Your Invitation

Today we find ourselves back in the 1st chapter of John's

Gospel. This is the 16th week in John

chapter one. We will probably be here for 20

weeks just in the 1st chapter, and I promise you that we will

not be 20 weeks in every chapter of John's Gospel.

If that was the case, we will not be done till at least eight

years from now. But no, we we will make sure

that we do all we can to explain to you the truth, explore the

truth, and extract all that we can from the pages of Scripture.

We have seen the word of truth in John chapter one.

We have heard the witness to the truth, that's John the Baptist,

and today it's time for you and me to welcome that truth into

our lives. John is going to give us by way

of an invitation to come and respond to the one that you have

recognized. You see, once you recognize who

Christ is, you must respond and you will either receive Him or

you will reject Him. Those are the only two options.

And the question is, have you received Him or are you still

rejecting Him? And John, by way of invitation,

invites you to come. In fact, all throughout John's

Gospel there are a various number of invitations.

For instance, as the Lamb of God, Christ invites you to come

and be cleansed. That's in John chapter one.

In John chapter 6, Christ, the bread of life invites you to

John 6 · chapter mention

come and eat. In John chapter 8, Christ is the

John 8 · chapter mention

light of life. He invites you to come and see.

In John chapter 10, Christ is the door to life.

John 10 · chapter mention

He invites you to come and enter also in John 10.

He is the Good Shepherd of life. He invites you to come and be

protected and be cared for. In John Chapter 11.

John 11 · chapter mention

It is the resurrection and the life that invites you.

He invites you to come and live so you will never die.

In John chapter 15 he is the true vine that says come, come

John 15 · chapter mention

and grow, come and be fruitful but you must come.

In John Chapter 7, he is the water of life, and as the water

John 7 · chapter mention

of life he says come and drink. The Bible is replete with

invitations. In fact, probably the greatest

of all the invitations is recorded in the last chapter of

the last book of your Bible, and that is in the Book of

Revelation. So I'm going to invite you to

turn there with me this morning by way of introduction to our

study of John, chapter 1, verses 9 to 13.

John 1:9–13

The Book of Revelation is the unveiling of the Christ.

That's what Revelation means, the apocalypsis.

It is the unmasking, the unveiling, the complete

revealing of Jesus Christ our Lord.

And there is no book that does that better than the Book of

Revelation. And so John is going to tell you

about the end of the beginning, or if you like, the beginning of

the end. Either title works for the Book

of Revelation. What began in Genesis chapter 1

Genesis 1 · chapter mention

ends in Revelation chapter 22. And Solomon made it very clear

Revelation 22 · chapter mention

in Ecclesiastes 7-8 that the end of a matter is better than its

beginning. So at the end of Revelation 22,

it's a lot better than it was in Genesis chapter one verse #1

because the end of the matter is better than its beginning.

So whatever the plan of God is, the end is going to be better

than the beginning. At the very end of John's

gospel, after he's unveiled to us the Lamb of God, after he's

unveiled to us the, the, the Pantocrator, the Almighty one,

as he describes him, as he unveils to us the the beauty of

the Christ in all of his glory, in all of his splendor.

He ends with an invitation. And that invitation is a, is a,

is a response to who you've recognized in is it just like

our Lord to make sure that you understand that you're invited

to come. The invitation is recorded in in

verse #17 of Revelation 22 and then surrounding verse #17 that

invitation are several incentives that move you to

respond to the invitation. Here is the invitation.

The Spirit and the Bride say come and let the one who hears

say, come and let the one who is thirsty come.

Let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost.

John is concluding this, this incredible unveiling of the

Messiah with an invitation, with a plea for the Spirit of God and

the bride to say come. I believe that's really asking

and praying for the Lord to come quickly.

But the invitation to the Sinner is said this way.

Let the one who was thirsty come.

Let those who are dry and barren come.

This is the prerequisite to repentance.

The person who recognizes the dryness and bareness of his

soul. It's like what Christ said in in

Matthew 5 verse #6 when he said, blessed are those who hunger and

thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.

