WEBVTT 00:00:23.795 --> 00:00:29.463 1st Baptist, baptist El Dorado, will you join me now in listening to our sermon from this week? 00:00:29.463 --> 00:00:37.395 We're going to be in John, chapter 1. 00:00:37.395 --> 00:00:40.804 This morning I'm going to read again John, chapter 1. 00:00:40.804 --> 00:00:44.371 I'm going to read verses 1 through 8, then we'll pray together. 00:00:44.371 --> 00:00:53.487 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. 00:00:53.487 --> 00:00:54.189 He was in the beginning with God. 00:00:54.189 --> 00:00:56.478 All things were made through Him and without Him was not anything made. 00:00:56.478 --> 00:01:01.131 That was made In Him was life and the life was the light of men. 00:01:01.131 --> 00:01:05.908 The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. 00:01:05.908 --> 00:01:09.846 There was a man sent from God whose name was John. 00:01:09.846 --> 00:01:15.245 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light that all might believe through him. 00:01:15.245 --> 00:01:20.421 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 00:01:20.421 --> 00:01:22.945 Let's pray together. 00:01:22.945 --> 00:01:34.254 Lord Jesus, by your word, would you speak and transform this morning, by your spirit, in this place, lord, transform our hearts to be more like you. 00:01:34.254 --> 00:01:36.444 We ask in Christ's name, amen. 00:01:37.688 --> 00:01:56.852 I remember about a decade ago I was walking into a Barnes Noble bookstore and I walked in and I don't know if I was there for any reason, but I looked around and saw this kind of standalone kind of stand of books, there probably 100 copies of the same book all stacked up. 00:01:56.852 --> 00:01:59.930 You know how when a new release comes out, they have the standalone place. 00:01:59.930 --> 00:02:03.826 And it was a brand new biography of Michael Jordan. 00:02:03.826 --> 00:02:07.653 And so this book about Michael Jordan it's sitting there. 00:02:07.653 --> 00:02:09.037 New biography of Michael Jordan. 00:02:09.037 --> 00:02:11.300 And so this book about Michael Jordan it's sitting there and I walk over, I'm not going to get it. 00:02:11.300 --> 00:02:12.286 I'm not really that interested in it. 00:02:12.286 --> 00:02:20.149 I just kind of want to look at it and I'm checking it out and I see this sign on the top of the stand and it really starts to make me think. 00:02:20.149 --> 00:02:22.968 It says this it says Autographed Copies. 00:02:22.968 --> 00:02:25.967 And now I'm thinking we're onto something here. 00:02:25.967 --> 00:02:31.453 I don't know why in Little Rock, arkansas, there's, you know, a hundred autographed copies of this. 00:02:31.453 --> 00:02:35.530 But I'm starting to think I need one, I need two, I need more. 00:02:35.530 --> 00:02:36.671 I need to look at the bank account. 00:02:36.671 --> 00:02:37.762 How many can I get? 00:02:37.762 --> 00:02:41.447 Do I call Katie now and tell her retirement has begun? 00:02:41.447 --> 00:02:47.603 Because if I just buy these copies and resell them, we're going places and I'm excited about this. 00:02:47.603 --> 00:02:54.163 And so I pick up one and I open the first one and I realize what I was taught in elementary school. 00:02:54.163 --> 00:02:57.391 There's a large difference between a biography and an autobiography. 00:02:57.391 --> 00:03:03.068 I figure out in that moment that this is not Michael Jordan's autograph. 00:03:03.068 --> 00:03:14.521 This is the autograph of let me get this right Roland Lazerby, which I did look and doesn't go for the same on the resale market of Roland Lazerby. 00:03:14.521 --> 00:03:20.542 I thought I was going to make it big with these autographed Michael Jordan books and I left without anything. 00:03:22.164 --> 00:03:32.909 Autobiography what the actual person says about themselves, what the actual person wants you to know about their lives. 00:03:32.909 --> 00:03:40.046 We're beginning a new series today called Autobiography, because I want us to see what Jesus says about Jesus. 00:03:40.046 --> 00:03:44.895 In John, we have these seven I am statements. 00:03:44.895 --> 00:03:48.581 Maybe you've heard some of these. 00:03:48.581 --> 00:03:49.986 I am the way, the way, the truth and the life. 00:03:49.986 --> 00:03:51.191 I am the good shepherd, I am the door. 00:03:51.191 --> 00:03:57.206 These I am statements that are so clear Jesus, expressing exactly who Jesus is. 00:03:57.206 --> 00:03:59.731 Now I preface with this, obviously, all of scripture. 00:03:59.731 --> 00:04:02.765 It's all inspired by the spirit, written by God. 00:04:02.765 --> 00:04:05.352 It all expresses who he is. 00:04:05.352 --> 00:04:09.512 But specifically here in John, these I am statements. 