testimony or being the testifier of God, being the faithful witness of God. John chapter three, I'm gonna start reading at verse 31. And we'll read down to verse 36 again.

It says, he that cometh from above is above all and he that is of the earth is earthly and speaketh of the earth. He that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth, 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 hath 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. Now, we have spent the last few weeks talking about this testimony, and how that the belief of the testimony specifically there in verse 33, sets to the seal that God is true. It is the affirmation or the confirmation that what God has said about himself and about salvation is true, that And again, the context, I wanna bear that out more and more and more, that the context here is the first part of John chapter three.

Remember, Nicodemus came to Jesus and Jesus told him, he said, you know, except a man be born of God, he cannot see, he cannot enter into the kingdom of heaven, that you have to be born again. that Nicodemus had all this information about Messiah and about the Christ, the anointed one from the Old Testament.

He was a Pharisee. He was a teacher of the people. He was a leader among the Jews. And so he had all this knowledge of the Old Testament and what it said about Christ and Messiah and even in his discord with Jesus, he even said, He said, 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.

I mean, they could see what Jesus was doing and was equating that because we already know that, and we see that even in our context here. They'd even come to John once before and asked John, are you that man, are you, That prophet, speaking of Christ as the Messiah, is, are you the one that's to come? And John was saying, no, I'm not him. And then he pointed them to him.

And so we see that the context here is that you cannot know, you cannot understand, you cannot believe the testimony except you be born again. So you have to be born again to believe the testimony. So there is more proof here, as we've talked about the last few weeks, that quickening has to precede faith and repentance. You cannot believe, you cannot repent, Unless you are already born from above and if you are born from above that means you have already been saved because the only ones that have been given eternal life are the ones who were ordained to eternal life and the ones who were ordained to eternal life and to believe were the sheep or the sons or the children of God and Those are the ones the Bible says that Jesus died for Now I won't rehash all that I wanted to look further into these passages but deal mostly about Christ is the one it says here that is the testimony.

It says, he that cometh from above is above all and he that cometh from heaven is above all. And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth that no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony is said to conceal that God is true. For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God. Christ is the testimony and he is the subject of the testimony. That's what I desire to put forth today. Now, number one in verse 31, what do we see there? Well, we see that the witness is divine because the origin is divine.

He that cometh from above is above all. He that cometh from heaven is above all. Okay? He that cometh from above is above all. And so his testimony, whatever this testimony is that he is delivering is above all other testimonies. It is the testimony of testimonies and it is the divine testimony because it comes from heaven.

It's not a testimony that was learned. Look at verse 32. And what he has seen and heard that he testifies. So this isn't something that Jesus learned. It isn't something that Jesus was schooled on. He learned that or he speaks that and he testifies of that because it is divine and he comes from heaven.

He is giving you the firsthand account. He's not giving you the secondhand account. What are we doing? What am I doing today? I'm giving you a secondhand account or a third hand account. Okay, God has testified through the mouth of Jesus, and then Jesus testified to those apostles who wrote it down in this book, and now through this book and through the Spirit's teaching, then I received that, and now I'm delivering it unto you. So that's third-hand account. Okay, so Jesus is the first-hand account. Why? Because he is God. He is he who was from the beginning.

He is the one, and we'll get into this, I hope, as we, and this becomes more clear as we move through some of these verses, that he didn't learn this, although there is verbiage that the Bible uses for anthropologic, I never can say that, for man's understanding, okay? He uses that in our vernacular, but God cannot God doesn't learn anything. He knows all things. He's most wise. He's the most wise God. He knows all things.

So Jesus isn't learning something whenever it says that he has learned of the father. It isn't that he's sitting at the feet of the father and the father is teaching him all these things because he doesn't know that. No, that is just a figure of speech.

It's just a way that we understand that Christ in his office as mediator is delivering the message of the invisible God. Christ is delivering the words of the invisible God. He is the exact image of the invisible God. Christ is the testimony about God. Therefore, Christ is the revealer, whether vocal or whether visual. He is the revealer of the unknown invisible God.

