The God Who Gives - [John 1:6-13]

Have a question for you this morning. What pops into your mind when you first think about God? What comes to your mind when you think of God? And I've referred to this man many times. I'm gonna refer to him again because he is the most popular atheist of this day.

And he wrote this Richard Dawkins in a book called the God delusion. He's not too it doesn't mince too many words. He says this the God of the Old Testament is Is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction jealous and proud of it a petty unjust unforgiving control freak a Capriciously malevolent bully as I studied this passage.

I thought That's not the God of the Old Testament, that's not the God of the New Testament, that's not the God who exists. There are no there is no difference between the God of the Old Testament the God of the New Testament.

That's a false dichotomy. There is but one God and as we enter John's gospel, and that's where I would invite you. Well, actually I'm gonna invite you to turn somewhere else. So don't go there open a Matthew 21.

I've never done this before. I've never started with a passage other than what I'm going to preach, but I'm gonna do it this morning. We're gonna look at John's gospel, but I I think it's good to remind ourselves That as we just enter as we just get our toes wet into the New Testament the Old Covenant and Thus the Old Testament law are still under Effect.

They're still we haven't seen Christ fulfill the law at this point. Still under the Old Covenant. In fact, I'm going to argue in a little bit that John the Baptist was the last prophet of the Old Testament.

But now we live under the New Covenant. Christ will fill the law on our behalf. But again, we're still in this particular Passage here, but open to Matthew 21 verses 33 to 41 the parable of the tenants the parable the vineyard, however.

You want to phrase it? And I thought this gives us a picture of God and I think. As I just studied this passage, I thought this is a fulfillment in real life of this parable. As we know a parable is a story that Jesus would tell with a singular Spiritual point that he was trying to make and he would use things that were common that people would understand to make a point.

Look at verse 33. Here another parable. There was a master of a house who planted a vineyard and put a fence around it and dug a winepress in it and built a tower and Leashed it to tenants and went into another country.

When the season for fruit drew near he sent his servants to the tenants to get his fruit and The tenants took his servants and beat one killed another and stoned another. Again he sent other servants more than the first and they did the same thing to them.

Finally he sent his son. He sent his son to them saying they will respect my son. But when the tenants saw the Sun they said to themselves this is the heir come let us kill him and have his inheritance and they took him and Threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

Verse 40 when therefore the owner of the vineyard comes. What will he do to those tenants? Jesus really sets him up here because they don't really fully realize that he's Talking about them and their response to him.

Look what they say verse 41. They said to him he will put those wretches to a miserable death and let out the vineyard to other tenants. Who will give him the fruits in their seasons? I'm gonna get back to this parable in a moment, but this is a picture of Certainly the sinfulness of man, but also of our remarkably giving God in this parable.

What does he do? He plants a vineyard and then he takes every possible care for it. He puts up a fence. How many of you have gardens? You ever have problems with rodents. That's the idea of putting up a fence.

You want to keep those little rodents out of there? Why a tower to protect protect it from birds? And he even built a wine press within the vineyard. Why so these precious grapes wouldn't have to go very far.

They could just be pressed right there. He's done everything he can so that this vineyard will Produce Plenty it will do very well. These tenants should I mean they're living on easy street. This is like somebody does all the work and they just say to you.

You know what if you wouldn't mind for your your $100 ,000 a year salary. Would you mind just taking the rubber stamp that I've left on your desk and the pad that I've left open for you. And would you just take that rubber stamp and just stamp that pad of paper?

$100 ,000 just for doing that they've got it made. They're not having to do all these things to prepare the vineyard. It's done. But when he sends his men to receive his share in other words the rent what's do him.

They kill his men one after another. Finally, he sends his ultimate representative his son. Do they yield to him and the answer of course is no. We're gonna see this parable acted out this morning in John chapter 1.

So please turn there John chapter 1. We will see a loving God Lavishly giving to his people and we'll receive their response. We'll see their rejection of him and then we'll see his response to their rejection.

I want to just kind of set this up a little bit. I've been in John a few times here. The gospel according to John what's his purpose. It's written with one specific purpose to demonstrate beyond a doubt that Jesus is God.

