1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
Introduction
We live in a time where there seems to be very little real evidence for anything.With the discovery of DNA identification many thought that this technology would make court cases much more certain.Surely if we can identify the person that is on trial through their DNA being at the crime scene then a conviction would come pretty easily.If a murderer or thief simply dropped a strand of hair then DNA experts could place them at the scene of the crime.The case would be open and shut and the verdict could quickly be handed down.
But people are much smarter than that.Lawyers are trained to question everything right down to the very motives of the DNA lab workers.Do they have anything to gain by placing someone at a crime scene?Do they have an ax to grind with that person or a particular group of people?Did the lab workers properly administer the tests?Did anything fall on the floor in the lab?What looked like a sure thing for evidence beyond a shadow of a doubt has now been shown to not be so certain.
Eyewitnesses of the same scene will often tell different stories.Why? Because people perceive things differently.Television cameras will catch people in what looks like the act of a crime but that can even be perceived as flawed.After all there is still a large group of people that believe the moon landings in the 1960’s were all Hollywood productions and man has indeed never been to the moon.
It seems the same thing happens when you are reasoning with someone about the authenticity of the Christian faith.You point them to the orderliness of the universe and the earth and the overwhelming detail of all of it and they say that it all happened by accident or some higher power did it whom we can not possibly know.You want to shake them and tell them that you absolutely know who created it and can show them in Scripture who it is then they tell you that the Bible is just like all other ancient books and is no more valid than the Koran or the Vedas.
Then you try to tell them about the Lord Jesus and they say something to the effect that He was a good man or a prophet or a community organizer.
What I am telling you is this, when it comes to what has been called apologetics, even if you had DNA evidence of Jesus before and after the resurrection, video footage of every second of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension most people would still not believe.And the reason they would not believe is because of what verse 5 says of John 1 and that is the light is shining in the darkness and the darkness has not understood it or comprehended it.God has given His witnesses into the world and the world has rejected those witnesses thus rejecting Him.
But what of those who do believe?Verse 13 says that this is a special group of people who have been born of God.These people see like you and I see.We see the creation of God and we see His glory being revealed as the heavens declare that glory.Day to day they pour forth speech and we as believers say yes and amen.We read the Scriptures and we understand and believe that this is God’s Word and our hearts are filled with comfort and joy and we press on to more and more obedience to that Word.
We look to Christ who is the Son of God and our Savior and Lord and we know that He is our only hope and what stands out most to us for evidence of this truth is that we know the blinders that once covered our eyes have been removed and now we see the glory of Christ.We believe God’s evidence and we don’t need video cameras.We are like those that Peter spoke of in his epistle when he said, “You have not seen Him yet you love Him.”Why?Because we have been born of God.
Context
John 1:15-18 provides evidences for the statements that John has made so far in his Gospel account.Let me remind you of what John has said so far.In verse 1 he tells us that the Word was in the beginning with God and the Word was God.Verse 3 tells us that the Word was the mediator of all creation and that nothing created was created without Him.Thus the Word is fully God.He is not all that God is but He is fully God.We are introduced to the Trinity.The Word, John tells us, is the light and the life of men and the light has been shining and will continue to shine into the world and unless a miraculous event called the new birth happens no one will comprehend, understand or receive the light.
John tells us that God has provided witnesses to the Light which was the creation, prophets such as John the Baptist, and finally the Word Himself came unto His own people and they did not receive Him.And then last week we saw John 1:14 and John tells us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.And in this becoming flesh the Word was both fully human minus the sin nature of Adam and fully God.
So through the Apostle John, the Holy Spirit will now call witnesses to testify to the world of the truth of John’s claim.And God is pleased and satisfied with these testimonies.They may not please man and probably will never but God is pleased and that is what matters.
PNP
So from our text this morning, John 1:15-18, I want you to see four witnesses to the truth that the Word has indeed become flesh and dwelt among us.
1.John the Baptist is His witness.
2. We are His witnesses.
3.Moses is His Witness.
4.Jesus Christ is His own witness.
Purpose
The reason I am preaching this passage of Scripture is to show you how God has proven His Word over and over and how He uses His witnesses to further His kingdom.
Let me say to you also that these witnesses will not be enough for most unbelievers.There will be a myriad of questions surrounding these witnesses.But let me tell you who these witnesses are sufficient for. God.God will use these witnesses as a means of salvation or He will use them as a means for condemnation to the unbeliever.
So I would like to free you up from a massive amount of unnecessary preparation for evangelism where you have to try and answer every objection that people can come up with which is impossible.And I want to encourage you to be a witness for Christ every where you go and to every one who will give you an opportunity because whether or not you realize it God has equipped you when you were given the new birth.
RPNP
So look with me at these four witnesses to the truth that the Word has indeed become flesh and dwelt among us.
1.John the Baptist is His witness.
Look at verse 15.