So it continues on. in the thesis that we have been speaking about for quite a long time around here, that he is the image of the invisible God, that all of who God is, Father, Word, and Spirit, is in Christ Jesus. It's not three separate, distinct, individual persons. It's one God. And that one God has revealed himself as the Father, the Word, and the Spirit in Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is manifesting those testimonies of heaven to us. He is the mediator between God and man. And he is mediating who God is and what God has done on our behalf, for us. His testimony then is the testimony of God. For he whom God has sent speaketh the words of God. So whenever Jesus spoke all these words to these men and these women, those were God's words. Now some would say that's because Jesus is the second person of the Trinity and he was listening to the first person of the Trinity and got his marching orders and then he came and did this.

And I don't mean to get off on a rabbit trail and I don't mean to be facetious or anything like that, but let's just think about that for just a minute, brethren. What does that say? That now has dissected the Godhead for one, and the Godhead is one. It's unified, right? The Godhead is one God, one testimony, and it's found in one person, Jesus Christ.

But if we say that Jesus, the second person, goes to the first person to get all of his information and marching orders, now that second person is not equal to the first person. He is subordinate. He is now receiving something that he didn't know. So he couldn't be God because the Bible says that God knows all things. He's omniscient. The Bible says known unto God are all his works. But if Jesus didn't know those works and he had to go to the first person in the Trinity to get that information so he could go and then take that information and relay that to us, then Jesus isn't equal to God, he isn't God.

No, these are words that is written in man's vernacular But if we look at the context of scripture and the theology of who God is and who Christ is, we find out the reason he speaks the words of God is because he is God. And I think we'll see that as we move forward. But look at what verse 33 says. He that hath received his testimony hath said to his seal that God is true. So whenever one receives this testimony, it affirms the receiving of the testimony. Whenever we receive this testimony that Christ has said or displayed, that affirms, will affirm to everyone that we speak to, it will affirm to them that what God said is true.

But it also affirms the fact that we belong to him, because Jesus has said, no man can understand this, no man can reason this, no man can think this, believe this, love this, except he be of God. He has to be born from above, as we've seen it last week in John. Let me just read it one real quick, you don't have to turn there. 1 John 5 1, whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.

So that is an affirmation that God is true in what his testimony is. His testimony is as my testimony is not believed by natural man, it's only believed by my sheep. So whenever we believe on that, not only are we affirming what Christ said is true, But we are also in experience showing that what Christ has said is true. It's because we wouldn't believe that unless we were his sheep. See, there's a difference. One is the fact of the matter. The second is the explanation of the matter or the evidence of the matter. See, we are affirming what Christ is saying.

I believe that only those who believe in Christ are his sheep. and that is because they are his sheep, and because he has quickened them, and he has given them eternal life. That's the only reason they believe, and that's the only ones who will believe. It's not an offer or a reasoning. It's not something that we are trying to convince people of, or debate people into, or scare people into. No, it is a gift of God. Faith is a gift of God.

So believing that testimony affirms what he says is true to everybody else. I'm affirming that that is true. But brethren, the setting to the seal is us affirming or showing, authenticating that what Christ did say is true because that man wouldn't be believing that except he'd be born again. So that is confirming that, okay?

So Christ's testimony being received affirms, but whenever we deny that testimony, we're not just denying a doctrine, we're not just denying a teaching. If we deny that testimony, we are denying God himself because Christ is the testimony. And so to deny the testimony, that's why we say, back here, one more time, in 1 John, it says here, whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Okay? If we believe that Jesus is the Christ, we are born of God.

If we go down a little bit further, it says, if we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater for this is the witness of God, which he hath testified of his son. He that believeth on the son of God hath the witness in him. He that believeth not God hath made him a liar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his son.

So the record that God gives to Christ to be the testimony of is of himself. So Christ is testifying of himself, but Christ is telling us that he is testifying of the Father. He's not testifying of someone outside of himself, separate from himself. I hope I'm making that clear, clear as mud at least. The testimony of Christ is the testimony of the Father, but the Father is telling us that the testimony that he is testifying of, that he has given to the Son to testify, is the testimony of Christ. So Christ is not only the testifier, but the one that is the testimony. It's him.

He 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 gave of his son. And this is the record that God has 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 of God hath not life. So if we deny the testimony of Christ, We are denying Christ. And if we're denying Christ, we're denying God because Christ is God. God has made it very clear. The Father has testified that the testimony is of Christ.

So for us to give the testimony, someone say, well, you know, remember that one internet guy that kind of was dragging me through the dirt, calling me a unlearned and unlettered preacher. who was saying that, yo, we got to have the whole testimony. You know, all they preach is Christ and Him crucified, imputed righteousness. That's all they preach is that. They don't preach the whole testimony of the book. You know, they don't preach this or that or this or that, and then told everybody if they go to Him, He would definitely preach them all that stuff, right?

