03-30-08 Sermon Review

This past Sunday, we were able to return to our exposition of the Gospel according to John. The sermon was an exposition on John 1:1-13.

The Light and the Children of Light

This week, as I was studying this passage, I was blown away at the wonderful contrast that is displayed for us in what we call John's Prologue. As I told you before, this book is all about Christ, and that it was written with the intent to reveal who He is and to make plea with us to believe in His Name. There is no better introduction to such a gospel that could have been written. John's Prologue has displayed Christ and summed up His ministry, and at the same time revealed what that means to us.

The wonderful contrast that I saw is between Jesus and Sinners. I call it the undeserved abasement of Jesus and the undeserved adoption of sinners. Here is the text:

"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him was life, and the life was the Light of men. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

"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.

"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. 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." (NASB John 1:1-14)

The Undeserved Abasement of Jesus - For us to fully grasp what's going on in these verses, we must recognize who Jesus is. We don't have to look far, for John tells us who He is. Jesus is the Word (the full revelation of God), Jesus is Deity, Jesus is Creator, Jesus is Life, Jesus is the Light. Jesus is the Light that can not be quenched, He is the only truly good being in this world. Simply put, He is Lord of all and the greatest possible delight of men.

So what does this Jesus deserve? He deserves to be crowned with praises, He deserves to be delighted in and received, He deserves the full radical submission of all His creatures. Yet, what did He receive? He was abased. The language in this passage clearly portrays that men esteemed Him not, men did not care a bit for the person of Jesus Christ. All men were blind and so careless about Jesus that God needed to send a testimony concerning the Light, John the Baptist. All men were living in this state of conscious rejection of Jesus Christ. He was abased, He was made to be like nothing, worthless, undesirable.

But the language gets even stronger. John writes that Jesus even "came to His own" and yet, even they "did not receive Him" (John 1:11). He came to creation, and even more specifically His own people Israel, yet they all rejected Him. The Israelites of all people should have recognized their king, but when Jesus came to earth as a baby boy, the king of the Jews, Herod, tried to kill Him. He was rejected, He was abased. Even from His birth He was not welcome. Jesus deserved far better.

The Undeserved Adoption of Sinners - After this shocking rejection portrayed by John, He begins the next verse with "But." Indeed, what would the Bible be like if such words and phrases did not exist. In contrast to the rejection of Jesus, John reveals the mercy that sinners have received.

The verse reads, "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12). Now, this boggled my mind. The verses prior just spoke of how no one received Him, and how even His own did not receive Him! Who are these people that received Jesus? I believe it is explained in vs. 13, those who were born, "not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." All those who received Jesus were once those who rejected Jesus, and it was not of their own effort or will that they came to believe. Indeed, who can make the blind see? And here is the wonderful mercy of God upon sinners most beautifully displayed. He caused us to be born again, opening our eyes that we may believe in the Lord Jesus Christ.

What did we as sinners deserve? The wrath of God. But what did we as believers in Jesus get? The right to become children of God. All because of mercy.

Now this should leave us in wonder as we look at the abasement of Jesus and the adoption of sinners. What an amazing contrast. The One deserving of all glory rejected by those who were His very own, and those deserving of nothing but judgment given the right to become children of God. In here we see the wonderful love of God, that even while we were enemies, God sent His only begotten Son. He sent Him to be mocked, shamed, spat upon, beaten, crucified. And in doing so, God made His enemies His sons.

Now, it is a blessing and great joy for us to know that the story doesn't end here! The abased Christ will one day take His place and every knee will bow to His great Name (Philippians 2:5-11). But let us remember, that it was because of His stripes that we are healed. Let us remember, that Jesus was rejected by His own that we might be received. Let us remember, that Jesus left His glory above that we might become children of God. Let us remember, that we, because of our sins, crucified the Lord of Glory. Glory be to God on high for His great mercy and love. Stay strong and God bless!