Tell Me the Story of Jesus

Q: What does the Bible say about the nature of Christ?

The Bible reveals that Christ is the Word, both with God and is God, illustrating His divine nature. The nature of Christ is profoundly articulated in John 1:1-18, where we learn that He is the Word that was both with God and is God. This passage emphasizes Christ’s eternal presence, stating, 'In the beginning was the Word' (John 1:1). This indicates that Jesus Christ is not only pre-existent but also intimately associated with God the Father and is indeed divine Himself. Revelation 19:13 further affirms this by calling Christ the 'Word of God', highlighting His role as the ultimate expression of God’s truth and revelation to humanity. As believers, we understand that Christ is the full embodiment of God's character and purposes, thus granting us insight into the nature of God through His life and teachings.

Q: How do we know that Jesus is the only way to God?

Jesus is the only way to God, as stated in John 14:6, where He claims to be the truth, the life, and the way. Our understanding that Jesus is the only way to God is grounded in His own declarations as recorded in Scripture. In John 14:6, Jesus explicitly states, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.' This assertion not only positions Christ as the sole mediator between God and humanity but also underscores the exclusivity of His role in salvation. Acts 4:12 reinforces this by stating that there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Sovereign grace theology emphasizes that the grace given to the elect through Jesus Christ is not merely an option among many but the divinely appointed means of reconciliation with God. Therefore, believers confidently affirm that faith in Christ is essential for salvation.

Q: Why is telling the story of Jesus important for Christians?

Telling the story of Jesus is vital for Christians as it fosters faith, teaches truth, and reminds us of our hope in Him. The importance of recounting the story of Jesus cannot be overstated for Christians. As Henry Mahan emphasized in the sermon, sharing the story of Christ ensures that both young and old are rooted in the truth of the Gospel. Paul instructs Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:15 that the Holy Scriptures are able to make one wise unto salvation. By repeatedly telling the story of Jesus, we convey the core truths of our faith, enabling others to grasp the significance of His life, death, and resurrection. Moreover, for seasoned believers, this retelling serves as a source of comfort and assurance. Indeed, Hebrews 10:23 calls us to hold fast to our confession without wavering, reminding us that the story of Jesus is the foundation of our hope and assurance.