And John comes back and and picks up on that and says,

listen, if you are thirsty, come, whoever wishes come.

And the reason you're wishing and wanting to come is because

you've recognized the thirst that you have based on the

identity of of the Christ, the Messiah.

And so the Bible says, whosoever shall call upon the name of the

Lord shall be saved. So, so if you're thirsty because

you're barren and dry, if you, if you, if you want to come,

come because this is the time, the time is now to come to the

Lord. That's the invitation.

Christ would say it this way in Matthew 11.

He would say, Come unto me all you that labor and are heavy

laden, and I will give you rest again.

For those who are weary, come. For those who are thirsty, come.

For those who are hungry, come. For those who want assurance of

their destiny, come. Whoever wishes to take the water

of life, come. What's the water of life?

Well, Christ defined that in John chapter 4 when he spoke to

John 4 · chapter mention

the Samaritan woman, when he said the water that I give

springs up into eternal life. The water of life is eternal

life. Whoever recognizes that only

Christ can give it, come, for the invitation is yours.

See, the gift of God is not achieved, it's received.

You can't achieve eternal life. It's the gift of God.

And so the gift of God is received, not achieved.

So at the very end of the book of the Bible, the Book of

Revelation, he offers this invitation and then he gives all

the incentives surrounding the invitation.

I'm going to give you #5 first, then #4 #3 #2 and then #1

because number one leads us back to John chapter 1 #5 Is this

John 1 · chapter mention

because of the availability of his grace?

That's that's how the Book of Revelation ends.

Isn't it interesting that the Book of Revelation all about

judgment, all about tribulation, all about turmoil, all about

wars and rumors of wars, all about earthquakes, all about

pestilence, all about famine. He offers grace, so it says in

verse #21 the grace of the Lord Jesus be with all.

Amen. You come to Him because of the

availability of His grace. Salvation is by grace through

faith. Salvation is not earned.

It's given by God to those who are undeserving.

So you respond to the invitation because of the availability of

grace #2 you respond to the invitation because of the

certainty of His coming. That's the next verse up.

Verse #20 He who testifies these things says, yes, I am coming

quickly, Amen. Come, Lord Jesus, the certainty

of His coming. That's what the Book of

Revelation is all about, the second coming to the Messiah.

Because He's going to come. You need to respond because you

don't know when He's going to come, but you got to be ready

for Him to arrive. So because of the availability

of His grace, because of the certainty of His coming, and #3

because of the finality and veracity of the Scriptures,

that's the next two verses up where he says, I testify to

everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book.

If anyone adds to them, God will add to Him the plagues which are

written in this book. If anyone takes away from the

words of the book, of this prophecy, God will take away His

part from the tree of life, from the holy city, which are written

in this book. The finality of Scripture,

there's nothing to add to it. There's nothing that doesn't

cover. It's completely sufficient.

It's completely adequate. Everything that pertains to life

and godliness is in this book. All 66 chapters, excuse me, 66

books, and all the chapters that entail those books, he says,

come because of the finality in the veracity of Scripture, the

certainty of His coming, the availability of His grace.

And then you need to come because of the exclusivity of

heaven, because heaven isn't for everyone.

So he says this way up in verse 14.

Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the

right to the tree of life and may enter by the gates into the

city. Outside of the dogs, sorcerers,

the immoral persons, the murderers and the idolaters, and

everyone who loves and practices lying.

This is not an inclusive list. It's a glyph that's

representative of people who are sinners.

Earlier in Revelation, we have another list.

Book of Ephesians we have a list.

Book of Galatians, we have a list.

Book of First Corinthians 6, we have a list.

They are not inclusive list, but they are representatives of

people who habitually rebel against God.

So he says you need to come because of the exclusivity of

heaven. It only comes to those whose

robes have been washed in the blood of the Lamb.

It's only comes to those who have been set free from their

sin and understand the forgiveness of sins.

Because those who don't repent and those who don't come to Him

by faith are excluded from heaven.

So you come to Him because of the availability of His grace,

the certainty of His coming, the finality and veracity of

Scripture, and the exclusivity of heaven.

