Our True Light Opportunity

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He’s Here! #5 December 10 2017

Pastor David Staff

Our True Light Opportunity John 1:9-13 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

“Awake! arise! the hour is late! Angels are knocking at thy door! They are in haste and cannot wait, And once departed come no more. Awake! arise! the athlete's arm Loses its strength by too much rest; The fallow land, the untilled farm Produces only weeds at best.” i Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Have you ever answered the door of opportunity just at the right time?. It came knocking, and you thrust the door wide open! Maybe you were one of those who got in on the IPO of Google, initially offeredii at $85 per share (this week, $1019 per); or Amazoniii at $18 per share (this week $1141 per). Maybe you got the girl when the other guy was napping! [That’s how I got my bride!] As great as seized opportunity can be, missed opportunity can be crushing. Actress Angela Jolie observed “If you ask people what they've always wanted to do, most people haven't done it.” What about you? Do you have too many ”Geez, I wish I’d… • • • • • • •

fished more with my son, called my grandkids weekly, been on my knees years way before my young adult foolishly stumbled into a bad marriage (we’d) taken more walks, smelled the roses built up my wife more my words, blessed my husband rather than complained simply read my Bible, and thought about what I was reading; memorized more Scripture exercised more, ate less fatty foods gotten serious about Jesus Missed opportunities create regrets; seized opportunities create joy.

“We yearn for opportunities, we pray for opportunities and we seek opportunities. The good news is that we meet opportunities. The bad news is that we can miss the opportunities only to come to a later realization of what we lost.” Ernest Agyemang Yeboah 1 | P a g e He’s Here #5 John 1:9-13

I’m convinced that the Apostle John wrote his gospel offering a unique opportunity. In the 20th chapter, he explains John 20:30-31 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah), the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name. There’s an opportunity here. Don’t miss it. That’s why begins 1st chapter introducing a man who not only became his best friend, but thoroughly changed his entire life. John understood the opportunity in realizing that Jesus was • • • •

The Word of God can BEGIN things from God The Word who is, in fact, GOD himself Someone with TRUE LIFE which CAN SHINE into our darkness and defeat it The Word with a WITNESS - John who cried out “I’m not the light, but He is! Make no mistake about it!

With all that on the table, John then presents THE OPPORTUNITY John 1:9-13 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. What’s the Spirit of God saying through these verses? Simply this When the True Light arrives, opportunity dawns (happens, is present) What is done with opportunity is stunningly decisive. Notice the opportunity in these words. OPPORTUNITY PRESENTED is verse 9. John 1:9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. This are simple, brief, and powerful. The WORD/Jesus is the true light. Jesus himself is the true light that can shine in anybody’s life, and He is the true light that every person needs. Leon Morris (leading with quote from Barclay) says it Other lights ‘were flickers of the truth’ But Christ is the genuine light. He is the light that brings real illumination to men. There is nothing unreal or shadowy about the light which is Christ.iv 2 | P a g e He’s Here #5 John 1:9-13

So when the TRUE LIGHT was coming into the world, how was the opportunity handled? John notes there was… 1st The WORLD’s opportunity to truly KNOW its CREATOR. John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. We’ve noticed that when John writes verses like this, he loves to emphasize by simply repeating a key word – this time it’s the word WORLD (3X in 19 words). It’s John being very intentional about explaining how the WORD sought to connect with the WORLD OF MEN…and what happened. Look carefully – HE WAS IN THE WORLD “Not a fleeting visit; the phrase conveys continuity, continuously” The LIGHT came and just didn’t flash like a firework, But came and lived and clearly made his presence felt. THE WORLD WAS MADE THROUGH HIM “the world of men who live in the provision of the physical creation owe their very existence to Him” [yet] THE WORLD DID NOT KNOW HIM He was here Our existence depends on his gracious power This, or course, is one of the most tragic lines in the Scriptures. Leon Morris suggests “[the world] knew him not” and then adds We might render this “did not come to know him,” “did not recognize him.” More than intellectual knowledge is in mind. There is also the thought of failing to know intimately, to know and love as a friend, to be in right relationship. The tense is aorist which perhaps indicates a single action. The world missed its great opportunity.v This is tragic because John is describing something that not only happened back then, but also happens all the time today. It happens every day. All of us can think of people who have a veryclose opportunity to know about Christ through their spouse, perhaps a grandmother/grandfather, through a boss who is a committed Christian or a co-worker, fellow student, professor. I’ve done funerals for individuals who were “this close” to someone in whom the light of Christ was shining…and MISSED the opportunity to KNOW Him. 3 | P a g e He’s Here #5 John 1:9-13