To write the same things to you,
to me, is not tiresome. To tell you of Christ over and
over and over again. I never get weary of that. And
I tell you this as a believer in Christ, you never get weary
of hearing that story, do you? Because Christ is your life. Christ in you is the hope of
glory. Christ is all and in all, and
you never get tired of hearing about Him. Do you ever get weary
of it? I don't. I really, sincerely,
honestly do not weary of these great old hymns. Tonight in the
study, Chuck Moore read Psalm 145. I guess I've read that how
many times? But it was brand new. And that's
the Word of God, always new. Didn't you enjoy it all over
again as if you'd never heard it before? And then I'll tell
you this, our children, I look around here at these children,
they need to hear this message. They need to hear it over and
over and over and over again. Often, tell me the story often
that God may be pleased to bless it to saving faith. Paul wrote
to Timothy and he said, from a child. from a child, thou hast
known the Holy Scriptures that are able to make thee wise unto
salvation." And we need to tell our children this story again
and again and again. They don't need to be drawn into
all of the peculiarities and difficulties of confused religion,
do they? They're just here, they need
to hear about Him who is glorious, Him who is magnificent, who is
precious. And then, there's some of us
here who are in the sunset years. I used to read about and hear
about the sunset years and here I am. That's right. Sunset years. And we need to
be comforted in the faith. We need to hear this message
again. We need to examine ourselves
whether we be in the faith. We've got to soon stand before
God. And I don't want to stand there
alone. I want to be in Christ. We need to be comforted. And
our greatest comfort and assurance is to hear Christ. That's our
foundation. So, tell me the old, old story. Tell me the story of Jesus. Tell
it to me often. And I confess, I prepared a lot
of messages. I tried to sit down one day and
maybe figure out how many times I preached in 40 years. And I wouldn't have the faintest
idea. But I'll tell you, after preparing and preaching messages
for all these years, I never looked for something new to preach.
I never looked for something new to preach, something clever.
I just never did. I tell you what I do when I'm
preparing a message. My one concern when I sit down
to prepare a message to preach to you, my one concern is what
Paul said to the Corinthians, to know nothing among you save
Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I leave the complicated issues
that seem to trouble men's minds to those who enjoy those things.
As for me and my house, three things. Number one, we'll worship
God in spirit. Number two, we'll rejoice in
Christ Jesus. And number three, we'll have
no confidence in His flesh. And Paul said, that's true Israel. Worship God in the spirit. rejoice
in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in this flesh." Well, the beloved
John, chapter 1. We looked at John's general epistle
this morning. Now we look at John's, what they
call John's gospel. But John, writing under the inspiration
of the Holy Spirit, begins his gospel here his book on the life
of our Lord by really telling the whole story. He certainly
does. He tells the whole story. That's
the reason I gave the message this title, Tell Me the Story
of Jesus. He tells the whole story in the
first eighteen verses. And there seems to be in these
verses four or five divisions. First of all, let's look at verses
one through five. Of whom do we speak? Of whom
do we speak? Well, he says in verse 1, in
the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the
Word was God. Who is this Word of God? Well,
if you'll take the time with me to turn to Revelation chapter
19, it tells us something about this Word of God. Revelation
19. Who is this Word of God? In Revelation 19, verse 11, listen
to this, Revelation 19, 11, And I saw heaven opened, and behold,
a white horse, and he that sat upon him was called Faithful
and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His
eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns. And he had a name written. That
doesn't mean the crowns were stacked up now. That means a
crown, one crown. But it signifies a reign over
many, many. His one crown is the reign over
many galaxies, universe, worlds, nations, all these things. Many
crowns. And he says his name was written.
He had a name written that no man knew but he himself. And
he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and his name
is called the Word of God. The Word of God. And the armies
which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed
in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a
sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations, and
he shall rule them with a rod of iron, And he treadeth the
winepress of the fierceness of the wrath of Almighty God, and
he hath on his vesture and on his style a name written, King
of Kings and Lord of Lords." Who is this Word of God? You