00:04:09.512 --> 00:04:14.092 So I want to look at these over the next few weeks together. 00:04:15.340 --> 00:04:20.612 Today I want to intro this series in the Gospel of John, in the very first chapter. 00:04:20.612 --> 00:04:38.473 I want us to come away realizing this that whatever picture we have of Christ, when you think of Christ, whatever you picture, whatever you think about, whatever comes to your mind, however grand that picture may be, it's not big enough. 00:04:38.473 --> 00:04:45.793 It's not grand enough, it's not majestic or mighty enough. 00:04:45.793 --> 00:04:50.372 I want us to gain a big, big picture of who Christ is. 00:04:50.372 --> 00:04:55.509 And first I want us to see this from our passage we are to see Jesus, rightly. 00:04:55.509 --> 00:04:58.348 We've got to see Jesus rightly. 00:04:58.459 --> 00:05:01.310 The gospel of John kind of stands alone. 00:05:01.310 --> 00:05:03.723 There's Matthew, mark and Luke. 00:05:03.723 --> 00:05:10.125 These gospels we have called the synoptic gospels and they share a lot of the stories. 00:05:10.125 --> 00:05:20.884 You'll read a story in Matthew that you'll read again in Mark and Luke and told from a little bit different frame of reference or point of view, but the same story, beautiful stories, but they share a lot. 00:05:20.884 --> 00:05:25.911 John only shares 8% of its text with any other gospel. 00:05:25.911 --> 00:05:28.456 It very much stands alone. 00:05:28.620 --> 00:05:35.971 John has a goal in his gospel and he wants to show you clearly that Jesus is God. 00:05:35.971 --> 00:05:48.928 Jesus is not only the Son of God of course he is that but Jesus is himself God and that's what John wants you to see From our I Am statements throughout the next few weeks we're going to see that. 00:05:48.928 --> 00:05:58.235 But in John 1, verse 1, I want us to read this again In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God. 00:05:58.235 --> 00:06:00.577 Verse 2, he was in the beginning with God. 00:06:00.577 --> 00:06:06.178 Verse 3, all things were made through him and without him was not anything made. 00:06:06.178 --> 00:06:13.052 That was made we are to see Jesus rightly In the beginning was the word. 00:06:13.052 --> 00:06:21.653 So those first words there in the beginning, if you read that, maybe that reminds you of something else in scripture. 00:06:21.653 --> 00:06:24.293 Maybe just those three words in the beginning reminds you of another place in scripture. 00:06:24.293 --> 00:06:34.245 Maybe just those three words in the beginning reminds you of another place in scripture, maybe at the very beginning, in Genesis, chapter 1, how the whole Bible begins in the beginning. 00:06:35.569 --> 00:06:46.894 This has happened a lot lately, but there's been a lot of kind of high-profile lawsuits in the music industry among people who claim that someone else has stolen their song. 00:06:46.894 --> 00:06:49.665 So someone had put out a song a while ago. 00:06:49.665 --> 00:07:00.524 Someone else has put out a song and this person says that sounds a little too close to mine, not necessarily the lyrics, but the tune, the melody, the beat, things like that. 00:07:00.524 --> 00:07:02.750 There was a high-profile one last year, ed Sheeran. 00:07:02.750 --> 00:07:06.461 Maybe y'all know I don't know any Ed Sheeran tunes, but the fact Maybe y'all know I don't know any Ed Sheeran tunes. 00:07:06.461 --> 00:07:10.351 But the fact that I just said tunes tells you I don't know any of his tunes. 00:07:10.351 --> 00:07:17.093 But Ed Sheeran went to court because the family of Marvin Gaye said you've stolen our song. 00:07:17.093 --> 00:07:18.521 I listened to it. 00:07:18.521 --> 00:07:21.944 It's similar, but I think Ed should have gotten away with it. 00:07:21.944 --> 00:07:24.369 He did get away with it, he didn't steal anything. 00:07:24.369 --> 00:07:30.115 But these lawsuits come say you have stolen my tune, my record, whatever it is. 00:07:30.199 --> 00:07:46.418 I'll tell you this morning that if Genesis wanted to take the gospel of John to court, not only does Genesis have a case, genesis would win, and if Genesis took John to court, john would know he'd lose the case and John would gladly pay the fine. 00:07:46.418 --> 00:07:57.887 Because John wants you to know that he is looking back at Genesis, chapter 1, because John wants you to realize that I'm looking at something really big. 00:07:57.887 --> 00:08:05.286 And so, as I'm going to define Christ right now, I'm going to do it in the strongest words possible. 00:08:05.286 --> 00:08:15.584 So I want to go to the maybe the grandest portion of scripture, when God creates literally everything, and show you that that's the Jesus I'm talking about. 