["Pomp and Circumstance"]
If you found it, can I get you to stand in number 424?
O come ye, ye faithful, joyful and triumphant
O come ye, O come ye to bear for him
Come and behold him, born the King of Angels
O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord
Sing choirs of angels, sing in exultation
O sing, all ye cry, O soul, hear the Lord
Glory to God, all glory in the highest
O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord
Yea, Lord, we greet thee, born this happy morning
Jesus, to thee be all glory given
Word of the Father, now in flesh appearing
O come let us adore him, O come let us adore him
O come let us adore him, Christ the Lord
In Jesus' name, amen.
Alrighty, you may be seated.
Can I get you to turn now to hymn number 427?
Hymn number 427, We Three Kings of Orient Are.
Hymn number 427.
We Three Kings of Orient Are,
Bearing gifts we travel so far,
Field and fountain, moor and mountain,
Following yonder star.
Oh, star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Born a king on Bethlehem's plain,
Gold I bring to crown him again,
King forever singing, never over us all to reign.
Oh, star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Frankincense to offer have I,
Intent on to deity nigh,
Prayer and praising, all men raising,
Worship him God on yine.
Oh, star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Where is mine, its bitter perfume,
Breathe a life of gathering gloom,
Soaring, sighing, gleaming, dying,
Chilled in the stone cold tomb.
Oh, star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Glorious now, behold him arise,
King and God in sacrifice,
Alleluia, alleluia,
Heals through the earth and skies.
Oh, star of wonder, star of night,
Star with royal beauty bright,
Westward leading, still proceeding,
Guide us to thy perfect light.
Silent night, holy night,
All is calm, all is bright,
Round yon virgin mother and child,
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.
Silent night, holy night,
Shepherds quake at the sight,
Glories shrinking from heaven up high,
Heav'nly hosts sing, Alleluia,
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born.
Silent night, holy night,
Son of God, loves will I,
Gradient angel of God, holy with peace,
With the dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth,
Jesus, Lord at thy birth.
Silent night, holy night,
One true star, let thy light,
In the angels let us sing,
Alleluia to our King,
Christ the Savior is born,
Christ the Savior is born.
Alrighty, can I get you to grab your Bibles now
and turn to John chapter 1.
John chapter 1 and Brother Callum's coming up with the Bible reading.
John chapter 1, we'll be reading from verse 1 through to verse 18.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him, and without him was not anything made that was made.
In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.
There was a man sent from God whose name was John.
The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe.
He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light.
That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on his name, which were born not of blood,
nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory,
the glory as the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.
John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake.
He that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me,
and of his fullness have all we received, and grace for grace.
For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
No man hath seen God at any time.
The only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
Let's pray.
Heavenly Father God, we thank you for this chapter in the Bible, Lord,
and, you know, it's a great chapter, Lord, and I pray for our pastor right now
as he comes up and preaches your word, Lord.
Help him expound these verses in chapter 1 of John, Lord.
Be with him, fill him with your Holy Ghost, and we pray for this in Jesus' name. Amen.
Thank you.
Okay, before I get to the sermon, you guys know that on a Wednesday we often have our time of prayer.
We break up into groups, and to the men in one group, the ladies in another group.
That's fine, we're going to do that again tonight, but if I can have, during the time of prayer,
if I can have the young people that have gone to youth group, at least once,
if you've gone to youth group at least once this year,
if I can have you guys in the baby mother room when the others are praying,
we just have to practice our item one more time, at least one more time, just to get it right, okay?
So you guys will be hopefully performing it on the Sunday.
Alright, so I did say that we're going to start looking at the book of John,
and John chapter 1, there's just too much to cover in one sermon, I believe.
So that's why I asked Brother Callum if he could just read up to verse number 18.
That's ideally where I want to get up to today, and I just feel like the book of John,
especially this first chapter, it's just so deep.
There's just so much that we can gain from this chapter, and I don't want to speed through it.
I want to spend my time, especially on chapter number 1,
because it truly is an introduction to the rest of the book.
So the first verse that I want to look at there is John chapter 1, verse number 4,
it says, In him was life, and the life was the light of men.
The title for the sermon tonight is The Light of Men, The Light of Men, John chapter 1.
Now before we start looking at John chapter 1,
what's really great about this book is that within the pages of this book,
we have the reason why this book was written.
So if you can quickly come with me to John chapter 20,
come with me to John chapter 20 and verse number 29.
If we understand the reason this book was written,
then we can understand the pages, the verses, the chapters of this book,
in light of the reason this was written.
So John chapter 20, verse number 29.
John chapter 20 and verse number 29, it says,
Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed.
You may remember the story of doubting Thomas.
He wasn't sure whether Jesus Christ had truly risen from the dead,
and then he finally sees Jesus and he says, my God and my Lord and my God, right?
He believes the resurrection of Christ when he sees him.
But then Christ says these words, Blessed are they that have not seen,
and yet have believed. Blessed are they that have not seen.
You've not seen Jesus Christ.
We weren't there when he was crucified on the cross.
We weren't there when he was resurrected from the dead.
So when Christ is saying these words, he's speaking of you and I.
Hey, blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed.
Now even though, okay, look, we've not seen Christ.
We've not seen him crucified, all right?
We've not seen the miracles that he performed.
We did not see his works, but we have believed.
And in light of that, we've been blessed.
You know, there's a special blessing for those that have not seen Jesus Christ.
And we still believe. We have believed on Christ.
Say, why have we believed?
You know, if we weren't there 2,000 years ago,
you know, we do not see with our own eyes, you know, Christ.
And, you know, why is it that we believe?
Well, if we keep going to verse number 30, it says,
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples,
which are not written in this book.
So Jesus Christ has done many signs, many miracles, many works
that aren't even recorded in the book, okay?
And because they saw these works, they saw the great works of God,
this of course led many to believe on Jesus Christ.
But we did not see that, okay?
And then we see in verse number 31, the reason why this is written.
Verse number 31 says,
But these are written that ye, speaking about us, brethren here,
that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ,
the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his name.
Why was the book of John written?
So that we might believe on Jesus Christ,
that we would have a record, we would have scriptures
that would tell us about Christ, would tell us about his suffering,
would tell us about his miracles, about his works,
in order for us, by the word that we would believe upon him.
See, we're blessed, because we've not seen with these eyes,
but we've seen with our spiritual eyes,
the words, okay, the words were preached unto us,
we received the gospel, and we believed that gospel,
even though we've not seen Christ in our own eyes.