The other Gospels were written with different purposes. Gospel of Matthew to demonstrate Jesus as Messiah as King as the fulfillment of Old Testament promises. Mark to show his servanthood as servant nature.

Luke to show his divine or his human nature. I'm sorry. But John's purpose is clear in John 20 31. He says so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Last time a couple Sundays ago in an evening service We looked at verses 1 to 5 and I asked five questions and I'm gonna quickly recap those. First question has Jesus always existed now for some of you you say well, certainly he's always existed.

But this has been a source of controversy Throughout the history of the church. In fact one man basically gave his life in This matter to uphold it. But in verse 1 the Greek language is unmistakable before anything existed.

Before there was time before there was anything other than the Father Son and the Holy Spirit. The word Whom we will later find out is Jesus was in existence. He was there there was never a time when he did not exist and That is in stark contrast to heretical pseudo-christian sex which claim that he is a creation of God.

Again the Greek language could not be more clear. He was there before anything existed could not have been created. Second question is Jesus God again verse 1 could not be more clear. The word was Always existed as God.

He is the ultimate communication. That's why the word word is used in Greek logos. He's the ultimate communication of the nature of God to mankind the very living and breathing Word of God. Third question I asked is Jesus eternal again.

You might say well, that's easy. We know that Not always understood did he exist before anything else before time again. He was in the beginning again that word was carries a very clear meaning that he was and I'm sorry I have to drink a lot of water, but I've been coughing all week.

So That he was in the beginning. He always existed. He was eternal carefully chooses words John does. So that we understand that he is both God and that he is fully equal with the Father. There isn't some kind of God the Father up here and Jesus is somehow lesser that he's a lesser God.

Fourth question is is Jesus the creator? Verse 1 or verse 3 Tells us both positively and negatively that the word Jesus is the agent through whom everything came into being again. That would completely undercut the idea that he could be a creature.

He cannot have created everything and then Be a creature himself because he can't create himself. That's an inherent contradiction. The fifth question I asked is Jesus the provider of life and light. Verses 4 and 5 tells us that he is the source of physical life and He is the source of spiritual life.

He is the source of all light also both physical and spiritual. We could go to many places. Colossians 1 I mean if he if Jesus as A sustainer of life were to take one moment off. What would happen? Everything would cease to exist.

So we come to verse 6. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to bear witness about the light that all men might believe through him. He was not the light. But came to bear witness about the light.

The true light which enlightens everyone was coming into the world. He was in the world and the world was made through him yet. The world did not know him. He came to his own and his own people did not receive him.

But to all who did receive him who believed in his name He gave the right to become children of God who were born not of blood. Nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God and This morning.

I want to draw your attention to three gifts from God three gifts from our giving God. So that you will see him for the gracious loving Generous God that he is not some capricious Deity. I want you to see these three magnificent gifts from God that he has given to the world and Specifically to those who love his son if you don't know Christ, or you're not sure if you know Christ.

This will be a great spiritual checkup for you this morning. The first gift from God is John the Baptist and that's clear from verses 6 to 8. Some people say well, we know John the Baptist. Isn't he that crazy-looking guy, you know that comes out of the wilderness.

Well, yes, he is. Matthew chapter 3 verses 1 to 4 Says this in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea. Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he who was spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah when he said the voice of one crying in the wilderness.

Prepare the way of the Lord make his paths straight now. John wore a garment of camel's hair and A leather belt around his waist and his food was locusts and wild honey. I mean, he probably looked like one of these nuts, you know, I'd probably seen in Berkeley, California or West Hollywood.

I mean he looked kind of crazy. Why. Because he was under a Nazarite vow there were things that he could and couldn't do. No combing his hair and all that. But what else do we know about John the Baptist because we're not going to see that much of him here.

Well, we know that he rejoiced. Even in the womb. At the announcement of the Messiah's miraculous conception. Luke 141. John the Baptist was the last of the Old Testament prophets as I said before in fact Jesus said of him in Matthew 11 11 among those born of wisdom.

Among those born of women there has arisen. No one greater than John the Baptist. No one greater than John the Baptist. That's pretty high praise. So, you know if you were in the audience that day you might have said well.

