CALL THE FIRST TWO WITNESSES – John 5:30-35

I. INTRODUCTION:

The Lord Jesus Christ had just claimed equality with God in seven areas. The magnitude and the significance of Jesus’ claims called for substantiation. Jesus now introduces five witnesses to validate those claims. We are going to examine the first two witnesses in this study of John’s Gospel.

I. HIS WITNESS CONCERNING HIMSELF (verses 30-31)

On the night I became a Christian, I was encouraged to read the Gospel of John. In the first five chapters of John’s Gospel, two verses of Scripture really spoke to a need in my life as a new Christian, so I wrote down the references and the verses on the inside cover of my Bible. The first verse was John 3:30, where John the Baptist said of Jesus, “He must increase, but I must decrease”. The second verse was John 5:30, and I just wrote down the first part of the verse, “I can of mine own self do nothing”. Those two verses described to me what living the Christian life was all about: putting Christ first in my life, living to glorify Him, and realizing my own inability to do so apart from His enabling.

Verse 30 seems to be a transition verse. I think Jesus is restating what He said in verse 19. In that verse He said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner.” By saying these words in verses 19 and 30, Jesus is declaring that His testimony about Himself is true. Notice that, in verse 30, Jesus starts speaking in the first-person again, using the words “I” and “Me” instead of “He” and “Him” when referring to Himself. In the remainder of verse 30, Jesus says, “As I hear, I judge; and my judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him Who sent Me.” Therefore His witness and His judgments are true because it’s the Father’s witness through Him, and it’s the Father who is making the judgments. Their witness and judgments are one-in-the-same. The Greek word, “martyrion”, translated “witness”, is a very important word in John’s gospel. We get our English word “martyr” from that Greek word, and it occurs 47 times in the gospel of John; so we’ll be seeing it again and again as more and more witnesses take the stand.

In verse 31, Jesus says, “If I alone bear witness of Myself, My testimony is not true.” He’s speaking in a legal sense, meaning that it is not admissible in a court of law. Of course, Jesus’ testimony is true for the reasons He has already given. He and the Father are one and He always does the will of the Father. But He is living among sinful men who may give false testimony if it’s to their advantage, and they think they can get away with it. Even the law given to Moses does not allow a person to testify in his own case. In Deuteronomy 17:6, God says, “On the evidence of two witnesses or three witnesses, he who is to die shall be put to death; he shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.” Again, in Deuteronomy 19:15. Moses writes, “A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or more witnesses a matter shall be confirmed”. So Jesus is going to follow the Mosaic law and provide them with other witnesses of His deity and of His authority to judge men.

Have you ever placed the names of personal references or character references on your resume or job application? Have you ever been asked by others if you would be willing to be a personal reference for them? It’s an honor, but it’s also a responsibility, isn’t it? We choose personal references who are up-to-date in their relationship with us and can vouch for our character and abilities. We want references whom we respect; who have known us for a number of years, and who think highly of us. Isn’t that true? Let’s see whom Jesus chooses to be witnesses of His character and deity.

II. THE WITNESS OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (verses 33-35)

In verses 33-35, we find that Jesus chooses John the Baptist as a witness. I’ve skipped verse 32 for now because Jesus is alluding to Someone He is going to be describing in greater detail in verses 37-38. For now we will call that person the “mystery Witness”. Jesus reserves this Witness for later because He is the “Expert Witness”.

John the Baptist bore witness to the deity of Christ several times in John’s gospel. You will find his testimony in chapters one and three. John the Baptist was considered to be a prophet of God, and many, including a few of the Pharisees, believed his words, repented and were baptized. In verse 33, Jesus says, “You have sent to John, and he has born witness to the truth.” He’s making reference to John 1:19. The Jews sent priests and Levites to John asking, “Who are you?”, and John answered them truthfully. Quoting the words of the prophet Isaiah, he says, “I AM THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD’ ” (John 1:23; Isaiah 40:3). In another instance, John calls himself the “friend of the bridegroom”, making all the preparations for the wedding and waiting to hear the bridegroom’s voice. (John 3:29). The focus of John’s words and John’s ministry was always on Jesus, the coming Messiah. After Jesus began His public ministry, John encouraged all of his own disciples to follow Jesus. At that point in time, John the Baptist was the best human witness to the deity of Christ. He may not have looked like the best witness, considering the clothes he wore and the food he ate. However, a good witness should not be determined by the clothes he wears or the food he eats, but by what he has seen and heard first-hand, what he knows, and by his integrity and willingness to provide the information he possesses. You might say that the Lord Jesus chose John the Baptist to be one of His personal references on His resume, and He continues to give us more reasons for doing so in verse 35.

In verse 34, Jesus qualifies His words by saying, “But the witness I receive is not from man”. His point is that He doesn’t require man’s testimony as proof of His Messiahship. However, He includes John’s testimony “that you may be saved.” John the Baptist’s words were true, and he was sent by God to prepare people’s hearts for the Savior.

Now Jesus gives us another description of John the Baptist, who, at that point in time, may be in prison or might already have been killed. I say that because of the description Jesus gives in verse 35. Jesus uses the past tense when he says, “He was a lamp that was burning and shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.” In the original Greek text, there is a definite article before the word “lamp”. John the Baptist was God-appointed as a lamp to the nation of Israel. The Greek word, luchnos, translated “lamp”, refers to a portable lamp (a candle or an oil lamp). It was placed on a candlestick or a lampstand to provide light to those nearby and to be seen from a distance. A different word was used to describe Jesus. He was a “light”, and the Greek word, phos, means “to make manifest, to shine (especially by rays). It is the word that is used to describe the sun. Our words “photo” and “photography” are derived from that word. John was a lamp that pointed the way to salvation in Jesus Christ. He is described by Jesus as a lamp that was “burning and shining”. A lamp must be lit in order to burn and shine. God “ignited” John the Baptist, and he “burned” with a zeal for God; and he also “shone”, giving off the light of truth in the darkness. F.B. Meyer makes this comment: “A lamp must burn if it is to shine.” In burning, the oil is eventually consumed. In burning, the candle burns itself out when the wax and the wick are gone. William Barclay said, “A true witness burns himself out for God.” It’s a life-long passion and commitment. So when Jesus used the words “was burning and shining”, it makes me wonder whether John’s life and witness had already “burned out” (come to an end).

