The sermon by Jason Dohm, titled 'A Man Sent from God,' explores the significance of John the Baptist as introduced in John 1:6-9. John the Baptist is highlighted as a pivotal figure who was divinely sent to bear witness to Jesus, the true light, and to prepare the way for His coming. The sermon emphasizes the stark contrast between Jesus, the divine Word and Light, and John, who was a human witness to that light. John the Baptist's birth and mission were foretold by prophecy, underscoring his unique role in God's plan. The sermon discusses the importance of witnessing and testimony, not only in John the Baptist's time but also in the present, as a means through which people come to believe in Jesus. The concept of light is explored as a metaphor for spiritual understanding and holiness, with Jesus being the ultimate source of true light. The sermon concludes by encouraging believers to be witnesses to Christ and to 'burn as a light' for as long as God grants them time, whether it be a short or long ministry.

This morning's text is John 1, 6 through 9 for context. I will begin at verse 1. Don't stop me if you've heard this before. 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 were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the light that all through him might believe.

He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light, that that was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world. Father, open our hearts and minds and receive the message you have prepared for us. We ask this in Jesus' name. Amen. The title of the sermon this morning is A Man Sent from God.

And so we're obviously being introduced to John the Baptist. What a sweet study this week of that. Last week in our text we edged closer to the incarnation. We were given Jesus as life and light. Jesus is the ultimate source of all spiritual life and of all spiritual light or understanding and purity.

And the text ended this way, and the light shines in the darkness. And the darkness did not comprehend it. The text left us with Jesus Christ shining into the darkness of the world. And so we're already being taught that something is wrong with mankind. That the maker of all things would have to shine into this dark world where there is active rejection of light is really setting the stage for the Word being made flash and coming to do what mankind is so helpless to do for ourselves.

This week we are introduced to John the Baptist. I realized in my study this week that I haven't given John the Baptist the place of prominence that he deserves in my brain. He's so prominent in the Gospels. He's so many places at such length in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and especially John that we should actually think much of John the Baptist. He's a lot here in chapter 1.

We're going to be talking about John the Baptist ongoing for the next month or so. Then he reappears again in significant ways in chapter 3. Then he reappears again in significant ways in chapter 3. Then he reappears again in significant ways in chapter 5. So there's going to be lots of about John the Baptist.

So I'm going to resist the temptation, which is great, which is to pre-preach all those sermons. There's no need to do that. There's plenty in this text. So as we go to the text, let's ask the Lord to help us. Our Father, we thank you, thank you for all that you've raised up across thousands of years to point us to your Son.

To your son. All those in scripture who you raised up to point to your son, all those in church history that you raised up to point to your son. All those that you raised up in our own individual lives to whom we feel like we owe such a great debt of gratitude who pointed us to the Lord Jesus. Thank you, thank you Lord. Pray now in our study of John that you would set our hearts rejoicing.

You've done this, you've pointed to your son in a thousand different ways. We praise your name in Jesus name. Amen. We've got four verses, and just take them one by one, shall we? Verse six.

Follow along as I read verse six. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. Here in this verse we have the sent man. So if you're filling in blanks on the handout, it's sent. John is the sent man.

Meaning that he didn't come on the scene of his own accord. None of what we see about John the Baptist was the idea of John the Baptist. It was the idea of God Almighty who wanted to send a forerunner before his son to point to him and to make his way straight. We begin in this verse with a really stark and obvious contrast. The whole beginning was about the Word.

The Word was with God. The Word was God from the very beginning. The Word was the Creator of all things. Nothing was ever made without the Word making Him or Her or It. And the Word is the source of all spiritual life and light.

And now in this verse there was a man. The contrast is so stark. And Our author of the Gospel of John, the Apostle John, is going to keep making this contrast so explicit. He doesn't imply contrast, he expresses the contrast. We get that right in this text.

He was not that light, but he came to bear witness of that light. John was a great man, but just a man. There was a man sent from God. There's no place that we get like John being a sent man than from Luke chapter 1. So please turn to Luke chapter 1.

John the Baptist, like John chapter 1, is all over Luke chapter 1. All over Luke chapter 1. So let's look at some of those places. I'll begin by reading Luke chapter 1 verses 5 through 25. Just follow along as I read.

