Become a Creator today!Start creating today - Share your story with the world!
Start for free
00:00:00
00:00:01
Light, Life, and the Line of Decision
17 Plays6 days ago
John 3:18-36
Recommended
Transcript
Adapting to Darkness
00:00:01
Speaker
Several years ago a homeowner called the electrician because ah one of the rooms in his house had become increasingly dim. At first he simply ignored it. Thought maybe it was his eyesight going.
00:00:13
Speaker
But he sat in this room reading his Bible and and day after day it just kept getting a little dimmer. And instead of fixing the light, he he adjusted himself.
00:00:24
Speaker
He compensated for the lack of it. He brought a candle over and set it next to the table where he was, and he and he lit it. Day after day, he went on living and learning to live without this light.
00:00:37
Speaker
Several weeks later, an electrician came, and he discovered the problem. It was actually a major wire had been damaged in this man's house. And what seemed like a very small inconvenience was actually a very serious problem.
00:00:49
Speaker
problem And the longer it remained unaddressed, the more dangerous the situation became. I tell you this story because
Cultural Compromise
00:00:57
Speaker
I believe, friends, many of us treat spiritual darkness this same way.
00:01:02
Speaker
We said something is wrong um when that TV program comes on or that movie scene pops up on your screen. You know the one I'm talking about, the the inappropriate one.
00:01:19
Speaker
the barely dressed lady or man.
00:01:25
Speaker
You see that and you think yourself, that's wrong.
00:01:32
Speaker
But I'm gonna wait before I change that channel. I'm gonna pause because maybe it's gonna get a little bit better. I'm gonna just wait, I'm gonna wait to see if it's gonna be better. But instead of coming to the light, instead of changing that channel just like we should,
00:01:49
Speaker
We adjust, we compensate, we compromise, and we live just a little bit more in the darkness each and every day. I thought to myself this past week, if you were to take a snapshot of any TV show that we watch today, and you would have replayed this 50 years ago, it would never have gotten played on on the air.
00:02:11
Speaker
Do you agree with me? at Never. So how how is it within 50 years that is now acceptable? Well, I'll tell you how. It's because they've slowly dimmed the lights over the years.
00:02:24
Speaker
And you and I have become accustomed to that. Brothers and sisters, there is a stark contrast between light and darkness. This dividing line between light darkness we see in our passage today.
00:02:37
Speaker
And it's going to force
Reflecting on Spiritual Light
00:02:38
Speaker
each one of us here this morning to answer one critical question, and that is, what will you do when you experience the light of Jesus when it enters your life?
00:02:47
Speaker
And I'll tell you, brothers and sisters, if you're somebody who's on Facebook, you saw this posted on our Facebook page this week. um It's a question that, depending upon how you answer it, has ramifications not just now but for all eternity.
00:03:05
Speaker
it's that It's that type of important question today. let's Let's pick up where we left off couple weeks ago. um Brother Tim, I let him off the hook real easy. I just said, preach whatever you want to.
00:03:16
Speaker
And he brought it. Romans, right? I mean, that just tells you something about a preacher right there. When you give him free reign and he goes into Romans, whew, bless his heart. We're going to pick back up in John chapter 3. Like I said, if you don't have one of these black books, please pick them up. It's a great resource to you. This is where you'll write your notes.
00:03:35
Speaker
Hopefully today I will be very clear in my exposition of the text. I'll let you know exactly when I want you to write down some notes. That'll be a great time for you to write in that book or a book that you may bring on your own or the sermon notes outline that you have there.
00:03:53
Speaker
Let's begin
Understanding Salvation
00:03:54
Speaker
John chapter three, verse, we're go to pick up where we left off, verse 18, this is Jesus talking. If you have the red letter Bible, you'll notice this is all in red. says, there is no judgment against anyone who believes in him, but anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only son.
00:04:14
Speaker
And that judgment is based on this fact. God's light came into the world, but people love the darkness more than the light. For their actions were evil.
00:04:25
Speaker
All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it.
00:04:32
Speaker
For fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.
00:04:44
Speaker
Verse 18 is probably one of the clearest statements in all of scripture concerning salvation and judgment. So there is no judgment against anyone who believes in him, but anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God's one and only son.
00:05:02
Speaker
You notice that Jesus doesn't divide humanity by wealth or morality or education or ethnicity or religious activity. says there's two categories.