In verse 35, the Lord Jesus says three words that add a note of sadness to the ministry of John the Baptist. Those words are: “for a while”. At the beginning of his ministry, large crowds of people came out to see him. Matthew 3:5-6 says, “Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea, and all the district around the Jordan.” That’s a lot of people! Some of them were traveling quite a distance to listen to him and be baptized by him! But he made some enemies among the Pharisees and Sadducees when he called them a “brood of vipers“, and urged them to demonstrate genuine repentance for their sins, warning them of what would happen if they didn’t do so. John’s popularity didn’t last long, but John wasn’t trying to win a “popularity contest”. He accomplished the purpose for which God sent him by preparing the way for the Messiah, and he was an outspoken witness to the deity of Jesus Christ. As the “friend of the Bridegroom”, his responsibility was to make all the preparations for the wedding, and when he heard the Bridegroom’s voice, calling for His bride (all who repent of their sins and acknowledge Jesus Christ as their King and Lord), it was time for him to step back, join the wedding guests, and rejoice in the wedding.

CONCLUSION:

Does the Lord Jesus Christ have you as a personal reference? If not, He wants you as His personal reference. My understanding of Scripture is that everyone’s name is written down in the Lamb’s book of life as a potential reference. It’s written in blood: His own blood, shed on the cross for you. Your name is only blotted out of His book of life if you refuse to repent and acknowledge Him as the Lord of heaven and earth, Who paid the price your sins deserve, or if you keep putting it off until it’s too late. He’s waiting and hoping, but the choice is up to you. Your reference is there, but it hasn’t been activated yet. Once it’s activated, it’s there forever. What are you waiting for? Now is the time to think it over and respond. Now is the time to admit your need for Him, and to turn your life over to Him. Please don’t choose to ignore, or refuse His desire and His offer to you.

If you are a born-again Christian, is Jesus Christ your personal reference? Is His name listed first on your resume (your life)? If so, shouldn’t it be obvious to others around you where you work, where you go to school, and in your community? If you are a genuine, committed Christian, the Lord is not going to be an “add-on” reference in your personal portfolio. His Name and a description of Him is going to fill the whole front page in large print and bold letters! He will also be the “headliner” at the top of every other page! People won’t be able to miss it, and that would be your intent!

Frances Ridley Havergal wrote a hymn based upon David’s call to commitment given to his army in I Chronicles 12, and His army’s response to him. Verse 13 says that the Spirit of the Lord came upon Amasai, chief of the captains, and he said: “We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse.” The title of her hymn is: WHO IS ON THE LORD’S SIDE? Below I’ve written the first stanza to that hymn, and I hope that you will find a hymnal and read the other three stanzas as well.

Who is on the Lord’s side? Who will serve the King?
Who will be His helpers, other lives to bring?
Who will leave the world’s side? Who will face the foe?
Who is on the Lord’s side? Who for Him will go?
By Thy call of mercy, by Thy grace divine,
We are on the Lord’s side, Savior, we are Thine.

With our enlistment papers already signed, may we be clothed in His armor and standing together at the battle line. May it be obvious to everyone we know and everyone we meet, that we are on the Lord’s side, and we will not retreat!

CONSTRUCTION SITE: COMPLETED

Thank you for visiting this completed sermon on John 5:30-35. I hope that you will take it to heart. It’s time to move the equipment and tools to the construction site next door: John 5:36-39. May you rely on the power of Christ and enjoy the presence of Christ at your side throughout this day.

THE WORDS OF A HUMBLE MAN – John 3:22-30

baptism of Jesus, Bible sermons, humility, John 3:22-30 sermon

An article in the Discipleship Journal in the mid-1990’s said that we live in an age of self-love. There is even a popular magazine on the market entitled “Self”. Words like “narcissism” (the love of self), and “hedonism” (the pursuit of pleasure) are being used more-and-more often to describe our society. I had never heard of those words when I was growing up. Focus on the Family magazine had a short article entitled, “Remember What’s Important to a Man”. Here are a few of the things mentioned in the article: 1) Men fear nothing more than failure. 2). Men are motivated by feeling significant. 3) Men want to manage their own problems and be “Mr. Fix-It”. The apostle Paul warns us in II Timothy 3:2 that in the last days “people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant . . . “.

A virtue that is fading among men and women in our society, and in our churches today, is humility. Evangelist Billy Graham made this comment: “Most of us suffer from spiritual near-sightedness. Our interests, our loves, and our energies are too often focused upon ourselves.” A man by the name of John Seldon made this observation: “Humility is a virtue that all men preach, but very few practice.” In the passage of Scripture we are now studying, John 3:22-30, a man is being described by the apostle John, who not only preached humility, but also demonstrated it by his life and by his attitude. That man is John the Baptist.

I. THE SETTING (verses 22-24)

Verse 22 says, “After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there He was spending time with them and baptizing.” Actually, according to John 4:2, Jesus wasn’t doing the baptizing Himself, but His disciples were baptizing under His authority and direction. In that sense Jesus was involved in the baptism proceedings. It appears that they were baptizing in the wilderness areas rather than near the city, and may have been moving around the area where they had begun to baptize.

Verse 23 says, “And John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there; and they were coming and were being baptized.” For a short time, until John the Baptist was put in prison (verse 24), the ministries of Jesus and John the Baptist overlapped. From the description given of their locations, they probably weren’t very far from each other. Since they weren’t far from each other, and were doing identical ministries at the time, it’s a natural tendency to make comparisons and “keep score”, as if they were competing with one another.

John the Baptist had a great deal of popularity because of his preaching and his message. Luke tells us that “multitudes went out to hear John.” Matthew tells us that people came to him from Jerusalem, and all of Judea, and all the region beyond the Jordan River. Some of these people were journeying for several days just to hear John the Baptist preach.

II. THE PROBLEM (verses 25-26)

The problem was that the crowds around Jesus were growing, and John’s disciples were becoming worried about it. They didn’t want to see their teacher and leader take second place to anyone else. Verse 25 reads: “There arose therefore a discussion on the part of John’s disciples with a Jew about purification.” At first I wondered what this verse had to do with the verses that follow, but I think it’s beginning to make sense. The Greek word, katharismou, refers to cleansing or removal of dirt. To the Jew, baptism was considered a form of cleansing. They may have been discussing with this Jew about which baptism made you cleaner. Which baptism had the greater cleansing effect: the baptism of John or the baptism of Jesus performed by His disciples? The comparison about their baptisms would lead to comparisons about the two people, John the Baptist and Jesus. You know how one thing leads to another when you start making comparisons!

Well, it’s time to pass the bad news on to John the Baptist and help him come up with a new marketing strategy. Off they go. It says in verse 26. “And they came to John and said to him, ‘Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan, to whom you have born witness, behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him’.” They don’t even mention Jesus by name. I don’t think they are being derogatory. I think they still don’t know who Jesus is. To them He is “the new Preacher on the block” who is taking away their teacher’s business. They have forgotten, or overlooked the fact that John the Baptist had already encouraged at least two of his disciples to follow Jesus, and they did so (John 1:35-39).

