What Will You Do?

If you have your bibles (and I hope you do), please turn with me to the Gospel according to John, the first chapter. If you are able and willing, please stand with me for the reading of God’s Holy Word. John chapter 1, verse 1:

John 1:1–13 NIV

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. 8 He himself was not the light; he came only as a witness to the light. 9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognize him. 11 He came to that which was his own, but his own did not receive him. 12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

May the Lord add His blessing to the reading of His Word!

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Last week, we studied verses 1-5. John opens his Gospel by writing about “the Word.” John introduces Jesus as “the Word”/ “o logos”

“The Word,” Jesus, is the expression and the speech and the personal relation of God to man.

Jesus, “the Word”, is eternally existing, ever-with God as the second person of the Trinity.

“The Word,” Jesus, is the Creator of all things—“through Him all things were made…”

“The Word,” Jesus, is life and the light of all people—life eternal, and light revealing sin and the righteousness of God.

“The Word,” then, is a good, comprehensive title for Jesus who does all these things—who does all this as the second person of the Trinity, eternally existing in relationship with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

During Christmastime, at this Christmas season, we are reminded of what Jesus has done for us. John’s Gospel, specifically the prologue (the opening verses), helps us to see who Jesus is and what He’s done for us.

I would argue the most important question—“Who is Jesus?”—is answered in the first few verses of John 1, as is the question, “Why Did He Come?”

Jesus “the Word” creates us.

Jesus “the Word” gives us light and life.

Jesus “the Word” has come to deliver us, to save His people from their sins.

That’s what we want to hear at Christmastime—that Jesus has done all these things for us. He’s given us all these great things, because of His grace and mercy and love. “Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! Let’s pray.”

That’s what we want to hear at Christmastime. But that’s not all John has for us.

John, the apostle of Jesus, one of the sons of Zebedee wrote this book, the fourth Gospel, but never refers to himself as “John.” When John does refer to himself, he’ll say, “The disciple Jesus loves,” or “the beloved disciple.”

John might think a little too highly of himself, but he was one of Jesus’ closest friends, and he’s writing this book so he gets to call himself whatever he wants.

So here, when John uses the name “John”, he’s referring to someone other than himself.

John’s writing about John—John the Baptist, that is.

John spends a few verses here in our text this morning to share about John the Baptist—a man sent from God…as a witness to testify concerning that light (the light mentioned in verses 4-5).

A Witness to the Light

Upon learning of the Lord’s purpose for her, Mary, the mother of Jesus, hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb.

Elizabeth told Mary, “As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy.”

That’s John the Baptist—the baby Elizabeth carried.

Three months before he was born, John was excited—joyful, even—to know that Jesus had come into the world.

John the Baptist, a man sent by God to occupy a unique place in history as the one who would prepare the way for the coming of the Lord, was not the light of the people.

John was not the light.

John was not the One who came shining in the darkness.

John was not the Messiah, not the Promised One, not the light.

John was a witness to [that] light.

Who has to be told about the light?

I mean, good grief, just look. You’ve never flipped on a light switch and then announced to the people in the room, “You probably didn’t notice it, but let me point out there’s now light in this room.”

Your friends and family don’t need to be told about the light that’s right there in front of them.

So why does John the Baptist need to come as a witness to the light? I’ll let A.W. Pink answer:

“When the sun is shining in all its beauty, who are the ones unconscious of the fact? Who need to be told it is shining? The blind!

How tragic, then, when we read that God sent John to “bear witness of the light.” How pathetic that there should be any need for this! How solemn the statement that men have to be told “the light” is now in their midst.

What a revelation [this is] of man’s fallen condition.”

Jesus was the light shining in the darkness. Jesus came as light, but the world was blinded to it; couldn’t see it. The One who created the world was in the world, yet the world didn’t recognize Him…

Jesus made our eyes, yet we couldn’t see His glory.

Jesus fashioned our ears, yet we refused to listen to His words.

Jesus created our very bodies, yet people proudly refrain from bowing before Him.

John is not, himself, the light. There were people confused about John, people who thought John the Baptist was the one promised by God—the Messiah.

John was quick to tell them, “No, no. I’m not the Messiah; I’m not even worthy to untie His sandal.”