What about Abraham? Well, he's at least the equal of Abraham. No one greater. What about Moses? No one greater. What about Enoch Elijah Elisha Isaiah. Any of the Old Testament prophets and the answer would be there's no one greater period that verb arisen in Matthew 11 11 it is used only of prophets in the Old Testament version of the Greek text.

Had the Lord merely wanted to speak of John the Baptist birth. He could have done so instead. He stresses the calling that was given to him. How famous was John the Baptist in those days. Well in Acts 18 25 We're told that Apollos remember when he gets corrected about his teaching that he knew only of John's baptism.

John the Baptist was a huge figure in early Christianity and so he appears right here in the beginning of John's gospel. So why is John the Baptist a gift sent from God? Again, look at verse 6. There was a man sent from God whose name was John.

Now I can't resist a slightly Esoteric point so just bear with me a little bit. In the ESV the King James and the new King James. It says there was and In English that word was is was you know, it's just past tense of is or to be right.

But it's that same verb if you look at back at verse 1. It says in the beginning was the word in English would be the same was was and we think well there's no difference between John the Baptist and Jesus.

But there is a difference the Greek verb was in verse 1 tells us that Jesus existed as I said before. Before anything else existed, but the same was that's in English in verse 6 is not the same Greek word.

That verb in verse 6 means to become and it carries the idea of having a particular starting point. John is very careful about the words. He chooses by the power of the Holy Spirit and we'll see that over and over again in his gospel.

Sometimes it doesn't quite come out in English and I want to highlight that there is a difference that John brings out between the ever-existing word and John this man who became he came into the world.

Very clear difference between the Creator and the creature. But John the Baptist Was as great a naturally born man as has ever existed. And he was the creation of God of his Lord. Notice also that John the Baptist was commissioned by God to complete particular mission.

He was sent from God created commission called and sent at the perfect time. To fulfill Old Testament prophecy even as I read earlier in that from Isaiah he was to prepare the people of God for the Son of God and Since the Apostle John's purpose is to demonstrate that Jesus was in fact God.

Why does he mention John so early in his gospel? Why doesn't he just get on talking about John baptizing and all those kind of things? Well, there's some theologians who say that you know in the early church.

There was an elevated view of John the Baptist and so he wanted to create that that distinction between creator and creature right away. And we do know that there was some problem even in the early days of the church, I mean think about this in Matthew 16 Jesus says to his disciples he says in Verse 13 he says who do people say that the Son of Man is and they said some say who?

John the Baptist. Why would they say that? Because they knew that John the Baptist was an important figure. Others say Elijah and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets. So John's not denigrating John the Baptist at all, but he is pointing to this specific difference between the two.

And it's interesting because even John's name is indicative of him being a particular man chosen for a particular mission. His name means God is gracious and it's interesting. I won't get into all of it.

But when his name was chosen, what do they say? They said look According to Jewish tradition. What do you do? You name your children after one of your relatives and they said there's nobody in our family named John.

But that was his name. God is gracious. God was very gracious to send John the Baptist and His mission is plain. He was sent to be a forerunner who would testify of the Messiah look at verse 7. He came as a witness to bear witness about the law.

I mean, it's like we're supposed to get the idea that he's a witness. How do you establish the Apostles premise that Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. The second person the Trinity come in a body. How do you establish that?

By providing witnesses and John the Baptist is but the first in a long line of witnesses that John will present in his gospel. In fact, even in the last time that he is mentioned in the gospel of John Jesus said of him that everything that this man said about Jesus was True.

He was a true witness you know sometimes I mean when we think of a witness I. You know, maybe I'm a little bit Cynical because we used to have this thing in in court where we would Listen before I was saved where somebody would say, you know.

You testify to it and or you say something and I'll testify to it. You know, it was kind of This conspiracy thing, but this is what we're assured about in this gospel. Is that everything that John the Baptist said was true?

Well, what was his goal? Why did John come? I mean What a calling he had. Again, look at verse 7 that all might believe through him literally, he came in order or so that with the purpose of Being A testimony so the light.