Well, if you remember, the Bible says in the volume of the book, it speaks of In other words, what's that saying? And the volume of the book could also be translated, the testimony of the book, right? Or the witness of the book. The witness of the book is Christ.

The testimony is always Christ. The testimony isn't anything else but Christ. So whatever we get into, whatever passages we go to, it's gonna be the testimony of Christ. He is the testimony. He is the one who was testifying about the testimony, which the testimony was himself. So Christ was testifying of himself. But whenever he is testifying of himself, he was also testifying of the father because the father is the one who gave him the testimony But the testimony that the Father gave was the testimony of Christ. Christ is testifying of the Father, the Father is testifying of Christ, and both of them are found in Christ.

Same thing with the Spirit. The Spirit is bearing record of Christ. He doesn't speak of himself, he speaks of Christ. The Word only speaks of Christ. The Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit All are testimonies in heaven of the one God, and that one God is found in the man, Jesus Christ. He is the image of the invisible God.

So to deny the testimony that Jesus Christ gives us is to deny him. And to deny him is to deny God. Brethren, that's exactly why you hear me and many brethren who believe these things say the same thing that all these other churches are believing on another Jesus and another God. They're not believing on the God of the scripture or the Jesus of scripture because they do not believe the testimony that Jesus has said about himself and his salvation.

Look at verse 34, for he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God, for God giveth not the spirit, by a measure, he speaks the word of God. So he's not just repeating it, them are his words. Jesus is the word of God. He is, as I mentioned last week, he is the actual vocalization of all that God has thought and purposed and decreed. He is the one who vocalizes the things and thoughts of God. He is the one who brings them to light.

And not only has he done that with his own lips, but by his spirit has inspired the writers, old and new, to write these things that he has testified of. Look at verse 35. The father loveth the son and hath given all things into his hand. What do I take from that? I take that Jesus Christ is the sovereign God. He is sovereign. All things are given into his hand.

As I mentioned to you before about the front and back scroll, the decree of God, the purpose of God, that has been given into his hands to carry out, to reveal, That's what revelation is, right? The revelation of Jesus Christ, the revelation of the testimony, the revelation of the witness. That's what the whole book of Revelation is about, is the testimony of Jesus Christ, revealing him. And so whenever we look to Christ and what was given to him, the testimony was, I am to reveal who God is. and that revelation is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. I want you to turn with me to Psalms 93. Beautiful Psalm that in my estimation speaks exactly what we're talking about right here. Psalm 93 starting in verse one it says, The Lord reigneth.

Now, brethren, whenever we see the word Lord in all caps like that, that is referring to Jehovah, Yahweh. That is the proper name of God, okay? The word Lord. Whenever we see the word Lord in capital L, small O-R-D, that is always referring to the man Jesus Christ. But all throughout scripture, we see the small Lord in reference to the big Lord. The big Lord and the small Lord are one in the same. It's just talking about or making distinctions within his character or office, okay? The Lord reigneth, or God reigneth, Jehovah reigneth, Yahweh reigneth.

He is clothed with majesty. The Lord is clothed with strength, wherein he hath girded himself. You see that? He girded himself. Nobody girded him. God took upon flesh himself. He didn't rely on man and woman to consummate and give him a body. A body was prepared for him. God prepared his own body. And that preparation was for the Christ in his role in office as Christ. Wherewith he had girded himself, the world also established that it cannot be moved.

Now brethren, I put forth that there is nothing in that verse one that speaks of anybody except the Lord Jesus Christ. Matter of fact, I actually had intended to break down this 93rd Psalm this morning, but I've seen how much it tied back into what we've been talking about, the testimony that I wanted to go that direction instead. But I found several verses in here in the New Testament that speak directly of Christ Jesus.

Christ Jesus is the one who reigns. He is the one who is clothed with majesty. Jesus Christ is the one who has all strength. Jesus Christ is the one who has established the earth. It says, thy throne is established of old, thou art from everlasting. We know that Jesus Christ is from everlasting. He was brought forth from everlasting. His throne is from everlasting. Matter of fact, he was on that throne in the Old Testament because Isaiah saw him there. He was on that throne before the foundation of the world because we know that the Bible says that his throne sits upon the heavens of the earth.

