John Series Part 3 Series

John Series Part 3 John 1:9-13

Pastor Rodney A. Fry, MA, MDIV, MS, LPC

Jesus the Light of Men: The Second Witness of John the Apostle, 1:9–13

(1:9–13) Introduction: the world is in desperate straits. It is full of darkness—the darkness of sin and despair, of sickness and death, of corruption and hell. The darkness looms over the whole world. This is the problem dealt with in the present passage. There is hope in Jesus Christ, for Christ is the true Light, and Light dispels darkness.

1. Christ was the Light (v.9).

2. Christ was tragically rejected by the world (vv.10–11).

3. Christ was wonderfully received by some (vv.12–13).

1 (1:9) Jesus Christ, Light; Mission: Christ was “the true Light.” Other men may claim to be lights; they may claim that they can lead men to the truth. Some may claim they can …

• reveal God to men

• show the nature, meaning, and destiny of the future and other things

• guide a man out of the darkness of sin, shame, doubt, despair, and the fear of death and hell

• do away with and eliminate the darkness entirely

However, such men are false lights. Their claims are only ideas in their minds, fictitious ideas, and counterfeit claims. Their thoughts and positions are defective, frail, and uncertain—just as imperfect as any other man-made position dealing with the truth. Note two glorious truths.

a. The true Light is Jesus Christ. What does this mean? It means that Jesus Christ was what other men are not. Other men may claim to be the light of men, but their thoughts are only false imaginations. Christ alone was the true Light. Christ is to man what light is to man, and Christ did for man what light does for man.

? Light is clear and pure: it is clean and good. So is Christ (Ep. 5:8).

? Light penetrates: it cuts through and eliminates darkness. So does Christ.

? Light enlightens: it enlarges one’s vision and knowledge. So does Christ.

? Light reveals: it opens up the truth of an area, a whole new world and life. It clears up the way to the truth and life. So does Christ (Jn. 14:6).

? Light guides: it keeps one from groping and grasping about in the dark trying to find one’s way. It directs the way to go, leads along the right path. So does Christ (Jn. 12:36, 46).

? Light exposes and strips away darkness. So does Christ (Jn. 3:19–20).

? Light routs the chaos. So does Christ (see Ge. 1:2–3).

? Light discriminates between the right way and the wrong way. So does Christ (see note—Ep. 5:10. see Ep. 5:8–10.)

? Light warns: it warns of dangers that lie ahead in one’s path. So does Christ.

? Light protects: it keeps one from tripping, stumbling, falling, and injuring oneself and losing one’s life. So does Christ.

b. The mission of Christ is to give light to men. Note that He gives light to every man. How?

? Christ gives light to men through natural revelation, the creation and order of the universe.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handywork” (Ps. 19:1).

“The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory” (Ps. 97:6).

“For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Ro. 1:20).

“For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another” (Ro. 2:14–15).

“Nevertheless he left not himself without witness, in that he did good, and gave us rain from heaven, and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness” (Ac. 14:17).

? Christ gives light to men by giving good gifts to men. Every “good and perfect gift” which man receives is said to come from the Father of lights.

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (Js. 1:17).

But there is much more light given to men since Christ has “come into the world.”

1) There is the light of Christ Himself: He is the Savior who now stands before the world as “the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world” (Jn. 11:27). Every man can now see the truth. They may reject it, but they can see it.

“I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him” (De. 18:18).