He was IN the world, and the world was MADE THROUGH Him…and yet the world missed it. 2nd ISRAEL’s opportunity to EMBRACE its TRUE SON. John 1:11 . He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. [Morris] “We might translate the opening words He came home.”vi When the Word came to this world, He did not come as an alien. He came home. Moreover, he came to Israel…The Word did not go where He could not have expected to be known. He came home, where people ought to have known him. We forget how agonizing this missed opportunity was to those who understand it best. Paul, who was a Hebrew of the Hebrews before He bent the knee to the light of Christ, said this to the Christians in Rome Romans 9:1-3

O Israel, my people! O my Jewish brothers! How I long for you to come to Christ. My heart is heavy within me, and I grieve bitterly day and night because of you. Christ knows and the Holy Spirit knows that it is no mere pretense when I say that I would be willing to be forever damned if that would save you. 4 God has given you so much, but still you will not listen to him. He took you as his own special, chosen people and led you along with a bright cloud of glory and told you how very much he wanted to bless you. He gave you his rules for daily life so you would know what he wanted you to do. He let you worship him and gave you mighty promises. 5 Great men of God were your fathers, and Christ himself was one of you, a Jew so far as his human nature is concerned, he who now rules over all things. Praise God forever!vii One day, two friends were talking. One said, “Hey, by the way, I heard you dismissed your pastor. What was wrong?” His friend said, “Well, he kept telling us we’re all going to hell.” “So,” the first man continued, “What does your new pastor say?” His friend replied, “The new pastor says we’re going to hell too.” “So what’s the difference?” the first man asked. “Well,” said the friend, “the difference is that when the previous pastor said it, he sounded like he was glad about it; but when our new pastor says it, he sounds like it is breaking his heart.”viii John through his simple words is explain something very profound When the True Light arrives, opportunity dawns (happens, is present) What is done with opportunity is stunningly decisive. – The WORLD missed its opportunity (so many still do) -- The ISRAELITES rejected their opportunity (most Israelites still do) But there remains 3rd ANYONE’S opportunity to BE BORN into God’s FAMILY John 1:12-13 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. 4 | P a g e He’s Here #5 John 1:9-13

The two key words here are “receive” and “believe,” and they stand in contrast to the WORLD’s choice not to KNOW its Creator, and Israel’s choice to REJECT her true son. Even though the world misses its opportunity, and Israel rejects its opportunity…YOUR OPPORTUNITY remains. You can see that this is one of the clearest verses on your part in to joining God’s family. 1st – the opportunity involves RECEIVING Christ. The Greek verb simply means “to take,” even “to grasp.” Suppose after our worship service, I came up to you with this gift, and I said, “Here…this is for you,” and I held it out in my hand between us. What would you need to do to have it? You would need to extend your hand and “receive it.” In fact the word here also has the nuance of “welcoming it” or “eagerly receiving it.” That’s what you need to do to join God’s family. God extends to you a gift; it’s His Son, The WORD, Jesus the Christ. God so loved the world that HE GAVE His only begotten Son. It’s why we celebrate Christmas; it’s why we GIVE gifts. We re-enact with each other what God did with us. But the GIFT must be received; it must be taken. You must “extend your hand” and “receive Christ.” 2nd – RECEIVING means BELIEVING in Christ. If you’re asking, “Well how do I extend my hand and take the gift of Christ?”, the answer is right there in vs. 12. “But to all who did receive him, who believed into His name. The name “Jesus” means “salvation. To believe in the name of Jesus is • • •

to know that Jesus, the WORD, died for your sins and rose from the grave, to depend on Jesus’ death and resurrection as your only hope for forgiveness and eternal life to expect change as you are born into God’s family and become His child.

