John Chapter 1:6-14

Being a witness is not something we do. It is something that we are to understand people saying I went out witness and an appropriate use of the word. But remember you are a witness or wherever you go you are witnessing.

Sometimes you'll know it. Sometimes you want have occasionally been in a restaurant, praying over my food and after we finished brands Mike Mike Gahagan. It was refreshing to see a family asking the Lord to bless the praise God I didn't set out to witness anybody. It was not something I was doing it was something that I am welcome to cross the bridge with David McGee.

David is a senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina, were glad to have one of these associate pastors DA Brown here with us as best David continues through the book of John, Bob, we discover who Jesus is and what he's done for us. We get excited when we get excited. We start to tell other people about who Jesus is done for them to not something we should all be doing. Sometimes it's a little scary talking to others about the subject of maybe they'll reject us and maybe they won't believe what were talking about when you believe something is true you not hesitate to share about what other people to solicit watch how exciting this good news is also let's get right to David McGee as he continues teaching through the gospel of John. Turn with me to the gospel of John chapter 1 and John does a unique thing he does it, both in the Gospel of John. Also, the epistles of John, first, second, third John, he tells this actually why he wrote the book with the purpose of the book is in the gospel of John in John chapter 20 verse 31. He tells us that these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ the son of God and that believing you may have life in his name. So John tells us the purpose of this book so what we can find as we dig into this book as we study this book is that the intent of the author and if you remember the word tells us that it does not go forth void. It does accomplish that purpose which it was sent for. You'll find your face man built up as we study the gospel of John and believing stronger that Jesus is the Christ and the son of God, let's jump in will pick it up in verse six, there was a man sent from God whose name was John Edwards sent there is apostolic it's where we get our word apostle and means to set apart or to send out on a mission.

Now therefore we can take some identification with not only John the Baptist but those that we refer to as the original apostles because we ourselves are sent out with the mission we ourselves have been set apart one of the cornerstones of this ministry if you will, is Ephesians chapter 4 verse 11 and it says and he himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ is often referred to as the fivefold ministry apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, teachers, and it says for the equipping of the saints. Now you guys are the saints and men, and that in that awesome now. What I do as a pastor teacher is according to this verse is to equip you guys to do the work of the ministry. See now this is an interesting concept in an amazingly enough in America. It's kind of a lost concept in the church we've gotten this this notion a mistaken notion that there are a few select individuals who get paid to do the work of the ministry and and there is no other like professional Christians and everybody else is off the hook. You don't find that door to God. That's a mistaken concept. You know an answer when I'm up your timeout sharing your faith in sharing the love of Jesus, you shouldn't be sitting up there going and that your job and that while we have you here, Pastor David will know. That's why were all here now I've done this before so similar to pick up on this, but how many people here in full-time ministry measuring IME people here believe that Jesus is our Savior and ask him to forgive you of your sins, urging him ask again how many people here in full-time ministry acts.

See there's a misconception about what ministry is and how you enter into it when the word of God is very plain that we're all called to do the work of the ministry that part of my job as a pastor teacher is to equip you guys to do the work of the ministry. Obviously I can't do it all here and in the staff can't do it all here in the team leaders can do it all here. Everybody is involved and what a blessing it is to be here on Sunday morning and to see I don't know how many people here on Sunday morning, working before the service at probably somewhere between 75 and hundred people get ready for the service in the bookstore making coffee doing stuff get ready for worship me in all these things.

What an awesome thing. When an awesome thing. So that brings us the life lesson number one. Christianity is not a spectator sport. It is an active lifestyle or way to live in one of the things it's awesome. Here is we give you a chance to get involved. Now it looks a little bit different than some places in a lot of places you're there in either the first or second week somebody comes up to you and gives you need help please help us work, desperate. We don't do that here is not that we don't need help hopefully were not desperate. We still need help, but what we want to do is make sure you've been poured into want to make sure that ministry has happened to you that you understand the word of God that you've been ministered to.

Then you can pour out of a cup that's been filled rather than seeing that there's another drop in there somewhere.

