The Revelation of the Redeemer

Greetings and welcome once again to the midweek service from the almost empty auditorium of beacon Baptist Church on Kirkpatrick Rd. in Burlington, NC the course during these lifestream only services we always have somebody at the soundboard running the equipment normally on Wednesday night. That's right card will and occasionally will have some members who drop in and join us in tonight we have Corey and Amy Oakley. I didn't ask them the exact reason but my guess is they probably brought Jonah to the team meeting tonight and it's a long ways to go home and come back again for them. How far away do you folks live 25 miles. So anyway, they just decided to join us here, the auditorium and make one trip each way, which is enough rather than two choices were so happy to have them as well and our teams are meeting tonight in college and career started meeting on Wednesday nights. About three weeks ago and that's going well so that has been one addition to our formerly restricted schedule as we are little by little adding in expanding and opening up and returning toward normalcy. Even though are still quite a ways away. However, this coming Lord's day.

We will have two in person services people present services Sunday morning at 930 has been people present since March. No since May of last year and that has been going well. We have been careful distancing people every other pew wearing masks for the most part a fist bumps available elbow bumps instead of the handshaking.

The notice that's getting what should I say a little bit less less severe, less less restrictive as time goes on Sunday. I was talking to some folks back in the welcome center after the service and I reached out my hand for hand bump in the ladies that I'm not afraid to shake your hand and she took my hand so were glad that the people are becoming less concerned about the covert is obviously more more people are getting vaccinated and more more people are. I have built up antibodies from having having the contracted covert and survived it in one of those in the quite a few of those as well. But anyway, in addition to our Sunday morning service which has been people present for a number of months we will be having a people present service Sunday night at 6 o'clock that will be a communion service, which I do not think we have had a communion service since February 2020 20s so here we are in March 2021. It's been a little over a year so that will be this Sunday 6 o'clock. We hope you will be able to come we will be observing a couple of things to make it more more, should I say more safe.

But you can't do everything and so things are beginning to change, but what we are doing the Sunday night is putting the wafers in a cup so you're going to get the juice in the cup and you're going to get the wafer in the cup so will you will not be taking away for this been touched by somebody else to be placed in the cup by people who are wearing gloves and so you can be confident that your wafer is going to be untouched by human hands, at least after got to us.

I Promise you what happened before we received them. Probably they have been untouched completely by human hands.

But we are going to pass the trends we talked about that and I think we can have do that. We have been passing anything. We have been fastening offering plates and we have been passing anything that we will pass the trade so I'm I just mentioned that so that if that is a great concern to you then you make your sick decision accordingly.

But I hope you'll decide to be with us as we observe the Lord's command been difficult to know exactly what to do. We have certain things that God has commanded us to do. He hasn't told us how often they must be done to take into account the measures that we need to take to keep people safe and healthy during a pandemic. And yet we cannot completely ignore the commands of the Lord has given us to assemble together to sing his praises to remember the Lord in the way that he is commanded around the Lord's table.

So this on Sunday night will be doing that together now also mentioned that our spring Bible conference begins on Sunday, April 4 that will be what current account of the Sunday seer this Sunday the 21st so we have one more someday. And then the following Sundays of two weeks away for a Bible conference, Mark Webb from Olive branch Mississippi will be with us. At least I think he still from there he that's where he was for many years is now retired from pastoring.

I think he still maintains a residence there, but he also spends a good bit of time in Wyoming is I think it's Wyoming where he has a has a home and so he's reveries from he'll be here, Lord willing, making plans to be with us along with his wife Paula is Minister God's word here at beacon. A number of times over the years and always to great blessing to our souls and were looking forward to his series in the book of Ephesians. Please mark your calendar. Be with us. That'll be people present Sunday morning Sunday night Monday night Tuesday night Wednesday night, April 4-7.

Finally I mentioned to John Henniker Savage will be moving into their new home on Saturday, March 27. If you are available to help them for even a short or longer period of time they would appreciate it and they would like to know of your availability. You can call or text 336-567-7713. You will be able to help them.