know who it is. It's Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus. And let me show you four or five
things here now from John 1. In the beginning was the Word.
We have here the relation of Jesus Christ to time. It doesn't
say that he was from the beginning, it says he was in the beginning.
He wasn't from the beginning, he was in the beginning. You
see, he's not in time. Time's in him. You understand
that? He's not from the beginning,
it says in the beginning was the way. He's not in time, time's
in him. When he talked about Christ in
Hebrews 7, being a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek,
says he has no mother, no father, no beginning of days, and no
end of days, and no pedigree. He is, was, and ever shall be. That's his relationship to time. Time's in him. He's from the beginning. Oh,
that's the second thing. His relationship to the Godhead. And the Word was with God. In
beginning was the Word. In beginning was. Not from beginning,
but was the Word. And He was God. Now, the Scripture
says that the Lord our God is one God. But He's three persons.
Now don't try to figure that out. And don't come up here and
bring a message on how to understand the Trinity. Just believe it. There are three that bear record
in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit. And these
three are one. Just believe it. There are some
things, the secret things belong to God to reveal things to us.
Leave the Trinity alone. As far as trying to understand.
Isn't that right, John? You're 80 some odd years old.
You've been around. Believe Him. That's all you need
to do. Because there's some things absolutely,
utterly, beyond your comprehension and mine and everybody else's
put together. But to take all our minds and put them together
wouldn't make one good one. That's just so. That's just true. So just believe it. Just believe
it. He is one God. The Lord our God
is one God. Yet He's Father, Son, and Holy
Spirit. The Father's not the Son, the Son's not the Father,
and the Son's not the Holy Spirit. But He's God. Why is he called
the Word of God? It says here in the beginning
was the Word and the Word was with God. Why is he called the
Word? What is a Word? Well, a Word is a revelation
or an expression of a thought. I stand up here before you and
I have a thought. How am I going to get it across
to you? The only way is with a Word. That gets across a thought,
an idea, a word. So Jesus Christ is called the
Word because in Jesus Christ deity is revealing himself. And is that clear? Deity is expressing. No man knoweth the Father, and
no man's going to know the Father unless the Father puts himself
in an expression, in a revelation. in a way that we can know the
Father. And so the Son has declared Him. He that has seen me, heard me,
has seen the Father. You understand that? That's why
He's called the Word of God. He's the exact image, the exact
expression, a clear revelation of Almighty God. That's why He's
called the Word. John 1.18 says He declares the
Father. Revelation 1.8 says He's God's
whole alphabet. He's God's whole alphabet. He's
Alpha and Omega. That's beginning and end. Christ is God's whole alphabet.
You don't learn anything about the character attributes of God
outside of Christ. He's the whole alphabet. And
He's God's final spokesman. God who at sundry times and in
diverse manners spake to our fathers by the prophets has spoken
by His Son. And this is the end of the line.
You'll hear Him, but you won't hear from God. That's why He's
called the Word of God, the Word. Is that clear? His relationship
to time, time's in Him. His relationship to the Godhead,
He's God. And He's called the Word of God
because He's the only expression. The Holy Spirit's not called
the Word of God. He's the only expression and
declaration and revelation of the Godhead. Is that clear to
you? Care to answer what I'm saying to you children? That
He's the Word of God. If you've got something to say,
if you've got something you're thinking, you want to get that
image or that story across, you put it in words. You see that? The Word. Christ is the Word
of God. Now don't go somewhere else looking for God to reveal
Himself. He reveals Himself in Christ.
That's how you know God. Thirdly, his relationship to
the universe. Listen. And the Word was God. The Word was with God. And the
Word was God. The Word is God. The Lord Jesus
rules over all. He's not secondary. He's not
a second-class citizen in heaven. He's equal with the Father. He
rules. Our Lord is sovereign. He said,
I have all authority over all flesh. There's some kind of preaching
that leaves me with the impression that they think Jesus Christ
is just a little inferior to a whole lot of things. A little
inferior. He sounded like a little fellow,
you know, that they're trying to win a little support for him.
He's Lord. He's King of Kings and Lord of
Lords. When you read Revelation 19,
He comes with a crown on His head. He comes His vesture dipped
in blood. He comes with a name written,
King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He comes with a sharp sword going
out of His mouth to smite the nation. He comes to reign and
