Light Matters!
So that you may believe- Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented • 46:18
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The Prologue Continues
The Prologue Continues
We are still in the prologue (Jn1:1-14) of the Gospel. There is still more to learn. Some words to consider are God, beginning, Him and our key word tonight “Light.”
John introduces Jesus as “the light” (v.4)
The light shines in the darkness (v.5)
It was the light that John the baptized bore witness of (vv.6-8)
Well, this is a bible study, so maybe we should not just speak of the scripture but speak, look at study the scripture.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.
3 All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.
5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 6 There came a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.
OK, so that is where we have journey thus far in the prologue to the gospel. Tonight we will pick up on the proclamation and reception, and rejection of the Light
jn1:9-10
9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.
11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
What did you see, what did you notice, what sticks out to you in this passage?
Now, let’s glean from the passage
(Put the verses back up on the screen as we go)
What can you tell about the light in (v.9)?
It is true light
It is available or enlightens every man
The Light was in the world, but there is a problem, what is it in (v.10)?
They did not know Him
Press on now (v.11), not only did they not know him (v.10) they did not do what in (v.11)?
They did not receive Him
To those who received the Him (the Light) was right was given (v.12)?
The right to become children of God
How were they who believed born (v.13)?
By the will of God!
(Transition) Some things to consider as we work our way through our study tonight. Why do some not receive Christ, while others do. If the Light was available to all men why are not all men saved? So we will start now tonight at looking at:
Many did not receive the Light
Some did receive the Light
Many did not receive the Light
Many did not receive the Light
While the light is available to all, not all receive the Light. May we look at who did not receive the Light and why they did not receive the Light.
Who are those who did not receive the Light?
The world in general (Jn1:9-10) (also ref, Jn1:4, 8:12, 12:46 and 1:3)
9 The true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was created through Him, yet the world did not recognize Him.
This is even though He gives light to every man Jn1:4 “4 In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men.” - and the world was created through Him (1:3)
Jn8:12 “12 Then Jesus again spoke to them, saying, “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life.”” and finally look at Jn12:46
46 “I have come as Light into the world, so that everyone who believes in Me will not remain in darkness.
His own did not receive Him (Jn1:11) (also ref. Jer2:7; Deu7:6)
11 He came to his own country, but his own people did not receive him.
He came into his own people, in Palestine Jer2:7 “7 “I brought you into the fruitful land To eat its fruit and its good things. But you came and defiled My land, And My inheritance you made an abomination.”
See this too
6 “For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for His own possession out of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth.
(Transition) so the light came, was identified, came unto his own and his own did not receive Him, but why?
Why they did not receive the Light (Jn1:10) (other scriptures Jn7:5; Act1:14)
They did not know Him
10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn’t recognize him.
The world did not know him, but then, in reality even his own brothers did not recognize him until after the resurrection Jn7:5 “5 For not even His brothers were believing in Him.” - the resurrection changed everything!
14 These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Other reasons they did not receive the Light
Some loved darkness more than light (Jn3:19-20; 5:42-43)
Have someone turn to jn3:19-20 “19 “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. 20 “For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.”
Some worried about what others thought (Jn7:13, 9:22)
jn7:13 “13 Yet no one was speaking openly of Him for fear of the Jews.” - but more damning is (have someone turn to) Jn9:22 “22 His parents said this because they were afraid of the Jews; for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone confessed Him to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.”
Some from misinformation (Jn7:40-43)
Let me summarize Jn7:40-43 “40 Some of the people therefore, when they heard these words, were saying, “This certainly is the Prophet.” 41 Others were saying, “This is the Christ.” Still others were saying, “Surely the Christ is not going to come from Galilee, is He? 42 “Has not the Scripture said that the Christ comes from the descendants of David, and from Bethlehem, the village where David was?” 43 So a division occurred in the crowd because of Him.”
Some because of the traditions of man (Jn9:13-16)
Have someone turn and read Jn9:13-16 “13 They brought to the Pharisees the man who was formerly blind. 14 Now it was a Sabbath on the day when Jesus made the clay and opened his eyes. 15 Then the Pharisees also were asking him again how he received his sight. And he said to them, “He applied clay to my eyes, and I washed, and I see.” 16 Therefore some of the Pharisees were saying, “This man is not from God, because He does not keep the Sabbath.” But others were saying, “How can a man who is a sinner perform such signs?” And there was a division among them.”