At that time. I should also mention that Ministry, which is a ministry in Pennsylvania that distributes materials that have been show is a gently used as a common phrase these days. Gently used in and that donated to them how they distribute those materials to other countries where people are able to use them for the English language is used, such as in the Philippine Islands and other places. And so we put our Bibles under the condition that we may not want one any longer as we required new ones good Christian books and literature. We put them in the box back here and when the box gets sufficient sufficiently full.

We ship it off to Pennsylvania. They accumulate them there in the warehouse and they shipped them off to where the requests come from all that to say they have requested not to receive any more daily Brits cutting down on some of the what should I say some of the smaller items trying to concentrate on larger ones, but they are happy to receive table talk devotional magazines. If any of you use those. My wife and I have been using that for years and I'm glad to know reckon put those in their share so rich in there.

So full of good teaching.

I hate to discard them in the past I have tried to pass them on to other people and right now I don't have anybody that I hear that I can put that I know that I can pass it on to. But now I know I can place it in the missionary box and it will be distributed to another country to a pastor or to someone there who was in need of good material. So table talk magazines, place them in the box.

They will be reused daily bread's, however, can also be reused but not of the missionary box but there's a white basket out of their communication hallway that has been placed, devotional angled and if you put the daily Brits and their she will distribute those in area senior citizen facilities so those can still have new life but just not to through tap ministry in and to other countries. All right, let me let me read the diverse that's on our prayer sheet tonight for the Lord gives wisdom from his mouth comes knowledge and understanding.

He stores up sound wisdom for the upright. He is a shield to those who walk up rightly.

He guards the paths of justice, and preserves the ways of his saints.

Proverbs 2628 prayer requests were praising the Lord the Robert suite is doing well. He had a heart catheterization had a stent put in the head of artery that was 99% blocked and that was causing problems.

As you can well imagine causing him some pain that has now been addressed and he's feeling fine and back to work we give praise to God for that. Our government official of the week is Melvin Mayor James Cook.

Please pray for him.

Some of our members who are in various stages of recovery by Bob Caldwell is now home praising the Lord that they were able to repair the tear in his artery in his: and he is gaining strength day by day. Roger Guthrie is at home. They have decided not to give her any more cancer treatment.

She has made that decision. She's doing well.

I tell you she is doing well. Marty and I were able to visit with her on Sunday afternoon and she's taking the pain medicine they prescribed oxycodone for which is a strong, strong, strong something something medicine and try to think what it's called, exactly, but she doesn't take it. She has it.

She needs them she doesn't take it. She has no pain. She says I'm not even taking Advil and I said well you have less pain than I do because I take Advil of the I have arthritis in my left hip and some days I just have to have some Advil, but she's doing well or spirits are good.

She's trusting the Lord. She's just at peace with with her Savior. Looking forward to being with him and it was just a joy to be with her to talk to herself. She's doing well.

She made the here in this world for a while to come. We don't know what her times timeframe is, but she's ready to meet the Lord want to talk about her funeral wanted to have wanted me to hold to conduct her funeral and she had some requests that she wanted to include in the funeral, which I'm happy to do you know that something that that it's hard to explain how you could talk to somebody about their death about their funeral and do so with joy and cheerfulness. You can do that if you don't know the Lord. I don't know many unsaved people that that could talk about planning their funeral without real difficulty, but those who know the Lord have have an true new birth experience. Have the Holy Spirit of God dwelling within them can talk about these things, not only without without gloom and doom in fear and trepidation, but actually with joy and anticipation because people who know the Lord know what Paul has told us in the Bible, namely the two be with Christ is far better and so Drew is doing well. I just am glad to be able to report that while some others when Craig's father is in ARMC with congestive heart failure. Please pray for him. Lee Hodges, who is a I will try to explain the relationship with that request was given to us by Donna Martina Boudreau and he was involved in a very serious chainsaw accident. Please pray for him. Charlotte McGuire is an aunt of Bruce Councilman had a massive heart attack. She knows the Lord we continue to pray for Laverne walk she's adjusting to Stewart's passing and also for missionary Mike Webster in France as he is battling colon cancer. Speaking of Laverne walk, I received a text this afternoon from Pastor Eric Johnson, the Providence Baptist in Asheboro from Pastor Juma in the in Africa in the Zimbabwe and so precious. I have to read it. It's a little lengthy but not too long but here's what Pastor Juma says I wish you knew Pastor Juma like I do, but that Pastor Juma along with his brother a society are two pastors there pastor different churches in different locations. Both of them were reared up in a Muslim home came to know the Lord under the ministry Stuart walk carrying on wonderful ministry will. Here's what Pastor Juma writes all we are able because we are with our Lord Jesus Christ. No journey can be impossible when he is in it. All pastors and their families are doing fine.

