Sermon Tone Analysis

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.

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

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

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)

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

His own did not receive Him (Jn1:11) (also ref.

Jer2:7; Deu7:6)

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

(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

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!

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)

(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

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)

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

The privilege of being born of God (Jn1:13) (also, Jn3:5; Tit3:5)

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)

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

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)

Oh wait, better yet

By us putting Him on in baptism (Gal3:26-27; Mk16:16)

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.

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.