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That's verses 1 to 18. The prologue 
of John does not start in Bethlehem, but rather it starts in the beginning 
with the Word. And the prologue shows that Jesus 
Christ is the second person of the Blessed Trinity who assumed 
our humanity with all of the essential properties and the 
common infirmities thereof, and yet without sin. He did that 
in order to live in obedience to his Father's law. He did that 
in order to serve as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin 
of the world, to live for us, to die for us, but then again 
on the third day to be raised again for us. And the Apostle 
John wants us to look behind the plan of redemption as we 
see it in history to the Redeemer Himself in His essential glory. So I want to read beginning in 
verse 1. In the beginning was the Word, 
and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the 
beginning with God. All things were made through 
him, and without him nothing was made that was made. In him 
was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines 
in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. 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. He came to his own 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, nor 
of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 
And the word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld 
his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, 
full of grace and truth. John bore witness of him and 
cried out, saying, This was he of whom I said, He who comes 
after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. And 
of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the 
law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through 
Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. 
The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He 
has declared Him. Amen. Well, let us pray. Our 
Father, we thank You for Your Word, and we thank You for the 
Word incarnate, our Lord Jesus Christ. That essential glory, 
that dignity, that divinity that is so clearly displayed in John's 
Gospel throughout the Scriptures, God causes us to stand in awe 
that God Himself left heaven above to come on this mission 
of mercy, to redeem His people from their sins. What a blessed 
reality, and what a glorious gospel, and how we do desire 
that it would be proclaimed today under the blessing and the power 
of the Holy Spirit to the salvation of sinners, to the strengthening 
of your people, and ultimately to the glory of God Most High. 
So fill us now with your Spirit. Again, forgive us for all of 
our sin and transgression, and deal with us in grace and mercy. 
And we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. Well, as we look 
at this prologue, I think it breaks down into three parts. 
We see first the divinity of the Word in verses 1 to 5, and 
then we see the mission of the Word in verses 6 to 13, and then 
the incarnation of the Word in verses 14 to 18. So essentially, 
we have who the Word is, verses 1 to 5, what the Word does when 
He comes into this world, sinners to save, verses 6 to 13, and 
then how that happened. How does the second person of 
the Trinity come into this world, come to his own, his own do not 
receive him? It is through the blessed incarnation 
of our Lord Jesus Christ. And that's the highlight of the 
accent there in verses 14 to 18. But this morning, I wanna 
look first at the mission of the word, part one. I don't wanna 
take too big of a chunk because there's a lot going on in verses 
six to 13. So we'll just look at verses 
six to nine, the ministry of John the Baptist. or the ministry 
of the messenger of God relative to the Word. And then verses 
10 to 13 highlight specifically that mission wherein Christ was 
in the world, the world was made through Him, and the world did 
not know Him. He came to His own 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, 
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of 
God. So that is the mission of the Son of Man relative to the 
creature. But as we look at verses 6 to 
9, we need to understand the great importance of John the 
Baptist. When you look at the apostolic 
preaching in say, for instance, Acts 1, Acts 10, and Acts 13, 
the apostles indicate the nature of John's ministry as well. And 
it's not just the apostles, but it's also the prophets before 
John. The prophets announced the coming 
of the Lord Jesus Christ. John announced the arrival of 
the Lord Jesus Christ. And then of course the apostles 
amplify those things in their ministry and in their writings. 
So John was at a wonderful place in redemptive history. The promise 
had been given and now the promise is fulfilled and it was John's 
ministry to point the light upon the true light who comes down 
in order to enlighten every man. So I want to look first at the 
origin of his ministry, John the Baptist, verse 6. Secondly, 
the nature of his ministry in verses 7 to 8. And then thirdly, 
the function of the true light in verse 9. It almost seems like 
verse 9 would go better with verses 10 to 13, but in exegesis, 
decisions have to be made. I think what we have is here's 
what John does in terms of his testimony to the light, and here's 
what the true light does in terms of his role as creator of the 
universe. And then it gets specifically 
into his mission. But let's look first at the origin 
of his ministry. Two things to observe here. First, 
the one who came from God. Notice in verse 6, there was 
a man sent from God whose name was John. Now remember, there 
is a connection here between what we've called the imminent 
trinity, or God in himself, ad intra, and then what God is in 
terms of his relation to the creature. So you have theology, 
and then you have economy. You have theology in verses 1 
to 5, who the second person of the Trinity is, and then you 
have the economy, revelation in terms of redemptive history 
and John's function. But it's important for us to 
notice that he was sent from God. John was not a man who appointed 
himself to gospel ministry. There ought not to be men who 
appoint themselves to gospel ministry. They must be sent by 
God, they must be fit by God, and they must be recognized ultimately 
by God's people. And John the Baptist fits the 
bill. He was, in fact, a man, not an 
angel, not a supernatural being, not some holy other entity, but 
a man like we are. God has purpose to send forth 
his gospel, not through angelic testimony, but through flesh 
and blood. The apostle Paul highlights this 
emphasis in 2 Corinthians. He says, we have this treasure 
in earthenware vessels. So that when people actually 
get saved, it's not the earthenware vessel that is exalted, but it's 
the Christ. It's the treasure that is within 
the earthenware vessel that is supposed to blow our minds, not 
the earthenware vessel. So he is a man and he is sent 
by God. He is clothed in authority, not 
in himself, but from God Most High. And as well, look at his 
name. As John the Apostle tells us, 
there was a man sent from God whose name was John. Notice he 
doesn't have to say the Baptist. Everybody at this time, everybody 
in our time, know who John the Apostle is talking about. I think 
the name John comes up about 18 to 20 times in John's gospel, 
and it always refers to John the Baptist. The name of John 
the Apostle is not present in John's gospel. He does refer 
to himself as the beloved disciple, but in terms of this name John, 
without any qualification, let the reader understand this is 
John the Baptist, again the one who comes at this crossroads 
in human history. at this crossroads in salvation 
history. This prophet who not only announces 
the coming one, but also announces his arrival. And then the name 
John is most significant for us. If that is your name, I'm 
sure you already know the definition. It is simply Yahweh is gracious. Yahweh is gracious, and the whole 
ministry of John the Baptist underscores that reality. The 
fact is that God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under 
the law, to redeem those under the law. That is the grandest 
exhibition of grace that you and I will ever see. God owed 
us nothing. God owes no man anywhere anything, 
except ultimately wrath and curse, both in this life and that which 
is to come, for our sin against such a glorious God. But in grace, 
he sends his son. But before the son comes this 
forerunner of the covenant. Even John the Baptist, whose 
name signifies the very mission of the one whom he announces. 