It's now two weeks since we were allowed to gather in church up to a number 50 yes your prayers mean a lot to us all we need them each moment as you know we had our father Pastor Stuart Waugh, the one we loved gossip. God also loved him and called him home. Now pray for us as we try to find the ground on our own without him all yes mom she is there. That's of course Laverne. But you know she needs all the support from us, especially the prayers of God's people.

We are continuing with the work of the kingdom of God each day. His mercies are new. We are thankful for our brothers over there that would be here in the USA.

We know that you love the Lord. That's why you love us. We love him because he first loves us all pray for each pastor and his family are children are going back to school now. They need protection.

Our country has nothing to help them. It will be like taking chances. Pray for all the pastors are beloved Pastor Stuart Waugh has his vision for the work in Zimbabwe. We all need God to guide us each step humbled before him in seeking wisdom from him each day.

Pastor Stuart Waugh taught us to preach sound doctrine, pray for us to keep the book of the law and in in unto our mouth not turning to the left are turning to the right. Thank you so much for all thinking of us all, taking an extra mile, especially in the work of the kingdom may our dear Lord richly bless you. Amen. Signed Pastor Juma precious turned the ringer off. In case somebody calls will probably hear it vibrate. What you will. Hopefully will express our sympathy to the families of ash of Alfred ash. That's who Elliott's brother-in-law Nancy Moore.

That's Larry Cardwell's sister and the funeral will be Saturday. I think in Virginia. Her and then Catherine Rue Darren Ruiz mother in this one you may not of heard of because we didn't know about it until Monday. She actually passed away on Friday but we did not receive word until Monday but I was able to attend the us the funeral service. She was a Christian with a fine testimony and the family seems to be doing well but Darren Ruble course, a member of our church along with his wife Donna and daughter Caleb.

He has two sisters and one brother. So there's four children and that family and it was a joy to be with them at the funeral service and to hear of the testimony that his mother leaves behind. Please remember that family prayer, and I finally will mention Betty Duncan member of our congregation who is having severe back pain fact, the last word we had was that she's too weak to be able to stand right now. She clearly is getting weaker.

So this time I want to pause and open the service in prayer father. How blessed we are to be named among the sons of God blessed we are to be in the fellowship of like-minded believers. How blessed we are to be able to gather together by means of of lifestream technology. Even when we are reduced in the number of meetings we can have together. But how blessed we are to be able to meet together on Sunday mornings and to be able to add additional services as we will be this coming Sunday night blessed we are for our teams to be able to be meeting tonight. Some of our college and career young people and we pray that you will bless their gathering. Bless the teaching of God's word is Pastor Bob. The tour teaches them from the life of David blessed we are to have been in a strong partnership with missionary Stuart walk of you have called unto yourself. We pray for his wife Laverne that you will strengthen her. She's going to have to go through some pretty major adjustments in life without her husband that has been her life's companion. I guess for at least 50 years that we prefer the pastors who have looked to him for leadership, whom he has trained in who love him dearly and will miss him, but father, we thank you for the strength that we see in their lives and in their ministries.

Pray that you will keep them true to yourself and true to your word. We pray for Ryan, and for Colin and their ministry in a city where they can partner together in sister churches in the same town. We pray for society and Juma brothers, who also pastor separate churches in different areas but who are faithfully carrying on the work of the Lord Jesus Christ and we pray for Juma and his church, especially the passing of this young man who was a member of their church and who died recently and left a great void in that congregation.