00:08:16.286 --> 00:08:21.016 In the beginning was the word the word. 00:08:21.016 --> 00:08:22.701 Now, what does that mean? 00:08:22.701 --> 00:08:28.040 Well, we know the word here is Jesus, but why use that phrase, the word? 00:08:28.040 --> 00:08:35.522 Throughout the Old Testament we see that God's word, the word, is really God's self-expression. 00:08:35.522 --> 00:08:48.304 Our God is a communicating God, and that's good news for us, because the only way you and I can know who God is and what his character is like is through his self-expression. 00:08:48.304 --> 00:08:51.712 And he wanted to communicate that with us. 00:08:51.712 --> 00:08:55.006 He wanted us to know who he is and what he's about. 00:08:55.006 --> 00:09:00.264 All throughout the Old Testament we see his word serve as his self-expression. 00:09:00.264 --> 00:09:06.953 I want you to know who I am, and so we see the word work in that kind of way. 00:09:07.033 --> 00:09:11.308 Now here's the interesting thing with me my word, we could say, is my self-expression. 00:09:11.308 --> 00:09:14.302 I could use my word to express myself to you. 00:09:14.302 --> 00:09:16.688 I'm 34 years old, I'm married to Katie. 00:09:16.688 --> 00:09:19.503 These are true things and my words have let you know that. 00:09:19.503 --> 00:09:22.929 But the reality is in my humanity. 00:09:22.929 --> 00:09:26.447 I could also use my words to make some things up about myself. 00:09:26.447 --> 00:09:27.846 I could exaggerate the truth. 00:09:27.846 --> 00:09:31.129 I could make myself seem a little more impressive than I am. 00:09:31.129 --> 00:09:35.650 But with God, there's no deceit within him, there's no lying. 00:09:35.650 --> 00:09:41.879 There's no need to exaggerate the truth, because he is the truth and he is good enough all by himself. 00:09:41.879 --> 00:09:49.870 And so, with God, when he gives us his word, when he tells us who he is, that is his sure self-expression, the word. 00:09:49.870 --> 00:10:03.232 And then, when we come to the pages of the New Testament, we see the ultimate form of God's self-expression, god himself showing himself to us in the person of Christ. 00:10:03.232 --> 00:10:10.067 And therefore we see that in the beginning was the word, here is the word made flesh, verse 14,. 00:10:10.067 --> 00:10:13.017 And the word became flesh and dwelt among us. 00:10:13.017 --> 00:10:17.628 As Eugene Peterson states it, the word became flesh and moved into the neighborhood. 00:10:17.628 --> 00:10:21.000 This is what the word has now done. 00:10:22.544 --> 00:10:25.630 Michael Reeves in his book Rejoicing in Christ. 00:10:25.630 --> 00:10:26.572 I love this line. 00:10:26.572 --> 00:10:30.525 He says there is no God in heaven who is unlike Jesus. 00:10:30.525 --> 00:10:35.475 There is no God in heaven who is unlike Jesus. 00:10:35.475 --> 00:10:38.043 Are you ever tempted to think? 00:10:38.043 --> 00:10:40.528 Here's Jesus, full of grace and truth. 00:10:40.528 --> 00:10:48.025 But then there's God, the Father, who sits in heaven and sometimes wakes up on the wrong side of the bed and sometimes can be a little grumpy. 00:10:48.025 --> 00:10:51.033 But his son, sure he's a gracious guy. 00:10:51.033 --> 00:10:51.941 No, no, no. 00:10:51.941 --> 00:10:57.272 We have one God and there's no God in heaven who is unlike Jesus. 00:10:57.272 --> 00:11:00.144 If you want to know what God is like. 00:11:00.144 --> 00:11:05.553 You can look at the person of Jesus and there is his character displayed for us. 00:11:05.553 --> 00:11:09.361 The word became flesh, colossians 1.15,. 00:11:09.361 --> 00:11:12.731 He is the image of the invisible God. 00:11:12.731 --> 00:11:15.368 So in the beginning was the word Jesus. 00:11:15.368 --> 00:11:15.802 And look at this. 00:11:15.802 --> 00:11:21.448 And the word was with God, and and the word was God. 00:11:21.448 --> 00:11:25.951 So John is going to keep exalting Jesus. 00:11:25.951 --> 00:11:36.850 Not only was Jesus there in the beginning, he was there in the beginning with God, god the Father, and also that he himself is God. 00:11:37.321 --> 00:11:39.067 We are a Trinitarian people. 00:11:39.067 --> 00:11:56.289 We believe our God exists in Trinity Father and Holy Spirit and we believe that creation is a Trinitarian event God the Father creating, god the Son, as we see right there at creation, and still to this day, colossians tells us holding all things together. 00:11:56.289 --> 00:12:02.808 We see in Genesis 1, verse 2, that the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the water. 