Book: John

Behold, the Lamb of God!
In this sermon, Pastor Dave Capoccia examines John 1:29-34, where John the apostle presents John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus. The author presents John the Baptist’s four-part testimony about Jesus so that you will believe and follow Jesus alone.

1. Jesus Is God’s Saving Lamb (v. 29)
2. Jesus Is the Revealed God-man (vv. 30-31)
3. Jesus Is the Spirit Baptizer (vv. 32-33)
4. Jesus Is God’s Chosen One (v. 34)

Full Transcript

Note: Section headings and structure were added automatically. The transcript text has not been modified.

Summary

This passage from John 1:29-34 presents John the Baptist’s four-part testimony about Jesus, calling us to believe and follow Him wholeheartedly. Through the Baptist’s witness, we discover that Jesus is God’s saving Lamb who takes away the sin of the world, the revealed God-man who existed before all things, the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit, and God’s chosen One foretold by the prophets.

Key Lessons:
1. Jesus is the ultimate Lamb of God—greater than any Old Testament sacrifice—who is sufficient to deal with the sin of the entire world once and for all.
2. Jesus is both fully God and fully man, the eternal Word made flesh, now revealed to Israel and to us.
3. Jesus alone baptizes in the Holy Spirit, offering the reality of new life that water baptism merely symbolizes.
4. As God’s chosen One, Jesus demands wholehearted allegiance—not mere lip service, but genuine repentance and full devotion.
Application: We are called to stop living as if we are the center of our own story and instead give Jesus the supreme place He deserves. Whether drifting in apathy, half-hearted in commitment, or needing to return from wandering, we must go all in on following Christ and point others to Him.

Discussion Questions:
1. John the Baptist was confident in his testimony about Jesus yet later experienced doubt—how does this encourage us when we struggle with our own doubts?
2. What does it look like practically to make Jesus supreme in daily life rather than giving Him only lip service?
3. How does understanding that Jesus baptizes in the Holy Spirit change the way we approach our need for spiritual transformation and victory over sin?
Scripture Focus: John 1:29-34 — John the Baptist identifies Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, the eternal God-man revealed to Israel, the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit, and God’s chosen One. Supporting passages include Isaiah 11:1-2, Isaiah 42:1, Isaiah 53:7, Ezekiel 36:26-27, and Colossians 1:19.

Outline
Full Transcript:

Introduction

Thank you again, musicians. It’s so wonderful to exalt Christ and then to hear about Christ from His Word. It’s my privilege to do that with you this morning.

Let’s pray as we open up God’s Word. Father in heaven, thank You for planning salvation. Jesus, thank You for accomplishing it. Spirit, thank You for applying it. I pray, God, that You would help us to behold the Lord Jesus Christ today. That we may progress both in understanding who He is, but also Lord, becoming more like Him and following after Him with a whole heart. Help me to be able to speak this Word, Lord. Accomplish Your great work today. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The Courtroom Scene: Presenting the Case for Jesus

As we begin, I’d like you to picture with me an ancient courtroom setting where a great issue is being decided. What is the issue? Whether Jesus really is the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus, Himself is not present in this court, but many of the people who lived during His day are. It is mostly made up of Jews.

On the left of the judge stands the anti-Jesus party, who represents the no answer to the question. Who makes up this group? Primarily the official leaders and representatives of the Jews, the Scribes, the Pharisees, the Elders, the Sadducees, and the Chief Priests. At this point in the court proceeding, they have already presented their side before the people, maintaining that Jesus is not the Messiah-He is an imposter and a deceiver who deserved His death.

Jesus couldn’t be the Messiah, they argued, for several main reasons. Jesus did not keep the law according to the pious tradition to the elders. Jesus did not come in power and glory to overthrow Rome and establish a new kingdom for Israel. Jesus died shamefully on a cross, a mark of God’s curse on Him according to Deuteronomy 21:23. Jesus proclaimed that unclean Gentiles would inherit the kingdom along with the Jews. And worst of all, Jesus, a mere man, repeatedly claimed to be God, even the Son of God.

Such the opposition has argued before the court are not the words and actions of God’s true Messiah. Far from following Him, you want to condemn Him, and they add quietly, if you do choose to follow Him, then you will be shunned and persecuted.

Having made their case, it’s now time for the team on the right, the pro-Jesus party, to give their side. To the surprise of all on this day in the courtroom, this team is made up of just one man. John, the son of Zebedee. Seeing that it is his turn, the Apostle John stands up and says, in a surprisingly strong voice for his age: men of Israel, and all of you are religious and claim to fear God, hear me now as I prove to you that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you have eternal life in His name.

“Men of Israel, hear me now as I prove to you that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.”

He pauses to survey the crowd for a moment and then adds, I call my first witness, John the Baptist. The crowd hushes as a rugged man wearing clothes of camelhair and a leather belt walks in. John the Apostle knows that this well-known witness will need no introduction. This is the son of a priest who was born under miraculous circumstances to parents too old to have children. This is the Nazirite and desert hermit who gave up all worldly pleasures in order to be God’s ready servant.

This is the great preacher who exposed the hypocrisy and unbelief in Israel, especially in its leadership, and demanded on behalf of God that every person repent and seek cleansing forgiveness from God symbolized in the reception of water baptism. The witness of John the Baptist is indeed credible and weighty. For all the Jews know John the Baptist to be a holy man, a true prophet, even a faithful martyr. Many have even become the baptizer’s devoted disciples.

John the Apostle asks John the Baptist for all of the people in the courtroom, tell us John, son of Zacharias, who are you really and who do you say Jesus is?

John the Baptist: The First Witness

This imaginary scene that I’ve sought to paint for you today is essentially the beginning of the gospel of John. This book, as John the Apostle tells us near the end in John 20:30-31, is a careful collection of testimonies and sign evidences that prove Jesus really is Christ and God. It’s given so that you will believe and follow Jesus with your whole self as His true disciple.

After the book begins with a preliminary word about its subject matter to draw the reader in, that’s John 1:1-18, John the Apostle then presents the reader with his first witness, John the Baptist. The first witness of Christ is John the Baptist.

“This book is a careful collection of testimonies and sign evidences that prove Jesus really is Christ and God.”

We’ve actually looked to the first part of John the Baptist’s recorded testimony last week in John 1:19-28. This is John’s testimony about himself. It was collected from the occasion after Jesus’ baptism and time of temptation in the wilderness, when a delegation from Jerusalem composed of Pharisees and Sadducees questioned John by the Jordan River. We saw together last time that John the Baptist makes clear to the delegation and to those hearing this gospel that John the Baptist is not the Christ.

Like an ideal Christian witness and disciple, John the Baptist testifies that he is no one special. He’s just a voice in the wilderness for God, preparing the people for their Messiah, and pointing them to Him. As prestigious as this role might seem, John viewed himself as an unworthy slave. He rather points his questioners and interrogators to the greater worthiness of the Messiah, of Christ, who John says is currently among them, even walking in Israel already.

The day of the delegation’s visit leaves on with a crucial question. Alright, the Messiah is here, but who exactly is He? Who is this arrived Special One? It just so happens that the very next day, that special One visits John the Baptist again.

Setting the Stage: John 1:29-34

Thus, in John 1:29-34, we receive the second half of John the Baptist’s recorded testimony about Jesus. As we prepare to celebrate the Lord’s table today, let’s examine this second part of John the Baptist’s testimony. What does John testify about Jesus? I sought to sum it up in the sermon title; Behold the Lamb of God.

If you haven’t yet, please take your Bibles and turn to John 1:29-34, where we will find our text. This is pew Bible page 1,058, if you’re using that.

John 1:29-34. Again, this is the testimony of John the Baptist about Jesus recorded for us by John the Apostle. John 1:29-34. Let’s read it now.

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ 31 I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.

” 32 John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. 33 I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.

You can see how this passage complements the one that we looked at previously, and their overall purpose is the same. But whereas the previous section is a three-part testimony focused on John the Baptist himself, this new section is a four-part testimony focused on Jesus.

Here’s the main idea of our text. In John 1:29-34, the author presents John the Baptist’s four-part testimony about Jesus so that you will believe and follow Jesus alone. This is a four-part testimony from John the Baptist about Jesus so that you will believe and follow Jesus alone.

“A four-part testimony from John the Baptist about Jesus so that you will believe and follow Jesus alone.”

Jesus Is God’s Saving Lamb

We’re going to look at each of these four parts of the testimony. Starting with this first one in verse 29. According to our star witness John the Baptist, just who is Jesus? Number one, Jesus is God’s saving lamb. Jesus is God’s saving lamb. Look at verse 29.

The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and *said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

You can see that verse 29 begins with the phrase the next day. John 1:19-2:11 actually details the sequence of seven days culminating with the wedding feast in Cana, Jesus’ first recorded sign miracle in this gospel. This is a pretty momentous week in Israel, but we’re only on day two, the day after the deputation from Jerusalem, visited John. And notice what happens on this day.

Verse 29 says that he, that’s John the Baptist, sees Jesus walking toward him. This is the first time Jesus Himself appears in the narrative, and John’s sight of Jesus causes John to exclaim something to the whole surrounding crowd. Behold, John says, look, pay attention, and see for yourself. What do you want us to see, John? The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!

John 1:29: “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

The Lamb of God: A Rare and Remarkable Title

The Lamb of God is a precious phrase for us Christians. One with which we’re probably quite familiar. We often refer to Jesus as the Lamb of God. We sing about Jesus as the Lamb of God. And because of this, we might not notice that Lamb of God is an extremely rare title in the Bible. John the Apostle is the only one who uses it, and he only uses it right here and in verse 36 of this same chapter. Both times reporting the words of John the Baptist.

Furthermore, the phrase Lamb of God does not appear anywhere in the Old Testament. It’s not as if when John the Baptist makes this exclamation, behold, the Lamb of God, that everyone in the crowd then says to themselves, we know about the Lamb of God-He’s the lamb of God? No, instead, they were probably mightily surprised and intrigued by this description. Jesus of Nazareth? The 30-year-old builder carpenter is the Lamb of God? What does it mean to be the Lamb of God or the Lamb belonging to coming from being sent by God?

“Lamb of God is an extremely rare title in the Bible—John the Apostle is the only one who uses it.”

John the Baptist would have only increased their wonder with the accompanying clause. The Lamb of God who takes away, or more literally, is taking away or removing the sin of the world. How to understand these words?

Old Testament Lambs Considered

Even though the Jews had never heard of a specific Lamb of God before, they certainly were familiar with various Lambs that, according to the Old Testament, played an important role in the salvation of God’s people, even from sin. Could one of these Old Testament lambs be the one to which John is referring and applying to Jesus?

There is, for instance, the lamb of the Passover. A lamb killed and eaten every Passover holiday in remembrance of God sparing Israel from the judgment on the firstborn in Egypt when the blood of lambs was put on doorposts of Israelite houses. That’s a notable lamb. However, the Passover animal was not actually referred to as a lamb. It was just called the Passover. So, it’s a little bit different than what John says here.

There’s also the lamb of the daily burnt offerings. Every day in Jerusalem at this time, there would be a lamb killed and offered every morning and every evening at the temple. Yet this offering, though associated with atonement, is not specifically for sin. Is that the one that John means?

There are also other lambs prescribed in Israel’s main sacrifices. Lambs could be part of the burnt offering, the peace offering, the sin offering, or the guilt offering. And though lambs could be part of these, they weren’t the only animals that could be offered in these, and sometimes they weren’t the main animals, so is that the one John the Baptist means?

There was also the lamb sacrifice that God famously provided to Abraham in place of his son Isaac in Genesis 22. Though that was really a ram and not a lamb, and that sacrifice didn’t really have anything to do with sin directly, so is that the one?

Then there is the descriptor in Isaiah 53:7. Isaiah 53:7 that refers to a special suffering servant of God who will come and be led like a lamb to slaughter, dying for the transgressions of his people. Hey, that one seems to fit John’s words pretty well, except for the fact that the lamb of Isaiah 53 is a simile. The servant is led to slaughter like a lamb but is not identified as the lamb or as a lamb.

The Lamb Greater Than All Others

So which Old Testament lamb does John the Baptist have in mind when he calls Jesus the lamb of God? But as you can see, none of the lamb references I just mentioned to you fit John’s description exactly, and for that reason, it’s best for us to understand Lamb of God as more generally bringing to mind a central Old Testament truth. Namely, that God’s people need a holy provision, even a sacrifice, to save them from their sins. This is symbolized and summarized in the metaphor of a lamb. A picture of a lamb.

“God’s people need a holy provision, even a sacrifice, to save them from their sins.”

This is a remarkable identification of Jesus because by saying this, by identifying Jesus as the Lamb of God, John the Baptist essentially declares, look everyone, this one, Jesus, is God’s ultimate provision of salvation from sin. He’s not merely a lamb. He’s not merely like a lamb. He is the Lamb. Even the special Lamb sent from God. And He is dealing with sin in a greater way than any Old Testament lamb you can think of.

“Jesus is God’s ultimate provision of salvation from sin—not merely a lamb, but the Lamb sent from God.”

He is removing sin. Note that sin is singular here, not plural, so this is sin as a whole. He is removing sin, not just from His people but it says, from the world. The whole world. His work will be sufficient for dealing with sin in the world once and for all.

We’ve encountered the word world before in John’s gospel. Remember, John the Apostle usually uses this word to refer to the dwelling place of humanity, including Jews and Gentiles, which is in fundamental rebellion against God. That’s the sense of the word world again here.

John the Baptist is saying that this special Lamb from God who is standing before you is greater than any other lamb and sufficient to provide deliverance, even the taking away of sin for the entire wicked world. That is quite a testimony on behalf of Jesus, and John speaks of both with confidence and enthusiasm. All eyes on Jesus, John says, the Saving Lamb of God. Don’t look at me, look at Him. Of course, John’s testimony was not just for those back then. It’s still a testimony for us, even you who are listening today.

John’s Doubt and Jesus’ Reassurance

A question, though, before we can move on, how does John’s confident identification of Jesus as the Lamb of God square with the doubt we see him display later about Jesus? This isn’t mentioned in John’s gospel, but it is mentioned in Matthew 11:2-6 and Luke 7:18-23. We actually read the Matthew passage earlier in the service. If you remember, that’s when John sends disciples to Jesus to double-check whether Jesus really is the Messiah or whether John the Baptist and his disciples should look for someone else.

It’s kind of weird, isn’t it? If John is so certain here about Jesus and Jesus’ saving mission, then why does John later fall into doubt? Well, the circumstances around John the Baptist later questioning are illuminating. John the Baptist had proclaimed that the kingdom of God, this is what he said in his ministry was at hand and the Messiah was bringing it. John also proclaimed that this great Messiah would deal with and take away sin, just like he says here, but in other gospels he is a little bit more specific, even by judging those who persist in continuing in it.

You remember some of the things we hear in some of the other gospels from John the Baptist. The Messiah’s winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor. The wheat will gather into His barn, but the chaff will be burned with unquenchable fire. He baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire, John says, and that fire is not like fire that’s going to be making you zealous for the Lord. That’s the fire of judgment. John preached thus with boldness and zeal.

But then John was imprisoned, and far from bringing fiery judgment with the removal of sin by the removal of sinners, Jesus was going about preaching and healing. What’s going on? Where is the kingdom? Where is the cleansing of Israel? Where is the judgment? Had John the Baptist gotten it wrong?

Jesus, of course, as we read in Matthew 11, soon reassured John that the cleansing of sin that John the Baptist had correctly prophesied was at first taking a form that John didn’t fully escape but what was actually in exact accordance with the scriptures. Jesus does and will fulfill everything John proclaimed about Him.

“Jesus does and will fulfill everything John proclaimed about Him.”

Even here in John 1:29 is not entirely clear whether John the Baptist fully understands what it means for Jesus to be the Lamb of God and taking away the sin of the world. He understands it, but maybe not in full. No doubt, John the Baptist received this word, even this exact title for Jesus, by the Holy Spirit. It was a revelation to John that would enable to identify Jesus as the Lamb and Messiah before the people.

Furthermore, John surely understood, believed, and zealously proclaimed that Jesus is God’s sent Savior and the One who would finally comprehensively deal with the world’s sin, even by removing it. John probably didn’t fully understand at this point that this great salvation work would entail the rejection of the Messiah by His people. It would also include as a central point a Messiah’s substitutionary death on behalf of His people.

Growing in Understanding of Christ

John wasn’t wrong in what he proclaimed about Jesus, but he spoke truer and more significantly than he probably realized at this moment. Just how right John was about Jesus being the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world would become more apparent as Jesus’ ministry progressed. It becomes more apparent to us as readers and listeners of John’s gospel as well as we read on.

This really is a theme in John’s gospel. People will confess truths about Jesus that are correct, that they have understood and come to believe, but are more profound than they at first realized, and they grow in their understanding. People, even Jesus’ disciples, would come to fundamental belief in Him, but they need to grow in understanding of who Jesus really is. That’s in many ways like us. We’re going to see this again in John’s gospel.

“People will confess truths about Jesus that are correct but more profound than they at first realized.”

This is the first part of John’s testimony about Jesus. Jesus is God’s saving Lamb. You need to believe and follow Him. We’re just getting started.

Jesus Is the Revealed God-Man

The second part of John’s testimony about Jesus appears in verses 30-31. Let’s look at number two, Jesus is the revealed God-man. Jesus is the revealed God-man. Look at verse 30.

This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’

The declaration from John the Baptist here is pretty straightforward, and it connects back to what we read in the prologue, John 1:15. John had declared throughout his ministry that though John is appearing first, he is a forerunner, the true first One is the One coming after John. This One, John has testified, has a higher rank than John, for that one actually existed before John.

The other gospels tell us that John the Baptist was conceived and born before Jesus, so this couldn’t mean that Jesus was older in terms of physical life. No, it’s something much more profound, even as is declared in the beginning of John 1. Jesus existed before because He is the eternally existing One. He is the Word, the logos, God with God from eternity.

“Jesus existed before because He is the eternally existing One—the Word, the logos, God with God from eternity.”

Here it’s like John is saying, I told you that an eternal One, one who existed before me, was coming after me, and look, here He is! He is now revealed. He is Jesus. John the Baptist implicitly identifies Jesus as God. He is the eternal Word and He is God.

Fully God and Fully Man

Notice something else from verse 30. What exactly had John proclaimed before? He said after me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I. That’s interesting. John says, this One, Jesus, is not just true God, but also true man. He is the eternal Word, not merely appearing in flesh or dwelling in flesh, but as we’ve already read early in the chapter, He was made flesh. He became flesh. He became a real human being. Fully.

There’s no room in the witness of John the Baptist or the witness of John the Apostle for a docetic Christ, one who was God and only appeared to have a human body. And there was no room for an adoptionist Christ, one who was just a man but was later exalted to something like divinity. No, John the Baptist has testified and he testifies again here that Jesus is the unique God-man now revealed to Israel and revealed to you.

“Jesus is the unique God-man now revealed to Israel and revealed to you.”

Revealed Through John’s Baptisms

How exactly did this revelation first come about? Well, John the Baptist says something about it in verse 31. Look at what he says there.

I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.

John says first, he did not previously know or recognize Jesus. And we should not understand that to mean that John had never heard of Jesus or had never even met Jesus. They were relatives through Elizabeth and Mary after all. They were probably cousins. But they had lived apart for many years. John went to go live in the wilderness and Jesus was doing His building carpentry work. Even if John knew Jesus as a human being, John had not previously recognized Jesus. He had not fully confirmed that Jesus is the God-man.

John says something was intended to identify the Messiah, not just for John, but for all of Israel. What was that mechanism? It was John’s baptisms. It was his baptizing in water. Notice John says, so that He, that is Jesus Christ, might be manifest to Israel, I came baptizing in water.

This is not contradicting what we learned before when John quoted Isaiah 40 to identify who he was and what his role was. His preaching and baptism ministry was intent on preparing the people for their Christ, but John’s baptizing had another important purpose. That was to identify the Christ, identify the God-man, identify the Word made flesh, even the Lamb of God, for all Israel. And this purpose was fulfilled when John first baptized Jesus. He’s going to tell us more about that in just a little bit.

That purpose is fulfilled again when Jesus comes back to visit John as we see in our passage. After all, John’s ministry has collected many, many followers. Many, many people have come out into the wilderness to see, hear, and be baptized by John. These in God’s mind were not gathered ultimately to listen to and follow John, but it’s so that John might show them the revealed Christ. So, when Christ appears, he could point them to Christ and say, there He is, follow Him.

John doesn’t want anybody to miss the point about his baptisms by missing Jesus. It’s like John says, friends, I know my baptism has been making a lot of waves, but now look, the One that the baptisms were ultimately for, the One the baptisms were ultimately about, is revealed. He is here. That is Jesus. Behold, the Lamb of God, the God-man, believe and follow Him.

“The One that the baptisms were ultimately about is revealed. He is here. That is Jesus.”

Jesus Is the Spirit Baptizer

The third part of John’s testimony about Jesus appears in verses 32-33. The third part of John’s testimony is, number three, Jesus is the Spirit baptizer. Jesus is the Spirit baptizer. Look at verse 32.

John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him.

You can see the word testified in the beginning of the verse. It’s the same word used in verse 34, and it has the same root as the word testimony used back in verse 19. This section of the Bible, verses 19 to 34, is all about the witness or the testimony of John the Baptist as if he were in court. What is John giving testimony about here? John reports what happened when he first met Jesus and baptized Him.

We can tell this experience had a profound effect on John, even transformed him based by the verb that he uses in this verse. You may notice our English translation says, I have seen. That is an English perfect tense, which translates to Greek perfect tense. You say, what’s perfect tense? Usually, you see it with the have and then a verse in English, but it’s used to describe an action that took place in the past but continues into the present or has an ongoing effect into the present.

Therefore, when John says, I have seen, not just saw, I have seen, he’s expressing that what he saw stayed with him. It convinced him of an ongoing reality that extends into the present. What’s that reality? That Jesus is the Christ. That Jesus is God.

“What John saw stayed with him. It convinced him of an ongoing reality—that Jesus is the Christ.”

The Spirit’s Descending and Remaining

Notice specifically what John says he saw regarding Jesus. The Spirit descended as, or like, a dove from heaven and remained on Jesus. It was descending and remaining on Jesus. This is exactly what we see the other gospel writers record and depict. You can see this in Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:22. This really did take place at Jesus’ baptism, and John the Baptist witnessed it.

The phrase, the Spirit descending as a dove, is a bit ambiguous. It could mean that the way the Spirit floated downward or landed on Jesus was dove-like. Or it could mean that the Spirit’s physical form resembled a dove-like bird. It’s hard to decide between those meanings. The exact image here isn’t important, it’s the fact that the Spirit descended on Christ and remained on Him. It descended on Jesus specifically.

Why is that important? Because such would be expected of the Messiah as God’s specially chosen and anointed One. I told you last week a little bit about the term Messiah. The word Christ means the same thing. I told you about how in the Old Testament, different Messiahs, or symbolically anointed ones, that’s what the word means, were set apart for special service or rule by God. Part of this symbolic anointing of these chosen ones coincided with real spiritual empowerments. This involved the Holy Spirit.

“The Spirit descended on Christ and remained on Him—as would be expected of God’s specially chosen and anointed One.”

Messianic Anointing in the Old Testament

The Holy Spirit in many ways functioned similarly in the Old Testament as it does in the New Testament, but it also functioned differently. One of the differences in the way the Holy Spirit ministered in the Old Testament era is that we often read about in the Old Testament the Spirit coming upon a person or filling a person for the purpose of accomplishing a great task or to speak something on God’s behalf. Even unrighteous persons could be filled with the Spirit in this way. We see that happen with Balaam, Saul, and others.

However, it happens to righteous persons as well. You can think of some famous Old Testament examples. The Spirit comes upon Gideon, and he brings about deliverance. The Spirit comes upon Samson, and he rips things in two and does various physical feats. The Spirit comes upon David and guides him as he rules and leads Israel.

This type of special empowerment ministry of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament was often temporary. The task or the word would finish and then the Spirit’s empowerment would leave. When it came to rule, God’s Spirit could also leave that ruler and no longer empower him to do that for the Lord.

We see that actually happen with King Saul, right? The Spirit leaves Saul, and when David is saying he’s afraid the Spirit will leave him. That’s why we have that Psalm where he says, please don’t take your Spirit from me. The Spirit also left Samson at a certain point. This is the Old Testament background.

If Jesus is coming now in the beginning of the New Testament era, if He really is God’s anointed, even the ultimate anointed, the ultimate Messiah, we would expect that the Spirit would also come upon Him and empower Him for the ministry God has set before Him.

John the Baptist testifies that is exactly what happened. I saw it myself, John says, I have seen and I remain convinced that the Spirit came down on Jesus visibly like a dove. This is confirmation that Jesus really is the Messiah. But notice that the Spirit does not just come down upon Him. It’s not just descending upon Him. John the Baptist also says that it remained on Him. It was remaining on Him.

What does that second description suggest? That this Messiah’s empowerment was not simply temporary but actually permanent because He is God’s ultimate Messiah. This, indeed was actually foretold in the Old Testament. Permanent empowerment by the Holy Spirit is connected with Messianic prophesy.

“This Messiah’s empowerment was not temporary but permanent because He is God’s ultimate Messiah.”

I’ll just give you a few examples. Isaiah 11:1 says,

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse, and a branch from his roots will bear fruit. 2 The Spirit of Yahweh will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh.

Isaiah 11:1-2: “The Spirit of Yahweh will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength.”

This is what said would come for the root of Jesse, the Messiah. Isaiah 61:1 also says,

The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is upon me, because Yahweh has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted

We’re noting this abiding. Not just descending but abiding of God’s Spirit on Jesus beginning at Jesus’ baptism. John testified that Jesus is indeed the foretold Messiah appropriately empowered for His saving ministry as the Lamb of God to accomplish it on the earth.

A New Age of the Spirit

It’s notable that the Old Testament not only foretold that the Messiah would be specially anointed by power by the Holy Spirit, but also that Messiah’s coming would be part of a new age for God’s people involving the Spirit, even in which God’s Spirit would dwell inside of His people and cause them to walk in holiness and devotion to God. For example, Ezekiel 36:26-27 says,

Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe my ordinances.

Ezekiel 36:27: “I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes.”

That’s God speaking to Israel, foretelling what would come one day, even with the Messiah. There would seem to be a connection in the Old Testament between a uniquely inspired Messiah and a newly Spirit-filled people.

John the Baptist testifies in our next verse that such a connection is also found and confirmed in Jesus. Look at verse 33.

I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.

You can see some repetition at the beginning of verse 33. John again testifies that he did not fully recognize who Jesus was at first. It’s almost as if John the Baptist is showing sympathy with puzzled Jews by saying, look, I didn’t get it at first either. The Messiah in many ways is unexpected. But John also testifies how he came to recognize Jesus as the Messiah with utmost certainty.

John explains the One who sent John to baptize with mere water, and that would be God, also told John that the One whom John saw with the Spirit descending on Him and remaining on Him was not just the Messiah, that’s how you know it’s the Messiah John, but you will also know that this is the One who accomplishes a baptism way more powerful and way more significant than John the Baptist himself could accomplish. John the Baptist baptized in water, but this One, the Messiah Jesus, He baptizes, immerses in, and totally fills up with the Holy Spirit.

The Reality Behind Water Baptism

Spirit baptism really is the reality for which water baptism is just a symbol. Water baptism symbolizes new life that comes by cleansing and forgiveness in God, but Spirit baptism actually is the new life. It is the seal of cleansing and forgiveness in God. How could it be anything less when the holy Lord of life sends His own Spirit to dwell in a person? He is the Lord of life, He is holy. This transforms a person.

“Spirit baptism actually is the new life. It is the seal of cleansing and forgiveness in God.”

Even for you today who are listening, if you want joy, life, blessing, deliverance, forgiveness, and fellowship with God, then you need Jesus because He is the one who has the Spirit that brings those things. He baptizes His followers in that Spirit. The Spirit’s anointed One, the uniquely Spirit anointed one, is Himself the one who baptizes in the Spirit.

If that’s the truth, and John testifies that it is, then what must you do? You must believe in Him. You must follow Him. You must give over your whole self to Him. Let go of the sin, of your own plans and desires for your life, and you say that’s all secondary, so whatever God wants, whatever Jesus wants, that’s what I want because He baptizes in the Spirit. A much greater baptism than John.

Jesus Is God’s Chosen One

We’ve seen three parts of John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus. Now we come to the fourth and final one, which in many ways, functions like a conclusion to John’s old witness. Who else is Jesus according to John the Baptist? Number four, Jesus is God’s chosen one. Look at verse 34,

I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.

We can see the full assurance, the confidence, that John the Baptist has as he presents this testimony. We again see the perfect tense being used twice, actually. I have seen, and I have testified. Then the personal pronoun at the beginning of the dialogue is also emphatic, I myself, it says. John is showing us something has happened to him in the past which has permanently changed him.

“Something happened to John in the past which permanently changed him—I have seen, and I have testified.”

To connect us with what we saw last week, he says, I myself am not the Christ, but I myself am testifying to you that I have seen and come to know and believe and declare that Jesus is the Christ. The way he says it here, as the New American Standard ’95 has it is this: Jesus is the Son of God.

Son of God is a title that we see multiple times in the book of John. It has Old Testament precedent; you sometimes see that phrase used in the Old Testament. It’s used in different ways throughout the Bible, but in the gospel of John it no doubt reflects the historical situation of Jesus’ ministry. Son of God is a Messianic title that emphasized that Jesus is God. He is equal to the Father. He is fully God.

If this translation of this verse is correct, John the Baptist is testifying quite plainly that Jesus is God and Jesus is the Messiah. He has no doubts. He tells you and me today that this is the one you are to believe in and follow because He is the Son of God.

Son of God or Chosen One of God?

There is a notable variant for this verse among the surviving manuscript copies of John’s gospel. Instead of this verse reading at the end that this is the Son of God, the variant reads that this is the chosen one of God. I would suggest to you, I’ll explain more about this in just one second, along with several top evangelical commentators on this Bible book, that though both of these titles are correct theologically and both fit within the gospel of John, the more likely to be original saying here for this verse is ‘chosen one of God.’ John testifies that Jesus is the chosen one of God.

You might say, Pastor Dave, what are you talking about? Can you explain? Yes. Let me give you the quick version. Though Son of God, that phrase, is in the majority of the surviving manuscripts that we have for the gospel of John, and though this title and phrase is commonly used in the gospel of John, it makes more sense for the difficult reading, chosen one of God, to be the original one. This is the minority reading, and it is the more difficult reading, but it is more likely the original.

This concept of the more difficult reading, more likely being original, is a key principle in the science of textual criticism. I’ve talked about textual criticism in Sunday School before. It is the science of rediscovering the original version of a text by comparing the surviving copies of that text.

We don’t have the original versions of the Bible anymore. They have deteriorated and have been lost in time. We have many, many surviving copies. We compare the copies to try and figure out what the original said, and we’ve been able to do that with great confidence.

As I say for this particular verse in the surviving copies, most of them say Son of God. Some say chosen one of God. The more difficult reading would be chosen one of God, and therefore, it is more likely original.

Let me show you the logic of that. If Son of God were original and then it got copied later, since that phrase appears many times in the rest of John’s gospel, there would be no reason for a later copyist to be examining it and be like, Son of God? I don’t think that’s correct, let me put this other one that I think is correct, chosen one of God. Why would he update it that way? That phrase is much more obscure, and it doesn’t appear anywhere else in the gospel of John.

It wouldn’t make sense to shift from Son of God to chosen one of God, but it would make sense the other way. If chosen one of God were the original of this verse then it makes sense that later copyists, who are not completely familiar with the text, would try to correct this difficult phrase since it doesn’t appear elsewhere in John’s gospel, and could sound a little adoptionistic as if Jesus only became God or became Messiah when God chose Him.

Like I said before, one textual choice over the other here between these two phrases, does not greatly affect the meaning of this passage. It does not substantially affect any Christian doctrine, but in light of the evidence, as much as I love the major Bible translations that go with ‘this is the Son of God’ here, which is theologically correct, I praise the Lord for that because that is true, I believe the NIV actually has the better translation with this verse. The NIV reads: this is God’s chosen one.

“The more likely original saying here is ‘chosen one of God’—a bold Messianic affirmation.”

The Chosen One Confirmed by Isaiah

By the way, this phrase about Jesus being God’s chosen one fits very well in the context. How so? What did John just declare? What did he just declare in verses 32-33? That Jesus was permanently anointed with God’s Spirit for special service, even for baptizing all who believe in Him in the Spirit. Now consider how Isaiah 42:1 foretells the Messiah’s Spirit empowerment. Isaiah 42:1 says,

Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.

Do you see? The anointing by the Spirit, even the unique permanent anointing by the Spirit, on Jesus was a sign of God’s choice. This is My chosen one, just as Isaiah 42:1 declares.

Isaiah 42:1: “Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him.”

So really, John the Baptist’s final confession, his summary statement on Jesus, as Jesus being the chosen one of God is not a timid statement. That is not as if John was afraid to go all the way to confess Jesus to be God, so he said, oh, He’s God’s chosen one. No, we already saw in verse 30 that he is quite comfortable declaring that Jesus is the God-man.

God’s chosen one is a bold affirmation that Jesus is the foretold Messiah of the Old Testament. He is the Christ. He alone has been chosen by God to be the saving lamb; to be the revealed God-man; to be the one who baptizes with the Spirit. It’s Him and it’s no one else.

It’s interesting that in many stories, both ancient and modern, feature this chosen one motif. You can even see this in the movies and stuff that’s around us today. It might be an ancient prophecy or an important quest given by someone who is dying, or a developing crisis in which only one person who’s been given special powers can overcome. There are a lot of ways this might happen in a story.

Regardless of how the choosing of a chosen one occurs in a story, it’s interesting how these stories often show that pretending to be the chosen one when you’re not, or refusing to acknowledge the chosen one when he arrives, results in dire consequences. I’d say these two ways are examples of art imitating life because the same is true of Jesus.

The Urgency of Responding to God’s Chosen One

Brethren, you and I are not the ultimate chosen one. God didn’t choose you to be the Messiah. He chose Jesus. As Colossians 1:19 says,

For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him

To dwell in Christ. To dwell in Jesus. We dare not to interfere with the Father’s choice. We dare not exalt ourselves as if we were somebody, as if we should be the ones that get the ultimate glory, should be served, have all our desires met, or have our own way accomplished. Furthermore, as Hebrews 2:1-3 says, we dare not neglect so great a salvation that has finally been revealed in the person of Jesus Himself.

“We dare not neglect so great a salvation that has finally been revealed in the person of Jesus Himself.”

We dare not ignore God’s specially chosen one or only give Him lip service. Yes, I believe that Jesus is God. Yes, He is Lord. Yes, He is Christ. But I am going to live the way I want to live. Friends, if that is you this morning, then you got to know that Jesus sees that apathy. He sees that idolatry. He sees that hypocrisy.

John the Baptist was right when he testified that the Lamb of God is in the business of removing sin. For those who believe in Him, He removes it from them, cleanses them, and makes them alive forevermore with God. For those who refuse to believe, who never get around to is, they themselves will be removed from the presence of God and be removed from all good forever.

Jesus came the first time humbly. This is what nobody expected, not even John the Baptist fully understood it, but He is coming again. He is coming again in power and judgment. He is going to do what John the Baptist said He would do.

That day hasn’t come yet. It hasn’t come for you. God has been patient with you, so let the kindness of God, let the patience of God, lead you to repentance. Make peace with the Lamb. Make peace with the King while He’s extending the olive branch. Don’t face His wrath.

Oh, the joy of being found in God’s chosen One. The joy of being chosen in Him, for then when you’re in Christ, who are saved by the ultimate lamb of God, you are protected by the powerful and sympathetic God-man. You are baptized by Him who has been anointed permanently by the Holy Spirit. How good it is to be a Christian; to know and love the Lord Jesus Christ.

If any of you have drifted from your belief from following Jesus, then hear the testimony of John. Repent and return. Come back to Him who is supreme, who ought to have first place in your life.

If you’ve never come to know Jesus, but you’ve always remained half-hearted and not willing to commit, then listen to the testimony of John. You don’t need to be timid with Jesus. Go all in on Him. John was willing to give up everything to point people to Jesus. John the Apostle was willing to do the same. They suffered for it. John the Baptist died for it.

Do you know both of these men testify that it was worth it because we got the Lord Jesus. We got the Lamb of God, and we are going to be with Him forever. The same is true for you. You can be confident in that. You don’t need to say, well, what will my family think? What will my friends think? Or what will I lose? You will lose some things, but you’ll gain so much more because you gain the Son of God.

Celebrating the Lamb at the Lord’s Table

If you have come to know Jesus Christ this morning, then let’s celebrate His feat together. Even as we, in just a moment, lift up and partake of the communion bread and the communion cup. Do you know what we are really doing? We are echoing the testimony of our early brother. We ourselves are giving thanks and gladly proclaiming that we have seen and testify that this One, Jesus, is the chosen one of God. He is God’s Son. We believe, and we know that we have eternal life in Him. Amen?

“We ourselves are gladly proclaiming that we have seen and testify that Jesus is the chosen one of God.”

Let’s close in prayer. Jesus, it’s all about You. You are the Lamb. You are the God-man. You are the One who baptizes in the Spirit. You are the chosen One. Oh, Jesus, You know it is easy for us to affirm that and then live as if that’s not true. We live as if we’re the chosen ones. We’re all about fulfilling ourselves, our own desires, rather than Yours. We get angry or we get depressed when our way is not done. We betray with our lives what we say with our lips. Forgive us Lord for this contradiction.

Lord, we repent, and we come back, Lord, to the place where John the Baptist shows us where we need to be. That’s where You are supreme. We are directing everyone to You. Our lives are all about You and not about us. Oh, Lord, you take care of us. Our lives are not going to be miserable; we are going to filled with the joy of You because we have Your Spirit. We’ll be victorious. We can be victorious against sin, Lord, because we have Your Spirit.

Help us, Lord Jesus, You are our sympathetic High Priest. By Your Spirit, by the love of the Father, help us to walk worthy of You, to be bold, diligent, and loving witnesses of You to the people around us, even to this community in East Millstone, this evening. Be pleased, Jesus, to put Yourself on display because you deserve it. Thank You that we have a place in You that You have opened our eyes, You have saved us, You have cleansed us by Your perfect life through Your sacrificial death and Your powerful resurrection. Thank You for this Word this morning. In Jesus’ name, amen.
December 4, 2022
I Am Not the Christ
In this sermon, Pastor Dave Capoccia examines John the Baptist’s testimony about himself in John 1:19-28. The author, John the Apostle, presents John the Baptist’s three-part testimony about himself so that you will believe and exult in Jesus alone. John the Baptist testifies in the same three ways that you should testify about yourself as a disciple of Christ:

1. I Am No One Special (vv. 19-21)
2. I Am Just a Voice (vv. 22-23)
3. I Am an Unworthy Slave (vv. 24-28)

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Note: This transcript and summary was autogenerated. It has not yet been proofread or edited by a human.

Summary

This passage in John 1:19-28 presents John the Baptist’s testimony about himself, revealing that the greatest Old Testament prophet was wholly committed to pointing people away from himself and toward Jesus Christ. We are reminded that true discipleship means making everything about Christ and nothing about ourselves.

Key Lessons:
1. John the Baptist was the greatest Old Testament prophet not because of miracles or longevity, but because he was uniquely commissioned as the forerunner of Christ himself.
2. True witnesses of Jesus emphatically deny their own importance, refusing to let others elevate them above their proper place.
3. John identified himself as merely “a voice” — invisible and temporary — whose sole purpose was to direct attention to the coming Lord.
4. Genuine humility before Christ means considering ourselves unworthy slaves, counting even the lowest acts of service as a privilege rather than a burden.
Application: We are called to examine whether our lives, attitudes, and service truly reflect John the Baptist’s example of radical self-denial and Christ-exaltation. We must repent wherever we have made life, ministry, or church about ourselves rather than about Jesus, and we must embrace the identity of unworthy slaves who count it a joyful privilege to serve Christ in any capacity.

