Well, I like what it says when it says grace for grace, because you can never get enough of it, and God keeps piling it on. I love the song that says, “His love has no limit. His grace has no measure. His power has no boundaries, no demand.” God gives His grace over and over and over again. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) (upbeat music) In the Gospel of John, one undeniable truth stands out. Jesus is the Son of God, offering eternal life to all who trust in Him. Welcome to Hope 4 Today, where Bible teacher and author David Hawking guides us through Scripture, transform me not just our minds, but also our hearts. As David shares today’s life-changing message, found in the Gospel of John 1, you’re gonna discover an even deeper understanding of who Jesus is, and the peace, purpose, and hope he offers in this life and beyond. Don’t miss this chance to invite the truth of God’s word to work in your life and experience the fullness of His promises. (upbeat music) (upbeat music) And just before we begin, have you checked out the Hope 4 Today monthly ministry letter. The Hope 4 Today monthly ministry letter doesn’t just give you updates on the ministry here. Inside, you’ll find our prophecy watch column, as well as an enriching Bible study taught by David, or one of our Hope 4 Today ministry friends. Plus, you’ll get per request for the ministry, special offers at current radio log. Well, there’s so much there, you gotta see it. It’s like a dose of spiritual growth delivered straight to your mailbox every month. Don’t miss out. You can sign up by calling us at 1-875-Bible, 875-242-53. In the Canada call, 888-75-Bible. All right, let’s open up John chapter 1 now. We’re focusing on verses 1 through 18 for day three of David’s message, the word became flesh. Jesus once told a parable about a man who was very wealthy, who had a son who was his heir. And it mentions that people killed a prophet that was sent to him to tell him about it. And they eventually killed the son himself, a fascinating parable, which Jesus was explaining to the Jewish people. Now, when you killed John the Baptist, when you refused to believe his message and then you killed the son, the Messiah, that’s why the nation’s gonna be rejected and that’s why it’s gonna be destroyed by Rome. Because John the Baptist came in the spirit and power of Elijah the prophet of old, as Malachi the prophet said, he would come a messenger for the Lord to prepare the way of the Lord and they did not respond to John the Baptist. Now some did, but some did not. And John the Baptist eventually was beheaded. John preached that the kingdom of God is coming. And as soon as he was killed, the Bible says in Matthew 4 that Jesus, “Hearing that he was even in prison, he took up the message and Jesus started preaching the exact same message that John the Baptist did.” Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. So he came, but he was a witness to draw people to the Savior that they might believe in the Savior. So when we look at his reason for coming to the world, we see it was prepared by John the Baptist and it was preached to his own people. Look at verse 11. He came to his own, but his own did not receive or welcome him. That’s very interesting. I wonder if Jesus lived here in San Ana and Tustin. Walk around doing miracles, down to claim jumper, he’ll be God who was born blind. And over at the bank, he got run over by a car and he was there and just raised him up from the dead. And all of you know what I’m gonna say, don’t you? I wonder if you would believe in him. You know, we’re very critical, aren’t we, of people who saw Jesus do all this. But I wonder if we would believe in him. We don’t really hear, we don’t really recognize, we don’t really receive it. There’s blindness on our eyes, even though it’s done right in front of us. Many miracles were done and yet people did not believe. Jesus even rebuked cities that had multiple miracles done in them for their hardness of heart and their unbelief. Show me a miracle and I’ll believe, really. No, I don’t think so. Many people have seen miracles and don’t believe. Will we believe the statements of the Bible about who Jesus is, whether we ever see a miracle or not? Good question. It was not only preached to his own people, but it was presented to all who would receive him. And many did. Look at verse 12, as many as received him to them he gave the right or authority to become children of God, even to those who believe in his name. There it is again. How is a person saved? Believe on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. That refers to who he is. Do we really know who he is? Have we really made that decision? Verse 13 says, “They’re born not because their parents are Christians, not a blood, nor of the will of the flesh. You can’t save yourself, nor of the will of man. No one else can save you. Only God.” So as we look at the opening of the gospel of John, we see a couple of things. One is first opening tells us the relationship of the Word, Jesus Christ, to God and all things. He overwelms us with who he is. Then he talks about coming into the world. The darkness didn’t appropriate it. Unbelievers will not receive it or understand it. The world that was made by him, they didn’t recognize him either. And his own people, Jewish people, they didn’t welcome him either, but they’re worse than who did. As many as did, they became the children of God. And that’s like a sweet message to all of us. If you just receive him and believe in his name, you could be born of God and become the child of God. So right off of bad in the introduction, he’s telling us why he came. Why did Jesus come to seek and to save that which is