rule. Christ Jesus! He has all power over all flesh. He said, I have all authority
in heaven and earth. The earth is the Lord's, Jehovah's,
and the fullness thereof, and none can stay His hand or say
unto Him, what doest thou? He is God. Verse 2 says, the same was in
the beginning with God. And now watch his relationship
to creation. All things were made by Him.
All things were made by Him. Only God can create. You and
I can discover, but we can't create. We can put some things
together and make them a little messier than they were, you know,
and only God can create. And it says, turn to Colossians
for a moment. Colossians chapter 1. Listen
to this. Colossians chapter 1. It's talking
about the Lord Jesus Christ. Verse 14. Colossians 1 verse
14. In whom we have redemption. In
Christ we have redemption through His blood, even the forgiveness
of sin, who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn
of every creature. For by Him were all things created. that are in heaven, that are
in earth, visible, invisible, whether they be thrones or dominions
or principalities or powers, all things were created by Him
and for Him. And He's before all things, and
by Him all things consist, or they're held together. This is
Christ I'm talking about. That's His relationship to creation.
Now verse 4, His relationship to men and women. In Him was
life. And the life was the light of
men. Now listen carefully to me. In Jesus Christ is life. Now the word life there is used
in the widest sense. I know that He's our spiritual
life. But all life is in Him. All life. Life is two-fold here. There's
life and there's life. His life, all life, the life
of the plants, the beasts, the birds, man, is in Him. He's the fountain of life. That's
right. And then His spiritual life. Now let me show you that.
Hold that place and turn to Deuteronomy. Deuteronomy chapter 32. Deuteronomy 32. Now listen carefully. What I'm
saying here, in Him is life. All life. All life. He says in verse 39
of Deuteronomy 32, See now that I, even I am He. There is no
God with me. There is no other God. I kill.
I make alive. I wound. I heal. Neither is there
any that can deliver out of my hand. For I lift up my hand to
heaven. I say I live forever. I am life.
And I kill and I make alive. I wound and I heal. That's our
God. Now turn to Job chapter 12. This is most interesting
here. Job chapter 12. And I want to
give everybody time to find it. Job 12. I'm going to read verse
7 through 10. Job 12, 7 through 10. I'm saying all life is from Christ. He's a fountain of life, all
kinds of life. Job 12, verse 7, But ask now
the beast, and they'll teach you. The fowls of the air, they'll
tell you. Or speak to the earth, and it'll
teach you. And the fish of the sea shall
declare unto you, Who knoweth not in all these that the hand
of the Lord hath wrought this, in whose hand is the soul, That
is the life of every living thing and the breath of all flesh of
mankind, all mankind. Verse 10 again, in whose hand
is the life, so there's life, of every living creature and
the breath of all mankind. So that, come back to our text
now. His relationship to time, in
the beginning. His relationship to God, the
Godhead. He is God, with God. His relationship
to the universe, He reigns. His relationship to men. In Him
is life. Now what's this? And the life
was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness,
and the darkness comprehended it not. Now this morning, in
John's first John, he talked about an effectual light. An effectual light. He talked
about the light of the revelation of the mysteries of God in Christ
to believers. And here he's talking about an
ineffectual light. So there's a two-fold life. Jesus Christ gives all things
life, even animals and birds and beasts and fish. He gives
life everlasting to His people. Got that? He gives light to all
men. What is light? Knowledge. Knowledge. The birds don't have this knowledge
of God, conscience. The beasts don't have it. It's
a conscience. Birds don't have it. Beasts don't
have it. Flowers do not have it. But men do. Every man is
morally enlightened. Every man has a conscience. Verse
9 of John 1. Look, this was a true light that
lighted every man that cometh into this world. Now Paul said
something about that in Romans 1. Listen to that. Turn to Romans
1. Romans 1.18. Two-fold life. Jesus Christ,
our God, has given life to everything, every creature. Life. There's an eternal life. There's a spiritual life. He's
pleased to give through His obedience, through His death. And then there's
a light that lighteth every man that comes into this world. And
Christ is that light. Look at Romans 1, verse 18. For the wrath of God is revealed
from heaven against all ungodliness and all unrighteousness of men
who hold the truth in unrighteousness, because that which may be known
of God is manifest to them." That word is to them. God has showed it to them. For
the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are
clearly seen. How are they seen? By a certain kind of light. Being
understood by the things that are made. Even His eternal power
in Godhead, so that men are without excuse. All of them are without