Beginning in verse 5. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias of the division of Abijah. His wife was of the daughters of Aaron and her name was Elizabeth. They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. They had no child because Elizabeth was barren and they were both well advanced in years.

So it was that while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense, that an angel of the Lord appeared to him standing on the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him he was troubled and fear fell upon him." That almost always happens when you encounter an angel. You become afraid. Verse 13.

But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. And you shall have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.

He will also go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just to make ready a people prepared for the Lord And Zechariah said to the angel how shall I know this for I am an old man and my wife is well advanced in years. And the angel answered and said to him, I am Gabriel who stands in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you and to bring you these glad tidings. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their own time." And the people waited for Zacharias and marveled that he lingered so long in the temple, but when he came out he could not speak to them. And they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple, for he beckoned to them and remained speechless. So it was as soon as the days of his service were completed that he departed to his own house.

Now after those days his wife Elizabeth conceived and she hid herself five months saying thus the Lord has dealt with me in the days when he looked on me to take away my reproach among people or several things I'd like to draw attention to from these verses one this is what the Apostle John means that there was a man sent from God. This is not just looking back on it and saying, wow, he had a real anointing from the Lord. An angel showed up to say, you're about to be pregnant even in your old age, your wife's about to be pregnant in her old age, and he's going to be a mighty man of God. He was truly sent from God. It was announced before Elizabeth had even conceived.

Secondly, John is not a random name that came out of the thoughts of his parents. I bear that kind of name. All my children bear that kind of name. I'm sure the Lord and his providence had a hand in it. No angel showed up and told me to name Rebecca Rebecca.

It seemed like a good idea to us, so we named her Rebecca. Not so with John. The angel said his name will be John. More on that in a minute, but John doesn't have a random name. John has a divinely assigned name explicitly out of the mouth of an angel.

Thirdly, the angel quoted one portion of Scripture here in verse 17, where Gabriel says, He will also go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, quote, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, end quote. He's quoting Malachi chapter 4. In your Bible that's about a paragraph before Matthew chapter 1. The very, very, very, very, very, very end of the Old Testament and where it's positioned in your Bible. Now on the timeline, Joel was probably a prophet after Malachi and some of the historical characters of the Old Testament are a bit after that.

But as a general statement, it's fine to say Malachi, then 400 years of silence. And the silence is broken, actually not by John the Baptist, but by John the Baptist's father Zechariah. He prophesied coming out of 400 years where God didn't give any divinely inspired Bible revelation. There's nothing in the Bible between Malachi and Matthew chapter 1. So, it's so significant that the last chapter of Malachi is quoted here as being, John the Baptist being the fulfillment of that.

He came to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. Now I'd like to skip to verse 39. We're still in Luke chapter 1. But now going to verse 39 and I'll read through 45. Follow along.

Luke chapter 1 verse 39, now Mary in those days, now Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste to a city of Judah and entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. And it happened when Elizabeth heard the greeting of Mary that the babe leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she spoke out with a loud voice and said, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. But why is this granted to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For indeed as soon as the voice of your greeting sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.

Blessed is she who believed, for there will be a fulfillment of those things Which were told her from the Lord? Like to just draw a few things out of this portion number one Elizabeth might not have known everything about who her son would be and who Mary's son would be, but whatever she knew, she knew enough to say to call the baby in Mary's womb, or to call Mary the mother of my Lord." Elizabeth was acknowledging the baby in the womb of her relative Mary to be her Lord. So striking. Secondly, John and Jesus had this connection from the very beginning, from this time that they're both in the womb, John the Baptist in the womb of Elizabeth, Jesus in the womb of Mary, and now there's already been this connection made where Elizabeth even recognizes the significance of Mary's pregnancy and knowing something of the significance of her own pregnancy. Now I'd like to fast forward to verse 57 through 66.

To verse 57, verse 57 through 66. Follow along as I read. Luke chapter 1 verse 57, now Elizabeth's full time came for her to be delivered and she brought forth a son. When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. So it was on the eighth day that they came to circumcise the child and they would have called him by the name of his father, Zacharias.

His mother answered and said, No, he shall be called John. But they said to her, There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name. So they made signs to his father what he would have him called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote saying his name is John. So they all marveled.

