Let us turn once again to that chapter we read in the Gospel according to St. John, the third chapter. Turning then to John 3 and verse 27. Words of John the Baptist. John answered and said, A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven."

This is part of the testimony of John the Baptist to the Lord Jesus Christ. As we see in the previous verses, there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying. And they came on to John and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou bearest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him. And then what follows from verse 27 really to the end of the chapter are words spoken by the Baptist as he continues to bear his testimony to the Lord Jesus Christ. So as I said, the words that I've read for a text this morning are part and parcel of the witness of John the Baptist to Christ who is the Savior of sinners, the promised Messiah. John answered and said, a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven.

And as we come to consider these words for a while this morning, I want to divide what I say into two main parts. Initially to say something with regards to the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is what John wants to testify to and does testify to, and then in the second place to say something with regards to what I would term authentic Christianity, those who are the true followers of this Messiah to whom John bears his testimony. First of all, then John's faithful testimony to Christ. And as I said, we have it here really from verse 27 right through to the end of this chapter.

He says in verse 28, you yourselves bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ. but I am sent before him. He recognizes that his ministry is that of the harbinger. He is the one who prepares the way for the coming of the Lord. And so he says there at verse 30, He must increase, but I must decrease.

He that cometh from above is above all. He that is of the earth is earthy. and speaketh of the earth. He that cometh from heaven is above all. He's speaking of Christ, the one who comes from heaven, comes from the Father. Verse 34, 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 hands. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life. And neither believeth not the sun shall not see light, but the wrath of God abideth on him. All of these solemn words then spoken by John the Baptist. And now John is here as one who will bear his testimony then to the great truth of the deity of the Lord Jesus. and how Christ's authority and His superiority is seen in His deity.

Remember what we read previously in the opening chapter, and there at verse 32 following. John bare record, this is John the Baptist, 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. And I saw and bear record that this is the Son of God." John is clear with regards to that testimony, this is the Son of God, this is the Christ. this is the one that was promised by the prophets of old this is the one who is the only saviour of sinners how John speaks of him then and of course we know that those words that we've just read in the opening chapter when John was there baptizing him in the river Jordan he saw the heavens open and the Spirit of God descending upon the Christ and the Father's voice speaking from heaven this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.

What is Christ's authority there? It is that that John bears testimony to that He is that One who has come from heaven He is the eternal Son of God He is the promised Messiah, the Saviour of sinners. John bears his testimony to Christ's deity, but more than that, John is bearing testimony to Him in his mediatorial offices. In the work of salvation, as Christ accomplishes that work that was committed to Him in the eternal covenant, undertaking that work, It's there that we see his authority.

The offices that he comes to fulfill, and those offices of course were foreshadowed in the Old Testament. In Israel, a typical people. Ethnic Israel, a type of the true spiritual Israel of God, the church. And there in the Old Testament in Israel we see the offices, don't we? The office of the king or the prince, the office of the priest, and also the office of the prophets.

And all of these are wonderfully fulfilled in the Lord Jesus Christ, as He comes as that One who is the promised Messiah, the God-Man. and as the Messiah he comes to serve the will of the one who had sent him that work that he had undertaken in the eternal covenant God says back in Isaiah 42 behold my servant whom I uphold mine elects in whom my soul delighted I have put my spirit upon him and how the father did put the spirit upon him is the anointing and how the Spirit descended upon him there at his baptising and so John speaks of him doesn't he here in verse 34 as that one who speaks the words of God he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him What an outpouring, what an effusion of the Spirit it was that came upon Jesus of Nazareth, to mark him quite distinctly as that one who is indeed the promised Messiah, the Christ. And as he is anointed, so he speaks the words of God. That's what we read there at verse 34. He is a prophet. is the fulfillment, really, of the prophetic office.