So whenever he created the heavens and the earth, he created his throne and established his throne above the earth It says, the floods have lifted up, O Lord. The floods have lifted up their voice. The floods lift up their waves. Now we know, brethren, that the word floods and the word seas and the word waters always refers to mankind, specifically wicked mankind.

And it says, the Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters. His words are heard above all the chaos of this world. His words are heard above everything that is put out by a damning man. The wisdom of man, and we see that in the New Testament, God's words puts to naught the wisdom of man, right? The Lord has lifted up, the floods have lifted up, O Lord, The floods have lifted up their voice. The floods lift up their waves. The Lord on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea, than the mighty waves of sea." Doesn't Revelation tell us that his voice is the voice louder than many waters?

His voice speaks louder and takes precedence over everything that mankind says. It's not that his voice is just so magnificently loud in the volume being turned up, but it's that whenever he speaks, his testimony takes precedence over everything else. All mouths are shut as if they were silent. His voice is as if it was louder than all the waters because all the waters are drownded out whenever he speaks.

His word is final is what this is saying. His word is true. His word is the end all. No other word is going to be brought up against what he has to say. So his testimony is true. That's what this is saying. His testimony is true. It says thy testimonies are very sure. Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, forever. Now.

Look with me, if you would, at the Revelation one. Let's examine and see whether or not this shows through throughout Scripture. In Revelation 1, let's look at verse 5. Well, let me read verse four to kind of get the flow of the verse here. John to the seven churches which are in Asia, grace be unto you and peace from him which is and which was and which is to come. That is everlasting, right? And from the seven spirits which are before his throne. I preached on that a while back. You can go back and listen to that and what that talks about.

Verse five, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness. So here we see that Jesus is the faithful witness. Look, if you would, at Revelation chapter three. And verse 14. Jesus writes unto the angel of the church of the layout of sins, these things saith the amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God. So here again, Jesus himself refers to himself as the faithful and true witness. Christ is perfect. He is divine. And he is the revealer of God.

He is the faithful true witness Look back if you would into John the gospel of John Chapter 1 verse 18 John 1 and verse 18 the Bible says no man has seen God at any time Why because God is invisible God is a spirit He is invisible. No man has seen Him at any time in His fullest glory as God, the invisible. The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, He hath declared Him. So here we see that Christ is the exegete of God. He's the preacher. the teacher, the testimony, the witness, the faithful one, the revealer of God. No man has seen God at any time, but Christ hath declared him.

Jesus is the one who makes the invisible God visible. That goes back to my old teaching that I used to believe and teach from I.N. Thomas, who used to always say that God's purpose, in the creation of man is to get God into the man so that the invisible God can be visible through us so that people might know what the invisible God looks like. Brethren, that's blasphemy. I'm not saying that God doesn't indwell us. I'm not saying that God doesn't work in us to willing to do his good pleasure. I'm not saying that the fruits of the Spirit doesn't come from us when God works them in us.

What I am saying, though, is God's intention from the beginning or before the beginning was never that Adam man, Adam man, natural man, fleshly man, be the representation of God himself. He is never to be the representation. Christ was always from the foundation of the world set up from old to be the revealer of God. Christ is the mediator of God. Christ is the one who is the image and the testimony and the witness of God. It is not us, brethren.

There is never, ever, ever a possibility that you or I could ever show anybody what God is like because anytime we would attempt to do that, every attempt at doing that will always fall short because we are unrighteous. We are tainted with sin. And at the very best, we can try, but at the very least, we always, always, always fail. We cannot, we miss the mark because we are full of sin.

But Christ is the revealer of God. He hath declared him. He hath made him known. He is The invisible God made visible. Look at John chapter five, verse 19. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, the son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the father do, for what thing soever he doeth, these also doeth the son likewise. Now again, I'm, I'm, Jesus isn't saying that he's being a copycat of God, okay? He's not copycatting another person.

He's using human vernacular that we can grasp and understand. But what he is saying is that that invisible God that no man has known or seen, his desires, his thoughts, his testimony, I am the witness of. What he has said, what he has done, nobody has seen and done. So I am translating that to you because God has chosen the man Christ Jesus, the mediator, to be the vehicle in which the Godhead reveals himself to mankind. That Christ be the one who God testifies of himself. Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing of himself.