And, some love the praise of men more (Jn12:42-43)
42 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.
(Transition): From the ones who did not receive the light, though the light was there for all to receive by belief. to now those who did receive the light by faith.
Just as then there were many who did not receive the Light, there are many today, but yet there were some then and there are some today, and we want to look at the some now.
Some Received the Light
Some Received the Light
Light is available to all, but light must be received. Some did and it came with benefits and it came by certain means, and that is what we are looking at now.
Benefits of receiving the Light
The right to become children of God (Jn1:12) (other referenced 1Jn3:1, Rom8:14-17)
12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God.
This is right, this is authority and ability to become a child of God - it does not mean you are a child, but you can become one (more to follow on this momentarily)
Receiving Christ, who is the manifestation of God’s love 1Jn3:1 “1 See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.” - gives us the ability! But wait there’s more
The right, the authority, the ability because of the manifestation of God’s great love makes us heirs with God and joint heirs with Christ. Check out
14 For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. 15 For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”
16 The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, heirs also, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him so that we may also be glorified with Him.
The privilege of being born of God (Jn1:13) (also, Jn3:5; Tit3:5)
13 They did not become God’s children by natural means, that is, by being born as the children of a human father; God himself was their Father.
Children not by natural means
Children not by the flesh
Children not by the will of man, but the will of God Himself
Consider Jn3:5 “5 Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” and what Paul said to Titus Tit3:5 “5 He saved us, not on the basis of deeds which we have done in righteousness, but according to His mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit,”
(Transition) so from the benefits of the Light to become children of God and the privilege of being born of God. Now may we look at the means of receiving the light.
The means for receiving the Light (Jn1:12, 8:30-32, 12:42-43)
12 But to all who did accept him and believe in him he gave the right to become children of God.
To receive the Light is to receive Christ and it is made possible by believing in His name (v.12)
It is not belief alone that saves you, many believed but did not become His disciples
30 As He spoke these things, many came to believe in Him. 31 So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
maybe think about Jn12:42-43 “42 Nevertheless many even of the rulers believed in Him, but because of the Pharisees they were not confessing Him, for fear that they would be put out of the synagogue; 43 for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.”
When belief, faith move into obedience we become children of God
By His authorship (Heb5:9; Heb12:2)
9 And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation,
Oh wait, better yet
2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
By us putting Him on in baptism (Gal3:26-27; Mk16:16)
26 for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
and we know the command found in Mt28:20; Act2:38 and Mk16:16 “16 “He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned.”
By being born again (Jn3:5; Tit3:5)
have already read both of these passages, it is when we are baptized we are born again, by faith! So yes it is faith, belief that saves as it works with confession (Rom10:9-10); repentance (Act2:38; Mt3:2, 4:17); and then walking in newness of life (Rom6:4); walking in a manner in which you were called (Eph4:1)
(Transition) I want to take a quick detour before we close out tonight for there is a popular, mainstream belief that I believe is taking scripture out of context or being misapplied and leading people astray.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,
That belief in and of itself is the save all, but remember even the demons believe Jm2:19 “19 You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder.” So would that not mean the demons are saved too?
And if it was just believe in the name of Jesus does that discount where we are told to confess the name of Jesus? Jesus says without confessing he will not confess you, Mt10:32-33 “32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.” - you may remember also Rom10:9-10
9 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; 10 for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation.
And if it were belief in the name alone, does that mean we do not need to be baptized for forgiveness of sins as noted in Act2:38, Act22:16?
This misunderstanding, this misapplication has led many to say a “sinners prayer” that is not found in the scripture or to take another passage that is for erroring Christians and apply for sinners
20 ‘Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. 21 ‘He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
How did they overcome sin? By belief (Jn1:12; Jn3:16) by faith and confession (Rom10:9-10) by repentance (Mt3:2, 4:17); by submission to baptism to be born again (Act2:38, 22:16) so then you are born again to walk in the newness of life! It is comes with obedience and it is cultivated and them culminated in baptism
27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.
(Conclusion) Light matters, it is the a matter of life, eternal life, and eternal death, separation from God for not accepting the light that was given to all men, but not all men receive. To those who believe and receive they have the right to become children of God! Are you a child of God, how did that happen? Consider these things (Pray) (Exit)