A witness to the light.

My friend, Jared Wilson, shares this interaction he had with someone who came to his church and asked:

“You’re the preacher?”

“Yes.”

“So you’re the guy with all the answers.”

“No,” Jared replied. “I’m the guy to points to that guy.”

Brothers and sisters, we don’t have all the answers. We’re not the light. We aren’t the hope of the world. We aren’t saviors or messiahs or anything of the sort.

We are witnesses to the light; those who point to the One with all the answers.

And there may be no better time to point to Him than this time of year.

Opportunities abound. The songs on the radio, nativities in front yards and in our homes, lights on the Christmas tree and downtown, presents exchanged.

All these are really nice conversation starters— “What’s that song talking about? Why do we put lights up? What are these gifts representing?”; built-in opportunities to share the gospel and be witnesses to the true light.

The True Light Coming Into the World

Verse 9 doesn’t get the notice it deserves. It isn’t as famous as verse 14 or as quoted as the first couple verses of John 1. And yet, verse 9 is really incredible. It’s as Christmas-y as it gets.

I believe some versions use the phrase “coming into the world” in the wrong place. Stick with me; this matters.

Some versions of the Bible attach this phrase “coming into the world” to “every man.”

John 1:9 NKJV

9 That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.

John 1:9 KJV 1900

9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

The grammatical construction of the phrase “coming into the world” is singular, meaning it should be attached to the singular “Light” instead of the plural “every man.”

The better rendering is the one nearly every other translation of the Bible chooses:

John 1:9 NIV

9 The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

John 1:9 NASB95

9 There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.

John 1:9 NRSV

9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

John 1:9 RSV

9 The true light that enlightens every man was coming into the world.

THE TRUE LIGHT WAS COMING INTO THE WORLD!

This is the really good news of Christmas. The Word, the True Light, is coming into the world.

Jesus is coming into the world. It’s not that light is coming into the world as it did when God spoke light into being.

It’s that the TRUE LIGHT is coming into the world—this is a different event than creation.

It’s hard to read John’s Gospel here and not recognize that this—verse 9—is about Jesus coming into the world.

Jesus is the true light. God has sent His Son to us.

The word for “true” means real or genuine. It’s applied to “light” here, and later in John it’s attached to “worshippers”, to “bread from heaven”, to “the vine”, and even to God Himself.

Other people, other institutions claim to be the light. Some even claim to be ‘god’.

John’s point here, and throughout His gospel, is to present the TRUE light, the TRUE God.

The true light—Jesus—was coming into the world.

The Word who came into the world is the light—the true light—the genuine and ultimate self-disclosure of God to man.

The Word has invaded the created order He Himself made. The Son of God has to come to His own.

The True Light coming into the world shines on every person, and divides the human race in two:

Those who hate the light and respond as the world does.

Those who receive the light and believe in Him who has come.

What Will You Do with the Light?

We like to hear that “the Word” creates us, and gives us light and life; that “the Word” has come to deliver us and save us.

Those are themes appropriate to this time of year.

The message of verses 9-13, however, is that “the Word” confronts us and divides us.

Confronts us and divides us—doesn’t that make you feel all Christmassy?

Confronts and divides—stockings hanging from the fireplace, chestnuts roasting on an open fire, the beautifully-lit tree, the hot cocoa warming your hands…and, of course, confrontation and division.

Confrontation and division—those words make you want to sing, don’t they? “Oh, oh, tidings of confrontation and division, confrontation and division; Oh, oh, tidings of confrontation and division…”

“Confrontation and division” don’t scream Christmas, and yet that is the overwhelming message of verses 9-13:

“The Word” confronts us and divides us.

When we look at verse 9-11 of John 1 we see:

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into the world.

Jesus, the true light, came into the world—the world which He created.

Jesus came into the world, and the world didn’t recognize or receive Him.

Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God, the True Light came to His own and confronted them with His presence. “Hey! Here I am! It’s me; the Messiah!”

Here, in the person of Jesus Christ, is God-Come-Down.

“Joy to the World, the Lord is Come!”

And that, friends, confronts us.

We must decide what we will do with this Jesus. He didn’t come to the world to play nice; Jesus didn’t come down to make some friends; to make us feel all warm and cuddly.