But here's the key. 1 You come to him because of the identity

of Christ. You come to him because of who

He is. That's why you respond to the

invitation. You receive invitations in the

mail, invitations to weddings, invitations to parties,

invitations to baby showers, invitations to anniversaries.

One of the main reasons you go is based on who's doing the

inviting. Because if somebody you don't

like is inviting you, you're not going.

If somebody you admire invites you, you're probably going to

go. But the key to the invitation is

who's doing the inviting? Well, the one who gives the

invitation is the Messiah himself, the Christ.

And so the identity of the Christ is the main reason you

respond to the invitation. Yes, His grace is available.

Yes, He's coming again. Yes, Scripture is final and

true, and yes, heaven is exclusive.

But the one who offers the invitation, This is why you

come. And that's in verse #13 and

verse #16 where he says I am, I am that that unique phrase, ego

a me that's used all throughout John's Gospel to describe the

four Hebrew confidence that maketh the name of God all the

way back in Exodus chapter 3, the memorial name of God.

Exodus 3 · chapter mention

I am that I am. Moses asked, who do I say sent

me? You tell him I am sent you.

This is the Deliverer, the Redeemer, This is the one who

gives the invitation. I AM and I AM is the Alpha and

Omega, the beginning of the end, the first and the last.

Just three different ways to describe the Infinity, the

eternality, the immensity of the I AM.

He is the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning of the end, the

1st and the last. In other words, he's before

everything, He's after everything, and he's the center

of everything in between. He is the everything.

The reason you come and respond to the invitation is because he

is the alpha and the Omega, the 1st and the last, the beginning

and the end. This is who he is.

He exists outside the realm of time.

He's the creator of time. Therefore it's imperative that

you come and then down in verse 16 it says I Jesus.

That's that's the name that God the Father gave to his son.

You should call his name Jesus for he shall save his people

from his sin. Well, why?

Why give him the name Jesus? Because Jesus is the I am and I

am is a Redeemer and a deliverer.

So you will call his name Jesus. And then he says, I, Jesus have

sent my Angel to testify to these things for the churches.

I am the root and descendant of David.

I am the I am the source of David's life in line and I am

the son of David's life in line. I am the root and I am the

descendant of David speaking to his deity and his humanity.

I am behind all that David is that I've come from the line of

David because I am the alpha and the Omega, the beginning of the

end, the first and the last. I am the great I am.

And then he says this the bright morning star.

I, I end the fulfillment of numbers 2417.

That star shall rise out of Jacob with a scepter in his

hand. He says that's me, I am the

star. I am Malachi 4 verse #2 I am the

sun of righteousness, SUN who arise with healing in his wings.

And because I am the sun that rises with healing in his wings,

you need to come because I am the bright morning star.

He says in the book of Luke or Zacharias says of the Messiah,

he says the sunrise from on high will visit us to shine upon

those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death.

Zacharias writes that to his son John, who became John the

Baptist because he needed to know that the light of the world

had come. And then of course, Peter says

the second Peter 119 the day star, when he rises in your

hearts, that's when you are saved.

Why do you respond to the invitation?

Because of the identity of the one who gave the invitation,

which leads us back to John's gospel, John chapter one, that

Christ is the light of life. And John says that he was not

the light. But he came to testify about the

light, the bright morning star, the day star, the sunrise from

on high, the fulfillment of the prophecy of Numbers 2417.

This is he. And So what you have in John's

gospel is the unveiling of the deity of Christ.

Remember, we told you weeks ago, weeks ago, probably 16 weeks ago

by now, that every gospel is an embellishment of one phrase in

the Old Testament. John's gospel is the

embellishment of the phrase recorded in John, excuse me,

Isaiah 35 four, which says behold your God.

And John is fulfilling that by saying behold your God.

This is who he is. Matthew is the fulfillment of

Zechariah 99. Behold your king because Matthew

is all about the royalty of the Messiah.