excuse. They are morally enlightened. All men are. They have some knowledge
of God. They are religiously inclined.
That's what accounts for so many false religions. They are religiously
inclined. They have a knowledge. The animals
don't have a knowledge. of what we're talking about here,
that which may be known of God is manifest to them by the things
that are made. Animals don't have that. They have life, but they don't
have that life. Men do. Look at Romans 2, verse 15. Romans 2, 15. Verse 14 and 15 of Romans 2,
when the Gentiles, who are the Gentiles? Well, they're alien
strangers without Christ, without hope, without God in this world.
That's what he said Gentiles are. But they have something. What do they have? They have
not the law, they have not the priesthood, they have not the
tabernacle, but they do by nature the things that contain in the
law. These having not the law are law unto themselves, which
show the work of the law written in their hearts. There's some
light there. Their conscience, they got a
conscience. A tiger has no conscience, a dog has no conscience. Their conscience bearing witness,
their thoughts, the meanwhile, accusing or else excusing one
another. So there is a light. Light is
every man that comes into this world. There is a moral enlightening
and conscience and knowledge that Jesus Christ, and that's
his relationship to me, that light shines in this darkness
and the darkness doesn't comprehend that light, doesn't understand. All right, let's look at verse
6. Now, what do we say of him? What do we say of this one of
whom we've been speaking, the first five verses, the Lord Jesus
Christ? Well, verse 6 says there was
a man. sent from God, whose name was John. John was the last of
many men sent from God to foretell and prophesy the coming of this
man, Jesus Christ. Turn to Malachi chapter 3. That's
the last book in the Old Testament. Somebody said John the Baptist
was the last of the Old Testament prophets. Moses wrote the first
five books of the Bible, and Christ said, Moses wrote of me.
He told how that Christ would come. He bore witness of Christ.
He said God will raise up from the midst of you a prophet. Prophet
like unto me. Abraham, Abraham saw my day Christ
said. Abraham said the Lord will provide. Isaiah talked about him being
the righteousness of God. David talked about how God would
raise up a king. And here in chapter 1, chapter
3 of Malachi verse 1, God says, The last book in the Old Testament,
Behold, I'll send my messenger, and he'll prepare the way before
me, that's John the Baptist, and the Lord whom you seek, the
Lord, the one we've been talking about all this time, shall suddenly
come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant. whom ye delight in, behold, he
shall come. He shall come, saith the Lord
of hosts, but who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall
stand when he appeareth? Oh boy, I tell you John, there
was a man, the last of the Old Testament prophets, John the
Baptist. He did no miracle. Supernaturally
born to old parents, Strange fellow, lived out in the wilderness,
lived on locust tree, fruit from the locust tree and wild honey.
Died when he was 32 or 33 years old. Just had a short ministry,
but he came saying, Behold the Lamb of God. Behold the Lamb
of God. He bore witness. And he says
here in verse 8, John wasn't that light, neither was Moses.
John was not that light, neither was Abraham. John was not that
light, neither was David. He was sent to bear witness of
that light. Now this light we're talking
about here, capital L-I-G-H-T, is a different light. Look back
at verse 5. And the light, verse 4, in him
was life, and the life was the light of men. General knowledge. moral enlightenment, conscience,
some understanding that somebody out there, that's what, you know
what they say, that's what natural men say, somebody up there, somebody
up there likes me, somebody, don't know who he is, but somebody,
that's life. That's a little letter, L-I-G-H-T,
that's some kind of enlightenment. But wait a minute, verse 9, verse
8 comes along, verse 7, the same came for witness, to bear witness
of capital, L-I-G-H-T. The Jehovah, the Redeemer, the
Righteousness, the Sin Offering, the Atonement, the High Priest,
the King. This is somebody here. This is
not a moral enlightenment. This is not some general knowledge.
This is not a little bit more than the dog has and the tiger
has. This is something that God's
children have. Capital. L-I-G-H-T. That's what we're
talking about. Verse 8, it said, John is not
that capital L-I-G-H-T, capital, as many lords, little letter
L-O-R-D-S, many gods, G-O-D-S, but not but one, L-O-R-D, capital,
L, capital, O, capital. Not but one capital, G-O-D, and
not but one capital, L-I-G-H-T, light, light, light. Oh, I see the holiness of God
in Christ. I see the justice of God in Christ. I see the righteousness of God
in Christ. I see that light is beyond this
little letter light. That's right. He won that light. He was sent to bear witness of
that light. Now, this is the true light. This is the true