His witness is a perfect witness. His knowledge is a perfect knowledge. Why? Because he is God. It isn't just that because he came from God who sat there and taught him all things. It's because he is God manifested in the flesh, and he is making that invisible God that nobody has seen and heard known. The voice, the body, the testimony, it's all him. It's all him. He says, the son can do nothing of himself. That's just basically telling us, brother, that Jesus doesn't have another agenda. that his agenda is the agenda of God. His words are the words of God. Whatever God does, he does because he is God being enacted in a body, in a person. Look at John chapter seven, verse 16.

Jesus answered them, said, my doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me. Again, this isn't a division of persons, but this is just a statement of fact that the same doctrine that Jesus is preaching is the doctrine of God. There's one divine doctrine.

And Christ is the one who is revealing that doctrine. He's not revealing it as the father, he's revealing it as the son, he's revealing it as the word. The doctrine is certainly the father's doctrine, but the father who is spirit that no man has seen or heard is now in time to his creation, making himself known and his words come forth through the man Jesus Christ and is taught in the heart by his spirit who comes back as the comforter to teach them all things and to lead them into all truth. And by the way, to bear witness and testimony of what God said is true. Christ's doctrine is God's doctrine. So Christ is the revealer or the revelator of his doctrine.

Look over, if you would, at John 8, 26. Jesus says, I have many things to say and to judge of you, but he that sent me is true. And I speak to the world those things which I have heard of him." This is just more affirmation that Jesus is the true witness of the true doctrine of God. That God's doctrine and Christ's doctrine are one and the same. That Jesus is making known unto men the things that were already declared and purposed to God. Look over just a couple of verses of verse 38.

Jesus says, I speak that which I have seen with my father, and ye do that which ye have seen with your father. Okay, so Jesus here, just another affirmation that he is the witness of God. We see it again over in John chapter 12. John chapter 12, look at verse 49.

For I have not spoken of myself But the father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that his commandment is life everlasting. Whatsoever I speak, therefore, even as the father said unto me, so I speak."

So Christ speaks God's word. Why? Because he is the word of God. Jesus is the testimony. He's the mouthpiece of God. So it isn't speaking of two separate divine people, persons. It speaks of one divine God and how the testimony is being delivered. The vehicle in which the testimony is being delivered. Look at chapter 14, verse nine.

Jesus said unto him, have I been so long with you? This is the account of him and Philip. It says, have I been so long with you and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? Now, why was he saying that? What was the question that was asked or what was said to Jesus that Jesus would go into that? Thomas verse five, Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whether thou goest and how we can And how can we know the way?

Jesus said unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. Now, wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute. We just read, we just read a few minutes ago that the Father is true, right? But now it's saying that Jesus is the truth. Why? Because they're one and the same. They're one God, but this God has manifested himself in Christ Jesus to reveal himself verbally, through word, and visibly, and his doctrine is being made known. I am the way, the truth, and the life.

No man cometh to the Father but by me. If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also. And from henceforth ye know him and have seen him. And I know a lot of people that says that the son is not the father, the father is not the son, the son is not the spirit, the spirit is not the son, that the spirit is not the father, the father is not the spirit. The little symbol that we see all the time of the Trinity, and it has all that written on there, you know. But all of them are God, all three of them are God, but they're not one, they're individuals.

But here we see that you have seen the father, Philip, but he said, from henceforth you know him and have seen him. Why? Because Christ is the father embodied. Philip saith unto him, Lord, Show us the Father and it suffices us. So see, even Philip here is saying, okay, there must be two people. There's you and there's the Father. Show us the Father.

And Jesus just said, from henceforth, you have known him and seen him. He said, okay, well, show him to me. Jesus said unto him, have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me? See, he said he's gonna know the Father. And now he's, Philip said, okay, well, let me know and see. And Jesus said, do you not know me?

Jesus is turning it back on himself. Jesus is claiming that he is the father in their midst. He is the father visualized. Jesus is saying that. Not heretic Mike, Jesus said it. He that hath seen me hath seen the father. And how sayeth then, show us the father. Look at the logic there, brethren. Look at what Jesus is saying in everyday language of our language. What's Jesus saying there?

Well, Philip, if you want to see the father, you're looking at him. I am the father in your presence. He says, you've seen me. You've heard me. You know me. So why is it that you're saying Show us the Father. Here I am. I'm right in front of you. Your eyes are looking at him. That's what Jesus is saying. Christ is the revealer of the Father. The Father is the invisible. Is God in invisible form? The Father is God who cannot be seen and cannot be heard. But God has chosen to reveal himself.