15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)
I want you to first notice what is taking place in the first part of verse 15.Look at what John wrote.
John bore witness about him, and cried out…
The NIV is the only major translation that picked up on the present tense verb that is translated bore witness.The present tense should be translated John bears witness…Why does it matter?Because the second verb that is translated cried out is in the perfect tense.The perfect tense is past action with results that carry on into the present and future.So what John the Apostle is saying is that John the Baptist cried out or yelled out something that is still bearing witness right now and will continue to do so into the future and I believe that this will not only be used in the salvation of many but will also be brought up as evidence against many on the Day of Judgment who denied the Lord’s witnesses.
So what is it that John said that is so important in witnessing to the truth that the Word became flesh?Look at verse 15.
John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”
John the Baptist says that the Word made flesh is the one who would come after him, of whom he was the forerunner, but the one whom John bore witness to would rank before him because he was before him.
In the Jewish culture age mattered.Order of birth meant something in matters of rank and status.Jacob and Esau tussled over a birthright and they were as far apart in age as Sarah and Rebekah here.And if you know the basics of your New Testament you will know that John the Baptist was born six months before the Lord Jesus. It was John the Baptist who leaped in his mother Elizabeth’s womb when Mary came to tell her of the miraculous conception of Jesus Christ.
And yet John the Baptist who is older by six months than the Lord Jesus Christ says very plainly in his witness that Jesus Christ is of greater rank because “he was before” him.What we need to understand is that John the Baptist is pointing to the fact that the Word was with God in the beginning and He was God.
As a matter of fact John uses the same imperfect verb that is in verse 1 and 2 that states that the Word was already there.What John the Baptist is bearing witness to is two fold.The first thing he bears witness to is the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ was coming in the flesh.Look at verse 15 again.
“This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me…
John the Baptist was the one who came in the spirit of Elijah to make straight the way of the Lord.John cried out and testified that the Messiah was coming into the world as a man but in his testimony he states that the Messiah was more than a man.Look at verse 15 again.
“This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”
The one to whom John the Baptist would point would be God almighty in the flesh.So did this witness happen?Did John the Baptist witness to the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us?The people sent from Jerusalem to check out this prophet in the wilderness asked John the Baptist why he was baptizing?He gives his answer.Look at John 1:30-31.
30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
John the Baptist bore witness to the coming of Christ and that witness is as valid today as it was when John uttered these words.John the Baptist is a witness and will remain a witness to the truth of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.There are other witnesses as well.Let’s look at the second witness.
2. We are His witnesses.
Look at verse 16.
16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
Whose fullness is John the apostle speaking of here?Is it John the Baptist’s fullness?No.Look back at verse 14.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The fullness is Christ’s grace and truth.He is full of grace. So who is on the receiving end of this fullness?That goes back to verse 12.Look at it with me.
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
So John would have been talking about the disciples for sure.But he would have included the early believers in the group and also those who were believers that he was writing to.And I think it includes all who have been born of God and have received Christ and are believing in Him.So that would include all of us who are believing.
I want you to look closely at verse 16.
16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
There is a lot of discussion about what John means when he says grace upon grace.In Greek you can hear where the problem might come in.John says “karin anti karitos.”We are all familiar with the word “anti.”In normal English usage it means against.When we speak of anti-Christ we think of someone who opposes Christ.But here it means something else.
I think John by using this expression is being far more doxological than theological.What I think John means by his statement is this.“And from His fullness we have all received, grace stacked up on top of grace.The grace of Christ is ours in abundance.There is an endless supply flowing from Him to us that believe.
One of the things that I have noticed in Christian circles that love the Gospel is that it is really easy to slide into works righteousness.What I mean by that is once the Gospel has been received by grace then we begin to think that God only accepts us now if we keep all the rules.This is just human nature. It is our natural desire to perform.But let me give you some good news.The abundance of God’s grace in Christ toward us is as limited as God is limited and we all know He is unlimited.
One of the most wonderful experiences in the Christian life that any of can experience is the moment we simply get over ourselves.None of us will ever make it to Heaven by any thing that we can do.If any of us go to Heaven it will be because of, listen to this, Christ’s favor and grace upon us that none of have deserved, deserve now, or ever will deserve.So get over yourself and look to Christ.
All of us will one day have our eyes closed in death.If you are in Christ and He is in you, you will reopen your eyes standing before the One who was crucified for you so that you could stand in His presence.And there will only be one reason that you are not sentenced to Hell and that will be because of God’s grace in Christ through His life, death, burial, and resurrection.The Lord will not look at you and ask what did you do to deserve to be in Heaven.You will leap for joy before your Lord who loves you and gave Himself for you.
Do you mind if I drive this point home this morning?