00:12:02.808 --> 00:12:10.363 I had a professor in seminary that said a lot of people don't think the Holy Spirit is in the Old Testament and that argument holds up until you get to the second verse. 00:12:10.363 --> 00:12:15.332 The Spirit is hovering over the face of the water. 00:12:15.332 --> 00:12:18.144 It's a Trinitarian event, but Jesus is there. 00:12:18.144 --> 00:12:23.251 God the Son has always been. 00:12:24.452 --> 00:12:33.855 The Council of Nicaea in 325, you know, the church has a little history of getting together and trying to solve some problems after some arguments arise. 00:12:33.855 --> 00:12:37.826 In 325, the Council of Nicaea meets, and they meet to do this. 00:12:37.826 --> 00:12:52.422 They meet to talk about who Jesus is, because there's this guy named Arius and he's been going around saying that Jesus is a created being, that Jesus at one point was not and then was created and then at another point was. 00:12:52.422 --> 00:12:53.965 That's not right. 00:12:53.965 --> 00:12:59.014 And so Arius is there and he's making his heretical claim. 00:12:59.014 --> 00:13:06.863 And tradition tells us that there's a man who stands up, walks across the room in the middle of the council of Nicaea. 00:13:06.863 --> 00:13:16.490 Tradition tells us now he walks across the room as Arius is speaking and he's so fed up with this heresy that he slaps Arius in the face. 00:13:16.490 --> 00:13:17.873 That's what tradition says. 00:13:17.873 --> 00:13:20.644 That man's name was Nicholas. 00:13:20.644 --> 00:13:27.423 Later on in life he achieved the status of sainthood, saint Nicholas, and so children in the room. 00:13:27.443 --> 00:13:38.821 I want you to know something Saint Nicholas himself, santa Claus, was so adamant about the divinity of Christ, the eternal nature of Christ, he was willing to fight for it. 00:13:38.821 --> 00:13:48.087 That's what tradition tells us, because Christ has always been, christ always was. 00:13:48.087 --> 00:13:52.030 One author this week said Christ was always wasing. 00:13:52.030 --> 00:13:56.090 He also is always ising. 00:13:56.090 --> 00:14:01.808 He's the eternal is, and his isness is always on display. 00:14:01.899 --> 00:14:11.630 This is Exodus 3, when Moses is at the burning bush and he asked God this question if I go to Egypt, who do I say, sent me? 00:14:11.630 --> 00:14:13.355 What is God's response there? 00:14:13.355 --> 00:14:14.041 What does he say? 00:14:14.041 --> 00:14:16.604 He says tell them this I am who. 00:14:16.604 --> 00:14:18.826 I am Meaning this. 00:14:18.826 --> 00:14:24.715 I am the God who is always amming, I always am and I always will be. 00:14:24.715 --> 00:14:31.846 Am I'm the eternal one, I will be who I will be, and this is true of Jesus. 00:14:31.846 --> 00:14:37.652 That Jesus has always been all the way to eternity past. 00:14:37.652 --> 00:14:39.807 He was in the beginning with God. 00:14:39.807 --> 00:14:44.389 In fact he was before the beginning with God and he is God. 00:14:44.671 --> 00:14:57.885 Verse 4, we see this in him was life, and the life was the light of men, and that light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. 00:14:57.885 --> 00:15:05.522 And so in the person of Jesus here comes life into our broken world, and that life is the light of men. 00:15:05.522 --> 00:15:08.187 And you know that you and I live in a dark world, don't we? 00:15:08.187 --> 00:15:12.056 We don't have to look far to figure that out. 00:15:12.056 --> 00:15:15.283 We can just look right outside our door. 00:15:15.283 --> 00:15:17.274 We can look at our world, we can turn on the news. 00:15:17.274 --> 00:15:27.523 We live in a world that is filled with darkness, yet in steps, jesus, the word, became flesh to dwell among us, to bring light into that world. 00:15:27.523 --> 00:15:36.852 And look at this the light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. 00:15:36.852 --> 00:15:37.937 So Christ is the light and he's always been the light. 00:15:37.937 --> 00:15:38.698 Genesis, chapter 1,. 00:15:38.698 --> 00:15:39.522 What does God say? 00:15:39.522 --> 00:15:40.664 Let there be light. 00:15:40.664 --> 00:15:44.554 And in that moment he didn't have to flip a switch or turn on the generator. 00:15:44.554 --> 00:15:47.841 The light just came by his word. 00:15:47.841 --> 00:15:49.043 And all the way. 00:15:49.090 --> 00:15:57.234 At the end, in Revelation, 21, 33, the new heavens and the new earth has come down, and it says there's no sun or no moon. 00:15:57.234 --> 00:15:57.533 Why? 00:15:57.533 --> 00:16:04.375 Because they're not necessary, because the glory of God is the light and the lamb is the lamp. 00:16:04.375 --> 00:16:08.660 So Christ, jesus always will be our light. 