Jesus is God in the flesh—and He is here confronting us with His presence.

How did the people respond to Him? The same way people respond to Him today: “The world did not recognize Him…His own did not receive Him.”

The God of the universe has “come down”; the eternally-existing God has come from heaven to this earth; Jesus—“the Word”—is now among His people…and they don’t even realize it.

Jesus comes to “the world” and confronts it.

Notice how many times the phrase “the world” appears in verses 9-10. In just two verses, “the world” shows up four (4) times. It must be pretty important.

Jesus—“the true light”—was “coming into the world.” (verse 9)

Jesus came to this place, to this location.

Jesus “was in the world.” (verse 10)

Jesus left the glory of heaven to be in this place with us.

“The world” was made through Him. (verse 10)

Jesus made this place, and everything in it; everyone in it.

But “the world did not recognize Him.” (verse 10)

The people in this place Jesus created are sinful, and rebellious, and ignorant.

You see how the usage of the phrase “the world” changes throughout these verses?

The first three usages point to the world as a place, a location. Jesus came to the world. He was in the world—the world He made.

But the fourth usage is different; it stands out.

“The world did not recognize Him.”

It’s not that the place, the physical earth, the round, blue-and-green sphere located between Venus and Mars, didn’t recognize Jesus.

It’s that the people in the world—the men, women, and children—didn’t recognize Jesus.

This world—that is, the moral, created order, especially human beings—is in active rebellion against God.

“The world did not recognize Him” is all about the people whom Jesus created not recognizing Him.

“The world” [the people who] “did not recognize Him” even when confronted with the presence of their Maker, their Messiah, their Savior, are held accountable.

These verses aren’t supposed to make us all warm and Christmassy.

They are meant to confront us. And confront us, they do: “the world did not recognize Him…He came to that which was His own, but His own did not receive Him.”

That, friends, is a harsh indictment. That is a serious charge: mankind didn’t recognize Jesus or receive Him.

Jesus came to a world of lost sinners, rebellious sinners, and He came to save us—not because of anything good within us, rather because there was absolutely nothing good within us.

He came to offer hope to the hopeless, to offer salvation to the godless, to offer grace to the condemned.

Jesus, “the Word”, confronts us—our sinfulness, our helplessness, our hopelessness.

Jesus, “the Word”, confronts us and divides us.

There are those who didn’t (and always will be those who don’t) recognize or receive Jesus, but that’s not the end of the story…

Look at verse 12:

John 1:12 NIV

12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—

On the one hand, there are those who reject Him, who won’t receive Him.

On the other hand, there are those who do receive Him, who do believe in Him.

Some receive and believe; others reject and disbelieve. Therein is the division.

There is only one difference between people. And it’s not their race or ethnicity or nationality or political affiliation.

There is only one difference between people that matters. And it’s this: whether or not they believe in and receive the person of Jesus.

Jesus has come. He has confronted us. And He has drawn the proverbial dividing-line in the sand.

John 1:12–13 NIV

12 Yet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

You see that? Jesus gives us the right, the right, to become children of God. Some believe and receive, but this is not of themselves—it is the gift of God.

Jesus divides us, not by our ancestry—not of natural descent; not by our works—not of human decision or a husband’s will; we are divided on the basis of whether or not we believe and are given the right to be children of God; whether or not we are born of God.

What will you do with the Light? What will you do with Jesus?

It’s not a matter of what other people do, or what the people did with Jesus upon His arrival. That matters, but it doesn’t matter as much as making sure you’ve responded to Him.

The appeal all throughout John’s Gospel (throughout the entire bible) is for us to believe. Believe.

Believe. Trust. Put your faith in Jesus, the True Light who has come into the world.

That’s the appeal; that’s the plea: Believe.

Not “do better, try harder, clean yourself up.”

But “Believe!”

The world—the people living in this place—didn’t respond to Jesus in the way they should have. They didn’t believe in Him or receive Him.

This, then, is a picture of God’s grace in all its beauty:

John 3:16 NIV

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

God’s love is to be admired, not because the world is so big, but because the world is so bad. His own reject Him, and He loves them still. Still, He sends Jesus to them.

The Word of God, the True Light of the World has come to us.

What will YOU do with Jesus?