And he did so by preparing a body and then dwelling that body with all of his fullness. And the testimony of the father, the testimony of his word and the testimony of the spirit all testify of one testimony. There are three that bear record in heaven, the father, the word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one. They're one testimony. And that is the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Look at John 17 and verse six. Jesus says in his prayer, he says, praying to God. And again, brother, I know a lot of people say there had to be two persons, because you have Jesus praying to the Father. So is Jesus praying to himself? Well, let me ask you this. Did Jesus have to pray at all? Have you ever thought about that? Did Jesus have to pray at all? If Jesus is God manifested in flesh, does Jesus have to ask for anything? Is Jesus dependent on anything? Is Jesus lacking and needs help? Why did Jesus pray? Why is it recorded, his prayer? He did that for our benefit. It's not his benefit. Jesus wasn't lacking or deficient of anything.

Jesus is praying so that we might see that it might be revealed the relationship of a child of God to the Father. He is showing and revealing how this relationship you see of me with the Father is the relationship of you with me. I am your father. You are my children. And the relationship you see that I have with the father, the unseen invisible God, is the relationship you have with me. You are my creation. You have been brought forth by my hand. I have indwelt you by my fullness and spirit. and you are dependent upon me. Now Christ wasn't dependent, but he was showing us dependency.

What does Philippians tells us? Who thought it not robbery to be equal with God, but took on the form of a servant. He took on the form of a servant to reveal to the servants what servanthood is all about. to reveal to us how we are to relate towards God and what we are to know of God.

That's why Jesus is saying this. And so Jesus here is speaking these words, not because he has to pray, because he's God, but to show us prayer and to show us what his purpose was in coming. And he says in verse six, 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. So Christ manifests the name of God or the Father to his people. He's the faithful witness.

Go back to John chapter one. John chapter one, verse one, in the beginning was the word and the word was with God and the word was God. Now I've held for a long time that this speaks of Christ already embodied by the Father. This is already God manifested in the flesh before the foundation of the world in the beginning. In the beginning was the word and the word was with God in the fact that the man Christ Jesus was with God. But it also tells us that that same man is God.

Not two separate people, but that he had been, had taken on flesh at this point. The same was in the beginning with God. 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.

The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not. Now let me just, let me ask you this, brethren. Look at verse five. The light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it Not, does that not sound a lot like, or in other words, the same as, and what he has seen and heard that he testified that no man received the testimony? The testimony shined in darkness and darkness comprehended it not. I mean, I think that goes right along with it. I mean, even in chapter three and verse nine, this is the condemnation that light is coming to the world and men love darkness rather than light because their needs were evil.

But look, if you would there, Christ is the word of God. He is the testimony of God. And by him all things were created. He is making God known. Look with me if you would at John chapter five. Oh, we've already went to John five. How about we go to Hebrews chapter one.

Says God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken unto us by his, so who is it that spoke to us? God. But who was doing the speaking? Christ. 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 in the brightness of his glory."

And here it is, look with me, don't take my word for it. Don't become a disciple of Mike, become a disciple of Jesus. I like the phrase, That brother Dan O'Dell has been saying over the last few weeks, I picked up on this in his sermons, that he's been preaching a question he's been asking at the end of his message.

He says, are you following someone else's roadmap? Are you following the roadmap of the scripture? Now you may have not said it exactly that way, but are you following someone else's roadmap? That's what's stuck in my head. because for years and years and years, I was following someone else's roadmap. For years and years and years, I was shamed and felt guilty if I wasn't following someone else's roadmap. If I'm not on the roadmap, then I'm off the roadmap, right? I'm in the ditch.

But what Brother Dan, I believe, is expressing whenever he says that, is are we following the traditions and the doctrines of men or are we listening to what the spirit and the scriptures are teaching us? And are we being led to follow them despite what the roadmaps of the world say? You know, we were talking earlier before we came on live, we were talking about GPSs and how GPSs has changed over time and how even now, You know, we have the most sophisticated roadmap devices. And a lot of times, brethren, I have that GPS.

I may go to a town that I've never been in, in Arkansas or Missouri or wherever I'm off working. And it's taking me somewhere where I've never been. So I'm following that GPS. Why? Because I trust that GPS knows where I'm supposed to be going. And so I'm following that.