But as someone came along to us, right,
and they quoted maybe a John 3.16,
they quoted us something from the scriptures
that caused us to believe on Christ,
because faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
And so John made sure that John here is the disciple, the Apostle John,
wanted to make sure there was a record written
for those that could not see Christ in the flesh.
And of course that blessing will come upon us,
by believing the word, by reading, you know,
hearing about the book of John,
and of course placing our faith on our resurrected Saviour.
So if we go back to John chapter 1,
now we know the reason for this book, right,
the main reason this book is written, John chapter 1,
and it's so important that we understand this,
because the book of John is just, is unique in that sense.
I'm not saying that others, you know,
of course when we go and preach the gospel,
you know, we quote Romans, we quote maybe Revelation,
we might quote Acts, we quote John, okay,
I mean it's all good, it's all the word of God,
all of that can produce faith.
But truly the book of John is written for those to believe on Christ,
or even to reassure, once you have believed on Christ,
to give you that confidence that your faith is in the right place.
And so it's very specific, it's got a very specific reason,
and again it's so that we would believe.
Okay, what is salvation?
Salvation is believing on Christ.
Salvation is not by works, okay,
it is believing what Christ has done for us.
So now we understand the reason for it.
John chapter 1 verse number 1.
It says, in the beginning was the Word.
Now I'll stop there for a moment.
What I really like about John chapter 1, the very first words here,
it brings us back to, in many ways, the book of Genesis.
Because the book of Genesis begins in the same way, right,
in the beginning God created.
Well John chapter 1 begins in a very similar way,
in the beginning was the Word.
And it says these words,
and the Word was with God.
So at the very beginning we start to learn about the triune nature of God.
That yes, God is one, there is one God and yet,
one God in three persons, the triune nature of God.
It says the Word was with God.
You might say, well hold on, okay, the Word was with God.
You might say, well that God, you know we may refer to that reference to God
as the Father potentially, right?
The Word was with God, but then it says this,
and the Word was God.
Oh, hold on.
So the Word is with God, but the Word also was God there.
So we learn a couple of things.
We know of course the Word is Jesus Christ.
Now what we're learning here is about the deity of Christ.
You know, Jesus Christ is not like a lesser God,
or a secondary God or anything like that.
We're looking at one God, okay,
the Word which is with God, the Father if you want to put it that way,
but also was God.
Jesus Christ is God, okay?
And then it continues there.
It says, and look at verse number two.
It says the same was in the beginning with God.
What I like about verse number one and verse number two
is you've got it twice.
You've got it in verse number one.
Verse number two almost seems redundant, right?
Because verse number one already told us that the Word was with God.
Then verse number two says the same was in the beginning with God.
Why is it redundant?
Well I'm going to put it to you that it's not redundant.
We're looking at the trying nature of God right there.
That Jesus Christ, the Word is with God, yes the Father,
but is also with God, the Holy Spirit, okay?
And of course, when we think about, you know,
1 John 5, 7, you know, which says,
For there are three that bear record in heaven,
the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost,
and these three are one.
These three are one.
You know, I don't believe it's coincidental
that God had to write in the scriptures once again
that he is with God.
Because yeah, he's with the Father,
he's with the Holy Spirit, but he's also God.
Jesus Christ is God.
And so the very first introduction there of John chapter one,
we see already God, one God yet in three persons.
It's quite an introduction to learn about this Word.
Let's keep going to verse number three.
All things were made by him.
I like that as well because sometimes people think of the, you know,
they think of Jesus Christ as the Word.
They think, well, you know, is he really this separate person?
You know, or is he just like when the Father speaks,
that's Jesus or something, right?
Like it's just the voice of the Father or something along those lines.
But no, it says here all things were made by him.
All things were made by the Word.
The Word is a him.
It's a person, okay?
It's not just some power.
It's not just some vibration that comes out of the Father's mouth.
No, it's a him, okay?
It says here all things were made by him,
so all things were made by the Word.
And without him was not anything made that was made.
So everything that was made was made by the Word, okay?
There is nothing that was made that was not made by the Word.
Everything was made by the Word.
Now, keep your finger there and come with me to the book of Hebrews.
Come with me to Hebrews chapter one.
Hebrews chapter one and verse number one.
Now, immediately, even, you know, John chapter one started with,
in the beginning, that brings us back to remember the book of Genesis
and, of course, the next few words is about creation.
I mean, as soon as you start reading the book of John,
it's just bringing you back to creation.
And I believe there's many reasons for this
because there's a lot of parallels with the book of Genesis.
Did I say Revelation?
Sorry, brethren, I meant Genesis, okay?
It brings us back to the book of Genesis.
But in Hebrews chapter one, verse number one,
let's just look at a few verses here.
Hebrews chapter one, verse number one, please.
Hebrews chapter one, verse number one.
It says God, who at sundry times and in diverse manners
spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,
have in these last days spoken unto us by his Son,
whom he have appointed heir of all things,
by whom also he made the worlds.
So the Father here, or God here, made the worlds by the Son.
He used the Son.
So what we learn straight away here is just even though Christ,
the Word of God created all things,
it was actually the Father's request.
But the Father's request, his desire was to create all things
and he utilized the Son, the Son of God, the Word,
to create all things.
So I'm just trying to show you that it's not like Christ did it separately.
No, the Father is involved in creation
and he's given the instruction to the Son.
He's utilizing the Son to create all things.
Now come with me to Genesis chapter one.
Come with me to Genesis chapter one and verse number one.
Genesis chapter one and verse number one please.
Hopefully you've kept the thing in the book of John.
But Genesis chapter one and verse number one please.
Genesis one, one.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And he said well hold on, that must be the Father there pointing the Son,
or maybe that's just the Son referring to there.
Of course don't forget there's one God.
And what's really interesting about this in verse number two it says,
And the earth was without form and void,
and darkness was upon the face of the deep,
and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
Isn't that interesting?
The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
So from the very beginning we see the Holy Spirit in action.
He's involved there in creation.
And so we have John chapter one
that confirms us all things were made by Jesus the Word.
We have Hebrew chapter one that says actually the Father
that created all things through his Son.
And then when we look at Genesis chapter one we see that the Holy Spirit
is moving upon the face of the waters.
And again just showing once again to us the trying nature of God.
All right we are going to come back to Genesis
so if you want to just keep a finger there and go back to John chapter one.
John chapter one please.
John chapter one and verse number four
where we get the title for the sermon tonight.
