John 1:6-13
“That Divine Light”
I. The Witness (6-8)
• Vs. 6
• Background -- *Luke 1:5-17; 36-41; Matthew 11:7-11
• Jesus called him the greatest of all God’s prophets
o John was both a prophet and a priest; a prophet represented God to the people, while a priest represented the people to God.
• Vs. 7
• John was the forerunner to prepare the way for the coming Messiah; this is a fulfillment of prophecy.
• Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1
• Vs. 8
• John came as a witness to the Light, but he was not the Light, he was merely a refection of the true light (i.e. the moon).
o However there were still some even at the time of the writing of this gospel that held John the Baptist in higher regard than Christ.
• Acts 18:24,25; 19:1-5
• John the Baptist never claimed to be the Messiah *John 3:28-30
• Why does God use a witness, here and even now?
o It tells us something about who we are. (John was not the Light)
o Sometimes it’s more that just living a certain way. (John told others about the Light)
o It reminds us of God’s purpose for us. (Some might believe through him)
II. The Unbelievers (9-11)
• If John had to point out the true Light then it is obvious of the spiritual blindness of every person.
o The Jewish people had been waiting through 400 years of silence, looking for the Christ, and yet when He came they could not see Him.
• This is what often frustrates us, but we also must recognize if God did not awaken us to His spiritual light we would be the same exact way.
• Vs. 9
• Christ being the true light “shines” on every person and this reveals one of two things: 1. Salvation for all who believe. 2. Judgment for all who reject.
o “give light to every man coming into the world.”
o In other words all are given a glimpse of the light of Jesus Christ.
o Ok, what about those who never hear the gospel??
o Romans 1:20
• Vs. 10
• Jesus physically came into the world He created in order to bring salvation, and yet He was rejected; He was God’s light shining in the darkness and they could not see it. (What’s changed?)
• As frustrating as it can be we know that this will not always be the case.
• Philippians 2:9-11
• Vs. 11
• In some ways this is the saddest verse in the Bible.
• In some ways we still do the same thing, how does He feel when He clearly instructs us and yet we do not receive His word?
• Jesus was rejected by the very people He came to save……But!
III. The Believers (12-13)
• Vs. 12
• Not all rejected Him, to those who “received” Him;(means to take hold of or grasp); He gave them the “right” better translated privilege to be adopted into the family of God.
o Note the 3 verbs of salvation: believe, receive, and become
• As Christians we often forget what a privilege it is to be called the children of God.
• Vs. 13
• This spiritual rebirth is not of our own making or out of our desire or will, but it is a supernatural work of God.