The prophets of the Old Testament, they would appeal to the authority of the Lord of Moses. As Isaiah says, to the Lord and to the Testament, if they speak not according to this word, it is because there's no light in them. But remember how in Deuteronomy 18, There we have Moses speaking of one whom the Father would send Licon to him, a prophet that the Father would raise up in the last days. Licon to Moses, and yet in other ways so much greater than Moses. The law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. And there, back in Deuteronomy 18 and verses 15 and 18, there is the promise of that one.

He is truly the Lord's prophet, and he comes not to speak his own words, he comes to speak the words of the one who has sent him. Look at the language again that we have here in the seventh chapter of this Gospel. Verse 16, Jesus answers them and says, My doctrine, My teaching is not Mine, but His that sent Me. He is a faithful prophet. He is continually declaring, Thus and thus saith the Lord.

And those who were sent by the Pharisees, to try to catch him out as it were, I have to testify later in that same seventh chapter never man spake like this man he is the prophet of the Lord and he has all authority in that office as prophet but he who is the prophet is also the priest and these offices of course he has received from God the Father in the eternal covenant the words of our text a man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven Christ has authority from heaven not only as a prophet but also as a priest remember the words that we have in Hebrews Hebrews which answers of course so much to the book of Leviticus, and all those types and figures, all that concern the priests of the Old Testament dispensation, of their completion, their fulfillment in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is the antitype of all that we have set before us there in the Levitical laws. And so when we come to Hebrews, we come to a right understanding of those things that are recorded previously in that Old Testament book. And there in Hebrews 5 and verse 4, Paul says, No man taketh this honour unto himself. He's speaking of the priesthood. No man taketh this honour unto himself, but he that is called of God, as was Aaron.

So also Christ glorified not himself to be made an high priest, but he that said unto him, Thou art my son, today have I begotten thee, as he saith also in another psalm, or another place, Thou art a priest for ever, after the order of Melchizedek. Here is the apostle referring to the second psalm and to the 110th psalm. each of them being fulfilled in Christ. The Father says, Thou art my Son. This day, the eternal day, I have begotten thee, the eternal Son of the Father, but in another place. Thou art a priest forever.

Oh, a man can receive nothing, except it's given him from heaven, and this is Christ's authority. he has come as that one who is the priest just as he has come as that one who is the prophet but then also of course we see him as the king and it's at the end isn't it before Pontius Pilate that he declares something of the character of his kingship and his His kingly office, and all that that entails.

The language that we have in chapter 18. And verse 36, Jesus answers Pilate, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants find that I should not be delivered to the Jews. But now is my kingdom not from hence. His kingdom is from above.

Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou saidst that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice."

Again, he speaks of his voice in terms of the prophetic office, but he is also that one who fulfills the great kingly office. He's king of kings. is Lord of Lords. All these are Christ's mediatorial offices. One more thing we can also say concerning Him is that He is that One who will occupy that position of the Great Judge.

The Father judges no man but has committed all judgment unto the Son. Remember the language that we have in chapter 5 And there at verse 22, The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. Again at verse 25, Verily, verily, I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. For as the Father hath life in himself, so has he given to the Son to have life in himself. and have given him authority to execute judgment also because he is the son of man.

All these offices that belong to the Lord Jesus Christ, they come from the Father. A man can receive nothing except it be given him from above. We are thinking, as I said, in terms of of the covenant and in that covenant of course we see Christ as the mediator as that one who is the servant of the father and so again later here in chapter 14 he will say my father is greater than I he's speaking there in terms of covenant and the outworking of the covenant and so we have it at the end here don't we verse 35 the father loveth the son and hath given all things into his hands Christ's authority so clearly so evidently set forth yes he is that one who in His very nature is equal to the Father. He's the eternal son of the eternal Father.

And time and again we see that that's why the Jewish authorities, the scribes, the Pharisees want to see rid of him, want him executed. In chapter 5 again, and verse 18, how they sought the Lord to kill him, because he had not only broken the Sabbath, but said that God was his Father, making himself equal with God, his sonship, his equality with the Father. And that's what they charged him with before Pontius Pilate, wasn't it? In chapter 19. there at verse 7 we have a law by our Lord he ought to die because he made himself equal with God blasphemy that's what they accused him of well he is equal with God he can say I and my father are one in chapter 10 and verse 13 there we see him as that one who is the eternal son, equal to the father.