John chapter one verse number four it says,
So in the Word in Jesus in him was life and the life was the light of men.
Okay so in him was life.
You see the Creator is the one that gives life.
You know the Bible is saying here that you cannot create life outside of God.
You know we have scientists, we have people trying to create life in the laboratory.
They'll never succeed.
I mean the closest they'll get is essentially taking what God has already created.
Taking the seed of man and implanting that upon into an egg or something like that.
We created life in the laboratory.
But truly they're already taking the things that have been created by God.
Man will never get to a point where they can create life out of nothing.
See life is in Jesus.
In him was life and the life was the light of men.
Now it's not, you often see and we know that Christ of course is the light of the world.
You know there's a lot of references to the light.
And again this should bring us back to thinking about creation.
I mean on day number one what is the first thing that God creates?
When we created light.
He created light and he separated that from the darkness.
And we'll touch upon that in a moment.
But come with me back to Genesis now.
Come with me to Genesis chapter two.
Genesis chapter two in verse number seven.
So we saw in John chapter one verse four.
In him was life.
Okay.
In him was life.
And then we look at Genesis chapter two verse number seven it says.
And the Lord God formed man by the dust of the ground.
And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.
And man became a living soul.
So when we look at these passages.
We see the Lord God formed man out of the dust of the earth.
And breathed into his nostrils the breath of life.
Who breathed into Adam's nostrils and gave him the breath of life?
Lord the Word did.
The Word.
The Son.
He is the creator of all things.
Like there's nothing that was created without the Son involved.
Okay.
So this is of course referring to Jesus Christ who gives life.
And of course you know it's not just talking about physical life here.
Of course we are speaking about spiritual life.
You know the moment that you've trusted Christ.
You're given whatever lasts in life.
You know Christ is the one that has given us physical life.
He gave physical life to Adam.
But Christ is also the one that gives us everlasting life.
Life of that spirit.
And it says there and the life was the light of men.
The light of men.
Which is quite interesting because in order for there to be light.
In order for Christ to come and give light.
What would have existed in the absence of light?
Darkness right?
If you do not have light you will eventually.
You will obviously have darkness in that sense.
So if you come back with me.
Actually stay there in John.
Look at John chapter 1 verse number 5.
Because it continues there.
John chapter 1 verse number 5 it says.
And the light shineth in darkness.
And the darkness comprehended it not.
So we know when we're reading about the light here which shineth in darkness.
We know that this is speaking about spiritual birth.
Okay.
Because without Christ we do not have the light.
And Christ is the one that has given us that everlasting life.
But you see spiritually we're at a place of darkness.
Before we've trusted Christ.
Before we've placed our faith upon him.
We're at a point of darkness spiritually speaking.
Okay.
And Christ is the one that brings that light within us.
Now this is what's quite interesting about this.
Go back to Genesis chapter 1.
Genesis chapter 1 verse number 2.
So we saw earlier in John.
The light shineth in darkness.
Now come back to Genesis chapter 1 because again.
John is reminding us of Genesis.
The way it's written.
You know again going back to creation.
The creator of all things.
Speaking about the light which shines out of darkness.
Again day number 1 is the very first time we see that.
In Genesis chapter 1 verse number 2 it says.
And the earth was without form and void.
And look at this.
And darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
So when God created heaven and earth.
What exists at the very beginning there?
Darkness.
Darkness is this right?
Darkness was upon the face of the deep.
Look at verse number 3.
And God said let there be light and there was light.
Look at verse number 4.
And God saw the light that it was good.
See God doesn't say that darkness is good.
He sees the light and he says the light is good.
And God divided the light from the darkness.
What am I saying?
You know one thing that I'm just trying to show you here brethren.
Is that this isn't just a coincidence.
You know that John starts with similar to Genesis.
That he talks about creation.
Jesus Christ created all things.
And then speaking about him being that light.
And then you know when we look at Genesis.
The first thing that God created on day number 1 is the light.
None of this is a coincidence.
When you start to see these patterns in the Bible.
I want you to remember one thing.
That the whole Bible is about Jesus Christ.
Every book is about Jesus Christ.
You know sometimes people ask me.
Like how do you know so much about the scriptures?
And of course I've been saved for a long time.
Going to church for a long time.
But one thing that really changed my understanding of the Bible.
Is when I realized everything is about Jesus.
Everything.
And when you go back to the Old Testament.
And you know sometimes it's quite difficult to get through.
Like the book of Leviticus sometimes.
Let me strongly encourage you just to think of Christ.
Where do you see Christ in those pages?
Where do you see Christ in Genesis chapter 1?
At the very beginning.
We see that there is darkness and God has to create light.
And he calls that light good.
Immediately we see the redemption story.
Symbolically.
As an illustration.
You know that we were in darkness.
And Christ had to come and create light in us.
And Christ says that light is good.
And then he separates the light from the darkness.
This is the moment you've trusted Christ.
You are children of the light.
You've received Christ who is the light of the world.
And you're no longer in darkness.
See when light exists darkness flees.
And the moment you've been saved.
You are in the light.
You cannot become darkness.
Because you are in the light.
And of course we know that speaking about the new man within us.
Because yeah this flesh still messes up sometimes.
But brethren you know we have truly been given the light of Jesus Christ.
And even when you begin Genesis chapter 1.
You see Christ immediately.
You see the redemption story.
You see how important it was for God to divide the light from the darkness.
And so like I said salvation brings us into the light.
But this world that is without Jesus Christ.
What are they in?
They're in darkness.
You know and light cannot exist with darkness.
Okay we obviously know that at one point.
You know when Christ comes back.
And you know the judgment seat of Christ.
Those that are in darkness will be cast into everlasting fire.
You know they cannot inherit the same blessings.
That someone who is in the light can inherit.
You know we've been given this wonderful blessing.
The light of Jesus Christ.
Can you come with me to 1 Peter chapter 2.
1 Peter chapter 2 and verse number 9.
The Bible says in 1 Peter chapter 2 verse number 9.
That ye are a chosen generation.
A royal priesthood.
And holy nation.
A peculiar people.
That ye should show forth the praises of him.
Who have called you out of darkness.
Into his marvelous light.
Brethren you've been called out of darkness.
Before you were saved you were in darkness.
Before you were saved you were on your way to hell.
Okay but you've been brought into that marvelous light.
Verse number 10 it says.
Praise God for the light of Jesus Christ.
We've been taken out of darkness.