Discussion Questions:
1. In what areas of your life are you tempted to draw attention to yourself rather than pointing others to Christ?
2. John the Baptist described himself as merely “a voice” — how does this challenge the way you think about your identity and purpose as a follower of Jesus?
3. What would it look like practically for you to adopt the attitude of an “unworthy slave” in your daily service to Christ and others?
Scripture Focus: John 1:19-28 records the Baptist’s testimony; Isaiah 40:3-5 provides his self-identification as a voice preparing the way; Malachi 4:5-6 explains the expectation of Elijah; Deuteronomy 18:18-19 describes the expected prophet; Matthew 11:11 records Jesus declaring John the greatest born of women; Luke 17:10 commands the attitude of an unworthy slave.

Outline
Introduction

Thank you so much. We’re skillfully leading us in worship to our God. Just a quick heads up—I called an audible. A slightly different sermon title and passage for today. We’re still in John, don’t worry, but if you see a different title, don’t be like, “What happened?”

Let’s go before the Lord in prayer. Great God, oh Lord, you are so worthy of all worship. You are worthy of our entire lives being dedicated to you. Only you are worthy of this, not we ourselves, not any person, not any created thing.

Only you would speak to us, encourage us, instruct us, convict us so that we may be your holy witnesses in the world. In Jesus’ name, amen.

The Greatest Old Testament Prophet

Little Bible quiz question to start off this morning—something for you to think about. Who was the greatest prophet of the Old Testament era? Don’t answer that out loud, just think about it.

Under the old covenant, who was the prophet with the greatest ministry and significance? Perhaps the most obvious answer would be the prophet Moses.

Moses — A Great Prophet

Moses, after all, led Israel out of bondage in Egypt. They had been in bondage for hundreds of years, and through the wilderness to the promised land. Moses did many miracles. He even brought down cataclysmic judgments from God on wicked Egyptians.

He gave Israel God’s law and instructed the people in Israel’s unique covenant with God. He wrote for us the first five books of the Bible, and he spoke to God, as it were, face to face. The Bible says he enjoyed unique and intimate fellowship with God himself.

Moses was truly a great prophet, and Jews today still hold him in the highest esteem.

“Moses spoke to God face to face, enjoying unique and intimate fellowship with God himself.”

Elijah — Even Greater

But Moses, according to the Bible, was not the greatest Old Testament prophet. There was another prophet who was spectacular in his own way—the prophet Elijah.

Elijah lived during the divided kingdom period and served in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. He was like the boogeyman of wicked Israelite kings. He would show up out of nowhere from the wilderness, wearing his funny clothes.

He would denounce kings like Ahab for their wickedness, proclaim God’s judgment, and then just disappear. Like Moses, Elijah did many miracles, both of judgment and of healing and restoration.

He had a famous confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel. The culmination of which was Elijah’s simple prayer to God, in which God sent fire from heaven—that is, lightning—and it consumed a dripping wet sacrifice, the stone altar in which the sacrifice was laid, and even the water around the altar. It licked it all up. Magnificent.

Though wicked people saw Elijah’s death again and again, nobody could catch him. Nobody could kill him. In fact, he didn’t even die.

“Elijah was given the unique privilege of being taken alive to heaven in a fiery chariot.”

Elijah was given the unique privilege of being taken alive to heaven in a fiery chariot. Moses lived a long time, but even he didn’t get that.

John the Baptist — The Greatest

It was Elijah—the greatest Old Testament prophet. Well, Elijah was great, yet not even Elijah was the greatest. So who was God’s greatest divinely commissioned spokesman then? Was it Abraham? David? Daniel? Isaiah? Malachi? None of them. According to Jesus in Matthew 11:11, the greatest prophet of the old covenant period was John the Baptist.

“According to Jesus, the greatest prophet of the old covenant period was John the Baptist.”

The Remarkable Life of John the Baptist

John the Baptist? Does that surprise you? I mean, there are certainly some remarkable aspects to the life and ministry of John. According to Luke 1, John had several miracles take place in connection with his birth. He was the son of the righteous priest Zacharias and Zacharias’ wife Elizabeth. They were both too old to have children, and yet God enabled them to have John. An angel even appeared to Zacharias to prophesy John’s birth and his purpose in life. This same angel struck Zacharias mute for a time because Zacharias would not believe right away.

In accordance with the angel’s instruction, John was raised under a form of the Nazarite vow. He never tasted wine or alcohol but lived as an ascetic for most of his life in set-apart service to God. John was a relative of Jesus, probably a cousin through Elizabeth and Mary’s relation. He was uniquely filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb—even memorably once leaping for joy in utero at the sound of Mary’s voice when she was pregnant with Jesus.

“John was uniquely filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother’s womb.”

John, like Elijah, lived alone in the wilderness for most of his life, even dressing like Elijah did. According to Luke 3, a word of new revelation came to John in the wilderness when he was about thirty years old. Around A.D. 27, John began preaching a message to the people of Israel—a message of repentance in light of the coming kingdom and judgment of God. Note that Israel had previously not heard a word from God in about four hundred years.

Now, John wasn’t just given a new message. He was commissioned to bring a new ritual to Israel. That ritual was baptism, or immersion in water—a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The scripture says that ceremonial washing was not a new concept for Israel or even for the surrounding nations. Jews often baptized Gentile converts as a symbol of their giving up their old, sinful, unclean way of life. But never had Jews themselves been called to participate en masse in this immersion ritual, this baptism ritual. John brings this.

John’s Unique Prophetic Commission

And in addition to all these, John was a bold and powerful preacher, unafraid to confront even the greatest persons either in the religious system or the political system over their hypocrisy and sin. He became quite popular.

Though many Old Testament prophets encountered only stubborn resistance to their ministries, Matthew 3:5 says that all the people of Jerusalem, Judea, and the surrounding area of the Jordan were going out into the bleak, uncomfortable wilderness just to see John, to listen to him, and to be baptized by him. John quickly gained a group of dedicated disciples and was generally regarded by the common people as someone special.

They revered him. They wondered if he even might be the Messiah.

“John was a bold and powerful preacher, unafraid to confront even the greatest persons over their hypocrisy and sin.”

Now, all that being said, it is notable that John the Baptist never did any miracles. And unlike Moses and Elijah, John met an ignoble end. He was imprisoned and then beheaded by Herod Antipas for confronting that supposedly Jewish ruler over adultery.

Why would Jesus say that John the Baptist was the greatest prophet existing up to Jesus’ own day? And not just the greatest prophet, but the greatest person born from a woman—that is, the greatest human being? Why would Jesus say John is the greatest?

Why John Was the Greatest Prophet

Well, the answer lies in the special role that John, and only John, got to enjoy as a prophet—to be the forerunner of Jesus the Messiah himself. John wasn’t just the last Old Testament prophet. He was the one specifically commissioned to announce the imminent arrival of the Christ and to make the people ready to hear and receive their Christ.

There’s no one greater than Jesus Christ. He’s the eternal Word made flesh. He’s the Son of God. Therefore, to be the forerunner of this one—the Incarnate Word—to announce the coming of Yahweh himself into the world, that is the greatest responsibility. That is the greatest privilege. That is the greatest honor any human prophet could be given.

“To announce the coming of Yahweh himself into the world — that is the greatest honor any human prophet could be given.”

This is who John the Baptist was. He was the greatest Old Testament prophet because he was the forerunner of Christ himself. But what did John think about himself and his position? When the religious authorities of the day inevitably investigated John for his activities in ministry, what testimony did John the Baptist offer them?

The Purpose of John’s Testimony

As we proceed this morning into our first narrative section of the Gospel of John, we’re going to see these questions answered and discover that the greatest Old Testament prophet was absolutely committed to not drawing people after himself, instead pointing people to the one who’s truly great—Jesus Christ.

“The greatest Old Testament prophet was absolutely committed to not drawing people after himself, instead pointing people to Jesus Christ.”

Please take your Bibles and open to John 1. If you’re using the pew Bibles, it’s on page 1058. My new title for today’s message is “I Am Not the Christ.”

John 1 contains the testimony of John the Baptist in verses 19 to 34. Today we’re going to focus on the first half of John’s testimony, which is his testimony about himself in verses 19 to 28.

Next week, we’ll look at the other half of John’s testimony, which is his testimony concerning Jesus in verses 29 to 34.

Reading the Text: John 1:19-28

But John 1:19-28 is our text today. And let’s read the passage.

“This is the testimony of John. When the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’ And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’ They asked him, ‘What then?

Are you Elijah?’ And he said, ‘I am not.’ ‘Are you the prophet?’ And he answered, ‘No.’ And they said to him, ‘Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?’

He said, ‘I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord,” as Isaiah the prophet said.’ Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him and said to him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’

John answered them, saying, ‘I baptize in water, and among you stands one whom you do not know. It is he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.’ These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing.”

John 1:20: “He confessed and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’”

Now, there are several purposes that come together in this first part of John’s related testimony. Our author shows John the Baptist to be a great example to imitate, but also a leader not to be ultimately followed. He’s a great example of a witness, but he’s not the leader that you should be looking to.

Instead, like John the Baptist himself, our author is directing us to believe in, serve, and follow Jesus Christ alone. I think we can roll those different purposes together in one statement. Our passage’s main idea is this: In John 1:19-28, the author presents John the Baptist’s three-part testimony about himself so that you will believe and exult in Jesus alone.

The author presents John the Baptist’s three-part testimony about himself so that you will believe and exalt in Jesus alone—not yourself, not John, not anyone else. Jesus alone.

“The author presents John the Baptist’s testimony so that you will believe and exult in Jesus alone.”

Part One: I Am No One Special (vv. 19-21)

The first part of John’s testimony about himself appears in verses 19 to 21. We’re going to see three parts to this first side of his testimony. The first part, in verses 19 to 21, where John declares: Number one, I am no one special. I am no one special.

Look at the first part of verse 19.

“This is the testimony of John.” Here’s a nice summary statement of what this next section of the Gospel is all about. Verses 19 to 34 is John’s testimony regarding himself and regarding Jesus.

Now, the word translated “testimony” here is the Greek word “marturia,” meaning testimony or witness. It’s where we get the English word “martyr.” A martyr is someone who dies testifying on behalf of a person or cause.

“Marturia” is courtroom-type language—testimony or evidence presented to prove a case. In this case, John wants to prove something about himself and Jesus.

The reference to John here in verse 19 is to John the Baptist, and not John the Apostle. As we discussed in our book introduction sermon, our author, John the son of Zebedee, never refers to himself as John in this book. Rather, he refers to the phrase “the disciple whom Jesus loved” to identify himself. So when you hear the name John, when you see the name John, we’re talking about John the Baptist.

Notice in verse 19 and following that our author does not provide any historical background information about John the Baptist before presenting his testimony. He assumes that you, as the reader or listener, are already familiar enough with John the Baptist’s life and ministry so you will appreciate the significance of his testimony. He just goes right into the testimony. He assumes you already know about John the Baptist.

The Jews Send a Delegation

Now, when was this testimony from John given? We’ll look at the next line in verse 19. It says, “When the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, ‘Who are you?’”

Here’s the first time we see the term “the Jews” in this book. I already told you a little bit about this term in our introduction sermon. Remember that generally—not exclusively, but generally—when you see the term “the Jews” in this gospel, it is referring to the Jewish opponents of Jesus, those who ultimately reject and seek to destroy him. It would be true as the nation as a whole, but it certainly means his opponents in particular.

In this specific passage, “the Jews” points to the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem. They would be the Sadducees and the scribes. They have sent some of their lower-level temple personnel—priests and Levites—to go check out this John the Baptist fellow and what he’s doing.

So we have this delegation from the Jews—that is, the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem—coming to check out John. As we’ll see from some details later in this passage and in the rest of John 1, this visit is taking place after Jesus’ first meeting with John, in which Jesus was baptized. That’s already taken place in the past.

In fact, Jesus has already had his time of temptation in the wilderness by this point. Jesus is actually on his way back at this moment, at the beginning of verse 19, to visit John where he is and to collect Jesus’ first disciples. We’re going to see that at the end of chapter one.

It just so happens that the day before Jesus shows up to visit John the Baptist again, this delegation from Jerusalem arrives to question John. This makes sense because at this point in history, the religious authorities in Jerusalem would have noticed John’s great popularity. They would have heard about his notable preaching and baptizing ministry, and they wanted to make sure they knew and dealt with, if necessary, what was going on.

Most of the Jews at this time are at a high level of Messianic and eschatological—that is, end-time—expectation. They believed that God’s kingdom was certainly drawing near, judgment was about to arrive, and Messiah himself is coming. John the Baptist seemed to be someone who was, or at least pretended to be, an important person for these expected end-time events.

The Jewish leaders need to find out: What’s the deal with John? Hence their question at the end of verse 19: “Who are you?”

“The Jewish leaders need to find out: What’s the deal with John?”

Now, John the Baptist knows what this delegation is really after. So he doesn’t supply an answer to their question like, “Well, I’m John.” No, he doesn’t say that. Instead, we see verse 20.

John’s Emphatic Denial: I Am Not the Christ

“And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, ‘I am not the Christ.’”

Now, I think you can notice in the beginning of this verse that we have the same idea given three different times—twice positively, once negatively. “He confessed, did not deny, he confessed.” What’s the point of that repetition? Isn’t that just like using too many words? No, it’s about emphasis. This is about strong emphasis.

Actually, the pronoun he uses in his statement is also emphatic. The “I” is emphatic in Greek. So it’s like John is saying this in response to the delegation visiting him: “I, I myself, am absolutely, positively, definitely not the Christ. I know you’re all wondering if I’m going to claim to be the Christ, but I’m telling you, nothing could be further from my mind. I am not the Christ.”

“Nothing could be further from my mind. I am not the Christ.”

But what does “Christ” mean? Well, that’s just the Greek translation of the Hebrew word “Mashiach”—Messiah. And it means “anointed one.” Messiah and Christ, they both mean “anointed one.”

In the Old Testament, Israelite prophets, priests, and kings were often anointed with holy oil as a symbol of being set apart by God for some special service or rule. Sometimes these persons, especially kings in Judah, were called “anointed ones,” Messiahs.

Over time, though, especially after the Old Testament was completed, Jews saw a special anointed one as coming—an ultimate Messiah, an ultimate Christ, or Christos. This would be the ultimate servant and savior set apart by God to fulfill the promises of the Old Testament about bringing judgment on the world and a restoration of the kingdom to Israel.

They’re looking for this Messiah, this Christ. And John says, “That’s not me. I’m definitely not him.”

Well, the issue of Messiah should be cleared up. The delegation has a few follow-up questions for John. Look at the beginning of verse 21.

Are You Elijah?

“They asked him, ‘What then? Are you Elijah?’ And he said, ‘I am not.’”

You might be wondering, “Why do they ask about Elijah? That seems kind of random.” Actually, it’s not random at all. The last prophet before John, Malachi, closed his prophecy in Malachi 4:5-6 with these words. God speaking: “Behold, I’m going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord—that is, Yahweh. He will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse.”

Now, the Jews knew about this verse from Malachi, and they believed it. Before the great events of the end, when God himself is coming to the earth to restore Israel, judge the world, and purify his own people, God is going to send Elijah first.

Since the Christ is also tied up with these eschatological events, the Jews came to believe that Elijah would come before the Christ. So God’s coming, Christ’s coming—Elijah is going to come first, before Christ and God.

Malachi 4:5: “Behold, I’m going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord.”

And considering that the Old Testament Elijah never died, the Jews actually believed that the same Elijah would come back. He’s just going to come right back, and he’s going to be the forerunner of the Messiah. So maybe John the Baptist is Elijah. But John says, “I am not. I am not Elijah. I’m not the Elijah that you have been expecting.”

Now, that reply may make you scratch your head a little bit if you’re familiar with the other Gospels, because Jesus testifies later, after this point, recorded in Matthew 11:14 and also Mark 9:13. He says to his disciples, “And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come.”

Harmonizing Jesus and John on Elijah

Oh boy. Jesus says John is Elijah, but John says he is not Elijah. What’s going on? Was John the Baptist lying? Or is this a contradiction in the Bible?

Well, we who have come to know God and be saved in Jesus Christ recognize that the Bible is God’s perfect word. It is the very revelation of God himself. As Jesus said, “Scripture cannot be broken.” This is not a true contradiction. There must be some reasonable way to harmonize these two statements from Jesus and John. How do we do that?

“The Bible is God’s perfect word. As Jesus said, ‘Scripture cannot be broken.’”

There are three main ways interpreters have sought to harmonize the statements of Jesus and John.

Possibility one: John was not denying having the role of Elijah, but denying being the man Elijah himself. After all, that was the Jewish expectation—Elijah himself would come back and perceive the Messiah. But John says, “I am not a lie to return. I’m a different person, though I am the one fulfilling the role of Elijah.”

Notably, Luke 1:17 says that John does not come as Elijah, but this was the angel speaking to Zacharias. “In the spirit and power of Elijah.” That’s possibility one.

Possibility two: John didn’t know, or John didn’t believe, that he himself was Elijah. When he actually was not lying, he’s just ignorant. The idea here is that John is too humble to claim to be Elijah, but Jesus tells it like it is. He’s quite willing to honor John by clarifying for the other disciples later that John really is Elijah promised from the Old Testament. That’s possibility two.

Possibility three: John was like the promised Elijah and fulfilled the same role, but the real Elijah prophesied in Malachi is still coming. So John the Baptist was actually being truthful and accurate in his denial. According to this view, the same Old Testament Elijah who went to heaven, never died, will actually appear again before Jesus’ second coming, perhaps as one of the two witnesses mentioned in Revelation 11.

So which interpretation of these is best? I think possibility one is certainly true. I’m open to possibility three. But whatever the exact answer, there’s no real contradiction of scripture here. John was telling the truth when he clarified that he was not the Elijah that the Jews were expecting.

Are You the Prophet?

That question answered. The delegation proceeds to the third question at the end of verse 21.

“Are you the prophet?” And he answered, “No.”

Now, who’s this prophet they’re referring to? Well, that would be the prophet mentioned by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:18-19.

God says to Moses in Deuteronomy 18:18-19: “I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to my words which he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.”

God promises in Deuteronomy that there would come a prophet like Moses to authoritatively teach and lead God’s people. Not just more prophets, but a special prophet like Moses. This is actually a Messianic prophecy, and it is fulfilled in Jesus, as the apostles point out in Acts 3 and as Stephen points out in Acts 7.

Deuteronomy 18:18: “I will raise up a prophet from among their countrymen like you, and I will put my words in his mouth.”

But many Jews in Jesus’ day thought that the prophet was someone separate from the Messiah and separate from Elijah. Really, Christ, Elijah, and the prophet were, for the Jews at that time, the three major personalities associated with Jewish eschatological hope and the judgment of the world.

When they’re looking for the end of all things, they’re looking for three people to show up: the Christ, Elijah, and the prophet.

So that’s why they’re checking if John is or claims to be any of these people. But John’s answer regarding whether he’s the prophet is like the others. This time he simply says, “No.”

By the end of verse 21, John has stated quite emphatically that he is not some great or special person associated with Jewish end-time expectations. This presents a certain problem for the delegation sent to investigate John. He’s given a whole bunch of denials to them, but he still hasn’t explained who he actually is or what he’s doing with this whole preaching and baptism thing.

Part Two: I Am Just a Voice (vv. 22-23)

The delegation presses John further in the next section, which is where we see the second part of John’s testimony about himself in verses 22 to 23. John declares next: Number two, I am just the voice. I am just a voice.

Let’s look at those two verses, 22-23.

“And they said to him, ‘Who are you, so we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?’ He said, ‘I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord,” as Isaiah the prophet said.’”

John 1:23 (quoting Isaiah 40:3): “I am a voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’”

You can see in verse 22 the delegation is not willing to go back with at least something positive to say, some substantial designation of who John the Baptist is. So John is forced to say something more about himself. The positive declaration that John does give in verse 23 is a quotation of Isaiah 40:3, which is part of the section we read earlier in the service.

Remember, the context of those verses is that God promises a restoration to Israel after judgment. “Comfort, comfort my people. Their iniquity has ended.” Part of this restoration includes God himself coming to the earth. The cities of Judah, even Jerusalem, will behold their God as he comes to shepherd his people.

Listen again to what Isaiah 40:3-5 mentions about a voice calling for the preparation of the land for God’s arrival.

Isaiah 40:3-5: “A voice is calling, ‘Clear the way for Yahweh in the wilderness. Make smooth in the desert a highway for our God. Let every valley be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low, and let the rough ground become a plane, and the rugged terrain a valley. Then the glory of Yahweh will be revealed, and all flesh will see it together, for the mouth of Yahweh has spoken.’”

A Voice Preparing the Way for God

You can understand that it was customary in those days. If a great person like a king was going to travel, someone, or more likely a group of people, would go before him to smooth the way—even alter the terrain—so that the king would not encounter any annoying obstacles or uncomfortable difficulties on the way or when he arrived.

Isaiah 40:3 and 40:5 say that such would be needed in the wilderness, the desert portion of Israel, to make the way ready for God. This way, all would be able to see the glory of Yahweh.

John’s answer to the Jews in John 1 declares that he is simply fulfilling that scripture. Not literally, obviously, as if John were driving a bulldozer or assembling a team of Jews to build earth and ramps or break down stone obstacles. But in the wilderness, John is preparing the way spiritually for God, calling on people to recognize their sin, their need for repentance and cleansing and forgiveness from God. He’s spiritually preparing the people of Israel for the arrival of their Messiah.

That may sound like a pretty prestigious job—something John could exult in. But notice Isaiah 40:3 identifies the person fulfilling this role simply as “a voice,” not “the voice,” not “the voice of the great spokesman of God,” just “a voice.” You can’t even see a voice, but you can hear it.

John the Baptist finds a voice to be the best description he can give about who he himself is. “I am just a voice, a voice ordained by God to call you to prepare for his coming. That’s all. Don’t try to look at me. Instead, look to your God. Look to your Messiah.”

“I am just a voice ordained by God to call you to prepare for his coming. Don’t try to look at me — look to your Messiah.”

With this answer, John seems to satisfy most of the delegation. One person in that sent group isn’t yet happy. Persons of this group are going to ask John one more question. In response, he provides the third part of his testimony about himself, which we see in verses 24 to 28.

Part Three: I Am an Unworthy Slave (vv. 24-28)

John declares finally: Number three, I am an unworthy slave. I am an unworthy slave.

Look at verse 24.

“Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.”

Verse 24 is a difficult sentence to translate. In Greek, it could be translated multiple ways. The most literal translation is the one that I read to you—the one that appears in the New American Standard 95 Edition. But there is a logical problem with this translation. What’s the problem?

Verse 19 has already told us that the Jewish leaders in Jerusalem were the ones who sent priests and Levites to John. Those leaders would not have been Pharisees and would not have gotten along with the Pharisees. Who are the Pharisees again?

Well, if the Sadducees were the official religious leaders, the ones in control of the temple in Jerusalem, the Pharisees were the popular religious leaders. They were the ones in control of the synagogues.

We often hear about the Pharisees in the other Gospels. They were thought of by the common people as super righteous, the most guaranteed to make it into the kingdom of God, because they were the most fastidious, the most zealous keepers of God’s law. That was the popular conception.

In reality, as Jesus and John and others would point out, the Pharisees externalize the law of God. They added man-made traditions to invalidate the law or to keep instead of the law. They neglected the most important aspect of the law—the heart. They are actually some of the worst offenders against God.

But the Pharisees were certainly not good friends of the Sadducees. They were rival groups. It’s highly unlikely that those sending the delegation were Pharisees, as we might translate it.

Another way we could translate the sentence would be to say that the sent ones were Pharisees—the delegation is made up of Pharisees. But that too is unlikely, since Pharisees generally were not priests and Levites, and the Sadducees would not be very comfortable sending their opponents as their official delegation to John.

So the best way to understand verse 24 is that the sent delegation included some Pharisees. It’s those of the Pharisee faction within the delegation that speak up next, even though the Sadducees didn’t like the Pharisees. They recognized that Pharisees had considerable influence. They didn’t want to cause unnecessary trouble, so they begrudgingly allowed some Pharisees to join this group going out to check out what John is doing.

The Pharisees Challenge John’s Baptism

So it’s after John answers the previous question about himself—saying, “I’m just a voice”—that the contingent of Pharisees pipes up with their own question for John. And this is not so subtly a criticism of John. Look at their question in verse 25.

“They asked him and said to him, ‘Why then are you baptizing if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?’”

Can you hear what they’re implying? “Hey, John, this baptism thing you’re doing with all the Jews—it’s a little weird. You’re suggesting that we God-fearing Jews need to be purified in some profound way. That’s a pretty bold claim to make.

And it’s extra bold that you ordain yourself to be the administrator of this baptism, rather than letting all the Jews do it to themselves, which is how ceremonial washing usually went. How can you, John, justify what you’re doing since you yourself confess that you are not the Christ, not Elijah, and not the prophet?

Maybe one of these special persons of eschatological significance could be allowed to do this. But why should we let you carry on with this when you yourself say you’re no one special?”

“How can you justify what you’re doing since you confess that you are not the Christ, not Elijah, and not the prophet?”

How does John reply? Look at verse 26.

One Stands Among You Whom You Do Not Know

“John answered them, saying, ‘I baptize in water, and among you stands one whom you do not know.’”

John replies by first noting that he does indeed baptize with water. This confession is set up to give a contrast between John and someone else. If you’re familiar with the other gospels, you were probably expecting John to say something like, “I baptize with water, but one coming after me baptizes with something even greater than water.” That’s not the way John responds here, not yet. He will say something like that later in the chapter.

But there’s still something self-effacing there. There is indeed a contrast that John is setting up. John is admitting, “I’m merely baptizing with water. You Pharisees are uncomfortable. You think I’m doing some crazy thing with this water baptism. I’m telling you, this is nothing. This is water, and I’m nothing special for doing it. But I’ll tell you why I’m doing it. The reason is someone greater, someone truly special, has arrived and even stands among you whom you have not recognized yet.”

Now, when John says that someone stands among them, he need not mean that literally, as if Jesus were in the crowd listening to this conversation. That’s possible, but it need not be what John means. By this point, as I said, John has already met Jesus. He’s baptized Jesus. Jesus went into the wilderness. John knows that the Messiah has arrived.

But he doesn’t know exactly where he is at this point. He knows he’s somewhere in Israel, he is among the Jews, but doesn’t know where exactly. Neither does anybody else.

But the main point of John’s reply is this: “I baptize with water, not because I’m special, but because someone truly special is here, even among the people of Israel, though he has not been recognized yet. He’s not been publicly identified.”

“Someone truly special is here among the people of Israel, though he has not been recognized yet.”

John then testifies further about how special this other one is in verse 27. Look there.

Not Worthy to Untie His Sandal

“It is he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

You’ll recognize in the beginning of verse 27 a statement that we’ve already heard from John the Baptist in this gospel. Just go back to John 1:15. John mentioned that there’s one coming after John who actually existed before John. He’s talking about that same person.

Even though it doesn’t give the full description here—it doesn’t mention that person’s eternality—notice what John does say in addition about this other person, this special one who comes or appears after John.

John says, “I am not worthy to untie the thong or the strap of his sandal.”

Now, I think even without extra background, we recognize that as a statement of humility. But let me give you a little bit of background so you can appreciate just how momentous that statement is.

In ancient Israel, religious teachers—that is, rabbis—were not paid for their teaching. It seemed wrong to the Jews that someone who teaches about God or the scriptures should do it for money. But they did allow for some level of compensation.

Instead of payment, rabbis understood that they could count on their students, their disciples, to provide services for their master. So, for example, a disciple might go into town to get food for his rabbi, rather than the rabbi doing it himself. Or a disciple might prepare a meal for his rabbi with said food—just little services.

But there were understood limits as to what a disciple might be expected to do for his teacher, his master. And one of those limits involved feet and footwear.

Feet are usually not a part of the body you feel great about touching, especially other people’s feet. And why is that? Because feet stink. They get dirty. They get corns. They get calluses.

And if we feel that way even about our own feet sometimes, and we wear modern shoes and socks, imagine what it’s like dealing with feet in the ancient world. Everyone’s wearing some version of open-toed sandals or no shoes at all, often walking for miles a day, traveling on dusty roads and all sorts of weather. You can imagine feet got pretty gross.

And who’s going to want to touch those feet, take off shoes, give those feet a bath? Nobody. That’s who.

So in those days, undoing your shoes and washing your feet—those often went together. That was something you had to do yourself or have a slave do for you if there’s one in the household in which you are. And if there are multiple slaves in that household, undoing shoes—that’s a task that fell to the lowest slave.

And when it came to rabbis, taking off the rabbi’s shoes and washing his feet, that was one service that rabbis could not expect from their disciples. There’s actually a rabbinical saying recorded in 80:250, but probably originating much earlier, that says this: “Every service which a slave performs for his master shall a disciple do for his teacher, except the loosing of his sandal thong.”

So with all that in mind, consider again what John the Baptist says to the Pharisees in verse 27.

“It is he who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

Do you hear that? John the Baptist says that the one coming after him is so great that John does not feel worthy to perform even the lowliest, most disgusting, the most slave-level act of service to be asked when tying that one’s sandals. So John, that would not be a presumptuous humiliation. That would be an honor which John would never dare to take upon himself.

He wouldn’t do that unless you were specifically told to be too much of an honor to come back to the Pharisees’ question: “Why is John baptizing?”

“John does not feel worthy to perform even the lowliest act of service — untying that one’s sandals would be too great an honor.”

Not because John is worthy of it, but because the one who is coming, the one for whom John is preparing the way, he is worthy of it. Who is that coming one? John hasn’t explicitly identified it for the crowd yet, but he soon will in the next section of the passage.

That coming one is Jesus, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Far from arrogantly exalting himself, John acknowledges that he is really just an unworthy slave of God and an unworthy slave of Christ.

Bethany Beyond the Jordan

Verse 28 then finishes off this first section of narrative.

“These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing.”

I actually don’t know where Bethany beyond the Jordan was today. Apparently, it was some town or region on the eastern side of the Jordan which had enough water close by for John to baptize those who came to him. We don’t know exactly where it was.

John 1:28: “These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan where John was baptizing.”

Application: Following John’s Example

Thus concludes the first half of John the Baptist’s testimony—the testimony about himself. And consider already how profound John’s testimony is. If John the Baptist, the greatest prophet up to that time, responded in such a way, gave such a testimony, that is very instructive for us.

In John, we see the attitudes, the words, the behavior of a true witness and disciple of Jesus. And what the same things ought to be true for us—any of us here who claim to be disciples and witnesses of Jesus. But is it, brethren?

Can each of you acknowledge, as John does, can you say with the same amount of emphasis, that the same amount of zeal—because you don’t want anybody to get the wrong idea—”I am not the Christ”? Will you confess and not deny, but confess you are no one special? You are not one worthy of honor and exultation. Only the Lord is.

You are not one ultimately that other people need to behold and learn from or imitate. Jesus is. You are not the one who can give people what they really need for their souls. You can’t give them life. You can’t give them salvation. But Christ can.

“You are not the one who can give people what they really need for their souls. You can’t give them life. But Christ can.”

Lord, forgive us for where we make life and even church ministry about ourselves and not the Lord.

Brethren, can you all confess in truth that you are no more than a voice for Jesus? Is your life purpose, like John’s, to point people to Christ and make them ready for his appearing? Does it bother you to see people making much of you when they should be making much of him? Are you actually happy when people forget about you and they’re just focused on Jesus?

Can you finally say, in sincerity, from your heart, that you are an unworthy slave of God and Christ? Is Christ that great in your estimation?

Jesus actually commanded this attitude for his followers. Luke 17:10. Jesus says, “So you too, speaking to his disciples, when you do all the things which are commanded, you say, ‘We are unworthy slaves. We have done only that which we ought to have done.’”

Brethren, this was the apostles’ attitude. We see it in their letters. They open it with “James, the slave of Christ,” “Paul, a slave of Christ.” Is that our attitude? Not just the thing we say, but what actually shows up in our lives?

Do we count it a glad privilege to serve Jesus in the lowest way, the most painful way, the most long-lasting way, the most humiliating way, the most unacknowledged way? Or do we instead exalt ourselves? We refuse to serve in any low or humiliating way. We refuse to act as a witness for Jesus because that would cost us too much.

We become angry or depressed when people do not acknowledge our godliness, how much we serve. We expect actually other people to serve us, even God himself, meeting all our desires, rather than if we don’t have John the Baptist’s own attitude.

He really is presented to us like an ideal disciple. We need to repent if you’re not like John. You need to repent. You’ve been making it about yourself. You need to put Jesus back into the supreme place in which he belongs. Amen.

Believe and Exult in Jesus Alone

No one is worthy of your faith and devotion except Jesus Christ. Not you, and not anyone else. Not your spouse, not your parents, not your children, not your boss, not your pastors, not Moses, not John the Baptist, not Mary, not the pope, not any Christian saints alive or dead. These are not the Christ. Jesus is the Christ.

And if John the Baptist, the greatest Old Testament prophet, commissioned by God, filled from the womb with the Holy Spirit, if he testifies that Jesus is so much greater than him, he doesn’t even deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence, and surely Jesus is worthy of our devotion, of giving our lives to him.

“No one is worthy of your faith and devotion except Jesus Christ. Not you, and not anyone else.”

We are to heed the testimony of John in that way. As I said in the beginning, the testimony from John has been supplied so that you will believe and exult in Jesus alone.

Do you believe in Jesus? I mean, really believe? Have you repented of your sin, in your own way, and all your self-righteous efforts to get to God and secure salvation and his approval for yourself?

If you repented of that, have you actually given yourself over in faith to Christ, saying, “You’re my Lord. You’re my Savior. Your righteous life, your death, your resurrection, is the only thing that can bring me to God, and in you I am absolutely safe forever”? Do you believe?

I think many of you confess that you do, and I praise God for that. But I say again: if you do, does your belief show up in your life the way it showed up in John the Baptist’s life?

Has it transformed your attitude, the way you think, the way you talk, the way that you act and serve, the way that it transformed John?

May God indeed accomplish this transformation and continue it in each one of us.

Closing Prayer

Let’s pray.

Jesus Christ, it is all about you, God. So easily we make it about ourselves. We begin to say to ourselves, “Why hasn’t God done exactly what I want him to do? Why is God making me to serve in this way? Why did God take this from me?” Instead of saying, “Oh Lord, I can’t believe I have the privilege to know you, to serve you, even by untying the thong of a sandal.”

Forgive us, Lord, for our sinful self-exultation. But thank you that you do forgive us, that you are near to the brokenhearted and the contrite, that when the wicked forsakes his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts, you welcome him in. You pardon him. You forgive him. And that’s because of Jesus Christ.

Oh Jesus, you are worthy of all glory. Everybody should be looking to you and not us. God, help us not to be lazy witnesses, unfaithful witnesses, proud witnesses, but Lord, let us be humble witnesses, diligent witnesses, bold witnesses, because you’re worthy of it. We’re not special. You, Lord God, you’re special.

Oh Jesus, there is no one like you. May that be the testimony of our hearts. And if we don’t know that, don’t appreciate that yet, God, I pray that you would cause us to.

Anybody who doesn’t know you here, listening to this message, God, that they would believe in you and be saved. And those that do believe in you, they’d come to know you more. They’d say, “Yes, I am glad to suffer for Christ. I am glad to be spent for Christ. It is my honor. It is my privilege. This is not my mere duty. Jesus is worthy of it. He is that lovely, and I love to enjoy him by just serving him.”

Lord, let that be true more and more of everybody in this congregation. We know that’s where joy is and you being glorified.

In Jesus’ name, amen.
November 27, 2022
The Supreme Word
In this sermon, Pastor Dave Capoccia examines the prologue of John’s Gospel, John 1:1-18. In this prologue, John gives four arresting identifications of Jesus so that you will pay attention to Jesus as the supreme Word of God.

1. Jesus Is the Wise and Powerful Creator (1:1-5)
2. Jesus Is the True and Ultimate Light (1:6-9)
3. Jesus Is the Rejected yet Life-giving Lord (1:10-13)
4. Jesus Is the Glorious and Gracious Revelator (1:14-18)

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Note: This transcript and summary was autogenerated. It has not yet been proofread or edited by a human.

Summary

John 1:1–18 reveals the true identity of Jesus as the Supreme Word of God. Through this prologue, we are confronted with four arresting identifications of Christ: He is the wise and powerful Creator, the true and ultimate Light, the rejected yet life-giving Lord, and the glorious and gracious Revelator of God. This passage calls us to recognize that Jesus is not merely a good teacher or prophet—He is the eternal Word who was with God and is God.

Through the Incarnation, the fullness of God’s grace and truth has been made known to us in a way that surpasses even the glorious revelation given through Moses and the Old Testament.

Key Lessons:
1. Jesus is the eternal, uncreated Word who brought all things into existence—He is the Creator, not a creation.
2. Jesus is the True Light who reveals every person’s true spiritual condition, exposing whether we love God or love darkness.
3. Although the world and even God’s own people rejected Him, God sovereignly grants the right to become His children to all who believe through new birth by His Spirit.
4. Jesus is the supreme and final revelation of God—through the Incarnation, we can truly know God in a way that was impossible before.
Application: We are called to turn our full attention and lives to Jesus as the Supreme Word of God, ceasing to be distracted by sins and passing treasures of the world. We must receive Him by faith, believe in His name, and give Him the supreme place He deserves in our lives.

Discussion Questions:
1. How does understanding Jesus as the eternal Creator (not merely a teacher or prophet) change the way you respond to His words and claims?
2. In what ways does the light of Jesus reveal your true spiritual condition, and how should that motivate you toward repentance and faith?
3. What distractions or lesser “lights” are you tempted to give your attention to instead of the Supreme Word, and what practical steps can you take to refocus on Christ?
Scripture Focus: John 1:1–18 teaches that Jesus is the eternal Word who is God, the Creator of all things, the True Light, the rejected yet life-giving Lord, and the one who fully reveals the Father through the Incarnation. Supporting passages include Genesis 1:1, Psalm 33:6, Isaiah 55:11, Exodus 33–34, Colossians 1:15–17, and Hebrews 1:1–3.

Outline
Introduction

Let’s pray as we prepare to hear from the word. O Lord, show us your glory. Show us your glory in the face of Christ as he is revealed in the scripture. Enable me to speak it, enable us to hear it, and transform us we pray. Amen.

When I was in college, one of my history teachers was a guest lecturer from Italy. She was a petite, middle-aged woman with a strong Italian accent. She taught a course on the Crusades, which I enrolled in and enjoyed.

But one moment I remember from her class had nothing to do with medieval history. She noticed that my last name is Italian, and one day after class had finished, she asked me if I knew what Kaposha means.

She soon explained that Kaposha, or Kapocha in Italian, means head, boss, chief, or overseer. It’s from the Latin word for your literal head. Think of the word “caput” in English, and it’s also the root of some of our words for a figurative head, like “captain” or “capital.”

As you can imagine, learning that Kaposha means boss was pretty gratifying news to me. But then she also asked me if I knew what the family crest or symbol was for Kaposha. I didn’t, so she had to tell me.

Can you guess what it is? Not a human head, but a donkey. Apparently, the Kaposha family symbol is the donkey.

She offered an explanation. Often, the one in charge, the head, can be a bit stubborn. But when he’s stubborn about the right kind of things, that’s a leader that you want.

