Please turn with me in your Bibles to John and chapter number one. John and chapter number one for our message this morning. John chapter number one. As we continue our series through this gospel of John, beginning with verse number six down to verse number nine. John chapter one, beginning with verse number six down to verse number nine. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Amen. May the Lord bless the reading of his holy word. Our title for this morning's message is this, Witnessing for Christ. Witnessing for Christ. In the early few centuries of the Christian church, roughly for the first few hundred years, before Christianity was made legal, The church always faced some threat of persecution from the Roman authorities. She always lived under the possibility of facing arrest for meeting in the name of Christ. Christian religion was frequently misunderstood for many hundreds of years. Over that period, There were many martyrs, martyrs. And when you think of the word martyr, what do you usually think of? You usually think of someone who has remained faithful unto death. They've died for their faith. They have not denied Christ, and they've chosen, rather, to suffer the death laid before them. And during that time, the church grew. The church grew mightily from a small number in Acts chapter 2 to 3,000, then two, many, many more after that. With the persecution from the world, the church often grows mightily. As Tertullian once said, the blood of the martyrs is the seed the church. The more persecution there seems to be, the more the church seems to grow. And we see that even in places today like China, who suffer greatly for the cause of Christ. But being a martyr is not just about dying. It's not just about being tough and extremely brave. All of us by nature, we're cowards. We're frail. But we're all called to be witnesses for Christ. This word martyr actually comes from the word to witness. In the Greek language, martyreo, which sounds very much like our English word, martyr, it means to witness. It means to bear testimony. It means to declare. That's what they were. The early Christian martyrs were witnesses. They declared Jesus Christ, even when threatened with death. And it was a powerful testimony, powerful testimony. Men like Polycarp, men like Stephen in Acts chapter 7 died for the Christian faith. While we may never be called to become martyrs in this way that everybody thinks of the word martyr, it may never cost us our lives per se. But we're all called to be witnesses. It may happen. The Lord may call on you. The Lord may bring you through such trial, but we're all to be witnesses for Christ in the world. To bear witness of the Christ we know and love, for if we don't know and love him, why would we witness of him at all? Why would we share him with this lost and dying world? In our text here this morning, we're going to see a witness. A martyr, you could say. A very special witness, and special in some ways. Prophesied in the Old Testament, that's John the Baptist. But in some ways very ordinary. A man of flesh and blood, just like you or I. Frail. Sinner, just like you or I. Set apart for a very specific purpose. Not to preach himself, but to point towards another. That's what witnessing is all about. It's not about us. It's not even about our church. It's about Christ. It's about exalting Him. It's about being a witness for Him. Friends, are you a witness? Are you a witness to others? Wherever you are, in your work, in your school. Whatever situation you find yourself in day to day, do you witness for Christ? Do people know clearly that is a Christian, that is a follower of Jesus Christ? And though you may say, yes, I am a sinner, I fall short of the glory of God, but you still in your life and in your witness, in your testimony, point toward Jesus Christ. So as we look at this passage here this morning, as we look at John the Baptist and his witness for Christ, how can we witness in 2024 here in Stockton and beyond? Our first point that we're going to look at this morning is this. Number one, the mission. Number one, the mission. Verse number six, there was a man sent from God whose name was John. Now, in our text, and we looked at this last week, five verses going to the very heart of eternity, looking at the word that is Christ before being made flesh. And then here in verse 6, we have an abrupt change almost. In the Greek language, there's actually a marker there to show you there's new information here. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. Now, why does this man matter at all? Why do we remember him thousands of years later? For this one and important reason, sent from God. Sent from God. John had an important mission. It wasn't that John was important, the mission was important. It's what gave him authority when he came and he preached the truth. That's what gives ministers of the gospel authority, whether they've been sent by God or not. We cannot send ourselves God must send us. Now, in the Old Testament, you're going to see prophets raised up in extraordinarily different ways, hearing the voice of God and different things like that. But today, we still need men sent by God with a mission. And we can say more in ordinary ways. Today, men who will feel led to the ministry, they will have a burden. A burden they feel like they cannot shake off. And the more they pray about it, the more that they cannot deny that God wants them to go into the ministry. And that's over much prayer and much wrestling with that later. In many ways, many men call to the ministry. They don't want to get up and speak there. I know many godly preachers who said, I did not want to get up and preach. I was very similar to myself. God must send. That's what they call the inward call. But it's also important that that person is qualified. The word of God reveals qualifications. for that person led into that very