III. JOHN’S RESPONSE (verses 27-30)

A. A Perspective (verse 27)

Instead of feeling sorry for himself and seeking their help, John the Baptist rejoiced at the popularity of Jesus, and is going to give them reasons to rejoice along with him. He begins by looking at earthly abilities and earthly success from a heavenly perspective. “John answered and said, ‘A man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.” John is saying that all success ultimately comes from the same Source. If God is the Giver, then we should rejoice, not only over what He gives to us, but also over what He gives to others. If Jesus and His disciples are being successful, that should bring us joy because God is being glorified through them.

B. A Reminder (verse 28)

Now John the Baptist reminds them of something he said to them earlier. “You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ’, but ‘I have been sent before Him’.” Those words were recorded earlier in chapter 1, verses 20 and 23.

Leonard Bernstein, the great music composer, arranger, and conductor of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra for many years, was once asked which instrument was the most difficult to play. He thought for a moment and then replied, “The second fiddle. I can get plenty of first violinists, but to find someone who can play the second fiddle with enthusiasm – that’s a problem. And if we have no second fiddle, we have no harmony.”

Up until this time, John the Baptist was “first fiddle”. Everyone was coming to listen to him. But he is reminding his followers that he was called and gifted to be the “forerunner”, the one sent on ahead to get people ready for the “Master Violinist”. John is saying that it is now his privilege to “change seats” and play alongside Him in harmony and with enthusiasm. In so doing, the sounds of the Master will be all the more attractive and pleasing to the ears of their listeners as the two of them follow the direction of their Conductor, God the Father in heaven.

C. An Illustration (verse 29)

John the Baptist now uses the context of marriage to give a very clear and beautiful illustration of his relationship to the Lord Jesus Christ. The following are his words in verse 29. “He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. And so this joy of mine has been made full.” John the Baptist calls himself the “friend of the bridegroom”. It is not his wedding. His function was to serve the bridegroom. The closest similarity in my culture would be the “best man”. I’m going to compare the two roles so that you can see the differences and gain a better understanding of what John the Baptist has said.

Have you ever been the “best man” at a wedding? If you are married, did you have a “best man” at your wedding? Being a “best man” is quite an honor, isn’t it? It is questionable these days just what the responsibilities of the “best man” are. A classmate of mine was asked to be the “best man” at his friend’s wedding and he had no idea of what he was supposed to do. So he borrowed a book on etiquette from the library. He looked up the responsibilities of the “best man” and it said, “help seat the family and friends of the bride and groom, give the ring to the groom during the ceremony, protect the groom’s car”, and when he read the last responsibility he started laughing. It read, “help the groom dress himself”. Well, the glorious day of the wedding arrived, and as he and the groom were in the dressing room getting ready, he quickly found out why that responsibility was written in the book. The groom was so nervous and his hands were shaking so much that my classmate had to button all the buttons on his friend’s tuxedo for him!

In the Jewish culture during the time of Christ, the “best man” was called “the friend of the bridegroom” (the “shoshben“), and he was in charge of everything: the preparations for the wedding ceremony, the ceremony itself, and the reception afterward. With the exception of the bride and groom, everyone else in the wedding, as well as everyone making preparations for the wedding, answered to him and took orders from him. The friend of the bridegroom was the most-trusted friend of the bride and groom, and had the responsibility of protecting them and acting as a liaison between them, delivering messages to them from each other. He also sent out the wedding invitations or personally delivered them himself. His objective, as he made preparations, was to make this wedding celebration a memorable time of great joy and rejoicing for the bride and groom, their families, and all who were invited.

The friend of the bridegroom’s last and most important responsibility was to protect the bridal chamber. After the wedding the friend of the bridegroom would open the door to the bridal chamber for the bride to enter and make herself ready for her husband. He would then station himself at the door to keep any false lovers from entering. When it became night he would wait and listen for the sound of the bridegroom’s voice, and when he heard it and recognized it, he would let the bridegroom into the chamber and go on his way rejoicing. The lovers were now together. His responsibilities as the friend of the bridegroom were now finished. He could now go to the wedding banquet and enjoy the feast,

D. An Explanation (the Old Testament Prophets)

Now that we have a basic understanding of a first-century Jewish wedding, let’s see how it applies to John the Baptist. If he is the friend of the bridegroom, then who are the bride and groom, and when is the wedding? John the Baptist doesn’t give any details in answer to those two questions because there is no need to do so. The prophets have already given those details, and because they are Messianic prophecies, his listeners know them very well. Let’s take a look at them and you will see what I mean.

John the Baptist had already told his disciples that he was the forerunner, in fulfillment of Malachi’s prophesy at the very end of his book. Now He is telling them that the Messiah is no longer coming – He’s already here and He is the One they are complaining about! I can just see their eyes widen in amazement as he gives them the news! Now that marriage-illustration he just used is bringing many prophesies to their minds because the long-awaited Messiah is here. In several places God refers to Israel, or alludes to Israel, as His bride. For example, in Isaiah 54:5 says, “For your husband is your Maker, whose name is the Lord of hosts”. Isaiah 62:4,5 says, “But you will be called ‘My delight is in her,’ and your land, ‘married’. . . And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so your God will rejoice over you.” In Hosea, God tells the prophet Hosea to marry a harlot as a visual depiction of what Israel has done to Him. In Hosea 2:19, God tells the people of Israel, “And I will betroth you to Me forever. Yes, I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice.”

It’s obvious from the illustration that John the Baptist uses in verses 28-29 that the groom refers to Jesus Christ. There is debate, however, about whether the bride he refers to is Israel or the Church. I’m personally convinced that the bride, in this case, is Israel because he is speaking to Jews, his ministry is to the nation of Israel, he is using the Old Testament as his backdrop, his purpose is to introduce the nation of Israel to their Messiah, and the church-age doesn’t begin until Pentecost (Acts 2).

AN APPLICATION:

Now we come to one of my favorite verses in the Bible: John 3:30. After I turned my life over to Jesus Christ, and was reading the whole New Testament once a week, this verse, John 3:30 was the first verse that I wrote down on the inside cover of my Bible. To me, it described the essence of living the Christian life, and I wanted Christ to become more and more evident in my life. John the Baptist gave that response in Aramaic, and we don’t know what Aramaic words he used. But I believe that he said those words with a smile on his lips and his face beaming with joy!

