“John 3:31-36”

The Revealer Has Come (3:31-36)

A.     Jesus alone was from above—from heaven (v.31)

1.      The meaning from above is significant (v.31a)

a)         “From Above”—Jesus Christ: Jesus came out of (ek) the spiritual world into the physical world, out of the heavenly dimension of being into the earthly dimension of being. Jesus came out of...

(1)        the incorruptible world into the corruptible world.

(2)        the glorious world into the dishonorable world.

(3)        the powerful world into the weak world.

(4)        the spiritual world into the natural world. (Cp. 1 Cor. 15:42-44.)

(a)         John 3:13; 6:33, 38; 41-42; 50-51, 58; 17:5

2.      The words “above all” are mentioned twice meaning: superior, preeminent

a)       His origin was “from above.”

(1)        He was not of the earth, not earthly. Men are.

(2)        Men are born of the flesh; that is, they are born of a man and woman who live on earth.

(3)        Jesus is the Eternal God, He has always existed (Jn.1:1)

(4)        But not Jesus. He was “from heaven”—out of God Himself.

(5)        Therefore, He was superior and preeminent (John 1:1,14.)

b)      A man can only speak of the earth and of earthly things.

(1)        He comes only out of the earth; therefore, he can know only earthly things.

(2)        When he speaks of heavenly things, he only shares his ideas and speculations, for he has never been to heaven.

(a)         If any man preaches another gospel, let him be accursed (Gal.1:8-9)

(3)        Therefore, the only conceivable way for man to know anything about heaven is for Someone from heaven to come and tell him ( John 1:1,14,18;  3:13; 14:6).

B.     Jesus alone was God’s Spokesman (v.32-34a)

1.      Jesus testified, revealed, & proclaimed what He had seen & heard (v.32a)

a)         Jesus is the only one Who can share heaven with men (John 3:11)

(1)        John 5:20 – the Father loves the Son & shows Him all things

(2)        John 8:26 – Jesus speaks to the world the things He heard from the Father.

(3)        John 15:15 – Jesus calls us friends & has revealed to us all things He has heard from the Father.

2.      Some reject His testimony (v.32b)

a)         “No man” simply means the vast majority (John 1:12 “but as many as received Him”)  

(1)        Isaiah 51:1-3 – He was despised & rejected by men

(2)        John 1:10-11 – The world did not know Him & His own did not receive Him.

(3)        1Cor.16:22 – If any man does not love the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be accursed

3.      Some receive and seal His testimony (v.33)

a)         Seal: a man’s seal was affixed to a document to show he agreed with it.

(1)        A seal guaranteed that the record was true and genuine.

(2)        When a man receives the testimony of Jesus, he shows that God is true.

(3)        John 1:12 – The only way a man can show that God is true is to accept the testimony of Jesus

(a)         John 6:27 – the Father has set His seal on Him

4.      Proof: Sent from God and speaks God’s Word (v.34a)

a)         Jesus is the Apostle of God.

"For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. (John 6:38 NKJV)

"But I know Him, for I am from Him, and He sent Me." (John 7:29 NKJV)

Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. (John 8:42 NKJV)

"that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. (John 17:21 NKJV)

It should be noted that God poured out His Spirit without measure upon Jesus—the only apostle upon whom this was ever done. (Cp. John 4:34; John 5:23-24, 30, 36-37; John 6:38-40, 44, 57; John 7:16, 18; John 8:16, 42; John 9:4; John 10:36; John 11:42; John 12:44-45, 49; John 14:24; John 15:21; John 16:5; John 17:3, 18, 21, 23, 25; John 20:21.)

b)        He is God’s Ambassador, God’s perfect Spokesman.

"For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God does not give the Spirit by measure. (John 3:34)

"It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. (John 6:63 NKJV)

"He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him----the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. (John 12:48 NKJV)

"He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me. (John 14:24 NKJV)

Then Jesus said to the twelve, "Do you also want to go away?"   But Simon Peter answered Him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. (John 6:67-68 NKJV)

"For I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me. (John 17:8 NKJV)

c)         We are now the Ambassador’s, spokesman for God

(1)        (Acts 26:17 – Paul was sent by God); (Eph.6:20 – Paul says he was an ambassador for Christ)

(2)        (John 20:21 – “As the Father has sent me, I send you”); (2Cor.5:20 – We are ambassadors for Christ cf. Matt.28:19-20)            

C.     Jesus alone had the full measure of the Spirit (v.34b)

1.      “Without Measure”

a)         This is John’s way of saying that there is perfect communion and communication between the Son and the Father, with the result that the Father guarantees the truth and total reliability of Christ’s words.

"The Spirit of the LORD is upon Me, Because He has anointed Me To preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to the captives And recovery of sight to the blind, To set at liberty those who are oppressed; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD." (Luke 4:18-19 NKJV)              

"How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power, who went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (Acts 10:38 NKJV)

b)        There was no limit to the Spirits: Presence, blessings, work.

c)         This will happen with us when we are filled with the Spirit (Eph.5:18)

2.      It is possible for us to hinder the work of the Spirit of God in our lives (1Thess.4:19)

Holy Spirit—Sin: this is one of the four major sins against the Holy Spirit.

a)         Quenching the Spirit (1Thess.5:19).

