Christmas at MVC // Week 3

Man’s Response to God’s Light
John 1:4-5, 9-13 December 22, 2019
Introduction:
A. I remember a number of years ago walking into a dark house at night to do some
work. I had been there many times before and the path was always clear to the
light switch, which was not by the door but on the other side of the room. I
started a brisk walk over to the light switch and bam – I not only stumbled but I
went flying over something I could not see, something a worker had put there
during the day.
B. Christmas is all about the time that God turned on his light switch for this
spiritually dark world. When Jesus was born the world received the light it
needed to see just what this world was really all about, to see what really is true in
this world and to see just what the creator of this whole world knew that man
needed to know to have an abundant life here on earth.
1. Before Jesus was born John the Baptist’s father, said this about Jesus who
was soon to be born – Luke 1:78-79
2. I could have used a light that night to guide my feet in that room and each
one of us needs the light that comes from God to guide our feet in this dark
world.
3. Jesus is that light and at the birth of Jesus, a great light came into a world that
was in deep spiritual darkness!
C. Turn in your Bibles, on your phones, Bibles on chairs, and share with someone to
John 1:1 where we will read this story of Jesus coming into the world as God’s
light.
1. As I read I want you to note two things:
a) Jesus – called the Word here - God’s perfect message to the world is the
true light from God
b) Also note the way man responded to this light – watch for two different
responses
2. Read v1-12
• Let’s start by looking at this idea that
I. Jesus, God’s light, came into a dark world
A. Light allows us to see. In Scripture light is associated with seeing, with knowing
and with moral and spiritual power that is healthy.
1. Often when someone does not know about something we say, “they are in the
dark,” but when they learn something new, we say the lights just went on.
2. Darkness is just the opposite as it is associated with being unable to see, not
knowing and moral and spiritual power that is unhealthy.
B. Jesus is the Light – the one that brings to us the spiritual knowledge we need to
see what is really going on in this world and to see what God really thinks, says,
does, His ways and what He wants from us.
1. Note how Light helps us see so we can be guided and not stumble! Read:
a) John 3:20-21- Light exposes and manifests what is real and true
b) John 11:9-10 – Light allows you to see so you do not stumble
c) John 12:35 – No Light, you do not know where you are going
2. So when you apply this to a spiritually dark world it means since the world is
in darkness and does not know what the truth really is about God and life.
They are stumbling all over the place spiritually and they really have no idea
where they are going spiritually!
C. Listen again to see that Jesus is the light come from God. John 1:4-5, 9.
1. Jesus is the one who shines God’s light into this world, shining it on all
mankind. He is God’s agent to bring truth to this world!
2. Note it says He is the true light – that means there must be false lights as
well, counterfeits that look like the real thing but they are not.
D. When we say that something is dark, we mean it is something that is really bad.
Morally or spiritually wicked and evil! But not all darkness is wicked and evil.
1. Listen to this 2 Corinthians 11:13-15
2. Even religion is a part of darkness if it is not consistent with the truth and
message that Jesus brought. Good people doing good things can be a part of
darkness.
3. Darkness is anything that is operating without the light of God as revealed in
His Son and His Word. It can range from moral and spiritual wickedness to
good people and religion. The comment element is they are not operating
according to the light that God has given to us in Jesus, whether what they
are doing is good or bad because it comes from man’s best wisdom rather
than God’s true light!
• And we learn in this passage this morning that there are
II. Two different responses to the Light
A. The first group ranges from people who just do not get it to those who flatly reject
Jesus.
1. First those who do not get it – Read
a) V5 – not comprehend - they just do not get it, they look at Jesus and say
what? He just does not make sense to them
b) V10 – Just not recognize who He was. They are not aware of who Jesus
was
2. Those who flatly reject Jesus who He is and what He claims. Read
a) V11 – receive Him - did not welcome Him, they did not receive who He
claimed to be or what He claimed the truth to be. They rejected Him
b) Listen what John the Baptist said about Jesus –
(1) Read John 3:31-34
(2) Jesus comes from heaven and speaks the very words of God and no
one receives it! Accepts it, they reject it. We will speak in a
moment about those who do receive and accept what Jesus says
c) Listen to what Jesus says about Himself
(1) Read John 5:43, 46-47
(2) Jesus came representing God the Father – that’s what it means to
come in my Father’s name and they did not receive Him or accept
what He said
(3) V46-47 helps us understand that simply they rejected Him and His
claims because they did not believe Him
B. But we see in v12 of John 1 the other group of people – those who received and
accepted Jesus’ claims to come from heaven to represent the Father and what He
says. Those that believed He was who He said He was.
1. Listen to John 1:12
2. Those who received, accepted, believed what Jesus claimed were given the
right to become children of God.
C. Jesus’ basic claim was that every person born into this world is born in darkness
and sin and they are separated from God. The only way out of that condition is to
believe in Jesus and what He claims and rely upon the fact that when He died on
the cross He died to pay for your sins. When He rose from the dead, He rose to
give you the very life of God so you could have the light of this world!
• Which group are you in this morning?
III. Invite
A. If in your heart of hearts this morning you are saying to yourself I do not buy
what this guy is saying, you are in the first group that either does not recognize
who Jesus is or flatly rejects His claims
B. But if in your heart of heart you are saying to yourself – everything he is saying is
true of me and I need this light that Jesus gives and I believe everything that Jesus
says about Himself and about me – then I would encourage you right now to
1. Confess – you are in the dark and separated from God
2. Admit that Jesus is the true light and that His death on the cross was to pay
for your sins and His resurrection to give you His life
3. Call out to Him right now thanking Him for dying for you and giving you
knew life so you can see the true light of life!