lost? Have you received him? Years ago, a Sunday school teacher of mine gave me a little New Testament and in the Bible in John 1, 12, he asked all of us in the same school class to write our name in there over as many as. If you really have received Jesus, but as many as so, in that little New Testament, I’ve got David written right there. David received him. Amen. So I’m a child of God. Praise the Lord. Good, at least be thankful for me. Well, you’re right. But when we come to verse 14, John gives a revelation of Jesus Christ. It’s really refreshing and powerful. In verses 14 to 18, we have his revelation of God. And I want you to see just four simple things. In verse 14, his glory is seen. His glory. The word became flesh, dwelt or tabernacle, the mongolus. And we beheld, we really had a chance to gaze on it. Look at it carefully ourselves. We beheld his glory. The glory is the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth. His glory was seen. When Jesus revealed God, he made sure that some of his disciples saw more than the average person ever saw. One day on the Mount of Transfiguration, recorded in three of the gospels, Jesus was transfigured in front of Peter, James, and John. Now, I don’t know if you know what this means, but it says that his clothes became as white and bright as the Noon Day Son. It says, “Though Jesus pulled back the curtain of his flesh,” so to speak, and gave him a little shot of who he was. And they were almost wiped out. Peter, I love him. He knew he was at a spiritual life conference. I want to tell you, he didn’t want to leave and go back home. He said, “Man, let’s build something here to stay here forever.” All right. But as soon as they got up off their faces from being blinded by the presence of Christ, and this little glimpse into his glory, the Bible says they saw Noon, but Jesus only. Now, you can apply that a number of ways, but I think the point of it is, wait a minute. He’s a man. In one precious moment, they saw glory. But then when they kind of get their act back together and now can see more clearly, wait, he’s just a man. I have a feeling that at this point, they might have watched up, walked up, hit him on a shoulder or something, or shook his hand or whatever touched him a little bit. What happened there? What happened there? Turn to 1 John chapter 1. I love this. 1 John chapter 1. Peter, James and John were there, right? That’s what it says in the Bible. Look at 1 John 1.1. What happened on that mountain? It says that which was from the beginning, 1 John 1. Sounds just like the opening of the gospel, doesn’t it? That which was from the beginning, which we have heard. We heard it. We’ve seen with our eyes which we have looked upon and our hands have handled. Did the disciples ever touch Jesus Christ? You bet. All the time. Wouldn’t you? After his resurrection, when they thought he was a ghost, he said, “Hey, look at my hands and my feet. “A spirit does not have flesh and bones, “as you see me have. “Here, give me your hand. “Just touch my sight. “Hey, I’m real. “A real human being.” Said our hands have handled him. Who, the word of life, we saw him. We beheld him. Look at 2 Peter chapter 1. Peter makes it very clear when this happened. 2 Peter 1 verse 16. It says, “We did not follow cunningly devised fables “or myths when we made known to you “the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, “but were I witnesses of His majesty.” Well, when did you see that? For He received from God the Father, honor, and glory when such a voice came to Him from the excellent glory. This is my beloved son in whom I’m well pleased. And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. You see, Peter makes it very clear that’s when it happened. The mount of transfiguration, when God the Father spoke from heaven and said, “This is my beloved son, “you hear him.” See, what happened there? It’s kind of cute. Moses and Elijah appear. God made them appear. God’s great two witnesses. Moses, the giver of the law, Elijah, the greatest of the prophets who will come before the coming of the Lord. And Moses and Elijah, Peter was so excited. He said, “Let’s make three cabernacles, “one for you, one for Moses, one for Elijah.” And all of a sudden the voice comes out of heaven. The voice that breaks rocks into from the excellent glory, from God Himself. The Father in heaven said, “This is my beloved son, “hear him.” Translated is, “Forget Moses and Elijah him.” No three cabernacles, no room in the Trinity. Him, you listen to him. And they beheld His glory back to John 1. So when you look at the revelation, the word becoming flesh, God becoming men. John says, “His glory was seen, “but it says that He is the only begotten of the Father.” You say, “Wait a minute, if He’s begotten, “then He had a beginning.” No? Five times in John, He uses the phrase, “Only begotten.” Always referring to Jesus. Only one other time, well you find this word in the Bible. It’s in Hebrews 11, 17. And it says that Isaac, Abraham’s son, was his only begotten son. Wait a minute. Was Isaac the only son of Abraham? No, he had other children. Was he the first one? No, Ishmael was. Well then how was Isaac the only begotten son of Abraham? You see, the meaning of the word is unique. And it says, “Because in Isaac was the seed called.” It means the Messiah’s gonna come through Him. So out of all his children, Isaac is the unique one. When you look at all of us, we’re called sons of God. But are we like Jesus Christ? No, He is the only begotten son of God. He’s the unique, the one and only. We beheld His glory. So His glory was seed. Number two, His greatness was proclaimed. Look at verse 15. I love this. John, bore witness of Him and cried out