00:16:08.660 --> 00:16:15.782 And here we see this light penetrates the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. 00:16:15.782 --> 00:16:18.318 The darkness cannot overcome it. 00:16:18.318 --> 00:16:29.984 This is who Christ is, the one who always has been, who always is and always will be. 00:16:29.984 --> 00:16:41.086 My question is this is our picture of Christ big enough, is it grand enough? 00:16:41.086 --> 00:16:45.615 Because my thought is this, and maybe you asked this question he said. 00:16:45.634 --> 00:16:46.919 Taylor, I'm thankful to hear this, I'm thankful to learn this. 00:16:46.919 --> 00:16:48.745 I'm glad to know Jesus Christ has always been. 00:16:48.745 --> 00:16:52.019 I'm glad to know that he's the light that shines in the darkness, that he always has been, always will be. 00:16:52.019 --> 00:16:54.212 That's all good, but the problem is I've got work tomorrow morning and I don't to know that he's the light that shines in the darkness, that he always has been, always will be. 00:16:54.212 --> 00:17:02.020 That's all good, but the problem is I've got work tomorrow morning and I don't really know how God always being present really applies to my job. 00:17:02.020 --> 00:17:04.035 Tomorrow morning I've got school. 00:17:04.035 --> 00:17:05.990 Tomorrow morning I've got a test, I've got a homework. 00:17:05.990 --> 00:17:12.384 I don't know how the co-eternal nature of Christ applies to that. 00:17:12.384 --> 00:17:27.046 Well, I want to say this morning, whatever you have tomorrow, whatever you have today, the eternal nature, the grand nature of Christ actually applies in every single way possible, even the ways you don't even think about. 00:17:27.046 --> 00:17:34.864 This majestic, creating world-holding-together view of God impacts everything about your life. 00:17:34.990 --> 00:17:53.876 Tomorrow morning you're going to wake up, you're going to breathe in that first big breath of your day and there are air molecules that will enter into your lungs that Christ, jesus himself is holding together and keeping in place, and you're going to put your feet on the ground and keeping in place. 00:17:53.876 --> 00:18:12.583 And you're going to put your feet on the ground and it's going to feel firm and feel steady, while in reality you are on a ball spinning through space as the world goes on its axis somehow around the sun and has seemingly been doing that I don't know forever and keeps doing that, I hope, for a really long time. 00:18:12.583 --> 00:18:13.230 And it's on its axis. 00:18:13.230 --> 00:18:14.478 And if, at any moment, christ Jesus just took a hand off doing that, I hope for a really long time. 00:18:14.478 --> 00:18:14.784 And it's on its axis. 00:18:14.784 --> 00:18:24.981 And if, at any moment, christ Jesus just took a hand off of that and we got off by a quarter fraction of an inch, all things would cave in on themselves and we'd be done. 00:18:24.981 --> 00:18:29.837 For Yet that has not happened and will not happen because Christ holds all things together. 00:18:30.138 --> 00:18:39.471 And then when you get to work or you get to school, you get the kids dropped off, here or there, whatever it is, you're going to see a lot of people and none of them are going to be ordinary people. 00:18:39.471 --> 00:18:43.863 It's what CS Lewis says in the weight of glory, there's no ordinary people. 00:18:43.863 --> 00:18:57.143 What you see are people created in the image of God, fashioned and formed by God himself, who are at all times being held together by the person of Christ Jesus. 00:18:57.143 --> 00:19:12.561 There is nothing about your day today, or tomorrow, or into eternity, that is not radically affected by a grand view of Jesus Christ, because right now, jesus is at the right hand of the throne of God, and what is he doing? 00:19:12.561 --> 00:19:22.851 He's interceding to the Father for you, and so maybe you've ever wondered I'm walking through a moment, is anybody praying for me? 00:19:22.851 --> 00:19:25.457 I hope somebody's praying for you. 00:19:25.457 --> 00:19:27.761 Reach out to me and I'll be praying for you. 00:19:27.761 --> 00:19:45.804 But I want you to know this Christ Jesus is praying for you directly to the Father, interceding for you, and I got a feeling Christ Jesus' prayers are pretty good, maybe really good, and that's what he's doing for you. 00:19:45.804 --> 00:19:55.845 There is not one square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is sovereign over all, does not cry mine. 00:19:55.845 --> 00:20:11.157 Those are the words of Abraham Kuyper Not just now, but for eternity, because the very one who is himself the eternal one also holds your eternity in his hands. 