“The Right to Become Children”
[John 1:6-13]
June 11, 2009 Old First Presbyterian Church
Last week, as we began our look at the Gospel of John, we saw that the Word, Jesus, is God. He is the Salvation that God sent to all those who would believe in Him.
In this morning’s Scripture, we begin by noting that God also sent a forerunner to the Word: John the Baptist. He was sent by God to bear witness to the Light Who came in the Person of Jesus Christ.
Now, let’s ask ourselves, why was John the Baptist sent? Why was he necessary? If Jesus is the Light, wouldn’t He be seen? If someone is outside and stares up at the sky during the day, won’t he see the sun? If we are inside and the lights are turned on, can we not look at the bulb and see the light? Why did God send John the Baptist to tell people that Jesus is the Light?
The necessity is found in the problem of blindness, as Jesus said, “‘Woe to you, blind guides.... You blind fools ... You blind men ...’” (Matthew 23:16a, 17a, 19a, ESV). We are born blind to the things of God, and more than that, we are born dead to the things of God, as Paul wrote, “And you were dead in your trespasses and sins in which you once walked...” (Ephesians 2:1a, ESV).
John the Baptist was sent to prepare the way and to announce to the blind and dead humanity around him that the Light had come among them. John, the author of the Gospel, notes that the problem is not with Jesus, “At the same time, it is a new commandment that I am writing to you, which is true in [Jesus] and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true light is already shining” (I John 2:8, ESV).
Even with John the Baptist declaring that the Light had come and He is the Word, Jesus, John tells us that the Light came into the world that He created, but it did not recognize Him: the world did not recognize Jesus when He came. Worse than not recognizing one’s parents, the world did not recognize her Creator.
Then John tells us that Jesus drew the circle tighter and went to His people – the chosen people of God – the Jews. But, when the Light came to His own people, they (generally speaking) did not receive Him – they rejected Him. He was not the Light – the Savior – they were looking for. So, His people did not receive Him.
Amidst this incredible lack of recognition and large-scale rejection, we do find Good News. Some people did receive Him. Some people did believe in Him. And John tells us “to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God.”
For all those who did receive Him – and all those Who believe in Jesus Alone for Salvation now – Jesus gave them the right to become the children of God. We who believe have been given the right to be the sons and daughters of God – brothers and sisters of Jesus – co-heirs with Jesus of His Kingdom. But there’s a problem: if we are all born dead and blind, unable to even recognize Jesus as the Word – the Light – the Savior, then how is it that any come to believe in Him and receive the right to become children?
In verse thirteen of this morning’s reading, John tells us that we “who were born, not of blood.” We have not been given the right to become children because we are of the right or superior bloodline or DNA. God has not given us the right to become children because He saw how special we are or how wonderful or helpful we would be to the Gospel.
John tells us that we “who were born...not of the will of the flesh.” We have not been given the right to become children because we were born into the “right” families – the ones that would make God look good. We have not been given the right to become children because we just willed it to be so or because we were so persuasive to God, or any other reason we can come up with.
No, John tells us that we “who were born...[were born]...of God.” That means that all of us who believe in Jesus Alone for Salvation were born as children of God, not because of anything in us or due to what we did, but of God’s Will Alone.
John wrote, “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called the children of God; and so we are The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we will be like him, because we shall see him as he is.” (I John 3:1-3, ESV).
And James confirms what John wrote, “Of [God’s] own will he brought us forth by the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creation” (James 1:18, ESV).
What does it mean for us that God has given us the right to become His children by His Will Alone?
It means we owe God everlasting thanksgiving for saving us from the death that our sin deserves and granting us life. In our darkens hour, we always have reason to lift our voice in thanks because God has made us His sons and daughters. We are always better off for what He has done, for the Life, Death, Resurrection, and Ascension of Jesus, than were would be if He had passed us by. Let us be a people of constant thanksgiving.
It means we owe God, our Father, honor. If we are commanded to give our earthly parents honor – to respect them and obey them – how much more do we owe our Heavenly Father respect and honor? Let us obey God and show the world our love for God and them by living out His Commandments, as we show how worthy our God is and how thankful we are for what He has done for us.
It means we may go to God, our Father, when we are in need. In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus told us to ask our Father for everything we need for this day, and we are promised that we will receive what we truly need. And the author of Hebrews tells us, “Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16, ESV).
It means that God will discipline us when we need it. “It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?” (Hebrews 12:7-9, ESV). Let us receive God’s discipline with respect.
It means that we have an inheritance with Jesus, our Brother. Paul wrote, “In [Jesus] we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of him who works all things according to the counsel of his will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of his glory. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory” (Ephesians 1:11-14, ESV).
It means that we can never lose our status as sons and daughters of God. “And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Christ Jesus” (Philippians 1:6, ESV). God has given us the right to become children of God. God has saved us through Jesus’ Work. And God will keep us until the day of Christ Jesus when we will enter into His Glory.
Brothers and sisters, the human condition, based on our ability, is hopeless from the moment of conception. But thanks be to God, He has chosen to make some – to give some the right to become – children of God – for His Reasons, according to His Will, and by His Power.
Let us pray:
Almighty God and Father, we thank You that You have saved us from ourselves and made us Your sons and daughters. Help us to live up to the high call that You have put upon our lives, and be glorified through us. For it is in our Brother, Jesus’ Name, we pray, Amen.
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