There Was A Man Sent From God: Part 1

There is a man sent from God, there was a man sent from God. Please bow with me in prayer as we open up the Word of God this morning. And that each and every one of us will be hidden under the shadow of the cross.

Our Father and our God, how great you are as we come to this time to hear from heaven. Lord, our prayer is this, Lord, Lord, speak for thy servant hears. Speak Lord, for thy servant hears, in Jesus' name I pray, Amen.

John the Baptist as the Witness to the True Light

John chapter 1, beginning at verse 6 to 8, we are going to look at this next section is, actually begins with 6 to 13, and it speaks of the witness of John the Baptist. That he testifies and bears witness of the true light, that he is not that true light.

He was a light, but not the true light. There's a difference. So hear God's Word, and I just want to read just 3 verses, 6 to 8. John 1, beginning from verse 6 to verse 8. And I'm reading from the New King James Version.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the light. That all through him might believe, he was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light.

Now, you don't have to turn there, but I've mentioned it, but Jesus said this in John chapter 8, verse 12. I've mentioned it already in this series, and it really calls for us to hear again. As the Bible says, then Jesus spoke to them, saying, I am the light of the world.

And he who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life. Now, if you go back to John chapter 1, look at verse 5. The previous verse, in which we looked at last Lord's Day, in conclusion of the first section.

And I'm going to pick up right here, verse 5 of John chapter 1. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. Did not comprehend it, did not overcome it, it's a better translation.

Beloved, this is a clear reference to the coming of Jesus Christ to this dark and sinful world. A clear reference. A clear scripture. For the word of God sheds light on this, and there's going to be much shedding light all the way through the gospel, this fourth gospel of John.

Here he is, the Lord Jesus Christ, the light of the world, shining in darkness. But the darkness was not able to overcome it, or to extinguish the light. Now, as I was studying this, I could not help but gather from this wonderful quote from Pastor John MacArthur.

He gives us some wonderful insight about light itself from a scientific level. So, bear with me on this. It has a little length to it, but there's a reason I chose this. And what he speaks of, and the message that he preached, I'm taking this quote from him because it's filled with great insight.

It's filled with illumination to speak about the light itself. So listen to what he has to say, and bear with me on this.

Quote.

He says, let's borrow a little bit from science to get an understanding of why this idea of light is attached to the Lord Jesus Christ. When we think of light, we have to consider it in the simplest terms and sort of take it for granted because we're so used to it.

Life is full of darkness and light. We understand them without a scientific explanation. But whenever there is a term like this, borrowed from life, used to describe the Lord Jesus Christ or God Himself, it behooves us to dig a little deeper into the concept to see if we can't see what God is viewing far more than what we might see on the surface.

So we experience light in a static way. This is really good. It really gets good here.

He says this.

It is either dark or light or some degree in between for us. Light is on and off. It is present or it is absent. And we look at light as some kind of static condition. Nothing, frankly, could be further from the truth.

To give you a scientific definition of light might help expand your understanding a little bit and then we can apply it to what we're learning here about the Lord Jesus Christ.

He says this.

Light, in fact, is energy. Energy. Science defines light as luminous energy, as radiant energy, and as electromagnetic energy. And light is moving at the speed of 186 ,282 miles per second. It's incredible, isn't it?

It is anything but static. It is anything but fixed. It is considered as a wave, as a corpuscular or quantum phenomenon. It is, in great measure, indescribable as the power and the source of that power.

And the quantum idea is a testimony to the fact that it cannot be comprehended as to the source from which it draws its velocity and its very existence. Now listen very closely here. Light is a wave moving at 186 ,000 miles per second.

This wave can hit the retina, the eye, and when it does that, it makes things visible. It shows you how incredible the power of light is. It goes on to say this. It illuminates things. All colors depend on light.

Where there's light, we see. Where there's no light, we do not see. It is high-speed energy that hits the eye and makes things visible. When you think about light in that way, you are seeing it or viewing it in a way that is directly applicable to the Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the divine power and the spiritual rim making things visible.

Now, in parentheses here, Pastor MacArthur gives an application to everything he says at the offset about what he has just said about light from a scientific level. Here's the spiritual application. When the light, the spiritual light of Christ, hits the living soul, which would be equal to the open and functioning eye, everything is illuminated in the spiritual rim.

The light, according to John, is none other than the life, that eternal life, who is the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the word that comes from God. He is the word because in Him, God speaks. He is the life because through Him, God gives life.

He is the light because by Him, everything in the spiritual rim is illuminated. And apart from Him, there is no word from God. Apart from Him, there is no life. And apart from Him, there is no true understanding.