Luke's the fulfillment of Zechariah chapter 6 verse #12

Zechariah 6 · chapter mention

which says behold a man because Luke is all about the humanity

of Christ. And Mark is the fulfillment of

Isaiah 42 one behold my servant, because Mark's all about the

humility of the Christ. And here John says, behold your

God. I'm going to show you the word

of truth. I'm going to give you the

witness to that truth, because I need you to welcome that truth

into your life. This is your invitation.

This is what John says in verse #9 of chapter 1.

There was the true light, which coming to the world enlightens

every man. He was in the world, and the

world was made through him, and the world did not know him.

He came to His own, and those who were his own did not receive

him, but as many as received Him to them.

He gave the right to become children of God, even to those

who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor the

will of the flesh, nor the will of man, but of God.

John says this is your invitation, you come.

Why? Because of His revelation, he is

the true light Alathemas used 28 times in the New Testament, and

23 of those times it is used in John's Gospel.

For instance, in our text he is the true light.

John 19 and John 6. He's called the true bread in

John 15 is called the true vine in John 8.

He is called the truth that will set you free in John 14.

He says I am the way I am the truth, I am the life. 7 times

Jesus says in John's gospel his words are true.

Christ isn't John 1717 as he prays to his Father in heaven.

Sanctify them in truth, for your word is true.

There is so much about truth at the end in John 18 Pilot asks

that great question, What is truth?

Wrong question. It's who is truth?

See, God is the embodiment of truth.

Therefore everything that the embodiment of truth says is

true. So whatever Christ says is true.

So Pilate got it all wrong. What is truth?

Christ is truth. He is the Alathanus.

He is the true light. That's what it says that

enlightens every man in the world.

Now think about that. How does the true light

enlighten every man in the world?

Do you mean that everybody who has ever existed understands the

true light? Yes, to some degree in one of

two ways or one of both ways, through creation and through

conscience. Romans chapter 1.

Romans 1 · chapter mention

You know these verses, Romans chapter one, verse 18.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all

ungodliness and in righteousness of men who suppress the truth in

unrighteousness. So, so the wrath of God has

revealed to those who push down the truth, who, who suppress the

truth, who don't want to be held accountable to the truth, who

don't want to see the truth for what it is.

Because truth is light and light exposes sin.

Because that which is known about God is evident within

them. For God made it evident to them,

You see, that He is a true light that enlightens every man,

because God made it evident to every man who lives.

Why? Because eternity has been set in

the heart of man. That's what Solomon tells us.

In other words, man knows there is an eternity.

Man knows there is something after death.

He might not know what it is, but he knows there's something

beyond the grave because eternity has been set in the

heart of man. He goes on to say this in verse

#24 since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes,

His eternal power and divine nature have been what?

Vaguely seen. That's not what it says.

Clearly seen. Clearly seen white, because he's

the true light that enlightens every man who comes into the

world. So his attributes, his eternal

power, have been clearly seen. If there's a design, there's a

designer. If there's a creation, there's a

creator. That's clearly obvious, so he

says it, it all being understood through what has been made, so

that they are without excuse, no excuse.

For even though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or

give thanks, but they became feudal in the speculations and

they're foolish. Heart was darkened, profession

to be wise. He became fools.

People later say in verse #25 they exchanged the truth of God.

What's that? The trueness of who God is.

The truth of God for a lie and worship and serve the creature

rather than the Creator who is blessed forever.

Amen. You see, creation has

enlightened every man that comes into the world, and God is the

creator of all things, and therefore He is made man without

any excuse. Fact.

It says in verse #32 although they know the ordinances of God,

even though those who commit these sins know the ordinances

of God, they know the law of God, they know the statutes of

God, they know them, and those who practice such things are

worthy of death. They know God's law so clearly

that if they break God's law, they know they're worthy of

death. But says they not only do the

same, but also give hardly approval to those who practice

that. Isn't that interesting.

He is a true light that enlightens every man that is

coming to the world number one by creation, but #2 by

conscience. Romans 214 says these words.

For when Gentiles who do not have the law do instinctively

the things of the law, these not having the law, are a law to

themselves. In that they show the work of

the law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing

witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else

defending them on the day when according to my gospel, God

would judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

So when John says this is the true light that enlightens every

man that comes into the world, he does that through his

creation and in their conscience.