00:05:13
Speaker
Pay attention to these two categories. One who believes and one who doesn't. Quite literally, the translation is the one believing in him. This Greek word is pesteion.
00:05:26
Speaker
This is the present active participle, meaning it's this ongoing posture of believing. It's important because John doesn't just simply describe faith as this one-time intellectual decision, but rather this ongoing living out full trust in and dependence in Jesus Christ.
00:05:49
Speaker
It's not an emphasis on I once believed, but it's whoever is believing, is trusting, is relying on him. It's ongoing.
00:06:01
Speaker
So the first note I want you to write, hopefully Ronnie's got it up there. True believers continue trusting Christ. True believers continue trusting Christ. Biblical faith is more than just an intellectual assent, ah intellectual agreement.
00:06:20
Speaker
It says personal trust in Jesus Christ.
00:06:24
Speaker
Look at verse 18, this word condemned literally is already been judged or already been condemned. This verb is different than the believing verb. This verb is a perfect passive indicative, meaning it's a completed action in the past which has continued results.
00:06:43
Speaker
So here's
God's Rescue Mission
00:06:44
Speaker
the the picture for you if you want to have a ah mental picture. It's the verdict has already been rendered and its effects are continuing. Jesus not saying unbelievers are waiting to be condemned.
00:06:58
Speaker
Unbelievers are already guilty. They're already condemned.
00:07:06
Speaker
Why, you say? Well, I'm glad you asked that question. We answered this question, by the way, Saturday morning in men's Bible study. Jim's smiling over there. By the way, Jim does a great job leading that. he'll He's probably shaking his head saying, don't shine any light on me.
00:07:20
Speaker
He does a great job leading that. It's because we're born with original sin. We're born of the first Adam.
00:07:31
Speaker
Condemned. under the law. That's why we had just a couple weeks ago when we talked about Nicodemus, you know, was so important. He said, how can we be born again? It's that necessity of being born again.
00:07:43
Speaker
Spurgeon says this, future judgment will reveal publicly what is already true spiritually. See, I believe, brothers sisters, many people assume humanity stands in this neutral position.
00:07:58
Speaker
you can picture a scale, you know, like the judgment scale. As if God is waiting to judge you somehow based on how well you're doing that day or how bad you're doing that day.
00:08:12
Speaker
Jesus teaches just the opposite here. says humanity is already standing condemned because of sin. The gospel is the good news. And the good news is this, is that God
Preference for Darkness
00:08:26
Speaker
is on a rescue mission.
00:08:29
Speaker
He's here to rescue those who are lost.
00:08:33
Speaker
Imagine a person standing stranded in the flood waters. You just have to look yesterday or day before, right? our Our lovely place that we like to eat out there, at Oscars. You know Oscars, where they fry everything so good?
00:08:50
Speaker
I wish that was their tagline, by the way. I should recommend that to them. Oscars where everything tastes better fried. They were underwater. The water was was well up into the parking lot. it It was shocking to me.
00:09:01
Speaker
But imagine if you're standing out there knee-deep in the water and you're waiting for the rescue boat, and the rescue boat comes by and the captain reaches out his hand to save you, but you refuse his hand.
00:09:15
Speaker
The problem isn't the availability of the rescuer. The problem is that the person who needed rescuing just said, I'm okay. And the boat goes by.
00:09:27
Speaker
The same is true spiritually, friends. Jesus has come to rescue humanity, but you must want to be saved. Yet look at verse 19. Verse 19 is the real problem, says you and I don't want to be saved.
00:09:42
Speaker
Pastor, that's not true, you say. You bet it is. Unfallen humanity does not want to be saved. Just look at verse 19 with me. And the judgment is based on this fact.
00:09:56
Speaker
God's light came into the world, but the people what? They loved darkness more than they loved light. This word love here, acapeo, right, is this, it's a shocking word to be used in this context because this word is usually referred to as our love for God or God's love for us as humanity.
00:10:19
Speaker
But here this is our love for the darkness.
00:10:25
Speaker
The problem isn't merely that we're sinners who commit sin or commit darkness. The problem is that we love it. We cherish it.
00:10:37
Speaker
It's deeper than just behavior. It's a misplaced affection. It's that we love the wrong thing.