00:20:11.157 --> 00:20:13.540 So what is Christ doing right now? 00:20:13.540 --> 00:20:23.804 He is holding your eternity in his hands, and so here's good news for you you are kept and you are sealed in Christ. 00:20:25.509 --> 00:20:32.492 So if you've ever wondered and you've ever been tempted to doubt your faith can I lose my salvation? 00:20:32.492 --> 00:20:35.921 Is it possible that I could lose my salvation? 00:20:35.921 --> 00:20:40.808 Well, one, you did nothing to gain your salvation, so I don't think you can lose your salvation. 00:20:40.808 --> 00:20:43.094 But even if you thought for a second, you could. 00:20:43.094 --> 00:20:48.491 Let me tell you it is held firm and secure by the person of Jesus Christ. 00:20:48.491 --> 00:20:52.920 And again, our faith is not built on how firmly we hold to Christ. 00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:58.615 It's simply built on how Christ holds on to us and he doesn't let go. 00:20:58.615 --> 00:21:01.717 Can you lose your salvation? 00:21:01.717 --> 00:21:04.357 Can you lose your standing before God? 00:21:04.357 --> 00:21:09.819 No, because if you are in Christ, you are in Christ. 00:21:09.819 --> 00:21:14.162 So the eternal Christ holds all things together. 00:21:14.162 --> 00:21:16.038 So we are to see Jesus rightly. 00:21:16.038 --> 00:21:20.201 But second is this we are to reflect Jesus humbly. 00:21:20.201 --> 00:21:23.097 We are to reflect Jesus humbly. 00:21:23.230 --> 00:21:25.939 The text continues verse 6, 7, and 8. 00:21:25.939 --> 00:21:32.722 It says this let's stop there for a second. 00:21:32.722 --> 00:21:34.392 Which John? 00:21:34.392 --> 00:21:48.395 John the gospel is written by John the disciple, great guy, great theologian, a little self-serving at times, does refer to himself throughout the book as the beloved disciple. 00:21:48.395 --> 00:21:54.496 Not sure I'd have the courage to say that in the inspired word of God, but he does. 00:21:54.496 --> 00:21:55.519 The beloved disciple. 00:21:55.519 --> 00:21:58.858 There was a man sent from God now whose name was John. 00:21:58.858 --> 00:22:01.479 This John is referring to John the Baptist. 00:22:01.479 --> 00:22:09.940 John the Baptist, who was the forerunner of Jesus, the cousin of Jesus, who came on the scene just before Jesus to do what? 00:22:09.940 --> 00:22:15.233 To prepare the way for Jesus, and his name was John, verse 7,. 00:22:15.233 --> 00:22:21.900 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light that all might believe through him. 00:22:21.900 --> 00:22:26.817 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 00:22:26.817 --> 00:22:32.353 These verses, I think, perfectly define John the Baptist and his ministry. 00:22:32.353 --> 00:22:40.099 John would be the first to tell you I'm not the light, I came to bear witness about the light. 00:22:40.099 --> 00:22:46.961 There's a humility within John that all he wants to do is reflect Jesus and point to Jesus. 00:22:46.961 --> 00:22:55.481 Later on in the chapter, he refers to Jesus as the one that he is not even worthy to untie the sandals of Jesus. 00:22:55.481 --> 00:23:05.196 Later on, jesus is walking up in this chapter and John lets out this cry behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. 00:23:05.196 --> 00:23:07.763 There's always, with John, a pointing that direction. 00:23:09.107 --> 00:23:12.474 I love the story of the 19th century preacher in London, charles Spurgeon. 00:23:12.474 --> 00:23:19.537 He was preaching in a new auditorium he had not been in before and he was doing a sound check. 00:23:19.537 --> 00:23:38.154 They didn't have microphones and things, but just wanted to hear how his voice projected in the room, in a room that he thought there was nobody here, no one in the room at the time, and he just stood up on stage and he, in his grand voice, he just said those words behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. 00:23:38.154 --> 00:23:44.818 There was a custodian in the balcony just cleaning and he went home that day after hearing that and gave his life to Christ. 00:23:44.818 --> 00:23:52.218 Just those words behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. 00:23:52.218 --> 00:23:58.698 And John the Baptist would like that story, because that's exactly what John the Baptist would have wanted. 00:23:58.698 --> 00:24:16.356 Later on we see in John 3, verse 30, those famous words and honestly John the Baptist would hate the words that they're, hate the fact that they're now famous words of he must increase, I must decrease, he must become greater, I must become less. 00:24:16.356 --> 00:24:19.500 And that was John's entire outlook. 00:24:19.500 --> 00:24:23.470 And we see that here already in verses 6 through 8. 