Let me just give some application of this.So many in church come in and act as if they are unworthy to be around Christian people.So many brutalize themselves because of the sinfulness in their hearts when they are truly born of God.So many agonize over the smallest detail of their lives and wonder if they should take the Lord’s Supper or participate in fellowship or any of the other Christian graces.Self examination is a good and Godly thing to do. But you can go overboard with it and instead of trusting in Christ for His forgiveness and going to the supply of grace abundant we become legalists on ourselves.
Here is the truth.You can’t be good enough to be worthy to take the Lord’s Supper.You can’t be good enough to participate in the fellowship of the saints.You can’t be good enough to hear the Word of God.I can’t be good enough to be worthy to read it, understand it, or preach it.Everything and I mean everything that we do is by the grace of Christ that has been stacked up higher and higher by every passing minute. We don’t do all these things as Christians to prove we are worthy, we do them because we are testifying of our constant need of God’s grace.
There is a reason that all the crowns that any of us receive on the Day of Judgment will be cast at the feet of Christ.Because we will not deserve any of them and we will maybe realize and appreciate for the first time fully how much grace was bestowed on us in Christ.
If we will live a Christian life then we must have the right perspective on the Christian life.So many make one of two errors.One they slide off into sin because the grace of Christ covers everything and they take no thought for what they do so they live according to the flesh. The Bible says to this error, “May it never be!”Then others get into spiritual bean counting where the good has to make up for the bad and they become like foolish Galatians being bewitched by the snare of their own naturally legalistic hearts.And these people are miserable and they make everyone around them miserable.
I say all this because John’s point in verse 16 is that we who have received grace stacked up on top of grace from Christ’s fullness are witnesses to the world where the light is shining and the darkness is not comprehending it.So if our religion is like the world’s religion then it’s not really a witness for Christ is it?
If we call ourselves Christians and live like pagans then we are no different than the world.If we call ourselves Christians and are miserable grumpy legalists who want everyone to conform to our image then we are just like the Muslims or any other legalistic group.
So what type of Christianity is a witness to the world?
It is the type that the disciples had who turned the world upside down.It is the type that John the Baptist had that got him killed.I can hardly wait to get to verse 19 in two weeks.Look at verse 19 and look at the question posed to John the Baptist by those who were sent all the way from Jerusalem to find out about this man.Look at it.
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
We are not witnesses to the world when we are world focused and people centered.Everyone is like that.We are not witnesses to the world when we are me centered and law centered trying to live up to some self imposed standard of works righteousness.We are no different than the atheist who is trying to lead a moral life.Galatians 5:1 says:
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
What we need to be is Christ centered and Christ focused.If you have your eyes on Christ and see Him the most lovely and glorious Person that your eyes can see, that He is all sufficient and all glorious and all loving toward you, then you will walk in freedom and from Him freely receive grace upon grace.When you walk in freedom in Christ you will not walk in the bondage of sin and you will not walk in the bondage to the Law.
When you are focused on Christ then you will come joyfully to the preaching of the Word.You will come joyfully to prayer and the praise of God in song.Your voice will be lifted up to the One whom your life is focused on and when the Lord’s Supper is served you will come willingly and happily to the table to receive from Christ the meal He has prepared for you.You will long to spend time with your brothers and sisters in Christ because where two or more are gathered together in His name there He is in the midst.
And that is the type of Christian that the world asks, “Who are you??!!!”And you say, “I am a sinner who has been saved by the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us.I have beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth.”
Let me give you a biblical example of this.In Acts 16 Paul and Silas are beaten and thrown into prison.Listen to the witness of those who were in chains yet had been set free by Christ.This is verses 25-30.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailercalled for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Which is another way of saying, “Who are you?”
John the Baptist is the Word made flesh’s witness and so are we.There is a third witness.
3.Moses is His Witness.
Look at verse 17.
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
I want you to not be confused here by our English translation.Just reading this verse seems to put the law in a bad light as if it did not have grace and truth.But that is not what John is saying at all.
Anytime that the Lord decides to specially reveal Himself and His will to a person or a group of people that is grace.Think about the untold millions of people who lived in the time that the Law was given to Moses on Sinai who did not have the revelation of God.A relative handful of people were given the Law if you place them on the large scale of earth, history, and population.So there was grace in the Law and God gave it so it was truth.
But John’s point is the same as the writer of Hebrews.The writer of Hebrews affirms that God did indeed speak through the Law but what the Law could not do was what Christ has accomplished by His life, death, and resurrection.Listen to Hebrews 9:9.
According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,
The Law was certainly grace and truth but it only constantly reminded those under its yoke of their sinfulness. In the Word becoming flesh there is greater grace and greater truth.I want you to listen to this quote by Augustine.
“The law threatened, not helped; commanded, not healed; showed, not took away our feebleness.But it made ready for the Physician, who was to come with grace and truth.”
The law was our schoolmaster, our tutor, to lead us to Christ.The law is the witness that speaks of Christ.Listen to Deuteronomy 18:15 as Moses bears witness to Christ.