Yahweh is gracious. So not only was there a man sent 
from God whose name was John, but as well, this one was prophesied 
of old. We read in Isaiah chapter 40 
at verse three. It's repeated later in John one 
at verse 23. It says specifically, the voice 
of one crying in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, 
make straight in the desert a highway for our God. you shouldn't miss 
the Christological significance of that statement. In the prophet 
Isaiah, the forerunner announces Yahweh. In the prophet Isaiah, 
the forerunner announces God. What does that say concerning 
the second person of the blessed Trinity who came down from heaven 
for us men and for our salvation? He is God. He is most high. The second person of the Trinity 
introduced to us in verses one to five didn't leave off his 
divinity when he assumed our humanity, but rather by a virtue 
of the union of the natures in the one person, he comes on this 
mission to redeem us and to save us from our sins. R.T. Frantz 
says there is a remarkable Christological claim involved in applying Isaiah's 
depiction of God's forerunner to the man who prepared the way 
for the coming of Jesus. So don't miss that. John, Matthew, 
Mark, Luke, Paul, Peter, all of the apostles of the New Testament 
want you to understand not only the economy of redemption, but 
the theology behind it. God in himself, the one true 
and living God, and the second person of the Trinity taking 
on our humanity to rescue us from our sinfulness. But he's 
not only this forerunner of the king as prophesied in Isaiah 
40, but he is what's called the antitypical Elijah. Now, antitype 
simply means that to which a type points. So you have types in 
the Old Testament, and they point forward to something in the New 
Testament. The temple, for instance, was 
typical. It means the dwelling of God 
with men. Well, Jesus is the antitype. 
He is the reason for which the temple stood, to point forward 
to that one in whom God and sinners are reconciled. Well, Elijah 
is identified in the Old Testament as coming again. Jesus tells 
us that he comes in the person of John the Baptist. One of the 
emphases that we find in the New Testament is that John the 
Baptist is the fulfillment of Elijah the prophet. Right down 
to the austere manner of life. Right down to the way that they 
were clothed. Right down, in fact, to the way 
that they responded to great victories. You see Elijah under 
the broom tree in 1 Kings chapter 19. In the next sermon, we're 
gonna look at John in prison in Matthew chapter 11. And there, 
there's a bit of despondency. So though he's a man sent by 
God, clothed with the authority of God, given that dignified 
position of prophet who announces not only coming but arrival, 
nevertheless, he wasn't a perfect man. God uses cracked pots so 
that the glory is seen in the treasure that the cracked pot 
holds and not in the cracked pot himself. Now, having said 
all that, John the Baptist is assessed very positively by our 
Lord Jesus Christ, and we should esteem him highly. But if you 
remember, some months ago we looked at the Mount of Transfiguration. 
Remember that instance where Jesus, with Peter, James, and 
John, goes up on the Mount, and there He is transfigured before 
them. He's shining brightly. He is shining gloriously. And 
the apostles realized they are in the presence of something 
that they had not been before. And they hear the voice of God 
Most High come out of the sky. And it says, this is my beloved 
son, in whom I am well pleased, hear him. If you remember in 
that passage, the disciples asked Jesus specifically, why did the 
scribe say that Elijah must come first? Do you know what they're 
talking about? They're talking about the prophet Malachi. In 
the prophet Malachi, in Malachi 3.1, there would be a messenger 
who would precede the messenger Christ of the covenant. And John 
the Baptist fits the bill. So as far as they were concerned 
on the Mount of Transfiguration, they had seen the glorious one 
from God Almighty, but they missed the messenger. That's when Jesus 
says, if you're able to bear it, John the Baptist is Elijah 
the prophet. So Christ is applying to himself 
the glorious testimony of the prophet Malachi concerning the 
nature of the Messiah when he comes to save his people from 
their sins. So the origin of his ministry, 
he was a man who came from God and he was a man who was prophesied 
of all. Now notice secondly, the nature 
of his ministry. I want to break this down into 
two parts. First, the function of his ministry, and then secondly, 
the purpose of his ministry. But notice the function. Look 
at verse 7. This man came for a witness, 
to bear witness of the light that all through him might believe. 