But as I said, this authority is not so much that that belongs to him because of his deity, it's that authority that belongs to him in his mediatorial offices. As he comes as the servant of God, as the Messiah. And so he can also say, my father is greater than I. Strange, isn't it? We have those two statements.

In chapter 14 verse 28, my father is greater than I and yet in John 10.30, I and my father are one, he's equal with the father and yet the father is greater. We have to be careful and we have to make that distinction between the authority that Christ has because he is God, he's deity but also that authority that's given to him in the outworking of the Great Covenant, where he comes to serve the Father and willingly takes up those mediatorial offices, the prophet, the priest, the king, and at the end that one who will sit and make the final judgment.

But when we think of that authority of the Lord Jesus Christ in terms of his mediatorial offices we have to recognize that there's a specific purpose for the authority he has authority, he has power remember what he says in the great high priestly prayer in chapter 17 and verse 2 addressing the father as thou hast given him power over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given to Him that's the language of the Lord Jesus as He's praying there for His disciples His great high priestly prayer and referring to Himself as He addresses the Father as Thou hast given Him He might say as Thou hast given me authority over all flesh that I should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given me though he has an end, a blessed end in view, there is a specific purpose why he has authority in his mediatorial offices, it is in order to the saving of his people he has power, literally authority to give eternal life to those that the Father had given to him in that eternal covenant. And how we see it being exercised, don't we? It's exercised in the case of a man like Saul of Tarsus, a persecutor of the church. No wonder he refers to himself as the chief of sinners. How he made havoc of those Christian believers in the early chapters of the Acts.

And yet, the time comes when, in the eternal purpose of God, that arch-persecutor will be changed. And he'll no longer be sword of Tarsus, a pharisee, but he'll be a humble follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. And he says, doesn't he there in Galatians 1, he pleads God. to reveal His Son in man.

All that real religion, that authentic Christianity then, is a sovereign revelation from God. God has given Christ authority to give eternal life to as many as were given to Him in the eternal covenant, and that Mansoul of Tarsus was amongst them. I want to observe two things with regards to the specific purpose of this authority that Christ has. First of all, to say something with regards to the extent of it, and then to look at the end of it in particular. First, the extent of Christ's authority. And it is universal, isn't it? It's universal. It's over all things. It's over all flesh. That's what the Lord says there in John 17 and verse 2. Thou hast given him power over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him.

Now, it will be made plain, of course, in the day of judgment. We've already referred to those words in John 5 and verse 22 and verse 25, 26 and 27. That's the great day that is yet to come, the day that God has appointed, the day of judgment, when Christ returns and sits upon His throne and makes the final separation between the sheep and the goats. It will then be seen that he has authority over all flesh. But it's also true, isn't it, in the day of grace. It must be true even in this day in which we're living. When we come to the end of Matthew's gospel, again the Lord speaks of that power, that authority.

All power, all authority is given unto me in heaven and in earth, he says, to his disciples as he gives them their commission. all power is given unto me in heaven and in earth go ye therefore and teach all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you and lo I am with you always even unto the end of the world that's the day of grace he's speaking of and he has authority with regards to the ministry of the word of truth and the final outcome of that preaching of the truth of the gospel Ephesians 1 and verse 22 God hath put all things under his feet and given him authority over all things for the church oh this is the comfort is it not of God's true people, God's true church that those who are subject to King Jesus and he is that one who is the king of all kings and the lord of all lords And so when Paul is speaking to the church at Corinth, he can say to them there in 2 Corinthians 4.15, all things are for your sakes.