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—
What Moses is saying to the people is that even though all that he says to them is from God and is binding on them that at some point in time the Lord will raise up a prophet from among the nation of Israel who Moses says will supersede him.“It is to him you shall listen!”
So are there biblical examples of this witness of Moses?The Lord Jesus told the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus.From Hell the rich man lifted up his voice to Abraham and asked that Lazarus bring a drop of water to him.Then he asks for a witness to be sent to his brothers so they would not end up in the same place as him.Listen to Luke 16:27-29.
27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house—28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
After the resurrection the Lord Jesus meets the two disciples on the Emmaus Road.They are downcast and He asked them what was wrong.They told Jesus that the prophet from Galilee, Jesus, whom they thought was the Messiah had been crucified and for them that was the end of that.Listen to the Words of Christ from Luke 24:25-27.
25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
That event was a witness to salvation.But the Law will also condemn those who do not believe.Listen to what the Lord Jesus said to the Jews in John 5:39.
39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
This is why it is perfectly appropriate to preach the Law so that the Gospel can be preached.The good news is not good news unless you know the bad news first.So when we evangelize we can literally say to people, ‘I have some good news and I have some bad news for you.You need the bad news first.”
Thus far we have seen that John the Baptist is God’s witness to the Word becoming flesh.We are God’s witnesses to the Word becoming flesh and Moses and the Law is God’s witness to the Word becomingflesh and dwelling among us.
Finally this morning I want you to see that the Word is His own witness.
4.Jesus Christ is His own witness.
Look at verse 18.
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
Verse 17 and verse 18 together call to mind the event of Moses on Mt.Sinai pleading with God to show him His glory.Listen to Exodus 33:18-23.
18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
Now look at verse 18 again.
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God (Your translation may say Son.There is a variant in the manuscripts.Mine says God. Which fits perfectly well with John 1:1-17.), who is at the Father's side (Or in the Father’s bosom.This signifies closeness.Jesus is privy to all that the Father is doing and thinking.), he has made him known.
I want you to key in on that last statement.“He has made Him known.”The Word who became flesh and dwelled among us has explained, has revealed, has exegeted God to us.Listen to John 5:31-36.
31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true.32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
The Father bore witness in the Son by the works that He accomplished to show the world that indeed the Word became flesh and has dwelt among us.He proved His divinity and that He was the Messiah over and over again.God was His own witness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, John the Baptist has born witness.Christians of all ages have born witness.Moses and the Law have born witness.And the God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit have born witness.
The creation has shown that there is a God.That is general revelation.But in the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us that is special and specific revelation.And by this revelation the world will be called into judgment.The light which is the life of men is shining into the darkness and the world is not and has not comprehended it.He came unto His own and His own people did not receive Him.
But as many as have received Him, who believe in Him and trust in Him He has given them the right to become children of God because they believe and trust and receive because they have been born of God.
The witnesses have gone out into the world and one of two things will happen as a result of these witnesses.Some will be saved and some will be condemned.To reject the witnesses is to reject God and no one will be found innocent who rejects God and His witnesses.
Some have looked at these verses and they think that this has made evangelism impossible.If God’s witness has been rejected by the world then why would our witness be successful?Remember point two?Our witness is one of God’s witnesses.And in our witness we use what God has given us.He has given us the words of John the Baptist.He has given us the Law.He has given us Christ and His words and miracles. He has given us grace stacked up on top of grace.
And no matter if the world for the most part rejects these witnesses we still are the world’s witnesses.I started this sermon off by talking about evidence.All the evidence in the world will not convince the natural man to convert. He can’t.He is unable to convert himself.Only God can save and God has chosen to use these witnesses in the salvation of His elect.Our job is to be witnesses by word and deed prayerfully praying that God will convert the sinner to Christ whether that be our children, our family members, our neighbors, our coworkers, or the person ringing up our groceries at Wal-Mart.
Any time you bear witness to Christ I want you to understand what is taking place in that exchange.God may indeed use that witness to bring a dead sinner to life and he or she will believe.But even a witness for Christ and the Gospel that has been rejected will be used to God’s glory.That witness may very well be the condemnation of a sinner who has rejected God over and over.So we are the stench of death to death to some and the fragrance of life to others. This should give us freedom from the bondage of thinking that we have to know everything before we evangelize.We are His witnesses.
Listen to 1 John 5:6-12.
6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Let’s pray.
Witnesses to the Incarnation
John 1:15-18
GraceFellowshipChurch
October 25, 2009
Series 6 Sermon 6
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
Introduction
We live in a time where there seems to be very little real evidence for anything.With the discovery of DNA identification many thought that this technology would make court cases much more certain.Surely if we can identify the person that is on trial through their DNA being at the crime scene then a conviction would come pretty easily.If a murderer or thief simply dropped a strand of hair then DNA experts could place them at the scene of the crime.The case would be open and shut and the verdict could quickly be handed down.
