To Bear Witness -John 1:6-13

John 1:6-13
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 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.



The first witness of Christ comes into view. This is the one foretold that would announce the coming and arrival of The Lord. He would speak in our wilderness of that light that would soon break forth onto the world.

His own people would not receive Him, but God made a people into the children of God. This rebellious house gave birth to the Savior of the world. Through them, God's will prevailed. The children of the promise are made manifest. The will and understanding of man is confounded by the wisdom of God.

Receiving God is defined here for us. It is believing in His name, that is believing God. It is ingesting all that God is, in eating the bread of life, and drinking the living water. Receiving Christ is the same thing as receiving God. It is this one that is able to leave the darkness behind and step into the light. It is this one that receives a new name.

We are reminded in Isaiah 49 that Israel will embrace that light and will witness to the ends of the earth. This will happen at last times when the remnant of Israel is sealed with the Holy Spirit. The sealing of the 144,000 speaks to this. Israel will at last witness to the nations and many will be saved.

The light is for all people, but many will hide in the shadow.



Isaiah 40:3-5
A voice cries:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord;
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4 Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all flesh shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

Malachi 3:1
1 “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the Lord of hosts.

Luke 1:15-17
for he will be great before the Lord. And he must not drink wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, 17 and he will 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, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Isaiah 49:6
he says:
“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
to raise up the tribes of Jacob
and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

1 John 2:8-9
At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining. 9 Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness.

1 John 5:20-21
And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols.

1 Timothy 2:3-4
This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.

Matthew 10:40
40 “Whoever receives you receives me, and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.

Romans 9:6-8
But it is not as though the word of God has failed. For not all who are descended from Israel belong to Israel, 7 and not all are children of Abraham because they are his offspring, but “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” 8 This means that it is not the children of the flesh who are the children of God, but the children of the promise are counted as offspring.

Isaiah 56:5
I will give in my house and within my walls
a monument and a name
better than sons and daughters;
I will give them an everlasting name
that shall not be cut off.