So I guess as Kaposha, I’ve got my work cut out for me to be the right kind of stubborn.

The Eagle Symbol and John’s Gospel

Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever looked into your own family symbol or even how reliable such information is about such things. But did the writers of the four gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—each have a symbol? An animal symbol?

No, this is not from the Bible. This is not an inspired thing. This is just a church tradition thing.

Starting with some church fathers in the second and then the fourth centuries, each of the gospel writers became associated by tradition with one face of the four living creatures that are mentioned in Ezekiel 1 and Revelation 4.

Do you remember these spectacular creatures which were seen by vision around God’s throne? Aside from having multiple wings, many eyes, and other awesome features, we’re told in the Bible that each creature has four faces: the face of a man, the face of a lion, the face of an ox, and the face of an eagle.

Well, these four creature faces—or rather, the creatures that make up those faces—were adopted as traditional symbols for the four gospel writers. Different early theologians assigned the symbols differently.

But the designation that has stuck the most, and it’s still evident in much surviving Christian art today, is the one given by Jerome in the 4th century. Jerome assigned a creature symbol to a gospel writer based on how that writer’s gospel begins.

“Jerome assigned a creature symbol to a gospel writer based on how that writer’s gospel begins.”

Thus, Matthew’s symbol was the man, since his gospel begins with a human genealogy. Mark’s symbol was the lion, since his gospel starts with John the Baptist roaring like a lion in the wilderness. Luke’s symbol was the ox, since his gospel starts with Zacharias offering sacrifice.

John’s symbol was the eagle, since his gospel starts in the lofty heights of heaven. We’re going to look at the beginning of John’s gospel today and see why John begins the way that he does.

Reading the Prologue: John 1:1–18

If you would please open your Bibles to John 1:1-18.

The title of this message is “The Supreme Word.”

If you were with us last December, you may remember that we did a two-part Christmas-themed investigation of this passage. We’re going to cover the whole passage in one message today: John 1:1-18.

Let us read the prologue of John’s gospel. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and apart from him nothing came into being that has come into being.

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him.

He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. There was the True Light, which coming into the world enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him.

He came to his own, and those who were his own did not receive him. 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. They were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we saw his glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about him and cried out saying, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for he existed before me.”‘

For of his fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten God who was in the bosom of the Father, he has explained him.”

We can see right away why Jerome went with the eagle as the symbol of John’s gospel. Not only is the setting and the content of this prologue heavenly, but even the way it’s written seems to evoke lofty majesty.

“Not only is the setting and the content of this prologue heavenly, but even the way it’s written seems to evoke lofty majesty.”

Interpreters have wondered whether this text was written as or contained sections of an early hymn. Probably not. But there is an undeniably poetic quality to these words.

There’s plenty of repetition and parallelism. There’s even a certain amount of structural symmetry. For example, you may notice that passages are bookended at its beginning and end with the same concept.

Verse 1 begins with the Word who was God with God. And verse 18 we have again God with God, even the Son in the bosom of the Father.

But while there is evident symmetry, there is also a clear progression through this passage. Verse 1 starts in eternity and then creation, and gradually we move closer and closer to Christ’s tangible appearance into history, and even to his meeting with John the Baptist later in this chapter.

The Purpose of the Prologue

And like any good introduction, this prologue accomplishes a few fundamental purposes for this gospel. The prologue establishes a clear starting point for the narrative, but one intriguingly that is way further back than we might have expected.

The prologue also prepares us for what we will read in the rest of John. Not only are we introduced to key themes that will appear throughout the book with terms like life, light, darkness, world, witness, glory, and believe, but we even have the whole story, the whole record summarized for us in miniature.

The Eternal God, we’re told, came into the world as a man but was unrecognized and rejected. Yet some believed in him, and those ones became life inheritors as children of God.

“The Eternal God came into the world as a man but was unrecognized and rejected. Yet some believed and became children of God.”

Finally, and crucially, this prologue secures our interest with its awesome descriptions of this gospel’s central person. John’s original Jewish readers were no doubt expecting to receive this gospel, having somebody read it to them or with them. They’re no doubt expecting to read a record about Jesus.

But John wants those readers and us today to know from the beginning who Jesus really is. According to John, Jesus is no mere man, not simply a good teacher, not simply a prophet who brings the word of God. He is the Word of God.

He is the Supreme Word to which you must give your attention.

“Jesus is no mere man, not simply a good teacher, not simply a prophet who brings the word of God. He is the Word of God.”

Four Arresting Identifications of Jesus

The prologue logically and grammatically divides into four sections that clarify Jesus’ true identity. That’s what we’re going to investigate in John 1:1-18.

John, our writer, gives four arresting identifications of Jesus so that you will pay attention to him as the Supreme Word of God. Four arresting identifications—identifications that just make you stop and listen, pay attention to him who is the Supreme Word of God.

“Four arresting identifications that make you stop and listen, pay attention to him who is the Supreme Word of God.”

1. Jesus Is the Wise and Powerful Creator

Let’s look at each of these identifications, starting with the first, in verses one to five, where we see number one: Jesus is the wise and powerful creator.

Look at verse one.

In the Beginning Was the Word

“In the beginning was the Word.” To start his gospel, John doesn’t take us back to Jesus’ first meeting with John the Baptist, the circumstances surrounding Jesus’ birth, or even to Jesus’ distant genealogical record. Other gospels do that, but John doesn’t.

John instead takes us back to the beginning. Which beginning? The beginning—even the space between time and eternity.

John’s original Hellenistic Jewish audience would have recognized in this opening phrase a clear allusion to Genesis 1:1. It starts with the exact same words in the Greek Septuagint, the translation of the Old Testament.

But whereas Genesis 1:1 says, “In the beginning God created,” John 1:1 says, “In the beginning was the Word.”

The Greek word for word here is “logos,” a term which most basically refers to something written, spoken, or thought. John uses this word “logos” as a title for Jesus, and he’s the only New Testament writer to do so. He only uses it in this passage and in one place in Revelation—Revelation 19:13.

Why does John call Jesus “logos,” the Word? As we work through the passage, we’ll see. Notice already from this opening phrase that John is asserting something very amazing about Jesus’ origin: namely, that Jesus has no origin. He was already there in the beginning before creation.

“John is asserting something very amazing about Jesus’ origin: namely, that Jesus has no origin.”

The Word Was God

It is more. Look at verse 1’s next phrase: “and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”

This is one of the most mysterious and majestic phrases in the Bible, and our English versions do a very good job of translating what is a very precise reconstruction. The words here cannot be translated as the Jehovah’s Witnesses would like—that the Word was a god.

No. John says that Jesus, even before his incarnation, even before creation, he existed as the Eternal Word both with God and as God.

“Jesus, even before his incarnation, even before creation, existed as the Eternal Word both with God and as God.”

This phrasing is careful. It clarifies that God and the Word are the same yet distinct. How can this be? Certainly this would have been intriguing for the first listeners.

But from the rest of the gospel and the rest of the scriptures, we know this can only be explained by the concept of the Trinity: that there is only one God, but he exists in three persons—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—each of whom is the fullness of God, yet each is distinct from the others.

This would have been indeed an arresting assertion just in verse 1 for John’s original Jewish audience. Could it be? Jesus is the Word, the logos, who has not only enjoyed eternal fellowship with God but is God?

And just to re-emphasize and prevent misunderstanding, John restates the truth of verse 1 again in verse 2. Verse 2: “He, the logos, was in the beginning with God.”

The Creator of All Things

Now someone might ask, “But Mike, verses one to two imply or even allow that Jesus was an early creation of God before the rest of creation?” Impossible. Because with what we read next in verse 3.

Look at verse 3.

“All things came into being through him, and apart from him nothing came into being that has come into being.”

Can the Apostle John be any more emphatic in this next wondrous declaration? The Word, John says, was not a product of creation, we’re a bystander to creation, or even a lesser assistant in creation.

Rather, John says the Word, who is Jesus, is the creator. Everything that isn’t eternal, everything that came into existence, came into existence through the Word. And if it didn’t come into existence through the Word, what does John say? It didn’t come into existence at all.

Really, if the Jehovah’s Witnesses thought more seriously about what John 1:3 says, even in their own Bible translation, they’d stop with their nonsense about John 1:1.

There is no way that Jesus, as the creator of all things, could be created.

“There is no way that Jesus, as the creator of all things, could be created.”

The Logos in Philosophy and Scripture

Now, in one way, this monumental assertion of verse 3 would have made sense to the original audience. As Hellenistic Jews, they were likely used to the idea that the logos of God had brought about creation.

Certain Greek philosophers by this time had observed, like many today, that there is an obvious order and wisdom in the natural world, in the created world. They theorized that there must be some wise principle or force operating in the universe that is responsible for the orderly creation and maintenance of the world.

They called this wisdom principle the logos. The audience would have been familiar with that concept from Greek philosophy.

But also the Jewish Bible, the Old Testament, states explicitly that God’s word was responsible for creation. That’s there even in Genesis, right?

How did God create according to Genesis 1? He spoke. He used words. It was his word.

Psalm 33:6 confirms this by saying, “By the word of the Lord, by the word of Yahweh, the heavens were made,” and everything else.

Psalm 33:6: “By the word of the Lord the heavens were made.”

If we just consider God’s word in the Old Testament, we see frequently that it’s God’s word that accomplishes his will, whether it’s to create or to save or to destroy. Like Isaiah 55:11 says, “God’s word does not go out and come back to him void, but it accomplishes exactly what he wills.”

And what is the Old Testament word for word translated into Greek? Well, logos.

So from two sources, John’s audience would be familiar with the idea that the logos brought about creation. But in another way, verse 3 would have been very shocking to them.

Why? Because John asserts that this wise and powerful creating Word is not impersonal. The Word is a person. In fact, he is Jesus.

Jesus is the wisdom and power that brought about and maintains creation because he is the creator of all things. Colossians 1:15-17 and Hebrews 1:1-3, which we read earlier, say the same thing about Jesus.

But John says Jesus is not just the one who previously created, but he’s also the source of new creation. We see this in the next two verses.

Life and Light in the Darkness

Look at verse 4, and we’ll read verses 4 and 5 together. “In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.”

In one sense, verses 4 and 5 just continue the description of Jesus as the Word being the creator. He’s the one who gave life and still gives life to all mankind, just as he does with light. He created the original light, and he gives light to all mankind still.

But there is another sense to these words: they depict a new kind of creation for which Jesus is also responsible. Why do I say that?

Because as we read on in the Gospel of John, and even as we read on in this prologue, we’re going to hear how spiritual light and life come through Jesus in a world of darkness.

Thus, Jesus is not just the source of all physical life, but also all spiritual life. He is not just the source of physical light for mankind, but also spiritual light.

John says this light shined and still shines in the darkness, even in a rebellious and ignorant world of darkness.

Notice the intentional ambiguity of one of the words at the end of verse 5.

Depending on your Bible translation, you might see the word “comprehend” or the word “overcome.” That’s because the original Greek word could be rightly translated either way. I think John actually wants us to think about both meanings because both are true.

When the creator of light himself shined in the world, the darkness did not understand. They did not comprehend this light or his message, and thus rejected him.

But just as the Genesis darkness could not thwart the creation of light and the shining of that light, the new light of Jesus cannot be overcome by a dark world.

Jesus will succeed in shining as the light, and even in creating new light and new life in those who believe in him.

“The new light of Jesus cannot be overcome by a dark world. Jesus will succeed in shining as the light.”

Perhaps the reader of these two verses for the first time wouldn’t see how this is also true spiritually. But they certainly would see it in a second reading through the Gospel of John.

Now imagine as an ancient Hellenized Jew you would be reading this for the first time. What that would provoke in you is: Jesus? Jesus really the wise and powerful logos, the Eternal Word, the creator of all life and light, whether it’s physical or spiritual?

If so, I need to find out more. I need to pay attention.

The same is true for all of you listening today. Jesus is indeed, as John testifies, the wise and powerful creator—your wise and powerful creator.

You must pay attention to him as the Supreme Word.

2. Jesus Is the True and Ultimate Light

Now John provides a second arresting identification of Jesus in verses 6-9, which is where we’ll see number two: Jesus is the true and ultimate light.

Jesus is the true and ultimate light. We’ll read these verses all together.

Verse 6: “There came a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify about the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but he came to testify about the light. There was the True Light, which coming into the world enlightens every man.”

In this next section, we begin to transition from eternity and creation to the world of first century Judea. Jesus, the Eternal Word, didn’t stay at the Father’s side but came into the world.

“Jesus, the Eternal Word, didn’t stay at the father’s side but came into the world.”

But not without an appropriate forerunner: a man named John. You’ll remember from the introduction sermon that John mentioned here is not our author, the Apostle, but instead John the Baptist.

John’s gospel is unique and never refers to John the Baptist with that extra descriptor, “the Baptist.” But we know that’s who it is based on what we see in the rest of the prologue and what we see in chapter 1, verses 6-8.

John the Baptist: A Witness, Not the Light

Here, John the Baptist is not sent by God to be the light, but to be a testimony for him who is the light, namely Jesus, the Word.

And why specifically? The text says so that others might believe in Jesus through John, through the witness of John.

Now some have suggested, and I think there’s merit to this, that our author, the Apostle, includes these and certain other words about John the Baptist partly because there are still people in his time who are holding up John the Baptist too highly, or perhaps out of timidity, out of fear of persecution, they are willing to go so far as to accept John and the teachings of John, but not accept Jesus.

Well, John the Apostle certainly wants to give John the Baptist proper honor, as Jesus himself did. John the Apostle doesn’t want his audience to miss that the True Light is Jesus, not John the Baptist, not John the Apostle either, not Moses, not any other Jewish or Christian person.

This was even John the Baptist’s own attitude, as we’ll see as we read on.

And what it needs to be our attitudes: we, brethren, are not the light. No saint is the light. We’re all just witnesses.

We are witnesses of him who is the true light, and we are called, and our purpose is to point everyone to him.

“We are not the light. No saint is the light. We’re all just witnesses called to point everyone to him.”

I noticed verse 9 calls Jesus the True Light, and the use of “true” here does not necessarily imply that every other witness is a false light. Rather, Jesus is simply the greater, the ultimate light, the light to which all other lights are pointing.

He is the Supreme Word, and thus he is the Supreme, completely trustworthy, and life-giving light.

The True Light Enlightens Every Person

And there’s also the two phrases at the end of verse 9 as they transition us into the next section. We’re told that the True Light is the one coming into the world.

This is the first time that John uses the word “world” in our passage, and even in this book. We might be used to the word “world” being a largely neutral term, just a descriptor for the earth, the dwelling place of mankind, that greater universe.

But as we will see as we work through this gospel, that’s not the way that John uses the word “world.” He uses it with a negative connotation.

To John, the world is not simply the created order, but the realm of darkness, ignorance, and sin. The dwelling place of a race living in total rebellion against God.

That’s the world as John normally sees it.

Into such a world, verse 9 says the true light came and enlightens every man.

Now that’s a phrase that’s puzzled many an interpreter of this passage. In what way does Jesus, present tense, enlighten, shine on, or illuminate every person?

Lots of answers have been suggested. The answer that makes the most biblical sense to me is not that Jesus saves every person automatically or spiritually gives every person sufficient knowledge of God. There is such a thing as general revelation, but it’s not talking about that here.

Rather, the sense that makes the most sense to me is that Jesus, by coming into the world, reveals every person for what that person really is. Really, this is what we saw previously in John 3:19-21, isn’t it?

We’ll get there in our own exposition of this book. But Jesus’ light, what does it do? It shows your true colors. It shows what you really are. It shows whether you really love God and his truth or not.

No matter who you are, no matter where you are, those who love evil, they run from the light of Jesus, or they try to destroy him. But those who love the truth, they run to Jesus, and they give him the glory for everything.

“Those who love evil run from the light of Jesus. But those who love the truth run to Jesus and give him the glory.”

In that sense, Jesus does illuminate every person.

In this section, John is asking the original audience, and he’s asking us again: to whom are you giving your attention? Is it to the Supreme Word, the True Light? Or is it to some mere lesser light? Or even worse, to darkness?

Because of who Jesus is, you must give attention to him as the Supreme Word.

3. Jesus Is the Rejected Yet Life-Giving Lord

John provides a third arresting identification of Jesus in verses 10 to 13.

Which we will see next is number three: Jesus is the rejected yet life-giving Lord.

Both verse 5 and verse 9 have already alluded to the fact that the world has rejected God’s Supreme Word. But John is going to make this surprising reality more explicit in this third section.

The World Did Not Know Him

Look at verse 10.

“He, that is the true light, was in the world, and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him.”

This is a doubly astonishing statement. On the one hand, we hear that the Eternal Word, the logos, the one who created the world, amazingly entered into the world. God’s word, his eternal word, is remaining for a time in the world.

That’s astonishing. But then on the other hand, we also hear that the people of the world, the very people that the logos created, they did not know or recognize or acknowledge their creator.

“The Eternal Word entered into the world, and the very people the logos created did not recognize their creator.”

How can this be? Surely the original Jewish audience might have asked. Maybe we’re just talking about those godless gentiles.

We’ll look at verse 11 now. “He came to his own, and those who were his own did not receive him.”

Here again, John says that Jesus, the Word, he came into the creation that was all made by him and for him. It belongs to him. He’s the owner. He’s the master. He’s the Lord of it.

But how did the created people within that creation respond to their owner? Respond to their lord?

The text says the Master’s own people did not receive him. They did not accept him.

Jesus offered himself as the True Light and life, and the people of the world rejected him.

Now, those who were his own—that phrase certainly applies to mankind in general. But John surely uses this phrase to refer to the Jews specifically.

If anybody should have received the True Light, the Word, it should be his own people, should be the Jews. But they didn’t.

John will repeatedly show in the rest of the Gospel how the Jews, even the flesh and blood of Jesus, did not receive their lord and Messiah, but were in fact the most vicious in opposing him.

So consider just how dark this world is that Jesus came to save. The world that we still live in. This is not a world of goodness that welcomes its creator, the Lord.

This is a world of evil, or the Lord’s own people will not receive him.

How great must be the love, the humility, the patience of God to enter into such a world?

How terrible is the crime of the world, and even we ourselves, when we go the same way as the world and completely reject him?

The Right to Become Children of God

Yet look at verse 12.

God has determined that he would not be rejected by all.

Verse 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.”

Not all the Jews rejected Jesus when he came to the earth. Not all the gentiles refused to acknowledge their creator and Lord.

Through the apostolic witness, John indicates a remnant repented and believed, a holy portion, just as it is today.

And what did God grant to these persons? John says God granted them the right to become children of God, beloved of the Father, fellow inheritors in the kingdom of his Son.

Some have pointed out that if there is a highlighted hinge point in the symmetry of this passage, it’s right here in verse 12.

It’s like John is emphasizing a central message to the original audience and even us today with this central portion: you do not have to be like the rest of the world, the world that rejects its life-giving Lord.

You don’t have to be like the rest of the Jews. You don’t have to be like the rest of the gentiles.

You can receive the True Light. You can receive the Supreme Word. You can believe in his name. You can find true life as a child of God.

“You can receive the True Light. You can believe in his name. You can find true life as a child of God.”

Born of God, Not of Human Will

But before anyone starts patting himself on the back or exalting himself as he pursues Jesus in this way by repentance and faith, John adds in verse 13.

“Who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”

How wondrous is this? Do you realize why you or anyone chooses to repent and believe in Jesus?

The answer is: you were born into it. But not by physical descent, nor by human passion or planning. Rather, as John will tell us much more, especially when we get to John 3 in the conversation with Nicodemus, you were born by the spirit, according to the will of God.

He did it all by himself. But you are the beneficiary. He gave you faith. He gave you life.

“You were born by the spirit, according to the will of God. He did it all by himself. He gave you faith. He gave you life.”

So who really is this Jesus? The wise and powerful creator, the true and ultimate light, the rejected yet life-giving Lord?

If what John says is true, and it is, the Supreme Word demands your attention. It demands more than your attention. It demands your entire self, your whole trust, belief, and repentance.

And the one God sent into the world.

4. Jesus Is the Glorious and Gracious Revelator

Now, as resting as these first three identifications of Jesus are for us, John saves the most mysterious and amazing for last. That’s in verses 14 to 18.

Why else did you give Jesus your full attention?

Number four: Jesus is the glorious and gracious revelator.

Jesus is the glorious and gracious revelator, or one who reveals.

“Jesus is the glorious and gracious revelator—the one who reveals God.”

The Word Became Flesh

Look at the first part of verse 14.

“And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”

Consider how succinctly, in just two phrases, John captures the wonder of the Incarnation.

At this point in the prologue, we know who the Word is and what reception the world gave him. But the creator Word still came.

It didn’t just appear in flesh, but he became flesh. Very forceful description.

This means that he became fully and truly human with all its limitations and weaknesses, apart from sin. Whatever human is, that’s what he became.

“He didn’t just appear in flesh—he became flesh. Fully and truly human with all its limitations, apart from sin.”

And he dwelt—more literally, tabernacled, pitched his tents—among us, among people.

For the earthly witnesses of Jesus, the Incarnation is no longer abstract at this point. There are boots on the ground, as it were, or rather sandals.

The Eternal Word, the creator, the Son of God, Jesus, is here.

And John says Jesus came not merely to dwell with us or even to save us, but to reveal something. And what is it that Jesus came to reveal?

We Saw His Glory

Begin to see in the next phrase. John says, “and we saw his glory.”

Now notice the “we” here. John is reporting the direct experience of the Apostles and other eyewitnesses of Jesus.

But what John says indirectly captures the experience of every believer, even those today.

What is that? He and that we, as witnesses of Jesus, see in the Word becoming flesh?

Well, the answer is glory. That is the brightness, the splendor, or the radiance of God.

Ancient Israelites sometimes got to behold the radiance of God’s glorious presence visibly. You’ll read about this in the Old Testament. They saw the glory cloud leading them through the wilderness, which also settled on the tabernacle and then the temple.

Well, in the tabernacling of the Word with man on the earth, God’s people also beheld glory, even a greater glory.

“In the tabernacling of the Word with man, God’s people beheld glory—even a greater glory.”

Here’s the two ways John next describes this glory in verse 14.

First, he says, “Glory as of the only begotten from the father.”

The word translated “only begotten” is the word “monogenes,” a word that doesn’t necessarily include the idea of birth or generation, but it certainly means one and only, unique.

A monogenes son is a special son, and especially beloved son. And it was the monogenes son of God who displayed his unique loveliness and glory to the world by becoming flesh.

Furthermore, this glory is said to be “full of grace and truth.”

And this phrase may be another biblical allusion, even to a famous description of God in the Torah.

Verses 14 to 18 actually feature several allusions to the books of Moses. Recall that in Exodus 33, Moses asks to see God’s glory after God graciously forgives the people of Israel for their rebellion and creating and worshiping a golden calf.

Moses makes this petition. God grants Moses’ requests, and he tells Moses that God will pass by Moses and declare his name to Moses.

Now the long name of God is given in Exodus 34. I won’t go through the whole thing, but one phrase of it is notable. In Exodus 34:6-7, we hear that God is—God says this about himself—”abounding in loving kindness and truth.”

Abounding loving kindness and truth. And this description became something of a favorite among the Israelites. You see it all over the Old Testament.

Well, this phrase here in John, “full of grace and truth,” it’s not exactly the same as “abounding in loving kindness and truth,” but it’s very similar.

Jesus, the Son, the Word, the Apostle John says, is the full revelation of the grace and truth of God.

But what does this new revelation suggest about the old revelation, that which was given in the Old Testament?

John the Baptist Affirms Christ’s Supremacy

Well, John’s going to explain first by citing John the Baptist again in verse 15.

Look at verse 15.

“John testified about him and cried out saying, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for he existed before me.”‘”

Now structurally, this word from the baptizer forms a parallel from what was said about him before in verses 6 to 8. But it also progresses us further along to the first historical scene in the Gospel in verse 19.

Notice that in verses 6 to 8, the testimony of John the Baptist is indirect. But here in verse 15, we have a direct quotation from him.

It’s almost like the camera is zooming in closer. Now we actually hear John the Baptist speak.

What did John the Baptist affirm in verse 15? Well, he says again that Jesus is greater than John. But Jesus appeared on the scene after John.

Jesus is actually the first one, both in true chronology because he’s the Eternal Divine Word, but also in hierarchy. Jesus, John the Baptist says, has always been the first one. He’s the chief. He’s the heir. He’s the ruler of all creation.

“Jesus has always been the first one. He’s the chief. He’s the heir. He’s the ruler of all creation.”

And in this second insertion from John the Baptist, we see implicitly affirmed that the grace, truth, and even glory of Jesus on display in the Incarnation, and in one sense, is the same as that which belonged to God in the Old Testament.

Because as John the Baptist says, if Jesus is the pre-existent one, he’s the one of higher rank, he’s even the creator logos, and he must be the God of the Old Testament.

And because God does not change, and he does not increase in essential glory, the grace, truth, and glory of the Word made flesh must be the same grace, truth, and glory that was on display in the Old Testament.

But does that mean there’s nothing new about the manifestation of divine glory seen in Jesus coming?

Grace Upon Grace

Well, no. Because look at verse 16.

Verse 16: “For of his fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.”

Now verse 16 begins with the word “for,” and that’s important because that word indicates that the author is supplying a reason for what he just said, namely in verses 14 and 15.

What did we read there? Jesus—both John the Apostle and John the Baptist declare—is the unique and full revelation of God’s glory.

But he’s also the same God whose glory was put on display in the Old Testament.

So we have a unique and full revelation of God’s glory now, but the same God whose glory was put on display in the Old Testament. How can those things both be true?

Let’s consider John’s words in the rest of verse 16.

John affirms in the beginning of the verse that we—that is, the first Christian believers and all those since—have received the fullness of the Word. He says we have all received the full glory of Jesus’ revelation.

And what is that revelation? John further describes it as “grace upon grace.”

That’s an interesting phrase in Greek. Literally, the phrase in Greek is “grace after grace” or even “grace instead of grace,” which is a little hard to understand in translation.

Many interpreters go with the sense that we see in the translation I’m preaching from, the New American Standard 95, that this is “grace upon grace.” The idea is that Jesus coming resulted in an overflowing abundance of God’s grace that God’s people experience.

A better understanding of this phrase in context is actually more in line with what the NIV translates. We have here both ideas of contrast and progression.

John is setting up a comparison between the grace of God revealed in the Old Testament and the grace of God revealed in Christ’s incarnation.

Did God manifest his grace and truth in the Old Testament? He most certainly did. The New Testament writers talk specifically about the glory and goodness of God’s law, as well as the power of the Lord’s awesome appearance at Sinai.

That’s all acknowledged. The grace of God manifesting in Jesus is the same grace.

But as many New Testament writers also affirm, the grace manifesting in Jesus is at the same time a better grace, a fuller grace, a superior grace.

“The grace manifesting in Jesus is at the same time a better grace, a fuller grace, a superior grace.”

This new revelation of grace or favor is after and in replacement of the previous grace.

Grace and Truth Through Jesus Christ

Because really, isn’t that exactly what verse 17 says?

Look over at verse 17.

“For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.”

There’s the word “for” again. He’s been supplying a reason for what he just said about “we have the fullness of grace now.”

John is not saying that there was no glory, grace, or truth in the law of Moses. There was.

But the grace and truth of God displayed in the Word taking on human flesh is so much greater that it’s like grace and truth weren’t even visible before.

Grace and truth, verse 17 says, were realized, or more literally came about or came into being, through Jesus Christ.

“Grace and truth were realized—came into being—through Jesus Christ.”

That’s very strong language. And certainly, this would be a startling assertion for John’s original Jewish audience.

How can the coming of this glorious revelation of the law, especially if he’s the same God of the Old Testament, how can his revelation, how can he be the bringer of a greater grace?

I think the answer really is settled for us in verse 18.

No One Has Seen God—Except Through the Son

Let’s look at verse 18.

“No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten God who is in the bosom of the father, he has explained him.”

Notice how the first phrase in verse 18 pushes us to think about Moses and God’s revelation in the Old Testament.

Did Moses and the people of Israel ever see God? Yes and no.

They did see a visible manifestation of God’s glory, but not the fullness.

Even in Exodus 33:34, which has been an allusion to that already, God told Moses, “You cannot see my face, for no one can see my face and live.”

Moses saw God, who was a gracious revelation. And yet Moses didn’t see God. He didn’t see the fullness of God.

The same applies to the prophets. Consider the visions of God in heaven provided by Isaiah or Ezekiel. Their visions are amazing and glorious. They see the four living creatures and the train of God’s robe.

But the prophets cannot bear to see God’s face or view God’s face. They only look at God via their peripheral vision, and even that is overwhelming to them.

John’s original Jewish readers would have been well aware of this impossibility of seeing God. This is an unarguable truth: no one has seen God at any time.

We get that. The Old Testament shows that. Understood.

The reason is that the revelation of God’s full glory—seeing God—is too much for us.

We need it mediated to us somehow. If only God could explain himself to us in a way that we humans could handle and understand.

If there were only some way that God could bend down to our level and show himself while at the same time losing none of that grace and truth that make him so glorious.

Well, John declares in verse 18 that that is precisely what God did. What the Word did in becoming flesh.

Your problem wasn’t simply before the Incarnation our need for light and life, but more fundamentally, for someone to explain to us and show us God.

None of us could sufficiently find that out on our own. The law provided by God is good, but not enough.

The monogenes God, in a mysterious Triune way, is always dwelling in the bosom of the father, who intimately knows and loves the father.

This unique one, this beloved one, he and only he is able to explain the father to us.

The word “explained” in verse 18 is the Greek word “exegatamai,” which means to report, to explain, to expound, or to make known. It’s from which we get the English word “exegesis.”

Jesus, the son, is able to exegete the father for us, to show us and to explain to us God.

How? By coming in a form that is familiar to us, that is the same as us. By coming as a human being. By the Eternal Word becoming flesh.

Unlike previously, people can now be in God’s presence. We can listen to his words, feel his touch, and even look at his face without being consumed.

“We can now be in God’s presence, listen to his words, feel his touch, even look at his face without being consumed.”

John, our author, should know because he experienced these things literally. As they’ll tell us later, he literally leaned back on the bosom of Jesus, on the bosom of God, just to ask him a question.

Nothing like this has ever been seen before.

Jesus is the Supreme revelation of God and his grace to us.

In the life of Jesus, we see both the astounding holiness and truth of God and the astounding grace and mercy of God.

God’s glory was put on display in the Old Testament, and it was mighty, amazing, and saving.

And yet it’s nothing like the fullness that we have now received in the life, the words, and the works of Jesus.

Now we see the fullness of the glory of God. Now we see the full grace and truth of God.

By God’s amazing plan, Jesus became for us the glorious and gracious revelator of God.

Jesus: The Supreme Communication of God

And thus, what is a perfectly appropriate title for Jesus: the Word?

Because what is a word? It’s a message. It’s communication. It’s a revelation.

As the Word of God, Jesus is not merely God’s powerful and wise agent of creation. He’s not merely the communicator of saving light.

But he is himself the revelation of God, the communication of who God is and what God is like.

He is the Supreme communication, the Supreme Word in a way to us that we can understand.

Not exhaustively, but truly, adequately, in a sense fully.

Because of the living Word incarnated, we can actually know God.

“Because of the living Word incarnated, we can actually know God.”

And why should that be such a big deal? Because those other things that we cherish—light and life—what is that? The essence of them? Where do they really come from?

They come from what the prophets and the apostles declare in various places, even Jesus himself.

What is the essence of life, even eternal life? It’s knowing God.

The essence of all life and light is simply knowing God. And that’s what Jesus came to do for us.

Conclusion: Give Your Attention to the Supreme Word

So just in this short prologue, consider all the arresting identifications that John provides for the original audience and for us today that should make us pay attention to Jesus as the Supreme Word of God.

Do you want to receive new creation in the powerful and wise creator?

Do you want to behold him who is the true and ultimate light?

Do you want a portion in him who is the rejected yet life-giving Lord?

And do you want to know him who is the glorious and gracious revelator of God?

If so, and you must, turn your attention to Jesus. Turn your life to Jesus.

Stop being distracted by various sins or various passing treasures of the world. Those things are not important compared to the Supreme Word who has come.

You must give your attention to Jesus. You need to find out who Jesus really is, what he claims, what he did, what he said.

Whether he really is the only way, the truth, and the life. Whether it really is worth giving up everything, even your own life, to know and follow him.

“You need to find out who Jesus really is—whether he really is the only way, the truth, and the life.”

That’s the challenge John lays out for us at the very beginning of his gospel, just as he did for the original readers.

Those are some pretty challenging assertions. But John stands already as one witness, along with John the Baptist and others.

He says Jesus made these claims. I’m telling you they’re true.

Many of us can say the same. And if these things are true, then they demand our Supreme attention.

Is that what you say? Is that what your life says?

Let’s close in prayer.

Lord Jesus, we’re so grateful for this apostolic word, this record from John, so that even though we don’t see you with our own eyes, we can see you by faith.

We can see you via the testimony of your chosen apostle and in a way see the very things that he saw so that we ourselves can verify these claims.

We can say Jesus really is the Word. He is the life. He is the light. He is the full revelation of God.

Jesus, thank you for showing us the Father. Thank you for showing us God. Thank you for showing your heart, showing your glory in the cross and the resurrection.

Oh Lord, we would never have even begun to dream that there was a God so glorious except for these things.

Thank you for your word. But Lord, let us not just say, “Wow, that’s interesting. Wow, that’s great. That makes me emotional,” but then just move on.

This is the kind of revelation that needs to transform us. That only happens by your new birth, by your spirit.

We ask for that. We ask for your fundamental transformation for anybody who does not know the new birth yet, but also for those who have, Lord, that they would grow, that they would pull away from those distractions of the world, Lord, that are inhibiting their following you.

I pray that for myself. I pray that for everybody listening today, that you would have the proper place in our lives as the Supreme Word that you deserve.

In Jesus’ name, amen.
October 30, 2022
Introduction to the Gospel of John
In this first sermon in a new series going through the Gospel of John, Pastor Dave Capoccia gives an introduction to the Gospel. Pastor Dave explains five main areas of background information that will help you better understand and appreciate the Gospel of John: author, date, origin, purpose, and structure.

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Note: This transcript and summary was autogenerated. It has not yet been proofread or edited by a human.

Summary

The Gospel of John is introduced as a profound eyewitness account written by the Apostle John, son of Zebedee, to bring readers to saving faith in Jesus as Messiah and God. We are reminded that John deliberately chose to identify himself not by name but as “the disciple whom Jesus loved”—a humble, faith-filled declaration that every believer can echo. This passage teaches us that the Gospel of John was written specifically to evangelize Jews and God-fearers by presenting carefully selected sign miracles that prove Jesus’ deity and messiahship, while confronting the uncomfortable realities that Jesus claimed to be God and was rejected by His own people.

Key Lessons:
1. Internal and external evidence confirms that the Apostle John, son of Zebedee, authored this Gospel as a true eyewitness of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.
2. John’s primary purpose was evangelistic—selecting seven miraculous signs to bring readers to saving faith in Jesus as the Christ and Son of God.
3. John’s Gospel presents no middle ground regarding Jesus: you are either with God and His Son or against Him, and how you respond to Jesus reveals which camp you belong to.
4. Calling himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved” is not pride but profound humility—making everything about Jesus and marveling that Christ loved even him.
Application: We are called to approach this Gospel study with hearts ready to behold Jesus afresh—whether as seekers needing to believe or as believers needing to grow in worship, obedience, and love for Christ, even through persecution and rejection.

Discussion Questions:
1. John called himself “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” How would it change your daily life if you consistently identified yourself by the fact that Jesus loves you?
2. John says there is no middle ground with Jesus—you are either with God and His Son or against Him. Where do you see the temptation to stay on the fence in your own life?
3. John wrote to challenge religious people who claimed to worship God but hesitated to follow Jesus fully. In what areas might we be holding back from going “all the way” with Christ?
Scripture Focus: John 21:20-24 identifies the author as the beloved disciple and eyewitness. John 20:30-31 states the Gospel’s evangelistic purpose—that readers may believe Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and have life in His name. John 3:20-21 challenges those who claim to worship God to come to the light of Christ.

Outline
Introduction

Thank you so much musicians. It’s good to praise the Lord, and man, I feel fired up to preach. I’m excited to begin a new sermon series with you all today.

It’s been almost a year since I’ve done a prolonged verse-by-verse book exposition with you. Though I will take breaks from our series now and then as we go forward for special messages, I trust that a sustained gospel study will prove edifying and enriching for us all.

Let’s ask the Lord’s blessing as we begin looking at this new book of the Bible. Lord Jesus, we thank you that you are our Lord and savior. You are indeed all that we have. You are the great treasure. You are our life.

Thank you that you have proven faithful to your word. You did not leave your disciples as orphans, but you sent the Spirit and you brought to remembrance the things you told to your apostles so they could teach others. They could write it down, and we can have it today.

Bless this study of your word, even as we look at the introductory information. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Some of you may know that I attended college as an undergraduate at Rutgers University in New Brunswick. For my first two years there, I lived on campus in one of their co-ed dormitories.

I still remember that on one of my first nights there, as a wide-eyed freshman, our resident assistant led our whole floor of people in an icebreaker. One by one, we were to introduce ourselves to one another with an alliterative adjective. Then we were to recite the names and adjectives of all those previously introduced.

For example, someone might introduce herself as meticulous Megan. But then she would have to recite all the other names that had been spoken so far: peaceful Patrick, sneaky Sarah, dangerous Dave, meticulous Megan.

The intent of the game was just to have a little fun learning everybody’s names. Well, one of my new floormates, who later became my good friend, wouldn’t give himself an adjective. He simply introduced himself as John.

We told him that’s not how the game works. But he kept insisting on saying only John. “I’m John.”

We tried to give him examples of what he could do with his name. “What about Jolly John or Jumping John?” But he refused.

Then he slipped up because he replied to us with just John. For the rest of the icebreaker and a long time afterwards, my floormate became known as just John.

Well, today we’re going to be introduced to a different John: the Gospel of John. And like my friend from college, this John is also going to prove a bit reticent in giving information about itself.

However, by paying close attention to the details that the Gospel of John does give us, as well as by noting early church testimony about this book, we can learn the background of this gospel and prepare ourselves to study it well. That’s my intention with you today.

This is the introduction to the Gospel of John. In this introduction, I want to explore with you five main areas of background information that will help you better understand and appreciate the Gospel of John.

Those areas are: author, date, origin, purpose, and structure.

The Author of John’s Gospel

Let’s start with number one: the author. Who wrote the Gospel of John?

And to that, you’re probably immediately thinking, “It’s called The Gospel of John, so obviously John wrote it. Duh.”

Well, the problem is that title is not part of the original work. It was added later. Like the other three gospels, the Gospel of John does not explicitly name its author anywhere in the book.

“Like the other three gospels, the Gospel of John does not explicitly name its author anywhere in the book.”

Yet the gospel does give us important clues about the author that will help us understand who wrote it. Turn with me to the end of the book of John to see this for yourself: John 21:20-24.

It’s page 1087 if you’re using the Bibles that we’ve provided. John 21:20-24.

This section appears right after Jesus restores Peter. After Peter’s previous denials, Jesus also tells Peter that Peter will one day glorify his Lord Jesus in martyrdom. Look what appears next, starting in verse 20.

“Peter, turning around, saw the disciple whom Jesus loved following them, the one also who had leaned back on his bosom at the supper and said, ‘Lord, who is the one who betrays you?’

So Peter, seeing him, said to Jesus, ‘Lord, and what about this man?’

Jesus said to him, ‘If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you? You follow me.’