But people are much smarter than that.Lawyers are trained to question everything right down to the very motives of the DNA lab workers.Do they have anything to gain by placing someone at a crime scene?Do they have an ax to grind with that person or a particular group of people?Did the lab workers properly administer the tests?Did anything fall on the floor in the lab?What looked like a sure thing for evidence beyond a shadow of a doubt has now been shown to not be so certain.
Eyewitnesses of the same scene will often tell different stories.Why? Because people perceive things differently.Television cameras will catch people in what looks like the act of a crime but that can even be perceived as flawed.After all there is still a large group of people that believe the moon landings in the 1960’s were all Hollywood productions and man has indeed never been to the moon.
It seems the same thing happens when you are reasoning with someone about the authenticity of the Christian faith.You point them to the orderliness of the universe and the earth and the overwhelming detail of all of it and they say that it all happened by accident or some higher power did it whom we can not possibly know.You want to shake them and tell them that you absolutely know who created it and can show them in Scripture who it is then they tell you that the Bible is just like all other ancient books and is no more valid than the Koran or the Vedas.
Then you try to tell them about the Lord Jesus and they say something to the effect that He was a good man or a prophet or a community organizer.
What I am telling you is this, when it comes to what has been called apologetics, even if you had DNA evidence of Jesus before and after the resurrection, video footage of every second of Jesus’ life, death, resurrection, and ascension most people would still not believe.And the reason they would not believe is because of what verse 5 says of John 1 and that is the light is shining in the darkness and the darkness has not understood it or comprehended it.God has given His witnesses into the world and the world has rejected those witnesses thus rejecting Him.
But what of those who do believe?Verse 13 says that this is a special group of people who have been born of God.These people see like you and I see.We see the creation of God and we see His glory being revealed as the heavens declare that glory.Day to day they pour forth speech and we as believers say yes and amen.We read the Scriptures and we understand and believe that this is God’s Word and our hearts are filled with comfort and joy and we press on to more and more obedience to that Word.
We look to Christ who is the Son of God and our Savior and Lord and we know that He is our only hope and what stands out most to us for evidence of this truth is that we know the blinders that once covered our eyes have been removed and now we see the glory of Christ.We believe God’s evidence and we don’t need video cameras.We are like those that Peter spoke of in his epistle when he said, “You have not seen Him yet you love Him.”Why?Because we have been born of God.
Context
John 1:15-18 provides evidences for the statements that John has made so far in his Gospel account.Let me remind you of what John has said so far.In verse 1 he tells us that the Word was in the beginning with God and the Word was God.Verse 3 tells us that the Word was the mediator of all creation and that nothing created was created without Him.Thus the Word is fully God.He is not all that God is but He is fully God.We are introduced to the Trinity.The Word, John tells us, is the light and the life of men and the light has been shining and will continue to shine into the world and unless a miraculous event called the new birth happens no one will comprehend, understand or receive the light.
John tells us that God has provided witnesses to the Light which was the creation, prophets such as John the Baptist, and finally the Word Himself came unto His own people and they did not receive Him.And then last week we saw John 1:14 and John tells us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us.And in this becoming flesh the Word was both fully human minus the sin nature of Adam and fully God.
So through the Apostle John, the Holy Spirit will now call witnesses to testify to the world of the truth of John’s claim.And God is pleased and satisfied with these testimonies.They may not please man and probably will never but God is pleased and that is what matters.
PNP
So from our text this morning, John 1:15-18, I want you to see four witnesses to the truth that the Word has indeed become flesh and dwelt among us.
1.John the Baptist is His witness.
2. We are His witnesses.
3.Moses is His Witness.
4.Jesus Christ is His own witness.
Purpose
The reason I am preaching this passage of Scripture is to show you how God has proven His Word over and over and how He uses His witnesses to further His kingdom.
Let me say to you also that these witnesses will not be enough for most unbelievers.There will be a myriad of questions surrounding these witnesses.But let me tell you who these witnesses are sufficient for. God.God will use these witnesses as a means of salvation or He will use them as a means for condemnation to the unbeliever.
So I would like to free you up from a massive amount of unnecessary preparation for evangelism where you have to try and answer every objection that people can come up with which is impossible.And I want to encourage you to be a witness for Christ every where you go and to every one who will give you an opportunity because whether or not you realize it God has equipped you when you were given the new birth.
RPNP
So look with me at these four witnesses to the truth that the Word has indeed become flesh and dwelt among us.
1.John the Baptist is His witness.
Look at verse 15.
15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”)
I want you to first notice what is taking place in the first part of verse 15.Look at what John wrote.
John bore witness about him, and cried out…
The NIV is the only major translation that picked up on the present tense verb that is translated bore witness.The present tense should be translated John bears witness…Why does it matter?Because the second verb that is translated cried out is in the perfect tense.The perfect tense is past action with results that carry on into the present and future.So what John the Apostle is saying is that John the Baptist cried out or yelled out something that is still bearing witness right now and will continue to do so into the future and I believe that this will not only be used in the salvation of many but will also be brought up as evidence against many on the Day of Judgment who denied the Lord’s witnesses.