Immediately His mouth was opened and his tongue loosed and he spoke praising God. Then fear came on all who dwelt around them and all these sayings were discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea and all those who heard them kept them in their hearts saying what kind of child will this be and the hand of the Lord was with with him so this is more on just there was a man sent from God whose name was John and how his relatives wanted to name him something more appropriate given the name of those relative the names among those relatives and Elizabeth said no his name is John and they they tried to They tried to go over her head, and Zechariah scratches out, no, his name is John. And everyone around these happenings recognized there's something special here. They're wondering, what manner of child, what kind of child will this be, recognizing that miraculous things are happening. Then the next section, beginning in verse 67, is inspired prophecy of Zechariah.

It's Not John the Baptist, but his father Zechariah. And it would be so profitable to look at that whole prophecy, but we don't have time for that. Most of it is actually about Jesus. It's a prophecy about Jesus. But in verse 76, look at Luke 1 verse 76, Zacharias says, and you, child, John the Baptist is out of the womb now, and his father is prophesying, and you, child, will be called the prophet of the highest for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways." We've already heard this out of the mouth of John the Baptist's mother when she saw Mary like you're the mother of my Lord now we hear it out of the mouth of his father, son, you'll go before the face of the Lord.

John the Baptist is still a baby when he's prophesying this. These are wonderful, marvelous things. They might not have understood everything, but they sure understood a lot both about Jesus and about the mission of their son. There was a man sent from God whose name was John the Baptist. One last point on John being sent.

There are only two prophets who were themselves specifically foretold. Usually the prophets are doing the foretelling about other things, but there are two prophets that were foretold. They were actually not only prophets foretelling other things, but they themselves were the subject of prior prophecy. And those two were the Lord Jesus Christ starting with Moses, who we don't think of him as a prophet, but Moses was a great and mighty prophet. Starting with Moses saying, God saying through Moses, there will be a prophet like you.

The people will hear him, that speaking of Jesus and then going through. Almost all the prophets had something to say about Jesus, so he was lavishly the subject of prophecy as well as being a prophet. Again, Jesus we normally don't think of as a prophet, but he was the greatest prophet of all. God spoke most fully through the words of his incarnate son as prophet. And then in John chapter one, when people are sent to John the Baptist to say, who are you?

Why are you baptizing? He actually quotes Isaiah chapter 40. He said, I am the voice. Look at verse 23. We're back in John now.

Back in John chapter 1 verse 23. John the Baptist said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, make straight the way of the Lord. This is stunning. This is John quoting Isaiah chapter 40 verse 3 and saying I'm the fulfillment of that prophecy. I'm not only a prophet foretelling pointing towards one who's coming but I have been foretold I'm the fulfillment of John chapter 40 verse 3 and then and then in the other Gospels not in John but in the other Gospels Malachi 3 verse 1 is cited listen to listen to Malachi chapter 3 verse 1, Behold I send my messenger and he will prepare the way before me.

And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight behold he is coming says the Lord of hosts that verse for telling about someone who would come before the Lord is fulfilled in John the Baptist And so Jesus actually says that in Matthew chapter 11 verse 10. In Matthew 11 verse 10, Jesus is quoting Malachi 3.1 to say, John the Baptist is that. He's the fulfillment of that. And Mark in the second verse of his gospel, Mark chapter 1 verse 2, quotes Malachi 3 verse 1 saying, John is that. He learned that from Jesus, by the way.

The same is recorded in Luke chapter 7, verse 27, it's the exact same events as Jesus quoting that verse of John the Baptist. The whole point being that John was sent from God in a very special way. He was not just a prophet, he was the subject of prophecy And that can only be said of Jesus and John the Baptist period. I don't think anybody could prove me wrong that the list only has two people who fit that description, Jesus and John the Baptist. A few last points on his name being John.

First, in the other Gospels, John the Baptist is always called John the Baptist. The description is always attached to the name. In the Gospel of John, it never is. So do you understand what I'm saying? In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, every time you see John the Baptist, the Gospel writer clarifies, I'm talking about John the Baptist.

Those are never separated. In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist is never called anything but John, period, just John, and John the Apostle is never referenced by name. Isn't that striking? Even though he was so close to Jesus, well why is that? Well it's because he wrote the gospel, and he just calls himself the disciple whom Jesus loved Which is humorous but wonderful Those of you who are believers in the room Don't you kind of think of yourself that way?