This man came for a witness. The ministry of John the Baptist 
is consistent with one of the purposes to the Apostle John's 
gospel. It is apologetic. And by apologetic, 
I don't mean, oh, I'm so sorry, I'm writing you a book. Apologetic, 
scripturally speaking, is the defense of the truth. And John's 
gospel bears up to that. Remember, you're not supposed 
to accept something except on the basis of two or three witnesses. 
Well, there are several witnesses, according to John's gospel, to 
confirm and verify that Jesus is in fact the Christ. So when 
John comes to his purpose in John 20 and 31, so that you may 
believe that Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God, and 
that believing you may have life in his name, he's not asking 
you to take a blind leap of faith. He's not asking you to do so 
without some corroboration. He's not asking you to do so 
without some emphasis upon the glory of the one that he preaches. the glory of the one that you 
should believe in, the trustworthiness of the one to whom we give our 
souls by God's grace in order for safekeeping, both in this 
life and that which is to come. So John's function, John the 
Baptist, I always want to call him John Baptist, but there's 
a the in there, like Smokey the Bear, and Rahab the Harlot. I can't miss his middle name 
there. Actually, that's not his middle name. I'm just kidding 
there. But notice in terms of the ministry, one man defines 
this well. He says, the term witness or 
testimony is best understood to carry its primary legal meaning 
of testifying or bearing witness to the true state of affairs 
by one who has a fuller knowledge or superior position. The theme 
of witness will be continually developed throughout the gospel. 
That is an emphasis in John's gospel. That is a part and parcel 
of it. Again, God doesn't say believe 
on fairy tales, believe on unicorns, believe on cunningly devised 
fables, believe on made-up stories that happen in faraway galaxies. No, this is rock solid history. This is reality. This is truth. And it's confirmed by several 
witnesses in John's gospel. In the first place, we have the 
witness of John the Baptist. Verses seven and eight highlight 
or indicate that for us. But as well, we have the witness 
of the triune God himself. Look at the father in chapter 
five. Just establishing this witness 
testimony concerning the ministry of our Lord Jesus Christ. Remember 
John the Baptist points us to or witnesses or testifies to 
this light, even the Lord Jesus Christ. In John 5, notice in 
verses 31 and 32, if I bear witness of myself, my witness is not 
true. There is another who bears witness of me and I know that 
the witness which he witnesses of me is true. And then drop 
down to verse 37. And the father himself who sent 
me has testified of me. You have neither heard his voice 
at any time nor seen his form. Brethren, what is Jesus saying? 
I'm not here because I'm just here. I'm here because I was 
sent by the Father. I was sent by God. I was sent 
to do a particular task. There is witness testimony afforded 
to the people of God and to the hearers of the Word of God such 
that what we are calling men, women, boys, and girls to do 
in terms of looking unto Jesus for salvation is substantial. It is rock solid. Peter makes 
that statement in the opening of the second epistle. We didn't 
follow cunningly devised fables. This isn't mythology. This isn't 
the stuff of liberal theology. This isn't a denial of the supernatural, 
but rather this is the outflow of who God is relative to his 
works at extra, relative to his relationship to the world that 
he has made. Notice the testimony of the son 
back in chapter three at verse 11. Chapter three at verse 11, 
most assuredly I say to you, we speak what we know and testify 
what we have seen and you do not receive our witness. Again 
in chapter eight, chapter eight at verse 14, Jesus answered and 
said to them, even if I bear witness of myself, my witness 
is true for I know where I came from and where I am going, but 
you do not know where I come from and where I am going. And 
then notice in verses 17 and 18, verse 17, he says, it is 
also written in your law that the testimony of two men is true. 
I am one who bears witness of myself and the father who sent 
me bears witness of me. Now it's just at this point that 
the God hater, the rebel, the rejecter of these things says, 
well, that's what the Bible says. That's circular reasoning. The 
Bible says the Bible's true because the Bible says the Bible's true. 