We pray for Tim, but and for Joseph and we pray for Trevor and for Crispin and we pray for honest and for trust.

We pray for their church as we pray for other men who are who are expressing a desire to be involved in the ministry of the gospel and who are who are wanting to be trained for that ministry and to be given opportunities to preach and we thank you that there are new churches forming nuclear schism believers that are coming together that are a good opportunity.

Good prospect to be developed into two local churches that will carry on the work of the gospel in that land, we pray Lord that you will put your hand a protection about them.

We pray for the children of Zimbabwe as they return to school as Juma has asked us to pray for them because of the pandemic that you will keep them safe. Now we pray Lord that you will bless and guide us throughout the remainder of this time together tonight as we ask it in Jesus name full-time for some missionary letters brought a bunch of them and I will have time for all that I have brought some going to have to be selective thumbing through them right now to decide what to read like to read them all. Maybe I will read excerpts at least from this recent email letter rather lengthy letter from Andy and Trish Goodman Alaska and the writer Pastor Barkman to beacon Baptist Church 2020 was a weird year. We are glad to be welded 2021. We want to share a summary of our finances and ministry support of the summary of our first year and 1/2 of ministry kingdom air Corps in Alaska. I want you to know that this is a casual and candid 2019, 20, 20 year end report. Nothing too serious, serious or formal just like us.

Then there is a very detailed accounting of their finances that I will not read through this time they go through first aid general summary and then monthly donation amounts and donor population consisting of how many churches and how many individuals in so forth and so on. Very detailed and we appreciate that greatly. And a little account as to how their mission agency operates in the distribution of their support and then they have a recap of their year July through December 2019. Our first six months in Alaska are sort of a blur and he was thrown into the summer at kingdom air Corps may home right away just went with the flow. For the remainder of the summer and fall months were continuation of getting sub settled finding a new rhythm. Understanding the ministry of kingdom air Corps in our role here we do 2019. By staying in Alaska for Christmas and starting some new traditions and then they go on from there. March through May 2020. These are the strangest months for us not going to read that paragraph the summer of 2020.

Explain what went went on during that period of time.

The fall of 2020 and the work that they were involved in their and December 2020, how they ended up the year and so forth. And they give us a prayer request. Please pray for ministry connections and meaningful relationships pray for the managing of moods of the seasons in Alaska in the summer we were all exhausted from burning the candle at both ends because it's daylight virtually all all 24 hours during the winter. Life is just harder.

It is dark and cold and dark, some more. More than ever before. We need to be aware of how we are affected during these times and how to take care of ourselves overall health and wellness wellness. We need to do better prioritizing exercise and healthy living. In our daily lives.

We are not strangers to healthy living. But it is not been a priority over the past year. Pray for our kids. Pray for all the kids things you can think of. Pray for the kingdom air Corps missionary families, summer preparations are underway already whimpering for fruit summer financial support. We always take our request to the Lord and asked that he meet our needs wisdom in all situations, ministry parenting, finances, marriage schedules, decision-making. Thank you for your faithful prayer and support of our work at kingdom air Corps were grateful for all that God has done and hopeful of how he will continue to work in Christ, Andy and Tricia Goodman.

Then there's more. I skipped over a good bit, but so glad to receive this is extensive volume of information from the Goodman's very helpful indeed. Then in a similar vein, I have a short letter from John and Molly Harmon.

Members of our congregation here. They are now involved with missionary air group not to be confused with with the kingdom air Corbett missionary group, which is stationed right outside the Burlington airport almost within eyesight of our church facility here and that's where the Goodman's receive their final training before going to Alaska received training in piloting an airline and airplane mechanics and so forth. Other places, but they receive their final preparation here but anyway John writes praise Lord Molly I are doing fine. We've been very careful about exposure to covert, 19 and we have now received our two-step vaccinations. Then they says we are finish up training of a pilot mechanic is going to join the mission Alaska joining up with a family who graduated last year from our training. One of my roles now is to assist the smaller or newer missions establish their financial structures and processes. In May we look forward to attending our granddaughters graduation from covenant College traveling out to David Donnelly's no new home in Texas for his birthday. Thank you for the support beacon has led to missions worldwide and specifically for the contribution to replace the flow plane in Peru for South American mission. Have a blessed Easter. John and Molly Harmon so glad to have these folks as part of our congregation. I think I will read next and last mixture.