Therefore, this saying went out among the brethren that disciple would not die. Yet Jesus did not say to him that he would not die, but only, ‘If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?’

This is the disciple who is testifying to these things and wrote these things. And we know that his testimony is true.”

The Beloved Disciple Identified

Notice first, here in verse 24, where the narrator identifies himself as the book’s writer. He calls himself a disciple, that is, a follower and learner of Jesus.

He also claims to testify about the matters which he writes. That is, he is a witness, even an eyewitness, to the life and ministry of Jesus.

“He is a witness, even an eyewitness, to the life and ministry of Jesus.”

He also says, “We know that his testimony is true,” which is a very intriguing shift into the plural first person. This shift need not mean that this work has multiple authors. There are reasons a singular author might sometimes employ “we.”

But certainly, the author is claiming here that there is a faithful community who knows and affirms that everything the author has written is true.

Notice now that this, at the beginning of verse 24. This demonstrative pronoun tells us that the disciple we’re talking about is the same disciple that the author has just been talking about in the previous verses.

We read those. If you just go back to verse 20, we see that this same disciple is described in a very particular way: the disciple whom Jesus loved.

This phrase, “the disciple whom Jesus loved,” actually appears several places in this gospel. I’ll mention them to you.

It appears in John 13:23, at the Lord’s Supper, describing a certain disciple who reclines on Jesus’s chest after being urged by Peter to ask Jesus about who the betrayer is.

We see this phrase also in John 19:26, at the cross, where Jesus tells a certain disciple to care for Mary, Jesus’s mother, and take her as that disciple’s own mother.

We also see it in John 20:2, when this disciple, the disciple whom Jesus loved, outruns Peter to the tomb after Mary Magdalene reports that Jesus’s body is gone.

And then we also see the phrase earlier in the chapter, John 21:7, where the disciple whom Jesus loved is fishing with Peter and then tells Peter that the man on shore, who just brought about a miraculous catch of fish, is the Lord.

We see this phrase in multiple places. Though the author does not name himself, he does mention himself with this curious phrase at key points in the narrative about Jesus.

This shows us that our author, this disciple, is no ordinary disciple. If he’s there at the Lord’s Supper, which is a pretty exclusive event; if he’s there at the cross; if he’s there with Peter running to the tomb; and if he’s there at Peter’s restoration.

This disciple must be an apostle, even one of Jesus’s closest apostles. It’s notable that this unnamed disciple is frequently appearing with Peter.

You may have noticed that in the references I just gave to you, it’s as if this gospel communicates that the Beloved Disciple and Peter are good friends, close associates. Even here in verses 20 to 24, which we read, notice it’s Peter asking Jesus about the fate of this one, this disciple whom Jesus loved.

Peter is asking about him. So he must be an apostle.

Narrowing Down the Author

But can’t we say anything more specific about which apostle wrote this book? Well, yes.

Looking at the beginning of the chapter, verses 1-3 mention which disciples are part of this last scene presented in the book. We’re told that there’s Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the two sons of Zebedee, and two unnamed disciples.

This means that the author is certainly not Peter, Thomas, or Nathanael, since they are named outright and not given the “disciple whom Jesus loved” treatment. Our author must be one of the other twelve.

Perhaps the son of Zebedee. Considering the Beloved Disciple’s intimate relationship with both Peter and Jesus, this disciple or author is likely part of Jesus’ closest circle, which we hear in the other gospels consisted of Peter and the two sons of Zebedee: Peter, James, and John.

So which of the sons of Zebedee? Well, it cannot be James because of what’s mentioned in verses 18-23.

In these verses, Jesus foretells Peter’s martyrdom. Jesus refuses to foretell the author’s fate. Then the author notes that people wrongly began spreading the rumor that our author would not die but live until Jesus returned.

Why is that significant? Because those things together strongly suggest that by the time of the writing of this gospel, Peter has been martyred. But our author, the Beloved Disciple, has not.

This is why there has been a rumor that has spread about the author that the author wants to correct. According to Acts 12:2, James the son of Zebedee actually died before Peter. He’s the first apostle to be martyred when Herod Agrippa put him to the sword in order to gain favor with the Jews.

So if our author has indeed survived Peter and is part of Jesus’ inner circle, and the author can only be one man, the author must be the Apostle John, the son of Zebedee: a one-time fisherman who Jesus turned into a fisher of men.

“The author must be the Apostle John, the son of Zebedee: a one-time fisherman who Jesus turned into a fisher of men.”

John was transformed from a son of thunder—that’s what he and James were called—transformed from a son of thunder, ready to call down fire from heaven on the Samaritan village that wouldn’t let Jesus through, to what he became known as in the early church: the Apostle of love.

Again and again in his writings—John, and this writing is included—he stresses that Jesus’ true disciples are marked by love. He still has a zeal, but he’s marked by his love now.

Supporting Evidence for John’s Authorship

I grant that this identification of John the Apostle as the author relies on some inferences. But John the son of Zebedee makes the most sense as the implied author of this work.

Is there another detail in the book that also points to John as the author? Throughout the book, the author clearly demonstrates intimate knowledge of the land of Israel and Jerusalem, which John would have had as someone who lived in Israel.

The author writes in Greek, which John would have picked up living in Galilee, an area that interacts with many Gentiles. Yet his style and some of his expressions are clearly Semitic, suggesting a Jewish background for the author, which John certainly had, being a Jew.

Furthermore, the author never specifically mentions John the son of Zebedee in this gospel, which is extremely curious considering how important John is in the other gospels, being mentioned as part of Jesus’ closest inner circle.

“The author never specifically mentions John the son of Zebedee in this gospel, which is extremely curious.”

This is made more significant by the fact that the author of this book often goes above and beyond in identifying other persons in the Bible in a way that distinguishes them so that no one is confused.

You actually see this at the beginning of the chapter. If you just look at John 21:2, where we see the names of the disciples given to us: it’s not just Peter, but Simon Peter; it’s not just Thomas, it’s Thomas called Didymus; and it’s not just Nathanael, but Nathaniel of Cana and Galilee.

When he introduces or reintroduces a person in the account, he gives you extra information about him. But there’s one person in this book for whom the author unexpectedly does not provide any differentiating description. And that’s John the Baptist.

John the Baptist actually appears in a number of places in this book, but never with the title “the Baptist,” which is extremely odd. Because the other gospel writers—Matthew, Mark, Luke—they often add “the Baptist” when talking about John the Baptist so that the readers will not confuse that John with John the Apostle.

And that makes sense, right? We would be confused without that extra information. But this gospel doesn’t do that. It only refers to John the Baptist as simply John.

This can only be—unless this is an extremely reckless stylistic choice—that the author relied on the fact that his audience would understand that the disciple whom Jesus loved is John the Apostle. Therefore, there’s no need to differentiate John the Baptist from him with a description like “the Baptist.”

Responding to Objections About Authorship

Now, again, I admit I am making some inferences about the author’s identity based on clues in the text. The author’s identity is not made explicit.

However, I’m convinced that the only conclusion about authorship that satisfies otherwise strange choices made in the telling of this gospel is that the Apostle John is the author. I am made more confident in that conclusion by the fact that the early church concluded the same thing about this book.

When the Gospel of John begins to be talked about in the late second century, every person who mentions authorship says it was written by John the son of Zebedee. The authorship of John would not seriously be questioned until the Enlightenment period, when so-called biblical scholars started questioning the authorship of basically every book of the Bible.

From both internal and external evidence, we can confidently say that the Gospel of John is rightly named. It is the record of Jesus’ life, teaching, and ministry as written by the Apostle John.

“From both internal and external evidence, we can confidently say the Gospel of John is rightly named.”

This, unfortunately, is not the conclusion of most biblical scholars today. I should put “biblical scholars” in quotes.

They instead commonly assert that though the Apostle John may have originated the tradition that is captured in this gospel, this was really written years after the fact by a Johannine community—that is, a group of John’s later disciples and supporters. They pretended to write as the Apostle so that they might pass on his teaching.

This was therefore a collaborative effort with multiple editors changing the record to deal with issues in their own time or to improve the story according to their own judgment.

That may remind you, if you were with us in previous years, about what scholars say about the Solomonic authorship of Ecclesiastes: “No, Solomon didn’t write it. It was a collaborative effort. There were editors, et cetera, et cetera.”

I have very little patience for such theories of authorship. I won’t go into the detail, but I will summarize my response: such theories are plainly subjective, highly speculative, and clearly anti-supernatural.

I don’t believe what the Bible proclaims about how it was written.

“The Disciple Whom Jesus Loved” — Pride or Humility?

I will respond to one other objection. Note that these scholars raise one objection: some say, “If John the Apostle is really the author, then how can he call himself ‘the disciple whom Jesus loved’? Isn’t that a proud way to refer to oneself, as if Jesus didn’t love anybody else but you?”

We may admit that John’s descriptor of himself is surprising. But to declare that Jesus loves a certain person, or even that Jesus loves you, does not necessarily imply that he doesn’t love anybody else.

In fact, in this gospel, Lazarus, Jesus’ friend, is identified for Jesus by the Jews as “he whom you love.” And yet clearly Jesus is also said to have loved Mary and Martha and even the rest of his disciples.

Paul—not in this book, but in Galatians 2:20—actually says the same thing about himself. In Galatians 2:20, Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. And the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself up for me.”

Paul’s not being proud in this statement. He’s actually putting himself forth as an example to all Christians. All Christians should be able to say the same as Paul.

And John, actually, far from a statement of pride, I would say the descriptor “the disciple whom Jesus loved” is an expression of humility and faith. It’s literally self-effacing.

“Don’t call me John. Just call me the disciple whom Jesus loved.” John’s making it all about Jesus. And this descriptor also shows that John was captivated by the fact that Jesus loved even him.

“Don’t call me John. Just call me the disciple whom Jesus loved. John’s making it all about Jesus.”

As others have said, when you think about it, there are few truths more profound than the simple childhood rhyme, “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

Children’s Hymn: “Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so.”

But that’s enough about the author. As we go through this gospel, know that John the Apostle is the author.

The Date of John’s Gospel

Let’s next talk about date. Number two: date. When did John write this?

This actually isn’t an easy question to answer because we don’t get a lot of information from the book itself regarding its timing. The evidence we do get could mostly be interpreted in multiple ways.

The most significant timing information comes from the passage we were looking at in John 21:18-23. The revelation that Jesus gave that Peter would die as a martyr, glorifying God, and that John was thought by many to be guaranteed to live until Jesus returned again.

These details strongly suggest the gospel was written after Peter’s death. That took place under Emperor Nero between 64 and 66 A.D. All the dates I’m going to mention today are anno Domini.

“These details strongly suggest the gospel was written after Peter’s death, which took place under Emperor Nero between 64 and 66.”

So 64-66. But how much farther after A.D. 66 was this gospel written?

Evidence from the Temple’s Destruction

Well, another time detail often considered significant is the Jerusalem Temple’s destruction in 70. And perhaps you say, “Wait, I don’t remember that detail in the Gospel of John.”

Exactly. John does not mention anything in this gospel about the destruction of the physical temple in Jerusalem—not that it would happen or that it did happen.

Many interpreters believe that such a significant event, especially for Jews, if it had happened anywhere near the time of John’s writings, would surely have received some mention, some allusion. But since the destruction of the temple is not mentioned in John’s gospel, the argument goes, John must have written either before its destruction or a decently long time afterwards, so everybody’s kind of used to it and doesn’t need to be mentioned again.

That means John either wrote this between 66 and 70, before the temple was destroyed, or maybe 80 to 90, so a decently long time afterwards.

We can appreciate the reasoning behind this assertion. But we must note that this is an argument from silence, and those arguments are always a bit weak.

“This is an argument from silence, and those arguments are always a bit weak.”

Maybe John had another reason for not mentioning the temple’s destruction.

Comparing John with the Synoptic Gospels

Similar detail highlighted as significant for determining the date is the fact that this gospel is so different from the synoptic gospels and the events that those gospels choose to talk about. Many of the events and teachings mentioned in Matthew, Mark, and Luke are not mentioned in John, and vice versa.

The thinking is that John must have waited until after the other gospels were written and decently disseminated before he wrote his own gospel account to supplement them. This would push closer to a later date, maybe around 80 to 90.

That’s a fine theory. I see the logic of it. But there’s actually nothing in John’s gospel that requires the other gospels to be written first.

The synoptics do inform some details about John’s gospel. But the reverse is also true. John’s gospel helps explain some of what we see in the synoptics.

None of the gospels really are dependent on each other. Therefore, they can’t really tell us which of them are. Just comparing the gospels can’t tell us about the timing of their creation.

“None of the gospels really are dependent on each other.”

Two other minor details in John’s gospel are considered notable. Some say the threats of being put out of the synagogue for confessing Christ, which is mentioned in John 9:22, is a late first century development. Mentioning it must mean that John’s gospel was written later, towards the end of the first century.

I understand the logic of that. But that threat may have been enforced earlier in the first century. So it doesn’t necessarily mean this book was written late.

Some also say that the use of the present tense to describe the pool of Bethesda in John 5:2—”There is a pool in Jerusalem”—is indication for an earlier date of the Gospel. If Jerusalem had been destroyed by the time of John’s writing, John surely would have used the past tense to describe that pool.

That makes sense. But the Greek present tense is grammatically flexible enough so that it could be used to describe something in the past. It’s not exactly equivalent to English. Sometimes the present can be used to describe the past. Sometimes the past can be used to describe the present. Context must ultimately determine how you translate verbs in Greek.

Conclusion on Dating

So, all this to say that the internal evidence mostly only suggests that the gospel is written after 66. Hard to say more definitively than that.

The general testimony of the early church, though, is that John wrote this gospel under Emperor Domitian. The mission range from 81 to 96.

Considering that external testimony and the somewhat ambiguous internal testimony of the book, I’m inclined to place the writing of John’s gospel in the traditional slot of 80 to 90.

“I’m inclined to place the writing of John’s gospel in the traditional slot of 80 to 90.”

The Origin of John’s Gospel

You’ve got author, you’ve got date. How about origin? Number three: from where did John write?

Well, here we have even less information to go on than for author and date. In the book, John mentions many specific details about places in Palestine. Some have suggested he wrote from Jerusalem.

But John, as someone who lived there a long time, could have intelligently and accurately written about Palestine from some other place. It didn’t have to be there.

The earliest extensive use of John’s gospel in the second century appears around Egypt and Syria. Some have suggested that John wrote from Alexandria or Antioch, with copies spreading out from there.

Well, just because the book was later used notably in certain places doesn’t necessarily mean it was written there.

The tradition from the early church in the late second century is that John wrote this gospel from Ephesus in Asia Minor. John is said to have traveled there after the Jewish Rebellion against Rome took off in 66.

Then John began shepherding the churches in Ephesus and in the surrounding area. That assertion does fit with what we see in the Book of Revelation. The first couple chapters of that book mention John writing on behalf of Jesus to the seven churches, which are all in Asia Minor, all around the city of Ephesus.

So that would make sense. Also, the Book of John noticeably explains aspects of Jewish life in Palestine as if those aspects are unknown to the readers, suggesting that his audience did not live in Palestine. And perhaps also that John did not live there anymore either.

“John began shepherding the churches in Ephesus and in the surrounding area.”

So, here again, without much internal evidence to suggest otherwise, I’m content with accepting the early church’s position that John wrote this gospel from Ephesus in Asia Minor around 80 to 90.

Now, perhaps you’re thinking by this point, “This gospel sure has left us without a lot of internal evidence to inform background. Is there anything that John’s gospel does make clear for us?”

Well, yes, actually. And we’re going to see in the next two points.

The Purpose of John’s Gospel

Let’s look at number four: purpose. Why did the Apostle John write this book?

Good news: John tells us directly in John 20:30-31. You can turn over there now. Page 1086 if you didn’t move from where you were before. Just look over to a new section. That’s right close by.

John 20:30-31.

John writes, “Therefore, many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book. But these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in his name.”

John 20:31: “These have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in his name.”

John’s Evangelistic Intent

John tells us here that his primary purpose in writing this book is evangelistic. He intends that his readers, by John’s testimony, will believe in Jesus as Messiah and God, and thereby find everlasting life in him.

Simple purpose. Clear purpose.

Notice some details with me in these two verses. Notice the “therefore” that begins in verse 30. This is another word, like “this,” that points us back to what we were just looking at before, or what the readers were just looking at before.

What came before? We see the answer in verses 26-29. We also read from this section earlier in the service.

When Thomas beheld the Risen Christ and proclaimed that Jesus was Thomas’ Lord and God, Jesus tells Thomas, “Do you believe in me just because you’ve seen me risen? More blessed are those who have not seen me yet believe.”

We go straight from that statement to the “therefore” of verse 30. Therefore, these things have been written.

Do you see the connection? John wants his reader, he wants his listeners, he wants you and me to experience what Jesus just said: to know the blessing, the great blessing, of not having seen Jesus with your own eyes yet believing in him as Messiah and God and finding eternal life.

“John wants you and me to know the great blessing of not having seen Jesus yet believing in him as Messiah and God.”

Notice, according to verses 30-31, how John says he’s going about this purpose in this book. John has selected certain signs, or sign miracles. “Sign” is often used with that sense.

John has selected certain sign miracles of Jesus to help you see who Jesus is. John confesses that Jesus did many other miracles proving who he is. But there are too many to be written in one gospel.

“These,” he says, “but these signs have been written so that you may believe.” We cannot see these signs with our eyes, but we can see them with our hearts and believe and be blessed.

Writing to Evangelize Jews and God-Fearers

Now, can we be more specific as to who exactly John is trying to reach with the gospel of Christ? Is he trying to reach everyone indiscriminately, or is he focusing his efforts on a particular group of people?

Well, though the Gospel of John has ministered and is ministering to all sorts of people through the centuries—believer and unbeliever, Jew and Gentile, new Christian and mature Christian—I am persuaded that John writes this book specifically to evangelize Jews and God-fearers.

Let me explain. If you look again at verse 31, notice the emphasis on messiahship: “These have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God.”

You Jews are wondering who the Christ is. I’m telling you, as an eyewitness, that it’s Jesus, as proved by Jesus’ signs. After all, what does Paul say in 1 Corinthians 1:22 about the Jews?

“Jews search for signs. Greeks search for wisdom.”

In one sense, John is saying with this book, “You want signs? Here they are, carefully selected for you, so that you might find life in your true Messiah.”

“You want signs? Here they are, carefully selected for you, so that you might find life in your true Messiah.”

The Jews as Jesus’ Opponents in John

Now, if you’re a little bit familiar with the Gospel of John, the assertion that John writes primarily to evangelize Jews might surprise you due to a noticeable feature in this book. That is, John repeatedly refers to the Jews as the enemies of Jesus the Messiah.

This is different than the other gospels, where the writers make distinctions between who are the particular opponents of Jesus. It could be the Pharisees, it could be the Sadducees. But we don’t see that in John. He simply calls all these groups “the Jews.”

Thus, the Jews in John 5:16 are the ones persecuting Jesus for healing on the Sabbath. In John 7:13, no one spoke openly of Jesus for fear of the Jews. In John 10:31, the Jews picked up stones to throw at him. In John 19:7 and 12, the Jews were the ones calling out for Jesus’ death.

On the basis of this repeated emphasis on the Jews as Jesus’ enemies, some have even claimed that John is an anti-Semitic gospel, showing hatred toward the Jews.

“John repeatedly refers to the Jews as the enemies of Jesus the Messiah.”

Add to this the odd feature that I mentioned earlier: that John, our author, feels compelled to explain certain basic elements of Jewish culture to his readers. For example:

John 1:38, “They said to him, ‘Rabbi,’ which translated means ‘teacher.’”

John 4:9, “How is it that you, being a Jew, asked me for a drink, since I am a Samaritan woman? (For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans.)”

John 19:31, “Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day).”

You may look at these and ask, “If John is really writing to Jews, then why these parenthetical explanations? Wouldn’t the Jews have already known these things?”

Writing to Hellenized Jews in the Diaspora

Well, to deal with the second objection first, the reason John adds these explanations is not because he’s writing to Gentiles and not Jews, but because he’s writing to Hellenized Jews. He’s writing to Jews in the diaspora.

These are not Jews who live in Palestine. They live elsewhere and don’t speak Hebrew or even Aramaic. They speak Greek.

Not all of them know what the term “Rabbi” means. It doesn’t come up in their regular life. They’re not familiar with Jewish-Samaritan relations in Palestine, and they don’t know the details of holy festival concerns in Jerusalem.

“He’s writing to Hellenized Jews in the diaspora who don’t speak Hebrew or Aramaic—they speak Greek.”

John needs to explain these things for his audience. He is aware, though, that these diaspora Jews, many of them, read their copies of the Septuagint. What’s that? That’s the Greek translation of the Old Testament.

Therefore, they are familiar with various scriptures. They are concerned about the Messiah’s arrival and want to inherit eternal life.

As for the apparent hostility toward the Jews on display in this gospel, a closer examination reveals that characterization is inaccurate. After all, John notes Jesus’ confession to the Samaritan woman in John 4:22: “Salvation is from the Jews.”

In John 11:45 and John 12:11, John notes that many of the Jews who saw Lazarus raised from the dead believed in Jesus.

So it’s not a universal hostility. Let’s not forget that both our author, John, and Jesus himself are Jewish. This is not an anti-Semitic gospel.

John’s Challenge: No Middle Ground with Jesus

What’s going on in this gospel with John’s refusal to segment the Jews into different groups but refer to them all simply as “the Jews”? That’s a difficult question to answer.

I think that John is doing something very poignant in this choice and in others in his gospel. His approach in writing this gospel is not quite like Matthew’s. Matthew, the other Apostle who writes specifically to Jews, emphasizes how Jesus fulfills Messianic prophecies, goes through everything that Israel does, yet succeeds where Israel fails.

And though rejected, Matthew emphasizes the power and authority of God’s anointed king.

John comes from a different angle, drawing attention to two aspects of Jesus’ life that were most bothersome to potential Jewish converts: namely, that Jesus, a man, claimed to be God, and that Jesus was rejected by the Jews from being their Messiah, even crucified.

Going back to that statement from Paul in 1 Corinthians, “Jews look for signs, but what’s their stumbling block? The cross.”

It’s almost like John wants to deal directly with the elephant in the room. “You Jews have heard that Jesus claimed to be God, and maybe you’re wondering if that’s an exaggeration or not. I’m here to tell you that Jesus sure did, and that claim is more pervasive and profound than you even know.

But let me also show you the signs he did and the words he spoke that prove his deity. And you Jews have heard that Jesus was rejected from being Messiah over Israel, and maybe you’re wondering if that was only part of the Jews or maybe just the Jewish leaders.

I’m here to tell you that it was a full rejection. The Jews, as a people, have rejected their Christ. Yet this rejection was foretold by God. And rather than a sign of weakness, failure, no favor from God, this rejection—this Christ being put on the cross—it was display of power and glory.

And the question for you Jews is—John is basically asking—will you side with your people against your Christ, or will you side with your Christ and be rejected by your people?”

“Will you side with your people against your Christ, or will you side with your Christ and be rejected by your people?”

Coming to the Light

There’s a repeated idea in John that over the years, as I’ve read through it, I’ve never really understood what to do with it. It’s this idea that if you really belong to God, you will recognize Jesus as your Messiah.

For example, John 3:20-21 says this: “For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the light so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”

Has that statement ever confused you? I’ve never understood how anyone could be said to practice the truth before coming to the light. I mean, aren’t we all evil outside of Christ? Aren’t we spiritually dead? Aren’t we all slaves to sin?

How can we be said to be practicing the truth before coming to Christ?

Well, consider the significance of this statement for those who already worship Yahweh as Jews, or who are proselytes to Judaism, or who are Gentile God-fearers, or even followers of John the Baptist. Can’t some of them rightly be said to be practicing the truth at least as it has been revealed to them up to this point in their lives?

But John asserts, “If these really belong to God, what will they do when they hear the good news of Jesus? When they see God’s true light come into the world, even shining on them, they will come to the light so that their deeds will be manifest as having been wrought in God.”

They will confess that all the good that they were doing or experiencing before Christ was not from themselves or on their own. It was actually the grace of Christ working in them. And now they understand. Now they want to glorify Christ for that. Now they embrace him.

“If these really belong to God, when they see God’s true light come into the world, they will come to the light.”

But if someone claims to truly follow God without crossing over to follow Jesus—”I worship God. I follow God. I love the Father. But I don’t. I’m not going to go with Jesus”—what does John assert about that person?

The reason they don’t come is because they’re still in the darkness. They’re never really in the light. They were in the darkness, and they’re refusing to come out because they love it.

Thus, John’s gospel is a challenge specifically to those who claim to be religious, claim to already worship the true God. John essentially is asking provocatively, “If you really love God, will you own his Son whom he has sent? Will you suffer rejection with the Son so that you may receive eternal life?”

Those of you who are on the fence, who are thinking about it, don’t be afraid. Don’t stay hesitant. Believe and follow your victorious Lord, even through persecution, even being put out of the synagogue.

The Stakes of Responding to Jesus

I think this challenging evangelistic purpose also explains the noticeably stark contrasts presented in this book. Are you with the light or with the darkness? Are you full of love? Are you full of hate?

Do you follow the truth or do you follow lies? Will you embrace life or embrace death?

With these kinds of repeated emphases in this book, John is showing there’s no middle ground with Jesus. You are either with God and his Son, or you’re with Satan. There’s no middle ground.

How you respond to Jesus shows which camp you’re in. John is showing his readers just how high the stakes are when it comes to how you respond to Jesus.

“There’s no middle ground with Jesus. How you respond to Jesus shows which camp you’re in.”

You don’t have to be Jewish to have John’s challenging message resonate with you and minister to you. Even if you’re already a born-again Christian, I know that you’ll be blessed by studying this book. And I think many of you confess that you already have been.

But we should recognize that John’s primary purpose in writing this gospel is to evangelize, even the Jews, even those who say they’re religious and know the true God.

John is going to prod those readers to face what or who it is that they really love, whether the Glorious Lord of life really is their Lord and worth suffering rejection and even death.

The Structure of John’s Gospel

We’ve seen the author, the date, the origin, and the purpose. It’s finally considered number five: structure. How does John organize his gospel?

Well, John essentially tells us in John 20:30-31 what is his organizing principle. John has selected several miraculous signs from the many that Jesus did to bring his readers to saving faith in Jesus.

“John has selected several miraculous signs from the many that Jesus did to bring his readers to saving faith.”

The Seven Signs

And from investigating John’s gospel, we can see that John has selected seven or perhaps eight miracle signs. They are:

Number one: turning water into wine, which is John 2:1-11.

Number two: healing a royal official’s son who was at the point of death. That’s John 4:46-54.

Number three: healing a lame man who was at the pool of Bethesda. That’s John 5:1-18.

Number four: feeding five thousand plus persons. That’s John 6:1-14.

Number five: walking on water. That’s John 6:15-21.

Number six: healing a man born blind. That’s John 9:1-41.

Number seven: raising Lazarus from the dead. That’s John 11:1-46.

Now, interspersed between these signs are a number of discourses from Jesus—that is, debates and conversations.

The eighth sign, if it is to be counted, is Jesus’ own resurrection, which happens after his crucifixion. The resurrection is described in John 20:1-29.

“The eighth sign, if it is to be counted, is Jesus’ own resurrection.”

Now, if you’re paying attention to the references I gave to those seven signs, you may notice that they take us to basically halfway through the book, the end of chapter 11.

Not coincidentally, chapter 11 also represents the culmination of hostility against Jesus by the Jews. They resolve to kill him. In chapter 12, as a result, Jesus ends his public ministry, enters Jerusalem for the final Passover, and foretells his death.

After chapter 12, Jesus turns to minister privately to his disciples and then proceeds to his crucifixion and resurrection.

The Two Main Sections

Thus, the Book of John has two main sections. And this has often been observed. They even have catchy titles for these two sections.

What’s often called “The Book of Signs” goes from John 1:19 to the end of chapter 12. John 1:19 to 12:50. The Book of Signs.

And then there’s often what’s called “The Book of Glory” or the Book of Exaltation, that goes from the beginning of John 13—John 13:1—to the end of chapter 20, John 20, verse 31.

So we’ve got the Book of Signs, the Book of Exaltation. And then on either side of those two, we have small explanatory sections: a prologue in John 1:1 to 18, and then an epilogue in John 21, verses 1 to 25, all of chapter 21 basically.

“The Book of Signs goes from John 1:19 to 12:50, and the Book of Glory from John 13:1 to 20:31.”

So I think that’s a recognizable, a good overarching breakdown of how John has structured this book.

A Detailed Outline for Study

However, if you’d like something a tiny bit more specific that helps you keep track of the events happening in John, I appreciate the outline put together by one of my seminary professors for this book, Dr. Brad Claussen. I’ll give it to you. I think it’s a good one for our study as we go through it.

It flows this way. I’ll say it twice so if you want to write it down, you can.

We have the prologue in 1:1 to 18. John 1:1 to 18.

Then we have the presentation of the Son of God. That’s John 1, verse 19 to the end of chapter 4, John 4, verse 54.

I’ll repeat those two again so the prologue from 1:1 to 18. And then the presentation of the Son of God in 1:19 to the end of chapter 4, verse 54.

And we have the opposition to the Son of God, chapters 5 to 12. That’s the opposition to the Son of God, chapters 5 to 12.

Then we have the preparation of the disciples, from chapters 13 to 17. Preparation of the disciples, chapters 13 to 17.

And we have the passion of the Son of God, from chapters 18 to 20. So passion referring to his crucifixion, his glorious death. A passion of the Son of God, chapters 18 to 20.

And then the epilogue, chapter 21.

“Opposition to the Son of God, preparation of the disciples, and the passion of the Son of God.”

So that more specific breakdown, it basically fits into the more overarching one that I mentioned to you previously. Epilogue is chapter 21.

Invitation to Study John’s Gospel

There’s the structure and there’s the Gospel of John. This is a true eyewitness record and profound teaching as to who Jesus is. This is also profound teaching as to why we should believe in him and what it means to follow him.

If you do not yet believe in Jesus as Lord, as Christ, as God, then join us in this study. Listen to an eyewitness. Behold with your heart Jesus. Believe in him and find eternal life.

If you do already believe in Jesus as your Lord and savior, then join us for this study too, that you also may behold again your Christ, your God, and that you may grow in your belief. It may grow, and your obedience and following him. You may grow in your worship of him and your love for him.

“Listen to an eyewitness. Behold with your heart Jesus. Believe in him and find eternal life.”

I very much am looking forward to learning and growing with you as we study this book together. May the Lord be so kind as to show us afresh the glorious living Word through his inspired written word.

With our introduction complete, our next stop is John’s prologue in John 1:1-18. Next time I’m preaching with you, I anticipate we will be back there.

Closing Prayer

Let’s close in prayer.

Lord, again, we thank you for your word. We thank you for John’s witness. We thank you for even just his example, the way he describes himself: just the disciple whom Jesus loved.

But in a sense, that’s us. What are we, God, except the disciples whom you have loved, whom you have loved and are still loving and will love forever? Not because of anything good in us, not because we’ve earned it, not because we ourselves chose it, but God, because of you and your heart and how it pleased you, pour out salvation on us and make us objects of your love forever.

Oh, Lord, we are going to see that more and more: just what a lovely Christ you are, God. Let us, Lord, be so confident that these things are true. Let us be so struck by the reality that this word you’ve given us declares, so that we stop being led away by the things of the world, by the temptations of the world, by the idols of this life.

That we would no longer hesitate ourselves, saying, “Oh, should I really go all the way with Jesus? There will be persecution. We know. But Lord, you are so great. There is such life in enjoying you that all suffering is worth it. Actually, the suffering becomes the way we enjoy you more. Behold your glory and display it to others.

Jesus, what was true for you in going to the cross, despising its shame, and rising again, it will be true for us. You were exalted when you humbled yourself. We will be exalted also.

Thank you for the precious truth in this book that where you are now, we will be also. It is your desire that we be brought to the place where we can behold your glory forever. And all the ways that you’re going to show us that, and all the good that you’re going to do us, what would we thank you? We are undeserving.

Forgive us for our sins. Let us follow after you more wholeheartedly, more righteously, more with joy. Continue to teach us.

In Jesus’ name, amen.
October 16, 2022
From Faithless to Faithful: Three Encounters with the Risen Christ

In this special sermon, Chad Dexter looks at John 20:10-31 and one of the most powerful evidences for the truth of Christ’s resurrection: the testimony of three skeptical eyewitnesses of their radical transformation by Christ.

Full Transcript:

Heavenly Father, we thank You for gathering us together this morning. We thank You for the Lord Jesus who laid down His life as a perfect substitute for us, that we might have forgiveness, atonement for sins, and eternal life. Lord, we love You. We love You because You first loved us. We thank You for Your Spirit and the gifts which You give us to use in serving You and serving one another. We pray, Lord, that we’ll be found faithful. We pray, Lord, that as we turn together this morning to Your word, that You may open our eyes to behold wonderful truths from Your word. We pray, Lord, that You will open our hearts to receive it, that we may be changed in Jesus’ name. Amen.

This passage that we’ll see this morning records the testimonies of three groups of people who were eyewitnesses to Christ’s resurrection. Did you know that there is more recorded in the Gospels about the resurrection than there is about the Lord’s crucifixion and His burial combined? There’s more recorded about the resurrection. The New Testament writers placed great importance upon the resurrection because without the resurrection, if there is no resurrection, then all those who have died have perished. They have died in their sins and without hope if there is no resurrection. Without the resurrection, our own faith is worthless because we have believed in a false teacher who claimed to be something he is not, proclaiming a message that isn’t true if there is no resurrection. Without the resurrection, we have no hope of a resurrection or of life beyond death. When a loved one dies, we grieve, we mourn, but we don’t grieve as those who are without hope, but we grieve as those with the knowledge that Christ is risen. He is the firstfruits of our resurrection, so we grieve with hope. But without a resurrection, of all people on earth, Christians are most to be pitied because we have squandered the only life that we have. Isn’t that what the world tells us? We’re wasting our life on this myth of Christianity and of a risen Christ. If there is no resurrection, then we are wasting our Sunday when we could be out there watching football, you know, spending time with friends, eating and drinking and being merry as the world tells us that we should do if there is no resurrection.

In the preceding chapters, John writes extensively regarding the events surrounding the resurrection so that there would be no doubt that the resurrection of Christ is a verifiable historical fact. You’ve heard some of the evidences of the resurrection. There have been books written about evidence of the resurrection. Consider just a few. The empty tomb-Jesus’ body was no longer there. The grave cloths, which if someone were stealing a body and they were in a hurry to escape the scene of the crime, surely they would not take time to unravel, unroll the grave cloths and to leave those behind and take the body away from the tomb, leaving the grave cloths behind. The Roman guard, Pontius Pilate, the Sanhedrin, who all took great precaution not to allow Jesus’ body to be stolen. These were all of the powers that be at the time. The Romans, the Sanhedrin, all of them had a vested interest in Jesus’ body not being stolen and in there not being some kind of a faked resurrection scam. Another evidence of the resurrection, the actions of Jesus’ own followers, none of which were consistent with any scheme to steal the body or to fake the resurrection.

We could add many more to this list, but this morning we’re going to consider what I believe to be the most powerful evidence of the resurrection. The most powerful evidence, and that is the testimony of the eyewitnesses. The testimony of the eyewitnesses and their radical transformation. But it may not be what you think.

Think back on the timeline of events of the crucifixion. On Friday before sundown, Jesus’ body had been taken to the private tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. Nicodemus had brought 100 pounds of myrrh and aloe, and they wrapped the body and laid it in the tomb just before the start of the Sabbath. The next day, Saturday morning, the Sanhedrin went to Pilate and asked for a guard for the tomb. Pilate said to them, you have a guard. Go, make it as secure as you know how. And they went and made the grave secure. And along with the guard, they set a seal on the stone. So they made it as secure as they know how. They rolled a great stone in front of the tomb, set a seal upon it, and assigned a Roman guard who were tasked with guarding that tomb upon their very lives.

Now, Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene has already been to the tomb earlier. She’s seen it empty. And what was her reaction? Do you recall the story earlier in this chapter? She’s distraught because she assumes that someone has taken away the body of the Lord. She doesn’t know whom. But for her, that’s the only explanation for the empty tomb. So that’s what she reports to Peter and to John. Do you think that Mary was expecting a resurrection? Clearly not.

Peter and John have also seen the empty tomb. John chapter 20, verse 9, tells us that they too did not understand the scripture that he must rise again from the dead. Verse 8 tells us that there was a moment of faith for John. But what is emphasized in this chapter and in each of the Gospels is the disciples’ unbelief. At best, there were moments of broken faith with consistent ongoing doubt and unbelief.

But in God’s wisdom, their skepticism of the resurrection became one of its greatest proofs. Let me say that again. The skepticism of Jesus’ disciples became evidence of one of its greatest proofs. You say, how can that be? Well, let’s look at the text. And in our passage, we’ll see these three encounters with the risen Christ. Three encounters with the risen Christ. The first being the encounter of Mary Magdalene, verse 11,

But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping;

She’s weeping. The Gospel of Mark identifies this as Mary Magdalene. In popular culture, Mary Magdalene is portrayed as a prostitute, but there’s no suggestion of that in Scripture. The fictional novel, The Da Vinci Code, even claims that Mary Magdalene was Jesus’ wife, but this is nothing more than heretical nonsense. In the Bible, Mary is the one from whom Jesus cast out seven demons, Luke 8:2. Don’t you think she was thankful and forever changed? Mary became a loyal follower of Christ, and she was one of the few with the courage to remain at Jesus’ crucifixion. Nearly all of the rest, in fear, had scattered. Mary was also the first that we know of, the first of Jesus’ followers to arrive at His tomb. And she’s about to be the first to see the risen Christ. Back to verse 11,

and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying.

So Mary is weeping. Her master is dead, the one who cast out her demons, who changed her life, the one who’s been her teacher. She’s come to the tomb to mourn, bringing spices. Mark says to anoint the body of the Lord. But His body isn’t there. She’s already run away from the tomb after her first visit to bring the news to Peter and John. But now she has returned to the tomb a second time. She’s sorrowful. Not only is her master dead, but His body has been stolen. She is probably in disbelief that this stone has been rolled away and Jesus is no longer there. So she looks once more into the tomb, a second time just to make sure. Has she seen it rightly? And as she looks into the tomb for the second time, she sees two angels. Two angels. The angels are in human form. She doesn’t recognize them as angels.

And they said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”

Mary is convinced that Jesus is dead. The body is somewhere. She doesn’t know where.

When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, and did not know that it was Jesus.

So notice Mary’s unbelief. She is not looking for a risen Christ. For what is she looking? She’s looking for a body. Notice too her lack of understanding. Seeing Jesus, she doesn’t recognize Him.

Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.”

So she doesn’t recognize Jesus. She actually mistakes Him as the gardener and imagines that perhaps he is the one who has taken away the body of Jesus. What a theory, huh? Mary has gotten up at the crack of dawn. The morning after the Sabbath, she’s gone immediately as soon as she’s permitted by Jewish law to go to the tomb. But the gardener, this is an eager gardener, he has somehow beaten her to the tomb. Not only that, but he’s beaten her there with enough time to spare to move away the stone, to carry away the body of Jesus, and then he has returned to the scene of his crime to, what, continue with his gardening? I mean, this is a dedicated gardener. It makes no sense, does it? Makes no sense whatsoever. But this is the level of our spiritual understanding apart from God opening our eyes. You might say, how could Mary possibly come up with a theory like this? Well, if you and I had been there, I believe our theory would have been perhaps even more implausible because this is the level of our spiritual understanding apart from God opening our eyes. It was this way with all who saw Jesus after His resurrection. Mary, the disciples along the road to Emmaus, the apostles, Saul on the road to Damascus, none of them recognized Jesus until what? Until He opened their eyes and revealed Himself to them.

Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).

There’s no process of persuasion and argument that is going on here. All it takes is one word from Jesus, Mary, and she recognizes Him. What changed? What changed? Jesus opened her eyes. She saw not a dead teacher, but a resurrected Savior. Now let me ask you a question. Just because up to this point, Mary had not believed, does that make the resurrection any less real? No. Jesus had risen. The resurrection was a fact, but it was God who gave her the faith. And her eyes being opened, she believed.

Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’”

Jesus says two things to Mary. First, stop clinging to me. Stop clinging to me. I cannot stay. Why not? Well, it’s the same thing that he told Peter in John 13:36,

“Where I go, you cannot follow Me now; but you will follow later.”

So Jesus had been preparing His disciples for His death and for His resurrection. Now He is preparing them for His ascension. So stop clinging to me, but go to my brethren and say to them, I ascend to My father and your Father and my God and your God. So this is Jesus’ first encounter after His resurrection. Now, prior to this encounter, was Mary full of joy? Was she full of faith? No, she wasn’t. But what changed? What turned Mary’s tears to joy? The resurrection. She had seen the risen Christ. God had opened her eyes to know that He is alive. And it changed her.

Now let’s look at the second encounter, the encounter of the 10 apostles. Verse 18,

Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.

Notice the change in Mary when she had encountered Peter and John earlier in the day, what did she say? They have taken away the Lord and I do not know where they have laid him. What is her testimony now? I have seen the Lord. It changes everything.

So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews,

So Jesus had told the disciples that He would rise again. Mary has told them that she has personally seen the Lord and spoken with Him. Luke tells us that two disciples who had seen Jesus on the road to Emmaus had come and reported it to the apostles. So Jesus had prepared them for His death and His resurrection. Mary has reported to them that she has seen the risen Christ. Others have reported the same message to the apostles that the Lord has risen and they have seen Him. So now here they are boldly proclaiming the resurrection of the living Christ, right? Is that what’s happening? No. Where are they? They’re in a room with the door locked and barred for fear that they would be found and arrested. What a sad picture, don’t you think? Try to imagine the mood. Imagine the conversation that Sunday afternoon. What do you think they were saying to one another? Maybe they weren’t saying very much. Maybe like we often do after someone dies, they were recalling good times with Jesus. We don’t know. It seems that the mood was mostly one of despair. All of their hopes and dreams had been shattered. The master was dead. They were probably thinking, what next? No one had an answer. Then they began to receive these reports and they were discussing them. Then as they were locked together in this room in fear,

Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

Imagine their astonishment and joy. Remember, they weren’t looking for a resurrection. They did not believe the testimony of those who had seen Him alive. They weren’t waiting or expecting for Christ to reappear. None of what they had imagined had come to pass. What were they expecting? They were expecting that Jesus would ride into Jerusalem and establish His kingdom. But instead of establishing His kingdom, Jesus went to the cross. He gave His life up on the cross. They were looking for plan B. And then suddenly when they were at their lowest point, Christ appeared in their midst. The Gospel of Luke provides some additional detail into this encounter of the apostles with the risen Christ.

While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you.” But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; and He took it and ate it before them.

So this is the first thing Jesus said to His disciples, peace be to you. They were startled and frightened. When Mary had seen the risen Christ, she mistook Him for the gardener. Now the apostles thought they were seeing a spirit which could pass through walls and instantly enter a locked room. Mark records that while Jesus comforted them, He also rebuked them for not believing the witnesses who had already seen Him. So far from convinced of Jesus’ resurrection, the apostles were doubtful until the very last. What was it that turned their sorrow to joy? What was it that turned their unbelief to faith?

And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

When Jesus showed them the wounds in His hands and in His side, and when He ate with them, they knew that He was no spirit but the risen Christ and it changed them forever. And these apostles who were once too afraid, most of them, to appear at their Lord’s crucifixion. After His death, they locked themselves in a room too afraid to come out. Are these bold, fearless men of God? Not at that time. These apostles were so skeptical of the resurrection that they would not even believe the testimony of multiple credible eyewitnesses who had seen the risen Christ. Yet they became so convinced of the resurrection that they were emboldened to preach the resurrection in the midst of hatred and opposition, even unto death. John was exiled. The rest of Jesus’ disciples were martyred for preaching what? For preaching the resurrection. What took these timid men and changed them and gave them so much boldness? John said in 1 John 1,

What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life…what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also,

This is what changed them. Acts 4:20, Peter and John answered and said to them,

we cannot stop speaking about what we have seen and heard.

So this transformation of the apostles from fearful to fearless, from faithless to faithful to the end, that is proof of the resurrection and it’s a demonstration of its power.

So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.”

So here Jesus answers the question the apostles must have been asking – what next? What next? And Jesus’ answer is essentially a preview of the Great Commission in three parts. As the Father has sent Me, I send you. So why did the Father send Jesus into the world? Why was He sent? For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost. We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son for what reason? To be the Savior of the world. So everything Christ did from the moment of His birth until His death and His resurrection was for the purpose of fulfilling His mission of saving the world, namely, all those who believe in Him. Now we have that mission. God does the work but we deliver the message and we make the gospel credible through our testimony. So that mission was first given to Jesus and then to the apostles and now to us.

And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

The last promise Jesus gave His disciples, which is recorded before His ascension, was the promise of the Holy Spirit.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you and you shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest part of the earth.

It says He breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. The breath of God is an expression of God’s creative power. Just as God breathed into Adam the breath of life, He breathes into every believer new life in His Spirit. Now the apostles didn’t receive the Holy Spirit at this time, but when the Spirit came upon them in Acts chapter 2, they were changed. They were turned into fearless, bold preachers of the truth willing to die for what they had seen and known. So Jesus says, I’m sending you into the world to carry on My mission, but you’re not going to be alone. I’m giving you a Helper. I’m sending you My Spirit. And then he says in verse 23, the third part of this,

If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.

This is a little bit of a hard verse, isn’t it? Have you ever wondered what this verse means? Roman Catholicism teaches that this applies to the Pope and to the cardinals and to the priests who are able to forgive sins at the giving of confession, but only God can forgive sin. Do you remember the occasion when Jesus told the paralytic, your sins are forgiven. And the scribes, how did they respond? Well, they grumbled against Jesus, saying this man blasphemes. This man blasphemes because only God can forgive sin. But to show that Jesus had full authority to forgive sins, He told the man, get up and walk. Get up and walk. What was Jesus’ purpose in doing that? It was to demonstrate that the holy God can perform a miracle like that, and only God can forgive sin. Jesus did both.

So if no one but God can forgive sin, what did Jesus mean when He said, if you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them? Are you with me? So what did Jesus mean? Well, I believe what He meant is what we find in verses like Acts 10:43,

Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins.

They were being given the same message and the same mission that the prophets had been given. Who declared forgiveness of sins to whom? To those who believe. I believe Jesus meant what we find in verses like Luke 24:46-48,

and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

So forgiveness of sins comes through faith in Jesus Christ. Amen? We are just the messengers. However, as His representatives, the apostles, and even we ourselves can rightly say to those who believe the gospel, your sins are forgiven. Brother Joe, do you believe the gospel? Your sins are forgiven. And we can also say to those who did not believe and who have rejected the gospel and rejected our Christ, your sins are not forgiven. We can say that with confidence. Why? Not because God has given us that authority to make that decision or to impart ourselves forgiveness of sins, but because this is what God’s Word says. So this is the mission which Jesus gave His apostles. And by extension, He gives to us. As the Father has sent Me, so I also send you. Brothers and sisters, we are His representatives to proclaim this message of forgiveness. And He gives us His Spirit to help us.

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus. Do you know what that means? Didymus means twin. So evidently, Thomas was a twin, like our twins.

But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.”

This is the incident which earned Thomas his nickname, Doubting Thomas. Even on the testimony of the other ten apostles, Thomas still doesn’t believe. He refuses to believe. I will not believe. Sometimes it is portrayed that Thomas was different or more skeptical than the other apostles. I think Thomas gets a little bit of a bad rap because he responded essentially the same way as the others did. For the most part, they didn’t believe either. I’m not going to believe unless I see with my own eyes and feel with my own hands that Christ is physically bodily alive. So that sets the stage for the third encounter. After Jesus’ resurrection, the encounter of Thomas.

After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.”

Be changed, not just one time, but now until the end of your days, Thomas, be believing.

Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”

So the apostles were not men who were inclined to believe in Christ against all reason. Isn’t that what we’re told? The Jesus followers were fanatics. They would have believed in the resurrection no matter what. They would have believed in the resurrection against all reason. But like all men, they were men who were as naturally skeptical as many others. Thomas said, I will not believe. But God opened their eyes and revealed Himself to them in such a way through the risen Christ that they had no choice but to believe and to proclaim what they had seen. So the truth of the resurrection was so certain and the proof so overwhelming that even the most skeptical of Jesus’ disciples, all of whom were skeptics, could not deny whom they had seen and touched and heard.

Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.”

Blessed are those who walk by faith, not by sight. We cannot see and touch Jesus as Thomas did. One day we will. But our faith is just as real as that of Thomas when he touched the holes in Jesus’ hands and when he placed his hand in Jesus’ side. The God who said one word, Mary, and opened her eyes, is the same God who opens our eyes. 1 Peter 1 says,

and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory, obtaining as the outcome of your faith the salvation of your souls.

We cannot see Him, but we rejoice because we know He is risen. We know He is preparing a place for us, and we know that one day we will see Him as He is. That’s why John has recorded these many details of Christ’s resurrection.

Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book;

Don’t you just want to hear all those stories? One day we will, but God has given us those things which we need, and we’re thankful that we have those. But there are many other things which He performed which are not written,

but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.

My dear friend, has God opened your eyes to see the risen Christ? Has He opened your eyes? Aren’t you eternally thankful? Why missions? Well, why church? Why do we gather together on Sunday and study the Word? Why do we sing praise to Him and we fellowship and worship and serve throughout the week? Because we cannot stop proclaiming what we know to be true, that Christ is risen. Because it has changed us forever.

It’s been said that wrong teaching begets wrong living. Is that true? Wrong teaching begets wrong living. But it’s also true that right faith begets right and righteous living. Right faith begets right and righteous living. Jesus is risen. Go and live for Him and tell others about Him. Why walk with Christ today? Why live for Him and not for the world? Why share Christ with your neighbor? Why live fearlessly and with joy and hope in the face of persecution and trials and darkness and death? Why go and live and minister in the Philippines for eight years? Why send a family like us eight years ago to go and serve in the Philippines? Well, it’s the same reason that you serve Him here. Because He is risen and it has changed us and we cannot stop proclaiming what we know to be true, that Christ is risen and we want everyone to have that hope and that joy which He has given us. Amen?

Let’s bow and thank the Lord for this precious gift. Father, our hearts are full of joy this morning and every morning to be reminded that Christ is risen. In rising from the dead, He has conquered fear and death. He has made Himself a substitute and made atonement for our sins so that we may be forgiven and have eternal life. Lord, we thank You for this precious gift. I ask, Lord, that these truths would be always before our eyes. I pray, Lord, that we would not be discouraged and disheartened by the darkness in the world around us, but I pray that the meditation of our hearts will always be upon You. I pray that You will, because You have given us Your spirit, that You will refresh our hearts, that You will always help us to live with hope and with joy Lord, give us the courage to proclaim Your message that You gave the apostles. Lord, I pray that we would be bold to proclaim the good news of the resurrection in the face of opposition and persecution, even unto death. And we can do that, Lord, because we know that Christ sits at your right hand making intercession for us, that He prepares a place for us, and that we will one day see Him face to face just as He is. Lord, we look forward to that day. In the meantime, help us to live for You this day and every day. In Jesus’ name, amen.

February 6, 2022
The Word Became Flesh, Part 2

In this post-Christmas sermon, Pastor Dave Capoccia finishes examining the introduction of the Gospel of John. John the apostle gives four vital clarifications regarding the identity of the incarnate Word so that you will not miss who he is but instead behold and believe. In part 2, Pastor Dave looks at the latter three of the four clarifications:

1. The Word is the Wise and Powerful Creator (vv. 1-5)
2. The Word is the True and Ultimate Light (vv. 6-8)
3. The Word is the Rejected yet Received Lord (vv. 9-13)
4. The Word is the Glorious and Gracious Revelator (vv. 14-18)

Full Transcript:

Thank you, musicians. Let’s pray. Living Word, speak to us now by the revelation You gave to the apostles. Transform us by it. Amen.

Well, I hope you had a wonderful and enjoyable Christmas celebration. But have you ever stopped to wonder why we celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25th and not some other day? If you’ve ever looked into the question, you’ve probably encountered the claim that our Christmas December 25th celebration actually has pagan origins. That early Christians simply took a pagan festival on December 25th and Christianized it.

Now, it is true there were two ancient Roman holidays that took place around our present Christmastime. One was the Saturnalia celebration, celebrated from December 17th to December 23rd. It was a very popular festival dedicated to the god Saturn. It included feasting, gambling, role reversal, gift-giving, and general revelry. Obviously, our Christmas celebrations include some of that, but Saturnalia is a little too early to be the direct origin of our December 25th celebration. The other Roman holiday was the Dies Natalis Solis Invicti, or the birthday of the unconquered sun. And it was observed on December 25th. Sol was the sun god of the Roman pantheon, and Sol Invictus, the unconquered sun, was a popular aspect of that deity in the 4th century AD. It’s unclear in history what commemoration of Sol Invictus looked like on December 25th, but certainly it would have been a day for honoring the sun god.

So then, did early Christians take the birthday of Sol Invictus and dress it Christian? Many people assume so. They speculate that an early bishop or pope created this Christian alternative to the pagan holiday in order to attract new converts to Christianity or to prevent converts that were already made from going back into paganism. A lot of people say this, assume this, but actually, there’s no hard evidence of this. No evidence from the early centuries that Christians ever consciously tried to Christianize pagan holiday. In fact, some argue that the opposite is actually what took place. You see, already in the early 200s AD, certain Christian theologians had published their conclusions regarding the actual date of Jesus’ birth, and they concluded it was December 25th. This is the early 200s. Their argument was, since God must have made the world at the beginning of spring, like spring’s the beginning, right? Must have made the world at the beginning of spring, March 25th to be exact. Jesus must have been conceived on that same date, and then born nine months later. And when would that be? Well, December 25th.

Now, I’m not sure if I totally buy that argument. You must understand that some of these early theologians were really into symbolism, and they assumed that God was too. But whatever their reasoning, their published conclusion of Christ’s birth on December 25th is significant, because it comes before the birthday of Sol Invictus was ever celebrated. Sol Invictus was only made an official cult in Rome in AD 274. So the second half of the 200s. That was by Emperor Aurelian. So was the inauguration of the birthday of Sol Invictus, in fact, a move by a Roman emperor to stifle and co-opt an early celebration of Jesus’ birth by an increasingly prevalent Christian population? Something to think about.

But there is a third, and I think more likely, possibility to explain why we celebrate Christmas on December 25th. And the reason is, Christians and pagans, they both chose the same celebration date independently from one another, but for the same reason. What’s so special about December 25th? Well, in the Roman calendar, it’s the winter solstice. Our winter solstice is on December 21st, but theirs was on December 25th. What’s the winter solstice? In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s the day in which the darkness reaches its peak, but from which time the days get gradually longer and longer. There’s more and more light in the world. We can understand why the pagans would celebrate the birthday of the sun, the actual ball of fire in the sky on such a day, but we can also understand why Christians, whether because they thought it was the real birthday of Christ or just an appropriate day, we can understand why they would celebrate the birthday of a different sun, the arrival of a different sun to Earth, and that is because what the Scriptures declare again and again about the Son of God, His coming is the coming of what? Light. It is the coming of light, true light, greater, more ultimate light than even the light of our own star. It is the coming of true light into the world.

We hear this truth told to us by Isaiah, by Malachi, by Luke, but the biblical author who probably meditates the most and gives us the most sustained look at Jesus as light must be the Apostle John, even in the first chapter of his book. Let’s return to that introductory section of John this morning as we seek to appreciate all the more the greatness of our Savior and the salvation He has delivered once and for all for His people. Open your Bibles, please, to John 1. In John 1, we’re looking again at verses 1 to 18. This is part two of the message, The Word Became Flesh. John 1:1-18. Let’s read the passage again.

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light. There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 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, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’” For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

We began our examination of this profound and majestic passage last time. We noted that this prologue is concerned with introducing and clarifying for us the identity of Jesus as the Word, or in New Testament Greek, the Logos of God. John is the only biblical writer to use this title of Jesus, and he does so very purposefully. In John 1:1-18, John gives four vital clarifications regarding the identity of the incarnate Word so that you will not miss who He is, but instead behold and believe.

We looked at the first of the four clarifications last time in verses 1-5 where we saw, number one, the Word is the wise and powerful Creator. The Word is the wise and powerful Creator. In verses 1-2, John showed us the Word before creation. He was existing eternally as God in triune fellowship with God. And in verse 3, John showed us the word in creation, that all was created and is still being sustained by God through the word, through the wisdom and power of His Son. And then in verses 4 and 5, John showed us the word in new creation. Just as the Son of God literally brought life and light into the world as creator, so the Son also brings spiritual life and light into the world by His very self and by his message of salvation. As in creation, the light of the incarnate Word cannot ultimately be overcome by darkness, but the light can be temporarily resisted, and it was and it will be misunderstood.

It is this truth about Jesus as the true but rejected light that John will draw our attention to next, as he directs us to consider three further clarifications about the identity of Jesus as the Word. The Word is the wise and powerful Creator, but what else, who else is the Word? We see the second vital clarification in verses 6 to 8. Number two, the Word is the true and ultimate light. The word is the true and ultimate light. And we’ll actually read these verses all together, verses 6 to 8.

There came a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the Light, but he came to testify about the Light.

At first we might feel a little jolted moving from the cosmic themes of verses 1 to 5 to this very concrete earthly reality of verses 6 to 8. But remember, the apostle John in this prologue, he seeks to take us from before time and eternity to very real circumstances, the arrival of Jesus in Judea and Galilee. The man introduced in verses 6 to 8 is a key to that transition. Who is that man? Verse 6 tells us that this man was specifically sent by God and his name was John. The apostle here, of course, means John the Baptist, as is abundantly clarified later in this chapter.

John the Baptist was a great prophet, the greatest of all Old Testament prophets according to Matthew 11:11, Jesus speaking there. He was a forerunner to the Messiah. Notice in verses 7 to 8 that John was not sent by God to be the light but to be a testimony for Him who is the true light, Jesus Christ. As great as John the Baptist was, he repeatedly clarified to those around him that he was not the Christ and in fact was nowhere near worthy of being compared to Christ, not fit even to untie the Christ’s sandals. John just wanted to point people to Jesus and see them believe in Jesus through John’s word.

Now commentators have wondered if John the apostle includes these verses here about John the Baptist because some people in John the apostle’s day held up John the Baptist too highly. They were embracing the baptizer, but they were not embracing Jesus. I don’t really know if that’s the case. I can’t say for sure, but certainly John the Baptist’s own attitude was always self-effacing, Christ-exalting, and we should be that way too. Listen to what John the Baptist says in John 3:29-30 when some disciples told him that people were going to Christ instead of John. Listen to what John the Baptist says.

He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. So this joy of mine has been made full. He must increase, but I must decrease.

The Apostle Paul echoes John the Baptist’s attitude. In 2 Corinthians 4:5, Paul writes,

For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your bond-servants for Jesus’ sake.

Brethren, you and I are not the light. Therefore, we dare not preach ourselves. We don’t want to evangelize people with our own ideas, our own opinions, even our own supposed revelations from God. That’s what false teachers do. That’s what cult leaders do. That’s what proud men and women do. If we’re thinking rightly, we know that you and I, in and of ourselves, we have nothing to offer the people of this world. Nothing truly helpful. We are not the light, but we have the privilege to be witnesses to Him who is true Light. We can point people to Jesus.

I sometimes wonder how distraught various godly men and women of the past would be if they were around today and learned that people were venerating them, worshiping them, praying to them instead of Jesus. I can imagine Moses and Mary and various other saints crying out in distress, What are you doing? We are not the light. Go to Him who is the light. We’re just witnesses of Him.

Now, Jesus also repeatedly claimed and demonstrated that He is the true light, but He did not receive the welcome that true light deserves. This is what the Apostle John clarifies next in verses 9-13, moving to our third vital clarification regarding the identity of the incarnate Word. Number three, the Word is the rejected yet received Lord. Number three, the Word is the rejected yet received Lord. Look just at verse 9.

There was the true light which coming into the world enlightens every man.

Thematically, the Apostle John continues here with what he was just saying about light, but he highlights a new idea. Notice how John calls Jesus here explicitly the true light. Not that previous witnesses to God were false, but Jesus is the ultimate light, the light to which all other lights were pointing. In that sense, the true light. And this light, John says, was coming into the world. The light of life and glory did not merely stay at the Father’s side, but came down to where you and I live.

Now, notice this is the first time John uses the word world in our passage. We are probably used to this word being a largely neutral term, probably brings to our minds just the earth, the dwelling place of mankind, the universe in which we live, you know, the world. But you have to understand the word world is a largely negative word. It has a negative connotation in John’s writings. To John, the world is not simply the created order, though it includes that. It is, in fact, the realm of darkness, the realm of ignorance, the realm of sin, the dwelling place of a race that lives in total rebellion against God. That’s the world. And it is into this world, it is into such a world, that the true light came. In doing so, John writes at the end of verse 9, enlightening every man.

Now, here’s a phrase that’s difficult to interpret. How does Jesus, the word, by His coming into the world, shine on, illuminate, or enlighten every person? Well, we can quickly rule out a few interpretations. Jesus does not enlighten every man, every person, with automatic universal salvation. Such an assertion is contradicted by many scriptures. Only those who repent and believe will be saved, so He didn’t shine on them in that way. Jesus also does not enlighten every man with the knowledge of how to be saved. You now all know, because I’ve come, you now all know to be saved. Well, this assertion is contradicted both by scripture and experience. It is evident that there are those who have died without ever hearing the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. They never knew the way of salvation. So He does not shine on every man in that sense either.

So in what sense does Jesus coming into a dark world light up every person? I think the best way to answer this question is to just keep reading the gospel of John. Because only a few chapters later, we get a very Illuminating passage. John 3, John 3:19-21.

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. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.

How does the Word’s light illuminate every person? By fundamentally showing each person for what he really is, exposing who each of us really are. Not everyone in Jesus’ day had a personal encounter with him or his teaching, but those that did are illustrative of all people everywhere. We can see from the reaction of people to the light in Jesus’ own day that we are children of darkness, who do not want the light because we want evil. We reject the light. Humanity rejects the light. We hide from it. We want to kill even the bringers of it. This is a sobering truth. Even though the eternal Word was the true light, is the true light, is beautiful and good and right and holy, we in ourselves don’t want Him. We don’t want Him, we don’t want His salvation because we love evil. We love to hate. We love to lust. We love to lie. We love to covet. We love to boast. We love to complain. We love to worship false gods of our own making and choosing.

But we don’t want to be exposed. We know this is evil, we know this is dark deep down, but we don’t want to be exposed and we hate, we hate how Jesus calls us to account and makes us feel guilty about how we have not loved him as God and we have not loved our fellow man as made in the image of God. We want to keep deluding ourselves that we are gods. We can live the way that we want and we can find our satisfaction in whatever way we deem best without reference to God, our Creator. The coming of Jesus, the divine light Himself into the world clearly illuminates the wrongness and foolishness of our way, even of our hearts. And we humans hate him for it.

But not all of us. John 3:21 says that the coming of the light into the world also manifests those who practice the truth. These don’t run from the light. They come to the light. And why? So they can pat themselves on the back, yeah, I came to the light. No. John says rather so that they may testify that all their good deeds were wrought in God. That is to say God was the one who changed them, made them into new creations who love the light, who want to walk with the light and do the deeds of light. I think John 1:9 is alluding to this reality because verses 10 to 13 go on to say essentially the same thing. Look at verse 10 again.

He was in the world and the world was made through Him and the world did not know Him.

The eternal word, the logos, He did indeed create the universe and amazingly He entered into it. But shockingly the people of that world He created, warped and twisted as they were by their love of sin, they did not know, they did not recognize, they did not acknowledge their own Creator. Verse 11.

He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.

Jesus, the word, the Son of God, he came into the creation that was all made by Him and for Him. He’s the owner of it. It belongs to Him. He’s the master. He’s the lord of all creation. But how did the created people within that creation respond to their owner and Lord? John says the master’s own people did not receive Him. They did not accept Him. Unacceptable. Jesus offered Himself as the light and life and the people of the world rejected Him.

Now this phrase, those who were His own in verse 11, it certainly applies to mankind in general. In one sense, all people are the Lord’s own creation and people. But John probably has in mind the Jews specifically when he uses this phrase. Godless people of the world may reject their Creator, but surely the people of Israel, God’s chosen possession, His special inheritance, surely they would recognize their master when He came. Well, if you read on in the gospel of John, you’ll find out that that is not true. John is emphatic that even the Jews, even the flesh and blood of Jesus did not receive Him, but were in fact the most vicious in opposing Him.

So brothers and sisters, what do verses 9 to 11 reveal to us about God? That His character is incredible. I read to you last week that well-known promise from John 3:16 about how because God loved the world, He sent His Son. But what kind of world are we talking about? We’re talking about a neutral world? We’re talking about a world that would welcome God? No! We’re talking about a world of darkness that hates God and doesn’t want anything to do with Him. That’s us! For us, for our dark world, God sent His only begotten Son, the true light, to save us so that whoever believes in Him might no longer experience eternal death under the holy wrath of God, but might instead know God’s abundant and eternal life. We often greatly underestimate just how loving God is. But we see it when we consider that Jesus is, as the word, the rejected light. But God was determined He would not be rejected by all. For look at verse 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.

Not all the Jews rejected Jesus when He walked on the earth. Not all the Gentiles rejected and refused to acknowledge their creator and Lord when the apostles were sent out in Jesus’ name. A remnant repented and believed. A holy portion, just as is so today. Some received the word incarnate, and they believed in His name, that is to say, they believed in Him and everything that He is and claimed to be. And what did God grant to them? John says to become children of God, beloved of the Father, fellow inheritors with Christ of His everlasting kingdom.

Brethren, if you’ve come to believe in Jesus, that’s you. You are a child of God. You have been brought into the family of God. We have been brought together as the family of God. Saved, safe, beloved, because of Jesus. Yet how did this happen? Why should we be different from the rest of wicked humanity? Well, you may say, it’s because I believed in Jesus. And verse 12 affirms that statement. If you believe, you are given the right to become a child of God. For all those who do repent and believe in Jesus, who turn from themselves and their sin to embrace Jesus as the only Lord and Savior, the Bible says they will be saved. Not that they might be saved, they will be. It’s a promise.

You may say, I believed, but why did you believe? How were you able to repent when you were so in love with the darkness before? When your heart was black with slavery to sin? When you were bathed in self-righteousness? How possibly could you repent and believe? Look at verse 13.

who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

You know why you believed if you believed? It’s because the Lord of life, the eternal word, gave life to your spirit. He gave you a second birth so that your eyes were opened, your ears were unclogged, your hard heart was softened, and you beheld the glory of the sun, not the light in the sky, but he who is the true light, and you believed.

He caused you to believe. He caused you to realize the emptiness of your idols. He caused you to be disgusted with your sin, convicted of your great crimes against your creator, and He gave you the faith to embrace the Savior.

Just as John will go on to explain via Jesus’ conversation with Nicodemus in John chapter 3, your salvation was just like birth in the sense you contributed nothing to it except the sin that made new birth necessary. You were born of God, not by any human means or contribution. Verse 12 says God gave you the right to become a child of God. You did not and could not ever earn it or choose it for yourself. It was God’s undeserved and unsought gift. He intervened in the way you needed so that you would believe. It’s like Ephesians 2:8-9 says,

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Truly, our salvation is a wondrous mystery. The fact that the light would come into a dark world to rescue those who didn’t even want the light. But now that God has opened our eyes, we do come to the light, as John 3 says, and testify that all that we do, even our faith, even the good works that are our fruit of faith, they have been wrought in God. He did it all! Therefore, may the incarnate word, the true light, receive all the glory. We are not the light, but we gladly give testimony to Him who is the light and who saved us so that others might believe. He must increase, we must decrease.

Now already this passage has unfolded wonder upon wonder for us, and if it just stopped here, it would be very glorious. But there’s one more vital clarification that we must see, that you and I must not miss in who the incarnate word truly is so that we might behold and believe. This last clarification, I believe, is the main reason why John uses the phrase, the Word, to describe Jesus to us. We have seen, number one, the Word is the wise and powerful creator. We have seen, number two, the Word is the true and ultimate light. We’ve seen, number three, the Word is the rejected yet received Lord. And now finally in verses 14 to 18, we see number four, the Word is the glorious and gracious revelator. The word is the glorious and gracious revelator. What’s a revelator? It’s a one who brings revelation, one who reveals. Look at the first part of verse 14. That’s the first few phrases.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us,

The beginning of verse 14 is a forceful affirmation of the true humanity of Jesus. John the apostle doesn’t say the word dwelt in flesh, he put on flesh, or he appeared in flesh, which would all be true, but might be easily twisted by some to mean that the divine incarnate word wasn’t really human, He just temporarily lived that way or appeared that way, but that’s not who He is. There were some early Christian heresies, even in John the apostle’s day, that denied the full humanity of Jesus. But John will have none of that. He says the Word became flesh. That is to say, the eternal Creator became human, truly and fully human, and not just temporarily, but for all time and eternity.

Brothers and sisters, in the Lord’s incarnation, a person of the Trinity took human flesh into His being forever. He is that now. On the earth, He had every experience of human limitation and weakness, aside from sin. But even in His resurrection and glorification, our God, our Lord Jesus, remains in our same flesh. He’s still human, just as human as we are. There is no word to describe the wonder of that. We are dust, yet we have such a God?

But the word did not become flesh merely to save us. He did not dwell among us, that is, live with us, pitch His tent with us in a dark world. He didn’t do it simply to relate to us, but to do something more. What is that something more? To give us revelation. To give us revelation. Look at the next phrase in verse 14.

The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory,

Note the “we” here. The apostle John is reporting the direct experience of the apostles and the other eyewitnesses of Jesus. They saw His glory. But what John describes also indirectly captures the experience of all believers. Even though Jesus is not on the earth today, we see His glory as well when we read the Gospels. What do we witness in the Word becoming flesh? One way to describe it is glory. A word that means brightness, splendor, radiance. We see the glory of God.

Ancient Israelites sometimes got to behold the radiance of God’s glorious presence, even in a visible fashion. Remember, they had a glory cloud that led them in the wilderness and also settled on the tabernacle and the temple. In the tabernacling of the word with man on the earth, though, in the Word’s incarnation, God’s people beheld an even greater glory. Notice two ways John describes the glory here, continuing on in verse 14. He first says,

glory as of the only begotten from the Father,

The word translated only begotten here is monogenes. It is a word that doesn’t necessarily include the idea of birth or generation, but it certainly means one of a kind, unique, one and only. A monogenes son is a special and especially beloved son. And it was the monogenes son of God who displayed His unique loveliness and glory to the world by becoming flesh.

Furthermore, this glory is said to be full of grace and truth – end of verse 14 there. This phrase may be an allusion to a famous description of God in the Torah. Actually, there are a number of connections in verses 14 to 18 here to the books of Moses, and we’ll see more of that in just a second. But recall that in Exodus 33, Moses asked to see God’s glory. Lord, show me Your glory. And he said this after God graciously forgave the people of Israel for their rebellion in creating and worshiping a golden calf. He asked to see God’s glory, and God granted Moses’ request and told Moses that God would pass by and declare His name to Moses. I won’t read the whole section of the Lord’s name, but one of the phrases right in the middle of that declared name from God as His glory passed by Moses in Exodus 34:6-7 is this phrase, abounding in loving kindness and truth. Abounding in loving kindness and truth. This description of God became something of a favorite among the Israelites. You actually see it all over the Old Testament. Abounding in loving kindness and truth.

The phrase that we see here in John, full of grace and truth, is not exactly the same, but very similar in meaning. It may be a purposeful allusion. Jesus, the Son, the Word, He is the full revelation of the grace and truth of God. And we, like the first disciples, we see God’s grace and truth in the Bible, in the record of Jesus’ life. We can behold it as well.

Now before explaining this matter further, John will, the apostle gives another mention of John the Baptist in verse 15. Look over there,

John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’”

Why this interruption here about John the Baptist? Well in some ways this verse is part of the poetic symmetry of this passage. We heard John the Baptist’s testimony earlier. We hear it again. But in other ways it’s a progression. It’s part of, as I shared with you before, the author bringing us closer and closer to Jesus’ actual physical appearance in Galilee and Judea. It’s in a moment even where John the Baptist and Jesus meet because that’s the official beginning of Jesus’ ministry. So he brings up John again. Notice how the testimony though has progressed. In verses 6 to 8, the words about John were indirect, just kind of generally descriptive of his ministry. But here in verse 15, we have a direct quotation from John. John, though dead, still speaks. Even to us, he still cries out about the Word’s true identity.

And what does John the Baptist affirm? What was said before? Jesus is greater than John. Though Jesus appeared on the scene after John, Jesus is actually the first one, John clarifies. He’s first both in true chronology because He existed before me. He’s the eternal one. And due to His place in hierarchy, He is the supreme one. He’s the first, the chief, the primary one. He’s the ruler of all. Don’t look at me, look at Him.

John’s testimony affirms this again, but notice something else. The placement of John the Baptist’s words here, in between verses 14 and 16, it results in another poignant affirmation. Namely this, that the Word incarnated and manifesting full grace and truth is the same divine Word who once manifested loving kindness and truth to Israel. Here’s a new person on the scene, the new Word. John’s words essentially affirm this is the same as the old Word. He existed before me. The God you know from the Old Testament, He’s that same God. God doesn’t change. If the Son, the Word, existed before John as the Eternal One, he is God of the Old Testament. He’s not a different God, not a new God. Same God, same glory that the Trinity always has enjoyed from all eternity.

But does that mean that there was nothing new about the manifestation of divine glory in the Incarnation? Well, no. Because now look at verse 16. For of his fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. Notice the for at the beginning of verse 16,

For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.

Notice the “for” at the beginning of the verse. This is a word that indicates the author is supplying a reason for what was just said, even in verses 14 and 15. He’s supplying a reason in response to the truth that Jesus is the unique and full revelation of God’s glory, but also the same God whose glory existed before and was put on display in the Old Testament. Same God, but unique, full glory now. Wait a second, how can those things both be true? How can it be the same God as the God of the Old Testament who displayed His glory, but also this is a fuller and superior revelation of glory? How can that be true? John affirms, John the Apostle affirms at the beginning of verse 16, when he uses the word we again, first Christian believers and all those saints, we have received the fullness of the Word. We’ve all received the full glory of His revelation.

And what is the essence of that revelation? John describes it, notice that last phrase in verse 16, as grace upon grace. Grace upon grace. Now this is a very interesting phrase in Greek. More literally translated, grace after grace, or grace instead of grace. What? How are we to understand those words? Well, many translators go with the sense that we see in the New American Standard here, as the idea of grace upon grace, an overflowing amount of grace. Jesus’ coming resulted in a superabundance experience of grace for God’s people. And that is theologically true. But I think a better understanding of this phrase in its context sees both an idea of contrast and progression. You see, John is setting up a comparison between the grace of God revealed in the Old Testament and the grace of God revealed in Christ’s incarnation. For did God manifest His grace and truth in the Old Testament? He did. And the New Testament writers talk specifically about the goodness and the glory of God’s Old Testament law and His powerful appearing on Mount Sinai and His mighty works, etc. This was a manifestation of grace and truth. The grace of God manifest in Jesus in the New Testament is the same grace.

But, as many New Testament writers also affirm, it is a better grace, a fuller grace, a superior grace. This new revelation of grace or favor is after and in replacement of the previous grace. And isn’t this exactly what verse 17 says? Look at verse 17,

For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.

John’s not saying there was no glory, no grace, nor truth in the law of Moses. No, there clearly were. But the grace and truth of God displayed in the Word becoming flesh is so much greater that it’s like grace and truth weren’t even visible before. It’s such an increase. Grace and truth were realized or more literally translated, grace and truth came about or came into being through Jesus Christ. We have a big difference. But you might be asking why? Why is Jesus coming, the word made flesh, so much better in revealing God’s grace and truth? I think verse 18 will help us put together a good answer. Look at that last verse now, verse 18,

No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.

This is an amazing verse. Notice how the first phrase again pushes us to think about Moses and God’s revelation in the Old Testament. It says no one has seen God at any time. Wait a second. Didn’t Moses see God? Even in Exodus 33 and 34, didn’t the people of Israel see God? Well, yes and no. They did see some visible manifestation of God’s glory, but not the fullness. Why not? Because they couldn’t handle it. Even in Exodus 33-34, the passage that was just brought to our minds by the beginning of this section, Moses says, show me Your glory. God says, yes, but you cannot see My face, for no man can see My face and live. Moses saw God, but he also couldn’t see God.

And it was the same for the prophets. In certain prophets, we get visions of God in heaven. We see this in Isaiah, in Ezekiel. And these visions of God are amazing, it’s glorious, but again, the prophets cannot bear to look at God’s face. They can only look at God, as it were, via their peripheral vision. Isaiah is looking at God’s robe. Ezekiel is looking at the outline of His form. And even that overwhelms them. They can’t look at God’s face. The fact is that the revelation of God’s full glory is too much for us. We need it mediated to us somehow. Oh, we want to see God’s glory, we need to see God’s glory, but we can’t.

If only God could explain himself in a way that we humans could handle and understand. If only there was some way that God could bend down to our level and show Himself, while at the same time losing none of the essential grace and truth that make Him so glorious. If only. But guess what? That is exactly what happened in the Incarnation. The Word became flesh. You see, before Jesus came, our problem wasn’t simply our need for light and life, but for someone to explain to us and show us God. None of us could sufficiently find it out. And the Law and the Old Testament were good, but they were not enough. We can only go so far with it. But the Monogenes God, who in a mysterious triune way is always dwelling in the bosom of the Father, who has this intimate love and knowledge of the Father, this unique One, this beloved One, He and only He is able to explain the Father to us. That’s what He came to do.

Notice the word explain in verse 18, explained him. The Greek word for explain here is exegeomai. It means to report, to explain, to expound, to make known. And it’s from this word that we get the English word exegesis, which we talk about in terms of understanding the scripture and preaching the scripture. John says, Jesus the Son, He’s able to exegete the Father for us, to show us and to explain to us God.

And how? How is he able to do that when we couldn’t have it before? He did it by coming in a form that is familiar to us, that is the same as us, a human being. By the Word becoming flesh, we humans can now be in God’s presence, His very presence. We can listen to His words, we can feel His touch, we can even look at His face without being consumed. I mean, John, the apostle himself, is reported to have laid back on the bosom of Jesus, on the bosom of God. What? Of course then, of course then, Jesus is the superior and supreme revelation of God. He is able to explain the Lord’s glory, show the Lord’s glory in a fullness that we never could have known before.

And what’s even more astonishing about this revelation, not only the fact that it’s there, God in human flesh, but that the revelation is so incredibly gracious. We see clearly in Jesus that God’s heart is so gracious. I mean, consider again some of the scenes reported to us about Jesus in the Gospels. Jesus, God, reaches out with His own hand to touch an outcast leper. Jesus, God, patiently teaches boneheaded disciples with firm but kind words. Jesus, God, He welcomes the most notorious sinners of that time, tax collectors and prostitutes. He welcomes them into His presence and He shares with them the message of God about how they can be forgiven and saved. And of course, Jesus, God Himself, He silently submits to mistrial, to slander, to mocking, to spitting, to scourging and crucifixion by His own creation. By rebellious and unworthy sinners.