Well, isn't it interesting that in a courtroom, the defendant 
at least gets his time in the dock. That is completely off 
the shelf for the God-hating rebel. We're not going to listen 
to the Bible's testimony about the Bible. We're not going to 
listen to the Father's testimony about the Father. We're not going 
to listen to the Son's testimony about the Son. We're not going 
to listen to the Father's testimony about the Son. We don't do that 
in any other sphere, but why in this sphere? It's because 
the darkness hates the light. The darkness doesn't want to 
come to the light, lest the light expose its wickedness and show 
it up for the evil that it is. You need to understand there's 
no neutrality out there. There's no blank slates out there. It's not the unbeliever who's 
so scientific in his approach that he can't bear to listen 
to what the Bible says about the Bible. We let other things 
say something about themselves in every other instance when 
we don't have an axe to grind against them. Understand, brethren, 
budding evangelists among us, and missionaries, those who want 
to testify concerning the gospel of free and sovereign grace, 
your hearers are not neutral. Your hearers are not blank slates. Your hearers are not somehow 
okay with the God of heaven and earth. They have demonstrated 
time and time again a rejection of Him, a repudiation of Him, 
and a despising of Him at all points. So understand that, not 
so that you don't witness, but that you at least understand 
the nature of the battle a bit more. So you pray it up a bit 
more, you ask for the Holy Spirit, because this is in fact a spiritual 
task, and without the Spirit of the Living God, your words 
will fall on deaf ears. But again, even if your words 
fall on deaf ears, at least insofar as you can tell, God Most High 
is glorified in the declaration of His truth. Never ever forget 
that. Don't say, well, I tried to witness 
and nobody ever got saved, so I'm going to quit. No, the Apostle 
Paul in 2 Corinthians 2 tells us that the preaching of the 
gospel of Jesus Christ is a fragrance in the nostrils of God Most High. It's a fragrance of sweetness 
of life unto life and an aroma of death unto death. We need 
to understand just because man hates God doesn't let us off 
the hook. We still declare the gospel of 
Jesus Christ and hopefully the Spirit of God comes and saves 
them from their sins. And then notice in 1837, Jesus' 
testimony to himself before Pilate. Verse 37, Pilate therefore said 
to him, are you a king then? Jesus answered, you say rightly 
that I am a king. For this cause I was born and 
for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear 
witness of the truth. Everyone who is of the truth 
hears my voice. So you have the testimony, not 
only of John the Baptist, you have the testimony of the Father, 
you have the testimony of the Son, and you have the testimony 
of the Holy Spirit. Look in John 15 at verse 26. John 15 at verse 26. But when 
the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, 
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify 
of me. So it's just here we might reflect 
on this reality. You know, God knew that man wouldn't 
willingly and openly receive the testimony concerning his 
son. God knew what was in the heart of man. God knew that Christ 
would come to his own and his own would not receive him. So 
the gospel, according to John, is not only gospel in terms of 
good news, redemption in Jesus. It's not only theology. In the 
beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word 
was God. But the gospel of John is witness. 
It's testimony. It's apologetics. It is grounding 
the reality of our faith in the reality that God has created. 
And as a result of that, all men everywhere should give hearing 
to it. Notice as well, you have the 
witness of the scriptures, John 5. John chapter 5, Jesus' debate, 
Jesus' dispute with the religious leaders of his time. Notice in 
verse 39, you search the scriptures, for in them you think you have 
eternal life, and these are they which testify of me. You see, 
he doesn't say they testify of some sort of generic nebulous 
idea or concept of Messiah. They testify of me, the Lord 
Jesus, the Word that was in the beginning, the Word that was 
with God, the Word that was God, the Word that assumes our humanity, 
the Word who tabernacles among us according to John 1 14, that 
eternally begotten Son who nevertheless for us men in our salvation dwells 
in our midst. They testify of me, Jesus says. But then notice, Jesus highlights 
the onus of responsibility. But you are not willing to come 
to me that you may have life, verse 40. So it's not a deficiency 
in the scripture. It's not a deficiency in the 
testimony. It's not a deficiency in the 
witnesses. The deficiency always lay in 
man. The deficiency is always on the 
part of the receptor. The deficiency is there because 
in Adam all die, but in Christ all are made alive. So if you 
learn anything through this brief survey, learn this. Pray for 
preachers on Sunday morning and Sunday afternoon so that the 
Holy Spirit comes. We don't just argue men into 
the kingdom of God by persuasive words. We don't just argue men 
into the kingdom of God by exegesis. We don't argue men into the kingdom 
of God at all. Peter celebrates the God who 
called us out of darkness into marvelous light. We see that 
in verses 12 and 13 and John 1 in the prologue. They don't 
come to Jesus because they were born in a certain family. They 
don't come to Jesus because they have a wonderful free will. They 
don't come to Jesus because of any other thing than of the sovereignty 
of God Most High. So brethren, understand that 
the witness and the testimony is sure, it is rock solid, but 
apart from the enabling power of the Holy Spirit, it is an 
exercise ultimately in futility for a man to think that he can 
argue sinners into the kingdom of God Most High. The problem 
always lies with men, and the only one who can fix that is 
God. Not preachers, not John the Baptist, 
not anyone that ever stands in pulpits, but what we are understanding 
is that salvation is of the Lord, according to the prophet Jonah 
in 2.9. And then notice in 46 and 47, for if you believe Moses, 
you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But if you do 
not believe his writings, how will you believe my words? Again, 
he wrote about me, Jesus says. In John 8, 58, when he says, 
Abraham, before Abraham was, I am. Abraham rejoiced to see 
my day, Jesus says, to the religious leaders at his time. Again, not 
some generic undefined idea of a Messiah. It was from the outset 
appointed in Genesis 3.15 that Messiah would be a man. He would 
be born of a woman. He would crush the serpent himself 
through his own suffering and death. All of this was part of 
Israel's religion. So it's not a brand new thing 
that we find here in the New Covenant. It is rather the fulfillment 
of all the various strands of redemptive history prior to it. 
And so these witnesses come to confirm and affirm what we know 
in the Scripture. And then notice the witness of 
the signs, chapter 5, verse 36. Chapter 5, verse 36. I think 
I've tried to explain to the church here that signs, miracles, 
and wonders were never simply designed to dazzle the hearers 
or to dazzle the witnesses. They confirmed that the one speaking 
the Word of God was, in fact, from God. Moses did signs and 
wonders. The prophets did signs and wonders. 
The apostles did signs and wonders. Jesus did signs and wonders. 