saying, “Now remind yourself, John is the cousin of Jesus.” John’s mother Elizabeth, sister Mary, who had Jesus. John bore witness of Him and cried out saying, “This was He of whom I said, He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.” There are two things about the greatness of Jesus. John the Baptist proclaims. One is His preeminence. He’s preferred before me and to His pre-existence. He was before me. Wait a minute. John the Baptist was six months older than Jesus. But John says, “He was before me.” So John the Baptist had already come to believe that He was the pre-existent son of God. His greatness was proclaimed. Number three, not only was His glory seen and His greatness proclaimed, but His grace was given. Look at verse 16 and 17 carefully. Of His fullness, nothing missing. We have all received. When you get saved, the life of Jesus Christ, you become a partaker of the divine nature. You are born again of His fullness. Jesus lives in our hearts, we say. We have all received and grace for grace. We get more grace in exchange or on top of the grace that we receive when we got saved. Have you found that to be so that God just keeps pollen on grace? Grace means God gives you what you don’t deserve. When you get saved, you’re saved by grace. And it’s of His fullness, Jesus Christ that we receive. But then we get more grace and exchange for the grace that we already receive when we got saved. What is it saying? Listen to me carefully, because it’s a very powerful point. I know what time it is. Listen to me carefully. John MacArthur, my very good friend, has an excellent book. It’s a title of it, tells you everything you need to know about that verse. Our sufficiency is in Christ. It’s an excellent book. It attacks the cultural thinking we have that we need something besides Jesus Christ to make it. In a popular Christian book written by a Christian psychologist, I read a statement this week that has really disturbed me. He was criticizing those who indicate that all you need is to pray and read the Bible and trust Jesus and all your problems will go away. And he said that God, the Holy Spirit, prayer, Bible study in Jesus was not enough. You know, many people believe that? They believe that in order to get your act together, you need to talk to about 36 people or so, at least somebody who calls himself professional and they’ll help you, but Jesus couldn’t do it without their help. Now, some of us believe that because we don’t talk to him, we talk to others. Do you believe that if you talk to no one, but just the Lord that he could straighten your mess out? Do you really believe that? And I love that conference, 7,000 psychiatrists, American Psychiatric Association in Arizona, a couple of years back. Long study, thousands of people, they had two groups they were studying. Those who went for counsel and those who didn’t. And the conclusion, at that great convention, 7,000 psychiatric people said that those who did not go for counsel had a better chance of recovery than those who did. (congregation laughing) Hey, I’m not against good Christian counseling if it’s rooted in a Bible and God’s Word, but you see, there is something that’s subtle, it’s undermining Christianity in his culture. That somehow Jesus Christ is not enough. And the Bible says, “Of this fullness have we all received.” And that shows that the fall is the lack of good teaching about Jesus Christ. Or we’re not really reading our Bibles and understanding what it says. In him our head, Colossians 2,3, all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. He either is enough or we better get out of this thing ’cause we are hypocritical in what we say we believe. Jesus Christ is everything. The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. Period. You believe the Lord can give you everything you need? Paul said, “Christ is all and in all.” He says that the church is the fullness of Christ who fills all and all. Is Jesus all you need? Or do you need a little bit more? You better check in again, whether you really believe on the name of the Son of God. Well, I like what it says when it says grace for grace ’cause you can never get enough of it and God keeps piling it on. I love the song that says, “His love has no limit. His grace has no measure. His power has no boundaries, no demand.” God gives His grace over and over and over again. One last thing, not only was His glory seen and His greatness proclaimed and His grace given, but His God was declared. Verse 18 is special to me and I’ll show you why in a minute. No one is seeing God at any time. You say, “Wait a minute, they saw Jesus and these God, then they got a contradiction.” The word scene is an unusual word. It’s talking about mental perception and understanding, not just looking at it. No one ever has the ability, in and of themselves, to comprehend mentally who God is. That is a true statement. But the text says, “The only begotten son who is an abusom of the Father “He has declared him.” Now the word declare is our English word, exegesis. We tell preachers when they’re preparing to preach, make sure you use exegesis. That means to lead out of you teach people what the Bible says, you don’t read your thoughts into it. You don’t sit around in a group and say, “What does the Bible mean to me?” No, that’s not the question people. The question is, “What does the Bible mean?” And many times we’re struggling because we’re trying to find out, you know, I want God to show me what the Bible means to me. I want to see it in my own life, really. Well bless your sweet heart, whatever’s the truth is the truth. Whatever it means it means. We hope it applies to your life, but you don’t make the Bible powerful nor do you