important mission. If we turn briefly to 1 Timothy and chapter three, 1 Timothy and chapter three. Beginning with verse one, this is a true saying. If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. Now, bishop comes from a word that really means overseer, overseer. And we may think of something today with bishop, but it's really another term for a pastor or an elder. These words are very much different roles of the same position. But if someone wishes to be an overseer, he must be blameless, verse 2, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behavior. Verse 3, not given to wine, no striker, Not guilty of filthy lucre. There are qualifications for this calling. And I know none of us are perfect. We all fall short in many ways. We wish we were better husbands. We wish we were better fathers. And all sorts of things like this. But if you can't rule well in your own home, this is not meeting this qualification. Not perfectly. If you're given to whine, not qualified, not ready, perhaps, for that role. But many men send themselves. They may ignore the qualifications. They may not want to read the qualifications. The question is not, are you good enough? None of us are. None of us are. The question is, are you sent by God? And in being sent by God with a heavenly mission, an ambassador who speaks for a king, he represents a king. But he can only go in the king's name and authority if that king has told him, you will speak in my name. And he has no right to do so unless That is the case. In 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse 20. 2 Corinthians chapter 5 and verse number 20. Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ. As though God did beseech you by us, we pray you in Christ's stead, in Christ's place. be reconciled to God. And there's great power there, isn't there? There's great power because of the one doing the sending, the one who has sent John. There's no power and authority in the word of man. There's no power and authority in my words. There's only power and authority in the word of God. In the days of Jeremiah, many were not sent, yet they ran. In Jeremiah 23, Jeremiah 23 and verse number 31. Jeremiah 23 and verse number 31. Behold, I am against the prophets. saith the Lord, that use their tongues, and say, he saith. Verse 32. Behold, I am against them that prophesy false dreams of the Lord, and do tell them, and cause my people to err by their lies and by their lightness. Yet I send them not, nor commanded them, therefore they shall not profit this people at all, saith the Lord. And this other part of Jeremiah, you'll see the same thing. I did not send them, yet they ran. In Ezekiel 13 and verses 2 and 3, Ezekiel chapter 13 and verses 2 and 3, thus saith the Lord God, woe unto the foolish prophets that follow their own spirit and have seen nothing. Verse 2 as well, sorry. Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, hear ye the word of the Lord. So John is coming, not in his own name, not in his own reputation, not in his own authority, but by the authority and the command of Almighty God. That's why it's powerful. That's why it's glorious. That's a very clear command. Friends, it's important enough to think, perhaps in our day, there are many men who occupy pulpits who were never sent by God. And that's a heartbreaking reality. J.C. Ryle said this, ignorant, blind, and unconverted ministers may be ordained and sent by man, but they are not sent by God. George Hudson said, ministers of Christ must not run unsent, but ought to have a calling from God. Now at the same time, if God has called you, you go. If God has placed a burden on your heart, and you also speak to church leaders to see if this is consistent with the word of God, get advice from people, wrestle over it, absolutely. If you were called, go. There's also Jonah who ran away from that calling. We should not do that either. But there's authority, there's power. Now, we may not be sent ones in the way of John the Baptist. We may not be sent ones in the way of a minister. We may not be called to be ruling elders or deacons. But we're all, we all have a divine mission from Almighty God. We're all called in some way to occupy some part of his vineyard. We all have a role to play. You may not be a preacher, but you're still to share the gospel, where you have opportunity, where God has presented times. Now, sometimes those doors close, and you need to pray for those doors to open again. Sometimes people, you may witness them for a while, and the doors may shut, but you pray for opportunities to come back. Again, we all have a mission, all of us, from God. If we are saved, if we are part of that one body, we have a role to play. And though our role may not be as visible as John the Baptist, though our role may not be as visible as others, we have a role to play. We're to trust in the Lord with all our heart as we do so. and lean not in our own understanding. See, our hearts, as we saw in those texts from Ezekiel and Jeremiah, our hearts will lead us astray, always. But when we trust in the Lord and his mission and his sending and his authority, we need that as we witness for Christ. Our second point now is the man. So number one, the mission. Number two, the man. Verses six and seven. There was a man sent from God whose name was John. The same came for a witness to bear witness of the light, and all men through him might believe. And all men through him, that is the Lord Jesus Christ, might believe. But though he was just a man, God used him, a mere, frail man just like you or I. John was prophesied, John the Baptist was prophesied in the Old Testament. If we turn to Isaiah 40 and verse 3, Isaiah 40 and verse number 3, the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. But though the Lord does not depend on any of us, he doesn't depend on any of us, he still uses frail, weak, limited beings such as us. Instruments to