Brought into the marvelous light of Jesus Christ.
And now we are the people of God.
We are his children.
His holy nation.
That royal priesthood.
What a blessing to just come to the light of Jesus Christ.
Back to John chapter 1 please.
John chapter 1 verse number 6.
The Bible says there was a man sent from God.
Whose name was John.
Now we are reading the book of John.
But this man that was sent by God was not John the apostle who wrote this book.
It's referring there to John the Baptist.
Because if you keep going through the book of John.
It makes it very clear that it's referring to John the Baptist here.
Okay but verse number 7 says.
When John the Baptist came and was sent by God.
He was given this ministry by God.
He was pointing people to the light.
What was his goal?
His goal was that people would believe on that light.
That people would believe on Jesus Christ.
The gospel message is exactly the same in 2022.
Brethren we are called to be witnesses of Jesus Christ.
We are called to bring people into that light.
Okay and we're calling people to what?
Believe on that light.
Believe on Jesus Christ.
It's the same gospel message.
We saw earlier that the reason the book of John was written.
Is that so people would believe in the son of God.
And that is our mission today.
To make sure that people believe on that same light.
Now something else that's interesting here in verse number 6.
It says there was a man sent from God.
See John the Baptist was sent from God.
Okay.
Now I want you to be careful about men that say they've been sent by God.
Because there's a lot of people.
A lot of religious leaders today that say well God sent me.
God has given me this ministry.
Alright.
Well how do you know that?
How do you know that John the Baptist was sent by God?
Because the scriptures say he was sent by God.
You see that?
So we know because of God's word.
Because of the scriptures.
We know that John the Baptist was sent by God.
The Bible tells us so.
But what about someone today?
What if someone in 2022 says you know what?
I've been sent by God to do this ministry.
To teach these words.
How do you know?
Are you going to read about them in the Bible?
No.
But there's a lot of people that say that right?
I've been sent by God.
You say pastor were you sent by God?
Were you sent by God to come and start a new life at this church?
Yes.
I was sent by God.
Okay.
How do I know that?
You're not in the Bible.
We don't read about that in the Bible.
Come with me to the book of Acts please.
Come with me to the book of Acts.
Acts chapter 13.
Acts chapter 13 please.
Acts chapter 13 and verse number 1.
I'm just trying to combat this thought.
Where people just come up and God sent me.
How do I know?
Like what's the proper way that God would send people that you don't read about in the Bible?
You just don't have that.
You don't have that from the scriptures.
How do we determine?
Or if you want to start a church one day.
You want to get into full time ministry one day.
Right?
You want to become a pastor one day.
You want to become a deacon one day.
How does that happen?
Do you just start your own thing?
Do you just get a group of your friends together and just ordain your pastor or deacon?
Is that how it works?
Is that what makes you sent by God?
No.
Acts chapter 13 please verse number 1.
Acts chapter 13 verse number 1.
It says, now we're looking at New Testament times.
We're looking at New Testament churches.
The Bible says in Acts 13 verse 1.
Now there were in the church that was an Antioch certain prophets and teachers.
Okay?
So immediately we see within this church prophets.
Okay?
Teachers.
People in prominent positions.
People in positions of leadership.
It says, as Barnabas and Simeon that was called Nigah.
And Lucius of Cyrene.
And Menean which had been brought up with Herod the Tetrarch and Saul.
And they ministered to the Lord.
So they're at church.
Alright?
They're just serving the Lord.
They're praising the Lord as they ministered to the Lord and fasted.
The Holy Ghost said.
Who's the Holy Ghost?
It's God.
Alright?
The Holy Ghost said, separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them.
See God can call individuals into a ministry.
Into a work.
Okay?
Into an office.
But you see that it's coming from a church.
And within that church the Holy Spirit has put upon the hearts of the men to send out whoever they need to send out.
Verse number 3.
And when they had fasted and prayed.
Look at this.
And laid their hands on them.
So it's an ordination process.
They're laying their hands upon them.
They sent them away.
See the men in the church.
Those in leadership positions.
They sent Paul and Barnabas away.
The Holy Ghost is the one that said, separate them to me for the work of the ministry.
And then you know the story.
You know they went out and started to preach the gospel.
They started churches.
But all under the authority of an existing church.
The Antioch Church.
Right?
And the Barnabas, they did not do their own thing.
They did not decide, well there's no church to send us. Let's just start our own church.
No, they went to the right church. They went to a good church.
And in that process as they served and ministered.
The Holy Spirit set them apart.
And the Lord put that upon the hearts of the men there.
The leadership team to send them out.
Look at verse number 4.
So they, being sent forth by men.
No, being sent forth by the Holy Ghost.
Departed unto Seleucia.
And from thence they sailed into Cyprus.
And again, now we start seeing the work of Paul and Barnabas.
And starting the churches, etc.
But you see, God uses a local church.
He uses the leadership to appoint men, to ordain men.
To go into full time ministry.
And then we see that it's not that they were sent by men.
Actually, they were sent forth by the Holy Ghost.
They were sent by God.
Okay, so it's important that, you know, if you want to start a church one day.
You want to take on an office one day.
You start in a local church.
And within that local church, the Holy Ghost will put it in the hearts of people to send you forth.
You get ordained and then you go and do the work.
Okay, that's how we understand now in the light of the New Testament.
How this process works.
How you can say you've been sent by God to do a work for God.
Back to John chapter 1 please.
John chapter 1 and verse number 8.
Speaking about John the Baptist, it says,
He was not that light.
So John the Baptist wasn't the light.
But was sent to be a witness of that light.
Verse number 9.
That was the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
So John the Baptist is not the light.
But he's come to be a witness of the light which is Jesus Christ.
I love verse number 9.
That was the true light.
Jesus Christ is the true light.
When people say, ah, but you know, if the Catholics just follow their light,
if the Muslims just follow their light,
if the Buddhists follow their light,
surely they can make it up to heaven.
They can follow their light, but it's not the true light.
The true light is Jesus Christ.
They have some light.
There is some truth in every religion.
Even the most awful religions, there must be some truth.
But the true light, you know, the one that truly gives life unto men is Jesus Christ.
It says which lighteth, I love this also,
which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
Everyone that has come into this world,
even those that are born in the Muslim world,
they are exposed to this light.
They are exposed to Jesus Christ.
You know, some people say, well, what about someone in the deepest jungles of Africa?
They have never heard of Jesus.
Every man that comes into this world has been exposed to this light of Jesus Christ.