In verse 30, John uses a particular word twice. It’s the English word “must”. We often think of that word as being negative and unbending. As you were growing up, do you remember times when your parents used that term when speaking to you? Was it used when telling you to do something you didn’t like to do or didn’t want to do? Was the conversation something like this: “Do I have to? . . . Yes you must!” Was it one of those “end of conversation” conversations? In order to keep from getting a wrong understanding of the apostle John’s reasons for using that word, we need to take a close look at the Greek word that has been translated “must”.

The Greek word that is used in verse 30 is dei. Remember that John is writing these words to a Greek-speaking audience who are influenced by the Greek culture. In the classical Greek writings the word dei was often associated with fate – an inner compulsion or calling that spurs a person on and brings personal fulfillment. The word is sometimes used to describe the fulfillment of one’s destiny. These descriptions may be closer to the meaning of John’s words. In that case, it would not only be motivated by joy but produce greater personal joy as a result.

There is no clear Hebrew equivalent to this Greek word – no word or phrase that matches it exactly. So what is the Christian equivalent of the Greek word dei, and the Greek concept of fate? How do you translate it into Christian terms that we might understand? Because the God of the Hebrews is an infinite, personal God who is sovereign over all, there was no need for such a thing as fate. The word “dei” meant the divine plan of God in a person’s life – “That’s my calling from God”; “That’s the fulfillment of God’s plan for my life”. God’s plan for John the Baptist was very clear and specific. It was written in the Old Testament scriptures and it was described to his parents before his birth. So it was very clear to him that he had now fulfilled his God-given privileges and responsibilities, and that brought him great joy.

We don’t get much of a look at John the Baptist. There aren’t many words written about Him, but what is written gives us a clear picture of his role in God’s plan of salvation, and his enthusiasm in fulfilling that role. As the result of studying the person of John the Baptist, I believe that a truly humble person is not a person who tries hard to be humble. He is not a person who makes it a point to be humble by wearing humble facial expressions, saying humble words and doing humble deeds. A truly humble person is definitely not a person who considers himself to be humble!

I sincerely believe that a truly humble person doesn’t even think about humility. The focus of his thoughts and attention is on God and others. John the Baptist would never admit it, but by his words and his actions he has demonstrated that he is a remarkably humble man. No wonder the Lord Jesus praised him so highly!

May we find rest for our souls from the One who is “meek and humble in heart” – the Lord Jesus Christ. May we also learn from the example of the man whom the Lord Jesus praised above every other man: John the Baptist.

Please visit other sermons on this site if this message has been of instruction and encouragement to you. The next construction site, John 3:31-36 will be underway soon. I hope to see you there.

JOHN THE BAPTIST’S TESTIMONY OF JESUS CHRIST – John 1:29-34

Bible sermons, John 1:29-34

INTRODUCTION:

In the previous sermon, we studied John the Baptist’s description of himself in chapter one, verses 19-28. In order to understand the sequence of events in the next passage of Scripture, we need to realize that there is a gap of about six weeks before John’s statement about Jesus in verse 15. During this period of time, Jesus had been baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. Afterward, He was led by the Spirit of God into the wilderness where He fasted for forty days and was tempted by the devil. The gospel writer John makes no mention of this. After Jesus overcame the devil and recuperated from His long fast, He returned to the Jordan River. Matthew 3:13-4:11 gives a clear description of these events without any breaks.

I. JOHN’S PROCLAMATION (verses 29-30)

On the day Jesus returned to the Jordan River, John the Baptist recognized Him at a distance. Literally, it says, “He caught his eye”. I take it to mean that John the Baptist was “keeping an eye out for Him”, looking expectantly for His return. I’m reminded of the parable of the prodigal son where the father saw his son returning when the son was still a long way off (Luke 15:20). He was looking expectantly also – for his son to return.

This is the Lord’s first appearance in the Gospel of John. John the Baptist points Him out in verse 29 saying, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” I visualize John the Baptist pointing his finger in the direction of Jesus as he said those words in a loud voice, and everyone within earshot turned their heads to look at Jesus. There seems to be very little doubt that Jesus chose this moment to be introduced to the nation of Israel by his forerunner as the “Lamb of God“. What a wonderful title! That statement was packed with meaning for his listeners and for us today. There are several things that would have come to the minds of his listeners when he said those words.

The feast of the Passover was approaching in just a few days (John 2:12,13). It was a time of remembering when God was preparing the Hebrew people in the Old Testament to flee from Egypt and from their slavery to Pharaoh (Exodus 12:1-14). Each Hebrew family was to kill an unblemished lamb and sprinkle its blood on the doorpost and lintel of their homes to protect them from the wrath of God and His final plague on Egypt. The Angel of Death was going to kill the firstborn of the families and the cattle of Egypt, but he would “pass over” and not enter the homes where the lamb’s blood was visible. They were saved from death by the blood of a lamb.

As John the Baptist introduced Jesus with the words, “Behold, the Lamb of God“, it’s very likely that the Jews who heard him could also hear the sounds of sheep, and could see flocks of sheep being led toward the city of Jerusalem in preparation for the Passover feast. These animals would be used as sacrifices during the feast, reminding them that salvation comes through the shedding of blood.

The title “Lamb of God” would also remind the Jews of the lambs that were sacrificed every day in the Temple as commanded by God in Exodus 29:38-41. Every morning and every evening a lamb was sacrificed on the altar as a burnt offering. In the next verse, verse 42, God says, “It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations . . . “ It was to be part of their daily worship. So the sacrificial lambs were to be, not only a yearly reminder on the Feast of Passover, but a daily reminder, every morning and every evening, of the shedding of blood for the forgiveness of sin. These sacrificed lambs were looking ahead to Jesus, the only One who could take away sin.

There is one more description of the Lamb that is a prophetic description given by the prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah. The prophet Jeremiah refers to himself as “a gentle lamb being led to the slaughter”. The prophet Isaiah uses similar words to refer to the suffering Messiah: “He was oppressed and afflicted, yet He did not open His mouth; like a lamb that is led to slaughter, and like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, so He did not open His mouth” (Isaiah 53:7). Both of these passages of Scripture speak of the humility and gentleness of a lamb. In Matthew 11:29, the only place in the New Testament where Jesus describes His own character, He says, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart“. Hopefully, those thoughts came to the minds of his listeners also after John the Baptist said, “Behold the Lamb of God”.

Jesus is the Lamb of God who “takes away the sin of the world”. The Greek word translated “takes away” can also mean “takes up”. Jesus took away our sin by taking it upon Himself. This is what is described in Isaiah 53:4-5. “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; , , , He was crushed for our iniquities . . . “

Years ago, in a small oriental town, several men were working on a scaffold high above the street. Suddenly one of them lost his footing and fell to the pavement below. Horrified, his companions quickly descended, expecting to find his body broken and mangled. To their surprise, they discovered that he was unhurt! At the exact moment of his fall, some sheep were passing through the street beneath him, and he landed on the back of one of the animals. There it lay, crushed and dead, but the man was saved. As he gazed upon that lifeless creature, he was heard to say, “It died for me!”