Benny Hinn doesn't. Kenneth Copeland doesn't. Smith 
Wigglesworth didn't. Joel Osteen. None of these charlatans 
do signs and wonders because they're not sent from God. Moses, 
the prophets, Jesus, and the apostles. And notice in the swath 
of human history, that's pretty much when the signs and wonders 
were done. It was always to accompany the 
giving of God's word. In other words, the signs accompanied 
the revelation of God's word to confirm and authenticate that 
the one doing the signs and wonders was in fact a God sent man. And Jesus sees that, obviously, 
because he's Jesus, but notice what he says in John 5, 36. But 
I have a greater witness than John's, for the works which the 
Father has given me to finish, the very works that I do bear 
witness of me that the Father has sent me. Again, it's not 
the end simply for the healings, for the feedings, for the miracles 
in and of themselves. They're redemptive ends. There 
are designs so that the ones witnessing, or the ones benefiting 
from it, or the ones hearing about it, will see that that 
person was in fact a duly authorized spokesman for God, and that the 
revelation that they gave needs to be heard, needs to be adhered 
to, needs to be listened to. We see that emphasis on signs 
in John 10.25. John 10, 25, Jesus answered them, 
I told you and you do not believe, the works that I do in my Father's 
name, they bear witness of me. And then John 14 and verse 11, 
John 14, verse 11, believe me that I am in the Father and the 
Father is in, and the Father in me, or else believe me for 
the sake of the works themselves. And again, just because people 
witness the signs, just because people read about the signs, 
doesn't make them believers. It doesn't cause them to be born 
again. We need the ministry of the Holy 
Spirit. In Matthew 11, Jesus upbraided 
the cities of his day because they saw his mighty works and 
they didn't believe. It was in that context that he 
says it would be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah on the 
day of judgment than for those cities that witnessed his works 
and did not repent. And so with the signs and the 
wonders, we always need the testimony of the Holy Spirit. Brethren, 
this is a long sort of excursus to ask you to pray that the Holy 
Spirit comes upon preachers, that the Holy Spirit attends 
the public worship of the living and true God, that the Holy Spirit 
works upon the hearts of those who tune in, works upon the hearts 
of those who listen, works upon the hearts of those who are exposed 
to gospel truth. Because apart from the Spirit 
of the living God, men perish. Apart from the Spirit of the 
living and true God, men will not hear and they will not believe. and understand there are a whole 
host of things trying to stop that from taking place. Remember 
in the Lucan version of the parable of the soils in Luke chapter 
eight, Jesus talks about the birds of the air who come and 
they pick up the seeds after they've been sown by the sower. 
And the birds of the air do that. And then Jesus likens it to the 
devil. He doesn't want sinners to hear 
the truth of the gospel. He doesn't want them to hear 
it because then they'll believe it and then they'll be saved. 
And as I've pointed out, birds aren't diabolical. When birds 
attack a farmer's field, they're just trying to feed their little 
bird bellies. The devil is diabolical. The devil has a vested interest 
in trying to stop the gospel of free and sovereign grace. 
The devil has a vested interest in the ministry of a Joel Osteen, 
in the ministry of a Benny Hinn, in the ministry of anyone that 
falsely proclaims or proclaims falsely the truth as it is in 
Jesus. So the one will advance and the 
Paul will be suffering. The one will be rewarded and 
the apostle will spend a night and a day out in the deep. The 
one will be exalted by men and the other will write as a maxim 
to the church that follows in his train, all who desire to 
live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. And the last 
witness that we should focus or at least make mention of is 
the beloved disciple. Look at John chapter 19. John 
chapter 19, verse 35. And he who has seen has testified, 
and his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the 
truth so that you may believe." See, again, brethren, the Bible 
isn't asking you to take a blind leap of faith. The Bible isn't 
asking you to look at a cunningly devised fable. The Bible isn't 
telling you today, if you're an unbeliever, to just sort of 
suspend any rationality and just step out in an existential leap 
of faith. No, there is witness testimony. The Father, the Son, the Spirit, 
the Scriptures, the Baptist. We have John the Apostle. Notice 
how John the Apostle ends the epilogue in chapter 21. Chapter 
21 and verse 24, this is the disciple who testifies of these 
things and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony 
is true. And there are also many other 
things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, 
I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the 
books that would be written. Amen. Now, as we go back to John 
1, as we consider the Baptist's ministry, we see the nature of 
his ministry. First, in terms of function, 
verse 7a. This man came for a witness to 
bear witness of the light. That's why John came. That's 
why the prophets prophesied concerning John. That was his one job. It was to testify concerning 
the light. We know the light is the Word. 
Verses 4 and 5 tell us that. In him was life, and the life 
was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, 
and the darkness did not comprehend it. So there was a man sent from 
God, whose name was John. This man came for a witness, 
to bear witness of the light. Now notice the purpose of his 
ministry. Why does he witness to the light? Why does he testify 
to the light? So that you don't continue in 
your sins. so that you don't continue in your rejection and 
unbelief, so that you don't continue to resist God Most High, who 
made the world and all things in it. Look at the purpose for 
which John ministered to Jesus, or ministered in terms of witness-bearing. 
This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, 
that all through him, not Christ, but all through John the Baptist 
might believe in him, Christ the word, Christ the light, Christ 
the life. So John the Baptist's ministry 
was about Jesus. John the Baptist's ministry was 
about sinners. John the Baptist's ministry was 
involved with sinners hearing the truth as it is in Jesus, 
such that by God's grace, they could believe on him and have 
everlasting life. So that's why John the Baptist 
came. That's why he functioned. That's 
why he was the voice of one crying in the wilderness. That's why 
he ate locusts and wild honey. That's why he was looked at as 
a bit of a freak. That's why he was castigated. 