I'm the disciple of Jesus, just feeling loved by the Lord. This is a very sweet and precious truth. You shouldn't be offended that John did that. I sort of feel that way too. To the disciple that Jesus loved.

Secondly, or finally, John means, the name John has a meaning to it. It's a word that has meaning. And the name means, Jehovah is a gracious giver. John the Baptist's name and John the Apostle for that matter, the name means Jehovah is a gracious giver. Here's what Calvin says about that.

Calvin says, there is no room to doubt that the Lord had reference to the office to which he appointed John when he commanded by the angel that he should be so called that by means of it all might acknowledge him to be the herald of divine grace." Calvin says, his name had to be John. He's Jesus' herald and Jesus represents divine grace. So we're getting ready to study that. The law came through Moses, but grace and truth through Jesus Christ. And since John is the herald of divine grace, Calvin says his name had to be John.

Jehovah is a gracious giver. Praise the Lord for that. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. There sure is a lot wrapped up in that verse that is precious to all believers. Let's move on to verse 7.

Verse 7. Back in John chapter 1, verse 7, follow along as I read, this man came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all through him might believe. Here in verse 7, we have the purpose of this man, and the purpose of the purpose. So if you're filling in blanks, it's just purpose. We'll unwind it, I know it's confusing.

The purpose of this man, and the purpose of his purpose. John's mission was his message. And in other words, we don't see John doing anything else. We don't see John prophesying in that sense, giving prophetic utterances as we would think of Isaiah and Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel and on. We see him pointing to Christ and that's prophetic.

But we don't see John doing any miracles. John's mission was his testimony. John's mission was his message and his message was Jesus, period. John did not discourse on a lot of things. He said, repent in order to make people ready for Jesus and he said there's one coming after me you put your trust in him.

That's it. That's the breath of John's ministry. Come here be baptized, repent of your sins and come down into the water. And somebody's coming after me you need to trust him that's the breath of it. You know God's been promising a messiah who would show up and save people he's right here he's at the door You're about to see him.

The text says he came for a witness, to be the bearer of testimony about the light. Now, we've already been introduced in John chapter 1 to the light. In verse 4 it said that life was in Jesus and the life was the light of men in verse 5 John said the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it so we've already been introduced to light So there in those two verses verse 4 and verse 5 light is an essential part of who Jesus is. So light as true spiritual understanding and light as utter moral holiness is essential to who Jesus is. We've already learned that in verses four and five.

But now It's the light, capital L. It's used as a title. We're encountering the second title for the Lord Jesus Christ. At first, He was the Word, speaking all things into existence, the perfect and ultimate self-expression of God to the world. He is the Word.

Now he's given the second title in just a few short verses. He is the Light. It's not only an essential part of who he is, but he is the light. He deserves to be called even by that as a name. We're going to immediately see John fulfilling his purpose to bear a witness to Jesus.

Just look ahead to John chapter 1 verse 15. Verse 15, John bore a witness of him and cried out saying, This was he of whom I said he who comes after me is preferred before me, for he was before me." Or look at verse 29. We see him again. The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. If you had to condense Who Jesus was, what he came to do, how could you condense it any further than behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world?

John came as a witness and he's positioned that way in our verses here today and it's on display in the rest of the chapter. He's bearing witness to Christ. He is busy doing his mission and his mission is his message that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. And what is the purpose of His testimony? It's given to us in our text.

That all through Him might believe. That's why he was sent with this testimony about the Lord Jesus Christ, that through this testimony all might believe. Now where have we heard language like that before? Do you remember where we've heard language? The purpose statement of the whole gospel, which we keep repeating, John chapter 20, there's only 21 chapters, so it's right at the end of the gospel, John chapter 20, verse 31.

The gospel writer writes, these things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that in believing you may have life. So John the Baptist and John the Apostle and Gospel writer have exactly the same objective. They're coming with a testimony about Jesus and why. So that you'll believe that Jesus is the Son of God and you'll have life as a result of their testimony. And John the Gospel writer is calling John the Baptist who was sent by God as his first witness.

And John the Gospel writer is going to keep calling witnesses that Jesus is the Son of God, so you'll believe that Jesus is the Son of God so that you'll have life in His name. John the Baptist is just the first of many witnesses that he's gonna call. He's gonna call Moses. He's gonna call the prophets. He's gonna call the works of the Lord Jesus Christ.