The death of Christ was no accident. His crucifixion was part of God’s plan from all eternity. Revelation 13:8 says that Christ was “slain before the foundation of the world”. The first stanzas of the following two hymns declare how precious those words of John the Baptist are for us today.

Behold the Lamb, whose precious blood
Poured from His opened veins,
Had power to make our peace with God
And cleanse our deepest stains.
(Christopher Hall)

Now Behold the Lamb,
the Precious Lamb of God,
born into sin that I may live again,
the precious Lamb of God.
(Kirk Franklin)

It is said that the shortest sermon that Charles Haddon Spurgeon ever preached consisted of the recitation of those wonderful words in John 1:29. The great preacher had been commissioned to conduct special services in the Chrystal Palace in London, England. A day or two before he was to preach, he decided to test the acoustics of the building. Thinking the auditorium was empty, he cried out in a loud voice, “Behold, the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world”! A workman in one of the galleries, who knew nothing about what was being done, heard the words, and they came like a message from heaven to his soul. He was filled with conviction because of his sin. Putting down his tools, he went home, and there, after a time of spiritual struggle, found peace and eternal life by accepting the Lamb of God as his Savior and Lord. If Jesus Christ is not your Lord, and you are convicted of your sin, I hope that you will respond to those words in John 1:29 in the same life-changing way.

In verse 30, John the Baptist says that Jesus is not only “the Lamb of God”, but He is also God Himself. John was six months older than Jesus, but he says that Jesus “existed before me”. In other words, Jesus’ existence did not begin at birth. He always existed, and is therefore God.

II. JOHN’S PREVIOUS CONCERNS RESOLVED (verses 31-34

In my previous sermon, “John the Baptist’s Testimony About Himself”, I raised the following question: “Have you ever wondered when John the Baptist came to the realization of his calling in life?”. Verses 31-34 raise this question: Have you ever wondered when John the Baptist came to the realization that Jesus was the Messiah? In verse 31 John says, “And I did not recognize Him, but in order that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” John knew what he was supposed to do, but the text seems to indicate that he didn’t know the Person for whom he was doing it. Have you ever been given the responsibility of doing something for someone else, with clear instructions, but you didn’t know the recipient of your efforts? As you did the work, did you have a longing inside to know who that person was? I think we would all like to know those details if we could, wouldn’t we?

So when did John the Baptist come to the realization that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God? Obviously, he realized this fact after his baptism of Jesus, when the signs from heaven occurred, but could the realization have come earlier? In Matthew 3:13-14, as Jesus was coming toward him to be baptized, John tried to prevent Him saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” It could be that John the Baptist had opportunities to observe Jesus before this encounter and was impressed by Jesus’ sinless life. Maybe that’s the reason he felt that Jesus didn’t need baptism, but should be the One who baptized him. Another possibility is that God gave John a flash of insight when he saw Jesus coming, and this insight was confirmed after His baptism. The Scriptures don’t say for sure, but I lean toward the second possibility myself. We do know from Scripture that Jesus did not fit the Jew’s concept of what the Messiah would look like. Jesus was not a handsome man. He was also a poor man, and wore the clothing of a poor person. To look at Him, no Jew would have thought that Jesus was the Messiah by His outward appearance alone.

In verse 32, John the Baptist describes what happened after Jesus’ baptism: “I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He (the Spirit/dove) remained upon Him (Jesus).” He doesn’t mention the voice coming from heaven, probably because he is declaring the fulfillment of a statement he received from God. That statement is found in verse 33: “He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the one who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.”

When I was a little child I thought that the Holy Spirit actually was a dove because He was always depicted that way in the pictures I had seen. Is there a significance to the fact that the Holy Spirit chose to manifest Himself in the form of a dove? Henry Bosch shares some interesting facts in an Our Daily Bread devotional. Doves do not have a gall bladder, so there is no bitterness to them, only sweetness. The Scriptures associate a dove with gentleness and innocence (Matthew 10:16), and beauty (Psalm 68:13). The cooing of a dove has a calming effect. All of these descriptions also describe the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit. Bible commentator William Barclay adds that the dove was considered a sacred bird in Palestine. It was not hunted and it was not eaten. The Rabbis, referring to Genesis 1:2, used to say that the Spirit of God “moved and fluttered like a dove over the ancient chaos, breathing beauty and order into it.” The Jews of that day knew and loved the symbol of the dove as a picture of the Spirit of God. The dove and young pigeon were the only birds that could be used as an offering to God, according to Mosaic law (Leviticus 5:7; 12:8), and only the poor were allowed to use them. It brings to my mind that, only when we are poor in spirit, can we be filled with the Spirit of God. Only when we surrender our own control over our lives can the Holy Spirit take control.

When the dove remained on Jesus after his baptism by John, the words of God to John were fulfilled. Jesus is the One who “baptizes in the Holy Spirit”. What does that mean? There is no record that Jesus baptized anyone with water during His ministry on earth. The word “baptize” comes from the Greek word “baptizo” which also means “to identify with”. There are four “ingredients” to baptism: the baptizer, the one being baptized, the element into which the person is being baptized, and the purpose of the baptism. In John’s baptism, the baptizer was John the Baptist, the one being baptized was the Jew who had repented of his or her sins, and the purpose was to publicly declare their repentance in preparation for the Messiah’s arrival. In the baptism of believers in Jesus Christ, His apostles/disciples were the baptizers, the one being baptized was the person who repented and believed in Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior, the element again was water, and the purpose was to obey God by publicly identifying with Christ and with the local body of believers. The mode of baptism was emersion symbolizing death and burial to one’s old way of life and resurrection to a new life as a new person in Christ. This public baptism was a one-time event. A genuine Christian need only be baptized once.

Following this same format, in the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Jesus Christ is the Baptizer, the one being baptized is the one who has placed his faith in Jesus Christ, the element into which the person is being baptized is the Holy Spirit and the purpose is a personal identification with Jesus Christ and admittance into the universal body of believers (the “children of God”). This baptism also only occurs once at the moment of conversion. At that exact moment, the believer becomes a temple of the Holy Spirit. This is to be distinguished from the “fullness” of the Spirit, which is a moment-to-moment yielding to His control over our lives, resulting in the manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit. As J. Sidlow Baster aptly said about God’s ministry in our lives:

What God chooses, He cleanses.
What God cleanses, He molds.
What God molds, He fills.
What God fills, He uses.