A lot of people come to us from other churches. They haven't been poured into but they've been pouring out and that sets up a dangerous situation. So I encourage you to get involved fun place to serve the Lord here and go forth and will help you find that place will help you identify what area you're gifted in an and perhaps will help you identify what area you're not gifted in coming. That's part of the process. Don't be afraid.

I'm not sure I can do this in an get so freaked out you don't do anything just to something if it goes well, will say yes God is with this if it doesn't, will face you know, maybe there's one thing else that you could do you know if if we go into the children's ministries and in your in there and you've got all the children Velcro to the wall, then chances are that may not be the ministry you're gifted in it only happened once. It was a small brothers doing very well.

The children have recovered no option to verse seven. This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the light and that all through him might believe he was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light to choosing the word witness here now.

Interesting thing is the Greek word for witness is more to some material, it's actually where we get our word for martyr and something that has to happen is we live for the Lord is weak need to die to ourselves. We need to let go, but a lot of times we think that it's something we have to generate that something we have to work up in ourselves and again that's an unscriptural concept map Mark chapter 1 verse 17 Jesus said to them, follow me and I will make you become fishers of men. Notice he says I will make you to become fishers of men say look, I need you to figure this thing out. I've got a know a 12 week study course that you can mail order to figure out how to be fishers of men. Notices.

This is something I'm gonna do when you put in that the pressure off in acts chapter 1 verse eight says, but you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you shall be witnesses to me in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the end of the earth because we think of witnessing as something we do we think of it is something that we do in ourselves and that's simply a mistaken notion. It is something that God does in us. We have the power to do it were transformed to do it transform into being a witness and life lesson number two being a witness is not something we do.

It is something that we are.

It is something that we are.

It's not something we do. It is something we are not understand people saying I went out witness and understand and that's, that's an appropriate use of the word. But remember you are a witness, so wherever you go you are witnessing. Sometimes you'll know it. Sometimes you'll I've had the occasion of being in a restaurant, praying over my food and after we finished, brands may come up Gahagan. It was refreshing to see a family asking the Lord to bless the relevant public restroom.

Praise God I didn't I didn't set out to witness anybody.

It was not something I was doing it was something that I am verse nine that was the true light which gives light to every man coming into the world as it says Jesus is the true light guys if there's a true light is also false light. These are days to be very discerning in regards to spiritual matters firmly believe the last days are upon us in the last week I've watched ministers come out watched ministers who were practicing homosexuality sure you know why that's okay. Rejecting Scripture up seeing them talking about how they reject creation and embrace evolution.

That should cause some concern on our part because there is a false link on their are people claiming to be Christians that are not Christians. There's places that are claiming to be churches that are churches so use discernment dig into the word of God stay was a friend of mine says keep her knees on the ground in the note, and your nose in the book and remember any like that we have is a reflection of his light. It's not your light, it's his light reflecting in you, and I've heard effort interesting things you have heard people go with you. I prefer to be silent witness client witness.

I prefer to just let my light shine before people will probably be honest, I like it a bit bright and you can't just walk in your office or your workplace or whatever your school and go see like she liked what you want to get safe. You gotta use words gotta use words to explain the gospel to give witness to the light will be right back with more from David McGee on cross the bridge right now there's a word from associate pastor DA Brown hey Bob want take a minute to pray for some listeners in these cities in California have Fort Bragg, Gardnerville grass Valley happy Camp hey Fort India in Johnston. Bill God, we thank you for the people tuning in today in the cities low. We pray that there encouraged and what you're laying on their heart to do.

We pray that they would put their trust in you and get plugged in a Bible teaching church. We pray for the pastors or that they would have wisdom and discernment. How to encourage the people to come to hear the word low. We ask you, bless these cities in Jesus name, amen, amen. Thank you brother and now get back to David McGee as he continues teaching verse by verse, verse 10 he was in the world and the world was made through him in the world did not know if this is a spiritually unique thing in this verse ever heard of a child going to the parent and saying you know what mom and dad. I didn't come from you.