His works will be called the greatest witness. He's going to call God the Father, and he's going to call the Spirit all as witnesses that Jesus is the Son of God. Why? So that you'll believe that he is. And so you'll find life in believing that he is.

One other very important point. This word rendered believed here. There's nothing wrong with the rendering, but it just needs more explanation because John loves this word. The word, the Greek word rendered believed, or believe here, that all through him might believe, that Greek word, is used by John the Gospel writer almost three times more than Matthew, Mark, Luke combined. In other words, Take this Greek word, look it up in Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and multiply by three.

Then you have, that's how many times John uses it. John uses it a lot. He loves this word. He loves this word. So meaning, we better understand it.

Because John loves the word, we better understand what he's really trying to communicate Here's what I want you to know about this word. It is one part understanding and agreeing believe Understand this these truths and Agree these are true. It's one part that, two parts trusting. It's both, but its essence is more wrapped up in trusting than even in understanding and agreeing I came across a commentator this week that says it is a scent and Consent and I tried to find who it was this morning, and I couldn't find so that what I'm getting ready to say needs to Be attributed to a commentator, But I don't know who I'm sorry But it was too good to not Say it okay, because it's so helpful on how we should think about this word Believing is a scent to the truth yes. I understand what's being taught and I agree that they're true it is a scent But it's even more so consent to the person.

Who's the person? Jesus. So a sense to the truth. Yes, I understand it. Yes, I agree with it.

But consent to the person. Next week we're going to have believing in His name. What that's going to mean, what I'm going to say that means is, believing that He is everything that the Bible says that He is. So it's to consent to Jesus as King and Savior and God, and, and, and, and, so many things wrapped up in his name. So, as we encounter this word, believing in Jesus throughout John, we can't just isolate and say it is assent to the truth.

Understanding and agreeing, that's true. But even more so, it is that, but even more so, it is Consent to the person of Jesus Christ. He is King Many people are happy enough to consent or ascent to the truths without consenting to the person of Jesus Christ and having him as King and Savior. I want to separate these things out. It's not possible.

To believe is to consent to the person as well as to ascent to the truth. Verse 7, this man, John the Baptist, came for a witness. That was his whole purpose, was to bring a testimony, to bear witness of the light that all through him I believe. His whole testimony was so that you might believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that in believing you might have life. The same purpose of the Gospel writer.

The Johns are in tune. John the Baptist and John the Gospel writer have exactly the same purpose. Verse 8, John chapter 1 verse 8, we're moving on. He was not that light, John the Baptist was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. In this verse we have what he was and wasn't, what John the Baptist was and wasn't.

So if you're filling in blanks, those are the blanks. What was John the Baptist? Well we're told what wasn't John the Baptist. We're given perfect clarity on what he wasn't. John was a bearer of testimony about the light.

He prepared the way. He prepared the people for the coming of the promised Messiah. And he testified that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. He pointed to the Lord Jesus Christ, but John wasn't the light or that light. So a clear distinction is being made so that we don't confuse Who John the Baptist was?

Does this first feel a little unnecessary to you What why is this verse even necessary It's It's a good question, but when we ask that question, we prove How historically removed we are from this. I'm going to explain what I mean, but let me just repeat that statement. It's a good question, it's a relevant question. Why do we even need this verse? He's already told us who John was, it's clear He's not the light.

Why does he restate it? Why do we need this verse? Okay to ask that question. It's a legitimate question, but when we ask it we prove something about ourselves Which is how historically removed we are from John in his writing of this Gospel. What do I mean by that?

I mean that John was just a man, but he was a great, great, great, great man. And the people during the time of this gospel writing would have understood it way better than you do and way better than I do and They probably wouldn't have asked why Or asked if verse 8 was necessary, But listen to what Jesus says about John the Baptist. Jesus says about John the Baptist, assuredly I say to you, among those born of women, there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist. Okay, so anybody who fits the description born of a woman, yeah, you too. Anyone who fits that description born of a woman, Not one of them.

So we're talking about everyone in human history here, right? Of all the people who have ever lived on the earth, there's not one of them greater than John the Baptist. So Jesus, Jesus does this by the way in Matthew 11 and 11, in Matthew 11 and 11 Jesus puts John the Baptist at least on an equal plane with Abraham, Moses, David, Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, on and on. Rahab. If you don't understand the significance of that, go back and listen to that sermon.

