John 1:6-18

Our spiritual growth is directly related to the size of our vision of Jesus.

"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light." (John 1:6-8, ESV)

John's message was simple—repent from your sins.

"In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.'" (Matthew 3:1-2, ESV)

"And he preached, saying, "After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit."" (Mark 1:7-8, ESV)

John's mission was not to promote himself, but to be a witness concerning the Messiah. His goal was to reflect the light and point people to the true light.

"The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29, ESV)

"The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him." (John 1:9-11)

John's Gospel uses the word "world" almost 80 times.

In this particular passage, he is referring to a group of people that chose to live apart from God.

2 billion people today have never heard the gospel.

Every day, 70,000 people die without ever hearing the gospel.

"...the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil." (John 3:19, ESV)

Everyone brought face to face with Jesus Christ is responsible to recognize Him as the light of the world.

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God," (John 1:12, ESV)

You will not find in God's Word, "pray this prayer and live the way you want and you will be a child of God."

"To receive" and "to believe" means to continually place your trust in Him as the Son of God.

"But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12-13, ESV)

2 Results of Receiving and Believing in the Name of Jesus:

1. A new relationships with God

"...he gave the right to become children of God" (John 1:12b)

"See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are." (1 John 3:1a)

"I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father's hand." (John 10:28-30a)

2. A new birth

"...who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:13)

"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come." (2 Corinthians 5:17)

"Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11, ESV)

"And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. (John bore witness about him, and cried out, "This was he of whom I said, 'He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.' ")" (John 1:14-15, ESV)

In verse 14, we see the eternal God united with man in one phrase "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us"

When Jesus came to earth as a man to dwell with men, the glory of God was seen in its fullness.

"For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father's side, he has made him known." (John 1:16-18, ESV)

Grace is God's unmerited favor, which through Christ, God pours out on His people.

God designed the law as a way to demonstrate for us our need for a Savior. It reveals our need for the grace of forgiveness.

(Same screen, fly in)

Verse 17 tells us that grace and truth came through Jesus.

"Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith." (Galatians 3:24, NASB)

"Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'?" (John 14:8-9, ESV)

Jesus, out of His eternal relationship with God, makes God known.

To see the Son, is to see the Father.

Where are you looking for satisfaction or meaning or joy outside of Jesus?