The Divine Christ: The Word of God and the Guarantee of Everlasting Life
Journey Through the Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Introduction
Introduction
Our text this morning is John 3:31-36
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
While studying this week and preparing for this message, I ran across this statement from A.W. Pink in his commentary on our text today. He noted seven distinctions between John the Baptist and Christ as given at the end of this great chapter, chapter 3.
The first distinction is this.
John could receive nothing except it be given to him from above, from Heaven.
27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.
In contrast, Christ was from Heaven and was given all things from the Father.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
Second, John was simply the messenger sent before Christ. However, Jesus was the Christ.
28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.
Third, John was nothing more than a “friend to the bridegroom.” Christ was the bridegroom.
29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.
Fourth, John was to decrease as Christ increased.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
Fifth, John was “of the earth.” Christ was “from above” and “is above all.”
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
Sixth, John only had a measure of God’s Spirit within Him. However, of Christ, it was said.
34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
Last but not least, John was nothing more than a servant. In contrast, Christ was the very Son of God.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
It is no wonder then that John said emphatically.
30 He must increase, but I must decrease.
We left off from our last message in this series here. It is only fitting that we pick it up again this morning. The last message was about John and his desire to decrease so that Christ became everything. And now, with that statement, the rest of John’s message to those who listened that day was all about Christ.
Here is what God wants us to know this morning.
God wants us to know that His Son, Jesus Christ, is just as much God as Himself. Christ comes from above and is God's ultimate Word to us, revealing that God is true. We are to receive and believe in this message. Our belief acts as a seal to the truth. All who believe that Christ is God and that He rewards those who diligently seek Him are given the gift of eternal life. They are no longer under God's wrath.
Christ’s Divinity Assured
Christ’s Divinity Assured
31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.
Two important statements in this verse point to Christ's Divinity. The Holy Spirit has emphatically and repeatedly stated that Christ is God.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.
34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.
Thus, it is no surprise that He does it once more. The Holy Spirit informs us that Christ is not of this earth. Christ is from above and is above all.
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
The Holy Spirit, in our text, gives us a comparison. Note that John is "of the earth" and, thus, is earthly. This verse does not say that John was worldly or fleshly. Those two terms are used in Scripture to refer to someone who is carnal and not living for the Lord. Instead, this use of earth and earthly means that John was born a sinful man here on earth, just like all other men.
In contrast, Christ far exceeds John the Baptist or other men. Jesus came from heaven. This thought takes us back to the opening chapter of this great gospel when the Holy Spirit declares, John 1:1 “1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” These statements declare the truth that Jesus Christ is not a mere man. He is indeed the God of Heaven who became flesh and dwelt among us. You see, John clearly understood his limitations. As mere mortals born of this world, our finite minds are extremely limited. We only know what God has revealed to us. Thus, as a voice crying in the wilderness, John the Baptist was limited in his knowledge and understanding of God. Christ, on the other hand, is God. He possesses all the knowledge of God. He is the pure, perfect, and omniscient spokesman for God. Thus, the Holy Spirit goes on to say in our text.
32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
Again, let me remind you that this entire message is about Christ's divinity. John understood that. Christ's deity is why John declared that Christ must increase and that he, John, must decrease. It is the same for us today. We must lose ourselves. How do we do that? We look to Christ and understand that He came as God in the form of man to declare what we could not know for ourselves. He was the perfect messenger. His testimony of God was perfect.
In our text, the omniscience of God shines forth. Let me explain.
17 For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.
Those who heard Christ's teachings listened to what the prophets and righteous men desired to hear. Today, we have the privilege of reading (hearing) the same things. The great thing about today is that we hold in our hands the written Word, which gives us the words of the Word. We can read His words repeatedly, analyze them, study them, and incorporate them into our lives. The ability to do so is something that many of the Old Testament saints did not have. Additionally, it is something that the angels desire to know but find a great mystery. Note 1 Peter 1:12
12 Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.
Here is my point! When Christ came, He was a far better messenger than any prophet and even an angel. Why was He far better? He is God. Who better to know "heavenly things" than the One Who created the Heavens and is from the Heavens?
Christ was the perfect spokesman for God. And, indeed, He is the Word who came to reveal to us all we needed to know about God.
As I have said, "If you want to know God truly, then study the Lord Jesus Christ." He perfectly revealed God to us.
Here is another critical point in our text this morning.
Christ’s Seal of Authentication Revealed
Christ’s Seal of Authentication Revealed
32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.
33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
Note the last part of verse 32, which says, "No man receiveth his testimony." The sad reality is that Christ came. He came unto His own of which we know the result.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
The Holy Spirit’s statement here is interesting. If you recall, earlier in this discourse, the Jews noted this about Jesus.
26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.