advance his kingdom. Not in our power, not in our own name, but he still uses instruments such as us. In some ways, yes, John was very special, prophesied in the Old Testament. But God could have sent an angel to proclaim the gospel. And angels are the most impressive of all beings. But he didn't. He took John to be the herald, the one to declare the coming of the Messiah. Such an important role. Say he used John, we may wish to have the strength of Samson or the wisdom of Solomon, but Samson, Solomon, all those people, ourselves included, we're all of the dust of the earth. God uses us. If you're part of the body of Christ, you have a role to play. And it depends on God. It depends on God. It doesn't depend on you. The success of anything that works out depends on God. You say, well, I am so frail. I am so foolish. I make all the wrong decisions. Friends, does it not say in the Scriptures that the Lord has chosen the foolish things of this world? That's you and I. If we turn to 1 Corinthians 1. 1 Corinthians 1, and verse 26. 1 Corinthians 1, and 26 and 27. For ye see your calling, brethren, How that not many wise after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things that are mighty. God does not need you or I. There's a thing that I've noticed a lot. If a famous person says that they're a Christian, people get all excited. And I pray that these famous people that get quoted in articles are genuinely Christians, and that is wonderful. But I wonder if we get just as excited about the nobody. About the person who may, their job may be just cleaning the streets or whatever the job may be. God does not need any of us. He's chosen the foolish things of this world. I think we think, you know, maybe somebody in a professor in a college, and they're very intelligent. I say, oh, but if the Lord would just save him, well, that would do a mighty thing. They're just instruments in the hand of God. The success And the advancements of the kingdom does not depend on the intellect or the gifting of men. Where do those gifts come from? It comes from God. Any gifting that you have comes from God. Any skill you may have comes from God. The life that you have, short that it is, comes from God. He chooses mere men like you or I. Now, as we said earlier, we're all part of the body, and some parts of the body are more visible than others. We would never say you don't need a head, because you can see a head. If you lose your head, that's a big problem, isn't it? But we sometimes think because something is not visible in the body of Christ that it's not important. I wonder if the boys and girls can think, can you see your heart? Can you look down and see your heart? You can't see it, can you? But you know that you have a heart, because you're alive. What if you said, well, it's not visible. We don't need it. You don't need your brain. You can't see it. No. There's lots of parts of the body of Christ that are also not visible, not as obvious, not as open, but are just as important, actually more important probably, than some of the more visible parts. If we turn briefly to 1 Corinthians chapter 12. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 and verse 12. From verse 12 following, for as the body is one, hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body. So also is Christ. For by one Spirit we are all baptized into one body. Skipping on to verse 14, verse 14 and 15, for the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, because I am not of the hand, I am not of the body, is therefore not of the body, we would say, wouldn't we, we need our hands. If we don't have our hands, that's a problem. We need our feet. Is there any part of your body you could just say, no, it doesn't matter. You just cut it off and it doesn't matter at all. They all work together, don't they? They all play a part. Some parts more important and influential than others. But laboring together to magnify Christ. See, John's ministry was not about himself. John 3 in verse 30. John 3 and verse 30, he said this, He must increase, but I must decrease. John had a very important role. I think we would all recognize that. But it doesn't mean that your role in the body doesn't matter. It doesn't depend. The success of the church and the advancement of the church doesn't depend on you. What? there's a role for you to play by God's grace. What's that role? To be a witness for Christ. How can you encourage people? How has God blessed you? So I don't have any gifting, that's not true. How can you bless people? I remember visiting an elderly lady one time, She was almost wondering, why am I still here? Her husband had passed away a few years earlier, and she dearly missed him and couldn't wait to be with him in heaven. But the more she would talk, the more I heard of how the Lord was using her, a lady who could barely walk, she could barely move, but yet she was witnessing to those around her. She didn't really see it herself. That's why she was still there, to be a witness. And that's why we're still here in this world, to be a witness for Christ. And we are to be a witness to number three now, the message. The message. Our message that we bring as a witness to the truth, and it's a message of true light in a world full darkness. Verses 7 and verse 8 of our text, the same came for a witness. To bear witness of the light that all men through him might believe. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. And our message is the Lord Jesus Christ. To present Christ before them. How you may know Christ. How you may know eternal life. how you may be free from the wrath to come. And it's only through Jesus, Him, from fleeing from the wrath to come, fleeing from the idolatry of serving self, serving false idols in this world, to trusting the true and living Savior. says in 1st John chapter 1 and verse 5, 1st John and chapter 1 and verse 5, this then is the message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is light and in him is no darkness at all. In the presenting of the gospel, in the presenting of that message that we are to be a witness to, we're telling people who Jesus really is because you go out into the world and usually the people, by nature, we will distort who Christ is. We will limit the Holy One of Israel. I was talking to somebody the other day, witnessing to them, and the more he would talk, the more I realized that he was talking about a small g God who is dependent on things outside of him. And I told this person, our God does not depend on anything outside of himself. I said, no, no, God does depend on things. And I said, no, you are talking about a false idol. The true God Israel does not depend on anything. He was eternally, infinitely blessed before the creation of the world. He doesn't need us. He doesn't need this world. We don't add anything to him even in our worship, but he is pleased nonetheless to dwell in our midst And he's not limited in any way at all. And that's what that verse means, 1 John 1, verse 5. In him is light, no darkness at all. No darkness at all. He's not a mixture of light and darkness. He's pure, holy. See, what we think of Christ is what we think of the gospel. If we love the gospel message, we will love Christ. See, so often, for many years, the gospel and Christ have been separated from each other. Oh, you don't want to go to hell, do you? And the benefits of the gospel almost separated from Christ over the years. But our great reward for salvation is Christ. It is Him. See, friends, we walk around Stockton, Norton, Yarm, all sorts of places around here. There's many, many people in very, very sad situations, people who are addicted to drink, drugs, all sorts of things, and we think they need Jesus. But the person who's got the nice car, the nice house, as all their things together, at least the world thinks that they do, they need Christ just as much. We all need Christ. See, we don't just witness, we witness to anyone who will allow us to. See, we're in a world of darkness, and we welcome light. If you were walking at nighttime, and it's dark, the moonlight is very welcome, isn't it? You feel a lot safer walking down the streets when it's well lit. I think I read years ago in London when they introduced street lights for the first time that the crime rate dropped. Light changes things. The gospel changes things. It is a light that shineth in a dark place, and the darkness comprehendeth it not. The darkness cannot grasp it. It does not understand it. But that's where the power of God comes in. You see, no one will love Christ, no one will love this message unless they've been changed by God. None of us. You see, when we go out to bear witness of the light, and it was the same for John the Baptist, the only way that they would love that light is if God changed them. Why are you here? and you love the gospel. Well, I was reading through the Bible. Why are you here? Why not other people? We've maybe read the same thing. Why not other people who may be grown up under the sound of the gospel and are out in the world? Because of the Lord's mercy and pity upon you. You see, we love light. Because God has changed us. If you're a friend, if you're still here, and you love darkness, cry out to the Lord for help. Seek him while he may be found, that you may not cling to death anymore. To be in unbelief, to remain in unbelief, to reject the message, I don't need this. Ah, it's OK for you Christians. I'm glad it makes you feel better. But the question is, how do you think of Christ? And you see, what we're doing in witnessing to the world is sharing that which they don't want currently. That's why we need God's Spirit. That's why we need to do so prayerfully. We need to do so prayerfully. Because the only way that gospel message will change them is through the power of God. that light that would shine in their hearts, that their eyes would be opened to see the beauty of Christ, but also the ugliness of sin. It's only by God's grace. By nature, we are blind. By nature, we are willfully blind. By nature, we love darkness. That's us. That's me. People say, oh, you're probably searching for religion. I was not searching for religion at all. the Lord took pity upon me, a sinner." Do you study this gospel message? Friend, we don't just learn the gospel at the beginning of our walk with Christ and then lay it aside and think, ah, now I want to go on and study more deeper things and more challenging things. I'm going to spend all my time maybe looking at eschatology or something like that. A long word that people spend a long time at. The gospel message will never ever, you'll never get to the depths and say, I'm finished studying about the gospel. I've mastered that topic now. Friends, you never will. The gospel is glorious. And the more you know about the gospel, the more you love the gospel, it will flow out of you when you meet people. The more you love the gospel, it'll change you, and you'll begin to think more about the lost. God needs to change us with this message. Yes, we've been changed, born again, praise God, but this message continues to change us. Christ continues to change us, to sanctify us by his grace, by his word. That light, and also as well, John the Baptist was not that light. So often we can make too much about men. They thought, they were wondering, is this the Christ? Is this the one we've been waiting for? No. And our job is to say, it's not about us. It's about Jesus Christ. It is about him. There are parts of the world that know the value of light more than others. There's places like northern Sweden, that for many, many months of the years, you actually get lit windows, little pockets of light in the day, but the rest of it's darkness. Do you think that they appreciate light? Or Greenland? And lack of light, what does it do? It