Everybody knows there is a God. Everybody believes there is a

God. There is no such thing as an

atheist nor an agnostic. No matter what they claim, they

do not exist on this planet. Why?

Because the true light has enlightened every man that comes

into the world and therefore man knows that.

So what does he do? He just pushes down the truth.

He pushes it away. Why?

Why would he do that? Would John explain that to us in

John 3? This is the judgment verse 19,

that the light is coming to the world and men love the darkness

rather than the light. For the deeds are evil.

For everyone who does evil hates the light and does not come to

the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed.

See that they hate the light because they love the darkness.

They love their sin, they love their rebellion, they love their

immorality, they love their fornication, they love their

homosexuality, they love their their rejection, they they love

everything. That's the antithesis of God.

They love that because they hate the light, because the lights

turned on. What does it do?

It exposes what sin, and they don't want their sin to be

exposed. So they suppress the truth

because they love the darkness. How sad is that?

But no, John says he enlightens every man that comes into the

world. They says he was in the world

and the world was made through him and the world did not know

him. It doesn't mean they didn't know

he existed, because they do. It doesn't mean they don't know

that he lived and died and even rose again.

They do. They know that, but they don't

know him. They don't know the true God.

They know him intellectually because they understand that

there is a God. They know him informationally

because they can collect information about him, but they

did not know him influentially, nor do they know him intimately

because they will not allow that God to rub off on them and alter

their life and change everything about their life.

They will not do that because that would require of a

pentance, a turning from that which they love so dearly, their

sin. So He says he he came into his

own. Who's that?

That's Israel in his own did not receive him.

Wow. He came into his own and his own

did not receive him. Came to his own people, the

nation. Listen to what JC Rile says

about this. He says Christ is to the souls

of men what the sun is to the world.

He is the center and source of all spiritual light, warmth,

life, health, growth, beauty and fertility.

Like the sun, He shines for the come and benefit of all mankind,

for high and for low, for rich and for poor, for Jew and for

Greek. Like the sun, He is free to all.

All may look at him and drink health out of his light.

If millions of mankind were mad enough to dwell in caves

underground, or to bandage your eyes, their darkness would be

their own fault, and not the fault of the sun.

So likewise, if millions of men and women love spiritual

darkness rather than light, the blame must be laid on their

blind hearts, and not on Christ. We see in these verses the

desperate wickedness of man's natural heart.

We have in the words of Christ. Christ was in the world, and the

world was made by Him, and the world knew Him not.

He came into His own, and His own received Him not.

He came to the very people whom He had brought out from Egypt

and purchased for His own. He came to the Jews whom He had

separated from other nations, and to whom He had revealed

Himself by the prophets. He came to those very Jews who

had read of Him in the Old Testament Scriptures, seen Him

under types and figures in their temple services, and professed

to be waiting for His coming. And yet when He came, those very

Jews received him not they even rejected him, despised him, and

slew him. Well may the natural heart be

called desperately wicked. He preached the gospel message,

He performed great miracles, He presented himself as God, the

Messiah, and they rejected him. They watched, they saw, they

heard, and they rejected. How wicked, how depraved is the

heart of man? John says.

He enlightened every man that comes into the world, but they

did not know him. How sad is is that?

And I wonder, I wonder today if you know him for who he really

is, for who he truly is. Paul would say that everything I

have accomplished, everything I have done in life is nothing but

human excrement, dung, compared to the surpassing value of

knowing Jesus Christ. My Lord, that's how you know you

know Christ. Everything else you do is dung,

human excrement. It means nothing compared to the

value of knowing Christ. That's why Paul would say that

was the verse 8, the Philippians 3 first ten.

He would say, oh, that I may know Him in the power of His

resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings.

There was never enough hours in a day to get to know his God

intimately. His cry was to know the true

God, the true light that enlightens every man.

God through the prophet Isaiah said that my people are

destroyed for a lack of knowledge, other words, they

don't know me. He says these words in Isaiah

6/6 For I delight and loyalty rather than sacrifices into the

knowledge of God, rather than burnt offerings.