I think I just sort of appeared give her tell I have you realize as we do to God he created us Bibles were clear on and get some look at him and you know I don't believe you created me. I believe I just sort of appeared and how ludicrous. How silly, how ridiculous we need to realize that we do have an origin. We do have a creator and that is God. Now I understand when somebody says no I don't believe God, I don't believe the Bible and so I don't believe these things that I don't agree with that and I understand what I don't understand is when somebody says yeah. I believe God, but I don't believe the Bible. Laura believe the Bible, but I don't believe God, they claim was one side to serve God and to be a Christian without her side with her not and that's that's troubling because either you do or you don't.

At the end the service you go out of the parking lot and annual go either left or right take a turn. You can't go in both directions at the same time is physically impossible because it will part meeting on the left and part of me is going to work can do that you can't do that and survive physically and you know what you can't do that and survive spiritually either because the moment you begin to make those concessions and say will let me mix a little bit of this little bit of that in makes us all what God is not some kind of cosmic salad bar that you go through and you blow. I don't like that like this so I don't like that I like this is not the way it works. God is God and were not so we have to make a decision.

Verse 11 he came to his own and his own did not receive now is this referring to the Jewish people. I believe so.

Does this mean that God is finished with the Jewish people. No way no way you can read Romans 11 you can read Revelation 7. All these things point to the fact that Jesus is not finished with the Jewish people. I believe it's also saying he wasn't received by people at large. Isaiah 53, three says he is despised and rejected by men, man of sorrows and acquainted with grief as and we hid as it were our faces from he was despised, and we did not esteem comfort. Some teachers go on and on about how even though Israel had all the spiritual advantages that they were blind to the Messiah. I agree with those facts, but we need to be careful as you need understand that in America we have a lot of spiritual advantages not as many as Israel, but we have a lot of spiritual managers and yet a great deal of population seems to be blind about who Jesus really is and we have the same problem really is that day mean they heard his words, but they were so shackled by the religious traditions that they can grab hold spiritual truth and you realize that same thing is going on in America, people walking in vain and empty and man-made traditions.

I grew up going to a church I picked up stuff that has nothing to do with God but I believe that is a spiritual truth.

I believe that when I did well. God love me and when I messed up. God was really angry and hated me and finally I threw up my hands and I said I can't live like this. I can't do this I must not be able to be a Christian performance oriented Christianity products of this love verse 12 but as many as received him, to them he gave the right, the authority to become children of God, to those who believe in his name to love you.

Gotta love doesn't say it's many as joining the church as many as were good enough or long enough as many as went to church. That's not what it says and received him and believe in his name. What an awesome thing you know they come to Jesus a few chapters they say what must we do to do the works of the father. So obviously Jesus came a list right now it's not what happened. Jesus and believe on him whom he said certainly can't be that simple. Certainly it can see our minds can't even wrap around Ken coming here that you go all none of that's not right what is right because it's what Jesus said to me about was. Now that you go. Not sure about that I'm referring to Scripture. Jesus said what we need to do. He said believe in here.

He says believe and receive and how refreshing. How refreshing that is. And he also tells us in this verse as encouraging as it is. He also tells us that not everybody belongs to him. Not everyone is his children. According to this verse. According to another place in John chapter 8 Jesus said you know what you belong to your daddy Satan suffers secretly. We are children of God, because we have received and believed in him.

I don't mean to offend you but if you don't believe in received order of people in your family or your friends haven't believe and haven't received they are not children of God. I reject this notion of this whole ecumenical thing. After all, were all children of God. We've been adopted. Question is, have you received him, that's a question for each and every person, have you received.

If you have you are. If you have not you haven't say that love and will give you the opportunity to fix it before the service is over.

But have you received him happy. Really receive them, or have you told him to like the innkeeper did so many years ago.

You know what there's no room in here for you.