Or to the light so that all might believe in Christ through him. I mean, this is interesting. I don't know that I've ever seen this. I'm sure it exists in other Greek passages, but I haven't really noticed it before.

It's a double purpose. It's a we use the word henna. That's the Greek word to show purpose and there's a purpose and then another purpose. So it says that he came with the purpose. That he might be a testimony to the light with the purpose that all might believe in Christ through him by the way, also.

Never does the Bible speak of believing through Jesus. It says that here about John that people might believe through him, but it never says that we should believe Through Jesus. He is not the agent of faith.

He is the object of faith. John the Baptist was the agent. He was the testifier. He was the person saying you need to believe on him. But no one is said to ever believe through Jesus. We believe through the words of John the Baptist.

He was to point to the Messiah. He was sent to the world by the father to speak truthfully of the identity of the Lord Jesus Christ. John Repeats himself the Apostle does for clarity and emphasis again verse 8.

He was not the light. Look I don't want you to mistake him. He was a great man. But he was not the light. He came to bear witness about the light. He was testifying of it. He was not the light. What a gift to prepare his people for the arrival of his son.

The father sent a great prophet. No greater man has ever existed to testify of his son. No greater human gift could have been given. Second gift second gift from God. The light of the world. Look at verse 9.

Jesus as we'll find out later on in this chapter is the true light. So many had come Before Jesus and claimed to be enlightened. I mean I could give you a list of all the false Prophets and all the false teachers that are out there, you know, I mean somebody will say well Zoroaster said that he was the light of the world or Buddha said he was enlightened.

Many have come and said they were enlightened or they were the source of enlightenment. But they were liars even Satan decides that describes her disguises himself as an angel of light, but there is only one true light and Such is the state of the nation of Israel that they would need a man like John the Baptist this great prophet to testify of The true light.

Why. Because they were blinded. I mean when Jesus confronts them about the way that they're being taught you have heard it said but I say to you Over and over again, they were being led astray by the very religious leaders who were supposed to tell him the truth.

They were blinded by their own sin nature. They were blinded by their teachers and they were blinded by the work of Satan who blinds the minds of unbelievers. Yet our text tells us that the true light Enlightens everyone.

Well, how so does Jesus so come to everyone so that they all have an opportunity equally to believe. In what sense does the light come to everyone? Well, we know some things we know that Everyone has enough light enough information enough general information enough general revelation.

To know that there is a God. Everyone is responsible in that sense, but the true light Comes from the father of lights in whom there is no variation or shadow. One man said it this way. Jesus is the genuine and ultimate self-disclosure of God to man.

Everyone's going to be held accountable for what they do with Jesus. But he doesn't Enlighten everyone to the same extent and we're going to see that developed. It's clear that it doesn't have it that he doesn't have the same impact on everyone.

He doesn't have the same Influence on everyone. Look at verse 10. He was in the world and The world was made through him yet. The world did not know him. Now World can be a tricky tricky term. Does it mean every single person whoever existed doesn't mean every single person who was in existence at the time Jesus came into it.

Does it just mean the physical world? I don't think so. I don't certainly doesn't mean that In this verse is Jesus. Are we just being? Repeated repeatedly told that Jesus created everything and then he came into the his creation.

I don't think that goes far enough. Here's the question did the whole world Not know him. Just as it says there at the end of verse 10 the whole world yet The world did not know him. Was that every single man woman and child.

No, we know that that's not right because we see in verse 12 and 13 that some will come to faith some will come to know him. So what's the point? Well just from the construction of that verse right there.

We know that when it says that the light was in the world. Again, that verb was means that he was there for an extended period of time. It's an imperfect tense and it means that he was there for a notable time period.

Jesus was on the earth for some 33 years more or less. The world those around him Had ample opportunity to know him. So it can't just mean like, you know, I mean there were people who said well, is that Joseph and Mary's son?

That's not the idea. It's not just that they knew about him or that they knew him personally. So they know him intimately and we're gonna develop that a little bit more but also as the author makes plain in verses 3 4 everything does oh, it's creation and continuing existence to the Lord.

But did these Who were literally dependent on Jesus? Did they marvel at his condescending love. Did they think you know This Jesus left his father's throne above and came to serve us. No. Were they swayed by his miracles?

