John 1:9-13
“That was the true
light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 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. 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:
Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of
man, but of God.”
I. MANY DID NOT
RECEIVE THE LIGHT
A. WHO DID NOT RECEIVE
THE LIGHT...
1. The world in general
b. Even though the world
was made through Him!
John 1:3
"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
John 1:3
"All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made."
-He had come to His own people, Israel
“For thou art an holy
people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special
people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”
B. WHY THEY DID NOT
RECEIVE THE LIGHT...
1. They did not know Him
“He was in the world,
and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.”
a. Even His own brothers
at first, though they did after His
resurrection
“For neither did his
brethren believe in him.”
b.
Familiarity often breeds contempt:
"A prophet has no honor
in his own country..."
“For Jesus himself
testified, that a prophet hath no honour in his own country.”
Some loved darkness more than light
“And this is the
condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather
than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth
the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”
[For similar reasons today, many people do not
receive Jesus. Yet some
did...]
II. SOME RECEIVED THE
LIGHT
A. THE BENEFITS OF
RECEIVING THE LIGHT...
1. The right to
become children of God
“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:”
Making us heirs of God and joints heirs with
Christ
“For as many as are led
by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the
spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the spirit of adoption,
whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The spirit itself beareth witness with our
spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of
God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may
be also glorified together.”
2. The privilege
of being born of God
“Which were born, not of
blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.”
B. THE MEANS FOR
RECEIVING THE LIGHT...
1. To receive Christ, we
must believe in His name
“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:”
1) We become children of
God through faith, yes - but how?
2) By putting Christ on
when we are baptized into Christ!
b. Jesus becomes the
author of our salvation when we obey Him
“And being made perfect,
he became the author of eternal salvation unto all them that obey him;”
2) Thereby born again of
both water and the Spirit
“Jesus answered, verily verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of
water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.”
CONCLUSION
1. Jesus is the
"True Light" who gives light to every man...
a. Bringing grace and
truth to those in sin and error
a. Providing the way of
salvation through His blood
2. How sad that there
are many in the world...
a. Who do not know Him
b. Who have not received
Him
-- Who spend their lives
stumbling in the darkness
3. But if you are
willing to believe in His name...
a. You have the right to
become a child of God!
b. You can be born of
God!
-- Provided your faith
is an obedient faith, willing to abide in the
doctrine of Christ
*If you are still hungry for the Word of God, visit The Full Gospel Holiness Church's website at
http://www.fghconline.com
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