John Part Three
So far we have learned that Jesus is God:
Lord show us the Father, and it sufficeth us. "Have I been so long time with you, and yet thou hast not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?"
John 14:8-9
And that God wants to reveal Himself through us. Jesus said:
"Ye shall be witnesses unto me."
Acts 1:8
Our lives are to bear witness of Jesus Christ and who He is.
John 1:5
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehends it not.
(KJV)
Continuously the light radiates in darkness; and the darkness does not have the ability to take it in. Before you invited Christ into your heart you were in darkness. You could not see or understand the Good News of the Gospel. And you were not able to have the benefits of Christ in you. Not one person outside of Christ is capable of shining God's light through their life. Many falsely claim that they have light outside of Christ. They shine with false light that deceives many. But the darkness does not and can not ever have the light of God outside of Christ.
For those who like to dig a little deeper, the word "comprehends" is the Greek word "katalambano". This word has a spectrum of meaning. As used here in this verse it is indicating that the darkness can not lay hold of or appropriate the light by seizing upon or taking possession of it and that it can not perceive or understand it.
12 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.
1 John 8:12
14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.
Matthew 5:14-16
7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.
1 John 1:7
Spiritual light is only revealed to us by God. We do not have the capacity to see and understand it outside of God. We are unreceptive to the Gospel of Jesus Christ until God opens our spiritual eyes. When we walk in darkness we do not hold the light.
The apostle John now transports us away from Alpha Beginning Point through time and space to tell us about a man. This is no ordinary man for he has been sent from God. And yet he is only a man. A man who has no record of performing any signs or wonders and speaks not of visions or dreams. And yet Jesus says of him:
28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist:...
Luke 7:28
He is I am sure a man who loves God and has strong passion for God. This is where we have the entrance of John the baptist and his witness to the true light.
John 1:6
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
(KJV)
There was a (anthropos) human being set apart (apostello) and sent out on a mission from the Supreme Divinity, whose name was John. This man is an apostle in that he is sent out on a mission. A man on a mission from God to speak to other men. A Divine appointment. His mission is to direct people to Jesus Christ the Lamb of God. We also are sent out to do the same. We are not to self assign our own mission. Our mission must come from God alone.
2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
3 For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
4 And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
2 Tim 4:2-5
Johns authority lies in the fact that the Supreme Divinity has sent him. He needs no other recommendation than that. On that basis alone we will hear him and pay attention to his testimony.
John 1:7
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the light, that all men through him might believe.
(KJV)
This man has the incredible honor of being the first person to actually lead others to Jesus Christ!
Remember Jesus says of Him:
28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist:...
Luke 7:28
In the above scripture the word prophet means a foreteller and an inspired speaker. John spoke under the inspiration of God through revelation.
29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
30 If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace.
1 Cor 14:29-30
Prophets speak by direct divine inspiration, an immediate revelation - not something he thought of, but something given at the spur of the moment by sudden inspiration from the light of a sudden revelation at the moment. Today, to stand in the office of prophet, one is first a minister of the Gospel, separated and called to the ministry with the calling of God upon his life. The prophet is a ministry gift. The prophets of the Old Testament were called seers. They would see and know things supernaturally by God. A prophet may speak forth his revelations through the gift of prophecy. A prophet may also bring forth his revelation just by telling what the Holy Spirit is saying. Sometimes the prophet does operate in the place of a foreteller. Today revelations are to be judged. Other people have the Spirit of God, especially those who are used in this area, so that's why the Word says , "Let the others judge." There is similarity between the prophet's ministry of the Old Testament and the New Testament. However, the prophet under the New Testament does not have the same status as the prophet under the Old Testament.
John's assignment is to bear witness of the light and not himself. Men were to pass through John to Jesus and believe.
Unfortunately there are those in the ministry who make a great show in their ministering. They secretly harbor thoughts of personal advancement in the ministry. They use maniplative techniques and tatics on the sheep of God. When they speak, you can't imagine them speaking as they do in every day life. One kind of sings his words while another rages his words. Some are like viewing a staged play. The point is that they are trying to be somebody and are leaning on the arm of the flesh to do God's work.
Some pratice in front of mirriors to perfect their performance as if it really mattered. They study the mannerisms of others who have large followings, copying their style. They have not a clue about the anointing that God gives to His ministers. They lean on the arm of the flesh instead of the anointing of God.
3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
Galations 3:3
When we try to draw people unto ourselves the anointing diminishes. We as christians are not to bear witness of ourselves. We are to bear witness of the light so that men might believe through us and not to us. Which bring us to our next verse.
John 1:8
8 He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light.
(KJV)
This verse needs to be said and reflected upon. So many servants of God start out well but gradually start to act as though they were the light.
I was told a story by a carpenter who was invited to a black tie party. The host had invited everyone who had anything to do with the building of their new home. The host had also invited their personal friends, one of whom is a well known religious television personality. This was a very expensive party costing upwards of $35,000.00 dollars. When the religious personality showed up he seemed to draw all of the attention to himself. A woman was telling a story about trying to give away pencils in Austria, they had " Jesus loves you" printed on them. The police of that country would not let her give out the pencils. They said that they would have to arrest her if she did. The religious person had his program showing in the movie theaters in Austria at the time. Someone asked him how he was able to accomplish this in that foreign country. He replied, "When you have accomplished as much as I have and when you are established and your name is well known and you have been around as long as I have, it is not hard." His attitude was that of a very important person as he was saying this. The woman remarked, "I thought Jesus had accomplished a lot and was established and had been around a long time."
The essence of this story is that we are not the light, but we are sent to bear witness of that light.
We are not sent to build grand buildings. We are not sent to wear long flowing religious garments. We are not the light. Jesus is the light. We are to bear witness of that light. If we are not doing that than what in the world are we doing? If you want to really be used of God with an anointing on your ministry, you have to bear witness of Christ. Let the candle of your life burn with the fire of Christ.
A candle with out fire in a darkened room is of no use.