This is the last one I want to read from 2000 Honeycutt of Piedmont rescue mission and update on what's going on there and particularly the construction project on the family center. Whatever they call it family shelter. They call it facility that will allow them to house mothers and their children have been able to do that. Up until now, the Lord provided the building was donated to them quite some time ago and it's taken quite a while to get permission to turn it into a a facility of this type to get the proper zoning in the permits and then to raise money and then to carry on the construction that is going on. Well, he writes, I'm happy to report that one of our major hurdles in the renovation for the family shelter was cross this month. It may not look much like munched to you but to us it is like jumping a mountain. Praise the Lord for helping us reach this major goal. Now that this step is been accomplished. The plumbing pipes can be placed in all the bathrooms and kitchens would like to thank the individuals and companies that have donated their time and materials for this project.

We have the windows for the rooms that need to be added to the apartments as the holes are cut.

The windows are going in. This is a major task. We have a least 12 rooms where new windows will have to be installed. We are thankful for the man that is volunteering his time to cut the holes and install the Windows and these holes of the cutting brick so this is a major major undertaking. We would also like to thank Lyle's home improvement for the donation of the Windows.

There are few more rooms to divide and frame out the walls a great big thank you to the men doing the framing work. We also been have been encouraged by several people wanting to adopt a whole apartment to furnish and decorate. We need this, the need for the shelter grows every day the calls we receive concerning housing for women and their children very from family abuse, drug and alcohol addictions, homelessness and joblessness with no one to help with no help from extended families are hard to break with some of the calls we get for moms who are in desperate situations and then we have to tell them that our shelter is not open yet.

Please help us pray that we won't have to do this much longer.

We know God is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think the phrase that sticks out with me in this verse is that he is able to do exceeding abundantly above not only what we ask, but what we think what a blessing it is to know that he goes further than even what we ask of him. We ask of your continued prayers and financial support for all the ministries of peanut rescue mission, especially for the family shelter this month in Christ signed Tony and Tammy Honeycutt then is a little bit of the update news on other aspects of ministry and I'll cover that quickly. In regard to elements rescue mission.

We are now open to new clients. The number of men has increased since the Cova 19 lockdown has been lightened.

We ask you to pray for one of our residents.

Tim is been there for a while this fighting cancer. Please continue to pray for brother William Green as he is undergoing dialysis three times a week. You will not be returning to the mission because of these health issues but he is continually in our hearts and prayers. He was on staff. A very faithful man for many years. He got covert and now he's on dialysis equipment just a little update here by good Samaritan super thrift. I'm not going to read that it's his ways you can help the ministries of peanut rescue mission pray for our residents and staff donate gently used clothing and other items including vehicles remember the mission in your estate planning share the need with family, friends, church club and coworkers volunteer your time.

So that's an update from Tony Honeycutt and I will stop there and ask you to open your Bible to the gospel of John chapter 1 where we have been sojourning on Wednesday nights when I have been in the pulpit for several weeks now and we return to it once again, this is one of those great sections in God's word.

All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, all is profitable for doctrine. This prologue of the gospel of John, that sets the stage for the remainder of the gospel is one of those highlights in Scripture were taking some time with a portion of this but I'm going to read beginning in verse one in the beginning was the word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God all things were made through him and without him nothing was made that was made in him was life and the life was the light of men.

And the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not comprehend it. 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 he was sent to bear witness of that light. That was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world. He was in the world and the world was made through him, the world did not know him. He came to his own and his own did not receive him as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in his name who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

Well, this is telling us a great deal about the Redeemer, the Lord Jesus Christ who came into this world and this Redeemer is revealed to us in several of her ways.