00:10:46
Speaker
People don't merely do sinful things. They love sinful things. Does that make sense? Jesus says people often prefer spiritual darkness because that darkness allows their sin to remain hidden. Look at verse 20.
00:11:03
Speaker
All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for their sins will be exposed.
00:11:12
Speaker
Mental picture. you ever been walking late at night in your house and it's dark and you go to get a glass of water and you flip on the kitchen light and you see that roach?
00:11:23
Speaker
What does he do?
00:11:26
Speaker
She starts running from the light. What do you do? Ah! That's what I do. Kim! Quick! I need help in here. Get a shoe. She laughs because she knows I call on her for things like that.
00:11:44
Speaker
says here they fear that their sins will be exposed. But those transformed by God respond differently. Look at verse 21. says, but those who do what is right come to the light so that others can see that they are doing what God wants.
00:12:03
Speaker
They come into
Aligning with Christ
00:12:04
Speaker
the light, not because they're perfect, not because they have it all together, but because God is working in them. Their lives are are reflection a constant reflection of his work in their lives.
00:12:16
Speaker
I'll put it just a note to myself. Our our lifestyle choices are our language that we use, the words that come out of our mouth, our leisurely activities, all reflect his light in our life.
00:12:32
Speaker
What you choose to watch on TV is a reflection of that light in your life.
00:12:39
Speaker
Second note, Ronnie, if you will, true believers don't run from conviction.
00:12:46
Speaker
They welcome it. I'll even add to that. True believers don't run from conviction, that they welcome it. They understand that that exposure leads to healing. And I put my notes here, what things in my life is God calling me to deal with?
00:13:01
Speaker
What is he shining that light on in my life that doesn't align with his attributes? We brought up in our men's Bible study on Saturday morning God's attributes, right? The the the whole reason we have God's instruction book is so that we are conformed, that we are transformed, we are molded into the image of Christ, right? And how do we know the image of Christ? Well, we look at his attributes.
00:13:30
Speaker
So I ask myself and I ask you in part, what what areas of your life are you keeping hidden? that you're keeping in the
John the Baptist's Recognition
00:13:39
Speaker
shadows,
00:13:43
Speaker
that you somehow think you're hiding from God because it's uncomfortable.
00:13:49
Speaker
Because coming to Christ means that you're willing to step into the light, that you're willing to be exposed, that you're trusting him in every area of your life, especially those parts of your life that you think you're hiding from him. You have to start trusting him with those hidden things.
00:14:05
Speaker
So how do we know that Jesus is trustworthy of that type of trust to hand over these hidden things? Well, we just keep reading. John the Baptist answers this question for us. Look, verse 22 and on.
00:14:19
Speaker
Probably the best exposition of what it looks like to be a disciple, by the way, here. If you want to write a note to yourself there. Verse 22 says, And then Jesus and his disciples left Jerusalem, and they went into the Judean countryside.
00:14:31
Speaker
Jesus spent some time with them there baptizing people. At this time, John the Baptist was baptizing at Aenon and Salim because there was plenty of water there. People kept coming to him for baptism.
00:14:46
Speaker
This was before John was thrown into prison. The debate broke out between John's disciples and a certain Jew over ceremonial cleansing. And so John's disciples came to him and said, Rabbi, the man you met on the other side of the Jordan, the one you identified as the Messiah, is also baptizing people and everybody is going to him instead of coming to us.
00:15:09
Speaker
First church argument recorded history. John says, verse 27, no one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven. You yourselves know how plainly I told you.
00:15:22
Speaker
I am not the Messiah. the I am only here to prepare the way for him. He is the bridegroom who marries the bride, and the bridegroom's friend simply glad to stand with him and hear his vows.
00:15:34
Speaker
Therefore, I am filled with joy at his success. And somebody who highlights or underlines or bowls or circles, verse 30, he must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.
00:15:52
Speaker
What's happening here with these two baptisms? John's followers become concerned that Jesus is somehow gaining more attention. It's comparison.
00:16:04
Speaker
That's what's happening right there. We love to compare, don't we?
00:16:10
Speaker
We measure success by visibility. By how many people were here on Sunday. The head count. So important. How many people were in Bible study today?
00:16:23
Speaker
So important. How many were in attendance so important? You know, I hear that cowboy church runs 200 people on Sunday.