Mind-bogglingly, in His incarnation, Jesus was not standoffish toward us. He was not simply full of wrath like we might expect. I mean, if we were to imagine God coming to the world, I think what we’d probably imagine is just Him blowing people up. You’re a sinner. You’re unholy. You’re corrupted. That’s the end of you. But that’s not the way it was. He was full of grace and truth. God has always been this way. It’s not as if God changed. And it is. His loving kindness, his grace and truth, they were on display in the Old Testament in striking ways, but it was kind of hard for us to see it. In God’s necessary schooling of Israel and of us and the proper fear of Him, God so often appeared terrifying and unapproachable. But how magnificent is the revelation of God in the life and the words and the works of Jesus Christ. Our God truly is a loving and gentle Savior-Shepherd to His people. We know it. We can be sure of it. Why? Because we’ve seen it in the flesh. We’ve seen it in the flesh. We’ve seen it in the flesh.

Brethren, by God’s amazing plan, the Son of God became the glorious and gracious Revelator of God to us. Thus, is not the Word a perfectly appropriate title for Him? The Word. After all, what is a word? It’s a message. It’s a communication. It’s revelation. This is fundamentally who Jesus is. As the Word, Jesus is not merely God’s powerful and wise agent of creation. It was the Word who created all things. He is not merely the messenger of the way of salvation. He does not merely bring a word about how to be saved. But He Himself is the Word. He is the supreme communication of who God is in a way that we can understand. Not exhaustively, of course, but sufficiently, truly, adequately. We’ll be growing in that knowledge forever.

Because of the living word sent to us, we can know God. We can actually know God. And why should that be a big deal to us? Because as the prophets, the apostles, and Jesus Himself said, what is the essence of life? I’ve got to quote it to you again. John 17:3,

This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

You know, there was a time in my Christian walk when I was really afraid of death. Now, this is after I’d become a Christian. I was afraid of death. Not because I feared the experience of dying or that somehow God wouldn’t let me into His kingdom. I was afraid to meet God. God is holy. God is awesome. God is all sorts of things that I want to praise and worship, but God is scary. He’s so different. He’s so transcendent. He’s so glorious. How’s he going to regard me? If He looks at me, I think I’m just going to melt. How can I endure the glance of His eyes? This troubled me very much. But then someone reminded me, you don’t have to worry about how God will regard you. You already know. Because you see it in Jesus Christ. You see it in the love and gentleness of your Savior toward His own. You don’t have to be afraid. You know how He will regard you. He’s shown you.

Brethren, besides the cross and the resurrection, the incarnation is the most amazing happening in the history of the world. John has clarified for us the identity of the Word made flesh so that you and I might behold and believe. So you need to ask yourselves, do you behold and do you believe? Do you do as John says at the end of his gospel? Do you believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that in believing in Him, you have life in His name? This is too great a salvation to be ignored or overlooked. Too kind of a word. You dare not. I dare not. Because if we do, there is another revelation coming.

The Word, the living Word, will bring another revelation of God, but will no longer be a revelation of grace, but a revelation of wrath. It’s what we read earlier in Revelation 19, isn’t it? It’s the only other time in the book of Revelation that the Word, the phrase the Word is applied to Jesus, and it’s when He comes back in wrath. We could not believe the grace that was put on display in Jesus’ life. No one would have expected it to be in that measure, and it will be the same with the wrath of God one day. You think you know the wrath of God? You don’t know it. You don’t know the holiness of God. You don’t know the justice of God. We haven’t seen it. One day, the world will. And for all those who are still looking to live their own way, who have not repented of their sins, who have not believed in Jesus, it will be the most terrifying revelation. And it will be the same if any of us die before then outside of Christ. He said as much in the Bible. Even if you call Him Lord, Lord, if you don’t really know Him, He’ll say, depart from me, I never knew you, into eternal darkness. That is a fearful word.

So let’s not neglect the word of kindness, the revelation of kindness, the grace of God that was not only in display in the life of Jesus on the earth, but has been captured for us and reported to us by a faithful witness, John the Apostle. God, Jesus speaks to us through John, through this word and this passage today. So let us not neglect it. Let us behold and believe. Let us embrace this kind word. Let us get to know God. You say, okay, I’m hearing certain things, but I don’t really know Jesus the Word yet. Well, get to know Him. This is just the introduction into the gospel after all. Continue to read the gospel of John. Continue to read the scriptures. Get to know this God. Believe in Jesus. Love Him. Trust in Him. And then follow after Him the rest of your life until you meet Him, until He comes. And we do that together. Do that together as a church, even as we wonder and worship at this time of year about His incarnation.

Let’s pray. Great Lord, You are astounding. Your grace is magnificent. And it’s been given to us. Truly a greater grace than we can imagine. Oh Lord Jesus, it is realized in Your coming. Lord God, we are ashamed. We are ashamed in light of who You are and what You’ve done of all the times that we are apathetic towards You. Or we even disobey You. We say, I want something else instead of You. We turn to sin. Lord, how can we do that? How can we do that when You are so gracious and have been so gracious to us? Lord, let this word today, for those that know You, be something that drives them to the discipline of sanctification. Say, my Lord is too great for me to continue in this sinful and foolish way. And for those that don’t know You, God, I pray that they would be moved, moved by the beauty of Your grace, by Your truth, to repent and believe today. Lord Jesus, You are mighty. Let Your mighty revelation do its work, even in this service, even with those who are listening now. In Jesus’ name, amen.

December 26, 2021
The Word Became Flesh, Part 1

In this pre-Christmas sermon, Pastor Dave Capoccia begins examining the introduction of the Gospel of John. John the apostle gives four vital clarifications regarding the identity of the incarnate Word so that you will not miss who he is but instead behold and believe. In part 1, Pastor Dave looks at the first clarification:

1. The Word is the Wise and Powerful Creator (vv. 1-5)
1a. The Word before Creation (vv. 1-2)
1b. The Word in Creation (v. 3)
1c. The Word in New Creation (v. 4-5)

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let’s pray as we prepare to hear from god’s word great god above what a wonderful joy it is just to consider and think more specifically about what you accomplished in your incarnation well we celebrated christmas time open our ears to hear this word open our eyes to perceive it and may lord god we be arrested by the majesty of what you have done and who you are open my mouth to be able to speak it in jesus name amen back in 2007 the washington post arranged for an intriguing social experiment they asked a celebrated violinist to dress as a simple street performer and play in a certain washington dc subway terminal to see what would happen the experiment was looking to assess whether average people would recognize and respond to musical greatness when it comes in a humble and unexpected form to quote the post directly it was an experiment in context perception and priorities as well as an unblinking assessment of public taste in a banal setting at an inconvenient time would beauty transcend on the morning of january 12 2007 during rush hour the musician arrived at the pre-arranged location wearing only jeans a long-sleeved t-shirt and a baseball cap took out his violin placed some seed money and his open case on the ground and began to play played for about 45 minutes choosing some of the most beautiful timeless and difficult pieces of music to play and you played them with immense passion and skill how did the people passing by respond the whole performance was recorded on a secret camera of the 1097 people who passed by only seven stopped to listen for any length of time only 27 persons decided to pitch in any money to this musician for a grand total of 52 dollars and 17 cents 20 of this donated amount came from one person a woman who was the only one who recognized that this simple street performer was in fact joshua bell the former child prodigy and now world famous violin virtuoso bell regularly plays before thousands of people at the greatest concert halls a hundred dollars might get you only a decent seat at one of his performances bella’s so good that he’s literally played before royalty in europe and on that day in january he was playing in the subway the same instrument that he always plays the gibson x-huberman stradivarius hand-crafted by master violin maker antonio stradavari in 1713.

unparalleled in sound quality this stradivarius was estimated in 2019 to be worth 14 million dollars so it was to this brilliant musician and this precious instrument that most pastors by didn’t even turn their heads to listen as they walked or who tossed in mere quarters and pennies as token thanks for his performance people assumed that this begging musician was just like all the others no one’s special besides these persons were too busy with the work the play the worries of their lives to really take time to notice there’s a parallel in this incognito music experiment and christmas isn’t there talk about greatness being unrecognized 2 000 years ago the son of god himself came into the world but in a way so humble and unexpected that most people didn’t notice many people regarded the babe and then the man jesus to be no one special just another teacher or worse they treated him as an inconvenience an annoyance even an enemy to be destroyed response to jesus is largely the same today despite the great commotion our society makes over christmas people often say jesus was merely a good man or a wise religious teacher he was just another prophet in a long line of prophets or he’s a myth even a fraud whoever he was he certainly is not someone worth giving up everything in your life to behold to serve and to worship that is the common attitude and even we christians can be affected by this kind of thinking i always find the christmas season challenging because despite the intention of the attention that we intend to give to our lord and to his incarnation during this time our calendars quickly fill up with busyness we have many social professional and even ministry obligations to fulfill gotta get those gifts gotta send those cards gotta attend that event now these are fine things and they can be done and should be done to the glory of god but in all our christmas activity it is so easy to forget christ to make no time for him ask yourselves have you taken the time have you really taken the time yet this season to meditate on the magnitude of what the lord did in coming to the world have you been therefore moved to greater awe and worship and obedience to him we do face a number of pressures things that draw away our perspective it can be difficult so i think it will be profitable this week and next week to look at a passage of scripture that is all about making sure that we do not miss who jesus truly is or how staggeringly wonderful is coming into the world is for us sinners i’d like to begin looking today at john chapter 1 verses 1-18 please open your bibles and turn there john 1 verses 1-18 the title for the message today comes straight from the passage the word became flesh and this will be part one the word became flesh a few comments about this section of the bible before we read the passage john this gospel is written by the apostle john one of jesus’s closest disciples and this section 1-18 is the introduction or the prologue section of his gospel we have four gospels of course in the bible matthew mark luke and john these are records of the life and ministry of jesus given to us in the bible john was written the last of the four gospels probably around 80 90 and john likely was aware of the other three gospel accounts and so decided to write his a little differently as one preacher said whereas the other gospels are more concerned with the history of jesus coming john is more concerned with the mystery of it not that john is historically inaccurate he is not but john is keen in his gospel to draw our attention to just how amazing and unexpected and profound jesus and his gospel message are he really wants you to be arrested by the son of god and john is not secretive about why he wants to do this for his readers so great of salvation demands not only our attention but also our sincere belief and obedience john writes near the end of his gospel at john 20 verses 30 to 31 john 20 30-31 therefore many other signs jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples which are not written in this book but these have been written so that you may believe that jesus is the christ the son of god and that believing you may have life in his name this purpose is already at work in john’s prologue which summarizes and introduces many of the profound themes explored more fully in john’s gospel let’s now read that prologue john 1 verses 1 to 18.

in the beginning was the word and the word was with god and the word was god he was in the beginning with god all things came into being through him and apart from him nothing came into being that has come into being in him was life and the life was the light of men the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it there came a man sent from god whose name was john he came as a witness to testify about the light so that all might believe through him he was not the light but he came to testify about the light there was the true light which coming into the world enlightens every man he was in the world and the world was made through him and the world did not know him he came to his own and those who were his own did not receive him 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 who were born not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of god and the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we saw his glory glory as of the only begotten from the father full of grace and truth john testified about him and cried out saying this was he of whom i said he who comes after me has a higher rank than i for he existed before me for of his fullness we have all received and grace upon grace for the law was given through moses grace and truth were realized through jesus christ no one has seen god at any time the only begotten god who is in the bosom of the father he has explained him right away certain aspects of this passage stick out to us first and foremost the majesty of it this majestic sense to this section of scripture a number of interpreters have wondered whether this was an early christian hymn or contained parts of an early christian hymn ultimately arguments that this was a hymn are not persuasive and yet there is a clear poetic quality to these words there’s even some symmetry which is often something that appears in poetry for example notice like in ecclesiastes actually we have here bookends that mirror each other in a certain sense in verse 1 it begins with the word who was god with god and in verse 18 we see the same thing god with god even the son in the bosom of the father but while there is symmetry there is also progression in this passage verse one starts with eternity and then creation and then gradually we move more and more concretely into christ’s incarnation into history first with the forerunner of john the baptist and then the inflection of the son god himself appearing and revealing to mankind the unseeable god and by the end of this passage we should be ready to proceed into the rest of john’s gospel hear more about john the baptist and jesus arrival on the scene in israel finally notice how the passage uses many terms that are key in the gospel of john if you ever read this gospel you notice terms like life light darkness world believe they appear again and again in this gospel but this one term that john uses uniquely here and that is the word word logos in the new testament greek a term which most basically refers to something that is written spoken or thought a word a lagos now intriguingly the apostle john even though he’s talking about the son of god throughout this passage he chooses to identify him primarily as the word the word the logos and we might be used to hearing or saying this title for jesus but actually it’s rare in the bible it only appears here in this chapter and in revelation 19 13 and perhaps first john 1 3.

the apostle john is the only one who calls jesus the word why and why here why does john call jesus the word and who exactly is this word we’ll explore the answers to both of those questions as we work our way through the text now this passage logically and grammatically divides into four sections four sections of clarification i would state the main idea this way in first john 1 1-18 john gives four vital clarifications regarding the identity of the incarnate word so that you will not miss who he is but instead behold and believe four vital clarifications regarding the identity of the incarnate words that you will not miss who he is but instead behold and believe now we’re just going to look at the first clarification today there’s actually a lot a lot of profundity to unpack in verses 1 to 5.

so that’s as far as we’ll get but we’ll look at the others next time the first vital clarification about the identity of the incarnate word is indeed in verses one to five and it’s this number one who is the word the word is the wise and powerful creator the word is the wise and powerful creator look again at verse one and we’ll just start with that first phrase in the beginning was the word if you know the bible at all the beginning of verse 1 here should remind you of another passage and what passage is that genesis 1 1 the beginning of the bible the beginning of the account of how god created the earth in fact there are a number of terms here in just these first five verses that hearken back to genesis and the creation account life light darkness remember light is the first specific creation that is recorded in genesis 1.

john is consciously evoking creation language as he introduces and clarifies for us who the word is and notice specifically what don what john does with the creation phase phrasing of that first verse in genesis genesis 1 1 says in the beginning god john 1 1 says in the beginning the word now what beginning are we talking about here in john well maybe you think it’s obvious and in a certain sense it is considering the purposeful use of genesis 1 phrasing the lack of qualification from john as to what beginning this is and the explicit reference to creation in verse 3 john surely speaks about the beginning beginning here the beginning of creation the beginning of time in history and of the earth what does the word have to do with that beginning well notice another change from the language of genesis 1 1.

genesis 1 1 says in the beginning god created but here it says in the beginning the word was greek word for was here is in the imperfect tense which in greek usually indicates a continuing action or situation in the past it’s ongoing so we could translate the beginning of john 1 1 this way in the beginning the word was being or even in the beginning the word was already being what is john saying he is asserting and affirming the eternality of the word unlike genesis 1 1 here we don’t jump right into action rather we linger for a moment in the space between eternity and time and what was there in that space the word the word was there the word was already there existing being living but this eternal word was not alone for john goes on to say in verse 1 and the word was with god and the word was god now here is one of the most profound mysterious and wonderful sayings of the bible and giving us insight into the moment before creation began john clarifies for us that it was not a situation of eternal loneliness but rather eternal fellowship in the beginning the word already was and he was with god god is of course eternal as is evident all over the bible so it only makes sense that the eternal word should be with the eternal god in all eternity god in the word god and the word in a way beyond the comprehension of our minds have forever enjoyed fellowship outside of time and before time what is that like we can’t properly imagine or picture it but we know from john here that it is true and now look at the end of verse 1 it says and the word was god or more literally god was the word the word was with god and god was the word now john’s phrasing here the greek construction is very precise and well translated john does not say here what the jehovah witnesses accuse him of saying in their bible translation that the word was merely a god no rather in these two phrases john is articulating the wondrous mystery of the trinity the father the son and the holy spirit are god one substance three persons the father is god the son is god the holy spirit is god each person is and contains the fullness of god yet the father is not the son or the holy spirit the son is not the spirit or the father the spirit is not the father or the son from eternity the godhead the triune god has been infinitely enjoying fellowship with himself and john draws our attention to that reality here at the end of verse 1 in using the language of the word he says the word and god he’s showing us the word and god are one god was the word and yet they are distinct because the word was with god everything that god is the word is because the word is god yet the word was also distinct from god and forever enjoying fellowship with god now another rhetorical question can you wrap your mind around the trinitarian relationship the eternal trinitarian relationship of course not unless you’re god this is a mode of existence that we simply cannot fully understand and there’s nothing quite like it in our world yet it was and is true of the word the logos we must confess that it is wonderful wow this is the word verse 2 restates the truth expressed in verse 1 he that is the logos the word was in the beginning with god before the world was before any act of creation the word the logos was already existing as god and enjoying fellowship with god and what a fellowship that must have been it was only god with himself yet because god is infinitely glorious fellowship with god is infinitely satisfying this was the situation before creation but then what happened let’s go to verse 3.

all things came into being through him that is the word and apart from him nothing came into being that has come into being though verses 1 to 2 let us peer into the eternal space before creation in verse 3 we arrive at creation itself and what do we learn that the word was not a product of creation or a bystander to creation or even a lesser assistant in creation rather john shows us the word was and is the creator the word is the creator now before i go on i think it’s time to give you a little more background about the word word or logos but as you see logos was a bit of a loaded term for the greeks and the jews when it came to creation and they had a certain pre-understanding about the lagos for many greco-romans many greeks according to their philosophies the logos was a certain principle certain wise principle responsible for and operating in all creation it’s like a system it’s like a wisdom a paradigm these pagans they didn’t believe in and this doesn’t go for all greco-romans but a large section of them these pagans didn’t believe in a personal noble creator god but they couldn’t deny the wisdom obvious in the creation of the world the origin of it the design of it the maintenance of it so they posited some force some principle that they called the lagos the word as operating in creation it’s a bit like those today who marvel merely at the works of science or nature or natural law instead of god i was listening to a secular radio program one time where the speakers were explaining something i’d never heard of before in terms of scientific discovery these researchers had discovered how trees actually can communicate with one another what trees communicate with one another yes these trees are able in certain instances to warn each other of incoming threats and even sacrifice themselves to donate their resources to other trees it’s incredible the speakers describe forests as complex yet purposefully designed systems you can hear the ah and their voices as they even explain this discovery but then one of the speakers says this isn’t evolution amazing there’s a total romans one moment the truths about god evident in creation are stirring people in the face and yet they suppress the truth and unrighteousness yet that one example it serves as a modern parallel to what many ancient greeks and romans thought about the lagos there is an undeniable wisdom at work in creation and they called it the word so this is the greco-roman side but for the jews they thought about the logos in a different way when it came to creation and this comes from the old testament for consider does the old testament say anything that directly connects god words and creation of course and we go right back to genesis 1 because what do we see in explaining how god created the world then god said then god said then god said he spoke a word and creation existed creation came into being psalm 33 6 says the same psalm 33 6 by the word of the lord that is yahweh the heavens were made and by the breath of his mouth all their hosts actually the old testament repeatedly emphasizes that god’s word is powerful and not just in creation but in accomplishing whatever god desires and ordains famously in isaiah 55 11 right after a large section of prophecy detailing what god will do for israel and the nations in the future god compares his word to function fulfilling rain and snow they won’t come back they won’t fail to do what i’ve ordained them to do specifically verse 11 so will my word be which goes forth from my mouth it will not return to me empty without accomplishing what i desire and without succeeding in the manner for which i sent it according to the old testament the spoken word or decree of god is what gets things done it’s powerful it accomplishes it creates it destroys it judges it saves and what is the old testament word for word translated into greek logos so when john here refers to the logos he is speaking at some level to these conceptual backgrounds of his readers but notice how john both builds on and changes the viewpoints in john’s presentation of jesus as the lagos as the word on the one hand right here in verse 3 we see that john affirms both greek and jewish pre-understandings it was the wisdom and power of god that brought about all creation but on the other hand john challenges those pre-understandings by asserting that this wisdom and power were not impersonal not a mere force but personal notice verse 3 he says him he a person the son of god jesus he is the word that accomplished creation you greeks marvel at the wise word that brought about creation he is that wisdom you jews marvel at the powerful word that brought about creation he is that power the eternal divine word is the creator a personal creator and not just of some things but of all things that are created you know i’m amazed and a little bit amused that the jehovah witnesses go to such great lengths to alter john 1 1 in their bibles because they want to deny the deity of christ but they do nothing to alter john 1 3.

you can actually look it up a new world translation that’s their that’s their bible translation john 1 3 in their bible looks very similar to john 1 3 and our bibles but if they thought about it for more than half a second they would realize that john 1 3 precludes the fact or the idea that jesus is a created being because he created everything that is created and john is very explicit about this he says the same truth about the word being the creator both positively and negatively all things john says all created things came into being through him his wisdom and power brought them forth and apart from him without his creative agency not a single created thing was created if it came into being by creation it was the logos who did it and if the logos didn’t do it it didn’t happen it doesn’t exist if the word the son created everything that was created then clearly he himself could not have been created he is the uncreated divine now this truth about the word the son being the creator it does not contradict other assertions in the bible about the father being the creator or even the spirit being the creator see whatever the trinity does it does together each person of the trinity each person of the godhead takes a different role in a way we cannot fully describe the bible is emphatic that the father created the world through the son we see that here we see that in verse 10 and we also see it in some other passages colossians colossians 1 verses 15 to 17 paul writes he speaking of the son is the image of the invisible god the firstborn of all creation for by him all things were created both in the heavens and on earth visible and invisible whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities all things have been created through him and for him he is before all things and in him all things hold together the writer of hebrews says the same thing hebrews 1 hebrews 1 verses 1 to 3.

god after he spoke long ago to the fathers and the prophets in many portions and in many ways in these last days has spoken to us in his son whom he appointed heir of all things through whom also he made the world and he is the radiance of his glory and the exact representation of his nature and upholds all things by the word of his power consider then it was no mere human baby i was being celebrated by angels or shepherds or wise men that first christmas night it was in fact the wise and powerful word the eternal creator god not only made the world but is the one who continues to uphold it as he was doing even in his incarnation mary may have indeed sustained the infant son of god with her milk but it was he who was sustaining her and the rest of mankind and the entire universe even while a baby it was his divine power consider also for any of you who disregard treat lightly jesus today you ignore his teaching and commands you reject what he has to say so that you can pursue your own desires your own goals for your life apart from god in resistance to god understand that you’re not merely rejecting an ancient teacher or a good man rather you are going against your creator the god who not only made you and the world but is continually upholding your life even as you rebel against him you should not be so foolish and ungrateful to god to continue in such a path and is there not great wonder in the creator the word the creator descending and deigning to take on the clothing of creation the infinite one took on finitude the timeless one enters into time the omnipotent one submits to human weakness what kind of god does that and why according to the scriptures to show his love to the father and to the people that god had chosen for him as a bride forever to be redeemed the very sinners that the son came to save if jesus is indeed the word that john proclaims here even our creator and sustainer and we dare not this christmas ignore jesus with a great salvation that he has accomplished for us let us instead behold and believe now the words awesome work of creation has another dimension today based on his incarnation and we begin to get a flavor of this second kind of creation in verses four and five so let’s look at verse four now john writes in him was life and the life was the light of men here we have a further description of the creator that is only logical the word as the one with life in himself he must also be the one who gave and gives life to all creation indeed if you are alive today listening to this sermon it’s only because the eternal creating word has given you and sustained you with the life that is in himself he gave you life and note the connection with of life with light at the end of verse 4.

life and light are often associated in the bible light is used as a metaphor for life but also for happiness deliverance salvation understanding hope holiness and darkness is used as an opposite metaphor darkness is often used as a symbol for death for trouble for sadness for confusion for despair for evil and wickedness and john tells us here that the life that comes from the logos the sun is it is itself the light of men that is to say if you have any experience of metaphorical light in your life it is only because the creator of physical light and life also granted you a metaphorical light the word as the creator is the source of all life and light for mankind and of course this is true in a very significant way when it comes to spiritual reality john has intentionally phrased verse 4 that his readers will make the connection between the original creation and the new spiritual creation that comes about in jesus christ indeed it is fitting that the creator of all physical life and light should also be the giver of spiritual life and light as part of a second act of creation we see this brought out in other scriptures in the new testament the apostle paul says in second corinthians 5 17 2 corinthians 5 17 therefore if anyone is in christ he is a new creature a new creation the old things passed away behold new things have come there’s been a second act of creation or the way that john describes it via the words of jesus in his gospel in john 3 3 john 3 3 truly truly i say to you unless one is born again you cannot see the kingdom of god there is only one source of life and light for the world and it is the word it is the eternal word any true light any true life must come from the one who is life and light in himself now consider how this makes jesus the word the exclusive hope for mankind all light and life is in him where else are you going to find it and again this is something the gospels that the gospel itself says john 8 12 jesus speaking he says i am the light of the world he who follows me will not walk in the darkness but will have the light of life there again light and life connected and john 14 6 john 14 6 jesus said to to said to him i am the way and the truth and the life the life no one comes to the father but through me it’s only him so if you have any spiritual light or life in your life in in you where did it come from it came from god it only came from the sun it only came from the word it was the wisdom and the power of the logos and the grace of the logos i gave it to you aren’t you grateful for that light for where would you and i be without the life and light of the word dead and in darkness you know i was uh had an interesting experience with darkness the other day i was here in the church doing some work and getting ready to go home turned off the lights in the sanctuary and i noticed that the light in the bathroom was still on and of course it was dark outside by this time so i didn’t want to go turn on the sanctuary lights all over again i just said okay i’ll go over there and turn off that light and then i’ll cautiously wake my make my way in the dark out of the church building i figured i knew where the furniture was and i don’t want to get my phone out i mean it’s in my pocket i know it felt like a lot of work and decided i’ll be fine well that was a big mistake because i took only about five steps and then crashed into a chair but humans typically don’t do well in the dark we hurt ourselves and it’s unpleasant but consider that that’s what our spiritual state our world state was and for those outside of christ still is darkness lostness confusion wickedness despair that’s where we were until the one who is light gave us light in multiple ways we have been and are utterly dependent on the eternal word and son of god he created us he gave us life it gave us light first in our physical birth and then for those who of us who have repented and believed in our second spiritual birth and this is part of the joy of christmas isn’t it it is commemorating the coming of the giver of life and light to those who so desperately needed it which is you and me in verse 5 john continues to describe the light giving aspect of the creator word notice that verse 5 the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it we again here here the echo to genesis 1. genesis 1 2 says that darkness was over the formless waters of the earth and then genesis 1 3 what did god say let there be light and there was light the darkness was quickly dispelled banished because light had appeared the darkness could not overcome the wise and powerful word of god but what was true at the beginning of creation is also true in the second creation and regeneration the word came into the world and shine the light of his everlasting life into the darkness it’s a fulfillment of the scripture we even heard earlier today isaiah 9 2 which says the people who walk in darkness will see a great light those who live in a dark land the light will shine on them also the words of zacharias in luke 178 the sunrise from on high came and visited us and what was the result when the incarnate word shined his light in a dark world by his life ultimately the same result as that at creation the darkness could not overcome the light but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t some resistance and rebellion which still continues today note the term translated comprehend in verse 5.

you might have a note in your bible or maybe you use a different translation and the word does not comprehend but overcome something like overcome and the reason we have both of these translations both noted is because the greek term really could go either way the greek word is katalambano it means to seize or to grasp and so you can understand metaphorically speaking the word could mean to to grasp by strength and to hold on to it this would be to overcome or to overpower but it could also mean to grasp with your mind to really understand something to comprehend it which one is john’s intended sense here ah this is one of those special places in the bible where the author is probably meant to use a term that is ambiguous it wants the reader actually to consider both meanings both senses because they’re both true according to his gospel on the one hand the evil one his minions and sinful mankind it could not thwart the mission of the incarnate word could not overcome the light and his purpose to save sinners and to reveal god jesus testifies that he fully accomplished the father’s will and did not let a single one of his disciples perish or fall away except the son of perdition and the light of the divine word is still just as powerful today notice it is in the present tense here in verse five the light shines in the darkness it is still shining jesus his light is still shining via his people and his word and it is still accomplishing god’s purpose today it will not be thwarted the darkness of our world will never ultimately overcome the light of the eternal word on the other hand part of the reason why a dark world has resisted and still resists and rejects the true light is because they do not understand it they do not comprehend it jesus tells certain pharisees in the gospel of john and other would-be disciples that they cannot see because they are blind and they cannot hear because they are not part of jesus’s chosen sheep they don’t hear they don’t recognize the master’s voice because he is not their shepherd verse 10 in our passage also testifies that the word’s own creation his own people they did not know him or recognize him when he came and isn’t this also true now though the light of christ continues to shine in supernatural strength today many still do not understand it or recognize it for what it is they actually rage against it don’t like the light they hide from it and they want to destroy it it’s in verse 5 that we begin to see another mysterious truth that we will explore more next week as we continue to the passage though mankind should have recognized and welcomed the eternal divine creating life-giving light-bringing word they did not and would not and could not paul says in second corinthians 4 4 2 corinthians 4 4 of unbelievers in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of christ who is the image of god why would the all-wise all-powerful word submit to such a reception in his incarnation why would he go along with that accept that tolerate that why would he submit to taking on human flesh only to be rejected by the vast majority of self-exalting darkness loving humanity why would the eternal exalted creator do that this too this too is part of the wondrous mystery of the gospel even the display of god’s incredible humility his immense patience and his super abounding grace with the word becoming flesh and coming to serve a world that would mostly reject him we get to see a revelation into the glorious character of god that we would never have otherwise been able to see and that is another chief purpose of the word becoming flesh as we’ll see right even in verse 18 it was to reveal god more on that next time for now though let me press just this first clarification via verses one to five to your hearts today as we anticipate december 25th even our christmas eve service what should this mean for us well ask yourself these questions are you starting to recognize who jesus really is and who you really are before him what john says here in verses 1 to 5 is true what does that mean for who jesus is and who you are before him are you beginning to hear the glorious music that emanates from his being is it getting your attention is it moving you towards obedience and worship or out of continual misguided pride and the devotion to the passing things of the world you still pay no attention to the word to the incarnate word are you determined not to give heed to god’s great salvation let’s not neglect this gracious word to us today we do see just as the greeks did the wisdom and the power of god creation even now even those of us would like to deny now i don’t think there’s a god we all know we all know because the wisdom and the power of god and creation is evident all around us we see the design we see the goodness we know there’s a creator and we know that we are beholden to him and he has called us to imitate and obey him according to his good commands according to his good heart and yet we have not done so you have not done so none of us have been perfect as our heavenly father is perfect we have not loved the way that he loves we have not been holy like he is holy and what what must a holy and just god do he must destroy forever he must punish forever those who are not like him which is a sentence of doom for all of us if not for some rescue and what a rescue god ordained which is that the word himself god would come into the earth take on human flesh live a perfectly righteous life and then die a substitutionary death for raging sinful humanity taking their place suffering wrath god’s wrath on them and paying it off in full for those who believe in him he died but he rose again he appeared to his disciples and then ascended to heaven and he is coming back the word will return just as john says in revelation when the time he uses that term is actually revelation 19 which is if i’m remembering correctly jesus actually storming back into the earth to establish his kingdom and to deal with his enemies it is the word of god the word is coming again and those who are still resisting at that time will be judged and destroyed but that doesn’t need to be the case for any one of us he says if you will repent and believe i will give you the right to become children of god repent of yourself repent of all attempts to make yourself right with god repent of every wicked way within you and believe in the word believe in the son to be your righteousness your only righteousness before god to make you once and for all acceptable to god i believe in his perfect sacrifice on your behalf and follow him let your whole life be given over to him take him as the lord and savior and follow after him until he comes or until he takes you to be with him it is the message right that is the gospel that we celebrate that is the word connected to the word who is incarnate you know sometimes we get too familiar with the wonder of the gospel and even statements that really should just arrest us they become commonplace but consider anew just how beautiful is that one famous statement from the gospel of john as a gospel promise john 3 16 for god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life that’s what we’re celebrating this season let’s celebrate it with a renewed attention let’s pray heavenly father thank you for sending the word jesus you created us even right now our lives are sustained by your power and jesus for those that you have saved it was only because you gave us your life it’s only because you shined your light on us and we are so grateful for we were a people in darkness and we yet dwell in a world of darkness but you saved us and you are coming again your light will fill the earth there will be no place in which your glory is not extended we look forward to that time but this christmas god we pray if there are any portions of our lives that we’ve begun to withdraw from you the word and say no i don’t want you to have this i want to go this way i don’t want to pay attention to you lord i pray that we would repent of it you’re too great you’re too awesome for us to be able to hold anything back from you your your salvation is too great not for us to pay attention lord search us there’s any unclai unclean way within us that prevents us from worshiping you this christmas show us that we may repent and if any do not yet know you who are hearing this message today i pray that they would repent lord let this be a time indeed this week this season a time of great celebration and worship as we just think about you the creator coming to save us were but dust in jesus name amen

December 19, 2021
The Zeal for Your House Will Consume Me

In this sermon, Greg Ho examines the account of Jesus cleansing the temple in John 2:13-17 and explains how Jesus’ zeal for God’s house is an example for all God’s people to follow in their commitment to serving God and his church.

Full Transcript:

Let’s start out by playing some fill in the blank, ready? Leonardo, Raphael, and Donatello and? Michaelangelo, right! Yes, they are the four most famous artists of the Renaissance, of course! What, did you guys think I was talking about someone else?

Michelangelo in particular was an Italian sculptor, painter, and architect. He lived from 1475 to 1564 when he died at a ripe old age of 88, which was quite good for the time. Michelangelo’s nickname was “the divine one” because of his seemingly unique ability to evoke divine awe from his art. His most famous arts include the Statue of David and the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in Rome and many other works. Michelangelo was and is a giant in art history, but as much as he was known as a great artist, he was known at that time at least just as much for his unbelievable work ethic. He worked so hard that he even viewed personal hygiene as largely optional. In fact, one biographer writes that Michelangelo contracted several grave illnesses during his life, almost all during periods of extreme focus on his work. Why? When he was on a project he would stop eating unless necessary, barely sleep, and he would even stop changing clothes… because he didn’t want to waste time. One time he became so ill from gout, his legs swelled up so much that he could no longer get his boots off. A surgeon had to be called to cut the boots off his legs, taking some of the flesh that had stuck to the boots with them. In fact this picture of Michelangelo was taken by his rival Raphael at the time, partly to mock him for his grungy look, and he included the boots.

Why did Michelangelo work so hard? One need look no further than an incident that happened when Michelangelo was a young student.At the time he was seeking to be apprenticed to a master sculptor. And the sculptor, no doubt accustomed to seeing young men without the requisite determination washout, he wanted to impress on young Michelangelo the effort that would be required of him to achieve success in the hyper-competitive art world. So he gazed deeply into young Michelangelo’s eyes and said, “This will cost you your life!” Without a moment’s hesitation, Michelangelo responded, “Yes, I know, but what else is life for?”

Michelangelo was a man with one singular passion, and that passion drove him to greatness. Today I want to introduce you to another person who was driven by one singular passion. Let’s find him in John 2:13-17. Please turn with me there in your Bibles. John 2:13-17,

The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money-changers seated at their tables. And He made a whip of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away; stop making My Father’s house a place of business.” His disciples remembered that it was written: “Zeal for Your house will consume me.”

Let’s pause for a moment of prayer. Father, as we gaze upon the riches in Your word, I pray that You would open our hearts to see what You have said. Open our minds to understand it and have it come into our wills and affect our actions and our lives. I pray Lord that we would be men and women who would live Your word. And when we get to our final destination in Your courts, we would hear the words, well done good and faithful servant. In Christ’s name, Amen.

Here we find Jesus at the very beginning of his ministry, during the major Jewish holiday of Passover. Jesus’ earthly ministry spans four different Passovers. The last Passover was when Jesus went to the cross. This one was the first Passover, so quite early in Jesus’s ministry.

The Passover of course is perhaps the major holiday in Judaism commemorating the deliverance of the Jews from slavery in Egypt in the time of Moses. It was a celebration that was in fact mandated by God in the Old Testament that every male over 12 years old needed to pilgrimage into Jerusalem and bring an offering to God’s temple once a year. You see it wasn’t like today where there’s a church in East Millstone, there’s a church in Princeton, there’s a church in Manville. Back then there was only one temple. And if you were going to be obedient to God’s command to offer a sacrifice, then that’s where you had to go. That’s the only place. So then it came to be that every year during Passover, people would stream into Jerusalem from all corners of the Roman empire.

And it’s estimated that the population of Jerusalem about that time might have been a few hundred thousand people, and that would swell to more than a million during Passover time. Everybody is coming into Jerusalem, and everybody is trying to get into this temple. It would have just been pure chaos. Have you ever been shopping on Black Friday? One year I decided to brave the crowds and we’re in line outside Best Buy at 5 am and the doors opened and I’ll tell you, the crowd was insane. I was scared for my life. We had lined up but when those doors opened, people just rushed it. The crowd surged forward and it’s all you can do to not get trampled! And then inside stuff were flying everywhere, people jammed together, fighting over boxes, it was a madhouse. And it’s like for $15 off, you know. Is that really worth it? I’m never doing that again.

Now imagine that, but throw in ox, sheep, and goats in the mix and you get some sense of what this is like. And when you got there, you need to do two things. First, you need to have a burnt offering. Now your offering can be an ox, sheep, goat, or dove, depending on your income or wealth. Now you’re free to bring that with you from home, but if you’re coming from a hundred miles away, you try lugging an ox that far, and it’s just not very practical. It’s much more practical to try to buy one once you’re in the city.

And the second thing you need while you’re there, if you’re a male over 20, by Jewish Law, you need to pay your required annual temple tax. In fact, there’s record of this in the Bible in Matt 17:24. Jesus paid this tax Himself. Of course, He paid it in a rather unusual way, by plucking it out of the mouth of a fish, but that’s a sermon for another time. This tax goes towards the upkeep of the temple, and it equals about 2 days’ wages. So it’s not too bad. But the problem is the coin situation back then was really complicated. Every province had their own coinage, but the temple only would accept a certain type of coin because of the purity of the silver. So unless you’re local you’re going to have to try to change your money to the right currency. So if you’re coming into Jerusalem for Passover, you need to buy your animal and change your money.

Now let me tell you a little bit about the temple itself. The temple is split into a few different parts, but what you need to know is that there’s this large outer courtyard called the Court of the Gentiles. This is just a model, the actual temple was destroyed of course. It’s the only place in the temple that non-Jews are allowed, and even Jews who were ceremonially impure could go there to pray and seek God. Now the intention of God’s temple is for it to be a house of prayer. In Isaiah 56:7, God describes his intention for the temple:

Even those I will bring to My holy mountain and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be acceptable on My altar; For My house will be called a house of prayer for all the peoples.

So in this Court of the Gentiles, you should be seeing people from all nations praying, offering sacrifices, worshipping, giving thanks to God.

But of course what’s really happening at the temple, and it seems from historical accounts that the high priest was very likely in this. When you have hundreds of thousands of people come into your city all shopping for animals and looking to exchange currency, you can make a lot of money. And they decided, you know what would be convenient is if you could buy your animal right here in the court of the gentiles, and also right here you can change your money. So every year during Passover these merchants would set up this huge operation right in the Court of the Gentiles at huge markups, whatever they can get away with. This would be their black Friday.