All is darkness. I thought that was wonderful. I could not help but share that with you today at the introduction of this message because actually, this is what it's all about. It's Jesus Christ is that light of the world.

What a wonderful statement, what a wonderful quote that helps us a little bit here to get going in what we're going to see through this wonderful gospel. Apart from Jesus Christ, everything is dark. Amen?

Everything is dark. He is that light of the world. Jesus Christ is the true light. And this is exactly what John the Baptist bears witness of.

We're going to see this.

It may take us a few Lord's days to go through it, but we will see it because the Scripture bears record of this. There was this one person, John the Baptist. He was a man sent from God. He was sent from God with a great privilege.

He had a special mission to bear witness of the true light, Jesus Christ. And believe me, if John the Baptist were to come around today and preach in churches or even get into a church, he would probably get kicked out right off the offset.

He was a very different man, but he was God's man. And we'll look at that from Scripture. John the Baptist. John the Baptist. What does the Word of God say about John the Baptist? Now, let's keep in mind, John's sole purpose on earth was to witness and bear testimony of the true light, who is Jesus Christ.

John the Baptist was a mere mortal man. His purpose stands as dynamic example for all believers.

And we're going to see this.

For each and every one of us, especially ministers of the Gospel. But in one sense, we're all ministers. There's a capital M, there's a small m, and it doesn't mean one's greater than the other. One just has more responsibility than the other.

We all have a great responsibility and a privilege to introduce this lost and dying world in darkness to Jesus Christ, who is the true light. John the Baptist's purpose stands as dynamic for all believers, and that purpose is to bear that same witness as John did, to bear witness to who Jesus Christ is.

This poor world out here has not the slightest idea of who Jesus really is. They go to church and they hear stories about Him, and a lot of churches do not even confirm, sad to say, or believe that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh.

That church should be closed down. Call it a church. Who Jesus Christ is to a lost and dying world. So, twice we read here in this chapter 1, John the Baptist's witness here in chapter 1, verse 15. Notice in verse 15, John bore witness of Him and cried out.

He cried out. He's a voice, remember. This was He whom I said, He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me. And then He also testified in verse 34 of chapter 1. And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.

Beloved, that's the testimony of John the Baptist concerning Jesus Christ. Now, there are three points to bring out concerning this man sent from God,.

John the Baptist.

We're going to get technically to two of them. The third, we're not going to have time to get into, but this is my outline here. Verse 6. First, we see in verse 6, is a man sent from God. We will see His commission.

He's a man sent from God, His commission. Verse 6.

Verse 7.

We see a man with a mission, His purpose. His mission. First, His commission. Second, His mission. His purpose. And third, Lord willing, we will embark on this next Lord's day, because much is said about this.

Verse 8. A man sent from God with a privilege, who was great, but not the true light. We will see His humility. His commission, His mission, His humility. Let's look at His commission. His mission. His commission and mission.

First, verse 6. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. Now, keep in mind, John the Apostle never identifies himself as himself. He never calls himself out by name. When he says John, he's speaking of John the Baptist.

A few times he speaks about Peter's father, John. That was Peter's father's name. But most of the time, when he's referring to John, in the Gospel of John, he's not speaking of himself. Matter of fact, when he speaks of himself, he says about the disciple whom the Lord loved.

But here, he speaks of John the Baptist. There was a man sent from God. There was a man sent from God. This is a man that has a commission. He has a commission. The text, now, is not drawing attention to John the Baptist.

You would think it was, but it's not. And drawing away attention from Jesus Christ. That's absurd. Actually, it's on the contrary.

How do we see this?

Well, notice how verse 6 begins. Notice how it begins. Look at it very closely. There was a man.

A man.

And only a man.

A very strong contrast, right? Is being made between what had been said about Jesus Christ and what is now being said about John the Baptist. The first is, Jesus Christ was in the beginning.

He is the beginning. He is the beginning. From the beginning.

From everlasting to everlasting, He's God. He was with God, as Scripture says in John 1, verse 1 and 2. And He was God. Second is, John the Baptist was a man who had come into existence. His beginning was at birth, just like all the rest of us.

He had a beginning. Jesus had no beginning.

He is the beginning.

And just as all men have a beginning of their existence at birth, John the Baptist had a beginning. There was a man.

A man.

Now we move now from the uncreated one, the creator of the ends of the earth, the eternal one, the pre-existent, co-existent with God, the self-existent, who is Jesus Christ, who is the light, true light, and life in Himself, to a mere mortal man.