00:16:35
Speaker
We become threatened somehow when somebody else does better. Yet John refuses to see it that way. John is confident in who he is. He's confident in his purpose and his role.
00:16:46
Speaker
more importantly, he understands who Jesus is. And he understands Jesus' role. And he gives him proper recognition. He says, no one can receive anything unless God gives it from heaven.
00:16:58
Speaker
He recognizes God's sovereignty, and everything John has comes from If you want to write something down, just write this word, everything. Matter of fact, everybody repeat after me.
00:17:10
Speaker
Everything. Again. Every opportunity, every ministry, every influence, every blessing, every follower, everything comes from god
00:17:26
Speaker
None of us are self-made. That's what I put in my notes this week. That should be very humbling to you and I. Especially if you have find yourself in a in a position of wealth or prosperity, you should remind yourself constantly, I'm not self-made.
00:17:42
Speaker
That all comes from God. Everything is ultimately a gift from heaven. we should confess that daily. Matter of fact, John confesses it here in that verse 30. must increase, I must Decrease.
00:17:57
Speaker
He must become greater and greater and I must become less and less. Understand this is not a message of value. He's not saying I need to become less value. He's saying in a proper discipleship role, God must be elevated at all costs.
00:18:14
Speaker
Must be all about him and not about me. And I put this as a note to myself and more importantly to you this week. This is a hallmark description of spiritual maturity.
00:18:26
Speaker
This is what I look at for you guys as believers. When I listen to how you talk about God and I hear your conversations in the church, or if we're out to eat with some of you guys and I and i hear conversations that we have, I'm constantly listening and I'm looking at your walk and I'm less concerned about how great you are.
00:18:49
Speaker
And I'm more concerned about you pointing to Jesus.
00:18:56
Speaker
This word must here, it means it's a necessity, it's not a preference. it's It's much stronger than a preference. John's not saying, I'd like Jesus to become more important. He says it is crucial that Jesus becomes the most important in your life.
00:19:14
Speaker
God's plan
Authority of Jesus' Words
00:19:15
Speaker
requires that Christ must increase.
00:19:19
Speaker
The purpose of your life and my life as a believer is not self-promotion, but Christ's exaltation.
00:19:30
Speaker
Next note, if you will. True believers exalt Christ and not themselves. True believers exalt Christ and not themselves.
00:19:39
Speaker
The healthy Christian life constantly asks, am I making much of Christ or am I making much of myself?
00:19:52
Speaker
Nothing is more alarming to me than as your pastor than to hear a statement like, um or a story that constantly revolves around you.
00:20:05
Speaker
You know these people that that that it seems like every conversation is somehow revolving around them. ah Kim and I have some friends that are like this. it's troubles It's troublesome. And I spoke to one of my pastors this last week and I said, what do you do about people like that?
00:20:25
Speaker
Pastor to pastor, I was asking him. you How do you deal with somebody that doesn't get it? that That they're prideful and they don't they don't understand it.
00:20:39
Speaker
Why does it always have to be about them and not about Christ?
00:20:44
Speaker
And he said, Patrick, let me explain something to you. You can't be in God's word consistently and not be convicted about pride. So he said, the first thing I would do is I'd have a talk with that person and say, how often are you in God's word?
00:21:01
Speaker
And I'm going to tell you, brothers and sisters, when we are faithful to God's word and we study God's word and we're convicted by God's word, there's a choice we have to make. He's saying, this is the standard in which I'm setting. These are the attributes of God that I'm expecting you to be conformed into. And as I shine the light in your life on these particular areas, you have a choice. Either I'm going to change or I'm going to remain in the dark in those areas. And he's saying, as my pastor reminded me so eloquently,
00:21:31
Speaker
Man, it's important to be in God's Word. And man, it's important to respond when when conviction comes.
00:21:38
Speaker
Now, just keep reading with me. John's testimony reaches this climax here. he's saying, if drew if Jesus truly comes from above, then our response to him carries these eternal consequences. Look at verse 31 and on.
00:21:54
Speaker
He has come from above and is greater than anyone else.
00:21:59
Speaker
We are of the earth and we speak of earthly things, but he has come from heaven and is greater than anyone else. By the way, you who are studying, that's two times he said Jesus is greater than anyone else.
00:22:10
Speaker
He testifies about what he's seen and heard, but how few people believe what he tells them. Anyone who accepts this testimony can affirm that God is true. For he is set by God. He speaks God's words.