So what is it that John said that is so important in witnessing to the truth that the Word became flesh?Look at verse 15.
John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”
John the Baptist says that the Word made flesh is the one who would come after him, of whom he was the forerunner, but the one whom John bore witness to would rank before him because he was before him.
In the Jewish culture age mattered.Order of birth meant something in matters of rank and status.Jacob and Esau tussled over a birthright and they were as far apart in age as Sarah and Rebekah here.And if you know the basics of your New Testament you will know that John the Baptist was born six months before the Lord Jesus. It was John the Baptist who leaped in his mother Elizabeth’s womb when Mary came to tell her of the miraculous conception of Jesus Christ.
And yet John the Baptist who is older by six months than the Lord Jesus Christ says very plainly in his witness that Jesus Christ is of greater rank because “he was before” him.What we need to understand is that John the Baptist is pointing to the fact that the Word was with God in the beginning and He was God.
As a matter of fact John uses the same imperfect verb that is in verse 1 and 2 that states that the Word was already there.What John the Baptist is bearing witness to is two fold.The first thing he bears witness to is the fact that the Lord Jesus Christ was coming in the flesh.Look at verse 15 again.
“This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me…
John the Baptist was the one who came in the spirit of Elijah to make straight the way of the Lord.John cried out and testified that the Messiah was coming into the world as a man but in his testimony he states that the Messiah was more than a man.Look at verse 15 again.
“This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”
The one to whom John the Baptist would point would be God almighty in the flesh.So did this witness happen?Did John the Baptist witness to the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us?The people sent from Jerusalem to check out this prophet in the wilderness asked John the Baptist why he was baptizing?He gives his answer.Look at John 1:30-31.
30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.”
John the Baptist bore witness to the coming of Christ and that witness is as valid today as it was when John uttered these words.John the Baptist is a witness and will remain a witness to the truth of the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us.There are other witnesses as well.Let’s look at the second witness.
2. We are His witnesses.
Look at verse 16.
16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
Whose fullness is John the apostle speaking of here?Is it John the Baptist’s fullness?No.Look back at verse 14.
14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.
The fullness is Christ’s grace and truth.He is full of grace. So who is on the receiving end of this fullness?That goes back to verse 12.Look at it with me.
12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God,
So John would have been talking about the disciples for sure.But he would have included the early believers in the group and also those who were believers that he was writing to.And I think it includes all who have been born of God and have received Christ and are believing in Him.So that would include all of us who are believing.
I want you to look closely at verse 16.
16 And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
There is a lot of discussion about what John means when he says grace upon grace.In Greek you can hear where the problem might come in.John says “karin anti karitos.”We are all familiar with the word “anti.”In normal English usage it means against.When we speak of anti-Christ we think of someone who opposes Christ.But here it means something else.
I think John by using this expression is being far more doxological than theological.What I think John means by his statement is this.“And from His fullness we have all received, grace stacked up on top of grace.The grace of Christ is ours in abundance.There is an endless supply flowing from Him to us that believe.
One of the things that I have noticed in Christian circles that love the Gospel is that it is really easy to slide into works righteousness.What I mean by that is once the Gospel has been received by grace then we begin to think that God only accepts us now if we keep all the rules.This is just human nature. It is our natural desire to perform.But let me give you some good news.The abundance of God’s grace in Christ toward us is as limited as God is limited and we all know He is unlimited.
One of the most wonderful experiences in the Christian life that any of can experience is the moment we simply get over ourselves.None of us will ever make it to Heaven by any thing that we can do.If any of us go to Heaven it will be because of, listen to this, Christ’s favor and grace upon us that none of have deserved, deserve now, or ever will deserve.So get over yourself and look to Christ.
All of us will one day have our eyes closed in death.If you are in Christ and He is in you, you will reopen your eyes standing before the One who was crucified for you so that you could stand in His presence.And there will only be one reason that you are not sentenced to Hell and that will be because of God’s grace in Christ through His life, death, burial, and resurrection.The Lord will not look at you and ask what did you do to deserve to be in Heaven.You will leap for joy before your Lord who loves you and gave Himself for you.
Do you mind if I drive this point home this morning?
Let me just give some application of this.So many in church come in and act as if they are unworthy to be around Christian people.So many brutalize themselves because of the sinfulness in their hearts when they are truly born of God.So many agonize over the smallest detail of their lives and wonder if they should take the Lord’s Supper or participate in fellowship or any of the other Christian graces.Self examination is a good and Godly thing to do. But you can go overboard with it and instead of trusting in Christ for His forgiveness and going to the supply of grace abundant we become legalists on ourselves.