John was that man. So John the Baptist emerges in history. He's sent from God. He's sent from God. John's birth was a miracle from God. We're going to look at several things just to show that he is sent from God.

This is a component to the fact that he is sent from God. And actually Luke chapter 1 of his arrival, you can read this, we'll go a little bit here and there to Luke chapter 1 after a while, but I want to just paraphrase it for right now.

One basically tells of his arrival, was announced to his father, Zacharias,.

Who was a priest.

And he was announced by the angel, and he even gives the angel's name, doesn't he? Luke gives it to Gabriel, who came from heaven as a messenger to speak to Zacharias. And we even read later on that John the Baptist, when he was in the womb of his mother Elizabeth, after hearing the greeting of Mary, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

In Luke 1 .41, even, that is miraculous, and even in Luke chapter 1, I'm sorry, verse 31, his timing was of God's providence according to Luke chapter 1. As a matter of fact, verse 80 says this, there was a day for his public appearance, there was a day for his public appearance, and God has ordained that very day.

That's the sovereignty of God. That is God's providence. That is God's timetable. Just as it spoke about Jesus Christ and the fullness of time God sent forth His Son, but God sent John the Baptist, this forerunner of Jesus Christ to come into the world.

He was a man. He was a man.

Don't you love that?

Psalm 8 .4, as we're very familiar with Psalm chapter 8, it's a wonderful chapter to memorize.

What is man?

That you are mindful of Him, and the Son of Man, that you visit for Him. That word visit means that you give attention to Him, that you care for Him. What is man? That you visit Him, you give attention to Him and care for Him.

Even John the Baptist testified in John 3, verse 27, a man can receive nothing except it be given to him from heaven. Now, I want you to think about this. As he's a mere man, he's sent from God. He was a mere man, but he was a holy man.

And God raised this man up, and made him and spoke to him in the desert. That was the university for him. And I tell you what, this man, he would be like a hermit to us, like a recluse, eccentric, almost like a wild man.

And we'll see in a minute what his dress was and what his food was. But Scripture says a lot about John the Baptist. Go with me to Malachi. This is the last book of the Old Testament. After this is 400 years of silence.

And listen to what God Himself says about John the Baptist. He speaks about the coming messenger in chapter 3. Look at what chapter 3 says, verse 1. And I like to read a little bit further because there's wonderful Scripture here.

Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple. And even the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.

And then Malachi speaks, but who can endure the day of his coming? Speaking about the Lord coming. And who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner's fire and like a laundry's soap. And he will sit as a refiner and a purifier of silver.

And he will purify the sons of Levi and purge them with gold and silver that they may offer to the Lord an offering in righteousness. But back to verse 1. Speaks all about John the Baptist. Behold, I send my messenger before the Lord comes, before Jesus Christ was made flesh.

Now if you jump to Malachi 4, this whole chapter, just verse 6, only 6 verses speak of the great day of God Almighty that it will come. Let me just read this whole chapter because we can read 6 verses very quickly.

For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven. Now this is the day of the Lord, right? And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up, says the Lord of hosts.

That will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear my name, the son of righteousness shall arise. This is speaking of Jesus here. With healing in his wings. And he shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves.

You shall trample the wicked for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet. This is going to happen on the day of the Lord, at Jesus' second coming. And on that day that I do this, says the Lord of hosts.

In verse 4, remember the law of Moses, my servant, which I commanded him and whored for all Israel, with the statutes and the judgments. And notice what he says in verse 5 and 6. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord, and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse.

Now, there's some interpretive challenges here to this chapter, and I don't want to go into that, but you could basically say in verse 5 and 6, it's speaking of John the Baptist coming on the scene of history and the earth, when he sends the messenger before the great day of God Almighty.

You could speak of that being John the Baptist, but some people interpret this as right before the second coming of Jesus. How do you apply this? Is it speaking at the first advent of Jesus, or the second advent of Jesus?

It could go either way. That's a very hard chapter to interpret that, but in its context, we do know he's speaking about the great day of God Almighty. We do know that Malachi is speaking about the end of the time, before the great and final day, the consummation of all things, the second coming, the second advent of Jesus Christ, but you can apply it in verse 5 that is speaking of John the Baptist.

Some say, well, Elijah will come back as one of the two prophets. Some people feel it's Enoch and Elijah at the end of the days, and they will be killed in the streets and God will raise them up. Some people say it's Moses, but Moses has already died, right?

Moses is the only two I know that has never had a physical death was Enoch and Elijah. So you can say that this is Elijah coming, but at the same time you can say before the second coming of Jesus Christ, and before his first advent as well, behold, I send you Elijah the prophet.

