JOHN 1:10-13 | A GOSPEL SUMMARY
Notes
Transcript
JOHN 1:10-13 | A GOSPEL SUMMARY
JOHN 1:10-13 | A GOSPEL SUMMARY
ILLUSTRATION: When I was a senior in high school in my final term of the year, I needed just a few more credits to finish school
ILLUSTRATION: When I was a senior in high school in my final term of the year, I needed just a few more credits to finish school
As is sometimes the case for high school seniors in their final term, I was ready to turn off my brain and just be done.
So when that final term came and the class list came out, I was looking for the most simple class I could take.
I had already taken all the core classes dealing with math, or science, or english, or history, and I had the opportunity to choose and “elective” class.
Now this will give some insight into the public school that I attended, because as I looked at those elective class options there was one that immediately caught my eye… “Children’s literature”
I knew who the teacher was and I knew she liked me, so I decided to sign up for that class.
And that class lived up to it’s name.
The primary purpose of the class was to train the students how to become a children’s author and illustrator.
And to give inspiration, we were required to read a children’s book almost every night and then to show that we had read it, we had to write a summary of the book.
Do you know how hard it is to write a summary about the book “Green Eggs and Ham”?
By the end of that term my love for children’s literature had waned and I was no closer to becoming a children’s author.
EXPLANATION: For the first time in John’s letter, he gives a summary of the Gospel.
EXPLANATION: For the first time in John’s letter, he gives a summary of the Gospel.
In fact, in some ways he summarizes the whole Bible.
And his summary is of incredibly greater value than any of the summaries that I gave in my children’s literature class.
In these 4 brief verses, John eloquently writes about the common problem for all man, the open invitation for all man, and the only way for all man.
What he says is both simple and yet so profound.
It is concise and yet exhaustive
And it is just as applicable today as it was on the day John dipped that quill into the ink and penned these powerful words.
APPLICATION: Friend, this morning, we are going to walk through a familiar theme in the Bible.
APPLICATION: Friend, this morning, we are going to walk through a familiar theme in the Bible.
Can I encourage you, don’t treat it like I treated those children’s books in my children’s literature class.
Just because you have heard these things before, don’t let it become something that you tune your mind out about.
Focus your heart and attention today, and hear this powerful story like it was the first time.
Be reminded of these truths and be challenged to walk in them fresh and anew this morning.
And if you haven’t been around church or the Bible… then what we are about to see today is going to blow you away!
So hold on to your seat because we are about to dive into a summary of the Gospel!
V.10-11, A COMMON PROBLEM
V.10-11, A COMMON PROBLEM
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
EXPLANATION: John recalls back to where he had begun in his chapter in the first few verses about Jesus.
EXPLANATION: John recalls back to where he had begun in his chapter in the first few verses about Jesus.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.
Jesus Christ preceded creation and then demonstrated His deity through the creation that He made.
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:
And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.
In John 8, as Jesus was speaking with the religious Jews who were so proud of their lineage and heritage, Jesus infuriated them as he said in John 8:58-59
Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
Christ’s deity is proven in many ways, two of which are found in v.10 here in John 1,
Jesus always was… and Jesus created everything.
But we find that there was a familiar problem in John’s day that hasn’t changed in the world that we live today.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
The world that is used for “knew” in “knew him not” carries with it a two part understanding.
First, it isn’t just knowing facts about Jesus… the word means to experience Jesus.
Secondly, it wasn’t a lack of knowledge because of a lack of opportunity… it was because of a purposeful choice to reject experiencing Christ.
John would take it a step further as he tells the readers in v.11
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Jesus was a Jew
We know according the the Scriptures that Israel and the Jewish people are God’s chosen people.
All the way back in Genesis, the first book of the Bible in chapter 12, God came to a man named Abram and made him a promise.
Now the Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee:
And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing:
And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
God made this promise that we know as the “Abrahamic covenant” that he would bless the lineage and nation that would come from Abraham, and God kept His promise.
But as you weave through the OT, you find the nation of Israel on a cycle of turning away from God, being judged, repenting and turning back, and then turning away again.
And this process culminated with the coming of Jesus.
Throughout the Gospels Jesus traveled around preaching the truths of the Gospel and revealing piece by piece at a time just Who He was.
And everywhere He went, there was a common group that opposed Him… the religious Jews.
Finally, after Pilot had Jesus beaten nearly to the point of death he presented him to the crowd, John 19:13-15
When Pilate therefore heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in the judgment seat in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.
And it was the preparation of the passover, and about the sixth hour: and he saith unto the Jews, Behold your King!
But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
The reception of Jesus in the Bible should come as no surprise.
Over in Isaiah 53:3 we were warned
He is despised and rejected of men; A man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: And we hid as it were our faces from him; He was despised, and we esteemed him not.
And as John gives us his summary of the whole story he tells us, John 1:10-11
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
APPLICATION: As we hear the story of Jesus, it can be so easy to shake our heads and wonder, “how could they not see the truth?”
APPLICATION: As we hear the story of Jesus, it can be so easy to shake our heads and wonder, “how could they not see the truth?”
How could they have missed it?
Well friend, don’t forget, it wasn’t that they didn’t know because they didn’t have opportunity…
They didn’t know because they chose to reject Christ
And the truth is, not much has changed between then and now.
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
The Bible says “when they KNEW God”
It implies that they were given the opportunity to recognize Who He is, and they chose to reject Him!
Friend, it could be that you are here today and you know about God… but you’ve never accepted Him as God of your life!
ILLUSTRATION: People who claimed that President Trump and President Biden wasn’t “their” President.
ILLUSTRATION: People who claimed that President Trump and President Biden wasn’t “their” President.
Whether they accepted it or not… they were still the president.