Probably the superior, but at least the equal. No one greater than John the Baptist. In Acts 19, I didn't go sort through and look it up, but it's at least Paul's second missionary journey. I know it's not his first one. The first one starts in 14, I think starts and ends in 14.

So this is Acts 19, at least Paul's second missionary journey, maybe the third one. Long, long decades, maybe not decades, A long time after the resurrection and ascension. Long time after Jesus died and rose and ascended to glory. And Paul, in Acts 19, comes to Ephesus, and he finds people who don't even note that there is such a thing as the Holy Spirit, but they know all about John the Baptist and have been baptized into John's baptism. Just think about that for a minute.

A long time after Jesus's resurrection and ascension to glory, and Paul is stumbling on people who don't even know that there is a Holy Spirit, who don't even even know about one of the members of the Holy Trinity, but they know all about John the Baptist and they have received his baptism. John is a towering, towering figure in the history of the Lord's people. At the time when Jesus came, No one knew Jesus. Everyone knew John. Everyone knew John.

They were all going out to him to be baptized by him. So that later in John chapter 1, he's going to be forced to say, I'm not the Christ. People are pretty sure he has to be the Christ so that he confesses he doesn't deny being anything that he is, but he confesses I'm not the Christ. He's so highly regarded, he's so great in that in what God is doing on the earth at that moment in time that people think it has to be what God has been promising. He was not that light but was sent to bear witness of that light.

The clarification just shows what a towering figure he is. Verse 9. So the whole point of that is, Praise the Lord for John the Baptist, this towering figure. Verse 9. That was the true light, which gives light to every man coming into the world.

To me, of the four verses, this is far and away the most challenging and the one you have to just think about of the three. It says that Jesus is the true light. And just studying this this week, I think he's the true light in at least three senses. I'll give you three senses In which Jesus is the true light first he's the ultimate source of light in other words the Bible says we are the light of the world but it's distinguishing us as Believers being the light of being the light of the world from Jesus. He is distinct from us.

We are not light in the world. Jesus says I am the light of the world. So he is the ultimate source of light. Any light that we have to give to the world is a reflected light. He's the source of it.

We reflect it. Jesus is the true light in that sense. Another sense is true versus false. Paul says that Satan even makes himself an angel of light to deceive the people. There are all sorts of false lights out there, right?

Saying, we're light! Not true light, false light. Jesus is the true light in that sense. Absolute truth can only be had from the Lord Jesus Christ. Period.

And then finally, and this is very interesting, he is the true light in the sense that he fulfills the type. Meaning light is a type. And Jesus is the fulfillment of it. Light exists to give us an inkling of what Jesus is and This word true true light this word true is used in other places To make this same point in other words in John chapter 6 Jesus is going to be called the true manna. You're going to say, Moses gave you manna in the wilderness, but I'm the true manna.

I'm the true bread sent from heaven. Not that what the Israelites experienced and ate for 40 years is something false, but it was just a type. It was to teach the people that you need true spiritual nourishment. The physical nourishment was intended to teach the people that Jesus Christ would one day come to be true spiritual nourishment. He can sustain you.

There's a point in John where Jesus is going to say I'm the true vine. Meaning, hey the prophets have been talking about vines and God is the vineyard owner and the vine dresser for a long time. Prophets said that. He's not saying in calling himself the true vine he's not saying all those prior prophecies were false. He's just saying, I'm the fulfillment of all that.

Those were just types. I'm coming to fulfill it. They were shadows. I'm the substance. So Jesus as the true light.

He's the ultimate source of light. He's true as opposed to falsehood. He is utterly the source of utter and complete truth. And then he's true in the sense that he fulfills the type of what light was always designed to be and help us understand things about this member of the Trinity. Now something remarkable is said of Jesus.

It's said here that Jesus gives light to every man or better to everyone. There's nothing gender specific about that word at all. Everyone is probably more helpful. Jesus gives light to everyone. First there's a translational challenge here that I need to make you aware of.

Grammatically, the phrase coming into the world can either be attached to the true light. It's the true light coming into the world. Or it can be attached to every man or everyone. Everyone coming into the world. So our translators have attached it to every man or everyone.