Now, how do we know? Listen very closely. John the Baptist came as a man, and they thought he was as Elijah. He was spoken of as Elijah. The scriptures even speak of that.

We're going to see that.

But he is definitely a different man, and he's a man sent from God. And like I said, no doubt about it, Malachi 3 .1 speaks no doubt about John the Baptist. How can you apply verse 5 of chapter 4 to John the Baptist?

That's exactly what his commission was. Was what? He will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. That was his commission. Well, you can study that in your personal time.

There's different views on that, but there was 400 years of silence nevertheless, right? Right after verse 6. 400 years of silence. No word from God to the Jewish nation. To God's people.

Silence.

God didn't speak.

Nothing.

400 years.

And all of a sudden, I will send you Elijah the prophet, and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers. God's concerned about the family, isn't He?

At least I come and strike the earth with a curse. Clear prophecy concerning John the Baptist. I believe personally, no doubt. He was a man sent from God, right? Sent forth from men. Does it say He was a man sent from men?

No.

Does it say He was sent forth from a seminary?

No.

God forbid. Seminary basically just gives men that are called to the ministry just tools to help them in the ministry. It doesn't give no calling. He's sent from God. I like what Ravenhill says. I got my Ravenhill book out last night.

I got several of them. He only wrote just a handful. Why Revival. Terry's is one of his favorite, one of his best ones. But there's another one he wrote before he departed and went to be with the Lord, and he had a burden for America.

And he called it, America's Too Young to Die. In parentheses, a call to revival. And in chapter 8, chapter 8 is called, he does a whole chapter on John the Baptist, by the way. And I promise you, I'm not going to quote the whole chapter.

But he says this,.

There was a man sent from God. That's what he titled chapter 8. Ravenhill says this about John the Baptist.

Quote,.

The people who had been to the temple that day and seen the high priest in his garments of glory and the beauty would find it difficult to accept this bearded eccentric of chronic austerity and vulgar tongue as quote, a prophet sent from God.

He goes on to say, but Jesus said, this unusual, unpredictable, uncompromising man among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist. Matthew 11, 11. Ravenhill says this, and I love this.

The secret of this amazing John the Baptist is easy to discover. He was a single man with a single eye to God's glory, a single purpose to do God's will, a single message to hail and introduce the Christ, the anointed of God, as the world's redeemer.

End quote.

I love that. A single man with a single eye to God's glory and a single purpose to do God's will and a single message to hail and introduce the Christ, the anointed of God, as the world's redeemer. That's the way, that's what we should be doing as believers in Jesus Christ.

Well, John the Baptist's message was pure and simple, wasn't it? Brother Keith touched on it this morning. His message was repentance. Just as our Lord began His earthly ministry with repentance and then later on while He was glorified to the seven churches, just about to every single one of them He said, repent.

But we learn a little bit about John the Baptist. He's a very unusual man, but he's God's man. Go with me to Luke chapter 3. We'll see a little bit about him here. Luke chapter 3. He comes on the stage.

His stage is the world. His message is to repent. And by the way, when he enters, we'll see this in a few minutes, as he enters the stage of the world, this is the courtroom. Because he's bearing witness of Jesus Christ.

But notice in Luke chapter 3, let me begin with verse 2 and just read it on. You can hear what God's Word says about this man, the forerunner of Jesus Christ, a man sent from God. While Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the Word of God came to John.

It didn't say that the Word of God went to the high priest. The Word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

In the wilderness.

And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah, the prophet saying, and I quoted this this morning, from Isaiah 40, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, every valley shall be filled, every mountain and hill brought low, the crooked places shall be made straight, the rough ways made smooth, and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, a brood of vipers. Listen to this preacher. A brood of vipers. He calls them snakes. Then he gives them a question. Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

These religious hypocrites. He throws a question right at them. First he says, you're snakes. And then he says, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Don't hear that preached much, do we? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father.

We hear it all the time. People leaning on their coattails, their family coattails religion. We have Abraham as our father. For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

And then he goes on to say this in verse 9, and even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Black and white.

His preaching is powerful, it's bold, it's simple. He gets to the point. He preaches repentance. He basically tells them to repent. Now listen to what happens here as he's preaching. Verse 10. So the people ask him, saying, what shall we do then?

Good question. He gives them an answer.

Verse 11.

He answered and said to them, he who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none. And he who has food, let him do likewise. Verse 12. Then the tax collectors, first it was people, now the tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, teacher, what shall we do?