If you can come with me to the book of Acts,
come with me to the book of Acts again, Acts chapter 10, Acts chapter 10.
Isn't that amazing that the light,
like every man is exposed to this light.
Now some are exposed more than others.
You know, if you've grown up in a Christian home,
being brought to church, you're going to expose that light a lot more than someone else.
But every man, everyone that is born into this world is exposed to this light.
And while you're turning to Acts chapter 10,
this is why in the book of Romans chapter 1 we have these words.
You guys are very familiar with this, but in Romans 1.19 it says,
Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them,
for God has showed it unto them.
For the invisible things of him, and we've not seen him,
for the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen.
Creation is clearly seen.
John chapter 1 speaking about God creating all things.
The Word creating all things.
This is clearly seen.
Being understood by the things that are made.
Even his eternal power and Godhead so that they are without excuse.
The Bible says there is no excuse for not knowing God, the true God.
You can see creation.
If you can see creation, then there must be a creator.
There must be a power that brought these things into being.
And so people are without excuse.
That person in the deepest jungle of Africa that can look at creation
and go, God, tell me who you are.
Show me who you are.
I don't know God, can you please show me.
God will find a way for the gospel to reach the heart of that individual.
To be able to make that decision.
To trust Jesus Christ.
You're there in Acts, look at Acts 10 verse 1.
You guys are very familiar with this story, but I think it's just a good example of what can take place.
In Acts 10 verse 1.
There was a certain man in Caesarea called Cornelius.
A centurion of the band called the Italian band.
So this is a Roman man, a centurion man, not a Jew.
This is a devout man and one that feared God with all his house.
Now he wasn't saved.
But he's a man that feared God.
He wasn't saved at this point.
But he's someone that says, hey look, I can see creation.
There must be a creator.
And I'm in fear of this God, whoever he is.
He feared God with all his house, which gave much arms to the people.
And prayed to God all the way.
He prayed to God.
Like he doesn't know God yet.
He's not saved yet.
This is God, I know you exist.
Lord can you one day show me, I guess, you know something along these lines?
Can you reveal yourself unto me God?
Verse number 3.
He saw in a vision evidently about the ninth hour of the day an angel of God coming into him.
And saying unto him Cornelius.
And when he looked on him he was afraid and said, what is it Lord?
And he said unto him, thy prayers and thine arms are come up for a memorial before God.
And now send men to Joppa and call for one Simon, whose surname is Peter.
He lodgeth with one Simon a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.
He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do.
He'll tell you what you have to do.
And if you know the rest of the chapter, I haven't got time to read this.
But of course Peter, you know, gets also a vision by God.
And that he is to go to the house of Cornelius and to preach unto him the gospel.
Peter has a hard time because Cornelius is a Gentile.
He has a hard time understanding this for a period.
Okay, but eventually he understands.
He understands that the gospel is for all.
And he gets out there and preaches the gospel to Cornelius and his family.
And they're saved. They get baptized, etc.
This is a man who is not a Jew.
He's not a man that's familiar with the God of the Bible.
But he's got a fear of God.
And he prays to God.
The angel comes and says, look, the Lord's heard your prayers.
God has seen your arms. God has seen your good works.
He's seen what you've done.
Okay, and so he opens the door for Peter to come and preach the gospel unto him.
Alright, this is how God operates.
This is how God operates.
You know, we go door to the soul winning.
You know, sometimes there might be people.
We don't even know about this, right?
We just go because we know it's what God's asked from us.
There's probably some people behind those doors that have been praying,
God, can you reveal yourself to me?
In fact, I know this because you hear these testimonies.
They're just asking God, I'm at my wits end. I don't know what to do.
Lord, I want to be saved. I want to be right with you, God.
And then someone comes and knocks the door, gives them the gospel.
Because God's answered that.
We don't know. We're just doing our streets.
We're just doing our doors, right?
We don't know any better sometimes. We just go out.
We know that's what God wants.
We know that at some point we're going to see souls saved.
Praise God for that.
There are many that are calling out to God.
You know, that fear God and want to get right with him.
And God can send you to their doors.
I'll get you to turn to Acts 16 verse 9, please.
Acts 16 verse number 9. We saw this example with Peter there.
Acts 16 verse number 9.
Oh, the other thing I wanted to say is, you know, God sent an angel to Cornelius.
But the angel says, hey, you've got to ask for Peter.
You've got to ask for Simon Peter.
You see, an angel's not going to come to you and give you the gospel.
It's got to be a man.
God uses us.
God uses us to go and preach the gospel, not some angel.
Yeah, the angel came to give him some words of encouragement and some instruction.
I mean, surely the angel could just give him the gospel.
No, he can't.
Because everything brings forth after its own kind.
It has to be a man that is saved that can bring someone else to salvation.
And so, you know, Mohammed, what's that Mormon guy?
Joseph Smith.
They were all visited by angels, weren't they?
They were given new revelations.
No, that's not how God operates.
God will use a saved man to come to your door or to witness to you one on one to give you the gospel that you may believe.
Acts 16 verse number 9.
We see another example of this.
Acts 16 verse number 9.
This time with Paul, not with Peter, with Paul.
It says,
And a vision appeared to Paul in the night.
There stood a man of Macedonia and prayed him, saying,
Come over into Macedonia and help us.
And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia,
assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.
So even Paul received this vision.
Someone in Macedonia is praying.
We don't even know exactly who this person is.
But there was a Macedonian call.
He said, look, can someone come and help us?
Paul immediately recognised, they're not just asking for help.
Like, oh, we're hungry, can you help us with food or something like that.
No, no.
We see that Paul has no, I know God wants us to go to Macedonia to preach the gospel.
There are people praying to God.
You know, asking for help, I want to know God.
I want to know how to be saved.
And God shows Paul this vision.
And then it's pressed upon his heart, well, I've got to go to Macedonia then.
That's where I've got to go to give the gospel to the lost.
See, God works in an amazing way.
You know, people that are searching him, they're going to find him.
You know, people are without excuse.
You know, anybody can pray to God.
Anyone can have fear of God when they look at creation and say,
God, can you reveal yourself to me?
Lord, how do I be saved?
How can I be made right with you?
How can I be sure of heaven?
Something along those lines.
And then what do we see?
We see God leading a sole winner to that person.
Some missionary to the deepest, darkest jungles of Africa, if it has to be.
You know, to reach that one individual.
That's God's ways.
The Bible also says in Luke 11, 9,
And I say unto you, Ask and it shall be given you.