affects our mood, doesn't it? If you're not out in the sunlight, it affects you. You feel more down, you feel kind of ill at times. We need to spend time in this light, studying this gospel of light. That Christ has died for us who believe, and to share it with others. I wonder if you've ever ordered anything from Amazon or eBay, and you're sending it to a friend, it's a birthday present. and you're not sure if it's gonna get there in time, so what do you keep doing? You check the tracking information. You check it again and again and again. Why is that? Because you really want that message, that package, to get to your friend. We have to get the message out, don't we? Yes, we love the gospel, but we have to get the seed out of the barn. If the seed is left in the barn, friends, will there be any crops? Yes, I know it depends on God, absolutely. But God uses means. And if the seed remains in the barn, the farmer just says, look, it's all in God's hands. Where's the seed? Is it in the field? Nope, still in the barn. And that's what we've done in much of the church today. The message has to get out. The message has to get out. Brings us to our fourth and final point, as this, the magnificence, the magnificence, verses eight and nine of our text. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light. In verse nine, that was the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Now, you may notice in other parts of the scriptures, we are called to be light in this dark world. In Matthew chapter five and verse 14, it says this, Matthew chapter five and verse number 14, afterward Jesus, sorry, Matthew chapter, yeah, Matthew chapter five and verse 14, says this, you are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. But our light is different to the light of Christ. Our light, you could say, is borrowed. We are creatures. but we are to be lights in this world. Jesus is the true light, the source of all things. What happens if there's no sun? All the plants die, and all the plants die, all the animals die. We depend on light. Light is the source of food. It is a source of light. But God is different. God is pure light. He's not like us. We're made up of parts. We have a brain, we have a heart. Take one of those out, we're in a lot of trouble, aren't we? But our God is not made up of parts. He's not made up of light and darkness mixed together. He is pure in every single thing. He's pure in act. He's pure in light. He's pure in goodness. He is pure He is pure, and we depend on Him. So when we see this magnificence, this light that shineth in a dark place, that is, there's no shadow of turning, what does it do? It speaks of here, that is the true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. Now, lighteth every man that cometh into the world, does that mean that everyone is a believer? Every person is a believer, not at all. We know from other parts of Scripture that many, many multitudes walk in that broad road that leadeth unto destruction, and many there be that go there at. But here is a light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. What does that mean? Well, the Lord has given us light, hasn't he? Like the unbeliever rejects, we've got a conscience. Part of the light of nature, we've got a conscience. In Romans chapter two and verse 14. Romans chapter two and verse number 14. For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves, which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness. And Romans 1 verse 20, as well as another good verse to see what is being spoken about here. Romans chapter 1 and verse 20. For the invisible things of the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse. Romans 19 verse one also tells us as well, the heavens declare the glory of God. There's the light of nature. There's the light of our conscience. You'll see it. When someone has done something particularly wicked, perhaps people in prison and different things like that, and their conscience is at them. Why is that? Because they know these things are wrong. You see, we see from nature around us, what do we see? That there's a God. He is good. He is powerful. He is just. He is a God of order. And so that's why it says in Romans chapter one, that all men are without excuse. There's also another thing to think of with this as well. All the good things we have in this world, the inventions. that car you used to bring to and from church. That was from people going out into nature, studying how things work, the laws of science, you could call it, and making things. But what light were they studying? The light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world. All that we have around us comes from the magnificence and the beauty and the radiance Christ. Friends, will we not be witnesses of that? To tell people, to point out to people, that God who made all the good things that they have in this world, all the things that we have that make life pleasant, come from God. What is our great privilege to be witnesses. What was John's great privilege? To be a witness. But what if you're here this morning and you're ashamed of Christ? You may come to church. People may think you're a believer, even. You know the Christian vocabulary, but at the end of the day, you are ashamed of it. There's a warning in scripture, Luke 9, verse 25 and 26. For what is a man advantaged if he gain the whole world and lose himself or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of me and my words, of him shall the son of man be ashamed. And he shall come in his glory and in his father's and of the holy angels. Friends, I know we're not the witnesses we wish we were. But are you a witness? Maybe we wish we were far greater witnesses. We wish we were, by God's grace. But that means we are believers. Believers are to witness. But if we are ashamed of him, If we reject Him in this world, He will reject us in the world to come. Amen.