THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST -- "Jesus Alone...."

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST
“Jesus Alone….”
John 3:31-36
January 1, 2012

Well, Christmas 2011is over and, as usual, the kids made out like bandits. I read that Americans used over 28,million rolls of wrapping paper, over 16,million packages of tags and bows, 372 thousand greeting cards, and 35million Christmas trees during the Christmas season. All that remains now is to wait for the new year and for the credit card bills to come in. But, it was a wonderful Christmas and I hope that you all had a great time.

But, let’s return to study of the gospel of John that I’ve entitled the Revelation of Jesus Christ. So, let’s pick where we left off at John 3:31. The first thing that we see here is that Jesus alone:

IS FROM ABOVE -- John 3:31 (NASB) “He who comes from above is above all, he who is of the earth is from the earth and speaks of the earth. He who comes from heaven is above all.”

I was born in Johnstown Pa in a little burg called Moxham. I know about Moxham. I can tell you about the schools I went to that are now just parking lots; I can tell you about the local grocery stores, the churches. I can tell you about the Johnstown flood and how, at one time, Johnstown boasted of having the steepest incline plane in the world that ran up the side of the Westmont mountains. How do I know about all of this? It’s because I’m from there. Now if you want to know about Moxham and Johnstown, PA, then you shouldn’t talk to someone who was born in Bend, OR. You need to get your information from someone who’s been in Moxham and Johnstown and who’s lived there.

If you want information about heaven, if you want to know the language of heaven, if you want to get information about God, then Jesus Christ is the one you go to. When a man speaks of these things, it’s only speculation or conjecture, because that man has never been there. But, when Jesus speaks of God the Father and the Holy Spirit and heaven, He’s speaking from firsthand experience. It’s not second hand information. Wm. Barclay in his commentary said, “…because Jesus alone knows God, then He alone can give us facts about God and those facts are called the gospel.”

Jesus came out of a spiritual world into a physical world. He came out of what was incorruptible into what is corruptible. He came from that which was glorious to that which is dishonorable. John 3:13 says, “And no one has ascended into heaven, but He who descended from heaven, even the Son of Man.” Jesus alone:

IS GOD’S SPOKESMAN -- John 3:32-34a “What He has seen and heard, of that He bears witness; and no man receives His witness. He who has received His witness has set his seal to this, that God is true. For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God;….”

An ambassador from the U.S. to another country goes to that country and presents what the leadership of this country has to say. Jesus came as God’s ambassador to tell us what God wants us to know. But John said that there are so many people who refuse to accept the gospel of Jesus.

But the good news is that there are many who DO accept that gospel of Jesus. And when they do that, then those men affirm that what Jesus said is true. In those days when a man wanted to give his full approval to a document, he put his seal on the bottom of that document. That seal was the sign to all that he agreed with the contents of that document and that he regarded that document as binding and legal. When a person accepts what Jesus has said they accept it as being 100% correct and true. John then tells us that Jesus alone:

HAD THE FULL MEASURE OF THE SPIRIT -- John 3:34 “….for He gives the Spirit without measure.”

We can believe what Jesus said because God the Father poured out His Spirit on Jesus in full measure. God didn’t keep back any part of His Spirit from Jesus; He gave it all. The Holy Spirit was of the same Being with Jesus; the Holy Spirit is in perfect harmony, communion and fellowship with Jesus. There was no limit to the presence of the Holy Spirit in Jesus as there is in man. To the Jewish mind, John’s statement about the Spirit was significant to the Jewish mind. The Jews believed that the Holy Spirit revealed God’s truth to men and that the Holy Spirit enabled men to understand that truth.

So to say that the Holy Spirit was poured out on Jesus without measure was to say that Christ knows and understands perfectly the truths of God. In other words, to listen to Jesus is to listen to God.

Jesus states clearly the purpose for this full limit of the Holy Spirit. In Luke 4:18-19 He states, " The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are downtrodden,
To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord." Finally, Jesus alone:

DETERMINES MAN’S DESTINY -- John 3:35-36 “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand. He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

John brings us to the crossroads that is stated in Joshua 24:15, “…. choose for yourselves today whom you will serve….” John comes back to the central point that what matters is man’s response to Jesus. If person accepts the message of the gospel of Jesus, then that person will receive eternal life. But if that person rejects the message of Christ, then he has condemned himself and brings on himself the wrath of God.

God wants us to accept and allow His love for us to change and develop us. He has shown us this truth by sending His only Begotten Son to earth – first as a baby in a manger then to the Cross of Calvary to die for our sins. Sin is what keeps people away from God’s love. So, what will you choose – will you accept or reject the gospel of Jesus?

CALL----Today is the first day of 2012 – a brand new year. Will you begin this year with a new life in Christ and leave here with all of your sins forgiven, or will you reject His message and leave here with yet another year of fear, doubt and confusion? You acceptance of the gospel is more than just a mental assent – it requires your obedience as well. It’s your choice. If you will accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior eternal life is yours or reject it and incur the wrath of God that is never ending. God loves you and wants you to accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. If that’s your choice, just raise your hand.

My friends, the once for all event of the removal of sin took place on Calvary’s Cross over 2000 years ago. But before He did that He met with His disciples for one last meal and said to them in effect, “In a few days, I’m going to the cross to die for you. My body will be broken for you and My blood will be shed for you. I don’t want you to forget Me.” So, He set up a memorial for us so that we wouldn’t forget. It’s called communion. Jesus said, “Take communion whenever you can so that you won’t forget Me.”

Communion is a time to remember and to be reminded about Calvary and the work of Jesus on the Cross --- our sins are forgiven and heaven is our home. To be reminded that our past life is gone and we have new life in Him. Let’s come to communion and renew our commitment to Him – to obey Him and love Him and share Him. Let’s come to these altars and prepare our hearts for communion.

Father, as we begin this new year, grant us the grace to live a more committed life in Christ, to love Him, share Him and exalt Him daily in and through our lives. Help us to walk in the light of the Holy Spirit and in the light of Jesus so that others will be drawn to Him. Grants us a fresh infilling presence of Your Holy Spirit so that we find the power and strength to serve You faithfully. In Jesus’ name I pray.