A few months ago I was at an amusement park with my kids and it was lunchtime so we went to get a burger and I couldn’t believe my eyes. This burger was $20! I said, $20 for a burger? I’ve never seen that before. And it wasn’t even that good. The reason they cost that much is because there’s nowhere else to go. It’s convenient since it’s right there in the park and you didn’t want to have to go outside. You can charge whatever you want because it’s a monopoly.

One year, the historian Josephus estimated that more than 250,000 lambs were sold in the temple, not counting the other animals. So how many people are in the temple at once? I want to give you a sense of scale so you have some idea. The temple mount is huge. It’s about the size of about 25 football fields. One historian estimates that the temple as a whole could fit about a capacity of 75,000 people at once, which is pretty close to the max seating capacity of a modern football stadium. So the temple is a lot bigger than what you might be thinking. Just think, you walk into this temple and all the noise, all the haggling, all the smell and bleating of animals, the sound of coins dropping into the purses of thousands of people and animals at once. In this scene is when Jesus walks in.

So think about what Jesus sees when He walks into His Father’s house. Instead of finding people praying, repenting, worshipping, what He finds is a den of thieves. Nobody was there for God. They were there to make money. All he saw as He looked around was buying, selling, haggling, people looking to make a big profit. There wasn’t even room for the Gentiles in the Court of the Gentiles because there was no room for them with all the livestock and booths for moneychangers and shoppers. And so not only were the merchants and livestock and moneychangers not worshipping God, they were taking up space and preventing others from getting in to do so.

So the text tells us that Jesus pulls out this – it’s a whip. He made it. We don’t know how long it took Him to make it. He’s probably better at knitting than I am, so maybe not too long. What I want you to understand is that we’re a bit numb to this because we’ve heard this story so many times. But what you really should be thinking is what is Jesus gonna do with that in a crowded place with tens of thousands of people and animals?

Now as an experiment, the next time one of you goes to a football game, try bringing one of these and start whipping people, and see how many people you could drive out with that before someone stops you. Let me know. I’m curious how many people you can get out. You see, our text in verses 15 to 17 is very understated and make it look like this was easy, a walk in the park. Anybody could do it. Yet consider, do you think these moneychangers might have had guards and bodyguards? Do you think there were security people and crowd control and temple police? Do you think some people might have been packing swords or deadly weapons of their own for security? There were historical reports of riots in the temple and violence happening there. So this was on people’s minds. Of course, there was! With all that money, you’d be a fool to not have protection lined up.

But the whip isn’t even a lethal weapon, just a few ropes tied together, and Jesus somehow uses that to drive all these people out. Literally, He takes the money from the money changers and dumps it on the ground. And remember it’s not just one money changer as popularly depicted in our popular plays and shows, it’s money changers in the text. Historians tell us there are rows of money changers. They’re lined up like rows of bank tellers because there’s such a crush of people that has to be processed. And Jesus, one man with a whip, is here to upset this whole hugely profitable operation.

Why would they let that happen? They wouldn’t, willingly anyways. A single random guy with a whip? See, only Jesus as the Son of God could have done this. You and I could have tried it, but we would not have been successful. I mean we have some buff guys in here, but can you take on hundreds of people who are probably armed? No, there had to be something supernatural here. Here is a miracle of God. And do you know why nobody stopped Jesus? I think it’s because these people came face to face not with a mere man, but with the fury of God Himself. I think thousands of people saw something that day that terrified them, that terrified them to their core and caused them to run for dear life. Maybe they saw something like in Rev 1:14, in which Jesus’s eyes in John’s vision are a flame of fire. Or maybe it was the irresistible authority in His voice, the same voice that caused the paralyzed to obey His order to get up and walk, the very same voice that could speak the dead to come back to life.

And what’s even more remarkable is that with all those people, no one got hurt! No records of any stampede or anyone being trampled in their haste to get out. Jesus did not wield a lethal weapon, and there was no evidence of any larger-scale riot or unrest caused here. In fact, there was a Roman peacekeeping garrison of soldiers located very close to the temple, because historically it was frequently a flashpoint for unrest. They were there ready to mobilize at any sign of unrest before things got out of control, and there wasn’t any trouble from the outside for them to respond to. It seems everybody – traders, moneychangers, animals, simply exited in an orderly fashion and they just left their money behind. It says that the animals were driven out too! This is not easy, guys. You have hundreds or thousands of animals in there. Try to get a bunch of animals to do anything, it’s really hard. But they obeyed Jesus too.

This would have represented a catastrophic loss of wealth and merchandise for these merchants. Look, none of this makes any sense. Maybe Jesus could have done this if he was carrying an assault rifle. Jesus should not have been able to do this with a whip. In fact, this is so outside of the normal working of the world that this is almost certainly miraculous. And many commentators think this is a partial fulfillment of a prophecy in Malachi 3:1-2,

“Behold, I am sending My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you are seeking, will suddenly come to His temple; and the messenger of the covenant, in whom you delight, behold, He is coming,” says the Lord of armies. “But who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears? For He is like a refiner’s fire, and like launderer’s soap.”

Now, this was not the full fulfillment of that prophecy. That’s going to happen when Jesus comes the second time. And at that time it’s not going to be so gentle. God’s patience with sinners will have finally come to an end. People are gonna get hurt. That time He will come in His full fury, and no one will stand. This was just a small taste of that.

Well, what did all this look like to His disciples who were watching from their vantage point? Look again at verse 17,

His disciples remembered that it was written: “Zeal for Your house will consume me.”

Now, this is really a remarkable verse. At various points in my Christian life, God has used this verse to jolt me out of complacency. It’s one of these verses that there’s a lot more going on than meets the eye. I think when we truly understand it, it will change our lives. It can become one of these verses that give real direction to our lives. For our time remaining today, I want to try to peel back and explore with you the riches God has for us in this verse.

I want to take this in three parts. Let me give you an outline. It’s gonna be really complicated. Ready? Part 1 is zeal. Part two is for your house. Part three is will consume me. That’s the outline.

First, let’s look at zeal. Zeal is just an intense, profound passion. This word zeal is translated in Hebrews 10:27 as the word fury when the author of Hebrews talks about “the fury of a fire which will consume the adversaries.” Jesus was a force of nature. Something the disciples saw in Jesus’s eyes, and His demeanor spoke of a passion so profound and a zeal so palpable that they said to themselves: wow, this man has zeal.

I’d like to ask you – what are you passionate about? What do you wake up thinking about and go to sleep thinking about? I think everybody is zealous for something. Even if you’re a couch potato, you’re zealous about your own leisure and entertainment. Maybe it’s cars. Maybe it’s sports. Some of us are zealous for video games. Some of you are zealous about politics. Gotta be real careful that we’re not more zealous for politics than for God. Where do you see this passion in your life? It’s somewhere. If you can’t think of anything, ask your spouse. They’ll tell you. Ask your parents or your kids.

But what was Jesus zealous about? He was zealous for God’s house. Jesus was passionate for His Father’s house. Not the four walls, the structure of the temple. The structure was fine. The building was fine. They took great care of the building, spared no expense. No, Jesus was concerned for God’s people. He was zealous that His people would be taken care of and be provided a situation where they could worship God in spirit and truth and rightly have a relationship with GOD! Today, we call that gathering of God’s people the church. The church. That’s what He was passionate about. So then believer, how zealous are you for God’s church? Is the church the center of your life or is it just an afterthought?

Many years ago, when I went to college, a relative gave me this advice. Study hard, get good grades. Make new friends. And if you do all that and you have still have time left over at the end of the week, then go to church. But don’t let that get in the way of your studies. Don’t let that get in the way of making friends for life. And my friends, that is the opposite of Jesus’ heart. But I think that’s how many Americans today view the church. It’s somewhere to go if you don’t have anything else going on on Sunday if your kids don’t have a soccer game. If you’re not too tired after a long week’s of work, maybe you’ll pop in there for an hour. Maybe an add-on to your life, but not the center of your life.

But the church was not an afterthought to Jesus, was it? It was the very center of His zeal. So how zealous are you for your Savior’s church and His people? Could someone look at your life and then say, wow that person is zealous for God’s house. Zeal for God’s house has consumed that woman or that man.

Okay but you say, look I’m here. I’m present every week for 15, 20 years. I even have my own pew! Now of course we don’t have assigned pews but I think you all know what I mean. Some of us get kind of attached to certain seats. But this passage would have you ask yourself a slightly different question. And that’s – why are you here? Are you here passionate to serve God’s interest, or are you here to serve your own interest? You see, the moneychangers and merchants were present in God’s house too. The moneychangers may even have told themselves that they were there for a noble purpose, to enable travelers to get what they needed to worship God. But the thing is, in their heart of hearts, they were there in the name of self-interest. They were in it for themselves!

And likewise, it’s easy to tell ourselves we regular churchgoers, that we are coming to worship God. But are we really? It could be that in reality, we are coming only to get something for ourselves. Maybe to hear some new teaching to tickle our ears, or to meet some nice people. Or maybe even to serve, but for a selfish motive. Is that possible? You bet, and maybe no one would ever know except you and God.

For example, you may primarily serve to get some sense of importance for yourself, or maybe you’re in a position of leadership and that gives you a sense of power. Or you’re a project-oriented person and here you get to execute on your pet project and that gives you a sense of pride. Or maybe you enjoy being seen and applauded by men. And if we come to church with selfish motives like that, we need to ask ourselves whether Jesus would have driven us out with the moneychangers. Our focus then, even in ministry, must be centered on serving God’s church, not a self-centered thing. Or in Jesus’ words, we must come not to be served, but to serve.

I was listening to a Paul Washer youtube video lately entitled: You say I love the church. No, you idolize your ministry.” And the point he was trying to make was that even church leaders can become so enamored with their grand vision of church planting or programs or conferences that they can forget that the church isn’t about any of that. It’s about the people. In this sermon, he said, “you only love the church as much as you love its most difficult nongrowing member.” That’s how much you love the church. And I said, ouch.

So how are your interactions with your brethren in this church? When you come on Sunday in your ministry or as a ministry leader, after people interact with you, are they leaving that interaction encouraged and worshipping God? Do they say, “wow that’s someone truly zealous for God and His people, and that’s who I want to be like”? Or are you leaving a trail of discouraged people and hurt feelings as you plow through them as you serve. Because it’s about you, and it’s your way or the highway, right?

Or on the other side, as you serve with your brethren are you easily offended, quick to criticize, and ready to call it quits at the slightest provocation? If this describes you, then maybe your zeal is really for yourself and your purposes and not for God’s church. Because Ephesians 4:16 tells us that the way God builds is by causing the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love. If you’re not serving and leading with love, then you’re not doing it in God’s way. See, Jesus’ focus and zeal have always been on love and love of His people. We can’t lose sight of that. That’s what we need to be about as well. Zeal for your house will consume me.

Finally, we come to our last point, the last phrase of this quote – will consume me. We’ve been taking this to mean that Jesus’ passion and fury so consumed Him that it oozed out of Him with a burning passion. That’s most likely what the Apostles were thinking in this context as well, but there’s more here than meets the eye. The original Scripture that the disciples were reminded of was in Psalm 69. Let’s turn there briefly. Notice that this is a psalm of King David, and he is writing it at a time when he is being persecuted and mocked by evil men for his faithfulness to God. That’s the context. Let’s read from verse 7,

Because for Your sake, I have borne reproach; Dishonor has covered my face. I have become estranged from my brothers and an alien to my mother’s sons. For zeal for Your house has consumed me, and the reproaches of those who reproach You have fallen on me. When I wept in my soul with fasting, it became my reproach. When I made sackcloth my clothing, I became a byword to them. Those who sit in the gate talk about me, and I am the song of the drunkards.

Now I want you to notice two things. First that in this psalm in verse 9, the context of the word consume isn’t to be filled with passion and emotion. It’s actually being consumed in another sense – to be utterly used up and exhausted, like firewood that would be consumed by fire until there’s nothing left but ash. David is saying that his faithfulness to God and indeed zeal for God’s right worship in His house has caused him to pay the price, and now he’s consumed and all used up, exhausted, and tossed aside. And now he’s weeping, a byword – that means to be mocked. A song of drunkards means that they actually wrote derogatory and crass drinking songs with him as the butt of their jokes. His family has disowned him and dishonor covers his’s face. that’s the sense in which he’s consumed. That’s a very different use of the word than what we said so far in John, isn’t it?

The second thing to notice is the tense of the verse. In Psalm 69 is it past or future tense, the word consume? The past tense. Now flip back to John – is it past or future? Future. See, when David penned this, to him this verse was pointing to his past – he was consumed by this situation where he was being persecuted. But in our passage in John, it’s referring to Jesus’ future. Well, what is it talking about? You guessed it. In a few years’ time, Jesus would indeed be consumed on the cross. It’s a prophecy. It would happen during another Passover when Jesus would be offered up as the once and for all Passover lamb, the only Passover lamb that ever truly satisfied God’s wrath for sinners. There the Scriptures told us that Jesus, who knew no sin, became sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God. That is, Jesus took the penalty of our sins upon Himself, so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life. He did that for you! He did that for His church! See it was Jesus’s zeal for His Father’s house, even for you, Calvary, that caused Him to be consumed on your behalf on the cross.

And what’s more, Jesus did it willingly. But it’s only because Jesus was willing to allow Himself to be consumed that the church could be built at all. As the scriptures say, “The stone that the builder rejected has become the cornerstone” — the cornerstone of what? The church is under construction! That whole thing is a construction analogy and the first block, the cornerstone, was produced from Jesus’s sacrifice. And what then? The apostles came along and they allowed themselves to be consumed, their entire lives for the gospel. It’s well documented that they also died martyr’s deaths. Then what? Throughout history, even the reformers, many allowed themselves to be consumed so that the church could be built.

So God’s third question for you this morning would be this – are you willing to let yourself also be consumed for Jesus’s church? We are not all called to die for Christ’s cause, but we are all called to live for it. Are you willing to let your life be consumed? Don’t you see, that’s what the church is built out of. The building blocks are and have always been sacrifice. God’s true church has always been built brick by brick on the sacrificial love and service of God’s people. That’s the building that God is building. First Jesus’ sacrifice, the cornerstone, then apostles, and then centuries of countless Christians, spending themselves for you, for the church. Investments of time, money, lives. emotional energy so that the church would be stronger, preserved down through time.

And so now it’s our turn. Will you beloved, will you willingly and joyfully spend yourselves to build your Savior’s church? Jesus would ask no less of you! So ask yourselves, is this the kind of relationship you have with God’s church? Are you zealous to build His church, to grow His church, to minister to her members, to pray for her, to guard her unity and fight for her purity, to serve her with your physical and mental abilities, to love her, and adorn her? That’s asking a lot, isn’t it? Sometimes it can be very painful. Sometimes you will be sinned against. And that’s what you should expect because is the church perfect? No, it is not. The church is full of sinners. Sometimes she can be frustrating, and sometimes you might even want to throw your hands up and give up. But what kind of a sacrifice would it be if it were easy? That would be no sacrifice at all.

You say that’s a lot to ask. I don’t know if I’m willing to do that. How do I know that it is worth all the sacrifice? You know we often have weddings in this church. we had one just a few weeks ago. Weddings are the only times we open those double doors. And those doors open, and the bride in her radiant white dress steps through those doors, framed by daylight. It’s a sight to behold even as a guest, isn’t it? It’s really something. But the groom! The groom of course is just standing there mostly as an afterthought. But when he sees his beautiful bride walk down that aisle, his heart leaps because knows this beautiful woman is about to become his wife. She’s coming down towards me. You know in many weddings they read Ephesians 5. Let’s look at that just for a minute.

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.

Why should we do this, spend so much effort on the church? Well, my friends, it’s because the church is Christ’s bride. But see, the church is incomplete right now. It’s not quite ready. It’s not quite as pure as it needs to be. It’s not quite as mature as it needs to be. It’s not quite as beautiful as it needs to be to walk down the aisle. It needs a lot of work, a bit more growth, a bit more unity, a bit more purity, a bit more hospitality, a bit more joy, a bit more love. It still needs to be bathed and cleaned and have its wrinkles ironed out, doesn’t it? This verse is telling us that Jesus is well aware of that and is actively and intimately involved in making her ready. That’s His zeal for His bride. But do you know, my friends, the means by which He is accomplishing that?

Now turn to Revelation 19. Here we find ourselves at the marriage supper of the lamb, the time when the church is complete. The bride has been made ready and the celebration is about to begin. Let’s look at verse 7,

Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.” It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.

Wow, do you see? The bride of Christ is being dressed by your service, your sweat, your tears, your sacrifice, your righteous deeds. That’s what she’s dressed in. Every patch of her beautiful radiant gown is an act of sacrificial service and love by you. And on that day, some people will be able to point to large squares of fabric and say, here Lord, here is what I made for you! Does it please You? Is it beautiful to You? And tragically, some people will only be able to bring a tiny thread. And on that day what you will wish more desperately than anything is for you to be able to bring more. If only I could have brought more, if only I could have contributed more to the beauty of your bride on your wedding day, my Lord! If only I could have brought You more beauty, more joy, more glory, and honor. Don’t you want that? Isn’t that what you want more than anything?

Verse 9,

Then he said to me, “Write, ‘Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’”

What does that mean? It’s reward time. It’s party time! See, God does not take your sacrifice and give you nothing in return! Remember what it says in Hebrews 6:10-11,

For God is not unjust so as to forget your work and the love which you have shown toward His name, by having served and by still serving the saints.

There’s the church again! You see how zealous Jesus is for it! So Jesus won’t forget your service, and your reward in heaven will be great indeed on that day. In fact, you will be astonished by your reward, which will be wildly out of balance with what you actually sacrificed. Because we can’t outgive God, can we? Of course not. What a wedding day that will be, Amen?

So my friends, zeal for God’s house consumed Jesus. If we love Jesus, we must love His bride too. So Calvary, let’s go. We have a wedding gown to make. Let’s get to work. Amen?

Let’s close in a word of prayer. Father, we are so grateful for Your Word and the clarity by which You laid out how You would want us to center our lives. First and foremost, we want to worship you. We want to give you glory and ascribe to You honor. We want to have a relationship with you which You freely made available to us when we put our faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, when we confess with our mouths that He is Lord and when we believe in our hearts that You raised Him from the dead. When we believe that, we are adopted into Your family, but that’s not the end of the journey. That is the beginning. And once we are in Your family, we get to serve You and we get to sacrifice for You. And we get to do the one mission You’ve left us in the world to do, which is to build the church and to grow her, to take care of her, to feed her. And we pray Lord that through this text that You would impress upon us how important that is to You, that You would empower us to build a beautiful wedding gown, that we might celebrate with You on that day. We look forward to the day You come to redeem us and the party that awaits us. In Jesus’ name, we pray, Amen.

October 17, 2021
The Only Way in Is through This Door

In this sermon, Pastor Joe Babij examines John 10:9 and explores the sobering and wonderful reality of Jesus as the only way to eternal life.

1. There Is Only One Entry Point into Christ’s True Church (vv. 7-11)
2. There Are Many Presumed Entry Points into Christ’s Church
3. The Person Who Enters through God’s Appointed Means Can Claim Certain Privileges and Distinctives (vv. 9, 26, 27)

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Note: This rough transcript was automatically generated by YouTube’s AI algorithm. We provide it here for your convenience, but know it will surely contain errors as it has not been proofread or edited by a human.

okay this morning i would like you to turn to john chapter 10.

and as we looked there today let me have a word of prayer as we continue today let us pray father we do thank you for the lord jesus christ father we do ask you lord that you would impress upon our heart and our mind before our eyes help us to see again that jesus is the only way and there is no other way and lord help us to stand on in our day the exclusivity of the gospel you know lord it’s not popular we know lord the way is narrow but lord we know that this is the truth and i pray lord that you would use every one of us to be able to proclaim that truth to others and those who don’t know you yet they would come to know you and they would walk through the door that is your is christ himself and i pray this in your name amen i’d like to just you know this morning just lay out before you the gospel in the sense the the centrality of the gospel is jesus christ himself and since the apollo space program began in our country started sending manned capsules into space one of the most difficult parts of each mission was the re-entry process the reason for the difficulty was the spacecraft with its crew had only one door of opportunity to enter the earth’s atmosphere the pilot had to make sure that he was approaching the door that window at just the right speed at just the right angle if not they would burn up bounce off the earth and wander into space with no way to return forever and likewise for all those who will enter the kingdom of god all those who will enter the true church of jesus christ they have one door to enter through just one and if i were to ask you this lord’s day morning are you part of christ’s body are you a member of christ’s church how would you answer that question those questions maybe with an emphatic yes or maybe with a reluctant no or maybe you’re not sure how to answer that question if you said yes then what was that assurance that you have what was the fact that gained you entry in to become a member of christ’s true church and what i’m asking is did you enter through the one and only entry point that the bible teaches us if you didn’t if you didn’t or if you didn’t yet you’re not yet part of christ’s church the church that he purchased with his own blood jesus in john chapter 10 gives a parable about the good shepherd the good shepherd stands in the only entryway to the sheepfold if you want to enter the sheepfold you must come through that shepherd now that means there is only one entry point into christ church only one and if you look at your bibles this morning in john chapter 10 notice in verse number 7 through verse number 11. let me read that and also the fuller passage that was read this morning it says so jesus verse said to them truly i say to you i am the door i am the door of the sheep all who came before me are thieves and robbers but the sheep did not hear them verse 9 i am the door if anyone enters through me he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture the thief comes only to steal and killed and destroy i came that they may have life and have it abundantly in verse 11 i am the good shepherd the good shepherd laid down his life for the sheep now jesus referred to robbers and thieves as being those who were the leadership of israel the scribes and the pharisees were not the true shepherds the people didn’t listen to them they did not point to the only way so they were thieves and robbers they pointed to the law they pointed to to to the tradition of men they rejected the prophets that were sent by god and then they ultimately will reject the messiah and the reason why is because they point it to the wrong way the wrong way to god’s true church and as we read further on in john we notice that jesus says i am the way i am the truth i am the life i am the bread i am the light and i am the door so there’s only one entry point into christ’s true church but secondly i want you to think about this this morning that there are many presumed entry points into christ church that are very much alive and well today out there so i’d like you to consider the pursuit presumed entry points some still try to use in order to enter christ’s true church and the first presumed entry point some rest upon for entry way into christ church is that there are those who believe they have gained a mission into the church because they were simply baptized some have been sprinkled some have been poured water on them some dipped some others immersed some were infants some children others were adults but the truth of the matter is according to scripture it doesn’t matter if they were sprinkled poured or dipped or immersed if they never come to christ by true faith they are nothing better than baptized heathens and they are still in their sin you are not saved in baptism as the roman catholic church espouses the door is not baptism but the door is christ so you see only if you come to christ in repentance and trusting in christ alone who is god’s great way of salvation can you have entry way into god’s true church jesus says in verse 11 of this chapter i am the good shepherd the good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep so that is the first presumed entry point second one similar to that one is a person would say i was born into a christian family so i believe i have always been a christian you hear that often some call this uh those who assume that they enter christ church through this way they call it the birthright entryway and the birthright is is basic is a basic right that someone has or is thought to be entitled to from birth either it’s property or it’s money that someone feels entitled to because he belongs to a certain family it’s a great privilege to have a christian family to have christian parents but to grow up in a christian home and attend a christian church does not mean you have admission into christ’s true church it is of course of great advantage because you have access to the truth of god’s word but with this privilege there is great responsibility one must use it rightly if not this great blessing actually can become a great curse so you see being born into a family of a long or short line of saints does not guarantee anyone’s salvation the bible does tell us in john 3 3 truly truly i say to you unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of god jesus is speaking to a leading teacher of the nation of israel who thought he was in god’s sheepfold but jesus pointed out to nicodemus he was not in god’s sheepfold even though he thought he was see a person can enter the kingdom of god through only one entry point and so the goal of all christians should be to glorify god under this overarching goal the aim of parenting is to be a faithful instrument in god’s hands for actively bringing up children according to biblical principle every child is born a sinner who intrinsically follows his or her depravity so then the task of being a parent is not easy but god has not left us without instruction god’s command is clearly stated in ephesians 6 4 fathers do not provoke your children to anger but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the lord it is my observation over the years that parents should first focus the teaching of their children on the ten commandments and the book of proverbs that the teachings that these teachings will expose the child’s own sinful nature along with god’s character and what he the creator requires with the goal with the goal of preparing the soil of a child’s heart making it ready for the gospel of jesus christ so if the goal of parenting then is to be to be faithful to bring up one’s child one’s children according to biblical principles that those principles need to be taught and also modeled by the parents but are there any guarantees regarding the outcome the answer would be no because the child’s response is not necessarily the measure of biblical parenting a godly example and good training cannot ensure conversion and just as god’s grace and ungodly and ungodly parent may be blessed by a god-fearing child and that means that a godly person is not guaranteed by their efforts that god will save any of their children however when the grace of god has entered into the home when the word of god is prevalent in that home when a child is exposed to the fellowship of believers the possibility of salvation coming to that child is heightened and many times god will bless us with saving our children but not always the case so the parents duty before the lord is to be faithful to their instruction modeling and raising their children in the manner of the lord commandment but the results are the lord’s to determine that is the sovereignty of god in salvation the bottom line then would be this you must be born again yourselves you have no right to of entry into christ’s true church except as by your own personal and individual faith in which you entered into christ you enter into his church it’s not a matter it’s not a it’s not your mother and your father that can be the door to christ church no it must be christ who is the door and everyone individually must come through him again jesus says in john 14 6 i am the way i am the truth i am the life no one can come to the father but through me so those are ways so assumed ways presumed ways that people come sometimes bank on but they haven’t really considered their own soul in life and say am i am i really a believer am i really a christian all children from christian families have to ask that question they can’t live through the faith of their parents they have to have their own and it’s it’s a great blessing when they do come to that place and they do live on their own when when they’re gone from their home and they’re they’re living for the lord that that’s a great blessing there are some other supposed empty entry points common today worth mentioning and the third one would be the presumed entry point some rest upon for entry into christ church is a profession of faith common these days that just because someone made a profession of faith signed the card raised their hand went forward into an evangelistic meeting that they are part of god’s true church but mere profession cannot prove a genuine christian the willingness for a person to say i profess this or i confess that no more will make a christian than for someone who stands in their garage and proclaims themselves a car there must be true repentance true believing we must then bear the fruit of progressive holiness and godliness that the person who makes a profession of having it when he has not salvation is in great danger and it was jerry bridges who said the only safe evidence that we are in christ is a holy life so their holy progress is manifested more and more in their thinking in their words in their actions in their outlook in their worldview in their passions and desires titus 1 chapter verse 6 chapter 1 verse 16 tells us they profess to know god there’s profession but by their deeds they deny him being detestable and disobedient and worthless for any good deed so that passage simply says these kinds of people claim they know god but they deny him the way they live the lord didn’t command to get a profession the lord commanded to make disciples and who are disciples disciples are learners they’re followers of christ it is not merely your profession of faith but your repentance of sin leading to a cleansed and transformed life because you came through the door jesus christ into his true church there’s a fourth presumed entry point some rest upon for entry way into christ church and that is that of simply of church membership there are some there are those who think that because they are members of a visible church that they are somehow in the sheepfold of god if they have trusted the external organization to help them feel secure they’re just deceiving themselves somebody born into a religious system oh i’m this or i’m bad and that they kind of live in that realm or that thinking the whole of their lives have you ever witnessed to somebody who says well i belong to this church or or i my family goes to that church you know and that that’s where they rest they don’t really consider their own partic predicament spiritually as to whether they’re in the kingdom of god whether they’re in christ to church so if they have past bypass the door of living faith in christ and have tried to get in without being a disciple of christ well then christ will say to them you’re a thief and you’re a robber because they try to get in some other way without coming in by the door jesus christ however if you are truly born again well then baptism profession of faith in christ membership in a bible believing christ honoring assembly show that you desire to obey christ and you desire to reverence him so commitment to christ should go hand in hand with commitment to his church there are other supposed points that have crept into our day that people think because they live this way they can have entry way or somehow god accepts them and that is the the ism of moralism some people say wait a minute some would say i’m pretty good person i live to the best of my ability i live a moral life surely that must count for something many bank on the entry point into god’s true church is simply to be a moral person that is actually a thing that is sweeping across christianity today the basic structure of moralism comes down to this the belief that the gospel can be reduced to improvements in behavior far too many believers and their churches succumb to the logic of moralism and reduce the gospel to a message of moral improvement in other words we communicate to the lost person the message that what god desires for them and demands of them is that is really to get their life straightened out no the gospel is come with your messy life and all your sin to christ bring it all to him you can’t straighten out your life you can’t do anything to make yourself clean and right before god so really if people proclaim that or hold to that that’s actually a false gospel and when paul writes to the galatian church what does he say to them about receiving or adding something on to what’s already proclaimed in them in the true gospel or taking something away from the gospel he says to the church there i am amazed that you are so quickly deserting him who called you by the grace of christ for a different gospel which is really not another only there are some paul says who are disturbing you and want to distort the gospel of christ but even if we or an angel from heaven paul says should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you he is to be a cursed god is serious about his one door he is serious about you only can come exclusively into god’s church and into the kingdom of god through christ see most moralists would not claim to be without sin and as al mohler says they just claim to be without scandalous sin so the essence of moralism is the belief that we can achieve righteousness by means of proper behavior and theologically the wrong assumption that what god expressed expects of fallen humanity is moral improvement it is good for parents to rightly teach their children to obey moral instruction the church actually bears that responsibility to teach the moral commands of god and to bear witness to the larger society of what god has declared to be right and good for all human beings but these impulses right and necessary they are not the gospel indeed one of the most insidious false gospels is moralism the promise that promises really the favor of god and the satisfaction of god’s righteousness to sinners if they will only behave and commit themselves to moral improvement don’t misunderstand being morally good is good but it does not save you it could never save you it can never earn you salvation so the list the bible simply becomes a code book for human behavior and moral instruction replaces the teaching of the gospel of christ the corrective to moralism comes directly from scripture paul again in the book of galatians that you just got done i think you’re finishing up in yam where he says in chapter 2 verse 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but through faith in christ even we have believed in christ so that we may be justified by faith in christ and not by the works of the law since by the works of the law no flesh will be justified moralism makes sense to sinners it surely does it is because it’s really an expansion of what we have always been taught to in our earliest days but moralism is not the gospel it will not save only the gospel saves and that is the gospel of jesus christ paul again says in galatians in chapter four but when the fullness of time came god sent forth his son born of a woman born under the law that he might redeem those who were under the law that we might receive the adoption as sons so we are justified by faith alone saved by grace alone and redeemed from our sin by christ alone moralism produces sinners who are potentially better behaved the gospel of jesus christ produces people who are transformed from the inside out and are adopted sons and daughters of god so the church must never evade or accommodate or revise or hide the law of god for indeed it is the law that shows us that we are sinners and makes clear our inadequacy and our lack of righteousness the law cannot impart life but paul insists in galatians 3 24 therefore the law has become our tutor to lead us to christ so that we may be justified by faith you know someone said hell will be highly populated by those who are raised right who are moral the citizens of heaven will be there by the sheer grace and mercy of god and there there in heaven solely because of the imputed righteousness of jesus christ so moralism is not the gospel it is also an improper entry point to the kingdom of god into the true church of jesus christ come through the door the only door jesus christ the good shepherd and that’s why a sinner must come they can’t come in any other way and why is why is that why why do we have to come through jesus well john 10 verse 17 and 18 says this for this reason the father loves me because i laid down my life so that i may take it again no one has taken it from me but i lay it down on my own initiative i have authority to lay it down and i have authority to take it up again this commandment i received from my father the reason why is because jesus is the only one who died in the place of sinners in the place of those who would become his sheep redeemed by the blood of the lamb brought in to the true sheepfold of jesus christ and then one one last thing there’s several others but just to things that are swirling around today in our society is that of uh another presumed entry point would be pluralism that means there’s many ways to god the basic belief of the pluralist comes really down to this the plurals the pluralists believe that jesus is the provision that god has made for christians but but big but there are no other there are other ways of getting right with god and gaining eternal bliss in other religions the work of christ is useful for the christian but not necessary for the non-christian that’s a bunch of bunk that’s hogwash example one british theologian john hicks argues that different religions are equals though they each have different emphasis christianity is not superior he says but merely one partner in the quest for salvation he says that we are not to seek one world religion but rather we look to the day when the ecumenical spirit which has so largely transformed christianity will increasingly affect relations between the world’s faiths see christians should not reason as some do thinking that truth is like a great mountain with one sum summit but many ways of reaching the summit reaching the top of the mountain it doesn’t matter which way you reach it as long as you reach it well that that really goes against what the scripture is saying here that jesus is the door there’s no way to go around it if you climb in some other way you are not a true sheep and that’s all that espouses the ecumenical spirit of our day so for the pluralists in the final analysis the only authority for his viewpoint is his own mind that’s it his mind is the standard he has no blueprints or any kind of measuring device to show whether he is in error or not but a christian has the bible the bible is the measuring stick the bible tells us what is true and what is not they have nothing they have themselves they hack they have academia that’s all they have there is only one way to measure one is correct in one’s belief concerning the soundness of their foundation and that is the truth that is god’s truth found in the word of god and paul really teaches in the book of ephesians in that letter to them he said listen this having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets christ himself being the cornerstone paul’s paul is very clear and he draws a line in the sand between what is true and what is false anything that is not from the foundations of the apostles and prophets or correctly aligned with the cornerstone jesus christ the chief cornerstone is not to be relied upon as spiritual truth there are not many entry points into christ’s true church there is but one so the pluralist concludes wrongly that there are many good and different ways to enter into favor with god that’s a faulty understanding so also an improper entry point and so therefore they have they’re at the wrong door and they’re at the wrong doors so all these things i’ve just mentioned just reveal that people want to be part of the church of jesus christ or they want to be right with god in their own way in their own thinking or that they just simply say i’m spiritual and i’m okay you hear all those things when you talk to people but because of the way they chose to enter not by the door but by another way they cannot gain entry the gospel of john chapter 10 verse number one again indicates the illegitimacy of the way they tried to enter the church for it says in verse one truly truly again that that double getting our attention with those the double words there the re repetitive words i say to you he who does not enter by the door into the fold of sheep but climbs up some other way is a thief and a robber so my friend candidates for christ’s true church must make a credible profession of their faith and that they have entered by the door of jesus christ and in christ alone and it does not matter if they have been baptized or have a membership certificate in their hand or if they adhere at her and if they have adhered to some popular ideologically i ideology that thought would be helpful to be right with god if they have not christ the only thing they are all those things are good for is to be put in the bottom of a waste basket the only way that you get into the real living church is by coming to christ who is himself the door by a simple faith and a dependence upon jesus yes the one who bled and died on calvary’s cross and defeated satan in death and rose from the grave any other way is a sham and the preaching of any other system is a delusion it must be christ who is the door and everyone individually must come through him in order to be saved saved by the righteousness of another somebody who gains an alien righteousness from christ to enter the kingdom of god the door is jesus come to him and you he will save you that’s what he does he saves people so brethren have you come through the door jesus christ if you have trusted christ and have entered by the door well then you have come in by god’s appointed means but if you have not yet come if you have not yet called upon jesus and trusted him as your own lord and savior don’t put it off come however i must warn you that if you do not come if you remain in the state of unbelief if you remain in your own philosophy of how you think you get right with god if you are holding to some particular thing from the past on a religion or or something you did or something that happened in your life and you say i’m trusting in that some people say well i had a dream that i met jesus so i’m trusting in that i said well i’m not denying you had that dream but have you come through the door have you trusted in jesus christ and if the warning is this john chapter 3 verse 18 who believes in him is not judged he who does not believe has been judged already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten son of god is pretty clear christ is the only way i can stand here this morning and preach to you about entering into the kingdom of god through the door jesus christ but if you merely walk up to the door and you say you know what i think that’s true i agree with what you’re saying but you don’t do anything about it you don’t come through the door then it’s in vain to look at a door unless you enter it that’s the whole point about having the door right go through it so this morning that god would give you the grace to come in if you have never entered before but please don’t think you are safe from god’s wrath if you have not entered by his appointed means jesus says in john 10 9 i am the door if anyone enters through me that leads me to really the encouraging part in our text that the persons who entered through the door through god’s appointed means can claim certain privileges and distinctives i can claim because i’ve come through the door certain privileges certain distinctives and i can proclaim them to you the great confidence with great confidence that the person who enters through god’s appointed means can certainly hold on to these things and what are they there’s really three encouraging privileges verse number uh verse number nine of chapter 10 the first privilege is this jesus says i am the door if anyone enters me he will be saved that’s the first privilege you’ll you’ll be saved right you’ll be saved uses a passive voice there means the subject receives the action of the verb salvation safety that’s what the lord gives those who come he who enters in by the door shall be saved just like noah and his family they were kept safe from the destructive power of the great flood waters but he was not kept safe until he passed through the door and god closed the door and sealed him in see they were kept safe from anything that could harm them especially the wrath and judgment of god you know we come to the new testament in the book of ephesians it says what do we do what happens we receive the spirit of god and we’re sealed unto the day of redemption god’s seal is honest that means no one touched that person that’s mine that’s my sheep so you see the moment a poor sinner trust in christ god shuts the door so then you do not know what means it really means to come through the door unless you actually come through the door it means that you come to jesus you come to depend on him you come to rest in him you come for forgiveness of sins you come for eternal life now we’re alert we learn those things after we come but this is only this is the first privilege but there’s also the first distinctive in chapter 10 look at verse number 26 it’s this the sheep have saving faith in verse 26 it says but you do not believe because you are not my sheep jesus clearly makes a distinction between those who believe and those who don’t believe if you believe you’re my sheep if you don’t believe you’re not my sheep that’s what he says there so the bottom line is that we have saving faith and saving faith really forsakes all human means of salvation saving faith involves turning from your sin and saving faith involves commitment to christ as lord biblical faith demands and produces costly and radical changes in one life by the spirit of god in the word of god its essence is supreme commitment to christ a second privilege if you notice in verse number 9 it says i am the door if anyone enters through me he will be saved and he will go in and out you will go in and out that’s freedom do you know when you become a believer you are actually free you’re free from your own guilt you’re free from the condemnation of your own sin you’re free from the claim of the demons on you you’re free from the clutches of death freedom because there is no more condemnation to those who are in christ there is freedom to go in and out into the lord with holy boldness in prayer and speak to the lord as a member of god’s family to have a regular and a deep fellowship with the lord jesus christ because you have entered that door and once you’re in that door and he closes the door then you’re in there with christ john 10 verse 3 and 4 says to him the doorkeeper opens and the sheep hear his voice and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out when he puts forth his own he goes ahead of them and the sheep follow him because they know his voice see there is not only a privilege here but there’s a second distinctive and here’s the distinctive of christ’s sheep christ sheep hear his voice my sheep hear my voice it says there and then verse 16 it repeats it i have other sheep which are not of this fold i must bring them also and they will hear my voice and they will come become one flock with one shepherd now he’s referring to the gentiles the jews and the gentiles so to hear christ’s voice means more than being familiar with his words as they are recorded in scripture more than believing that they are his words the lord is requiring more than simply listening respectfully and believing what he says his sheep submit themselves unreservedly to the authority of christ the lord is truly my lord he’s my he’s my master now and he’s a good master he’s a good shepherd he will never lead us into something that will be harmful to us he will always lead us to the right place he will give us right what we need when we need it because that’s what he is and so his sheep respond promptly to what he says in the word of god and they literally obey him and of course it also means that you’re free from the bondage of your own sin so you can now serve christ without guilt i don’t have to be guilty to get up every day and say lord i’m your servant take care of me today as i go into the hostile world i’m going in your name make me an instrument in your hand as i depend on you allow me to speak about the door to other people so they can meet you also give me victory over my remaining sin over my enemies over the allurman and the temptations that are still present all around me in the world give me victory there and then there’s a third privilege in verse number 9 of chapter 10.