In verse 34, John concludes this testimony of his by saying, “I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God.” That was what the voice from heaven said, and John has testified that he heard it and believed it. There is now no doubt in his mind that Jesus is the Son of God, and he declares it publicly.

CONSTRUCTION SITE: COMPLETED

You are welcome to visit the other completed sermons on this site. It’s always “Open House” here! See you again soon!

JOHN THE BAPTIST’S TESTIMONY OF HIMSELF – John 1:19-28

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If each of us were to make a list of some of the most prominent people in the New Testament, several people might come to our minds immediately. Of course there is the Lord Jesus Christ, and you might think of Paul, and Peter, and John. One person who may not make it near the top of our lists is John the Baptist. Jesus, however, puts John the Baptist at the top of His list, and pays Him the highest tribute.

In Matthew 11:11, Jesus said, “among those born of women, there has not arisen anyone greater than John the Baptist“. In the next three verses of Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus refers to him as the second Elijah, sent by God in fulfillment of Malachi’s prophesy, and He quotes the following words from Malachi 3:1 and 4:5: ” Behold, I send my messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.”

The first eighteen verses of John’s gospel are called his “prologue”. If you open a book, you will often find an introduction, preface, or forward. It normally establishes the setting and gives some background information to prepare the readers for the rest of the story. John ends his prologue at verse 18 and now he begins to share a biography of Jesus Christ from his perspective. He is very detail-oriented, especially when it comes to times and places.

Beginning with verse 19 of John chapter 1, we will be looking into the events of the first week of Jesus’ public ministry. From out of the wilderness came a man whose clothing, diet, lifestyle, and message made his hearers think of Elijah, and his message was stirring up the nation of Israel. The apostle John tells us very little about the message of John the Baptist, and nothing about how he dressed and lived. He takes it for granted that these facts, which were written down in Matthew and Luke’s gospels, are now general knowledge. Matthew 3:1-2 says, “Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judah, saying ‘Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand’.” In Matthew 3:4, John the Baptist is described as wearing a “garment of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.” Thousands of people came to hear him, and many were being baptized as a sign of their repentance.

I. QUESTIONS ASKED AND ANSWERED (verses 19-22)

In John chapter 1, verses 19-22, John the Baptist fields questions concerning his identity. He knew his calling very clearly, was pursuing it wholeheartedly, and was ready and willing to answer any questions. A delegation of priests and Levites were sent from Jerusalem in order to get some information from him. There are two important reasons why this delegation consisted of priests and Levites. Bible commentator William Barclay explains it very clearly, and these are his words: “. . . John was the son of Zacharias, and Zacharias was a priest. In Judaism the only qualification for the priesthood was descent. . . . If he was a descendent of Aaron nothing could stop him from being a priest. Therefore, in the eyes of the authorities John the Baptist was in fact a priest and it was very natural that the priests should come to find out why he was behaving in such an unusual way.”

This delegation was to ask him the question, “Who are you?” That’s an interesting question. Have you ever wondered when John the Baptist came to the realization of his calling in life? It may not have become clear to him until just before he began his public ministry. We don’t know. But his parents knew his calling before he was even conceived (Luke 1:13-17). The angel Gabriel told them, quoting the prophet Malachi’s prophesy. I can imagine that Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, were watching and waiting for those words to be fulfilled.

The word translated “ask”, in John 1:19, is a word that was used to make a request of someone who was in a higher position than yourself, such as a person asking for something from God, a child from a parent, or a subject from a king. It is a word that implies humility and courtesy. The reason for the use of this word is found in the questions that they ask of him. When they asked, “Who are you?”, John the Baptist answered the question behind their question by saying, “I am not the Christ”. Verse 20 says that John the Baptist “confessed and did not deny” (his answer). He is saying “I promise you, I assure you of the truth of that statement, and I will not back down from it”. In our society we might say something like “I swear to God”, or “you have my word for it”. He doesn’t want there to be any question about the truth of his answer. In so doing, he passed up the opportunity to impress this delegation by boasting about himself.

But that answer didn’t satisfy the delegation. They said to him, “What then?” (“ti oun” in Greek). By using those two words, the delegation was expressing their impatience. Have you ever been in a hurry to get somewhere and then found yourself in a traffic jam? As you’re waiting for the traffic to start moving again, have you ever said or thought these words to yourself: “Come on, let’s get going! I haven’t got all day!” I think that’s what this delegation meant when they used the words “what then”. So they fired some more questions at him. “Are you Elijah?”

The Malachi 4:5-6 the Old Testament prophet Malachi said, “Behold I am going to send Elijah the prophet before the great and terrible day of the Lord. And he will restore the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the land with a curse.” The Jewish leaders were looking forward to the return of Elijah. They remembered that he did not die physically, but left this earth in a fiery chariot. So they concluded that the identical person would reappear. John the Baptist must have looked like Elijah because of the clothes he was wearing. He must also have sounded like Elijah in his preaching on repentance. But John the Baptist gives a simple answer: “No, I am not.” His answer to them was true. John was not the Elijah who went up into heaven in a chariot of fire.

Their next question was: “Are you the prophet”? The prophet they were referring to was the one foretold by Moses in Deuteronomy 18:15, which says, “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your countrymen, you shall listen to him.” His answer to that question is “no”. Have you noticed that his answers have been getting shorter with each question?

Finally, in verse 22, the delegation stopped guessing and asked John the Baptist to give his own description of himself. They needed to have some information to bring back in their report, so they decided to give up their interview-format and preconceived ideas, and allow John the Baptist to control the conversation. They are no longer demanding information from him; they are pleading for it!

II. JOHN THE BAPTIST’S DESCRIPTION OF HIMSELF (verses 23-28)

A, A “VOICE” (verse 23)

What he gives as an answer may have created even more confusion in their minds, but I’m sure that his brief answer was written down word-for-word. His answer should have been easy for them to remember because John the Baptist quoted Isaiah’s prophesy in Isaiah 40:3 as his answer to them. This quote made by John the Baptist can be found in all four of the gospels. Here in verse 23 John says, “I AM A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD’.”

We need to read Isaiah chapter 40 and see John’s quote in the context of this amazing chapter on the greatness, the sovereignty, the power and the love of God. We need to see these words of John in the context of God’s mercy, His faithfulness, and His wonderful plans for His people. The Babylonian captivity is about to occur and Isaiah has been describing God’s condemnation of them for their sins, and the things they are going to experience in captivity. The Jews at the time of John’s Gospel were under the “captivity” of Rome. Without that context, we won’t see what John the Baptist wants the nation of Israel to see about their God and about the preparations that need to be made in anticipation of His coming. The time has come.

