John 1:6-51 - Becoming Desperate for Light

Intro

I once sat on a plane with a man who graduated with a philosophy degree. He asked me what I did for a living and at that tiime I recently got hired to be a high-school Bible teacher. I was so excited, so this man started to give some recommendations for my Bible class.

One of these was to do a socratic seminar, have them discuss ideas and share them later. But he said I needed to be careful, I had to affirm all of them as true.

When i said that I liked his idea because discussion is healthy I had to rebuttle. I shared that there were simply some things I had to correct them on as being true of God and not true.

He then went on to say that I was prideful, how could I possibly know what was true of God or not? After he all, he studied philosophy and he didn’t find any proof of God.

He then shared a a story about a bunch of men in the dark. Each of them were trapped in the dark with an elephant and

He then quoted to me the Bible as an example: the book of Job, the whole book everyone argues over what the truth is yet none of them arrive at it.

But then I asked something of him: what does he do with God appearing and speaking at the end?

He said he never heard of it.

There is one big problem with his story: what if that elephant could talk? What if he could guide these men to the truth? What if he could explain and correct them of what they uncovered? What if that Elephant’s words could provide light to their darkness?

Today I want to show you that we are in darkness. Yet God has spoken, and he has proven to you that he has spoken.

IN a world that seems dark, confusing, and lost, I want to show you that there is light. And this light touches every area of life. It is light that sheds on why there is evil. It is the light that opens your eyes to understand why you have conflict with that one friend. It is light that sheds on why you struggle with anxiety or hidden sin or any problem. It sheds light on why you have the family you do. It is the answer to every question in the universe.

Are you new to Christianity and feel like you are in darkness? You need this light.

Have you grown up in Christianity, have you already experienced the light, then you still need it and you need more. You aways need Jesus and more of him so you can learn he is the answer to your life and all it’s problems.

How John Proves to You that You Need Jesus’ Light:

1. The Mission of the Light: Adoption (vv. 6-18)

v. 6-8 - John came to bear witness about the light, but he himself is not the light.

A mistake people make is looking at other people to be their “light.”

John the Baptist is the greatest man whoever lived, yet he is not the light that people need.

Do not be surprised when great people disappoint you. Your parents, future spouse, pastors, etc.

They are not the light that your darkened heart aches for.

vv. 9-13 - John describes that this light has entered the world, and you have two kinds of people respond to it.

Even though the light made the world, so therefore the world owes everything to the light, it has rejected it’s creator. It has become an enemy of him.

John draws a line in the sand that there is team light and team darkness. Team Jesus Christ and Team World.

You are never left in a neutral position with this light, you either reject or recieve.

But what does this light give you? Adoption.

Many of you come from excellent families, but many of you come from broken homes.

Either way, none of you are from a perfect earthly family, there is no such thing.

But this promises that

But you notice that adoption has a process. It is being reborn. You cannot enter this new family in the sinful state you are. The old you must die, and you must become a new creation. But you cannot do this, you need God to intervene, to reach in and adopt you. Man cannot do it, your flesh cannot do it, only God can do it.

vv. 14-18 - John shows how God accomplished this adoption process.

God chose to speak.

The “word” became flesh and dwelt among us”

Dwelt is the word for “tent” or tabernacle.

It is the same word to describe God’s tent in the old testament that he dwelled in.

How did he speak? He became man. The light was distant, you could not reach it. God did not stay up in heaven and demand you make your way there, he instead lowered himself and brought the light to your eyes.

He brought God to you, this glorious light.

God did not hold anything back. It was from “His fullness” we have recieved Grace.

Grace means “free undeserved gift.” You were part of the world that was rejecting him, so when he came to you, it was something completely undeserved.

What is this grace? Knowing God (v. 18)

You’re not feeling the elephant. You’re knowing and talking to him!

Man cannot make your life better, friends cannot make your life better. Getting God is enough.

When I was in high-school I just really wanted a best friend that totally got me. I wanted a girlfriend that would unconditionally love me.

They will not be light in the same way John was not light. You need God and more of God. That is always the answer.

Don’t let people who post pictures on social media of them with their friends or significant others convince you they have something better. If you have God, that other stuff just falls short.

2. The Testimony of the Light: Witnesses (vv. 19-34)

vv. 19-28 - John Proves he is a witness of Jesus

The Point of this section: John is saying “I am not the answer to your problems. I am pointing you to them.”

He baptized people. He taught them that when the Messiah comes, they had to be ready to die, and resurrect.

There is an old them that must go away, and a new them that must take their place.

“Unworthy to untie his sandal”

Matthew 11:11 ESV

Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.

Matthew Henry: “if so great a man as John accounted himself unworthy of the honor of being near Christ, how unworthy should we account ourselves!”

By the way, watch out for leaders claiming to be special anointed prophets, or people

vv. 29-34 - John proves that Jesus is the Son of God.

“Behold the lamb of God” - John fully understood Jesus’ message. The people around him were following John’s baptism, and now he is saying that this is the guy.

Plot twist: He wasn’t an elephant, he was a lamb.

The Point: Jesus proved his light was real by sending witnesses to prep people for it.

Kent Hughes - “John’s preaching motivated people to change, but Christ’s message brought the power to change.”

Look at this church. Look at these people. They are broken, sometimes hypocritical, sometimes hurtful, but they are being transformed before your very eyes.

We are witnesses and we just want you to taste the light.

This brings us to our final point…

3. The Result of the Light: Transformation (vv. 35-51)

vv. 35-42 - Jesus transforms by Calling You

John once again

vv. 43-51 - Jesus Transforms by Meeting You

You are not in the dark feeling an Elephant. Heaven came down to earth and light burst forth.

Conclusion

You still need light. You do not graduate from it.

Application: Jesus is the light to every dark part of my life. He came to me so I could know Him and I still need Him.