In the passage, but we are concentrating particularly upon the revelation of the Redeemer that we see in verse nine which says that was having already talked about the light that the light that he's talking about in the previous verses that was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world. This tells us that the word came into the world. The word that was made flesh. The word that was with God and was God that this word came into the world as the light the true light, what does that mean the true light, and there are various explanations that are given for that. Some think that the term true light is referring to the superior light is superior to all other lights that certainly would be true. I certainly can't object to that understanding. This one is the superior light superior to all other lesser lights that are in this world. Some think that phrase the true light refers to real light.

In contrast with symbolic light that is the types the shadows. The ceremonies save the Old Testament Scriptures that pointed to Christ. They were a light they were truth.

They were illumination of very important revelation from God that pointed to Jesus Christ, they were lesser lights, so to speak. Lights that God gave to point to Jesus Christ but when Jesus Christ came he was true light. The final like the real-life, though one that these types and shadows and symbols of the Old Testament pointed to. He was the real light of which they were only a shadow, that's the way some people understand this phrase that he was a true light, but I think probably the best understanding of this phrase is that he is the underived light. In contrast to reflected light. We had several verses that talked about John the Baptist, the forerunner of Christ, and he certainly was a light.

He was a preacher of truth. He prepared the way for the coming of Christ teeth shined the light of truth the light of director directing men to Jesus Christ teeth pointed Jesus out when Jesus came up to where John was baptizing. He said, behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

John was a light but he was not that light that's the phraseology that is used here verse eight. Speaking of John. He was not that light was said to bear witness of that light. That was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world underived light as opposed to derived light or reflected light. The light that John shown the truth that he declared he was used to to help people understand the identity of the Messiah would come into the world that light was a reflection of the true light in this sense were similar to the sense we go out into the into the darkness of the night, sometimes look up into the sky and we see the moon if it happens to be a time of the moon is full.

That moon is bright. That moon sheds a lot of light, even on a dark night. It's amazing how much light you get from a full moon.

It keeps the night from being totally dark. You could actually see.

Once your eyes adjust you can see things from the derived light of the moon, but those who know anything about the moon know that the moon is not a source of light. It has no light within itself is not generating light. It is a cold dark planet cold dark moon that circling planet Earth very small planet. If you want to use that term itself. It's a small heavenly body that has no light of it. So where does all of this light come from the receipt.

We look up in the night sky and see this great big dislike where's that light coming from as we know it's a reflection from the sun. The sun has underived light.

The moon has derived light. It is a reflection of the light of the sun. The sun generates light all I can't even imagine the the energy that is burned from the sun every day. Enormous amounts of energy you cannot you cannot you can't really understand the extent of and has been going on that way for thousands of years burning burning burning and putting out this light that comes from itself.

It is a source of light. It is a it is a generator of light yet it is might say in a astronomical sense might say it is a true light. The sun is a reflected for many years out here at the entrance of our church parking lot.

We had little red reflectors on either side of the driveway and if there were no cars around.

They were as dark as a piece of coal car came along and showed his light showed its lights on it. They reflected the light you see these round red circles to help you find the the entranceway to find your way between the ditches so you didn't get the wrong place, but that proved to be inadequate for some people and they said we need something better. So Bradshaw came up with the idea of putting in the 80s a series of these little lamps that are the direct do they get their energy from us on the shoulder. They have solar battery solar generated light, so that now if you drive up to our church facility on dark night, you will have several lights that will show you the way into the parking lot. They are not dependent upon your head light shining on them. There there is no reflected light in them. They are generating light that comes from the batteries from the energy that they received in the daylight from the sun. Now if you come in here early on Sunday morning as I often usually getting here a little after 630 on Sunday morning, you will find that they have used up all of their solar energy there dark and outshining a bit but not too many people are coming in that type of day so they they shine what long enough. When the sun goes down, they shine for several hours and they do the job just fine pointing the way into the parking lot. They are generating light, whereas those little red reflectors are reflecting light will that's the idea here every one of us who ever proclaims any truth about Jesus Christ.

Any truth about God. Any truth from the Bible we are lights.

Jesus said to his disciples, let your light so shine before men that they may see your good works and glorify your Father which is in heaven. We are lights. But what kind of lights are we. We are reflected lights. We are derived lights. We are lights like John the Baptist, but we are not that light.

