JOHN 3:21-36
Isaiah 60:2-3 For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.
3:21 LIGHT 457 phos (foce ): From phao (to shine or make manifest, especially by rays); luminousness (in the widest application, natural or artificial, abstract or concrete, literal or figurative):--fire, light.
God is light because light has the extremely delicate, subtle, pure, brilliant quality of truth and its knowledge, together with the spiritual purity associated with it that which is exposed to the view of all, openly, publicly. Reason, mind and the power of understanding esp. moral and spiritual truth
Proverbs 4:18 But the path of the just [is] as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.
Luke 1:44 For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy (Mary’s)salutation sounded in mine (Eliazabeth’s) ears, the babe (John the Baptist) leaped in my womb for joy.
3:23 AENON: 137 Ainon (i-known): of Hebrew origin, = "springs"
3:23 SALIM: 4530 sal-ime’ (Saul-i-im): Salim = "peace"
John’s ministry began in the "wilderness of Judaea," and "in the rregion round about Jordan," Matthew 3:1-5
Matthew 11:11 Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
John lived in the light. He was a living portrayal of Jesus sermon. There are three illuminations (three rays or beams) of light he lived in.
There is the illumination of:
I. THE SOVEREIGNTY OF GOD 3:27
A. Recognized it 3:27 "it be given him from heaven"
1 Corinthians 4:7 For who maketh thee to differ [from another]? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive [it], why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received [it]?
B. Respected it 3:27 "A man can receive nothing, except"
1. Unselfishness 3:26 (he was not jealous)
2. Integrity 3:28
3. Joy 3:29
4. Humbleness 3:30
C. Revealed it 3:27 "John answered"
II. THE SUPERIORITY OF JESUS 3:28-35 (primary 3:28 & 31)
A. The Lord’s Origin 3:31 "He that cometh from above"
B. The Lord’s Wisdom 3:32 "An what he hath seen and heard"
C. The Lord’s Testimony 3:33 "His testimony"
D. The Lord’s Spirit 3:34 "not the spirit by measure unto him"
E. The Lord’s Preeminence 3:35 "hath given all things into his hand"
Colossians 3:15-19 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;
III. THE SALVATION OF HUMANITY 3:36
A. Faith "he that believeth"
B. Repentance "that believeth"
C. Forgiveness "hath everlasting life"
