Responding to Jesus

You gotta believe.  That was the motto which relief pitcher, Tug McGraw, coined with the 1973 New York Mets.  At one time during the season, they were in last place in their division, only to end up in the playoffs.

When confronted with Jesus and the reality that He is God, humanity has only two choices of response.  One response is to refuse to believe.  The other response is to choose to believe.  Yet for many, they don’t really know what to believe unless someone presents an accurate description of the options or choices.

We must be clear in our presentation of the Gospel.

Proclamation of the Light - 1.6-8

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.

Last time we were looking at the phrase, the Word, Who was and is God.  Today, we are looking at another individual. He was part of this world’s population and was a man with the assignment of making introductions, if you will.  There came could actually be translated as there appeared.

We are introduced to this new character who has a unique part in sharing about this drama of God, coming as light and life to a dark and dying world.  This character's name is John.  We will know him later as John the Baptist.  His whole purpose in life was to be like a herald or a proclaimer; he was to be someone who was to introduce the Messiah, the Son of God to this darkened world.  

We see that his purpose was genuine and specific, as the writer states that he was sent from God.  He had been prophesied about by Isaiah and Malachi.  His birth and purpose were quite intentional. This is seen in that his parents were too old to have any children, except for God providing the miracle.  We also know that an angel had a visit with John the Baptist’s dad, Zacharias, informing him that he and Elizabeth would have a son, who would be the one proclaiming the Messiah.

After John the Baptist came onto the scene and began his own ministry for the Lord, we remember that he was the first prophet sent by God in 400 years.  If one looks at the account of John the Baptist in Matthew and Mark, we see that he was anything but bashful.  We see that he was creating quite a stir and people were coming from all over. This was not just to be a polite witness or introduction to the world.  John was not the wingman for Jesus; nor was he part of some public relations firm.  He was testifying about the contrast they were about to see; light coming into darkness.    

John knew that his purpose was to proclaim the arrival of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.  He always made much of the One who is coming who is mightier than I.  The writer, the apostle John, also makes it clear that this other John was not promoting himself nor should he be understood as the one who was the light.  His sole purpose was to testify about the Light. Jesus even commented in Matthew 11.11, Truly I say to you, among those born of women there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist!  John was the first to tell the world that Jesus was the Savior.

When the terms, witness and testify are used, we need to understand that these are legal terms that refer to the actual facts in a court of law; they are not opinion.  Interestingly, we see that John uses these words at least 77 out of 113 times they are used in the New Testament. For all the math nerds, this amounts to 68%.

And the purpose of this was that others would believe through him.  John even went so far as to boldly rebuke Herod for living unlawfully.  John was the light which reflected the true light, who is Jesus.  Many leaders in churches today would do well to understand this themselves.  We are merely witnesses for the Light.  We are not the light, nor do we have special revelation as if we are the light.

Let’s look a little further into this whole concept of the light.

Rejection of the Light - 1.9-11

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.

This was not an enlightenment from God.  This was the One Who was the true Light.  We might wonder why John had to point this out to the people.  After all, couldn’t the people obviously see that Jesus was the true Light?  You and I know that the only people who cannot see light are those who are blind.  Paul spoke of this in 2 Corinthians 4 when he stated that the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving.  That is what darkness does; it causes blindness.  In the Alabaster Caverns outside of Woodward, Oklahoma, you can take a tour through them.  At one point, the guide turns off the lights.  As a result, you cannot even see your hand in front of your face.  That is what we see here in this section. The world was used to the darkness; they were blind and could not understand, nor see the Light of Christ.

However, Jesus is not just the Light, He is the true Light.  In other words, Jesus is real and genuine.  We often can see reflections of Jesus’ light in others and in His workings; but according to Hebrews 1.3, in Jesus, we can see the full radiance of His glory.  But what does that do for humanity?

Jesus enlightens, or reveals spiritual truth to mankind.  God has revealed Himself in the most spectacular way to all of humanity.  This includes everyone.  Everyone will be held accountable for what has been revealed to them of Christ. Even in Romans, we are told that God has revealed Himself in creation, so that nobody has an excuse for not believing.

There is an explanation that even His own creation and His own creatures did not recognize or even receive Him.  Even though the Creator of all that there is chose to step down into time and limit Himself physically, those whom He had created didn’t get it.  The world did not know Him. He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.  Sadly, too many love their sin.  Tragically, too many choose to be blind and stay in the darkness, thinking they are hiding their sin.  They may have known of Him, but they did not know Him in a personal relationship.  This wasn’t because of ignorance, but was a matter of intentional choice.

There is a word which is repeated several times in this section; world.  John uses this word over half the time it is used in the New Testament.  It can refer to the physical world, humanity, or Satan’s evil system.  John’s use of cosmos seems to be the usage here.  There is also a sense when the author, John, states Jesus came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. This group would be His own chosen people, the Jews.  

John goes on to provide us with a wonderful shift in his thoughts which ought to give encouragement to us.  That is the fact that many chose to believe. 

Reception of the Light - 1.12-13

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.

Verse 12 begins with that wonderful conjunction, but.  Not everyone rejected Jesus.  All those who had been chosen before time began and who received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God.  I recall with fondness what Pastor Arthur Enns stated many times to me when I served under him: Where God is not allowed to rule, He will overrule.

Yet, what is really required?  Are there special words or prayers that have to be uttered?  Does one have to be born of Jewish background?  Is it necessary that one’s parents love Jesus?  Can a parent or anyone else force someone to choose Jesus?

Listen again, to what is said as to whom can become children of God.  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.

As we go back to the first part of verse 12, the word received could be translated as grasped.  It’s not just agreeing with something.  It is truly believing in Christ and all that He came to do.  MacArthur states: Saving faith accepts Jesus Christ in all that Scripture reveals concerning Him.  There is a tension that we have to learn to live with in the fact that it is [God} who gave the right to become children of God, alongside the reality of those who believe in His name.  

To add to that tension and yet provide clarity, that it is all of God; the author, John, goes on to show that salvation has nothing to do with racial or ethnic background; salvation has nothing to do with whether or not I want it bad enough; salvation has nothing to do with some creative religious inventions or some man-made formula.  We are [given] the right to become children of God . . . Of God.

Reflections

There's choices which we have to make every day. We have to choose whether to wear something warm or something cool. We have to choose whether to have toast or eggs or cereal or whatever it might be for breakfast. Yet, those choices are quite immaterial in regards to eternity.

Here, the choices presented today have to do with eternity. The information is presented quite clearly. John the Baptist had been given the marvelous responsibility of announcing or introducing the true light of the world. In addition, John the Baptist was going to present to the people the reality of the consequences of choosing darkness. He would tell them how they could experience eternal life by choosing the light. He would also make it clear that he was not the light.

My friends, do others see us as people like John the Baptist; one who reflects Jesus and proclaims Jesus by what we say and how we live? Do we present Jesus in such a way that it is obvious that there are only two options? Option one is to reject the light. Option two is to receive the light. We must be clear in our presentation of the Gospel.

Maybe there is someone here today who is just now recognizing this choice. I would invite you to visit with me or someone else here and find out how you can make the right choice; by choosing to follow Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.