Sermon Tone Analysis

Dt 14:1; See Ro 8:14; 8:16, 21; Eph 5:1; 1 Jn 3:1, 2

Dt 14:1; See Ro 8:14; 8:16, 21; Eph 5:1; 1 Jn 3:1, 2

Today we are continuing our study of the Gospel of John.

We are going to be looking at chapter 1, verses 10-13, but I would like to start by reading from the beginning of the chapter.

Please turn in your bibles to John chapter 1.

While you are turning, how are you enjoying the Gospel of John?

I encourage everyone to take time to read this great book of the Bible.

There are 21 chapters, so if you read 1 chapter per day, you will finish in 21 days!

For those who started when we began this study, we are on today.

What a great chapter that is!

It seems that each day I think, “Oh, this is a good one!”

Does anyone have a favorite passage they have read in John so far?

Anything that really encouraged you, or spoke to you?

Let’s pray and ask God to speak to us from His word this morning.

What is it to be a ‘child of God’?

That last phrase, born of God is what I was focusing on when I titled the sermon, Child of God.

I want to look at this entire passage, but the big question for today comes from this concept of being a child of God.

What is it to be a ‘child of God’?

What is it to be the child of any father?

Being a child of God is a blessing.

It is a comfort.

And, it is a call; a call to … well, we will get into that in a little bit.

Let’s begin digging into this passage.

I have mentioned a few times in the past, including just last week, that when we are reading and studying God’s word, we should pay attention to something… Anyone remember, or have an idea from this verse?

We need to pay attention to things that are repeated.

Here is an idea of how many times this occurs.

kosmos

What is kosmos?

The word has to do with organization, beauty, the universe.

It is most often used for the universe, this world and for the people of this world.

In the New Testament, in came to be used for the people of the world who stood in opposition to Christ.

The word which represented the beauty and order of the Creator as seen in all the universe, the world, and people tragically represents the people of the world who rejected Christ.

That is seen clearly here in , as well as in , and other places in the New Testament.

The Heavens declare the glory of God.

God, the creator of it all has been rejected by the world.

They seek to find any other explanation for the beauty and order of the universe, and they worship created things rather than acknowledge him as God.

How would you and I react if we did something huge and wonderful for someone, and then they claimed it was from someone else.

What if they rejected us outright, and refused to even acknowledge our existence or give us the time of day?

Well, it would not be pretty.

John is clear about the reaction of the world to God.

But the reaction of God to the world is what John then shows to be so amazing.

Instead of rejecting those who have rejected him, God loves the world. .

He could have come as judge, but instead he came to save the world, .

Instead of leaving them in their ignorance, Christ comes as the light of the world, here in , and he reveals the Father and speaks the things he has heard from God. .

God is working to take away the sin of the world. .

Jesus is here to be the savior of the world .

In fact, Jesus gives his very body as a sacrifice for the life of the world, .

He overcomes the prince of darkness who is holding the world captive as slaves to sin, .

He overcomes all the world, and offers peace to all who will receive him, .

Wow! What a God!

What a savior who responds to the world with grace and truth, in spite of the world’s rejection.

The world was made through him, but the world did not know him.

But it gets worse...

Moving on to verse 11.

Not only did the world at large not know him, but his own did not receive him.

John 1:11

Now the whole world is his.

He is the creator.

He is the author of life.

He is the light of the world.

However, the world rejected him long ago.

Since then, he has continued to reach out in love to the world.

He did this primarily through the nation of Israel.

God chose Abraham and his descendents to be his special possession so that He might show his grace, love, care, power and truth to the whole world.

He did miracles for them.

He gave them his Word, the scriptures.

He spoke directly to them.

He provided for them.

He sent them prophet after prophet.

He gave them covenants, promises and blessings.

Yet, even after all of that, they rejected him.

When Christ came, and fulfilled the promises God made, they rejected Him.

When he spoke with power and authority as God did when He spoke to them on Mt.

Sinai, they saw it and wondered, but they did not receive him as God.

When he performed miracles that God alone could do—healing the lame, making the blind to see, cleansing the leper—they still would not receive Him.

When he commanded the winds and waves, even as he did when they crossed the Red Sea leaving Egypt, they did not receive him.

When He fed the 5000 in the wilderness as He did for them when they left Egypt, they did not receive him.

Sadly, he came to those who should have known him—the ones who should have known and received him—and they rejected him.

I think there is something here for us

Let’s not allow this to be said of you and I. Let’s not lose our love for this wonderful savior!

Ah… but not all is lost… for...

There were some.

Some received him.

And to ALL who received him, he gave the right to become children of God.

John 1:12

What does it mean that they received him?

To receive is to believe in his name.

What does it mean to believe in his name?

To receive is to believe in his name.

What does it mean to believe in his name?

To believe in his name, is to believe fully who he is, and what he has said and done.

It is to receive him for who he really is, God Almighty, maker of Heaven and Earth, who loved the world and came to save the world from their rebellion against him by taking their sins upon himself on the cross, taking their punishment, and rising from the dead to give them new life!

Wow!

What a savior!

Do you believe this?

Have you received him?

This whole picture of rejection, and restoration to be children of God is best seen in the story Jesus told of the Prodigal Son.

Turn to , and let’s talk through this.

What is it to be a ‘child of God’?

What is this all about?