Well, sometimes that GPS tells me to turn right when I should have turned left. Sometimes it tells me to keep going when I should have stopped and got off. Sometimes that GPS gets confused and it says go right, then it all of a sudden says go left about the time I'm starting to turn right, okay? See, sometimes those roadmaps are wrong. So whose roadmap are you following? That's my question to you as well. Are we following the roadmap because If we follow the testimony of Christ, then we don't have to worry about getting off the right path.

And let God be true and every man a liar, right? He says, who being the brightness of his glory, and here it is, the express image of his person. If the father is truly a person, He is a person in Christ Jesus, because the Bible says that Christ is the express image of this person. If there is personage to that invisible God, the personage is in the man Jesus Christ. If there is a personage in the Holy Spirit of God, the personage is in Christ, because Christ is who makes that God known, and that fullness is in Him. That means there is nothing else of God to be known outside of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is making and revealing all of who God is, whether in word or Himself. 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 of high." Listen, brethren, Jesus here is not just the messenger, but he is the message. He's not just the witness for God, but he is the exact image of God. While he is bearing witness of God, he is bearing witness of God as God in flesh.

Look over just there probably on the same page, chapter two and verse three. How shall we escape if we neglect so great salvation? Here's what I want you to pay attention of. Which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord. Notice the small Lord. and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him."

So here we see that Christ is the original source of the gospel. The reason that if you deny Christ, you deny God, if you deny the gospel, you deny Christ, because the gospel is the word of Christ. And the word of Christ is the word of God. Therefore, when you reject the gospel, grace of the gospel of free and sovereign grace. Whatever you reject the gospel of free imputation of righteousness, no imputation of sin, perfect finished salvation in Christ Jesus, the election of his people and the full salvation that Christ has finished before the foundation of the world on their behalf. and manifested in the cross of Jesus Christ. If you don't believe that, then you don't believe the testimony of Christ. So now you've made God a liar. And if you deny him, then you do not believe upon him. Therefore, you are not born from above. Christ is the original source of the gospel. It began with him. All through the Old Testament, the gospel is preached by him. All through the New Testament, the gospel is preached by him.

Look what it says. How shall we escape? We neglect so great salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him. So Paul here, whenever he's writing through the Hebrews, He's saying, listen, that message that Jesus spoke, the source started with him, and it was given John, the beginning of the gospel being preached besides Christ, began with John the Baptist. The New Testament gospel began with John the Baptist, and it was laid down to the apostles. laid down to the disciples.

That first church was preached and they testified of that. They began to pass that along. And then whenever Pentecost came and the church began to be scattered, they took that gospel wherever they went and they testified of the testimony that Christ had given them. And the testimony that Christ had given him is the testimony of God. So to reject the gospel, is to reject Christ, is to reject God, and is to affirm your state of unbelief.

Again, 1 John chapter five, just about done there. 1 John chapter five, I'm gonna start reading in verse nine. Again, we read this before, but let's read it again. If we receive the witness of men, The witness of God is greater. Okay, that's what we were saying a while ago. Jesus' testimony is like the sound of many waters. It's louder than the sound of many waters. His voice is over all the floods. The witness of God is greater. For this is the witness of God, which he hath testified of his Son.

He that believeth on the Son hath the witness in himself. He that believeth not God hath made him a liar. Or excuse me. He that believeth not hath made him a liar because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record that God hath given unto us, eternal life. And this life is in the Son. He that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. God's testimony, brethren, is Christ. To believe Christ is to believe God. to not believe Christ, to not believe God. Go to Isaiah 55. Verse one.

Ho, everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters. And he that hath no money, come ye Buy and eat, yea, come buy wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do you spend money for that which is not bread and your labor for that which satisfyeth not? Hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is good and let your soul delight itself in fatness. Incline your ear and come unto me. Here in your soul shall live and I will make an everlasting covenant with you, even the sure mercies of David.

Behold, I have given him for a witness to the people, a leader and a commander to the people." Now, brethren, while there is a physical aspect to this, and speaking of the man David, we see the type and the foreshadow and the spiritual reality of it in the man Jesus Christ. The only one who is able to quench our thirst, to satisfy our hunger. He is the one whom God has given for a witness to the people, a leader and a commander. God has given Christ as a witness. Now, surely we're gonna witness about Christ. But brethren, there is only one who is the true witness and one who witnesses with a true message that doesn't have error mixed with it. Look back if you would at chapter 42. Verse one, behold my servant whom I uphold, mine elect and whom my soul delighteth, I have put my spirit upon him.

He shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He shall not cry nor lift up nor cause his voice to be heard in the street. A bruised reed shall not break and a smoking flax shall he not quench. He shall bring forth judgment unto truth. He shall not fail nor be discouraged till he have set judgment in the earth and the isle shall wait for his law.

So God here has put his spirit upon Christ to be a voice for him. Look, if you would, at the 93rd Psalm again, that's where we looked at earlier. We'll end right there. Verse five, thy testimonies are very sure. Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, forever.

So brethren, to close out our study there in John chapter three, in those passages there, we have before us and all throughout scripture, that he that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true, because the testimony of Christ is true. And the faith of God's elect, their testimony of that and nothing else.

That's why I said last week, if I preach another gospel, if I preach anything of conditions, or the free will of man, if I preach things that you make a decision, or you are offered, or you must do this, if I preach anything, that salvation is not applied to you, but that will be applied to you upon your work of something, whether it be faith, whether it be repentance, whether it be baptism, church membership, whether good deeds, whatever the case might be, whatever you want to put in that blank. If salvation is waiting for you. Until you do something. That is not the gospel that is not the testimony of Christ and you are not confirming.

Your election. But you are confirming your unbelief. Are there such thing as unbelieving believers? Well, if you want to use the term believers for elect, yes, there are such thing as unbelieving elect. They are elect of God, but have yet been given the faith of Christ, and that is only in the new birth.

They have to be born again. So that's why we go back three weeks now to the argument I said to the dear brother and friend of mine. Who said that we have to believe to be saved? That we have to believe to be born again. The card is before the horse, brethren. You have to be born again first because we cannot have faith to believe the testimony of Christ.

And there again, the testimony of Christ is a thing in and of itself. It's not the testimony we see in these churches preaching free will. It's not the testimony of Christ that we hear in the decisionalism of today's gospels. The testimony of God is a completed salvation in Christ alone. And that's the testimony of God. And to deny that gospel is to deny Christ is to deny God altogether.

Christ is true. His testimony is true. And when we believe on it, we set to the seal. That his word is true. And that God himself is true. The only ones who will be believing are his children. and it's a miraculous thing when they do. It's a divine thing when they do. It's a supernatural, spiritual thing when they do. Ye must be born again. So brethren, salvation is of the Lord. And Jesus is the Lord. Amen?

All right, anybody got any questions, comments, or anything you'd like to add? Anybody got any disagreements or corrections or mutes? Don't forget, we've got February the 28th. We're having a fifth Saturday meeting at First Baptist Church of Delaware, Oklahoma.

Starts at 10 o'clock in the morning, preaching and singing, then a lunch, then preaching and singing in the afternoon. Don't know how long it'll go. We'll be there for the whole ride. If you don't want to stay for the whole ride, you're welcome to bounce out whenever you feel like it, but I don't know how long it'll go. Usually they go to about three o'clock, but that's up to each individual church that hosts it.

So anyway, welcome everybody to that. If you need any information how to get there, that's February the 28th on a Saturday, okay? We still will have services here that following Sunday. Lord willing. All right. Anybody got anything to share? All right, let's pray.

Father, we once again come and we thank you for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Once again, we thank you for your salvation. We thank you for your word. We thank you, Father, that for the church that you've given us to gather together in. Lord, we just pray once again that Christ has been exalted and glorified in all that we have said.

Lord, we dare not speak of anything else but of Christ and him crucified. We know that you have intended to glorify yourself through Christ, that you have sent Christ and the testimony by him. And Father, we desire in this congregation to center our preaching, our conversation, our lives, our worship, everything around him. But Lord, we know that our faithfulness to do that is only by your sovereign hand as you lead us and guide us and you preserve us in the faith. And we just pray, Lord, that you would be kind to continue to do that in our midst. We thank you for promising to be with us or two or three are gathered in your name, there you are in our midst. What a privilege that is, brothers and sisters in Christ, gathering together and their elder brother being in the congregation with them by his spirit.

Oh, Father, we do not deserve these things. We know that we are sinners and deserving of all the depths of your righteous judgment. But Father, we know that by grace We have been given that which we do not deserve, which we have not earned. And so, Father, Lord, we thank you. And it's in Christ's name that we pray these things. Amen.