That's why he was thrown off. That's why our Lord assessment 
of him in Matthew 11 is so crucial for our understanding. And again, 
we'll take that up in the next hour. But for now, notice what 
John the Baptist does. He functions in order to shine 
the light upon the true light, to witness and testify concerning 
Jesus. And he does that so persons who 
hear that testimony concerning Jesus might believe. Not just 
say, wow, that's a curious story. Wow, that's an interesting thing. 
Wow, that fills me with a bit of warmth twice a year. Wow, 
that's such a good thing. No, it's so that by grace you 
may believe and be saved. Now notice the declaration in 
terms of a general statement of John the Baptist. In Matthew 
3, verse 2, he says, repent for the kingdom of God is at hand. And then in terms of the specific 
ministry with reference to our Lord Jesus Christ, notice several 
emphases in John 1. Great place to look. Why not? 
We're right there. In the first place, he highlights 
the preeminence of Christ in verses 15 and 30. 15 and 30. 30, he says, I'm not even worthy 
to untie his sandal straps. I'm not even worthy to get near 
his feet. John the Baptist didn't have 
this complex. He didn't have some narcissistic 
tendencies. He wasn't sort of upset because, 
you know, Jesus now was stealing his thunder. No, John recognized 
redemptive history well, and John understood his role as a 
forerunner of the king. The forerunner came to announce 
the arrival of the king, and the forerunner always knew he 
wasn't the king. The forerunner always knew that 
the king was king, and he was in fact preeminent. Notice as 
well what John the Baptist highlights, verse 29. He doesn't preach Jesus 
as an example, a la liberal theology. He doesn't preach Jesus the archetype 
or is the archetype of do-goodery, so all of us should just follow 
him. No, he, like Paul, preaches blood atonement. He, like Paul, 
understood what Israel was taught in the Old Testament, that sinners 
don't come to God apart from a bloody knife and a smoking 
altar, and that it's Christ who is the antitype of that bloody 
knife and that smoking altar. He preaches Jesus again, not 
as example. Brethren, it's almost as if we 
have slipped back into liberalism in terms of theology and in terms 
of religion. Christ is preached more as an 
example today than as a blood atonement. I'm not suggesting 
there's no exemplary function of our Lord Jesus. Of course, 
we need to follow Jesus. Paul says that in 1 Corinthians 
11, imitate me as I imitate Christ. But the accent in the gospel 
falls upon what Christ did in terms of redemption. That's why 
John the Baptist says, Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away 
the sin of the world. That's what you as sinner needs. Not more law. Be a better you. Follow Jesus more diligently. 
Diligently. Try harder. Brethren, the law 
is a killing word when it comes to our justification before God. That law should send us into 
the arms of the blessed one who died for us and who was raised 
again for us. John doesn't preach exemplary 
Jesus, John preaches blood atonement. As well, he highlights the fact 
that the Spirit of God is upon Jesus without measure, John 1.33. 
He's endued with the presence and the power of the Spirit like 
no other, and that according to His humanity. Yes, we know 
that the Word is divine. Yes, we know that Jesus Christ 
is the Word who took on flesh and dwelt among us. But according 
to the flesh, the Spirit was upon our blessed Savior in a 
glorious and in a wondrous way. Remember it is baptism when the 
heavens part and the spirit descends in the form of a dove. Not that 
the spirit is a dove, but the spirit descends in the form of 
a dove upon the Lord Jesus. It alights on him and it never 
leaves him. Such that when he engaged in 
his ministry, when he engaged in times of prayer, when he engaged 
in those things unique to Jesus, it was unique because he had 
so much presence and power of the Holy Spirit. But then the 
final emphasis in John's preaching is found in chapter 1 and verse 
34. And this ties up with verses 
1 to 3. This is, in fact, the Son of 
God. John the Baptist comes as a witness, 
as a testifier, as an apologist for the very Son of God himself. Gil says, not by creation as 
angels and men, nor by office as magistrates, but by nature, 
being of the same essence, perfections, and power with God his Father. So when John the Baptist says 
that this truly is the Son of God, John the Baptist is pointing 
us, once again, to the glorious truth of John 1, 1-3. So what is true in terms of the 
ad intra relations with reference to Father, Son, and Holy Spirit 
is demonstrated. It is shown forth by God's ad 
extra works, what He does relative to the creation. We learn something 
about God by the way that God operates among us. In other words, 
we see the notions through the missions, and that should bring 
us always to conclude that God is most glorious, most wondrous, 
and most worthy to be praised. Now notice that John has to clarify 
that John the Baptist was not that light. Look at verse eight. He was not that light, but was 
sent to bear witness of that light. Though there was relation, 
though there was conjunction, though there was coordination, 
though John was the forerunner, John was not the king. John understood 
that, the Baptist, and so did John the Apostle. Notice dropping 
down into verse 19. This is a real historical issue. 
Now, this is the testimony of John. When the Jews sent priests 
and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, who are you? He confessed 
and did not deny, but confessed, I am not the Christ. In other 
words, here's this fellow out in the wilderness. He's on the 
other side of the Jordan. He's baptizing all who come to him. 