That light, the light which light is every man who comes into the world is Jesus Christ. He's not. He's not generating a reflected light is not generated. The derived like he is he is emanating the underived light which is he is light.

There a lot of things you can say about him. He is life. He is light. He is truth is many things will light is one of the things which she is. He is on derived like. But the point is not really to dwell too much on whether this word true means whether it means superior light or real light as opposed to symbolic light or underived light as opposed to derived like what it's telling us is that he is the only source of true light, the only source of true light. He is the center of all things.

He is the source of all truth. What did Pilate say when Jesus was before him. What is truth.

Jesus standing before him, is truth.

They truth the embodiment of truth one who said I am the way, the truth and the life standing right before Pilate, and yet Pilate looking right at the truth, the very source of all truth did not recognize him, which is exactly what this passage says as we go on.

We have talked about the revelation of the Redeemer in verse nine but now we move quickly to the rejection of the Redeemer.

Verses 10 and 11.

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 his own did not receive him. First, we have a general revelation to the world in verse 10, and then a special revelation to a privileged nation. In verse 11. But the general revelation to all the world. He was in the world and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him. The create tour of all things came into its creation and showed forth this underived light which is part of his very nature. And yet most people did not know him did not recognize him did not benefit from the light which he gave Pilate didn't. There was the light standing right before him being questioned by him and Pilate in his sinful willful blindness just muttered what is truth and went on his way without benefiting from the light of this one who came into the world. He was in the world and the world was made through him, and the world did not know him a rejection of the Redeemer who came as light into the world. But not only the world at large. We have a special revelation to Israel as a nation. He came to his own and his own did not receive him. His own things is what this means his own home his own possessions his own people. They received him not a word that has the idea of receiving him into the house and someone comes to your door was a total stranger. You're not inclined to invitingly and if somebody comes to your door that you know a family member or neighbor or friend you are glad to welcome the men he came unto his own, he was the heirs he will to them. They belong to him yet to their house. They had greater privileges in the world at large and therefore their guilt and rejecting him is greater. But in either case, the result is the same blindness and rejection. He came into the world and the world did not know him. He came unto his own and his own did not receive him. God revealed himself to Amanda numerous and more than sufficient way. Jesus revealed himself in many, many, many ways. When was here upon the earth and yet most of the people who came into contact with him, saw his miracles, who heard his words, letting words powerful words.

Some even recognize that what away, say, never a man spoke like this. But even some of those who recognized that his words were different from the words of any other man. Nevertheless, did not receive him. How guilty are those who reject the son of God. They are going to be held accountable. You are going to be held accountable if you do not receive him, and how awful that day of accounting will be, but that I will quickly move to this wonderful truth.

Some did receive him and those who received him work renewed their something that took place within them, but as many as received him, to them he gave the right word that means authority to become children of God, to those who believe on his name. Those who received him, those who believed on him, to those were skipped were given the right to become the sons of God. That's an interesting way of putting it. When you coupled with that idea become I think you understand what's going on here. They were given the right the authority to become the sons of God. There is a sense of course went that we become the sons of God. The moment we trust in Jesus Christ. And that's how we enter into this relationship by believing in him again when we believe in him we have been given the right to become the sons of God is another sense in which this is a process it's going to go on in our lives until we are ushered in the presence of the Savior in the process will be complete. We know we who are saved.

No, that though I God's grace we are the sons of God, and we are just as certain in our position as sons, as we will ever be.

I can never change will never be kicked out of God's family will never cease to be our heavenly father. Even when we disobey him and grieve him as we do.

More often than we should nevertheless he still embraces us as a father that we need to make things right with him and acknowledge our guilt. But we recognize that though we are the sons of God.

We we don't deserve to be the sons of God.

We don't qualify to be the sons of God doing it's all by God's grace. But one day we will qualify in every way. We will we will become sons of God by nature will never be the unique set of God is only one begotten son of God, and so on that since there's only one son who is God the son, who is a member of the triune Godhead, but through the grace of God and the power of God at work. He takes those who by nature children of wrath, and he through justification categorizes us positionally as sons of God, and we are. We stand righteous before him and in his judging capacity.