APPLICATION: Whether you accept that Jesus is God or not… He is still God.
APPLICATION: Whether you accept that Jesus is God or not… He is still God.
And He wants you not just to know about Him… but to experience Him as well.
He will not force you to receive Him… it is a decision that you have to make of your own from will.
And that leads us to the next verse John wrote:
V.12, AN OPEN INVITATION
V.12, AN OPEN INVITATION
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
EXPLANATION: Immediately following the heartbreaking verses of v.10-11, John writes one of the most encouraging reminders in the Scriptures.
EXPLANATION: Immediately following the heartbreaking verses of v.10-11, John writes one of the most encouraging reminders in the Scriptures.
Anyone who chooses to receive Christ becomes a child of God!
When God says “to them gave he power to become the sons of God”
The word “power” isn’t speaking of ability… it is speaking of authority.
It’s not that God empowers certain people to come to Him… rather, those that come to Him are now given the authority of a son of God!
And it is open to anyone!
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
Praise God it is open to anyone and everyone!
APPLICATION: That means it doesn’t matter what your past looks like
APPLICATION: That means it doesn’t matter what your past looks like
It doesn’t matter what side of the tracks you grew up on
It doesn’t matter what financial status you may have come from
It doesn’t matter what bad decision you made
It doesn’t matter what regrets you may have
It doesn’t matter how much of a mess you may have found yourself in.
God can and will forgive you, if you ask, and make you his own.
He says he will make you His son… His child
There is no one beyond the reach of the hand of God.
ILLUSTRATION: It’s not like when you lose your keys between the console and your drivers seat.
ILLUSTRATION: It’s not like when you lose your keys between the console and your drivers seat.
There is some twisted person out there that probably eats olives every day and sits and laughs thinking of how they created a space between the drivers seat and the middle console you can’t reach into.
It is without question the dirtiest part of the car too.
All the french fries and skittles find their way into that hole.
Every time I clean my vehicles I can see the disgust in that cavern, but it’s too small of a space to do anything about it.
It’s physically impossible to reach your hand down in between the seat and console.
APPLICATION: Friend, God doesn’t have any problems reaching into the deepest darkest pit of someone’s life to bring them to Him.
APPLICATION: Friend, God doesn’t have any problems reaching into the deepest darkest pit of someone’s life to bring them to Him.
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:
He can reach into the darkest cave of your life and He can pull you out.
He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, And set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
God can take a man like Saul, and can save Him and change His life and turn Him into Paul!
And God can take your mess of a life and save you, and then clean you up and give you a new path.
You know, once you realize you are a child of the King, it should change the way you life your life.
You see friend, you don’t have to live under the bondage and weight of this world anymore!
You’ve been set free!
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.
Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.
Then Paul follows that up with a question:
But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage?
This is an open invitation to anyone and everyone!
And friend, once you become a child of God, stop acting like you never met Him!
There should be a change!
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
We’ve seen the Common Problem, and John has offered an Open Invitation.
So the logical final question is… how do you receive it?
Well… I’m glad you asked, because John gives us the answer as he concludes his summary of the Gospel.
V.13, THE ONLY WAY
V.13, THE ONLY WAY
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
EXPLANATION: John makes clear there is only one way to Jesus.
EXPLANATION: John makes clear there is only one way to Jesus.
It wasn’t by their nationality
The Jews were and are God’s chosen people, but that doesn’t mean they had a free pass into heaven.
It wasn’t by their works
For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt.
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness.
Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
And it wasn’t because they were really sincere.
Just because you believe something and really want it to be true, doesn’t make it true.
ILLUSTRATION: Tressa and I had a blue Suzuki Forenza
ILLUSTRATION: Tressa and I had a blue Suzuki Forenza
Now I know what you are thinking… “Kyle, that sounds like a really fast sports car…” and you wouldn’t have been far off.
In fact, I made some modifications to it that closely resembled a sports car.
We hit our second deer with the car, and for a long time I put a blue strap across the hood to make sure it didn’t fly up since the latch was broken.
But then I decided I wanted to add to it’s sports car nature, so I drilled holes through the hood into the frame and ran bolts up on both sides and then put wing nuts on each bolt.
It looked just like a high end sports car… At least that’s what I told myself.
You know, the truth was, no matter what I may have said or did… no matter how hard I believed… it didn’t make it true.
ILLUSTRATION: The mormon missionaries that stopped by the church
ILLUSTRATION: The mormon missionaries that stopped by the church
He said, “I just really believe and feel that it’s true.”
But no matter how much he believed it or felt it… it didn’t make it true.
APPLICATION: Friend, there is only one way to get eternal life, and John makes it abundantly clear how that is…
APPLICATION: Friend, there is only one way to get eternal life, and John makes it abundantly clear how that is…
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
Over in John 14:6 Jesus said it this way
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
There is only one way to get to heaven… and it isn’t by any good works you could do.
It is only through Christ’s death on the cross… it’s through the payment that God accepts.
How can you receive it?
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.
For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.
For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSION
Can I ask you this morning, have you ever accepted this incredible gift that is only available through Jesus Christ?
Can you go back to a time in your life that you made the decision to trust in Christ alone to save you from your sins?
If not… why don’t you do it today!
Maybe you are here this morning and you have listened to the entire summary John gave of the Gospel.
And maybe you are thinking, “Kyle, I’ve heard all this before… I’ve already accepted Christ as my Savior… Why do I need to hear this simple message again?”
Friend, my question to you is, “If it’s really that simple, why aren’t you sharing it?”
You know John summarized the Gospel in 4 verses, it’s almost as simple as a children’s book… it doesn’t take long to share the Gospel
So why don’t you get busy sharing it?
A Common Problem, An Open Invitation, The Only Way
Let’s determine this morning to receive it, and then to share it today!
