Jesus the Light of the World
THE WITNESSES TO THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST, 1:6-8
UTAWALA BAPTIST CHURCH
28-10-2007
B.Jesus the Light of the World: The Special Witness of John the Baptist, 1:6-8
(1:6-8) Introduction: there was one person who was a very special witness to Christ,
John the Baptist. John’s sole purpose on earth was to witness and to bear testimony to
the Light of the world. His purpose stands as a dynamic example for every believer. The
purpose of the believer is to bear the same witness as John: Jesus Christ is the Light of
the world.
1.A man sent from God (v.6)
2.A man with a mission (v.7)
3.A man who was great, but was not the Light (v.8)
1. (1:6) John the Baptist— Commission: a man sent from God. Note three points.
1.The man “was a man” and only a man. A strong contrast is being made between
what had been said about Christ and what is now being said about John.
ÞChrist “was in the beginning”; He was “with God” and He “was God” (John
1:1-2).
ÞJohn “was a man” who had come into existence at birth, just as all men have
the beginning of their existence at birth. John was the son of a man, whereas
Jesus Christ was the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16). John was not a
divine being, not even an angel. He was a mere man.
“What is man, that thou shouldest magnify him? and that thou
shouldest set thine heart upon him?” (Job 7:17).
2.The man, however, was “sent from God”; and he was sent on a very special
mission. Two facts show this.
a.The word “sent” (see Deeper Study #1, Sent—John 1:6 for discussion).
b.The phrase “from God” (para theou PWS: 1611) means from beside God. John
was not only sent by God, He was sent from the very side and heart of God. He
was only a man, but a man of high calling and mission, of enormous
responsibility and accountability. He was a man sent by God, not by man.
Thought 1. Note three significant points. The servant and messenger of God...
·is not sent forth by men, but by God. He is sent forth as the
ambassador of God.
·is sent forth from God, from the very side and heart of God.
·is a man of high calling and mission, of enormous responsibility and
accountability.
“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and
ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that
your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the
Father in my name, he may give it you” (John 15:16).
3.The man was named John. His name means gracious. He was a man sent forth
with a name to match his message: God’s grace is now to enter upon the scene of world
history. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, the embodiment of God’s glorious grace.
DEEPER STUDY #1 (1:6) Sent— Apostle— Commission
2. (1:7) Mission— Witnessing: a man with a mission. Note two points.
1.The man came to bear witness of the Light. He was sent with a very specific
message, and that message was to proclaim the Light, Christ Himself. (See note, pt.2—
§John 1:4-5. Also see Deeper Study #3—John 1:5, Deeper Study #4—John 1:5; Deeper
Study #1—John 8:12; Deeper Study #5—John 12:35-36. All these are important notes
for this point.)
Thought 1. The message is a given message. The servant of God is not left on his
own to think up a message; he is not dependent upon his own reason, thoughts,
and ideas. His message is Christ, the Light of the world.
“For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of
sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ” (2
Cor. 2:17).
“Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither
shall ye diminish aught from it, that ye may keep the commandments
of the Lord your God which I command you” (Deut. 4:2).
“And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of
this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and
out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this
book” (Rev. 22:19).
2.The purpose of the man’s witness is clearly stated: that all men, through Christ,
might believe. His purpose was not...
·to start a movement for God.
·to organize and administer.
·to minister (note that John never healed or performed a miracle nor built a
program around the synagogue or temple, John 10:41).
His purpose was not even to preach.
His purpose was to lead men to believe in the Light.
He witnessed and proclaimed the Light so that all men might believe.
The man was sent to focus on people and to lead them to believe in Christ Jesus.
Thought 1. The servant of God has one primary purpose: to lead men to believe
in Christ Jesus, the Light of the world.
The servant’s purpose is not to organize, to administer, to oversee, to manage, to teach, or to preach. His purpose is as stated:
To lead men to believe in Christ Jesus.
Everything else is method, not purpose.
Men have too often confused methods with purpose.
The result has been that teeming millions are still unreached and teeming thousands are being deceived by confusing the methods of religion with the purpose of God: the salvation of men through belief in His Son.
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life” (John 3:16).
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and
believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come
into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life” (John 5:24).
3. (1:8) Humility— Ministers: a man who was great, but he was not the Light.
John the Baptist was extraordinarily great. Jesus Himself said, “Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11:11).
But, he was not the Light.
The humility of John was striking. (Read John 1:19-23, 27 for the
impact of his humility and the example he set for every servant of God.)
No matter how great the ministry of a man may be in the eyes of men, that man’s ministry is eclipsed by the greatness of John.
Yet John says, “[His] shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose.”
(John 1:27)
“Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind
let each esteem other better than themselves. Look not every man on his own
things, but every man also on the things of others” (Phil. 2:3-4; cp. Romans
12:3).