In all that the Lord does as He executes His authority in this world, His eye is upon His people, His eye is upon His church, His eye is upon every individual that was given to Him in the eternal covenant and so what does he say in the course of his ministry fear not little flock it is your father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom what does it matter that we are but few just a handful of believers all things are for your sakes Isaiah in the opening chapter of his prophecy tells us, doesn't he, except the Lord had left unto us a very small remnant. We have been like unto Sodom and like unto Gomorrah.

God has a very small remnant, He preserves His people. What a comfort is this authority that belongs to the Lord Jesus and to that little flower. He has authority. A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. It's a comfort to his true people. It's a comfort also to his troubled family here upon the earth.

Because here they will know trials. troubles, tribulations in the world, Christ says, ye shall have tribulation. How do we enter into the kingdom of God? It's through tribulation. These things cannot be avoided. This is a lot of the Lord's people. Why does Christ in the pattern prayer tell us to make those petitions? Deliver us from evil. lead us not into temptation, because that's the appointed lot of God's people. We cannot avoid it.

And yet, here is the comfort that the Lord himself rules. He rules in his mediatorial offices. He's there as prophet, as priest, and as king, always there. The hymn 129, which speaks of his kingdom. The second verse, with power he rules, and wonders performs, gives conduct to fools and courage to worms, beset by sword evils, without and within, by legions of devils and mountains of sin.

O God's people, at times they are made to feel these things. Oh, but the comfort that we have in the Word of God. We're familiar, aren't we? I'm sure we're all so very familiar with the wonderful language that we find in a chapter like the eighth chapter of that letter to the church at Rome. And remember what the Lord says there, or what Paul says there. It is the Lord's words through Paul, of course, Coming to the end of that 8th chapter, who shall separate us from the love of Christ?

Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, for thy sake we are killed all the day long. We are accounted the sheep of the slaughter. Now in all these things We are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature." It's so Pauline, the language here. You think, well, I know he's written those words. That's the language of Paul.

He just piles the words together. nor I, nor death, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord." Here is the comfort then of the Lord's people. And so there are remnants, a very small remnant so insignificant and yet in the Lord Jesus Christ there are those who overcome all their adversaries the extent of the Lord's authority but what of the end of it? what of the end? what of the great I and object of all this authority? as Thou hast given Him power over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.

All is to give eternal life. I give unto them eternal life, He says. In the 10th chapter, I give unto them eternal life. They shall never perish. No man is able to pluck them out of My hand. My Father which gave them is greater than all. No man can pluck them out of My Father's hand. He gives them eternal life. What is that eternal life?

It begins, of course, doesn't it? It has a beginning. It has its beginning in the new birth. The very thing that the Lord is speaking of in this chapter At the beginning of the chapter it's that conversation that the Lord has with Nicodemus, a man who's a ruler of the Jews, and the Lord makes it plain to him the necessity of the new birth, the necessity of regeneration.

How does the Lord answer him at the beginning there in verse 3? He answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." Verse 5, Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Verse 7, Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. And what of this new birth? Well, 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. A man can receive nothing, except it is given him from above. It's the sovereign work of the Spirit of God. It's the sovereign work of the Spirit of God, this eternal life. It's the life of God coming into the soul of a man dead in trespasses and in sins. And what does life, this eternal life involve? It involves so many things. There is so much that is given by the Lord to his people as he gives them life. There's the gift of Christ himself. thanks be unto God for His unspeakable gift isn't that the Lord Jesus Christ every good and every perfect gift cometh from above and cometh from the Father of lights in whom there is no variableness nor any shadow of turning He is the faithful God He is the God of the covenants what He has given to His people, His word, His promise, He has confirmed it by an oath he's sworn by himself he's magnified his word above all his name that's what we have in the gospel of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ God has given us his only begotten Son and having given us that gift will he not also freely give us all things with Christ and in Christ?