As John the Baptist has already said, he is not the Messiah (the Word), but he has the God-given privilege and responsibility of being the “voice”, proclaiming the Word loud and clear. He spoke in a loud, strong voice, filled with emotion and conviction, so that all would hear him (whether they wanted to or not)! I was listening to one of Billy Graham’s first crusades at Madison Square Garden. He was preaching his message at the top of his lungs! Microphones and sound systems weren’t as powerful and as sophisticated in the mid-1950’s as they are today, and he wanted to make sure everybody heard every word he had to say to them! His preaching at that crusade gave me a better impression of what John the Baptist must have sounded like. And he didn’t have any microphones or speakers in his day! God must have given him a powerful set of lungs and vocal chords!

The words “make straight the way” were a familiar expression in that day. Before a king would visit a town in his realm, a messenger called a “forerunner” would be sent ahead of him to announce his coming. This gave the townspeople some time to fix the road, removing any obstacles, and to make themselves presentable to him before his arrival. John was saying, in effect, “The King of heaven and earth is coming. Get your hearts cleaned up and your lives prepared to welcome His arrival!”

B. A LOWLY SERVANT (verses 24-28)

Verse 24 may not seem significant, but John’s wording tells us otherwise. He says, “Now they had been sent by the Pharisees.” Would it come across more clearly if it were translated: “Oh, by the way, those priests and Levites were sent by the Pharisees.” Who gave the Pharisees the right to tell the priests and Levites what to do and what to say? The Pharisees had no authority from God. The word “Pharisee” means “separated” or “separatist”. The movement started about 150 B.C., and by the time of Christ, this sect had become a very powerful and corrupt part of the Jewish religious hierarchy, even though they were neither priests nor Levites.

In verse 25 the delegation said to John the Baptist, “Why are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” They are saying, “Who gave you the authority to baptize?” The Lord Jesus addressed that question of authority in Matthew 21:23-27. The chief priests and elders asked Him, “By what authority are you doing these things, and who gave you this authority.” In reply Jesus asks them a question about John the Baptist. They were speechless. Here is a portion of that conversation: “I will ask you one thing too, which if you tell Me, I will also tell you by what authority I do these things. The baptism of John was from what source, from heaven or from men?” . . . “We do not know”. . . . “Neither will I tell you by what authority I do things.”

When the delegation asked John the Baptist why he was baptizing, they really meant “why are you baptizing Jews?” In their minds baptism was meant only for Gentiles who wanted to adopt the Jewish faith. They were angered at the suggestion that they needed repentance and baptism. In answer to their question, John gives another description of himself. He describes himself as a lowly servant, not even worthy of such a humble service as untying his Master’s sandals. That was considered to be one of the most demeaning jobs that a servant could be called upon to do for his master. Once again John the Baptist turns the focus of the conversation away from himself and onto the Messiah. He also tells them that the Messiah is already in their midst but they don’t know Him.

CONCLUSION:

If someone asked you the question, “Who are you?” or “Who do you think you are?”, how would you respond? John’s focus was on the Messiah, and he was a “voice”, preparing the way for the Lord. His words were “repent and be baptized”. Jesus’ words in Mark 1:13 were: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”

Any day now, any moment now, the Lord Jesus will “descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet of God” (I Thes. 4:16-17). God has called Christians to be a “voice”, pointing people to Him. The message is still the same: “Repent” – turn from your sins and your control over your life, “believe” in Christ as your Lord and Savior, turning your life over to Him, and “be baptized”, make a public declaration of your faith to your family, friends, and community. If you haven’t made that decision, there’s no better time than now. Please, don’t put it off any longer.

Christians, whenever you are tempted to think that you are indispensable to the work of the Lord, remember John the Baptist. The fact that God uses us is no excuse for pride. Instead, it is a reminder of Christ’s worth and His glory, and the privilege of being a voice for Him and a light that reflects His glory. The King is coming! Let’s let the whole world know before He arrives!

CONSTRUCTION SITE:

The blueprint of John 1:29-34 is on the drafting table, the Spirit of God is the Architect overseeing the project, and construction will begin soon. Hope you will come back again. God’s Word is a never-ending, construction project, and our lives are “concrete examples” of the effects of working hard on the project. May we, as His workmen, grow wiser, stronger, and better equipped to serve Him with each working day.

JESUS CHRIST, IDENTIFIED AND MAGNIFIED – John 1:15-17

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Have you ever had something really wonderful happen to you and you could hardly wait to share it with your family and friends? As you write the letters, send the emails, or make the phone calls, in your excitement you begin with the big picture, the main event. In just a few action-packed and emotion-filled words you release your excitement. Then you begin to explain the details: what led up to the event, the event itself, and what has been happening to you afterward. You might also talk about the effects it might have on your future. Does that sequence of events sound familiar to you?

The apostle John has reached that point in his gospel. Verses 1-18 are his prologue, the introduction to his book. He has been describing the “logos” in order to gain the attention and interest of his Greek-speaking audience. In verse 14 he comes to the exciting main event: “The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us“! In his excitement, John is saying, “Isn’t that amazing!” “Isn’t that exciting!” He spends the rest of his book telling them, and us, about it.

I. THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (verse 15)

To verify his statement, John directs our attention again to the words of John the Baptist, for a brief moment, because John the Baptist was the first person to publicly identify the Logos. Though John the Baptist was six months older than Jesus, he says of Jesus in verse 15, “He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.” He shouted those words as loud as he could because he wanted to get everyone’s attention. He wanted everyone within earshot to hear from his lips who Jesus truly was, John the Baptist is referring to Jesus’ eternal existence, and therefore His deity. He will have much more to say about Jesus in the next passage of Scripture that we will be studying – verses 19 and following of John chapter 1.

Some people consider Jesus Christ to be only a man, and indeed He is a man. Some people point to Him as an example, and He is that also. But if that’s all you can see in Jesus Christ, then your view of Him is incomplete and contrary to the Scriptures. For the first and most important thing said about Jesus Christ is that He had no beginning, and that is the same as calling him God.

The Old Testament, which was completed 400 years before the birth of Christ, contains many occurrences of His appearing to people. The terms “the angel of the Lord” or “the angel of God” are used often in the Old Testament to refer to an appearance of Christ. He appeared to Abraham in Genesis 18 and is referred to as “the Lord”. In John 8:56 Jesus said, “Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.” He appeared to Jacob in a dream in Genesis 31 and introduced Himself as “the God of Bethel”. Jacob wrestles with a man in Genesis 32, and the man says, “You have striven with God”. Jacob then says, “I saw God face-to-face”. In Exodus 23:21 He appears to Moses and is identified by God as having the power to forgive sins because God says, “My name is in him”.