They said, "All men come to him." However, John says in verse 32 that "no man receiveth his testimony." Yes, great crowds followed Jesus. The many miracles that He did enamored the multitudes. However, the sad reality is that they were not there to receive His teaching. In the end, the same multitudes who followed Christ stood before Pilate crying, "Crucify Him, crucify Him!" When the Holy Spirit stated, "No man receiveth his testimony," He was speaking in relative terms. When you compare the number of those who were left as His true disciples (120 according to the book of Acts) after His ascension to the vast number of all Israel, it is viable to say that "no man" received his testimony. 120 among 100's of thousands is a tiny minority. The same remains true today. There is well over 7 billion people on this earth. Yet, how many are true disciples of Christ? Even in this grand county, there are more than 80,000 people. Yet, how many of them are true disciples of Christ? I recommend that less than 1% which is less than 800 people. When you consider the numbers, they may even be less than a half percent. How sad to think that the majority of the world remains under God's wrath and condemnation. The numbers speak for themselves. Yet these number prove the truth of God's Word. Men reject the testimony of Christ for one fundamental reason.
19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
Men's depravity is so great that their hearts are hardened. They are completely incapable of understanding spiritual things. Thus, Christ told Nicodemus, "Ye must be born again." To know Christ is to simply believe Christ. Spiritual understanding only comes through spiritual birth. Being born spiritually means you have to exchange what you think and believe for what God has said. You must believe Him!
However there is hope! Look again at our text and verse 33.
33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.
There is the good news. Despite the world's rejection of Christ, some still believe and receive Christ's testimony. The wonderful thing about those who choose to believe in God is this. According to verse 33, those who believe become Christ's seal "that God is true."
The word "seal" means to guarantee. It comes from the act of sealing an envelope or document. In the day, kings and other rulers wore signet rings made for official business. Anytime the king or ruler makes an official decree, they authenticate the document by dropping hot wax on it and then placing the face of the ring bearing their signet into the wax. As the wax cooled it would bear the image of the king's specially designed signet on the document. Everyone who saw or read the document knew that it was from the king.
In the same way, each of us, as true believers, is God's seal. We are the stamp by which others know that God is true.
Think about this way! At the time of salvation, God seals us with His Spirit.
13 In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
In that exact moment, God changes us. We become new creatures made alive spiritually through His Spirit. This new life, coupled with the Holy Spirit living within us, enables us to live differently than before our spiritual birth. Now, I can "put off" the old man's words, actions, and thoughts and "put on" the things that please God. As I do so, the changes in my life become a witness and testimony to those around me that God is real and that He does change those who trust Him. Consequently, we are His "seal" or guarantee that He is true.
This fact is fantastic and sobering at the same time. Why is that? If I am "born again," I will want to change my life and live how God expects me to. Such desire comes from within, but not from me. It comes from the Holy Spirit residing within me. As I live God's way, I become a living witness for Him. However, if I refuse to live God's way, there are two possibilities. One, I am living a lie and I am not a believer. Two, I am a believer and do not live by God's will. Both possibilities have the same devastating result. Others do not see God's seal of truth! Instead, we become a detriment to the cause of Christ. If you are living a lie, you will die in your lie never to see eternal life. On the other hand, God will bring chastisement if you truly belong to Him and refuse to live His way.
Here is my point and the thing that God wants us to understand. True believers are His seal that He is true. God uses our belief, faith, and commitment to Him as authentication that Christ indeed changes lives. We become living proof to everyone around us that He is and He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Let me give you the last point from our text, and we will conclude this message.
Christ’s Gift from God Awarded
Christ’s Gift from God Awarded
34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.
35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
I will only spend a little time here since my time is almost over. However, note the progression here. God sent Christ as the perfect spokesman to speak the "words of God." In doing so, God did not give His Spirit by measure unto him. That statement is another contrast between John the Baptist and Christ. John the Baptist, and we, as believers today, need God's Spirit in measure. In other words, God must give us His Spirit since we do not possess His Spirit. However, in another testimony to Christ's deity, Christ never needed God to provide him with the Spirit. Why is that? The answer is quite simple. Christ is God. God is triune. He is God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. There was no need to give the Spirit in measure simply because God the Son is God the Holy Spirit. Christ already possessed the Spirit in complete fullness. As we continue, we note that God the Father loves His Son, so the Father gave all things in Christ's hand. Why is this important? The answer is verse 36.
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
God gave eternal life to His Son as part of all things given to Him. Now, Christ, who possesses the gift of everlasting life, offers that same gift to all who will believe.
23 For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
11 And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.
12 He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.
13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.
It is pretty simple. If you want eternal life, then you must accept Christ. Accepting Christ means you acknowledge your sinful condition and understand your need for spiritual birth.
Spiritual birth, eternal life, and entrance to God's kingdom only come through Christ. There is no other way.
Thus, for you to have those things, you must believe that Christ died for you and rose again on the third day.
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
9 That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
10 For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
The person who does this with their whole heart is the person who receives eternal life; however, if you reject Him.
36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.
Rejecting Christ means you will not see eternal life, but you will remain under God’s wrath.
Conclusion
Conclusion
The reality that Christ is God does not change. Each person who believes authenticates the truth about God and the fact God is true. In the end, we all have a choice. We can either choose to accept or not believe. The person who chooses to believe has the hope of spending eternity with God. Choosing not to believe leaves you where you are without hope and under God's wrath.