Everybody's asking, what shall we do? Verse 13. He gives them an answer. To the tax collectors. And he said to them, collect no more than what is appointed for you.

Wow.

That gets to the point, doesn't it? Stop robbing people. Stop collecting more than you should. Be honest. These are the fruits of repentance.

Amen.

Verse 14. Likewise, now the soldiers. First the people, then the tax collectors, and then the soldiers. This man had a powerful ministry of preaching the truth and repentance, and people were pierced to their hearts.

Cut to their hearts. Verse 14. Likewise, the soldiers, the military, ask him, saying, what shall we do? And he gives them answers. So he said to them, do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages.

Wow.

Treat people right. There's the fruits. Now as the people were in its expectation. They were in expectation. And all reason in their hearts about John, whether he was the Christ or not. John answered to, saying to all of them, I indeed baptize you with water, but one mightier than I is coming.

And listen to what he says about Jesus, and about himself. Whose sandal strap I am not worthy to loose.

Folks, that's humility.

He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Whose winnowing fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor, and gather the wheat into his barn. But the shaft he will burn with unquenchable fire.

This is what he told the people. And with many other exhortations, he preached to the people.

And then from there on out,.

It basically says,.

Herod.

And as John the Baptist rebuked him concerning Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, for all the evils which Herod had done, also added this, above all, that he shut up John up in the prison. Trying to shut him up.

Couldn't shut him up. He even preached in prison. Until later on he was beheaded. He lost his head for preaching repentance.

Powerful.

Powerful man of God. But he was a man. He's not the true light. He's bearing witness of the light. He was a light though. Jesus said of that, that he was a burning and a shining light. But Jesus is the light.

The source. John's commission. John's commission. Now we also see before John was born, Go back to Luke chapter 1. Let's read a little bit about his birth being a miracle. Which it was. His parents, Zacharias and his father was Zacharias.

He's a priest. And his mother Elizabeth. They were probably in their 80's folks. Just like Abraham and Sarah. Isaac was born. It was a miracle birth. It was. John the Baptist was a miracle birth. His parents were very up in age.

Could you imagine today having a couple of 80 year old elderly people having a baby? But this is what happened. This was a miracle. God had a reason for John the Baptist. And his purpose.

And we're going to see that.

John was a mere man but he had a great privilege. Now notice what it says. Let me just read in chapter 1 verse 5 to 25. It tells us a lot. Notice what it says. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias of the division of Abijah.

His wife was of the daughters of Aaron. Did I say Luke chapter 1? I think so. Verse 5.

Her name was Elizabeth.

And they were both righteous before God. Walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren and they were both well advanced in years.

Listen to that. So it was and while he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division, according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

And the whole multitude of the people was praying outside at the hour of incense. Then the angel of the Lord, we know he's Gabriel because he names him later, angel of the Lord appeared to him standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled and fear fell upon him. But the angel said to him, Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard. And your wife, he was praying about this, your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son and you shall call his name John.

It's amazing that even his name there means gracious, gracious of God, comes from heaven. The angel basically said this is what you name him. And you will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth for he will be great in the sight of the Lord.

This is the spirit of God. This is what God said about John the Baptist. He is great. He's not the greatest. We know who the greatest is, right? That's the Lord Jesus Christ.

But he is great.

And notice what it says, And he shall drink neither wine nor strong drink.

He will be separated.

He will be a different man. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. So he was filled with the Holy Spirit even in his mother's womb. And notice what it says,. And I just spoke about this from Malachi chapter 4.

And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. And he will also go before him in the spirit and the power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just and to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

And Zechariah said to the angel, How shall I know this? Now he's in doubt, okay? Remember Mary, when the angel came to her as a messenger, she said, Be it done to me, Lord. Now here he is questioning.

Now Mary had a question, How can this be? Because she didn't know a man. She was a virgin. That conception was super miraculous. But this is miraculous but not like the virgin birth, folks. John still was a mere man with Adam's sin.

He needed a savior. Jesus enters into this world through Mary, through the virgin. Separate, completely, not with Adam's sin. That's why the virgin birth is so critical. But here, it will be a supernatural birth.

And Zechariah says to the angel, How shall I know this? For I am an old man. And my wife is well advanced in years. The angel answered and said to him, I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God and was sent to speak to you and bring you these glad tidings.

And then he says this, because of his unbelief, listen to this, But behold, you will be mute and not be able to speak until the day these things take place because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their own time.

And the people waited for Zechariah. And notice what it says,. And marveled that he lingered so long in the temple. And when he came out, he could not speak to them. For they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple and he beckoned to them and remained speechless.