Seek and ye shall find.
Knock and it shall be opened unto you.
So going back to John chapter 1, please.
John chapter 1.
Verse number 9 again.
John chapter 1, verse number 9.
Which said, That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
You see, every man makes a decision.
Everyone does.
At some point, whether you're going to trust Christ or whether you're not.
Whether you're going to fear God or whether you're not going to fear him.
Whether you're looking for salvation or whether you're not.
Everyone is going to be challenged by this light.
Do I receive it or do I reject it?
Okay, nobody has an excuse to not have believed on Jesus Christ.
Verse number 10.
It says, He was in the world.
Wow.
We know that the word became flesh, we'll look at that later.
It says, And the word was made by him, and the world knew him not.
I can't even imagine.
Live in the times when Christ walked this earth.
You know, you're going about your business and there goes a Jewish looking man walking by.
That's the creator, that's him.
That's the one that's created me.
That's the one that's created all things.
I mean, that just blows my mind just to think that God could have walked on this earth like that.
I mean, I just think about how exciting that would be.
But it says, unfortunately, He says, He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not.
Look at verse number 11.
He came unto His own, those are the Jews, and His own received Him not.
We learn that the majority of this world will not receive Christ.
Even though everyone is going to be challenged by the light, what are you going to do about Jesus?
What are you going to do about Jesus?
The majority are going to say, don't need Him, don't need salvation, don't want to believe in it.
The majority do this.
He can be literally walking this earth, walking in this world, and the world will still not receive Him.
He can literally be in Jerusalem, literally walking amongst the Jews, and the majority of the Jews will not believe in Him.
This is the same.
It doesn't matter what your ethnicity is.
The Jews, the majority of this world are not going to receive Christ.
Brethren, you are in the minority.
You are in the minority to have believed Christ.
What a blessing to be in the light of Christ.
And look, the light's not always great.
Like, you know, you wake up in the morning and it's dark and someone turns on the lights.
You turn off the lights, it's too bright.
That's why people reject Christ.
I can't have it.
But you said, you know what, I want that light.
Yes, Lord, give me that light.
I want everlasting life.
I want to receive you as my Savior.
It's so unfortunate that the vast majority are going to reject Jesus Christ.
I think Brother Callum preached on this passage not long ago, but very quickly, Luke 13, 23, I'll just read it to you.
In fact, you go with me to Revelation, chapter 7.
Go to Revelation, chapter 7.
Revelation, chapter 7.
I'll read to you from Luke 13.
Luke 13, 23.
Then said one unto him, Lord, are there few that be saved?
And he said unto them, strive to enter in at the straight gate, for many, I say unto you, will seek to enter in and shall not be able.
Many will not be able to enter into that narrow gate.
Are there few that be saved?
Jesus Christ is saying, yeah, it's few.
The vast majority are going to die in their sins and go to hell.
Man, I can't believe it.
When Christ has done it all, he's offered a free gift.
Can't you receive that gift?
Christ is the majority going to die.
The majority do not want the light.
You're there in Revelation, chapter 7, verse number 9.
Now, even though that's a sad reality,
what I also love about the Bible is what we see at the end of the book here in Revelation, chapter 7, verse number 9.
And this is, of course, in heaven.
After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues.
All nations, all tongues.
If anyone has ever spoken some language, someone within that language has trusted in Christ.
Someone that has spoken that language is here in heaven.
Stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands,
and cried with a loud voice, saying, salvation to our God, which sith upon the throne, and unto the Lamb.
They're praising God for salvation.
People, a great multitude, can't even number this multitude.
So even though we're in the minority, we know that when the time comes to be in heaven,
there's still going to be a great multitude.
Because it's been 6,200 years, roughly, since creation.
Over the time, many, of course, have believed in Christ, many have been saved,
but again, the vast majority are going to die in the sins and go to hell.
So, can you, like, does that bother you to think that, that most people are going to go to hell?
It should bother, it bothers me. It should bother you.
It should bother us out of our house.
It should bother us enough to go and knock on a door, and just give them the opportunity to hear the Gospel.
Maybe someone behind the door is asking God right now, Lord, can you send someone to tell me?
It might be you. It might be you that God wants to use to go and tell them the Gospel.
It should bother us, right? That the majority will not know Christ as Saviour.
Back to John chapter 1, verse number 12. John chapter 1, verse number 12.
One of my favourite verses.
But, even though there's a minority, but as many as received Him, to them gave you power to become the sons of God,
even to them that believe on His name. Amen.
Which were born not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.
You see, salvation is being born of God.
There is, you cannot be saved by the will of the flesh, by the will of man.
There is nothing man can do to attain salvation based on their own merits, their own efforts.
But God, I just really want to go to heaven. Here's my good works.
It can't be done. The only way is to be born of God.
Which were born not of blood, nor the will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.
You see, the moment you've believed on Christ, you've received Him.
You've been born again. You've been born of God.
Salvation cannot be attained by man's efforts.
In order to be saved, you must be born of God.
Come with me to, of course, John chapter 3. Come with me to John chapter 3, verse number 5.
John chapter 3 expands on this a little bit more, of course.
John chapter 3, verse number 5.
Jesus answered, verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
We already saw that the Holy Spirit is God.
You must be born of the Spirit. You must be born of God in order to enter into the kingdom of God.
But again, thinking back to Genesis chapter 1, and look at John chapter 3, verse number 5, just one more time.
Just notice a few words here. Verily, verily, I say unto thee, except a man be born of water and of the Spirit,
he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
Come back with me to Genesis chapter 1.
Genesis chapter 1, and verse number 1. Let's just read it again carefully.
Because I'm just trying to show you just how Jesus Christ's salvation is everywhere in the Bible,
if you just pay attention.
And I don't think I'm ever going to get to the end of seeing Christ in the Bible.
There are places that I can see Christ that you're not going to see Christ in.
Places that you see Christ in the Bible that I'm not necessarily going to see Christ.
It's just the Bible is that deep. It's so layered.
You know, it's this wonderful work that cannot be repeated. It's not the work of man.
But in Genesis 1, 1, it says, in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And again, the earth was without form and void. Remember, and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And it says, and the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
You see, first, in order to be saved, you must be born of water.
Okay, which is the birth of the mother. Born of those waters, right?
But you can see that before God created light, there was darkness and the earth was covered by these waters.
Okay, and of course the earth would need to be taken out of this state in verse number two, sorry, verse number three.
The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. So we must be born of the Spirit.