00:22:24
Speaker
For God gives him the spirit without limit. The Father loves His Son and has put everything into His hands. That's you and I, by the way. And anyone who believes in God's Son has eternal life.
00:22:40
Speaker
And anyone
Eternal Life Begins Now
00:22:41
Speaker
who doesn't obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God's angry judgment.
00:22:53
Speaker
John says He's from above, Jesus. Quite literally, the one coming from above.
00:22:59
Speaker
Not merely describing where Jesus came from once, but emphasizing who Jesus is. He's not simply the messenger. he is the divine son, the one from heaven, greater than anyone else twice, we're told here. become Because he comes from heaven, he speaks with absolute authority.
00:23:22
Speaker
If you don't believe this is God's very word, brothers and sisters, it carries no authority in your life. But if it is God's word, and this is the way he is speaking to you and I today, oftentimes people will say, I'm just waiting to hear a word from God.
00:23:36
Speaker
And I'll say, have you read your Bible today? No, pastor, I want to hear an audible message from God. I'll say, okay, then read it out loud.
00:23:47
Speaker
Brothers sisters, this is how he speaks to us today. And if it is his very word, then it carries authority and life authority in our lives. And when we hear it and we're convicted by God's word, then we must respond.
00:24:00
Speaker
It's not an opinion. It's revelation. It's not optional. It's required.
00:24:06
Speaker
says, the father loves the son and he has put everything into his hands. Again, this word love he uses. Agapeo, right? Agapeo. Perfect, eternal love shared between the unit the Trinity.
00:24:19
Speaker
The Father has entrusted everything, all authority to the Son. Judgment, salvation, life, all in His hands.
00:24:31
Speaker
Every person's destiny ultimately rests in a relationship with Jesus Christ. And he continues in verse 36, look with me.
00:24:41
Speaker
Anyone who believes in God's Son has... Say it. Eternal
00:24:49
Speaker
a life now. By the way, that's that present tense in that verse. Next note is, should be true believers have eternal life now.
00:25:02
Speaker
It's not merely this future. like I think oftentimes we think about eternal life. well I can't wait to get to heaven and have eternal life. No, he's saying that eternal life starts right now in a present relationship with God through Christ.
00:25:16
Speaker
And he says, if you don't have that relationship, then God's wrath remains on you as an unbeliever. It's scary thought. It's sobering thought. But at the same time, I put as one of the most hopeful and powerful statements in all of the Bible. We were born into darkness, but at some point in your life, you will be exposed to the light. You will hear the gospel message, and the question that responds or is, how are you going to respond to that message?
00:25:47
Speaker
We learn, Lutzer says, many will hear and reject,
00:25:53
Speaker
yet some will hear and receive. That same son who warns about judgment is the same one who offers salvation freely to all who trust in him. So what do you take away today? What is our takeaway?
00:26:08
Speaker
Let's put a note to myself. I think it's time to have a hard conversation with myself.
00:26:17
Speaker
What am I keeping in the shadows? Meaning what am i not dealing with as God reveals it to me in my life? What am i trying to hide from him because I feel it's uncomfortable?
00:26:31
Speaker
Just make a note of that and confess it. Confess it this week honestly to God. And then take one visible step of obedience.
00:26:42
Speaker
Trust him with that hidden thing.
00:26:48
Speaker
What's that hidden thing you say? Well, it's different every one of our lives.
00:26:56
Speaker
I often wonder, sometimes when I hear other preachers, I'm like, I just wish they would tell me what they're hiding. wonder what He's always asking us to to be faithful. I wish he would just tell us. Well, I'm not going to tell you this morning.
00:27:12
Speaker
Because it is shameful. Shameful. And it is the same stuff you guys are hiding, and it's shameful. And God wants you to know it's time to confess this morning that what you're hiding from Him.
00:27:24
Speaker
Step into the light and be obedient. Trust in Him who has already shown you what you need to change.
00:27:33
Speaker
Jesus says the light's already come. The issue is not whether God has revealed Himself. The issue is whether or not you and I will respond. He leads us two paths, John does.
00:27:43
Speaker
He says either you or you reject the Son and you remain under eternal judgment. There's no middle ground.
00:27:55
Speaker
There's no gray area.
00:28:01
Speaker
There's no neutral territory.