When John Was Baptist And Paul Was Jewish

When John was Baptist and Paul was Jewish

Thomas Edison has been credited with inventing the light bulb. There were several inventors who designed and made various forms of the light bulb, in fact Edison’s idea originated from his purchase of Henry Woodard and Matthew Evans patent of the light bulb. Edison’s more advanced bulb helped pave the way for electric lighting. He designed the first electric powered station which gave power to residents within a one square mile area in lower Manhattan. The company that bore his name, Edison General Electric, was never owned by Edison because J. P. Morgan was his largest investor. Later the company Edison General Electric merged with its leading competitor and became simply known as General Electric or GE.

In many ways the gospel has evolved similarly to that of the light bulb. Many believers down through the ages have discovered different truths that make up the foundation of the Christian church. The power of God’s word has always been light. It is the harnessing of God’s Word in the life that makes us human light bulbs.

In him was life; and the life was the light of men. John 1:4 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Matthew 5:14

Edison’s achievement in electric lighting does not diminish what the other 9 inventors were able to do with their prototypes; his was an advanced design of further study and sacrifice. But believe you me, brothers and sisters, when Edison scored with his version of the electric light, I guarantee you the other nine inventors weren’t going around saying, “I’m not going to use his light bulb, I have my own light bulb.”

[GIVE SERMON TOPIC & PRAY]

Lets establish something first. Is this not the Word of God? Let me take it a step further. Is this the Book on which we base our faith and govern our lives? Jesus said:

Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. John 12:35 and John 8:12

The Holy Scriptures metaphorically describes itself as light.

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path. Psalm 119:105

There are three things I would like to share with you about the Light of God’s Word. First light is progressive. As you can see from our two previous texts, we must walk in and follow Jesus that means we are advancing, moving, going forward in the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Second Light penetrates. Wherever darkness lies, God’s word can bring light. Ignorance is darkness. So many people don’t know about the Light of God’s word. Finally Light is permanent. Jesus the Bible says is the Light and the Father of lights and his goings forth are from everlasting to everlasting, however there are such things as artificial lighting which does expire we need to watch out for those.

In our scripture reading we discover that John the Baptist had a ministry. His ministry was not an end but was a prelude to the end. The message John preached was progressive Light, in other words it lead to something else. [READ John 1:6-9, 15.] He not only had a ministry but was a preacher who started a new faith. John was a Baptist. That’s what he did. He immersed people in water for the repentance of sins and preparation for the coming kingdom. The popular church of John’s day took issue with the new found faith. It wasn’t a new faith that John was preaching. It was a new revelation of truth which was already established. The rituals in the sanctuary did little for the Jews to understand the coming of Christ.

But woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in…Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves. Matthew 23:13, 15

God had to allow new forms and ways of reaching His people because the preachers made it hard for the people to understand.

In every age there is a new development of truth, a message of God to the people of that generation. The old truths are all essential; new truth is not independent of the old, but an unfolding of it. It is only as the old truths are understood that we can comprehend the new. When Christ desired to open to His disciples the truth of His resurrection, He began "at Moses and all the prophets" and "expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning Himself." Luke 24:27. But it is the light which shines in the fresh unfolding of truth that glorifies