Read the verses with me again: 12 But

to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man,ix but of God.

When anyone RECEIVES Jesus by BELIEVING in his name, that person is spiritually and supernaturally…born OF GOD…and is given the RIGHT to become God’s very own child. What an opportunity! When the True Light arrives, opportunity dawns (happens, is present) What is done with opportunity is stunningly decisive.

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CONCLUSION – recognizing true opportunity So what are you doing with this incredible opportunity? Clark Cothern wrote a book entitled DETOURS: Sometimes Rough Road lead to Right Places. In it he shares this story: It was Christmas, and our family was at their home in Michigan. We were puzzled about a noise in our basement, and when we checked it out, we discovered a squirrel had fallen down our chimney into the belly of the burner stove. [Cothern continues]. I thought if it knew we were there to help, I could just reach in and gently lift it out. Nothing doing. As I reached in…it began scratching about like a squirrel overdosed on expresso. We finally managed to construct a cardboard box “cage” complete with a large hole cut into one side, into which the squirrel waltzed when we placed the box against the wood burner’s door. A minute later, we let it out into the safety of our backyard. Later I thought, “Isn’t it funny how, before its rescue, our little visitor had frantically tried to bash its way out of its dark prison? It seemed the harder it struggled in its own strength to get free, the more pain it caused itself. In the end, he simply had to wait patiently until one who was much bigger—one who could peer into his world—could carry him safely to that larger world where he really belonged. That’s what we need the Lord to do for us.x Is that what the Lord needs to do for you? …or for someone you know? Lloyd Ogilvie (in Enjoying God) remembers the conversion of a fellow student named Allistair. While finishing his doctoral work, Allistair had a carrel next to mine in the library. We ate lunch together—discussed and debated faith. Allistair had little experience with the church and had not made a profession of faith in Christ… Several times our discussions broad Allistair to the edge of a decision to become a Christian. Then, he would back off. One day our lunch discussion had focused on grace, and near the end of our give-n-take, I took out my pen and placed it on the table. “Allistair,” I said, you need to make a decision. When you decide to accept God’s gift of grace [and receive Jesus], committing your life to Christ, PICK UP THE PEN. Allistair sat there for more than an hour staring at the pen. A mutual friend, a Scot, who so enjoys his relationship with Christ, came over to our table. He’d noticed we’d been sitting there silently a long time “What are you lads doing?” he asked with a chuckle. Allistair looked up and replied intently, “I’m trying to decide whether to become a Christian.” Seeing the intensity of the moment, our friend said, “Why not do it now and get on with your life?” and walked away. Allistair returned to his silent meditation. I waited and prayed. Suddenly, as if propelled by an inner compunction, Allistair thrust out his hand and grasped the pen. “NOW is none too soon!” he exclaimed with a joyful grin. God (writes Ogilvie) has provided a way for us to be born OF GOD into His family, through Jesus Christ. But we must accept it.xi Copyright 2017 © David A. Staff All rights reserved

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, in The Complete Poems of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow August, 2004 iii 1997. iv Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans, 1971), 94. v Morris, 96. vi Ibid. vii Living Bible Paraphrase viii Included in Michael P. Green, 1500 Illustrations for Biblical Preaching, p. 424. ix Morris notes, “The piling up of these expressions is to be understood in light of the Jewish pride of race. The Jews held that because of the ‘Fathers,’ i.e., their great ancestors, God would be favorable to them. John emphatically repudiates any such idea. Nothing human, however great or excellent, can bring about the birth of which he speaks. The new birth is always sheer miracle. All human initiative is ruled out. Men are born ‘of God.’ They can be born no other way. John uses bold imagery here, for his word ‘are born’ is the very commonly used of the action of the male parent in begetting children (see further on John 3:3).” p.101. x Cited in PreachingToday.com, Perfect Illustrations For Every Topic and Occasion (Wheaton: Tyndale House, 2002), 243. xi Craig Brian Larson & Leadership Journal, 750 Engaging Illustrations (Baker Books, 2002), 113. i

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