light. All right. That's who we're talking
about. The Old Testament declares He would come, will come. Gospels declare He has come. Well, here's the third thing
now John deals with in verse 10. The Lamb has said He tells
the whole story here. Now verse 10, He was in the world. He was in the world. He was actually
in the world. And the world was made by Him
and the world didn't know Him. He was actually in this world.
You know, this is his world. There's a sense in which he's
always been in the world. He made it. There's a sense in
which he's always been in the world. But this is talking about
he actually, in the flesh, as a man, came into this world. The way he's always been in the
world is a world in him. David said, Whither shall I flee
from thy presence, if I take the wings of the morning, and
dwell in the uttermost parts of sea? Thy sin in the heaven
art there, for make my bed in the grave art there." There's
a sense in which the world's in him, and he in the world.
But in this sense here, he has limited himself and clothed himself
in human flesh, and actually in the flesh came into this world. He dwelt in this world. on the
things of this world to sustain him. He depended on a mother
to bear him and to nourish him, and he depended on the fruits
and vegetables of the world to sustain him, and the water of
the world. He was actually in this world.
This one of whom we speak was in this world. Turn to 1 Timothy
3. This is such a mystery. That's what Paul said over here
in 1 Timothy 3, verse 16. Listen, and without controversy,
great is this mystery of godliness. God was manifest in the flesh. He who made woman was made of
a woman. But God promised he would come the seed of woman.
He of whom the prophet spoke became a prophet. He whom the
priest represented became a priest. And he who is the king of kings
of all kings became a king. A child was born, a son was given,
a virgin son. He lived and died on this earth
as the second Adam. He was in this world. Now look
at the next slide. And the world was made by him,
but the world didn't know him. They didn't know him. He's the
desire of all nations, but they didn't know him. The world knew
him not. Look at 1 Corinthians 2. Have
you ever thought about this? You say, why did Christ Jesus
did so many things, marvelous miracles and all this sort of
thing, and yet they nailed Him to a cross? What's wrong with
those people? They didn't know who He was. You see, He fit God's specification,
but He didn't fit their specification. They wanted a Messiah, but not
like Him. They wanted a king, but not like
him. He fit God's specifications, but not theirs. They rejected
him on the principle that he didn't fit their specifications.
That's right. So 1 Corinthians 2, 7 says, We
speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which
God ordained before the world to our glory, which none of the
princes, that word is leaders, of this world knew. For had they
known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
But their eyes do not see, and their ears do not hear, and neither
have they entered the heart of man to think God has prepared
for them that love Him. But God reveals them unto us
by His Spirit. That's that light. The Spirit
searcheth all things. That's that twofold light. That's that effectual light. And look back at our text now
at verse 10. He was in this world, and the
world didn't know Him. The world was made by Him. But
you see, sin had blinded and corrupted this world, and they
didn't recognize their Creator. We're so far from God, we didn't
recognize God. We're so far from the principles
of God, we didn't recognize the Word of God or the doctrine of
God. And listen to this, verse 11, He came unto His own. His
own what? His own nation, the Jews? His
own tabernacle, temple? His own priesthood? his own mercy
seat. This was all given to Israel
and Moses saw Christ in all this. Christ is our Passover. But these
people had degenerated, their religion had degenerated into
such superstition and corruption and darkness that he who is the
fulfillment of all that they were doing, they wouldn't receive
him. They wouldn't receive him. They
wouldn't have him. We'll not have this man reign
over us. And Pilate said, shall I crucify
your king? They said, we don't have any
king but Caesar. Well, there's got to be a final
chapter to this thing now, this story. Tell me the story of Jesus. We've gone back to who He is. We've talked about
all these pronouncements and all these prophecies, promises
regarding him. And this last man finally came,
John the Baptist, and God sent him, and he said, Behold the
Lamb of God. And here he is, and the world
kicked him out. Nailed him to a cross, spit on him. Laughed at him while he died.
Well, is it over? He came into the world, and the
world knew him not. What light they had was darkness. And his own nation, Israel, they
didn't want him. They said when Pilate said, Pilate
said, I don't find him faulted. They said, let his blood be on
us and our children. That's pretty strong, isn't it? Just kill him and we'll take
full responsibility for it. You just kill him. You just put