The true light gives light to everyone coming into the world. That's the decision that our translators have made. But from the immediate context you can't tell because both are appropriate in the immediate context and Grammatically you can't tell there are no hints grammatically is what the is what the scholars say so Our translators think that the sense of this is this Everyone coming into the world gets light from Jesus. And since Jesus was God in the beginning, was with God in the beginning, made all things, that doesn't have to be time bound, does it? I mean if that's the sense, everyone coming into the world gets light from Jesus, you can go back long before the incarnation and say, those people got light from Jesus.

He made them, he was there as God, he made them, Creation gives light he's responsible for creation, so it's not time-bound at all That is that true Yes, And you can prove it from the immediate context. And we would go to places like Psalm 19, the heavens declare the glory of God. There's no language or tongue where this is not declared. That's what Psalm 19 says. Jesus is responsible for that.

He made everything. Or we go to Romans 1. It says, the eternal Godhead is obvious because of what has been created. So the man is left without excuse. Or we would go to Romans 2 that says the law of God is written on the heart of man so that even Gentiles who have never a day in their life been exposed to Holy Scripture have a testimony in their hearts about the law of God.

Jesus did that. He is the Word. So yes, that's true. Other translators think the sense is this. Jesus, in His coming into the world, gives light to everyone.

In other words, it's all wrapped up in the incarnation. That what John is saying, though the other is true, what John is trying to communicate is the incarnation means that Jesus in his incarnation is giving light to everyone in a special a new way in the incarnation. Is that true? You bet. You can prove it from these early verses.

He's getting ready to speak explicitly about grace and truth coming through Jesus in a different way than what was imparted by God through Moses. Before It was primarily Israel who was getting specific revelation from God. Specific revelation from God. The coming of Jesus, the incarnation, signals a complete change of that. Where now the gospel is going to the farthest corners of the world, the earth, and God is sending ambassadors to make sure it's so.

That's new. So take your pick. And as J.C. Ryle would say, sound doctrine may be got out of either view. He actually said that the commentators, the theological giants that he had studied were so evenly balanced that he trembled even to give his own view of it.

So you can find giants on either side in about equal numbers there. But in either case, understand that this cannot be the saving illumination that is given to those who have no eyes to see. It cannot be that unless you're a Universalist who thinks that everyone goes to heaven no one goes to hell. Good luck trying to make sense out of the rest of the New Testament if you're that. Cannot mean that.

Consider Paul and what he does in Romans chapters 1 through 3. Paul works so hard in Romans chapter 1 through 3 to get us to understand and embrace the truth that Jews and Gentiles alike both deserve their condemnation. Jews, because they've been given the oracles of God and these great truths have been given to them in black and white. They can study every day of their lives and so their condemnation is so just but he also labors to say Gentiles you're not in a different boat just because you didn't have your hands on the black and white doesn't mean that your heart won't show up at the judgment seat to condemn you, to be a witness of God that He's just in condemning you. That's really a summary of what Paul was doing in Romans chapter 1 through 3.

He's laboring to get Jews and Gentiles to see and agree we deserve the condemnation of God. And then he says this in chapter 319, Romans 319. Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. All the world. The Jews?

Yes. The Gentiles? Yes. All the world may become guilty before God so that you'll shut your mouth and stop trying to excuse yourself and Understand whether you're a Jew or you're a Gentile God is just in this condemnation We are nowhere until we understand this We won't shut our mouths We'll keep self-justifying trying to explain why we really don't deserve the condemnation of God. No, you deserve it.

I deserve it. I have enough light that I deserve the condemnation of God. Jesus Christ has given light to every man. That was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world. Applications.

I'm rejoicing because my voice is going to make it. I'm down to the applications. I don't think there's any chance I'm going to take a sip of water. I can do it now. Four applications.

Number one, Four applications. Number one, none of us are any more than ones who point to Jesus. Period. None of us are anything greater than someone who points to Jesus. There's two things to say about that.

One is, that should be enough. What a privilege and an honor to point to Jesus. John the Baptist thought it was plenty and there's never been anyone ever born that was greater than John the Baptist. You can believe he was satisfied with his assignment. So in viewing your pastors past, present, and future just know that they're never a day of their lives any more than that Once you point to Jesus.

Their testimony of Jesus is incredibly valuable and you better listen to it. But that's their job, period. Testify of Christ. Just try to get you to Jesus. See who He is and run to Him every day.