00:24:23.470 --> 00:24:25.518 Again, he was not the light. 00:24:25.518 --> 00:24:29.775 I don't think this happened, I'm sure it didn't. 00:24:29.775 --> 00:24:35.576 But you can almost hear John the Baptist telling John the disciple hey, if you're going to bring me up. 00:24:35.576 --> 00:24:37.641 Make sure you tell them I am not the light. 00:24:37.641 --> 00:24:39.756 Make sure there is no doubt. 00:24:39.756 --> 00:24:42.378 This is not the story of John the Baptist. 00:24:44.730 --> 00:24:53.722 There's a beautiful work of art, the Eisenheim Altarpiece, painted in 1516 by Matthias Grunewald for a monastery in France. 00:24:53.722 --> 00:25:04.811 It's still on display in France and I've got a picture of this altarpiece I mean it's a, and I Google it later just to see the scope and the size of this. 00:25:04.811 --> 00:25:25.621 What you have is multiple images on here and what is, quite honestly, if you look closely as you can when you is somewhat detailed and somewhat graphic, I'd even say picture of Christ's crucifixion, as you look really closely at what is there, but you see a lot of elements below preparing his body for burial. 00:25:25.621 --> 00:25:34.363 This is the Eisenheim Altarpiece by Grunewald and I think Grunewald does a good job of understanding who John the Baptist is. 00:25:34.363 --> 00:25:37.272 On the next slide, I want you to see something Zoomed in. 00:25:37.272 --> 00:25:40.416 On that side there's our friend John the Baptist. 00:25:40.416 --> 00:25:42.935 Those words in Latin over his shoulder. 00:25:42.935 --> 00:25:45.321 He must increase, I must decrease. 00:25:45.321 --> 00:25:47.258 And look what he's doing in this moment. 00:25:47.258 --> 00:25:52.602 He's holding the Word of God and he's pointing. 00:25:52.602 --> 00:26:05.224 He's holding the Word of God and say, hey, here's the Word of God and he's pointing, he's holding the word of God and say, hey, here's the word of God, and then pointing here's the word of God, here's the word of God and here's the man. 00:26:05.224 --> 00:26:09.413 That's all John's ministry is. 00:26:09.413 --> 00:26:11.196 Look at him. 00:26:11.196 --> 00:26:15.482 Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. 00:26:15.763 --> 00:26:17.391 Now can we go back to the full piece? 00:26:17.391 --> 00:26:24.736 Because here's so often what I want to do as I think of the artwork of my life, the canvas of my life. 00:26:24.736 --> 00:26:37.135 If I were to paint this picture, what I often think about is putting myself in the center, putting myself right in the center of the artwork of my life and my own canvas, and I'm the center. 00:26:37.135 --> 00:26:38.955 But here's the thing I love the Lord, you know. 00:26:38.955 --> 00:26:47.057 I want him in my picture and so, right to my right or to my left, jesus is part of it, because I want the world to know I follow him. 00:26:47.057 --> 00:26:49.234 You know, jesus is my co-pilot. 00:26:49.234 --> 00:26:51.340 He walks with me, he talks with me. 00:26:51.340 --> 00:26:53.755 He's part of my artwork, for sure, pilate, he walks with me, he talks with me. 00:26:53.755 --> 00:26:54.496 He's part of my artwork, for sure. 00:26:54.496 --> 00:26:54.797 I'm the center. 00:26:54.797 --> 00:26:57.462 But do let the world know that Jesus is with me in the picture. 00:26:57.462 --> 00:27:02.375 That's sometimes what we want to do, isn't it? 00:27:02.895 --> 00:27:18.519 When we think about the artwork, the canvas of our own lives, what we need to figure out quickly is that we are not the center, we are not the main event, we are not the main character in the story of our lives. 00:27:18.519 --> 00:27:31.380 When we think about the canvas and artwork of our own lives, christ is not just the center, christ is, Christ is the painter, christ is everything about it. 00:27:31.380 --> 00:27:34.204 He is the one who is magnified. 00:27:34.204 --> 00:27:41.987 And our job is not to be the main character of our lives and stand in the center and just leave Jesus to the side. 00:27:41.987 --> 00:27:54.982 Our job is to stand to the side and say hey, look to him, just like John, look to the one, look to Jesus, the one who is the eternal one, the only one, the holy one. 00:27:54.982 --> 00:27:58.715 That's our job in this world, because I'm not the center. 00:28:01.300 --> 00:28:11.784 My question for us, as we think about John the Baptist and his ministry and how he faithfully pointed to the person of Jesus, are we reflecting Jesus with our lives? 