John The Baptist

Moving on from there, we’ll look at John 1:10. Can someone read that for me?

**SOMEONE READS JOHN 1:10** We read here that Jesus was in the world from the beginning. In fact Scripture tells us of several places where the Lord appeared to people in the Old Testament. He appeared to Abraham, when he was camped under the trees at Mamre. He wrestled with Jacob, and one of my favorites is one that many people overlook, so I’ll read it to you, it comes from Judges Chapter 13, verses 9-22/ <Judges 13:9-22>> Now looking back at John 1:10, we read that even though the world was made through Him, the world did not know Him. The New Living translation translates the Angel of the LORD (or Jesus’) response to Manoah’s question about his name, "Why do you ask my name?" the angel of the LORD replied. "You wouldn’t understand if I told you." The LORD knew Manoah’s name, but Manoah just couldn’t understand His. John chapter 7 verse 5 tells us that Jesus’ own brothers did not know who He was, as the Messiah.

With the world, not believing, we also see that they rejected Him. Could someone read John 1:11? **SOMEONE READS JOHN 1:11**

We know that Old Testament scripture foretells that Jesus would be rejected. In the book of Hosea, chapter 9, verse 17 <Hosea 9:17>>. We also see it foretold in the Psalms. Psalm 118, verse 22 calls Jesus “the stone that the builders rejected”. But, praise God, even the world did not know Him, and rejected Him, by God’s grace, and promises we can believe, and become sons of God. Someone read John 1:12 and 13.

**SOMEONE READS JOHN 1:12-13**

We read in verse 12 that “as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to them to become children of God, to those who believe in His name. Now, if we break this down, we see that the right to become children of God is a gift, given to those who received Him, if they believe in His name. This was radically different from the mindset of the Jewish rabbis of the day. They believed that the right to be children of God, or salvation was a birthright covenant given only to the Hebrew nation. Gentiles like you and I had to go through elaborate rituals to convert to Judaism to receive the benefits of this covenant. What John is laying a foundation for is that this covenant is a free gift, to all who would accept it. Romans 8:14 tells us that those led by the Spirit of God, these are the sons of God. What you need to do right now is ask yourself – does the Spirit of God lead me? Have I accepted this free gift? If the answer is no, I want you to consider walking down the aisle in a few minutes when I ask, to accept this free gift. I’ll pray with you and you can enter into a personal relationship with Jesus.

Verse 13 continues the same thought outlining that with the right to become the sons of God, comes being born not of blood, or the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God. 1st Peter 1:23 tells us about this re-birth. When we are born again, we are born of incorruptible seed, through the word of God, which lives and abides forever. John tells us more that this is a free gift from God, and as we saw in the last verse available to all who would receive it. Will you receive it? I received this gift at a young age, and it changed the course of my life radically. That same grace is available to you today.