make it meaningful. It already is meaningful. And I ask you again, do you really know who Jesus Christ is? It says, “He has declared or exegeded God.” This is used of all rabbis, by the way, every week when they interpret God’s word for people. So you can translate interpret. We’re gonna exegiate, we’re gonna expound, we’re gonna explain. You ask me, “David, please explain to me the eternal God.” Explain to me God. What’s the answer to that? What’s the Christian answer? Look at Jesus Christ. That’s God’s answer. The exegesis of God, the explanation of God, the interpretation of God, to men is a man. God became flesh to show us what he’s like. God became flesh to die for our sins. God became flesh to raise from the dead in that physical body. So that we all would know that we can live forever with him and resurrected bodies through his power, what he has done. God expounded him. God explained him. God used exegesis through Jesus Christ our Lord to tell us all what he’s like. So you wanna find out who he is? The songwriter said, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus.” And look full in his wonderful face. And the things of earth will go strangely dim in the light of his glory and grits. (gentle music) Well, that is David Hawking in your listening to hope for today. David returns in just a moment to close out our time. Do stay tuned for that. First, Matt’s coming to the mic and we’re gonna tell you about a wonderful book by David. Matt, “As believers, it is imperative that we do not let the world rob us of our joy.” There’s so much in our world today, Matt, that if we aren’t careful, we can let it rob us of our joy. Right. This is where your dad’s book, “Principles of Joy” comes in. Yeah, and then this is four principles of joy. They’re detailed and discussed as revealed to Paul’s letter to the Church of Philbye. Yeah, and the principles of joy is a study of Philippians. And Matt, I love what your dad says in the book. There’s no greater need among believers than the attitude of joy. It makes our lives exciting and fulfilling and helps us to cope with the changing circumstances and difficult situations of our lives. Yeah, but that wonderful quality of joy is not found in the things you possess or the activities in which you’re engaged. No, no. You’re found in a personal growing relationship with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. And he adds, “I made your life be filled with joy.” And you know something, you get this book and study through Paul’s epistle to the Philippians and you’re gonna have that joy. Yes. It comes from a growing relationship with Jesus Christ. Yeah. “Principles of Joy” is the title of the book. Now, our featured offer for the month of September, and it’s just $15. When you call us at 1-875 Bible or in Canada, call it a Canadian number. Yes, it’s much, much cheaper for the shipping. It’s 1-888-75 Bible. And of course, you can order online as well at David Hawking. – Daug. – Oh, and by the way, if you’d like to be able to follow along more closely in our new series in the Gospel of John, well, be sure to get your copy of David’s Sermon notes. Purchase and download them on our website, DavidHawking.org. You’ll get them right away. DavidHawking.org, the Gospel of John Sermon notes. Or we’ll send you a hard copy when you call 875 Bible. They’re just $10 either way. And in Canada, call 888-75 Bible. And Bible by the numbers, 242-533. Now, if you’d like to share your testimony or per request with us, you can do that by phone. Or send us a note, the mailing address, hope for today, box 3927, test in California, 927-81. In Canada, our mailing address is box 15011, RPO 7OX, Abbotsford BC, V2S, 8P1. And we look forward to hearing from you. Well, once again, here’s David. – Father, you know who’s here and is not ready to meet the living God. You know who in this audience has made an insufficient claim. Perhaps told friends and family of their decision, but in reality have not put their trust in the character and attributes and power of Jesus Christ. God, I would pray by the power of your Holy Spirit right now, you draw to Jesus, those in this audience. Having heard the explanation of who he is and knowing that only God can save us from our sins and forgive us, only God can give us eternal life. God would you cause him right now to turn to you before it’s too late. Those of us who believe in your name, we really believe who you are, based on what the Bible teaches, help us Lord to confess it as you say in the Bible with our mouth. To say, “Jesus is Lord.” He’s the God of the Bible, and I put my trust in Him. Thank you, Lord, for what you’re going to do in Jesus’ name we pray. Amen. – Amen. – Amen. Now, friend, if you don’t yet know Jesus, says you’re Lord and Savior, or maybe you’ve just begun your life with Him, your journey of faith, well, we want to send you two free resources. The first is a booklet by David called, “What is Christianity?” You don’t tell you according to God’s word, just what it really means to be a Christian. The second is a Bible study by mail, created just for you as you take your first steps in this new life. Call 875 Bible, 875 to 42, 5.3 and in Canada, call 888, 75 Bible to get yours. Well, next time on the broadcast, we’ll see John the Baptist game-changing revelation. Jesus is the Lamb of God, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. It don’t miss this crucial moment as John points to Jesus, the Son of God, and unveils His divine mission. Wow. Tune in also to uncover the impact of this powerful declaration on your life and mine, and be sure to invite a friend to listen along with you, right here on Hope for Today. 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