Here is the truth.You can’t be good enough to be worthy to take the Lord’s Supper.You can’t be good enough to participate in the fellowship of the saints.You can’t be good enough to hear the Word of God.I can’t be good enough to be worthy to read it, understand it, or preach it.Everything and I mean everything that we do is by the grace of Christ that has been stacked up higher and higher by every passing minute. We don’t do all these things as Christians to prove we are worthy, we do them because we are testifying of our constant need of God’s grace.
There is a reason that all the crowns that any of us receive on the Day of Judgment will be cast at the feet of Christ.Because we will not deserve any of them and we will maybe realize and appreciate for the first time fully how much grace was bestowed on us in Christ.
If we will live a Christian life then we must have the right perspective on the Christian life.So many make one of two errors.One they slide off into sin because the grace of Christ covers everything and they take no thought for what they do so they live according to the flesh. The Bible says to this error, “May it never be!”Then others get into spiritual bean counting where the good has to make up for the bad and they become like foolish Galatians being bewitched by the snare of their own naturally legalistic hearts.And these people are miserable and they make everyone around them miserable.
I say all this because John’s point in verse 16 is that we who have received grace stacked up on top of grace from Christ’s fullness are witnesses to the world where the light is shining and the darkness is not comprehending it.So if our religion is like the world’s religion then it’s not really a witness for Christ is it?
If we call ourselves Christians and live like pagans then we are no different than the world.If we call ourselves Christians and are miserable grumpy legalists who want everyone to conform to our image then we are just like the Muslims or any other legalistic group.
So what type of Christianity is a witness to the world?
It is the type that the disciples had who turned the world upside down.It is the type that John the Baptist had that got him killed.I can hardly wait to get to verse 19 in two weeks.Look at verse 19 and look at the question posed to John the Baptist by those who were sent all the way from Jerusalem to find out about this man.Look at it.
19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?”
We are not witnesses to the world when we are world focused and people centered.Everyone is like that.We are not witnesses to the world when we are me centered and law centered trying to live up to some self imposed standard of works righteousness.We are no different than the atheist who is trying to lead a moral life.Galatians 5:1 says:
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.
What we need to be is Christ centered and Christ focused.If you have your eyes on Christ and see Him the most lovely and glorious Person that your eyes can see, that He is all sufficient and all glorious and all loving toward you, then you will walk in freedom and from Him freely receive grace upon grace.When you walk in freedom in Christ you will not walk in the bondage of sin and you will not walk in the bondage to the Law.
When you are focused on Christ then you will come joyfully to the preaching of the Word.You will come joyfully to prayer and the praise of God in song.Your voice will be lifted up to the One whom your life is focused on and when the Lord’s Supper is served you will come willingly and happily to the table to receive from Christ the meal He has prepared for you.You will long to spend time with your brothers and sisters in Christ because where two or more are gathered together in His name there He is in the midst.
And that is the type of Christian that the world asks, “Who are you??!!!”And you say, “I am a sinner who has been saved by the Word who became flesh and dwelt among us.I have beheld His glory, the glory of the only begotten Son of God, full of grace and truth.”
Let me give you a biblical example of this.In Acts 16 Paul and Silas are beaten and thrown into prison.Listen to the witness of those who were in chains yet had been set free by Christ.This is verses 25-30.
25 About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, 26 and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone's bonds were unfastened. 27 When the jailer woke and saw that the prison doors were open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, supposing that the prisoners had escaped. 28 But Paul cried with a loud voice, “Do not harm yourself, for we are all here.” 29 And the jailercalled for lights and rushed in, and trembling with fear he fell down before Paul and Silas. 30 Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Which is another way of saying, “Who are you?”
John the Baptist is the Word made flesh’s witness and so are we.There is a third witness.
3.Moses is His Witness.
Look at verse 17.
17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
I want you to not be confused here by our English translation.Just reading this verse seems to put the law in a bad light as if it did not have grace and truth.But that is not what John is saying at all.
Anytime that the Lord decides to specially reveal Himself and His will to a person or a group of people that is grace.Think about the untold millions of people who lived in the time that the Law was given to Moses on Sinai who did not have the revelation of God.A relative handful of people were given the Law if you place them on the large scale of earth, history, and population.So there was grace in the Law and God gave it so it was truth.
But John’s point is the same as the writer of Hebrews.The writer of Hebrews affirms that God did indeed speak through the Law but what the Law could not do was what Christ has accomplished by His life, death, and resurrection.Listen to Hebrews 9:9.
According to this arrangement, gifts and sacrifices are offered that cannot perfect the conscience of the worshiper,
The Law was certainly grace and truth but it only constantly reminded those under its yoke of their sinfulness. In the Word becoming flesh there is greater grace and greater truth.I want you to listen to this quote by Augustine.
“The law threatened, not helped; commanded, not healed; showed, not took away our feebleness.But it made ready for the Physician, who was to come with grace and truth.”