00:28:11.784 --> 00:28:31.605 And I want you to take inventory and ask yourself this question Do people I come into contact with do they see a picture of Jesus because they've been around me? 00:28:31.605 --> 00:28:41.364 Do they get a glimpse of who Jesus is because they have interacted with me, all about me. 00:28:41.364 --> 00:28:51.477 Do people see Jesus in me? 00:28:51.477 --> 00:28:58.426 Is the heartbeat and goal of my life one that says this, that says he must become greater. 00:28:58.426 --> 00:29:00.390 I must become less. 00:29:00.390 --> 00:29:06.368 Look at him. 00:29:08.682 --> 00:29:09.907 What does it look like in your life? 00:29:09.907 --> 00:29:11.394 What does it look like in your life? 00:29:11.394 --> 00:29:12.616 What does it look like in your home to reflect Jesus? 00:29:12.616 --> 00:29:14.721 Do the people in your home see Jesus in you? 00:29:14.721 --> 00:29:15.982 What does it look like at your school? 00:29:15.982 --> 00:29:23.839 Do the people you pass by in the halls or in your classroom, do they see Jesus in you? 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:25.244 What does it look like at your job? 00:29:25.244 --> 00:29:26.380 What does it look like in the community? 00:29:26.380 --> 00:29:27.046 What does it look like on the sports team, Wherever it is? 00:29:27.046 --> 00:29:27.156 What does it look like at your job? 00:29:27.156 --> 00:29:27.469 What does it look like in the community? 00:29:27.469 --> 00:29:29.077 What does it look like on the sports team, wherever it is? 00:29:29.077 --> 00:29:31.003 What does it look like for you? 00:29:34.494 --> 00:29:38.926 And are you like John the Baptist, just pointing to him? 00:29:38.926 --> 00:29:49.366 Because, if I'm honest with myself, sometimes I'm tempted to say I am the main character of my life. 00:29:49.366 --> 00:29:52.201 And imagine that. 00:29:52.201 --> 00:30:00.759 Imagine looking at the words of John In the beginning was the Word. 00:30:00.759 --> 00:30:01.803 He was with God. 00:30:01.803 --> 00:30:26.463 He was God, the Jesus Christ, who has always been the one who came, who took sin upon himself, who went to the cross, who literally defeated sin and death by rising from the grave, who now is exalted to the right hand of the throne of God and one day will return, and at this moment is holding all things together and making sure everything is in place in the universe and beyond. 00:30:26.463 --> 00:30:30.029 Imagine looking at that and say Jesus, can you be my co-pilot? 00:30:30.029 --> 00:30:38.044 Can you just ride beside me, give me some advice along the way, but just be a co-pilot? 00:30:38.044 --> 00:30:38.345 No, no, no. 00:30:38.345 --> 00:30:40.881 Jesus, be the center. 00:30:40.881 --> 00:30:54.576 Jesus be the all in all, be the everything, be the all in all, be the everything. 00:30:54.576 --> 00:31:05.439 And Jesus, help me be someone that looks at a dark world and simply says look to him, look to the only one who is light and brings light into this dark and broken world. 00:31:07.284 --> 00:31:12.145 I want to pray for us now and in a moment as I pray, I want to invite you to respond. 00:31:12.145 --> 00:31:19.203 Maybe this morning you want to come talk with me and let me pray for you and just let me know what's going on. 00:31:19.203 --> 00:31:19.965 I'd love to do that. 00:31:19.965 --> 00:31:27.268 Maybe you want to come to know Jesus and, for the first time, you want Jesus' light to come into your own darkness. 00:31:27.268 --> 00:31:34.502 Maybe you just need to sit in silent prayer, taking inventory of your life and saying, jesus, where am I not reflecting you? 00:31:34.502 --> 00:31:37.943 What does it need to look like for me to reflect you? 00:31:37.943 --> 00:31:42.846 But, however, you need to respond, I pray that you would do it now. 00:31:42.846 --> 00:31:46.506 Allow me to pray for us as the worship team comes up this way. 00:31:46.506 --> 00:31:54.493 Now allow me to pray for us as the worship team comes up this way. 00:31:54.835 --> 00:31:59.760 Lord Jesus, we thank you for your word. 00:31:59.760 --> 00:32:15.357 We thank you that you are the word that in the beginning there was you, you were with God, you are God and so, christ Jesus, we proclaim that you are high and lifted up and we thank you. 00:32:15.357 --> 00:32:29.667 Lord, I just pray that you'd show us today how that changes every aspect of our lives, to see clearly that we have a job to do and it is to point to you, to see you as the high and lifted up one. 00:32:29.667 --> 00:32:37.189 Lord Jesus, I ask that you would show us that today, tomorrow, this week, for the rest of our lives. 00:32:37.189 --> 00:32:39.117 Thank you for your word. 00:32:39.117 --> 00:32:43.362 If there's any that needs to respond this morning, I pray that they would. 00:32:43.362 --> 00:32:45.951 In Christ's name, amen.