See how the Lord Jesus Christ gives himself did he not come to give his life as he says in Mark 10.45 the son of man came not to be ministered unto but to minister and to give his life a ransom for men that life that he had from the father remember what his human nature is, it's that holy thing that that was conceived by the Holy Ghost, that's God conceived by the Holy Ghost in the womb of the Virgin Mary for that human nature joined to the Eternal Son of God and he gives himself as a sacrifice for the sins of his people he's a sacrificing priest but he's not only a sacrificing priest, he's also an interceding, a praying priest as he says in that 17th chapter of this gospel I pray for them, speaking of the disciples I pray for them, I pray not for the world but for them which thou hast given me out of the world, for they are thine and then he goes on doesn't he and says later in the same prayer neither pray I for these alone but for them also as shall believe on me through their words all he prays he gives himself to prayer for all that the father has given to him he is able also to save to the uttermost all that come unto God by him for he ever liveth to make intercession for the saints.

His presence there in heaven, He's entered into that beyond the veil. He's entered there to where the throne of grace is, the mercy seat. And He's that Lamb in the midst of the throne. Oh well, He gives not only His life, But having given His life, He still gives Himself, His very presence in heaven, His prayers for His people.

And from whence do we obtain faith in Him? Well, He gives us faith. He gives us faith. It's the gift of God, isn't it? By grace are you saved through faith and not through yourselves. It is the gift of God, not of works. lest any man should boast. We don't earn it, he gives it. A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven.

Where do we obtain it? We have to look to him, looking on to Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith. Oh, he gives faith. as He gives faith, so He also gives repentance and these are the graces that are so vital to salvation if we're going to experience anything of salvation we must have that faith, that faith that is of the operation of God in our souls but that faith that will go hand in hand with repentance and we're told, aren't we?

Acts 5.31 Him hath got exalted with his right hand to give repentance to Israel and the forgiveness of sins the point, the purpose of his exaltation it's in order that he might give that he might give all this authentic Christianity it's all given of God everything that we have comes from God And so every thought, every idea of any merit in ourselves is completely precluded.

God gives and we receive. And as the Apostle Paul says, and he's referring to words of the Lord Jesus, there in Acts chapter 20, it is more blessed to give than to receive. It is more blessed to give than to receive. That's what the Lord does, He gives. And again, Paul can remind that church at Corinth. Reminding us also, isn't He there? Because it's an epistle that's written to all who in every place believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 2.12 Now we have received, not the Spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. If we have the Spirit of God, and we can only know Christ if we have the Spirit of God, we know that all our salvation is something that is freely given. all the freeness of it, the wonder, really, of what the Lord has done.

We have that great promise of the Gospel, don't we, back in Isaiah 55, O everyone that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money, come ye by, and he shall come by wine and milk without money and without price. Wherefore do ye spend money for that which is not bread, and your labour for that which satisfieth not? Hearken diligently unto me, and eat ye that which is good, and let your soul delight itself in fatness." That's the Gospel, isn't it? And it's all so fresh.

Whosoever will, whosoever will may come the spirit and the bride say come and let him that heareth say come and whosoever will let him take of the water of life freely what makes us different? nothing of ourselves who make us to differ from another? What hast thou that thou hast not received?

It's such a wondrous equality, isn't it, when we think of the way of salvation. We all deserve eternal death. And in Christ we find eternal life. Oh, it's the abundance of the grace of God. The abundance of that grace. of His fullness of all we received, His pourling grace for grace, His grace upon grace, the freeness then of the gospel. And so real Christianity, authentic Christianity, is altogether the gift of God, it's the gift of eternal life, It's in Christ who was given his life as a great sacrifice for the sins of his people. It's Christ who gives his prayers. He ever lives to intercede. He gives faith. He gives repentance.

It's all of God. It's all of grace. And that's the wonder of it. A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. This is the testimony of John the Baptist. Oh yes, He speaks of Christ and Christ has received His authority from Heaven. He is the only Saviour. The way, the truth, the life, no man cometh unto the Father.

But by Me, He has authority over all flesh to give eternal life to as many as God has given Him. And He gives it freely. And what are we to do? We simply receive what the Lord gives. O God, grant us grace then to be those who would humbly receive that great blessing of salvation. A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven. May the Lord bless His word to us. Amen.