him on that cross, get him away from us, and we'll bear the responsibility."
They pretty well have, hadn't they? Just let his blood be on
us. That takes a lot of gall. It's
alright to talk about blood being on me, but I don't want to pass
it down here to these sweet ones. But that's how strong they were,
we won't have it. And I tell you, that's how people
hate the grace of God now. I've had them tell me, your God's
my devil. You know what? I preached at
Second Baptist Church years ago. Years and years ago, 1952, 38
years ago, 53. I preached on for whom did Christ
die. The pastor got up and told the congregation, said, if Jesus
Christ died only for the elect, he is no savior of mine. That's
where it's strong. Awful strong. B, you remember
that? You might have been sitting there. You were, weren't you? He said it, didn't he? Some of
those ladies sitting out there in the middle gasped, too. It
took their breath away when he said that. I tell you, whomever
he died for, he's my only savior. Let him die for whom he will.
Let him do what he will. Let him be what he is. I'm not
going to try to change him. He's my only hope. But that's
how strong they are about to hate him. Oh, they hate him. What are we going to do about
it? Is the purpose of God defeated? Will heaven be a ghost town?
Will the covenant of grace and mercy fail? Is there nobody going
to be there? Oh no, but, verse 12, boy I'm
glad for this, but, as many as received him, and
John here is at the beginning of Christ's ministry and already
talking about what's going to be later. But as many as received
Him, to them gave He the power, the privilege, to become sons
of God, even to them that believe on His name. Somebody said to me tonight about
the simplicity of my message this morning. Let's keep it that
way. It's the simplicity of Christ.
Everybody who will receive Him, will bow to Him, will love Him,
will believe Him, will submit to Him. Almighty God says He
will give them the power to become sons of God. Below what manner
of love God has bestowed on us that we should be called sons
of God. It does not yet appear what we shall be, but when He
shall appear, we shall see Him and be like Him. Well, how come,
preacher, that these people received Him? It says He came into the
world. The world didn't know Him. And He came to His own. His own wouldn't receive Him.
These people did. Verse 13 tells you why, too.
It's not that they were any different in themselves. God made the difference.
It wasn't that their light was a little better than the other
fellows' light. No, it was all common grace. But this was special
light. Special. which these people that
believe on His name were born, second time, new birth. Not of
blood, that is not of family inheritance or family ties or
natural genealogy, that's not, that's, that's we talk about
when we're related to somebody with the same blood. Well, that's
not how these people received Christ and believed on Christ
and saw what other people didn't see. They were born not of blood
and not of the will of the flesh. It wasn't of their own wills.
Christ said, you will not come to me. It wasn't of their own
wills that they believed Christ and received Him. It wasn't of
the will of somebody else. But they were born of God. That's
the difference. And Jesus Christ is the life
of all men. Birds, animals, and flowers.
But He's the life, eternal life. of those who believe. And He
is a light, a moral enlightenment and conscience and some sort
of understanding. We're higher than the animals
and a little lower than the angels, but He's the light of God to
the soul. And when that light shines, you
can see spiritually. You can see the glory of God,
the attributes of God, the truth of God, the mysteries of even
here. You can hear things you never heard before. I was raised
in religion and heard nothing until one day I received some
ears. And I began to hear Him. It began to make sense, this
gospel did. I began to see and to hear and to receive the very
glory of God. That's it. And the Word, that
Word, look at it, was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld
His glory. His redemptive glory, this is
His redemptive glory. See, the heavens declare the
glory of God, glory of His wisdom and the glory of His power. The
firmament showeth the glory of His handiwork, but only Christ
shows the glory of His redemption. And we beheld in Him the glory
of God, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full
of grace and full of truth. All right, I hope that's a blessing.
I hope it's helpful to you. And we'll quit with that. Mike,
you come lead us in a hymn.

Tell Me the Story of Jesus

What does the Bible say about the nature of Christ?

How do we know that Jesus is the only way to God?

Why is telling the story of Jesus important for Christians?

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Tell Me the Story of Jesus

What does the Bible say about the nature of Christ?

How do we know that Jesus is the only way to God?

Why is telling the story of Jesus important for Christians?

Sermon Transcript

About Henry Mahan

Comments

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