You know some things about Israel never changed.

Jeremiah says this way. Jeremiah Chapter 9 verse #1

Jeremiah 9 · chapter mention

Jeremiah is prophesying, prophesying right before Israel

goes into their 70 year captivity.

Isaiah has already prophesied. Jeremiah is honing in on that

time which they're going into captivity and listen to what

Jeremiah says in Jeremiah 9 verse number 10, that my head

were waters and my eyes a fountain of tears that I might

white white. Excuse me, weep day and night

for the slain daughter of my people.

Oh, that I had in the desert a wayfarers lodging place that I

might leave my people and go away from them.

Here is Jeremiah the prophet who proclaimed the truth of God.

And nobody listened, nobody responded.

The invitation will be given over and over and over again.

And there was rejection after rejection after rejection.

There was no one who would receive that invitation.

And Jeremiah comes to the place in life, we says, oh, you know,

if I, if I had a lodging place in Palm Springs that I would go

there and leave my people. If I had a, a condo in Maui, I

would go there and leave my people just to get away from

them to be in a place of relaxation because they have

rejected the Messiah over and over and over again.

This is this. For all of them are adulterers.

An assembly of treacherous men calls out their sin.

I live among the people who are adulterers.

They've committed spiritual adultery.

They've committed physical adultery.

They have turned their back on their God.

This is who they are. They're treacherous men.

They bend their tongues like their bow.

Lies and not truth prevail in the land.

They're all liars. They're all treacherous.

They're all adulterers, Calls them out all by name, because

that's what they are. He describes them because you

see, all true prophets call out sin.

That's what they do. Jeremiah did it, Isaiah did it,

Malachi did it, Hosea did it, Jonah did it, you name it.

John the Baptist did it, Jesus did it, Paul did it, Peter did

it, John did it, and the list just goes on and on.

All true prophets call out sin. That's what we do Amen.

Why? Because we don't want you to

live in sin. We want you to be redeemed from

your sin. So here is Jeremiah calling out

his people. You are adulterers.

You are liars. You are treacherous men, and

they proceed from evil to evil. These get worse.

Not get any better, in spite of all my preaching.

Not getting any better. Why?

Here's the answer. They do not know me, declares

the Lord. That's why they just don't know

who I am. Wait a minute.

They know God. He redeemed them from Egypt.

He took them to the wilderness. He got them day by day.

He did many miraculous works among them.

How do they not know him? Oh, they know of him.

They know about him, and they've seen all of his miracles.

They've seen all that he's done. But they didn't know him

intimately. They didn't know him

influentially. They didn't know him So the fact

that he rubbed off so that they would say what he says, they

would walk the way he walked, they would live the way he lived

would note they wouldn't do that.

Why? Because they loved the darkness

rather than the light. For the deeds were evil.

That's why. That's why David says to Solomon

in First Chronicles 28 verse #9 As for you, my son Solomon,

know, know the God of your father.

Serve him with a whole heart, a willing mind.

For the Lord searches all hearts and understands every intent of

the thoughts. If you seek Him, he will let you

find him. But if you forsake him, He will

reject you forever. Know your God, that's the

invitation. Do you know Him?

Have you come to Him? Do you recognize who He is that

you will come to Him and bow the knee before Him and turn from

your sin and embrace Him as your Lord and Savior.

This is your invitation in John's gospel as he begins

having already given you at the identity of the word in verses

1:00 to 5:00 and then given you the the ministry of of the man

who who gave witness to that word.

Now he says you need to respond. You need to receive Him, for as

many as received Him to them give you power to become the

children of God. Are you a child of God this

morning? You understand what that means?

All my friends, don't let another day go by without

embracing the Christ as Messiah, as Lord, as King of your life.

Respond to the invitation by receiving Him, not rejecting

Him. Let me pray with you.

Thank you Lord, for today and the opportunity we have to look

at you. We're so much yet to uncover, so

little time it seems to do so. But maybe we take what we've

learned today, apply it to our lives, that we might live for

the glory of the King until you come again, as you most surely

will, in Jesus name, Amen.