The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters and God said, let there be light.
And there was light. And God saw the light that it was good and God divided the light from the darkness.
You see, these things aren't a coincidence. And Jesus Christ says that you must be born of water and of the Spirit.
Well, that's what we see in Genesis. We see in creation, okay, that the earth is covered by waters.
Okay, and then God says, let there be light. The Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.
We're born of the Spirit. And again, just within Genesis 1, I'm not saying that Genesis 1 is some type of earthly salvation.
I'm not saying that. I'm saying symbolically we see Christ. We see the gospel message.
We see the born again situation, you know, developing again symbolically when God, even at the very beginning,
when God created, you know, heaven and earth. The waters, the Holy Spirit moves upon the face of the waters.
Let there be light. Yeah, you were born of water. Then the Holy Spirit, you must be born of the Spirit.
And the moment you're born of the Spirit, okay, you receive that light of Jesus Christ.
Okay, and you're no longer in darkness. There's a separation forever between light and darkness.
None of this is a coincidence. Back to John chapter 1. John chapter 1, verse number 14.
John chapter 1, verse number 14.
And the word was made flesh. So we saw that the word walked upon this earth was made 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.
I was talking about this recently. Yes, truth is great. But we need grace and truth. We need God's grace.
Okay, if all we had was the truth, we'd be wiped away because none of us live according to truth.
We need God's grace. We are saved by grace. We are saved by grace. Grace is unmerited.
Grace is free. We don't deserve it. Yet God gives us that grace. He also gives us the truth.
The light, Jesus Christ, is the truth.
And when it says that the word was made flesh, this just tells us when Christ walked this earth as a man, he was God.
Jesus Christ was always God when he walked his flesh. The Bible says in Colossians 2, 9,
For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
The fullness of the Godhead. The fullness of Godhood. The state of being God was in Christ's body.
It's not just his flesh of man. It's his God.
Now remember, we say this. I want this to be clear. Christ was not 50% man and 50% God.
He was 100% God and 100% man. When Christ was crucified on the cross, God was crucified on the cross.
Not just a body. Not just a flesh. Not just a borrowed flesh that God used. No, that was God crucified for us.
He shed his blood for us.
John 1, verse 15. John bear witness of him and cried, saying,
This was he whom I spake. He that cometh after me.
I love that. Because we know that, if you know the story, John the Baptist was born about six months before Jesus.
Heard they were cousins. Remember that story?
Okay, well he says, he that cometh after me, because yeah, Christ is a little bit younger.
Okay, John the Baptist started his ministry first, and then Christ started his ministry when he was about 30 years old.
So he that cometh after me is preferred before me, for he was before me. What?
He was born after you, John. He was born after you. He was before me.
He's not just a man. He's not just a man. He's God. He's been before me.
John the Baptist knows exactly who Jesus Christ is.
Can I get you to turn to one more passage? Come with me to Colossians chapter 1.
Colossians chapter 1. I just want to see how then Paul takes this lesson
and applies it here in the scriptures here in Colossians chapter 1 verse 16.
So brethren, Christ is preferred before us. Yeah?
Like who gets the preference at New Life Baptist Church? Is it Pastor Kevin?
Is it those that have been here from day number 1? Do you get the preference? No.
Christ is preferred. We give him the preference. This church is about Christ.
He was before us. Before we even attended New Life Baptist Church.
Christ had this church ready for us. He's before us.
Colossians chapter 1 verse 16. Colossians 1, 16.
For by him, for by Jesus that is, were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth.
Look, all things were created, right? Visible or invisible? And invisible.
Whether they be thrones or dominions. I want you to think about this.
Governing powers. Whatever authorities are on this earth.
Whether they be thrones or dominions or principalities or powers.
All things were created by him and for him.
Brethren, you were created for Jesus. New Life Baptist Church was created for Jesus.
Everything that we see or not see that was created was created for Jesus.
Not just by Jesus, but for Jesus.
And then look at verse number 17.
And he's before all things. And by him all things consist.
What did John about to say? That he's before me. Yeah.
And he's before all things. Jesus Christ comes first.
He comes first at New Life Baptist Church.
Jesus Christ should come first in your family home.
Jesus Christ needs to come first on your job.
Everywhere. Everywhere you go. Everything you see.
All powers. All authorities. Anything there is.
Jesus Christ ought to come first.
This is in verse 18. And he is the head of the body. The church.
Who is the beginning. The firstborn from the dead.
That in all things he might have the preeminence.
I want this church to always set Christ first and foremost.
Why do you come to church? There's many reasons.
But the reason number one is to come and glorify Jesus Christ.
Come to praise and worship Jesus Christ.
To hear what Jesus Christ has to say to us according to the scriptures.
Say, Jesus I'm putting you first. Everything else is important.
Fellowship. Spending time together. Serving one another.
All of that is important. But we come from Christ first and foremost.
I want this church to always be about Jesus Christ.
Come back with me to John chapter 1. Verse number 16.
John chapter 1 verse 16.
And of his fullness have all we received.
And grace for grace. Grace for grace.
So like I said to you, you already know that passage.
For by grace are you saved through faith.
That's great. We've been saved by grace.
But you know what? Even as we continue to live this life, we need God's grace.
Because we mess up. We make mistakes. We're selfish.
You know, we don't put God first.
Yeah, he's not always pre-eminent in our lives.
Sometimes it's us that come first or whatever it is.
Whatever selfish desire is. He usually comes first.
And so what's wonderful about Jesus.
He gives us grace upon grace upon grace.
You know, grace to be saved. Praise God. But grace to live this life.
It says in verse number 17.
For the law was given by Moses.
But grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
I will get you to turn to one more passage. Sorry I lied.
Come with me to Romans chapter 5.
Romans chapter 5 and verse number 19.
Let's understand this again.
For the law was given by Moses.
Okay. Now we're all, we've all broken the law.
We've all broken the laws of God.
Alright.
Saying we're done for.
No, no. But grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
See, we're saved by grace. We're not saved by keeping the law.
The law just highlights our need for grace.
And that's the point of the law.
In Romans chapter 5 verse number 19.
As by one, as, sorry, as, sorry.
For as by one man's disobedience.
Speaking about Adam.
Many were made sinners.
So by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
Is obedience part of salvation?
Well, kind of.
But the obedience of one.
Christ's obedience.
Right.
Shall many be made righteous.
How are we made righteous?
By the obedience of Jesus Christ.
He is the one that kept the laws of God perfectly.