And so, of course, the delegation of priests and Levites and Pharisees 
and scribes, all these religious leaders have to go out there 
and vet this situation. And immediately John says, I'm 
not the Christ. I am not the one whom the Old Testament foresaw 
or foretold. foretold. I am rather the forerunner 
in accordance with Isaiah 40 and verse 3. So there was this 
bit of confusion that needed to be dealt with and this clarification. The Baptist was a light according 
to Jesus' words in John 5, but not the true light identified 
in verses 4 and 5 and then magnified in verse 9. The word was in the 
beginning. John the Baptist was not. The 
Word was God. John the Baptist was not. The 
Word was the one to whom the Baptist witnessed. The Baptist 
was not. The Baptist clarified this. John 
the Apostle clarifies this and wants us to understand the great 
disparity between the two. Again, the Baptist's question 
concerning his identity, verse 19, clearly distinguishes himself 
from the Messiah. Now this was important, brethren, 
because we don't get this. There was sort of a Messiah fever 
in the first century. Remember at the close of the 
canon, you had the prophet Malachi and the Old Testament canon. 
There was a period of about 400 years of silence. That's a long 
time, brethren. 400 minutes taxes some of us, 
but 400 years? They hadn't had a fresh word 
of revelation? There was this expectation that 
the man God promised was coming. And so 400 years down the path, 
we get to the first century AD, there was a Messiah fever. They 
wanted Messiah. They had had the promises. They 
had had the testimony. They had had the sure word. They 
were certainly in a very difficult position being subject to the 
Roman authority. They were in a difficult position 
in terms of not having their prestige that they once possessed. 
And for many of them, they had a political concept of what Messiah 
would do. So there was this Messiah fever. 
Hey, there's this guy baptizing out at the Jordan. So immediately 
they go out there to investigate. So John says, I'm not he. John 
distinguishes that he is not the Messiah. He is simply sent 
to testify concerning the Messiah. And again, he highlights the 
preeminence of Messiah and the fact that Messiah is, in fact, 
the Son of the living God. So thus, the ministry of John 
the Baptist will close quickly by looking at the function of 
the true light. So within verses 6 to 13, I've broken it down 
as the mission of the Word. I think you see that more conspicuously 
in verses 10 to 13, but you see a bit of buildup in terms of 
verses 6 to 9. You have the ministry of John 
the Baptist in terms of what he did testifying to the light. But then you have the function 
of the true light in verse 9, which is broad and general, and 
then it focuses in on verses 10 to 13. So I see it in terms 
of exposition, in terms of exegesis, but what does that mean in verse 
9? That, talking about the light that John was sent to bear witness 
of, that was the true light which gives light to every man coming 
into the world. Now, with reference to this statement, 
I'm not going to lie to you, it's tough. And the interpretation 
goes in one of two ways. One, based on the reality that 
Christ is Creator, according to verse 3, every bit of rationality 
that man has comes as a result of Christ, comes as a result 
of God Himself, which is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. So verse 
9 may be taken in a creational way. In fact, one man says, first 
in relation to the light of natural knowledge. In fact, John Gill 
takes it this way. He says, it is best, therefore, 
to understand these words of the light of nature. and reason 
which Christ as the word and creator and light of men gives 
to every man that is born into the world. So verse 9, that was 
the true light which gives light to every man coming into the 
world. That makes sense. Every bit of rationality, every 
bit of reason, every bit of thought that we have is owing not to 
our creation of ourselves, but to Christ's creation of us. We 
already see that in verses 4 and 5. In him was life and the life 
was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, 
and the darkness did not understand it, or comprehend it, or did 
not overcome it. So that's the second way that 
we can understand this. The common light of nature is 
the first, or the light of gospel revelation. See, this isn't the 
only reason why it's tough, but John Gill takes it in the first 
way, and Matthew Poole takes it in the second way. Both are 
true, brethren. Both are true. The fact is that 
coming from the hand of a God who creates us, we are made in 
His image, and therefore we have rationality. We have that wisdom. We have that ability to do 2 
plus 2. We can make that, we see that 
equals 4. Animals don't have that. As wonderful 
as animals are, they're not said to be created in the image of 
God. That's why to kill an animal is not murder. Killing an animal 
is for sustenance. Killing an animal because you're 
a cruel wretch is not good, but it's not murder. You only murder 
the image bearer of God Almighty. That's why with reference to 
abortion, I don't know why they don't see this or how they don't 
see this. We're actually terminating the lives of image bearers and 
these same people cry out and rage over the weirdest animals. I remember, I think it was in 
the Mojave Desert in California, a man had his property taken 
away from him because the kangaroo rat was being threatened on this 
man's property. A kangaroo rat. Again, they're 
cool. They look like little kangaroos. 