There are many other references to “the angel of the Lord” in the Old Testament. It’s interesting to note that this “angel of the Lord” never appeared during the lifetime of Jesus Christ on this earth. Why? Because Jesus Christ is the “angel of the Lord” making an “extended appearance” for thirty-three years as a human being.

II. CHRIST’S SUFFICIENCY (verse 16)

In verse 16, the apostle John continues where he left off in verse 14. He said that the Word was “full of grace and truth”. Now he adds, “For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace.” We might ask the question: “What is it that we have received from Jesus Christ?” A better question might be: “What is it that we have not received?” From Him we have received a new life, peace, joy, God’s Word, the Holy Spirit, and all that the believer needs for this life and for eternity.

Have you ever filled a glass or bucket to the brim with water and then tried to walk while carrying it? You couldn’t keep it from spilling the water all over the place, could you? The apostle Paul, in Colossians 1:19, says of Jesus; “For it was the Father’s good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him.” Paul’s prayer for the church at Ephesus was “that you may be filled with all the fullness of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:19). The great preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, declared, “I have heard our Lord compared to a man carrying a water pot. As he bore it upon his shoulder, the water, yielding to the movement of his body, fell dropping and spilling about so that one could easily track the water-bearer. So should all of God’s people be carrying such a fullness of grace that everyone knows where they have been by the tracks they leave behind.”

The apostle John describes this “fullness” as “grace upon grace“. Out of Christ’s “fullness” we have received one grace after another. It is an inexhaustible supply of fresh grace. I lead worship services at several healthcare facilities and we have been studying the miracles in the Old Testament. I think that the miracle we studied this week is very appropriate to this verse of Scripture. In I KIngs 17, after Elijah told King Ahab that there was going to be a drought, God told Elijah to hide at the brook Cherith and He would provide Elijah with food daily. Many of you are probably familiar with the “Meals On Wheels” program. For a modest fee they will bring a hot meal to the door of a person who is unable to prepare a good meal for himself. I think that God had an even better idea. I call it “Meals on Wings”. Twice a day ravens brought Elijah meat and bread — airmail, special delivery! This continued for months, maybe for a year or more. What a demonstration of the continuing, faithful grace of God!

When John describes how that fullness is bestowed upon us, he uses the Greek preposition, anti, which has been translated into English in many different ways. The most popular translation appears to be “grace upon grace“. However, there are several other translations such as: “grace for grace”, “grace on grace”, “grace after grace”, “grace in place of grace”, “grace over against grace”, as well as many paraphrases of those words.

Which translation of “anti” is correct? Do they all convey the exact same meaning? What was the literal meaning of that word in common usage during that period of time? My own conclusion, so far, is that the Greek preposition “anti” usually means “instead of” or “in place of”. It does sound awkward to say “grace instead of grace” or “grace in place of grace”. There needs to an explanation so that we can put the phrase into understandable English. I think I found that explanation. It makes sense to me and I hope it will make sense to you as well. Joanie Yoder gives the following explanation and illustration in an Our Daily Bread devotional:

Years ago, Amy Carmichael shared some helpful insights about the phrase, “grace for grace.” Drawing from the writings of Bishop Moule (1841-1920), she wrote that the Greek word translated “for” literally means “instead of”. He illustrated the meaning by describing a river. “Stand on its banks,” he wrote, “and contemplate the flow of waters. A minute passes, and another. Is it the same stream still? Yes. But is it the same water? No.” The old water, he explained, had been displaced by new — “water in stead of water,”

The same is true of grace. Your life today may carry yesterday’s problems, but remember, God’s grace is new each morning, exactly what you need to meet each new challenge. It is an inexhaustible and ever-fresh supply.

Thank you, Joanie, Bishop Moule, and Our Daily Bread Ministries for those insights. As the prophet Jeremiah said in Lamentations 3:22-23, “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases. His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness (RSV). I personally like the translations “grace after grace” and “one grace after another”.

The following illustration describes grace in terms of “dollars and cents” if that gives you a clearer picture. A generous man decided to give a thousand dollars to a poor minister. (This illustration was written back in the day when a thousand dollars was a lot of money; when one hundred dollars a week was the average wage of a blue-collar worker.) Thinking that it might be too much all at once, he sent fifty dollars with a note which said, “More to follow“. A few days later he sent a similar amount with the same message. At regular intervals he sent a third, then a fourth, and a fifth, and so on, all accompanied by the same promise, “More to follow“. The surprised and happy minister soon became familiar with those cheering words and his gratitude to God overflowed each time he read them. In the same way, every blessing God gives us in Christ comes with a reminder, “More to follow“.

CHRIST’S FULLNESS BY COMPARISON (verse 17)

In verse 17, John contrasts this grace with the Old Testament law when he says, “For the law was given through Moses, grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.” The law was “given“. It was engraved on tablets of stone by the finger of God. Grace and truth “came“. They were wrapped up in the Person of Jesus Christ. People saw and experienced His grace. Peter said, “Jesus went around doing good” (Acts10:38). The Lord Jesus also spoke the truth, and with authority. In the gospel writings you will notice that the Lord Jesus often used the words, “Truly, truly, I say to you”, or “I tell you the truth”. In John 7:32 the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to seize Jesus. They returned empty-handed. When asked why they didn’t bring Him, the officers answered, “No one ever spoke the way this man speaks.” (John 7:46, NIV) Grace and truth were Jesus’ essential perfections. They set Him apart from the rest of the world. Those two attributes, grace and truth, need to come together in our own lives also. It is difficult to receive, and impossible to really enjoy, a gift that comes from someone we don’t trust. Are there people who don’t trust you? By the grace of God, what are you going to do about it?

CONCLUSION:

There is joy and excitement in the New Testament, especially after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and the focus is upon “the grace of God” and “the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ”. It was continually in their minds of the apostles, as well as on their hearts, in their speech, and in their writings. Get out a concordance, look up the word “grace” and see how many times it is mentioned in the book of Acts and in the epistles. Look at the opening paragraph and closing paragraph of the epistles and see how many times it is there. It appears to me that this is the way the first-century Christians said hello and goodbye to each other. I don’t know about you, but I don’t think about those words and say them often enough. I can never think about them or say them often enough. When I turn off this computer I’m going to write the words, “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ” on a piece of paper and put it on my refrigerator, where I’ll see it several times a day. I have a little wooden “pocket cross”, a gift from a friend. I’ve stopped putting it in my pocket, but it is going back in it again. Every time I put my hand in my pocket to get my keys or warm my hand, I want to be reminded of the grace of God. If you have reminders that you use, I would appreciate hearing from you about it. Let’s be of encouragement to one another.

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.” II Timothy 2:15 (NIV)