Again, it's his righteousness that we go to heaven by.
Okay, that righteousness was imputed upon us.
But then verse number 20 says.
Moreover, the law entered.
That's, again, we saw that with Moses, right?
The law entered.
That the offense might abound.
See that?
That the offense might abound.
So we already know we're sinners.
Like nobody really turns around and says,
I'm just perfect about everything.
I've never done anything wrong.
But what the law does,
it helps us understand that our sin abounds.
Like our sins, like it's great.
Our sin's an issue.
Right?
We cannot be saved by our goodness.
That's the point of the law.
To show us that we're not good enough.
That our sins have offended God.
But where sin abounded,
grace did much more abound.
Grace did much more abound.
Isn't that amazing?
You cannot sin your way out of God's grace.
So I cannot, have you knocked all,
I've had people like that.
I can't go to heaven.
I've done too much.
I've sinned too much.
I've done too many bad things.
I'm glad that person recognises,
by God's standard, their sin abounds.
But we don't go,
oh well yeah you've sinned too much.
See you later.
I'll go to the next house.
No, we're going to preach the grace of God.
Well grace is greater than your sins.
Grace will cover all of your sins.
You cannot sin your way out of God's grace.
That's the message of salvation.
Isn't it amazing?
The grace of God.
But you know there are pastors that preach this.
What's his name?
Baptist pastor.
David Cloud.
Very famous man,
who writes articles,
that get read in church as David Cloud.
Many people know that name.
David Cloud was,
I remember reading this story once,
where he's preaching the gospel.
I don't know what country he was at,
but there was a man who,
forgive me if the facts aren't 100% correct,
but from memory he was married,
but he lived with like 10 women in his house
or something like that.
And he went to David Cloud's house and said,
I wouldn't know how to be saved.
I wouldn't know how to get to heaven.
And David Cloud says no.
You know what?
You can't because you're living with all these women.
You're too much in sin.
You know, God's grace just cannot cover your sins.
Right?
Because you're too much in sin.
You've got to give all of that up first
before I can tell you the gospel.
He literally said,
I've read this multiple times.
He says that man was not ready to hear the gospel.
And yet he literally came,
says what must I do to be saved?
That doesn't happen very often.
And he was rejected because you're just in too much sin.
Yeah, his sin abounds.
But grace abounds more.
This is so important, you know.
This is why you cannot be saved by cleaning up your life.
You don't go to heaven based on how clean up your life is.
You go to heaven based on God's grace.
Grace did much more abound.
Okay, back to John.
If you're still in John, sorry.
Go back to John chapter 1 verse 18.
John chapter 1 verse 18.
So this is the last verse that we end on here.
And then I'll get to turn to one more passage.
I'm sorry.
But John chapter 1 verse 18.
Okay, so we can see reference to the son and the father
in verse 18.
So when it says that no man has seen God at any time,
we know that people saw Jesus
because he was walking the earth.
Right, John who wrote this book saw Jesus.
So it can't be about the son when it says that
no man has seen God at any time.
He's speaking about the father.
No man has ever seen the father.
And we have multiple verses that confirm this truth.
Okay.
But he said,
Papa, hold on, I remember in the Old Testament.
What about that time when Jacob was wrestling that man?
And he said he saw God.
Yeah, well, no man has seen God at any time.
No man has seen the father at any time.
So, you know, any time you see these stories,
or what about when God came to Abraham
and Abraham took him in and fed him
before he destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah?
What about then?
But that wasn't the father either.
That was the son.
Remember what I told you.
The whole Bible is about Jesus Christ.
When you see in the Old Testament men seeing God,
they did not see the father, they saw the son.
They just did not know him by the name of Jesus.
We understand that.
See, the whole Bible is about Jesus Christ.
Come with me to Revelation 22.
Revelation 22, last one.
100% last one now.
Revelation 22 verse number three.
Revelation chapter 22 verse number three.
We saw that when God created all things in Genesis 1,
there was darkness, and then God created light.
We saw that earlier, right?
Well, we know that in the book of Revelation,
God's gonna create a new heaven and a new earth.
Okay, now it's quite interesting what we read about here
in Revelation 22 verse number three.
So this is about the new earth.
The new heaven and new earth.
Verse number three, it says,
And there shall be no more curse,
but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it,
and his servants shall serve him.
Look at verse number four.
And they shall see his face.
Why is that important?
Because no one's seen the face of the father.
And in the new heaven and new earth,
we will see the face of the father.
And they shall see his face,
and his name shall be in their foreheads.
Now look at verse number five.
And there shall be no night there.
Or, there shall be no darkness there.
And they need no candle,
near the light of the sun,
for the Lord God giveth them light,
and they shall reign forever and ever.
Isn't that interesting?
When God first created things,
there was darkness.
He created light.
But when God creates the new heaven and new earth,
there is no night.
There is no darkness.
There's only light.
And again, just reinforcing to us that
in that new state of the new heaven and new earth,
the eternal state,
there will be no sin.
There will be no requirement
to pull someone out of darkness,
because there is no darkness.
You see, the people that live in the new heavens and new earth
will be those that have received the light of Christ.
Those that are saved.
There will be no sin.
There will be no sorrow.
There will be no regrets of sins of the past,
because God's going to wipe away all our tears.
And we're going to live forever with our Lord God,
and we'll be able to see our Father face to face.
Alright brethren,
John chapter one, the light of men.
Jesus Christ is the light of men.
I'm so glad.
I'm so glad that I received the light,
and I'm also so glad that you have received the light.
Okay, that we've been taken out of darkness.
Alright brethren, let's pray.
Heavenly Father, Lord, I just want to thank you for your word.
Lord, John chapter one is so deep.
There are so many layers, Lord, to your word there.
And Lord, I just pray that this study for the book of John
will be beneficial to us all.
Lord, if there's anyone that hasn't trusted Christ the Saviour,
Lord, I pray that they'll be challenged by the book of John.
And for those of us that have entered into that light, Lord,
I just pray that you'd reaffirm for us, Lord,
the great truths that we already know.
And Lord, I thank you for being our great God, our Father, Lord,
and we're looking forward to seeing you face to face.
We pray these things in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Alright.
Let's do another Christmas hymn.
What haven't we sung yet?
Four hundred and...
Let's see.
How about a way and a manger?
But I just don't know the number.
Four, three, three.
Four, three, three, away in a manger.
Thanks, Sebastian.
Four, three, three.
Away in a manger,