No. Were they swayed by the way that he healed the sick? He gave sight to the blind. He caused the lame to walk. Where did those things move them? No. Did they heed the words of John the Baptist or the authoritative teaching of Jesus.

No multitudes heard. Many many many thousands. We don't even know how many thousands heard and saw Jesus teach. They saw his miracles and did they believe. No because in the end we're left with a handful of believers.

Again, the text is clear. The world did not know him and to know Literally means to indicate that one does know acknowledge recognize listen as that which one is or claims to be. In other words to know Jesus is to accept his claims for who he said he was and That world did not know him did not receive him for who he is.

The world here is clearly unsaved humanity. Those with whom he spent many years the last three plus of his life. Teaching and preaching specifically the world there means most of Israel. The true light was right before them and they would not acknowledge that he was the light.

In fact, they demanded what his death? The nation of Israel rejected Jesus. Look at verse 11. He came to his own and his own people did not receive him. Now some commentators Argue that his own could well be understood as even taken as far as his own property or his own home.

This is Israel. The nation that he had in the Old Testament preserved protected and even driven to repentance when she went astray. Think of all the care that God had poured out over this nation over the centuries.

They alone had the Word of God. They alone had his prophets. Yet time and time again Israel faithlessly sought after idols false gods and Here we have the ultimate act of faithfulness by God fulfilling the Messianic promises.

All the things that he had ever promised is really was going to do. And what was their response? They did not receive him. They did not receive him. They should have welcomed him with open arms. They should have said at long last the promised Messiah.

In fact, the response should have been. Exactly what Simeon's was when he held the infant Jesus in the temple in Luke chapter 2 verses 29 to 32 Simeon says this and this is this is beautiful. He says Lord.

Now you are letting your servant depart in peace according to your word. In other words, he's gonna die and he's gonna die in peace because he had prayed for this day verse 30. For my eyes have seen your salvation.

That you have prepared in the presence of all peoples a light for revelation to the Gentiles and for glory to your people Israel. Look at how John stresses the complete Rejection of the Messiah verse 5.

The darkness has not overcome it or apprehended it. Some translations. They'll say verse 10. The world did not know him. Verse 11. His own people did not receive him. God sends this Magnificent gift the light into the world.

And what happens as we're gonna see later on in the Gospel of John people see the light and they Love the light. No. They rejected. They love the darkness they love their own sin. Third gift from this giving God.

First was John the Baptist. Second was the light of the world Jesus himself. Third gift is adoption. Adoption. Some did receive him many did not. But some did we know that from verse 12 look verse 12, but to all who did receive him there was a group who received him.

So you say well that's pretty easy, right. We should just encourage people to receive Christ. That's what we have to do. Just receive Jesus. Not so fast. Look at how that is qualified. Look again at verse 12.

But to all who did receive him. Who believed in his name? That's a great way of translating that by the way. Because what is what it does is it puts it in parallel to receive him to receive? Jesus is to believe in his name.

Now that's deceptive to our modern ears because we don't understand the idea of what is fully contained in the idea of a name. I mean if somebody says well your name's Steve. They don't think of me. You know, they don't go to their Dictionary and go Steve means I think it means Prince or something like that.

I don't really look at him and so they don't think well Prince Cooley, you know. But in the ancient world and specifically to the Hebrew mind if you said Somebody's name if you equated well, or let's put it another way a Person was equated with their name.

You couldn't receive Jesus Without believing everything that he was his entire being is Equivalent to his name you had to believe all that he was. This is a Hebrew idiom and in the Hebrew mind Someone's name is equated with their entire nature with their entire being.

Now today many people claim to be Christians or you know more popular to become popular be a follower of Jesus. But what do they do? They kind of pick and choose what they want to believe. That's just not a biblical option.

If you want to receive Christ, you have to believe in his name, which means you have to accept everything that he said everything That he said he was. You Cannot legitimately claim to be in Christ without believing He has always existed as God that he's the second person of the Trinity.

That he voluntarily came to this earth to obey his father's will lived a perfect life in your place. Died a death that you deserved was raised on the third day and now sits at the hand of the father. You can't ignore commands on Homosexuality Fornication adultery and other sins because the times have changed.

