John Chapter 1 Verses 6 – 10

 

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.   This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through Him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.  That was the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world.  He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.

 

John is not speaking of himself here when he says, there was a man whose name was John that came to bear witness of the Messiah.  He is speaking of John the Baptist who actually was a relative of Jesus.  We learn through the synoptic gospels that John the Baptist's mother was Elizabeth and Elizabeth was the cousin of Mary.  John the Baptist's father was a certain temple priest named Zacharias.  We read in Luke Chp 1 verse 6, “and they were both righteous before God.”  And so they were believers, followers of God.

 

Interestingly, Elizabeth which in the Hebrew is El-is-seva literally translated means “God has sworn” while Zacharias in the Hebrew is Zaxapias literally translated means “God has remembered.”  And so the front runner of Jesus Christ, the Lord of all and the Savior of mankind...was to be named John as commanded by the angel Gabriel and if you piece the puzzle together...God has sworn, God has remembered and therefore John, which means God has delivered!  So cool!

 

John the Baptist himself was a miracle.  Not only were there several prophecies regarding John the Baptist in the Old Testament such as Malachi 3:1, Malachi 4:5, and Isaiah 40:3. but even his birth was divinely inspired.  We read in Luke's gospel that John the Baptist's parents had no children prior to him and that in fact his mother, Elizabeth was barren.  Further in Luke 1:7 we're told that they were both well advanced in years which is bible talk for they were old...old enough to be grandparents or even great grandparents...

 

But one day Zacharias was serving there in the temple and an angel of the Lord appeared to him next to the altar of incense.  And the angel said to him, your prayers are heard.  Isn't that comforting?   I want you to know today that your prayers are heard.

 

The angel continued, “your wife will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.  He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb.  And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.  He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

 

But Zacahrias said, “for real?  I am an old man and my wife, she is an old woman, that's not possible.”

 

 

And so the angel identified himself and said “I am Gabriel and I have been sent to tell you this great news, but behold, since you did not believe you will be mute and not able to speak until the days are fulfilled of which I spoke.”

 

And so Zacharias came out of the temple that day tongue tied.  Unable to speak.  And he remained that way until John was born.  And the day John was born, everyone expected him to be named after his father as was their custom...but Elizabeth said No: He shall be called John.  And everyone scoffed, what is this name?  There is noone in your family by that name.  And so they came to Zacharias and he asked for a writing tablet and wrote saying “His name is John.”  And Luke records that at that moment his tongue was loosed and he spoke again telling the story of Gabriel...and the bible says the people marveled and the story was discussed throughout all the hill country of Judea.

 

So interesting how wondrous the bible is...how marvel, intrigue, power and miracles surround even the birth of the Lord's forerunner...and then we've all heard or been taught the story of Jesus' birth....Even more miraculous, even more wondrous...and that is the case, that is what you will find in your own life.  Miracles encase the birth and life of John the Baptist...power, might and miracles encase the birth and the life of Jesus Christ, and miracles, freedom and joy encase the new birth of a new believer. 

 

 

When one gives their life to Christ, the old man of sin, the old woman of flesh being buried and the new creation is brought forth in the power of the Holy Spirit.  Later in John 14:12 Jesus says, ““Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”  You, believer are that greater work.  You are that miracle if indeed you are born again. 

 

2 Cor 5:17 says, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new.”  Freedom, you who were once so lost in sin...lost in hate...lost in anger...lost in fear...lost in addiction...lost in lust...have been found!  You are not who you once were because God has heard your call, He has come into your life and has become one with you...He now dwells in you...and now you don't need the fix, whatever it is...you're full of joy, you're alive!  You are that greater work that Jesus spoke of...that He made possible because He went to the Father!

 

But John says there in verse 10, “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him.”  Well, man did not know Him.  Remember when His disciples and the people were calling out Hosanna Hosanna, and the Sanhedrin told Him, “hey tell them to be quiet,” remember what Jesus said...He said “truly I say, if these were to hold their tongues even the rocks would cry out....”  Apparently the rocks knew who He was....

And the demons, the unclean spirits that Jesus encountered, time and time again they proclaimed “we know who You are oh Son of God!”  And what about the colt that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on?  The bible says that this colt never had held a rider...but I'm sure that it was just a docile as a dove as it carried God Himself into the city...

 

And so creation knew its creator but man's heart...so so dark to the point that it could  not and still many cannot discern the Savior of the World, or the times in which we live...

 

Discern this...167M results for the google search “end times.”  226M results for google seach “end of the world.” 

 

Jesus' return.  206M.  Twelfth Imam.  1.3M

 

Discern this...1970 = 3,680 earthquakes 4.0 or greater.  2005 = 15,770.

 

Creation knows the Day of the Lord is near yet so many have no oil in their lamps, so many do not trim their lamps and make ready for the bridegroom...

 

The bible says, don't let that day come as a surprise...it is high time to awake...the Lord's return is near...nearer today than ever before....and the bible says comfort one another with these words...

 

 

John continues, “He came to His own (the Jews), and His own did not receive Him.  But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:  who were born not of blood, not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 

John says as many as received Him, to those that believe in His name...there is nothing to sign, no contract or creed of any church, there is no church you must join, there is no water baptism required, there is no speaking in tongues that must occur...the bible is so so simple....receive Him and believe in Him, place your trust in Him, accept Him for who He says He is and receive the right (what a powerful word) to be grafted into the family of God!

 

But I like what Matthew Henry wrote concerning this scripture...he wrote, “Many say that they are Christ's own, yet do not receive him, because they will not part with their sins, nor have him to reign over them.”

 

And so verse 14, the Word became flesh and dwelt (tabernacled) among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

 

 

 

 

 

 

John has first said that the world did not know Him and  yet now he says we behold His glory.  Two things here...first John was in this world but he was not of it, just as you as a born again believer in Christ are in this world, but you are not of it...This world does not know Christ.  This world's system of getting and having and hoarding is the contemplation of darkness.  There is enough wealth in the world for every man, woman and child to be a multi-millionaire but roughly 925M of the world's men, women and little children will close their eyes in sleep tonight, hungry...one child will die every 5 sec

People like to survey the condition of the world and say where is God?  Why has He allowed this...they do not know Him.  It is man's darkness and greed that has us where we are...and God's heart breaks for every little boy sold into the sex trade...God's heart breaks for every little girl that has been left fatherless and motherless by war, famine and disease...yet He taries....why?  Why is such an important question...and it is a question we must have answered so that we get the right Jesus. 

 

He tary's for the unsaved.  He tary's for you possibly.  He sees it all...yet He crys out to His creation, come unto Me so that you might have everlasting life...I'm not willing that any should slip into eternity apart from Me...I made you, I love you, You are my beloved He says....and so God's love is so great that He endures the greed of men and all that entails to save the few that will call upon His name....

 

 

And so you are here on earth yes, but you are not, or should not, be plugged into this world's system...you should be about your Father's business.  And as you grow near to the heart of Jesus you will be.  Your heart will be for the lost, bringing the gospel and truth of Jesus to those whom the Father has placed in your path...and you will be about comforting the hurting....

 

John was in this world yet He beheld the glory of Jesus Christ, God Himself, and therefore was indeed not of this world. 

 

Second, you can behold Jesus and yet not know Him.  The world John says, beheld His glory yet did not know Him.  I wonder today, do you know Him?  Does your heart break for what His heart breaks for?  Does your heart ache by the way you treat your wife?  Does your heart ache regarding the secret sin of your life?  Do you truly want less of you and more of Him?  I wonder today, do you know Him?