–         To quench means to stifle, to snuff out, to stop. The Holy Spirit is always working in the life of the believer to lead him to do God’s will.

The believer quenches the Spirit’s work by

(1)        ignoring Him,

(2)        neglecting Him,

(3)        disobeying Him, or by simply

(4)        procrastinating.

Note the context above. The command to “quench not the Spirit” is surrounded by a series of positive commands.

b)        Grieving the Spirit (Eph.4:30).

–         To grieve means to pain, to vex, to sadden. The Holy Spirit is pure, holy, and righteous.

The believer grieves the Spirit when he...

(1)        allows impure things to penetrate his life.

(2)        behaves immorally.

(3)        acts unjustly.

(4)        allows or participates in anything contrary to the nature of the Spirit.

Note the context. The command to “grieve not the Spirit” is surrounded by a series of negative commands.

c)         Blasphemy against the Spirit ( Matthew 12:31- 33).

(1)        John 12:37-39 “they could not believe”

d)        Lying to the Holy Spirit ( Acts 5:3-4).

D.     Jesus alone determines man’s destiny (v.35-36)

1.      The Father loves the Son & has given all things into His hands (v.35)

a)         There are four primary reasons why God loves His Son so much.

(1)        Jesus is God’s only Son, the Son in His very own bosom ( John 1:18).

(2)        Jesus is God’s only begotten Son, the Son who willingly partook of flesh and came into the world to save men, thereby fulfilling the will of God perfectly ( John 1:14).

(3)        Jesus gave Himself as an offering and a sacrifice to God Himself. ( Eph.5:2)

(4)        Jesus willingly learned perfect obedience by the things which He suffered ( John 13:31-32;  Hebrews 5:5-10).

b)        The Father has given all things into His hands.

 “who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him. (1 Peter 3:22 NKJV)

"All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. (Matthew 11:27 NKJV)

And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. (Matthew 28:18 NKJV)

"For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, (John 5:22 NKJV)

And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, (Ephesians 1:22)

"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. (John 15:9 NKJV)

E.  Everlasting Life or the Wrath of God?

1.      To believe Him brings everlasting life (v.36a)

a)         1John 5:10-13

b)        1John 2:3-6

c)         Believe Not (ho apeithon): to obey not.

(1)        If a person does not obey, he does not really believe.

(2)        Conversely, if a person really believes, he obeys. ( John 2:24; Hebrews 5:9.)

2.      Not to obey Him brings wrath (v.36b)

a)         Wrath (orge): anger, temper, indignation. It is not an uncontrolled, unthinking, violent reaction. It is deep, permanent, settled, thoughtful, controlled anger and temper.

(1)        His wrath is His...

(a)         anger against sin.

(b)        reaction against unrighteousness.

(c)         opposition to the injustices of men.

(d)        punishment of evil and wicked men.

3.      The wrath or anger of God is aroused for four reasons.

a)           Men do not believe on the Son of God.

(1)        They allow their hearts to become hardened and impenitent (Romans 2:5).

(2)        They spurn and wound God’s love—rejecting, abusing, cursing and denying His Son, the dearest thing to His heart (John 3:36; 2 Thess.1:7-9;  John 3:18-20;  John 3:35-36.)

b)        Men reject God’s mercy, which is ever attempting to reach out and save them (Romans 2:3-6).

c)         Men transgress God’s law (Romans 1:18f; Col. 3:6).

d)        Men sin and come short of God’s will, violating His holiness (Eph.5:6).

God’s wrath is real and active. God is holy, righteous, and pure as well as loving, gracious, and merciful. He executes justice as well as love. He shows wrath and anger as well as compassion.

4.      His wrath is both present and future.

a)         God’s wrath is present and active in this life.

(1)        His wrath abides upon men now. His wrath is manifested against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men (Romans 1:18).

b)        God’s wrath is future and it is to be actively executed in the next life (Luke 16:24; Hebrews 9:27). God will punish sin by giving men up...

(1)        to everlasting fire (Matthew 25:41; Matthew 25:46).

(2)        to hell (Matthew 5:22).

(3)        to outer darkness (Matthew 8:12).

(4)        to weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 8:12).

(5)        to the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:15).

c)         God’s wrath will be especially manifested and active in the last days (cp. Rev. 6:16; Rev. 11:8; Rev. 14:10; Rev. 16:19; Rev. 19:15).

Review of last week

The Last Words of a Humble Man (3:22-30)

The Last Days of John

·         John the Baptist received a great deal of popularity as the result of his preaching.

·         There arose a dispute between John’s disciples & the Jews about purification (3:25).

The Necessary Ingredients for Achieving Humility (3:27-28)

·         Having an awareness of God’s Sovereignty in all things.

·         Knowing that our spiritual insight is from God.

·         Self awareness

The Bride and the Bridegroom (3:29-30)

The Proper Attitude (3:29)

·         Illustration of the Hebrew Wedding.

·         John had his eyes fixed on Christ.

The Proper Conduct – “He Must Increase” (3:30).

·         Division in the Church – Christ is the One to have the “preeminence” (Col.1:18).

·         John wanted the increase of glory to go to Jesus Christ.

·         The story of Jonathan and David