You have to accept everything that he has said. I was listening to a message last night. And someone said the verses 12 and 13 mean that God chose you because You chose Jesus. God chose you because you chose Jesus.

Well that almost makes it sound like God is learning something. He had absolutely no idea that you were gonna choose Jesus and you didn't so on that choice, you know, he decided to Pick you and I thought I thought about that a little bit and I said, you know what that view of adoption?

That'll be something like this. Couple kids come around the neighborhood. They ring my doorbell. I open the door. He goes. Hey dad. What's up, I look at Jenna. I go you know anything about this and the kids say mom.

We're home and they just come in and we're stuck with them. There are kids now. That's the picture that many of the church today have of adoption. The God has these kids who just kind of come up to him and say dad and he goes, huh?

I don't know what we're gonna do with him. We'll just have to find room. It just turns the whole thing on its head. When we understand what the Bible says here. One man said that believing the name of Christ listen is the equivalent of being owned by him.

When we believe we yield ourselves up to be possessed by him in whom we believe. To be a Christian is to belong to him. Not to simply say well, you know what? I know I'm not an atheist. I know I'm not like that Dawkins guy.

I know I'm not a Muslim. I know I'm not a Buddhist. I Thank you Lord that I'm not a universalist. It's nothing like that Means to say I'm going to submit to the will of God. I'm going to accept everything that Jesus said everything that he is.

This idea is furthered by the verb believed In our text, which is a present active participle. This is an ongoing permanent All-consuming belief. This is a lifelong characteristic not a label or some kind of simple choice.

It's not ABC or Christian and look at the result of believing in all that Jesus is all that his name represents what happens by virtue of that. Look, he gave the right to become children of God. Now right can also be translated authority.

The idea is that they are now these people who have Believed on the Lord Jesus Christ who have received him who have accepted all that he is believed in his name. Now have the right to become children of God.

They have the right to do something that they previously would not have had the right to do. Listen when I joined the Sheriff's Academy. When I joined the Sheriff's Department, I got the right to carry a gun.

It's amazing. Is it one day changes everything. One day if I'd gone out on the street with a gun I Would have been subject to arrest the next day. It's perfectly fine. And that's the idea. One day if you would have said that you were a child of God you would have been a liar and the next day You have that right?

This is the most amazing gift ever. Again before believing you had no right to claim. God is your father. You were not his child. Once in Christ, you become irrevocably the technon the dear child the adopted child of God and it's interesting because and I mentioned that Greek word technon because There are two words that describe son or child we have technon then we have we us, you know that only Jesus is ever referred to as the we us of God only he is.

We are adopted but Jesus is fundamentally essentially the Son of God but adoption is not a matter of Biology human desire or human choices I indicated before I mean think of the absurdity of that I choose to be adopted.

Therefore. God is obligated to adopt me. Look at verse 13. It couldn't be more clear. Verse 12 ends. He gave the right to become children of God in verse 13 who were born Not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

Again this idea of just Randomly adopting is totally thrown out. This birth is not physical. It is a spiritual birth being born again if you will as we'll see in chapter 3 and that can only be accomplished by God.

Only God can do it. John's very clear not of blood ends the idea of salvation by heritage. The fact that your parents were Christians doesn't save you. And to John's audience the idea that The Jews would somehow be saved was very popular as we'll see later on in John's gospel.

What would what was their defense? We're Abraham's children. We've never been a slave to anyone. We are God's people. People even today many Jews say that you know, if you were to ask them why they're going to heaven.

Well, they're God's people. But it's not your blood. It's not your heritage. It's not even whether your parents had you baptized when you're a baby. None of that counts for anything. Every human desire and action is incapable of granting this one Spiritual birth again look at the text nor of the will of the flesh.

It's not a matter matter of your parentage of your heritage nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man. That's a couple of different ways to say this it is not up to you. I don't care how bad you want it or what you're willing to do to be adopted as God's dear child.

It is his choice. God goes first in salvation. You might say well then so what do I do if I'm sitting here and I don't know Christ and I've just been told it's Not up to me. What can I do? Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved.