 Beginning at verse 1, today we come to verse 6. And where the Bible reads, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. This man came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all through him might believe. He was not that light but was sent to bear witness of that light. And that was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world. As we began this section, we began the prologue looking at verses 1 through 5 in our last series of sermons. We saw the Word, right? And the Word was with God and the Word was God. We saw the Word outside of history, timeless and eternal. And so now as we begin verse 6 today, we see the light coming into the world. And what is timeless and eternal, these timeless truths now we are learning are anchored in human history. Our faith, the saving faith of God, the saving truth of God isn't simply grounded in someone's imagination. It's not simply grounded in our intellect, not grounded in the thoughts of man or in the ideologies of the imaginations of man or in the philosophies of the ignorant as every other world religion is. These are grounded. Our faith is grounded on the truth of God's Word and grounded in who Jesus Christ is. It's not grounded on nothing. It's not grounded on air, suspended by nothing. This is observable historic reality. The good news of Jesus Christ is the history of God's actions and work through Jesus Christ in the world to save sinners to himself. And in that it's observable fact. It's observable history to bring the light to blind sinners. The coming of the light into the world doesn't necessarily bring with it reception or acceptance. Most frequently the light brings rejection. But John says that all people are blind to the light in their fallen condition. And in their sin, they love their darkness. And so they reject the light. Most people choose to reject it and hide themselves in their own dark corner, live for themselves. So then the light coming then, as the light comes into the darkness, shining in the darkness, that light by its very nature demands a response, demands a response. People must respond to the light. They must desire to leave behind the darkness they love, step out from the darkness into the light. They must leave the darkness that they are imprisoned in and come into the light. That requires the new birth, the Lord opening their eyes. It is a shameful testimony to the depravity of man that man needs a witness to point him to the brightest light possible. A man is truly blind apart from Christ, devastatingly blind apart from Christ. And so John in his gospel, in the first five verses as we study Jesus Christ and who John in his gospel presents him to be, we see the highest possible Christology, a highest possible portrayal of the excellencies of Christ. And now as we come to verse six, we begin in John's gospel to unpack the utter depravity of man, the lowest view of man. That's good biblical theology, right? A high view of God and a low view of man. Many make the error, the mistake, the sin today of elevating man and pulling down God to our level. As if he's some genie in a bottle. We can rub the lamp and get what we want. This is a high view of Christ, a high view of God and a deservedly, a rightfully low view of man. So in verse five, as we study that verse, we see the light coming and shining in the darkness. And now in verse six, we are introduced to a man sent from God to bear witness of the light. So as we consider our text this morning, we've got to take application of this for ourselves. We must make application of this from our witness. Listen to what one commentator said. The view that witnessing is every Christian's job was certainly the belief of the early Christians. Their acceptance of this task was perhaps the single most important factor in the astounding outreach and expansion of the early church. It was not simply that Peter and Paul and Stephen and others spread the good news of salvation in Christ. It was rather that all Christians, small and great, rich and poor, slaves and freed men, made it their consuming passion to tell others about the Lord. Today, John's evangelistic purpose becomes John the Baptist's purpose, becomes our purpose. God lines up in the Gospel of John, an impressive list of witnesses. God throughout Scripture, throughout history, lines up an impressive list of witnesses who come onto the stage of human history and point blind men to the light. And he does that here today in the Gospel of John all with the same purpose. That believing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, that you might have life in his name. And that was John the evangelist's purpose. That becomes John the Baptist's purpose. That becomes our purpose if we're in Christ. All designed to reproduce witnesses to Christ from those who would come to believe in him by faith. So that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in his name. So in verses 6 through 9 now, as we begin to unpack this paragraph, we're going to see our responsibility in this saving purpose of God to, one, go to the blind. The world is blind and lost in darkness. You were once blind, dead in your sins and trespasses, imprisoned in darkness, and someone pointed you to the light. We are to go to the blind of this world and point them to the light. We see in verse 6 that a man named John was sent from God. That sending from God presupposes a purpose for which he was sent. And in that sending and in that purpose, we see an example for every Christian. John is an example for gospel ministry that demands those that call themselves Christians go themselves and bear witness of the light to spiritually blind men. We are to go to the blind with the light of the gospel. Point two, when we go, we're to speak of the light. In being sent, John was given the role of opening his mouth. The responsibility of opening his mouth about Christ. And then three, with the desired result that blind men might be saved. Now following that model for gospel ministry, we have the same role. We have the same responsibility. We desire as Christians, don't we, the same result. And that's in accordance with what God's desire is. God desires that all men everywhere are saved. That's the desired will of God. We're to go to the blind, we're to open our mouths and speak of the light. And thirdly, we'll see we are to stand for the truth. We're to stand for the truth. Go to the blind, speak of the light and stand for the truth. For the sake of the gospel, for the sake that souls would be saved, we as Christians are to take a stand for all that is true. In taking a stand for all that is true, we're to take a stand against all that is false. It requires both. We're to take a stand against all that is false. There is saving light in no one else but the true light. There is salvation in none other. For there is no other name given under heaven, among which, by which we must be saved. We have to go to blind men with the true light, preach the true light, stand against that which is false. So let's take a look at point one. First thing we have to see is that we're to go to the blind and we see that from verse six. Again, taking application here from John the Evangelist talking about John the Baptist. In verse six, the Bible says there was a man sent from God whose name was John. Now in verses one through five, as we looked at this glorious Christology that John lays out in these opening verses, we move from the eternal Word who was, right, from eternity past. That means he is infinite. He is individual with God and yet he is indivisibly God. He is independent aside from creation. He is incarnate and Jesus Christ is invincible. And in stark contrast, we get to verse six where there now came into being a man. The man whose name was John. As notable as John is, that's a pretty stark contrast. The way that John opens up verses one through five describing Christ and now moves into verse six explaining John. It just points again back to the deity of Christ. Jesus Christ is a man, but he's not merely a man. John, as notable as John is, is merely a man. But Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. John, the author of our Gospel, John the Evangelist, simply mentions in verse six by first name only. It's just this is John, a man sent from God whose name was John. Now John often throughout the Gospel will give last names to clarify who he's talking about. He gave a last name to Judas, to Mary, to Joseph, but here it's just simply John. That's probably because our author John never mentions himself by name in the Gospel. So there's no confusion here. John refers to himself as simply the one whom Jesus Christ loved. But here he refers to John the Baptist as simply John and no confusion there. It's Matthew, Mark and Luke in the synoptic Gospels that add the descriptive title, the Baptist or the baptizer. So it is John the Baptist, John the baptizer. And that's because of John's ministry. John came baptizing in the River Jordan. Now notice here, right off the bat, it's not John the sprinkler. It's not John the Dabber or John the dropper. This is John the Dunker. This is John the Immerser, John the Submerser, John the Baptist. He wasn't immersing babies in the River Jordan. He was commanding people to repent and people who knew what it meant to bear fruits worthy of repentance. They asked John about that. John explained it to them and they understood it. So they weren't baptizing babies. So as we're introduced now to John the Baptist from the Bible, we see right off the bat through Scripture that John the Baptist was a very unique figure in human history. A very important figure in biblical history and redemptive history. He's given prominent mention in all four Gospel accounts. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John all talk about John the Baptist and there's a reason for that. He had a particular ministry to fulfill, a very important job to do. And he had great responsibility from God in redemptive history. All of this is wrapped up in this opening statement in verse 6 that he was sent from God. John was sent from God. So the first thing I want you to see, in your charge from the example of John to go to the blind, in the same way that John was sent from God, you are sent from God. I am sent from God. We're all sent from God. If you're in Christ, you are sent with a mission. And let's unpack this. There's a lot of evidence in Scripture for why John was sent. We see that throughout the New Testament. Why John was specifically sent by God. One, we can see that he was specially sent due to the miraculous circumstances around John the Baptist's birth. John of verse 6 was the only son of Zacharias and Elizabeth. Elizabeth was barren up until this point. Never had any children. So John was her first. And the Bible says that they were advanced in age. They were in their 80s when Elizabeth became pregnant and eventually gave birth to John the Baptist. And so that's a miraculous birth, isn't it? Doesn't it remind you of Abraham and Sarah in the same way? This is a miraculous birth. Now in addition to that birth, which is miraculous, Luke also tells us that John was filled with a Holy Spirit from before his birth from his mother's womb. And that John, John the Baptist, was the fulfillment of several Old Testament prophecies. And let me give you an example of that. Flip back with me to Luke chapter 1 and let's see John introduced in Luke chapter 1 to us beginning in verse 13. He was filled with a Holy Spirit. He was miraculously born. And we're going to see he's the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy or prophets prophesying about John the Baptist. And we find that in Luke chapter 1, look down beginning in verse 13. It's also interesting that John's birth was announced by the angel Gabriel. If you remember that story, Gabriel came, it was not unlike the story of Abraham and Sarah. The angel came, the angel Gabriel told Zacharias he was going to have a son. Zacharias didn't believe it at first. And so what did the angel do? He shut Zacharias' mouth. Zacharias became a mute for a period of time until John was born. And so here in verse 13, the angel said to him, said to Zacharias, Do not be afraid Zacharias, for your prayer is heard. And your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall call his name John. And you will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth. For his purpose here, verse 15. For he will be great in the sight of the Lord, shall drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb. And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. All that is in fulfillment of prophecy. Verse 17. He will also go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just and to make ready of people prepared for the Lord. Now that last section there in verse 17 is an Old Testament prophecy. It's a quote directly from Malachi chapter four verses five and six. So we see that prophecy now fulfilled in John the Baptist. Other Old Testament prophecies in Isaiah chapter 40 in verse three. Isaiah also says of John that he is the voice of one crying in the wilderness saying, Prepare the way of the Lord make straight in the desert a highway for our God. It's another testimony of the deity of Jesus Christ. And speaking of Jesus Christ as God from the prophet Isaiah. In Malachi chapter three verse one. Behold the Bible says I send my messenger. That messenger is John the Baptist. And he will prepare the way before me that me is Jesus Christ as Jesus Christ from the Old Testament. So again, we see the miraculous birth. We see the angel announcing his birth. We see the Old Testament prophecies fulfilled. He's given time in all four gospels. Peter mentions John the Baptist in his sermon in Acts chapter 10. Paul mentions John the Baptist in his sermon in Acts chapter 13. When the apostles were picking a replacement for Judas, right? When the apostles were picking a replacement for Judas, that man that was eligible to be a replacement apostle was one who had been with them from the baptism of John until that day, right? So John was even mentioned in replacing an apostle. Now those today that call themselves apostles, either they are really old or they are really fake. One of the two. There are no apostles today. And you know that Jesus commends those in Revelation two that test those, right? In Revelation two that test those that say they are apostles and are not. And he commends them because we find them to be liars. So the Lord through Revelation two commends us today. Apostles today, if they call themselves an apostle, they are liars. No apostles today. They don't fit the qualifications of being with John, okay? John the Baptist additionally would have been exactly what the Jews were looking for. It would have been what the Jews revered. By birth John the Baptist was a priest. By appointment John the Baptist was a Nazarite. He took a very strict code of moral conduct. He was a Nazarite. By calling he was a prophet. And he was the first prophet in 400 years. So Israel was ready for John. And John was like Elijah. He said he was an Elijah like figure. He rough and tumble guy. Out in the woods preaching repentance. Wearing camel hair. Which is not that soft tan camel hair. Guys were today. This is like wearing porcupine. It wouldn't have felt good. He was a tough guy. He was eating locus, wild honey. And he was preaching for the children of Israel to turn from their sin. Preaching boldly for the people of Israel to turn from their sin. All of that. And John the Baptist was sent at exactly the right time. The Bible says that in due time Jesus was sent to save the ungodly. All according to God's sovereign plan. Every detail foreordained. And so John the Baptist was sent at exactly the right time just before Christ. He was the forerunner of the Messiah. And lastly, the fact that John is sent from God is still bearing truth today. In the sense that John still speaks. He points people to the light. Even now as we talk about him this morning. Hebrews 11 chapter 4 says being dead he still speaks. As John the Baptist sent from God. So how does this apply to us? John was sent from God. We also have been given a mission. In many ways we have the same mission. We're also sent by God. We as John are to go to the blind. And we're to point them to the light. We're to go to blind men with the light of the gospel. The light of Jesus Christ. We're to point them to the light. In Matthew chapter 28 verse 19. Written to every Christian. Go therefore and make disciples. Mark chapter 16 in verse 15. To every Christian. Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Luke chapter 24 in verse 47. To every Christian. Repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations. In John chapter 20 in verse 21. To every Christian Christ says as the Father has sent me. I also send you. You therefore as John was have been sent by God. If you're in Christ. If you claim the name of Christ. If you've been saved from your sin. You've been sent by God. Is that to be done in your own power? Can you accomplish that mission in your own strength? Are you able to do that? You must exercise faith in Christ. And he promises you at the end of Matthew 28. In the great commission. Christ promises you that if you will go. He will be with you even to the end of the age. In chapter 1 of Acts verse 8. To every Christian Christ says. You will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you. And you shall be witnesses to me. John in verse 6 sent from God. In verse 7. He's the bear witness. He's the bear witness of the light. He's the point blind man to the light. That's our mission also. So let me ask you a question. John took his commission from God. And was obedient. Even to the point of death. John was sent from God. Took his commission. Took his sending from God so seriously. He was obedient to that sending. Obedient to that commission. Until they took his head off his shoulders. Why? Why? Why would John do that? To his death. Why would John do that? Certainly you could say because of Christ. Because Christ says in scripture. Christ came to save sinners. But the Lord of glory entered human history to save wretched wicked darkened sinners like you and me. And that is worth it, isn't it? Certainly because John loved Christ. Certainly because John himself needed a savior. He was a sinner. He was grateful for the salvation that he had through the Messiah. Grateful for the forgiveness that he had in Christ. Why? All of that is a fruit of faith. John believed Christ. And because John believed Christ, John obeyed Christ. Why? Did he go with that commission to the point of his own death? Because he believed Christ and because he believed Christ, he followed Christ. Because he believed what Christ said, he obeyed what Christ said. Why did John preach until they took his head? What produces that kind of devotion in a Christian? Why did the disciples go right back into the city that crucified the Lord and preached the Lord there until they were killed? What engenders that kind of devotion? It's faith. Saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. God authored Christ exalting faith, a gift from God. Because they believed Christ, they followed Christ. The disciples saw the risen Lord after the resurrection and it emboldened them to go right back into the city that crucified him and preach Christ until their deaths. This is the fruit of genuine saving faith. That saving faith produced in them a profound love for Christ. That genuine saving faith produced in them a desire to see God glorified in the salvation of sinners. That saving faith produced in them a profound desire to see friends and loved ones and lost people on the street corner saved. Because they believed in him, they obeyed him, they preached him, they followed him. That pertains to you and I. We say that we love Christ. You say that you love Christ. You say that you want to see friends, loved ones, lost people saved. You say you know that Christ has saved you and that he will save sinners from eternal torment in hell. And you are saying that you believe him. And if you believe him and take him at his word then you obey him, you follow him. You go with that mission to the blind, to point blind men to the light. People who claim Christ, who don't preach the gospel, they don't preach the gospel because somehow they don't believe in Christ and what he has done for sinners. They don't believe what Christ has said he will do, what he will do. And their faith is weak or non-existent. People don't preach Christ because really it all amounts to unbelief. If you believe that Christ is a savior of sinners then you will preach the gospel to sinners so that they can be saved. People that don't preach the gospel that claim the name of Christ is simply a lack of faith. It's a lack of faith. John believed and he preached the gospel until he was exiled on Patmos and died there. John the Baptist believed Christ and he preached the gospel until they took his head. The disciples believed. Paul was beheaded. Peter crucified upside down. How strong is your faith in the Lord? Check your evangelism. How strong is your faith in the Lord to do what he says he will do? He came for that reason to save sinners. How strong is your faith in the Lord? Check your evangelism. Let the spirit of God work in you and through you, faith in Christ, faith in Christ is the victory that has overcome the world. The greatest need of Christians, those that call themselves Christians, the greatest need of Christians is to exercise their faith in Christ. Your greatest need as a Christian, while the Lord has you here sanctifying you, conforming you into the image of Christ, your greatest need is to exercise your faith in Christ, to not allow it to be something that is merely intellectual, merely ascent to a set of facts, but so that your faith is a living practice, a living habit, a living faith. You need to exercise faith in Christ. How is your faith, how's your faith today? Is your evangelism a burden? Is it a fainting, withering, shrinking back kind of duty? Where is your faith? Do you believe Christ, when he says that he saves people through the gospel, then exercise your faith and go to the blind? John exercised his faith and went to blind men with the light. Paul exercised his faith, went to the Gentiles with the light. The disciples exercised their faith. Of course, faith in Christ, faith in what Christ has done, faith in the person and work of Christ is gloriously helpful, isn't it, when the Christian finds himself weak and needs strength? Exercise our faith when we have need and the Lord is our supply. The Lord helps and aids in our need, meets us where we need something. We exercise faith when we're in trouble. We rely on the Lord to protect us. Exercise faith when we're... just don't know what tomorrow holds and we need hope. Exercise faith when you're in battle against sin and you just can't overcome it in your own strength. We're not supposed to. We exercise our faith in the Lord and through the strengthening and powering work of the Spirit within us, it's faith that overcomes. Faith is the victory that has overcome the world. Exercise your faith. The demons believe and what? Tremble. Hippocrates say they believe and they lie. God's people believe and speak. Paul said, didn't he? I believed, therefore I spoke, right? So first we see that we are sent from God and the same way that John was, we're sent from God. Secondly, in going to the blind, this sending then presupposes there was a very important purpose for which John the Baptist was sent. The fact that God sends presupposes a very important purpose for the sending. John, here in verse 6, is an earthly man and this earthly man was sent by God. Sent by God to be a heavenly herald. Sent by God to be a heavenly herald. He was an authorized emissary, so to speak, a royal ambassador. John is the forerunner of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the Son of God. And he was sent to preach repentance to fulfill promises and to prepare the way in Israel for the triumphal entry of the Lord Jesus Christ. So John goes, according to his sending, with that commission from God, he prepares the way for Christ. And you have Jews all over Jerusalem, all over Judea, pouring out of the cities to come out of the wilderness to hear John preach. And he was preaching that people should repent. People needed to prepare their hearts because there is one coming after me who is greater than me, whose sandal I'm not even worthy to unloose, the Messiah is coming. Turn from your sin, turn back to the Lord, repent. And John may have been an important figure. He was certainly preaching an important message. He had an important commission. But Christ said of John in Matthew 11, verse 11, assuredly I say to you, Christ says, among those born of women, there is not risen one greater than John the Baptist. Among all of those born, up until this point, there's not one been born that is greater than John the Baptist. I'd submit to you, that's not because John the Baptist was overly smart, smarter than everyone else. Or that he was holier than everyone else. He was more spiritual than everyone else. Or more humble than everyone else. John the Baptist was the greatest among those born of women, until this point. Because he had, up until this point, the greatest purpose. He was a prophet. But he was a greater prophet, Christ said, than any of the prophets that came before him. Because he was the prophet that prophesied the coming of the Messiah. He was the forerunner. He had a great purpose. That led Christ to say of him that he was the greatest among those born of women. He was the greatest because he had the more blessed opportunity of being the one who prepared the way for Christ. So faithful was John. So faithful was John in his calling and in discharging his duties that it cost him his head. Want a great example of meekness? Sometimes that word is difficult to define. Want a great example of meekness. Blessed are the meek. Look at John the Baptist. John the Baptist was very humble. Very humble, but very strong. John the Baptist was humble but he had a backbone of steel. A forehead of flint. John the Baptist was humble but he was resolved. He was uncompromising. He was determined. The Pharisees come out. You brood of vipers who warned you to flee the wrath to come. Sometimes we have a tendency to think of meek as weak. Anything but. Meek is humble but resolved. Humble but uncompromising with truth. Humble but bold for the Lord. Humble but strong. Full of strength. That's John the Baptist. Uncompromising and bold. Resolute even to his death. That's biblical meekness. Blessed are the meek. That's John the Baptist. So what purpose? What was the purpose for which he was sent as a herald, as an emissary? Go to the blind and point blind people to the light. And we see his ministry laid out for us in verse 7. But now think about this before we go on to verse 7. Think about for a moment the utter tragedy of this. This is tragic. This is absurd. It is a travesty. The very source of life and light having come into the world on all men. The very source of life. The very source of light and men love the darkness more than the light. Isn't that absurd? All that we know of who Christ is. All that we know of what Christ has done he is yours and mine. He is our creator. He knit us together in our mother's womb. He made us. Created us. Created everything that we see and yet men love the darkness more than the light. It is tragic. So God knowing this sends Moses sends the prophets. God sending Moses and the prophets sends Stephen and Stephen says in Acts 7, you stiff-necked and uncircumcised and heart-near. You blind people which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute and they killed those who foretold the coming of the just one. Sent Stephen to prophesy to them in Isaiah 6. God sends the prophet Isaiah to blind people. People he says there with dull hearts heavy ears and shut eyes. People in Isaiah 6 who hear but do not understand, who see but do not perceive. In Jeremiah 5, God sends the prophet to a foolish people with no understanding. He says there they have eyes and they don't see. They're blind, right? They have ears and they don't hear. Those who have fear of God before their eyes who don't tremble at his presence. So he sends Ezekiel. He sends Ezekiel to those he calls an impudent, hard-hearted and rebellious people in Ezekiel chapter 2. And Ezekiel is to preach to them whether they hear or whether they refuse, whether they see or whether they reject. Prophet after prophet after prophet witness after witness, God sends the rich man, cries out to Abraham, Abraham send Lazarus back from the dead to my five brothers that they might, you know, avoid this place of torment that I find myself in. And Abraham responds, listen, if they don't hear Moses and the prophets, if they can't see that light, if they can't be pointed to the light by Moses and the prophets, then they're not going to be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead. And so what does God do? God rises someone from the dead. He condescends himself. He preceded by a great prophet, preceded by a forerunner, John the Baptist. God himself enters the stage of human history, wrapped in flesh. Stepping out of glory, coming in great humiliation, the life and the light of men performing miracles, living sinlessly, forgiving men of their sins. And so what do men do who love their darkness more than that light? They chop off the head of the forerunner and they crucify the light. That's what men do. And he is raised from the dead. What do they do after he's raised from the dead? Those that believe preach. Those that believe go, sent from God to blind men. But those that are in darkness they huddle in their darkness. They love the darkness more than they love the light. They come into the light, their deeds are going to be exposed. You and I have done no better outside of Christ. We've done no better. We deserve hell. We deserve judgment. Think about all the witnesses that God has lined up for you and I prior to the time that he saved us. And we rejected and rejected just like those Israelite stiff-necked, uncircumcised and heart and ears blind. Consider the light that you've been given. Consider how outside of Christ we loved the darkness. Loved our own sin. If you're here today and you're outside of Christ, this is you. Considering all that Christ has done, you have loved your darkness. You've loved more. You're drinking. You're partying. You're sleeping around. You've loved lie after lie after lie after lie and you lie some more. You're angry. You're bitter and you're complaining and you're angry some more and you complain some more. You couldn't care less about the way that you've neglected Christ. Ignored that spotlight that is glaring in front of your face and you have completely ignored him. You may be a complete hypocrite. Maybe up until this point you've called yourself a Christian and yet you haven't lived like one. You're just a raving hypocrite. You don't care about his life. You don't really care about the fact that he died. You're not really that concerned about living for him. You don't really care at all that whether he's going to be in heaven or not when you think you're going to get there. All because you loved your darkness. You wouldn't necessarily say it with your mouth but listen, you say it with your neglect. You hate Christ. Outside of Christ men are God haters and the tragedy of all this it's absurd. Men are so depraved, so blind, so darkened in their heart and their understanding that at the same time the infinitely bright shining radiance of God's glory in the sun in all its brilliance shines. We still need someone to come along grab us by the arm and point us to the light. Outside of Christ you are wicked, so unrighteous. You're going to stand before a holy and righteous God. You'll stand before Jesus Christ, the righteous who will judge you judge the living and the dead at his appearing and your sin has left you under judgment. The verdict is death and the sentence is hell. So what is your greatest need this morning? Do you know what it is? God does. God knows what it is and God in stark contrast we are so blind we can't see the light God continues to send witnesses of the light. Think about the astounding grace and mercy and patience of God reaching out when you don't deserve it reaching out when you deserve hell and in mercy sending witnesses sending his son and meeting our greatest need. Do you know what the name John means? The name John means gift of God is gift of God John the messenger John was a gift of God a gift of God's mercy and grace to blind people who need the light God's gift to you is sending someone with the gospel to point you to the light. He sent John 2,000 years ago to say behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus is the Son of God, God in the flesh Lord over all. He was conceived by the Holy Spirit born of the Virgin Mary he lived a perfect sinless life suffered under Pontius Pilate he was crucified bearing the sins of wicked sinners in his body on the tree he died and was buried three days later God raised him from the dead he had conquered death he proved that his perfect sacrifice was acceptable to atone for sinners he satisfied the perfect justice and perfect wrath of a perfect almighty God he gave his only hope his own the hope of resurrection from the dead and now he has bodily ascended into heaven sits at the right hand of the Father reigns and rules victorious making intercession for his people and from there he will one day very soon return in judgment to judge the living and the dead at his appearing John the evangelist and John the Baptist both were sent with the purpose that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ you may have life in his name and John sends you and I with the same purpose to blind people pointing them to the light that if they'll believe that Jesus is the Christ the Son of God they might have life in his name that light that believing is saving faith in Christ saving faith in Christ comes when God causes you to be born again of his spirit your eyes are open to your wicked condition you see the filth of your own sin the majesty of God you mourn your sinful and helpless condition before him it's a belief, it's a saving faith that results in a hatred for sin a love for Christ and a hungering and a thirsting for righteousness it is a heart change within you that you couldn't have wrought yourself that produces a lasting commitment a lasting devotion moving from reliance upon ourselves to reliance upon him alone it is both trusting in him alone for salvation and trusting yourself to him alone in all things turning from your sin is genuine repentance agreeing with God in the mind about the wickedness of your sin and that God would be right to punish you right to send you to hell for all eternity and you become as a result of that poor in spirit and the bible says blessed are the poor in spirit that's not simply happy that means saved and rejoicing blessed are those who are poor in spirit repentance involves grieving over your sin because you know how your sin offends God and the bible says blessed are those who mourn repentance involves mourning that results in a deep humbling of yourself before God blessed are the meek and resolving and determining in your will to forsake all sin blessed are those who hunger thirst for righteousness and those who turn from sin turn from idols to serve the true and living God when you repent and believe in the gospel the lord radically changed your life you become a new creation in Christ you're not the same person any longer the bible says and now is the accepted time behold now is the day of salvation repent and believe in the gospel for my brothers and sisters if you're in Christ here today this is an example of your charge you're to go to the blind as John did you're to speak of the light so we'll see next week and you're to stand for the truth John chapter 17 verse 18 Jesus says as you sent me into the world father I also have sent them into the world Jesus Christ sends you and I in John chapter 20 verse 21 Jesus says again as the father has sent me I also send you as a Christian you are sent from God and you are given the responsibility of speaking pointing bearing witness to the light that through you as through John the Baptist all might believe so are you really going to hoard your light under a bushel you as a Christian are a city that is set on a hill that cannot be hidden you're in Christ exercise your faith how strong is your faith exercise your faith go to the blind preach Christ do you believe like John the Baptist do you believe like Elijah do you believe like Malachi do you believe like Hosea do you believe like Ezekiel do you believe like Paul do you believe like the disciples exercise your faith go to the blind and point them to the light that's our mission God sends us and God promises to send you in power it's often times that you must exercise your faith in order to experience that power from God exercise your faith and see God come through in Christ for you exercise your faith in obedience to the Lord and the Lord will help Lord promises to be with you even to the end of the age but it takes an exercising of your faith how strong is your faith sometimes people view faith as this ethereal sort of otherworldly untouchable kind of thing but we're commanded in Scripture to exercise faith in Christ to place our faith and trust in him and to do what he has called us to do the fruit of that will be someone who believes Christ and follows Christ Amen let's pray Father in heaven we're thank you for your word God thank you, thank you Lord testimony of John testimony of John the evangelist about John the Baptist and what a great example we have in Scripture of meekness faithfulness we've seen many concepts so far in John chapter 1 from light and darkness the word there's attributes of God that we see in Christ Jesus our Lord today this attribute or this keyword of witness what it means to be a witness and I will tell you in that and Lord find us faithful God find us exercising our faith because you are worthy God find us exercising our faith for the glory of God to see you exalted where we want Christ to have the full reward of his suffering and we your children believe you take you at your word Lord that you save sinners you came into the world to save sinners and in desiring all men to be saved you send witness after witness after witness to point blind men to the dark what great grace what great mercy is that God and Lord you continue to send your people to witness to blind people of the light and I pray God that we be faithful to do that faithful as John was for your glory God we thank you Lord for the blessing of being able to do that thank you Lord for the gift of faith and repentance glorify yourself God in the faith repentance of your people the obedience of your people the labor of your people God and glorify yourself in giving your people fruit for their labors for your great namesake that you may be exalted you may be made famous among the gentiles that you may be worshiped praised, honored, glorified magnified for all eternity by redeemed saints worshiping you in heaven we love you Lord in Jesus name