i am the door if anyone enters through me he will be saved he will go in and out and you will find pastor no that is nourishment spiritual nourishment the word of god is the source of spiritual nourishment to my soul and your soul if you are a believer today a place of great instruction of wisdom of spiritual strength of comfort of rebuke making me ready to be in god’s presence god’s sheep they want heavenly truth they don’t want substitutes they don’t want fast food no other food would satisfy them except the word of god so they come to the house of god through christ and they come for christ and they find rich pasture that satisfies their soul isn’t that what david found in psalm 23 the lord is my shepherd what does he say i shall not want he makes me to lie down in green pastures nourishing pastures he leads me beside what rough waters quiet waters he restores my soul he guides me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake the shepherd is doing it for his name raising a people putting a spirit in them for his name’s sake he’s doing it so this is not only a privilege but it also exposes two more distinctives and what are they verse number 27 christ sheep are known by him you know there’s one thing about i said you know god yes but does god know you that’s the real question does god know you he knows them he calls them by name he knows your name and then he leads them so christians have a unique relationship to christ a union with him a communion with him deeper than any other see god loves us we love him but we learn in scripture in first john in this is love not that we love god but that he loved us and sent his son to be a propitiation for our sins and then we learn also that we know that all that god causes all things to work together what for the good to those who love god to those who are calling to his prayer who loves god his sheep love him his sheep hear his voice his sheep follow him and that’s verse 27 of john chapter 10.

here’s another distinctive they follow me they don’t follow the false teachers they don’t follow the false ideologies they don’t follow the currents of the world what’s being taught now and you know the whole work mindset today that’s another gospel out there that’s turning over the truth setting aside the truth this is what the church ought to be no the church ought to be preaching that jesus is the only door he’s exclusive there’s no other way there’s no other substitute there’s nothing else to teach see we they follow me it says here in verse 27.

they’re bent on following christ they’re true and good shepherd so only those who hear and are known of christ and who follow him shall never perish and that’s that’s the the triple security we get as believers and look what it says in uh verse 28 and 29 it says here’s double security i give eternal life to them and they will never perish and no one will snatch them out of my hand my father who has given them to me is greater than all and no one is no one is able to snatch them out of my father’s hand we have christ holding us we have the father holding us we have the spirit of god sealing us triple security you have nothing to fear if you’re a christian you understand that see that’s where we get the boldness from that’s what we get the the gumption to just go on and live our life for christ no matter what happens around us know whether even if no one’s following us and we’re we have that’s real eternal security when we understand that that when god saves us he saves us completely he’s not an indian giver he’s not going to give you oh i guess i can’t even use that term today huh that’s wrong right i don’t really care really truth but when he gives it to you he gives you all of it he keeps you and we have to know that we have to know that every waking moment of every day we have to know that because we go on to the world and when we do get we get bombarded we get bombarded by too much information and it’s all discouraging all right it’s all discouraging but we come to this and also and i get encouraged if you are christ’s sheep i have to ask you this what evidence do you have to show it nowadays if you if someone applies for a passport they’re required three to six points of identification i don’t know if that’s true today but it was at one time birth certificate driver’s license marriage license military discharge papers current phone or utility bill to prove who are you where do you live what’s up what are you about are you the person you say you are so they have to prove to the authorities who they are see the burden of proof is on that person see god’s saints are really distinguished from all other people not only by what he has done for them but also by what he has worked in them the saints are endowed with a new life with a spiritual and a supernatural principle or a nature which affects the whole of their being god is transforming all of us all of who we are not just one little part of it all of us that’s what he all of who we are he’s making us into the image of christ so wouldn’t it be great today wouldn’t it be great if if today you were to enter into god’s true church by the door jesus christ that would be great it would also be great that you realize that if you’re in that door you are secure and that the good shepherd has all good for you and you know what happens every day of your life you’re dogged by god’s goodness you can’t can’t run from it everywhere you go you look there’s god’s goodness you pray and god answers your prayer and say wow the good god he just i don’t deserve this but god gave it to me you sit down you eat some food and you say well you think i didn’t just get this from shoprite god gave us this and we’d thank him for it i get up every day and i’m breathing thank you lord wow you you’re keeping me around for a while you know you think but the thing is i see it’s the lord providing that he he’s got you in his hand he’s got his eye upon you and you cannot run from that you cannot escape that and that is the most encouraging thing for a believer to grasp in their thinking in their not only their thinking but their doing how they respond to circumstances and to people in their life has everything to do with whether i went through the door and i’m secure inside the other side because of jesus christ so it would be really good today if you have never entered the door today to call upon the lord jesus christ as your lord and savior and then if you do you gain the privileges of safety of freedom of nourishment that god freely gives to those born into his family and that you would be known as christ sheep you have saving faith you hear christ’s voice through his word and now you’re known by christ and now you follow him as your faithful shepherd so believing god’s gospel message and repenting of your sin and transferring your trust to jesus christ and him alone by a simple transfer of trust in what you could have earned to obtain eternal life which you could never have done christ has done so throw it all overboard all of it and just come to christ with all your baggage with all your garbage with all your stuff and the lord knows all of it anyway and he’ll save you right but don’t just sit there saying i agree with that i think that’s a good message you know and walk out and do nothing don’t do that days are short there’s signs of christ coming back all over the world now is the time to be very serious and sober about our christian faith and about our true salvation and about living for the lord there’s no really no other reason to live whatever god has you doing work wise that’s secondary he that’s just to provide the bills pay the bills right that’s all it is it’s not careers god gives us careers i guess but you don’t live for a career you live for christ right that’s what you do so if you have already come through the door jesus christ you’re saved you are saved so you know what rejoice and be exceedingly glass glad because you have been given great salvation that no one no one no thing no demon can take from you it’s yours amen let’s pray lord thank you today thank you lord because you are god and lord your your word is is narrows it down so simply to give us an illustration that of a door opening that christ is that door and just to come through that door is the way to be right with god and to be saved and to reap these privileges and benefits oh lord thank you encourage us by your word every day and lord those who who have not yet come or bring them today convict them in their heart of their sin of righteousness and judgment bring them to yourself and lord let them experience the things the word of god has been communicating to us not only today but every sunday we meet that it’s wisdom from god and it will thank you lord for what you have done and will do use us as your servants in christ i pray amen let’s stand

October 10, 2021
Repulsed by the Truth

In this sermon, our guest speaker Aaron G. looks at the exchange between Jesus and the Jews in John 8:12-59. Aaron explains how the passage emphasizes one main truth: who Jesus is guarantees that those of the world will be repulsed by his witness. Aaron also clarifies, though, that man’s fundamental rejection of Jesus is what leads to the cross of salvation rescue. Aaron breaks down the passage as follows:

Jesus bears true witness to:
1. His own testimony (vv. 12-20)
2. His identity and future (vv. 21-30)
3. His paternity (vv. 31-47)
4. His deity (vv. 48-59)

Full Transcript:

Good morning. It’s an enormous privilege to be here today and to sit with you underneath God’s Word. Today our scripture passage is fairly long, and so I strongly encourage you that you follow along in your Bibles, and we’ll be moving fairly quickly. Just a few days ago, my wife Amy and I, we actually drove to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania to see one of our favorite bands play in concert. On our way back, we got caught in a storm. Now, normally that’s not an issue, except my father-in-law, he’s an incredibly gifted engineer, which means that the cars in his household literally cannot die, because he can fix anything. Which means that we drive an older car, which, again, not a problem. I wouldn’t trade their frugality for anything. I truly admire that. But it means that the windshield wipers, the windshield, maybe the anti-reflection technology, is not as good as newer models. So we’re driving home in the pouring rain, at night, and we’re trying to see through this blur of water. And as cars are approaching us, their headlights light our window, and it’s just this bright, blinding glare. It was difficult to see that night. But the next morning, we actually drove somewhere else, and this time there wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the sun was shining, it was easy to see, and I looked at Amy and I said, I love driving in the light. I can’t believe how much I can actually see.

In our world, the connection between light and sight is obvious. When you’re able to see the world as it actually is, you see things rightly. Another way to say it is that you see things truly. But if you take away the light, what happens? Well, it becomes dark. You cannot see rightly, you cannot see what is true.

In the Gospel of John, light and truth, they’re tightly connected. When you’re able to see, they’re tightly connected. Light is often associated with revelation from God. He reveals truth to us so that we can see the world as it actually is. Who is the God who is there? Who are we? How can we know God? How are we saved? God has ultimately revealed all these answers and more, not merely through a message, but a messenger, meaning light and truth is a person. And so we can ask the question, well, what happens when light and truth collide with the world? Will she find him delightful and embrace him? Or will she find him repugnant and reject him? The world’s response to truth will reveal much about her.

And her response is exactly what we will be looking at in our passage today. Throughout our passage, we will see that Jesus bears true witness to four things. We see Him bear witness to His own testimony, His identity and future, His paternity, and His deity. And as the discourse in our passage unfolds, not only do we see these things become clear about Jesus, but we see them also become clear about the Jews who he’s talking to. We will see that as truth becomes brighter, so does the opposition. The reason is because truth and falsehood, light and darkness, they’re diametrically opposed to one another. He who ultimately stands behind truth is not he who stands behind falsehood. The result is that humanity divides around truth.

In the end, the main point of today’s passage teaches us one sobering truth. Who Jesus is guarantees that those of this world are repulsed by the truth of His witness. I repeat, who Jesus is guarantees that those of this world are repulsed by the truth of His witness.

Let’s begin. Number one, verses 12 through 20 – Jesus bears witness to the truth of His own testimony, but the Jews are incapable of belief. Now it’s worthwhile to talk about a couple things regarding the background of our passage. First, the background of our passage in the Old Testament. In the mind of a first century Jew, light was already a prominent metaphor. The Old Testament, it’s filled with allusions to light. For example, the Israelites would regularly sing Psalm 27, right? The Lord is my light and my salvation. Or as we read in Psalms and Proverbs, God’s word and His law is a light to guide the path of those who love and cherish instruction. Or even in Isaiah 49, the servant of the Lord will be a light to the nations. In the minds of Jesus’ contemporaries, light was a significant theme already, and that was bound up with God.

Second, the background of our passage in Judaism. If you look back to chapter seven, verse two, we read that the passage, our passage today takes place during the Feast of Tabernacles, or the Feast of Booths. Now, this was a seven day feast where people would build these makeshift tents, and they would live in them in order to remember the time of pilgrimage as they were traveling to the Promised Land. The festival drew thousands upon thousands of people to Jerusalem. At the end of the first day of the feast, the priests and the Levites, they would enter this courtyard, and in the courtyard there were long poles, and on the top of these poles were golden candelabras, they’re candle holders. And so the priests would light each golden candelabra, and the resulting light would radiate a glow throughout the city. According to one Jewish source in the Mishnah, we read, the light from the candelabra was so bright that there was not a courtyard in Jerusalem that was not illuminated from the light. And under the glow of such radiant light emitting throughout Jerusalem, Jesus declares, verse 12,

I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness, but will have the Light of life.

You see, Jesus left no room for ambiguity here. He was very specific. He said, whoever follows Me will have the light of life. In the context of such powerful tradition and rituals in the Feast of Booze or Tabernacles, Jesus’ words were jarring. The statement is far more than a pleasant remark from a wise teacher, but instead it’s a radical claim about His identity, which causes a heated exchange, which we’ll read about.

And the force of Jesus’ claim, it actually intensifies as the reader comes to know and understand the particular way that John uses world throughout his gospel. You see, in general, the world, it’s our little blue planet. It’s called Earth, right? It’s home to the animals and the birds and the sea creatures. But as we look at how John uses the word world all throughout his gospel, we clearly see the definition he has in mind. In John’s gospel, there is not a single use of the word world that has a positive overtone. The vast majority are negative. The world in John’s usage is the created order which is in rebellion against God. Simply, the world’s a bad place. For example, John 1:10, Jesus was in the world and the world was made through Him, yet the world did not know Him. Or John 7:7, Jesus tells his brothers, the world hates me because I testify about it that its works are evil. You see, true Christians, in John 15, true Christians are no longer a part of the world, but they’ve been chosen out of this world, according to John. This world is characterized by darkness.

John implies that Jesus is the light of this world. The point of verse 12 is that Jesus Himself is the light. He alone is the only way out of darkness. He alone is the Light that gives life. But the Pharisees, they challenge Jesus by using his own words against Him. You see, in earlier, in John chapter five, Jesus does, in fact, say, if I alone bear witness about Myself, My testimony is not true. So the Pharisees confront Jesus and they say, aha, you’re bearing witness about yourself. You can’t do that. You yourself said so. And in addition, the Pharisees certainly had in mind the book of Deuteronomy where it says that multiple people or multiple witnesses are required to establish truth for certain cases.

But the Pharisees completely misunderstood Jesus’ point in chapter five. He was not saying that if He talks about Himself without certain witnesses or supporting witnesses, He’s a liar. He was not saying that. His point was that He does not speak outside of what His Father has given Him to speak. Jesus speaks His Father’s words, nothing more, nothing less. In other words, Jesus’ claims about Himself can only be true if they are coming from God Himself. And so He says in verse 14,

Even if I testify about Myself, My testimony is true, for I know where I came from and where I am going;

In effect, He reminds us what He said in chapter five, I came from My Father for He sent Me and I will return to My Father. But you Pharisees cannot understand because you do not know my origin. He says,

but you do not know where I come from or where I am going.

Verse 15, Jesus says,

You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone.

Now Jesus is not saying here that He doesn’t judge at all. In fact, the very next verse confirms that Jesus does judge and the entire New Testament confirms that He exercises judgment and He is the judge. But Jesus is telling the Pharisees, look, you’re judging on a merely human plane by merely human standards. This kind of judgment is superficial, right? It’s the shallow inspection that gets weighed against your own prejudices to determine if a person is in or out of your special club. It’s the kind of judgment that discredits an entire person, right? It discredits the whole person just because they voted for the other candidate, not your candidate. Or it’s the kind of judgment that doesn’t take time to listen and love people, let alone understand someone just because they wear a mask or they don’t wear a mask, or they chose to get vaccinated or they didn’t get vaccinated. It’s the adult version of teenage girls who reject the one who doesn’t own the latest fashion. And that kind of judgment is evil. Which is why in verse 15 Jesus says, I judge no one in that kind of judgment. Jesus does judge, but it’s a fundamentally different kind of judgment. Verse 16,

But even if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me.

We can have confidence that Jesus’ judgments will be perfectly just, right, and good. Why? Because His exercise of judgment is always in perfect alignment with God, His Father. And in case there’s any doubt as to whether or not Jesus actually meets the standards of judgment in God’s word in the book of Deuteronomy, where it says you need two witnesses to establish truth, He says in verse 17,

Even in your law it has been written that the testimony of two men is true. I am He who testifies about Myself, and the Father who sent Me testifies about Me.”

In other words, Jesus says, I am qualified to talk about Myself because I don’t speak alone. There is a second who bears witness about Me, and He is My Father who sent Me. Verse 19, The Pharisees then respond, Well, you say your Father is your second witness, where is he? Go ahead, bring him forth, call forth your second witness. Jesus answers,

“You know neither Me nor My Father; if you knew Me, you would know My Father also.” These words He spoke in the treasury, as He taught in the temple; and no one seized Him, because His hour had not yet come.

The Pharisees’ question in verse 19, where is your Father, reveals that they completely misunderstand Jesus. Worse, they don’t even know who He is. So Jesus speaks directly to the true problem here. Jesus says that knowing Him is the test for knowing God Himself. Or negatively put, if you do not know Jesus, you do not know God. As Jesus’ prosecutors question Jesus about His second witness, they actually put themselves in the seat of judgment, and they are found guilty. The crime? They are in darkness. They’re unable to see rightly. God is a stranger. The light of the world and He who sent Him are not allies, but foes. And this is a picture of the condition that plagues all of humanity. In other words, the world is utterly incapable of belief unless God Himself intervenes.

That concludes our first point, that Jesus bears witness to the truth of His own testimony, but the Jews are incapable of belief. Number two, verses 21 through 30. We see Jesus bears witness to His identity and future. Jesus is from above, but the Jews are from below. Both will return to where they’re from. Jesus begins by predicting His future death in verse 21. He says, I am going away. And he says that after He dies, they will continue to search for Him and will die in their sin. In other words, the Jews will actually continue looking for a future Messiah, unable to see that they already rejected the only Messiah that there is. So their seeking will be in vain, right? It’s empty. Unbelief is a sin that will cause their death. Jesus mentions that both of them are going to face death, but the two are utterly different places. He says, where I am going, you cannot come. Verse 22. Confused by Jesus’ comments, the Jews ask,

“Will he kill himself, since he says, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come’?”

And can you see the irony here? In one sense, the Jews are profoundly right about Jesus’ death. Jesus will deliberately choose death, but not by means of suicide, but by means of His perfect obedience to the Father, even to the point of shedding blood. Jesus does not even bother to answer their question, but instead He shines light again on their fundamental issue, their problem. He says to them in verse 23,

“You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world.”

The Jews’ fundamental problem is not their understanding, it’s their identity. Jesus and the Jews come from two completely antithetical realms. The Jews belong to this created order that’s in rebellion against its Creator. That’s the reason why they’re blind. It’s why they fail to understand Jesus’ words. It’s why they don’t have genuine fellowship with God. They’re trapped in their fallen identity. And that is an enormous problem, because God’s word repeatedly tells us that every single person in the history of the world is born with this identity. And there’s only one way out of this fatal problem. Jesus tells us in verse 24,

“I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins.”

Now, it’s worth pausing to point out that if you’re reading from an English translation, you will not be able to see something that helps us understand the thrust behind our passage. Most translations will say something like, unless you believe that I am he, or unless you believe that I am who I claim to be. But what it literally says is, unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins. The I am here stands alone in this verse. Nothing comes after it. The other I am statements are followed by a predicate. For example, I am the bread of life. I am the good shepherd. I am the way and the truth and the life. But here in verse 24, the second half of the formula is missing. Again, He literally says, unless you believe that I am, you will die in your sins. The same is true in verse 28, when He says,

“When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am”

But that way of talking, it’s a bit confusing, right? It’s a bit obscure. Naturally, the question remains, I am who? Which is exactly the question the Jews ask in verse 25. Who are you, Jesus? But you see, Jesus’ ambiguity here is not accidental. He knows exactly what He is saying. Jesus is using this I am expression in an absolute sense, meaning Jesus is using this expression in the same way that God does when He discloses Himself to people in the Old Testament. In Isaiah chapters 40 through 55, God repeatedly reveals Himself using the same I am expression in the Septuagint. We don’t have time to review all the examples, but let me just offer a couple. In Isaiah 41 verse 4, God says,

I, the Lord, the first, and with the last; I am he.

Or in Isaiah 43:13, yes and from ancient of days, I am.

Now I imagine that some of you have probably seen the movie “The Sixth Sense”. It’s a thriller that came out in the late 90s, and it’s famous for its epic twist at the very end that leaves the viewers with their jaws dropped. But when you rewatch the film, you’re actually able to see so many clues that point to the movie’s big ending. And our passage functions in a similar way. In John 8 verses 24 and 28, and what we’ll see at the end, we only know that Jesus is using this I am expression in an absolute way because we know the ending of John 8. But at the end of our chapter, Jesus is no longer ambiguous. It’s indisputably clear that Jesus uses this expression to claim deity.

And when we reread our passage and pass over verses 24 and 28, the reader knows that there’s just so much more theological weight behind His use I am, even though at this point in the narrative, it remains unclear, which is exactly why in verse 25, the Jews ask the question, who are you? And so how does Jesus respond? He responds by pointing out that they are culpable for their ignorance and lack of understanding. In other words, they should have already known about who Jesus is. Verse 25, Jesus tells them, I’ve been telling you who I am since the very beginning of My ministry. The confusion of the Jews is not because Jesus is trying to hide His identity, nor is it a matter of lacking information, nor is it because Jesus’ message is unclear. Jesus is not the problem here. They are the problem.

Now, scripture teaches that if we’re to know truth, God must reveal it to us. That’s true. Scripture also teaches that there are certain things that will remain a mystery, like the Trinity. That’s also true. But it’s also true that God in His infinite wisdom withheld certain things about reality. So, for example, what date is Jesus coming back? Or what are the angels exactly up to on earth? Or what did Jesus write with His finger on the ground in John 8:6? For questions like those, it’s worth remembering Deuteronomy 29:29, which says that the secret things belong to the Lord our God.

But we must never allow those things to excuse us from the many truths that have clearly been revealed and we should understand, but we don’t. Wrong theology is not a morally neutral issue. Wrong belief is evil. Not understanding what is true is morally evil. Often we don’t believe the truth because we don’t want to believe the truth. In verse 25, Jesus’ listeners should have known the truth about Jesus, but they didn’t. And that is 100% their fault. They are morally responsible for their lack of understanding. And the same is true for me, and the same is true for you. Jesus says, verse 26,

“I have much to say about you and much to judge, but he who sent me is true, and I declare to the world what I have heard from him.”

Jesus actually has a lot to say in judgment over those from below and those of this world. As we read in John 7:7, Jesus testifies against the world that its works are evil. But even though he speaks in judgment over His listeners, he doesn’t do so by Himself. It’s not like Jesus is blowing up in a rage and He’s speaking words of harsh judgment that He’s later going to regret. No, far from that. Again, we see that whatever He tells the world is the words of His Father who sent Him. And He is true. John interrupts Jesus’ answer to the question, who are you, with a narrative aside in verse 27. He says,

They did not understand that he had been speaking to them about the Father.

John says that so blind are the Jews that are talking to Jesus that they’re not even able to understand the topic of conversation. That would be hilarious if it weren’t so sad. So then, is there any hope for those who are blind? Will they ever be able to see who Jesus truly is? Verses 28 and 29, Jesus says to them,

“When you have lifted up the Son of Man, then you will know that I am he, and that I do nothing on my own authority, but speak just as the Father taught me. And he who sent me is with me. He has not left me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to him.”

At what point is Jesus’ true identity most revealed? When is it clearest? The answer is at the cross. Eric Raymond says, Stand in the shadow of the cross to learn of God, for here the Son of God was sent forth to amplify and supremely demonstrate all of the divine perfections. Do you want to know who Jesus is? Do you want to know more about Him? Look at the cross. There you will see the truth of His identity. There you will see His perfect obedience to the Father, His love, His mercy, His justice, His glory, and so much more. And just like the Jews in our passage, the day is coming when every single person will bow the knee and know and confess that Jesus is the crucified and resurrected Lord of the universe. In verse 30, we continue reading,

As he was saying these things, many believed in him.

Jesus’ words were captivating enough that many, John says, believed in him. This is wonderful news, right? We can celebrate. Or is it? Observant readers of John might be skeptical. For in John 2:23, we read that many already believed in his name at another festival, but their faith turned out to be fake. It turned out to be untrustworthy. Or after the feeding of the 5,000 in John 6, we read that many of His disciples turned back and no longer walked with Jesus. The faith of those disciples proved to be false. But what about our faith in this passage? For now, that ends our second point. We’ll get to it later. Jesus bears witness to his identity and future. Jesus is from above, but the Jews are from below. Both will return to where they’re from.

Number three, verses 31 through 47 – Jesus bears witness to His own paternity. God is His Father, but the Jews are children of the devil. Jesus begins by confronting the faith of those who had just believed in Him. He does this by telling them what is at the heart of genuine faith. Jesus says, verse 31,

If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples,

This is one of the tests that separates genuine faith from spurious faith. But what does it mean to abide in Jesus’ word? One scholar rightly explains, true faith involves both fully accepting and persisting in the words of Jesus. It means that you submit to the whole counsel of God’s word. It means that you submit to the fullness of God’s word from cover to cover. In verse 32, it says we can know the truth as we submit to the fullness of God’s word, and only then can the truth of the gospel set us free. And it sets us free from the threat of sin and death.

You see, too many professing Christians treat God’s word as if it’s something to pick and choose from. Many will come across a passage that conflicts with their own ideas, and so they reject it or they choose to ignore it. Many use their consciences and their convictions as a filter for truth. That’s a big problem. Because sin is far more pervasive, it is far more penetrating than all of us believe. Our convictions can be sinful. Our consciences can be sinful. Our thoughts, our cultures, our desires, our hopes, our political stance, our affections, our emotions, our goals, all those things can be subjected to sin. So if one of those things becomes your filter for truth, you risk standing against the truth. And what our hope is is that we use God’s word and God as a filter for truth.

For example, in the last five or ten years, can you give specific examples of your life bending around God’s word? Or when you read passages that you dislike or are hard for you to understand, is your first assumption that you are wrong? When God’s word competes against your own ideas or desires, which one wins? Here’s an application point that I want everyone to do today. Pick a friend, pick a cousin, a family member, a spouse, a brother, a sister, a parent, and ask a simple question. Can you see any part of my life that is not submitting to God’s word? Or in other words, in what ways is my life not abiding in Jesus’ words? And then just listen. Don’t make excuses, don’t talk back, just listen. And if you find yourself struggling with some of these things, or you get defensive and you start making excuses and you blame shift, that could be a big red flag. It could mean that you care more about your image of abiding in God rather than actually abiding in God’s word. If we truly want to abide in God’s word, is it not a gracious gift that we have brothers and sisters who are able to graciously point out the ways that we’re not abiding in God’s word? Proverbs says it’s the fool that hates correction. Don’t be a fool. D.A. Carson writes, “A genuine believer remains in Jesus’ word. Such a person obeys it, seeks to understand it better, and finds it more precious, more controlling, precisely when other forces oppose it.” As long as you remain the judge and arbiter of truth, you will never know the truth, and the truth will not set you free.

So how did the Jews reply? Verse 33. The believing Jews reply,

“We are offspring of Abraham and have never been enslaved to anyone. How is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?”

Now if you know Israel’s history, you might be scratching your head here a little bit. You will know that there’s hardly a major superpower, political power that the Jews were not subjected to, right? We have Egypt, we have Assyria, Babylon, Greece, Syria, Rome. So they cannot possibly be saying that they’ve never been under any foreign power. Instead, what’s much more likely is what they’re saying is something like this. They say, We are the descendants of Abraham. We’re a part of God’s chosen people. We’re doing completely fine. We don’t need any liberation. We’re already free, right? We have all we need. We’re good. We have the law, the prophets, the kings, the great temple. We’re sons of the kingdom. We’re good. We don’t need no help. How dare you say that you will be set free? And we see that the gospel is offensive to the proud and the self-sufficient. The Jews believe that they are superior to other nations because they physically descended from Abraham. They believe that they’ve never been beneath any nation because they were the chosen people. Their national pride leads them to think that they’re spiritually healthy and have no need of a Messiah or a physician. And oh, how history repeats itself. So Jesus answers them in verse 34,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who practices sin is a slave to sin. The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.”

Here is the fundamental problem for the Jews and for us. It’s easy to believe that we’re just not that sinful. We might struggle a little here and a little there, but we’re not that bad. I mean, look at Afghanistan for crying out loud. People are killing each other. We’re not that bad. What’s a little grumbling? What’s a little complaining? But the word of God persistently teaches us that when we sin, we’re rebelling against our creator King. For example, when we grumble and when we complain, we’re basically telling God, God, you’re a failure. You’re failing to meet my needs. You’re failing to provide for me. God, You clearly can’t see right. If You did, You would see I certainly shouldn’t be in this circumstance. You’re failing to give me what is best for me. I deserve better. When we grumble, we rebel against the throne. In effect, you’re de-godding God.

And in doing so, you’re choosing to be subjected to another master, another king, the master of sin. This, Jesus says, is the ultimate bondage. The proud are insulted because the gospel doesn’t say we need just a little bit of improvement. The gospel says that we’re utterly trapped in the tyranny of sin and death, that we’re imprisoned in darkness. But the self-sufficient say, eh, I’m good. I don’t need help. Verse 35, sinner slaves have no place in the household of God, right? Why would they? They willingly rebel against God’s house.

But unlike everyone else in the history of the world, Jesus has secured his place as the perfect obedient son of God. And verse 36, it’s the unique son of God who has been given the divine mission to set the captive free. And the son is not a failure. Verse 37,

“I know that you are offspring of Abraham; yet you seek to kill me because my word finds no place in you. I speak of what I have seen with my Father, and you do what you have heard from your father.”

They answered him, “Abraham is our father.” Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would be doing the works Abraham did, but now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God. This is not what Abraham did. You are doing the works your father did.”

In verse 37, Jesus does not deny the fact that they’re physical descendants of Abraham. But genuine faith has never been a matter of your physical lineage. It’s never been a matter of your nation or your family or being in proximity to God’s people. Jesus says that far more important is right belief and right behavior. So the very fact that the Jews are seeking to kill Jesus proves that they are not part of the true heirs of Abraham. Both Jesus’ words here and the Jews’ actions reveal who their true father is. And the same is true for me. The same is true for you.

Unfortunately, too many times do we see people put up this facade at church, only to go home and act completely different behind closed doors. Like, who do you think we’re fooling? Do we actually believe that God doesn’t see what happens behind closed doors? You might fool the church, but you don’t fool God. God sees everything. Everything. If we ask your roommate, what would they say about your behavior? If we asked your coworkers, what would they say about your behavior? If you asked your wife, what would they say about your behavior? What about your parents or children? Yes, we’re saved by grace through faith. Amen. But that’s not Jesus’ point here. Jesus is teaching here that your behavior reveals who your true father is.

Now, the Jews are insistent that Abraham is their father. They actually think that morally and ethically, they measure up to be the real descendants of Abraham. Jesus says if that were true, they would do what Abraham did. You see, when God spoke to Abraham, Abraham believed Him and obeyed His word. And here we have the very same words of God, Jesus speaking the words of the Father to the Jews, but they find it so distasteful in verse 40. They find it so distasteful that they seek to kill Him. Unlike Abraham, the Jews here can’t even recognize God’s voice. All this means, verse 41, is that they cannot possibly have the same father. Verse 41,

“You are doing the works your father did.” They said to him, “We were not born of sexual immorality. We have one Father—even God.”

Now, it’s possible that they understood Jesus very literally here. If Jesus was rejecting Abraham as their literal father, then they must be physical descendants of the Gentiles. But it’s also possible that they were alluding to Jesus’ irregular birth. In effect, they’re saying, we weren’t the ones born of sexual immorality, with the innuendo that Jesus was. Regardless of how we’re to understand verse 41, it’s clear that the Jews were not happy about Jesus rejecting their claim to be the children of Abraham. So they come up with another idea. Again, an idea that Jesus certainly cannot argue with this time. God is their Father. For in the Old Testament, God explicitly, God himself says that Israel is His firstborn son, and He is Israel’s Father. Jesus can’t deny with that. He can’t argue with that. But Jesus now claims something radical. He says that He Himself is now the defining marker of belonging to God’s true family. Verse 42,

Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word.

Jesus came from God. It’s impossible to trust God if you reject the One He sent. To embrace God is to embrace Jesus and His word. To reject Jesus and His word is to reject God Himself. The unbelief and conduct of the Jews reveal that they’re children of another father. But the identity of their father has yet to be made clear. But in these next verses, Jesus now makes explicitly clear who their true father is. Verse 44,

“You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

How the Jews respond to Jesus can be characterized by two things, murder and holding on to lies. One theologian writes, “lying here speaks not so much to individual acts of deception, but rather to a posture that opposes the truth and sets up a false view of the world. Its entire perspective, it’s a way of life and thought that engulfs the lives of those to whom Jesus speaks and itself proceeds from the devil himself.” The reader cannot help but think back to Genesis, right? In Genesis 2 and 3 in the Garden of Eden, God declares, if you eat of this tree, you will surely die. And then just a few verses later, the serpent denies, you will not surely die. Obviously, one of them is a liar. And by abiding in the devil’s word, death was brought to all creation. The devil is the liar. Note verse 45, Jesus says,

But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.

This is a shocking verse. Notice that Jesus doesn’t say something like, even though I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me. Or when I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me. But he says, because I tell you the truth, you do not believe Me. The Jews, they’re so immersed in a world of lies that they are incapable of belief. They’re incapable of believing what is true, precisely because it is true. They reject Jesus because He speaks the truth from God. Jesus continues, verse 46,

Which one of you convicts me of sin?

In effect, He says, look at my life. Can you find any fault in Me? Can you see any sin I’ve made? If you can’t, then shouldn’t you trust Me? If I tell you the truth, why do you not believe Me? I’ll tell you the reason why, verse 47,

Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.”

And that is our third point. Jesus bears witness to His own paternity. God is His Father, but the Jews are children of the devil.

Number four, verses 48 through 59 – Jesus bears witness to His own deity, but the Jews fully reject Him. In this last section, those who profess to believe in Jesus turn into a raging mob seeking to murder Him. The faith proves to be false. But if Jesus knew this was going to happen, then why didn’t He walk away right after scripture says many believed in Him? Shouldn’t He have prayed the sinner’s prayer and celebrated? Instead, Jesus continues to push back, knowing very well that the very words that He’s going to speak is going to spark a murderous mob. What was Jesus up to?

You see, Jesus follows in the pattern of all of God’s faithful messengers. He’s never concerned about increasing His followers if their faith is going to remain a sham. Instead, Jesus consistently speaks in a way that challenges and unmasks the faith of those who are not genuine. Jesus will not allow people to be deceived into thinking that they’re true Christians, when in reality, they’re not.

And this is an aspect of ministry that I think the North American church is failing at large. Our churches have many professing Christians who will hear from Jesus, I never knew you, depart from Me. And yet we, we have made them feel safe because we’re too busy to be in people’s lives. We’re too afraid to speak the truth and offend people. Or maybe worse, we’re too proud to think that we should be hanging out with people who sin, as if Jesus didn’t hang out with people who had deplorable sin. Now, this doesn’t give us a license to speak however we want, as long as it’s true. No. Scripture clearly commands that all should be said and done in love, with respect, with dignity, talking to an image-bearer right in front of you. But the most loving thing that Jesus does, and we should too, is to help those kinds of people see where they truly stand and the direction that they’re heading. Verse 48, now that the Jews’ arguments have failed, they resort to insults and name-calling. They accuse Jesus of being out of his mind. They say in verse 48,

“Are we not right in saying that you are a Samaritan and have a demon?”

Jesus denies their claim in verse 49,

I do not have a demon, but I honor my Father, and you dishonor me. Yet I do not seek my own glory; there is One who seeks it, and he is the judge.

Jesus in effect says, Don’t be mistaken. I’m not trying to seek after My own glory. My father will ensure that I am glorified. Again, Jesus promises in verse 51,

“Truly, truly, I say to you, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.”

The Jews said to him, “Now we know that you have a demon!”

You’re talking like a madman, in other words. You’re possessed. Abraham died. Moses died. David died. Isaiah died. All the prophets died. If anyone keeps my word, he will never taste death. Are you greater than our father Abraham, who died and the prophets died? In effect, they say, Look at the greatness of revelation that God mediated through these prophets. For crying out loud, Moses spoke to God face to face, and God gave him the law, and we have the law. That’s great revelation. They’re great. But they died. They all died. We all die. Who do you think you are to say, If anyone keeps my word, he will never die? The Jews were convinced that they would never see anyone greater than Abraham or the prophets. Why? Because Abraham’s greatness meant they were great. If someone greater did come, they would lose their superiority or they would be threatened. And the lies they held just could not allow them to believe otherwise. They were holding on to their prejudices so tightly that even if God spoke to them face to face, they would still not let go. They remain the arbiters of truth. They remain the judge. And that is one of the defining markers of children of the devil who disguise themselves as professing Christians. They hold on to certain beliefs that are non-negotiable, no matter what. They accept part of God’s word because it fits with what they want to believe is true while neglecting other parts or failing to consider other parts of God’s word.

How does Jesus answer who he is making himself to be? In verse 54,

If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing.

Jesus says, I don’t make myself to be anyone. I know that any attempts at self-glorification is in vain.

It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word. Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”

Jesus cannot deny what is true. He cannot deny who He is. If He did, He would be a liar. He is the fulfillment of all of God’s promises. He is the fulfillment of Abraham’s hopes and longing for the Messiah to finally arrive. He is the one through whom all the earth will be blessed. He is the true Light of the world.

Verse 57, The Jews say, That’s ridiculous. Abraham lived 2,000 years ago. You’re not yet 50 years old and yet have you seen Abraham? Just like Jesus made the Jews’ identity explicitly clear, he now makes His own identity explicitly clear. Verse 58, He says,

Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.

And if there was any doubt for what He meant by I am in the past, this one is unquestionable. Jesus claims that He is the self-existing deity. He’s saying that before Abraham was born 2,000 years ago, Jesus is already existing. I am, Jesus says. Before the creation of the world, I am. From infinity’s past to infinity’s future, I am. Verse 59 must be one of the saddest verses in the Bible,

So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.

Stoning was prescribed for blasphemy. Their response shows that they clearly understood Jesus claiming to be God, but the people fully rejected Him. To paraphrase Augustine’s words, it’s a sad thing that Jesus here must flee from the stones. But the real tragedy, the real tragedy is with those from whose heart of stone God flees. Jesus is the Light of the world, but the world rejects the light. And so the Light of the world hides and darkness returns. This is John 3:19 lived out in real life,

the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

Now how exactly Jesus got away is not clear here, but that’s not the point. The main point of our passage today is that Jesus is the self-existing God, and that guarantees that those of this world, the ones that are in rebellion against God, cannot stand what He has to say. Who Jesus is guarantees that those of this world are repulsed by the truth of His witness.

Now, I could end my sermon here, but thanks be to God, John 8 is not the end of the story. But it is an important part of the story that must be understood and must be accepted. Who Jesus is guarantees that those of this world are repulsed by the truth of His witness. The Bible clearly teaches that everyone, including me, is born belonging to this world, which is guaranteed to reject Jesus and His words. We’re all born as people from below, as people of this world. We’re all born as children of the devil who cannot bear Jesus’ words, who cannot stand in truth, who do not know God. Sin and death enslave us, and all this strikes at the very core of our being. It’s insulting. It’s offensive. But it’s true. It’s the gospel. But if this is true, it means that we’re in grave danger. We need divine initiative. Unless God Himself rescues us from our state, we’re guaranteed to reject Him.

But we serve a glorious God. God did provide the means for our rescue. And how does He do so? He does it precisely through Jesus’ rejection. Jesus reveals His divine identity, which is the very thing that ignites the hatred that leads to the scandal of the cross, and the cross is what guarantees our salvation for those who trust in Him and His words. The cross is where He bore the wrath of God for our rejection and our rebellion. The cross is where He gave His perfect righteousness to us. Without the cross, there is no resurrection from the dead, which proves that everything Jesus said is true. He is the great and all-powerful I Am. I Am is able to rescue even the very people guaranteed to reject Him. I Am can soften the hardest of hearts. If you trust and believe His words, He will set you free, and you will never see death. By His rejection, we are accepted. By His wounds, we are healed. Oh, the depths of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God.

Let’s pray. Amazing grace that saved a wretch like us. Lord, Your salvation, Your inheritance is undeserved. But Lord, thank You that You have chosen to rescue us. You have chosen to reveal Yourself to us, through your Son. And as we look to the cross, we’re able to see who You truly are in ways that are supreme. Father, we thank You so much for that gift. God, help us to see that we were once undeserved, that we were a part of this world, but You chose us out of the world. Lord, may that destroy every ounce of pride, every ounce of superiority, and give us a humility that our country desperately needs right now. God, we need the humility that the gospel should produce. God, help us to share this message boldly, with passion. It’s the best news we can ever hear. Thank You for who You are and that You have revealed Yourself to us today. We thank you that we get to know this great I Am. And we pray all these things in the powerful name Jesus, Amen.

August 22, 2021