I have too much stuff going on in my life which you gave me to embrace volume. How tragic how tragic we need to embrace him as Savior and Lord says on his name in his name, she understand the name was synonymous was with the nature of the person you can divide or separate see this brings light to the passages where Jesus says what you do in my name is what he's really saying this is in my nature were told Max chapter 4 verse 12, nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. Interesting play on words there because again, salvation in the Hebrew the word is Joshua which is the Hebrew word for Jesus. What an awesome thing to stop and consider that we've been adopted some of us experienced in school or when we are growing up. Maybe not get chosen for a sports team or work starters or or you didn't get chosen for a band or for this or that or the other but the Lord exception. If you received him.

The Lord exception.

I don't think we contemplate that enough lifeless number three. If you have received Jesus. You have been adopted into a new family.

One amazing thing you've been adopted into a new family now is just like a family you know you've got your goofy uncle or your aunt but you gotta wondered about or you know whatever, but I mean it's a family on something you made see people here, the appear a little strange to you, or whatever, but still there's people here that love you and the deeply care for you, even if this morning is the first time you've ever been. You had people praying for you this week. Not calling you by name. We didn't know your name and will be praying for you in the days to follow, as you have a heavenly father and that needs to be more than just brain knowledge I need to get in your heart that you've been adopted. They chose you here in the family encouraged to get to know your brothers and sisters. It's an awesome family and is gotta be more than academic belief and who Jesus is. Gotta be safe can't be trusting in your good works. Gotta be trusting in his work of the cross with the difference between belief and faith. Put well cows at Niagara Falls and went across the tight rope with the barrel of his back and got back arising. It's amazing. It's amazing. And the guy says how many of you people think I could do the same thing again with the person in the barrel, yet we believe we believe we believe that this is okay which one of you will it be as faith. That's faith. That's the difference between belief and faith.

Verse 13 were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God, born of God. John chapter 3 verse three tells us very plainly, Jesus and answered and said to him, most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God can't be any plainer than unless you've been born again, you can't see the kingdom of God.

You must be born again. Jesus didn't say if you don't do this and you don't do that you know you do this and you do that if you dress a certain way and you wear your hair a certain way and you don't have any earrings or any other ratings or you don't have any tattoos or any of those things he said if you haven't been born again you don't get see the kingdom of God. It doesn't matter how long you been a member of which church. These are the words of Jesus. And I've had people know we went minister to a group of kids assist 10 years ago, a group of kids and let them in a prayer to receive the Lord to have one of them call me in and say hey you know, sort of a youth leader and in you know he told me that this whole born-again thing is just an emotional experience is not necessary said, let me send you some stuff and I quoted this first so this is what Jesus we've had somebody in church witness to somebody and make church only and will go to such and such a church. Have you been born again. If you receive Jesus as your Savior always not that kind of church. Verse 14 manager powerpack versus RFID and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the father full of grace and truth.

Now family the Trinity is everywhere in this earth spiritually and physically. It's interesting that even science itself bears out the Trinity is the universe is divided know what time and space and matter three things, time, space, matter which time divided into we see Trinity past, present, future. All the fingerprints of God all over the place and the more you dig the Morrissey space into what height depth with its amazing how these things keep me in the fund by the number three friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven. You can know right now only Jenna short, simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I can have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things. Please give me the power to live for you.

All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend of you prayed that prayer according to the Bible. You've been forgiven you've been born again, so congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make.

God bless you, if you pray that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you. You can visit cross the bridge.com to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ. Or you can write to cross the bridge at PO Box 12, 515 Winston-Salem, NC 27117 and share how God is working in your life will DA before we go. What are some ways that we can bless our listeners each day. You can wake up with encouragement from Pastor David to the word of God with his email devotional life lessons to consider a daily reading plan and a thought to meditate on throughout your day. From the heart of David McGee.

That sounds good Pastor day and again. It's been great to have you with us on the program today but tell us what else can a listers find on cross the bridge.com. If you're not able to make it to your home church this Sunday. Why not join us for our lifestream at 10 AM Eastern time or on Thursday night at 7 PM Eastern time. This visit, cross the bridge.com and click on our lifestream link. There you will experience a live service from David's home church.

The bridge in North Carolina again.

That website is cross the bridge.com. Thanks again for listening and join us next time. As David McGee continues teaching verse by verse in the gospel of God