The law was our schoolmaster, our tutor, to lead us to Christ.The law is the witness that speaks of Christ.Listen to Deuteronomy 18:15 as Moses bears witness to Christ.
15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen—
What Moses is saying to the people is that even though all that he says to them is from God and is binding on them that at some point in time the Lord will raise up a prophet from among the nation of Israel who Moses says will supersede him.“It is to him you shall listen!”
So are there biblical examples of this witness of Moses?The Lord Jesus told the story of the rich man and the beggar Lazarus.From Hell the rich man lifted up his voice to Abraham and asked that Lazarus bring a drop of water to him.Then he asks for a witness to be sent to his brothers so they would not end up in the same place as him.Listen to Luke 16:27-29.
27 And he said, ‘Then I beg you, father, to send him to my father's house—28 for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’29 But Abraham said, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.’
After the resurrection the Lord Jesus meets the two disciples on the Emmaus Road.They are downcast and He asked them what was wrong.They told Jesus that the prophet from Galilee, Jesus, whom they thought was the Messiah had been crucified and for them that was the end of that.Listen to the Words of Christ from Luke 24:25-27.
25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
That event was a witness to salvation.But the Law will also condemn those who do not believe.Listen to what the Lord Jesus said to the Jews in John 5:39.
39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
This is why it is perfectly appropriate to preach the Law so that the Gospel can be preached.The good news is not good news unless you know the bad news first.So when we evangelize we can literally say to people, ‘I have some good news and I have some bad news for you.You need the bad news first.”
Thus far we have seen that John the Baptist is God’s witness to the Word becoming flesh.We are God’s witnesses to the Word becoming flesh and Moses and the Law is God’s witness to the Word becomingflesh and dwelling among us.
Finally this morning I want you to see that the Word is His own witness.
4.Jesus Christ is His own witness.
Look at verse 18.
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known.
Verse 17 and verse 18 together call to mind the event of Moses on Mt.Sinai pleading with God to show him His glory.Listen to Exodus 33:18-23.
18 Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” 19 And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The Lord.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. 20 But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” 21 And the Lord said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, 22 and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. 23 Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
Now look at verse 18 again.
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God (Your translation may say Son.There is a variant in the manuscripts.Mine says God. Which fits perfectly well with John 1:1-17.), who is at the Father's side (Or in the Father’s bosom.This signifies closeness.Jesus is privy to all that the Father is doing and thinking.), he has made him known.
I want you to key in on that last statement.“He has made Him known.”The Word who became flesh and dwelled among us has explained, has revealed, has exegeted God to us.Listen to John 5:31-36.
31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true.32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
The Father bore witness in the Son by the works that He accomplished to show the world that indeed the Word became flesh and has dwelt among us.He proved His divinity and that He was the Messiah over and over again.God was His own witness.
Conclusion
In conclusion, John the Baptist has born witness.Christians of all ages have born witness.Moses and the Law have born witness.And the God the Father, Jesus Christ the Son, and the Holy Spirit have born witness.
The creation has shown that there is a God.That is general revelation.But in the Word becoming flesh and dwelling among us that is special and specific revelation.And by this revelation the world will be called into judgment.The light which is the life of men is shining into the darkness and the world is not and has not comprehended it.He came unto His own and His own people did not receive Him.
But as many as have received Him, who believe in Him and trust in Him He has given them the right to become children of God because they believe and trust and receive because they have been born of God.
The witnesses have gone out into the world and one of two things will happen as a result of these witnesses.Some will be saved and some will be condemned.To reject the witnesses is to reject God and no one will be found innocent who rejects God and His witnesses.
Some have looked at these verses and they think that this has made evangelism impossible.If God’s witness has been rejected by the world then why would our witness be successful?Remember point two?Our witness is one of God’s witnesses.And in our witness we use what God has given us.He has given us the words of John the Baptist.He has given us the Law.He has given us Christ and His words and miracles. He has given us grace stacked up on top of grace.
And no matter if the world for the most part rejects these witnesses we still are the world’s witnesses.I started this sermon off by talking about evidence.All the evidence in the world will not convince the natural man to convert. He can’t.He is unable to convert himself.Only God can save and God has chosen to use these witnesses in the salvation of His elect.Our job is to be witnesses by word and deed prayerfully praying that God will convert the sinner to Christ whether that be our children, our family members, our neighbors, our coworkers, or the person ringing up our groceries at Wal-Mart.
Any time you bear witness to Christ I want you to understand what is taking place in that exchange.God may indeed use that witness to bring a dead sinner to life and he or she will believe.But even a witness for Christ and the Gospel that has been rejected will be used to God’s glory.That witness may very well be the condemnation of a sinner who has rejected God over and over.So we are the stench of death to death to some and the fragrance of life to others. This should give us freedom from the bondage of thinking that we have to know everything before we evangelize.We are His witnesses.
Listen to 1 John 5:6-12.
6 This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify: 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree. 9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
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