That's their job. So even the other things that they're to do and doing are really summed up in that. They're trying to, they better be trying to get you to Jesus. Repenting every day and running to him every day. Number one, none of us are any more than ones who point to Jesus.

Number two, that people believe through witnesses. It's in this text. He came as a witness that all through him might believe and that believing he's the Son of God they might have life. People believe through witnesses. We could run one after another, after another, after another, after another up here to say the word of God came to me through They would say a name.

Listen to Romans chapter 10 verses 14 and 15. Paul says, How then shall they call on him in whom they have not believed? And How shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent as it is written, how beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things?

Yes, yes, the primary application of that is that the church should send preachers of the gospel to the end of the world. The secondary application of that is I am that in the sphere in which God has placed me. I might not be the missionary sent to Kathmandu. I might be the guy planted in the middle of Youngsville and within my sphere I am the preacher of the gospel. How will they call on him of whom they have not heard how will they hear unless someone preaches to them how will they preach unless they are sent Matthew twenty eight you've been sent end of story people believe through witnesses We have seven young ladies who are being baptized this afternoon, if the Lord wills, and we're telling them, this is among the first chances that you get to honor Christ and say how good He's been to you.

People believe through witnesses. Somebody might get saved at the baptism today. When people testify that God has set them free from their sins, sometimes the Holy Spirit shows up to give salvation to someone else. It happens all the time. Number two, people believe through witnesses.

Number three, because of Jesus, who He is and what He's done, you have sufficient light. You have sufficient light. Your mouth will be stopped. Every once in a while when you're out and about, you'll encounter a particularly bold unbeliever who says they can't wait till the judgment day, so they can give God a piece of their mind for why bad things happen to good people. Paul says that's never going to happen.

When they stand before the righteous judge, their mouths will be stopped. No one will give God a piece of their mind about the things that he's done in his wisdom. On the day when you can see God as he is, you're going to close your mouth and you're going to agree with him that your condemnation is just. There is a window of time to repent. How open is the window?

How much more time? You don't know. All the Bible says is today is the day of salvation. Today is the day to repent. J.C.

Ryle says tomorrow is the devil's day. The devil is delighted with your thoughts of tomorrow as long as you don't repent today. Lastly, Consider this quote from Andrew Bonar. This is actually miraculous. I have this book on my nightstand that I'm reading at the slowest pace ever.

I only read it on Saturday nights after I don't want to work on the sermon anymore, I go and I've literally been reading this book. I'm only, I can't be 20% of the way through it. I've had it up there for nine months. I read it probably two paragraphs at a time, maybe two pages at a time. So last night, I run across this quote from Andrew Bonar.

It's the biography of Robert Murray McShane. And it's wonderful reading, but I'm only reading it on Saturday nights a paragraph or two at a time Here's a quote from last night's reading. I Couldn't believe it He says John the Baptist in six months fulfilled his course as the prophet whom the master declared to have been greater than all the prophets who went before him. While to John the Apostle 60 years were given for his work. So here's what Andrew Bonar is saying.

John the Baptist was given six months, even though Jesus called him greater than all the prophets who ever went before him, he was given this mighty ministry but only given six months to burn as a light. John the Apostle, John the Gospel writer, was given 60 years. Church history says he's the only one of the disciples who wasn't martyred. Judas committed suicide. The rest were martyred.

John lived and died of quote unquote natural causes. An old, old man. He outlived everyone of his contemporaries. Here's what I would take from that. First of all, I think that we're in the Gospel of John considering John the Baptist.

It's so helpful to consider these two men. One lived all his life for a six-month mission. That's all John the Baptist was on the scene for, give or take a few months. John the Gospel writer, John the Apostle was given sixty years to do his mission. God determined it.

God is the sovereign king who determines what your mission will be and how long he'll give you to do it. What we should learn from John the Baptist and John the Apostle is this. That we should resolve to burn as a light for Christ as long as he gives us. If it's six months, burn bright for six months. If it's 60 years, burn as bright as you can for 60 years.

Keep going. Keep going. God is sovereign over all these things. All we can do is resolve in our hearts that we want to burn for Him. He has saved us.

He has bought us with His blood. Amen. God thank you for this precious text. I pray that you would continue to bless us through men who have insights to help us. I pray in Jesus' name, amen.