We no longer fear him as our judge. We own him as our father, but we've got some work to do.

He's got some work to do in us and we sense that were not what we ought of the but praise God we also know that we will someday be what we ought to be. We will one day be what we ought to be. We will be by nature or in our nature. The sons of the living God, and how does it come about receiving him believing in him close with this by Marvin Vincent, the Greek scholar speaking about this phrase, but as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become the children of God, to those who believe in his name to believe in or on is more than mere acceptance of the statement is to accept the statement or person as to rest upon them to trust them practically to draw upon and avail oneself of all that is offered to him in them has to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ is not merely to believe the facts of his historic life or of his saving energy is facts but to accept him as Savior teacher sympathizer judge to rest the soul upon him for present and future salvation to accept and adopt his precepts. An example is binding upon the life have you believed in Jesus Christ because that's the whole issue as many as received him, to that he gave the authority to become the sons of the living God to his many is believed in his name to close with a poem song actually written by member of our church. Michael would the man who walked on water and called the stormy sea is the God of all creation lives and pleads for me for by his blood were purchased as his salt and light to be the vessels of his mercy, that others will him see the heavens cannot hold him who gives us every breath, yet he came to earth, so lowly, and he conquered sin and death to vindicate the justice of the father showing breadth of love so pure and holy. The height, the width and depth of Jesus coming out quickly, more firmly fix our gaze by the light of your own presence for your glory. All our days fill our thoughts and passions with your truth yet more amazed as we grow into your likeness by the grace where you are praised the father of compassions.

May your love and loyalty be the banner of our heartstrings by your spirits perfectly to sell. Beside all waters with your joy expectantly. As you bring forth the harvest bearing fruit eternally Holy Spirit guide with wisdom in the kingdom of our king fill our hearts with love and praises till we stand anew to sing is one with all the nation when the festal child will ring never ending as the glory of our God fills everything never ending as the glory of our God fills everything spray father we bow and glide over adoration before your throne we bow in humble acknowledgment before your throne declaring the Lord that we have no right to be here.

We have no merit to commend this to you or to give us the privilege of being in relationship with the most high God, Creator of the universe, the one who came into this world that that you created and yet was rejected by those whom you created father by your grace, and only by your grace, that we come to see our sin and by your grace, and only by your grace, that we come to understand that there is a Savior from sin and one who will make us sons of the most high God if we will cast ourselves upon him completely and so I freshen anew the Lord, we do that with grateful hearts with trembling hearts would be leaving hearts with rejoicing hearts.

Father, we want to thank you the Robert suite is doing well and that his heart problem seems to have been successfully addressed. We praise you for giving him good medical treatment. Pray that you will continue to sustain his life. We pray for Methvin Mayor James Cook, who is in a position of great responsibility, mayor of a town that is growing rapidly.

That has grown by many thousands over just a very short time and we pray Lord that you will give him wisdom as he takes this responsibility that has been trusted into his care. We thank you that Bob Caldwell's home and recovering from his torn artery that could've taken his life. We thank you Drew Guthrie is so calm and serene and joyful and trusting you and we thank you for sparing her pain and agony that often comes to those who are battling cancer.

She is pray for Duane Craig's father in ARMC with his congestive heart failure jewel minister to his needs and we pray for Lee Hodges as he recovers from this awful chainsaw accident and we pray for Charlotte Maguire, Bruce Councilman Sandt as she recovers from this massive heart attack. Pray for Laverne wall once again that you might strengthen her as she walks alone after having walked for so many years with her life's companion. Her dear husband Stuart will we pray for Mike Webster as he battles colon cancer in the mission field of France. We pray for the family of Alfred A. Ash and Nancy Moore and Catherine Dismuke is each of these have loved ones who are left behind as they have been taken out into eternity. We pray for Betty Duncan. She is still suffering a great deal of pain that you will minister much grace to this dear sister, now father strengthen our hearts, increase our love, protect us, oh Lord, from the assaults of those things that would harm us and help us to live for the Lord Jesus Christ, in whose name we pray.

Amen