They're kind of neat, but they're a rat. But they're not image 
bearers. You don't take a man's property 
to spare the kangaroo rat and all the while say it's perfectly 
acceptable to murder babies in their mother's wombs. There is 
an image of God thing that the church really needs to reclaim. There is an image of God reality 
that the church needs to thunder forth. There is an image of God 
truth that the church must not relinquish or we're going to 
end up, oh, just like we are. with reference to the reality 
Christ enlightens every man. And I think it's Christ coming 
into the world. It's not the everyman coming 
into the world. That interpretation has spawned 
the idea of the pre-existence of souls and A whole host of 
other things. If you're using the New King 
James, I think the marginal reading at verse 9 is better. It's Christ coming into the world 
that enlightens man. And that's why I think, contextually, 
the second interpretation is better. It's true that Christ 
is over the light of nature that is given to man, who is the image 
bearer of God. But in terms of John's prologue, 
there is movement from eternity past into history. When the word 
comes and the word manifests, the word shines forth light and 
he comes to his own and his own do not receive it. But as many 
as received him, that light of the knowledge of the gospel of 
Jesus Christ, they are given that right, that dignity, that 
privilege to be called the sons of God. So if we have to make 
a decision, I'm on the side of the light of gospel revelation, 
the light of grace. But again, both are true. Men 
know 2 plus 2 equals 4 because of Jesus. Men know quantum physics 
because of Jesus. Men know everything they know 
because of Jesus. But it's ultimately in the context 
that Jesus comes with the light of the gospel of the knowledge 
of God Most High, and it's that that shines in the darkness, 
and the darkness did not comprehend it. Well, in conclusion, we ought 
to appreciate, in the first place, the ministry of John the Baptist. 
He didn't come for his own praise. He didn't come for his own praise. Now, this may be somewhat outlandish 
in our Facebook-crazed, narcissistic age, but John the Baptist actually 
came to point to another. That was what defined his devotion 
to duty. It wasn't John the Baptist praise 
and glory and adoration that he was seeking. It was rather 
Christ's glory, praise and adoration. He understood the disparity between 
himself and Christ. Notice in verse 27, it is he 
who coming after me is preferred before me, whose sandal strap 
I am not worthy to lose. He recognized as well the divinity 
of Christ. See, if any man preaches the 
word of God and understands the word of God and realizes or recognizes 
that he's tasked with preaching Jesus as the son of God, then 
for that preacher to try and steal praise or glory, he's sinning. That is wrong. The job is to 
shine the light upon the son of God. That's the task. That's what's at hand. And that's 
what the Baptist displays. He embraced the exaltation of 
Christ. In John 3, you can turn there. 
This is defining in terms of John's life and his ministry 
and what defined him. John 3, 30, he, Jesus, must increase, 
but I must decrease. Sounds a lot like the Apostle 
Paul in 2 Corinthians 11. Do you know what you don't get 
from Paul there? Is this whining epilogue about 
what a great guy he is and how he just can't understand how 
anybody would have treated him so poorly. No, he does it all 
gladly and willingly and happily for Jesus, because Jesus must 
increase, but he must decrease. As well, the Baptist did come 
to bear witness to Jesus Christ, not only in his person, that 
he is true man, but he's also truly God. So John Baptist witnesses 
to the person of Christ, but he also witnesses to the work 
of Christ. And again, 129 needs to be thundered 
by the church today. You know me, brethren, I'm all 
for you following Jesus as an example. But brethren, understand 
that comes after believing on Jesus as blood atonement. believing 
on Jesus as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. 
If we miss that, we are engaged in what has historically been 
called legalism. We are not saved by lawism, and 
following Jesus obediently without gospel is law. And that ultimately 
leads to burnout or pride on the party that tries to do so. 
Because we're not Jesus and we will not follow him successfully 
and thus burnout. To the degree that we do follow 
him successfully, we'll be proud and thus not follow him successfully. 
It's kind of this interesting juxtaposition that one finds 
themselves in. You need the Lamb of God who 
takes away the sin of the world. You need to look and live at 
the one who declares in John 3, 314, that as Moses lifted 
up the serpent, so must the Son of Man be lifted up. What's John's 
point at the end of his gospel narrative? John, the apostle, 
that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the 
living God, and that believing you may have life in his name. 
That's the gospel, brethren. That's what needs to be preached. 
That's what needs to be proclaimed. Too many preachers mess up with 
reference to law and gospel. They preach the law as gospel 
and they preach the gospel as law. And as Spurgeon says, you 
end up with a mingle mangle. You end up with a neither. When 
you preach the law as gospel and the gospel as law, you have 
nothing. We need to keep them in their proper places. We need 
to preach the law in its killing power to sinners, to show them 
their need for the gospel of free and sovereign grace, so 
that when we tell them, Behold the Lamb of God who takes away 
the sin of the world, those who have had the dealings with the 
law will look by grace and live. And when by grace they look and 
live, then they'll understand that glorious doctrine of justification, 
and then they'll understand that blessed related doctrine, sanctification. Now that we've looked at Christ 
and lived by grace, what does Christ say? Now look to the law 
as a pattern, not for your justification, but as a pattern for your sanctification. And we need to be reminded by 
John the Apostle that if we do sin, we have an advocate with 
the Father, even Jesus Christ the righteous. In other words, 
John the Baptist and the several witnesses in the book of John 
all converged at this point. Christ, the Son of God, is the 
only hope for sinners. And if you have not looked to 
Him, then may I encourage you to look, to believe, to see him 
as John sets him forth, and to see him in his person, the blessed 
one person, two natures, divine and human, but also in his work 
as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Well, 
let us close in a word of prayer. Father, we thank you for your 
word. We thank you for the testimony of John the Baptist, John the 
Apostle, the scriptures, the three persons of our blessed 
Trinity, of the signs, everything converges to show us the glory 
and the sufficiency of Jesus Christ to save his people from 
their sins. God made this go forth today 
and may it be blessed by the presence and the power of the 
Holy Spirit. May you grant the graces of faith and repentance 
so that a multitude will close with Jesus today. And we ask 
this in his most blessed name, amen. We'll close with a brief 
time.