1-3-99 A God for all Time. John 1

By Ronald E. George Jr.

Text: John 1:10-18

John 1:10 (KJS) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name: {power: or, the right, or, privilege} 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. 14 And the Word was made 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. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. 17 For the law was given by Moses, [but] grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared [him].

1. Past: God Makes/with us: He is our Creator. We Believe in Him. John 1:10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. See the truth of who God is by what he has done and continues to do in our lives. We aren’t an accident of nature but we are a result of God’s plan for our lives.
 
2. Present: God in us: Grace and Truth: He is our Savior. We Receive Him.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name:
Take Him as your Savior and receive Him and his Grace day by day. We become his children. He becomes our Father, our God, and our Lord and Savior. We can receive Him or reject Him today. The Choice is ours to make. I have been asked to make an evaluation of myself as your pastor. God asks us all to evaluate ourselves today before we come to this table of the Lord to partake in Holy Communion.
1Cor 11:27 (KJS) Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup.
 
3. Future: God Through us: He is our Vigor/Life We Testify of Him. 15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. 16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
He is our reason for living blood, power for Living demonstrations of the Grace and Truth that we have believed in and received in Christ. 1.We receive Him v. 10. 2. We believe Him v. 12. 3.We testify of Him v. 15.
Where are the Beans?
When I was pastoring my second church, I was taking a walk through the yard with my eldest daughter when she noticed the garden plot that we had used during the past summer. She remembered the green garden we had that year and she asked me a question that I will never forget. She asked, "where were the beans? " In my relationship with God in Christ I can see the Lord asking me that question. Where is the harvest? At the same time I can see God giving the answer for me the way that I answered my daughter. "The beans are in the jars waiting to be opened for dinner." In one way I feel the expectation of the Lord asking me where are the souls or beans that should have been saved. In another I hear the answer of the Holy Spirit saying that he has already taken care of the harvest for me. I am enjoying the present calling as a result of the Lord who continues to work in my life to produce the fruit that he desires to see. The Lord is in the saving and preserving business (we call it canning). I am in the Lord’s work to preach the gospel and pastor the church as he continues to give me his grace upon grace.
Have you come seeking the Lord today? Have you believed in Him, received Him, and testified of Him? Will we today? As we come to this crossroads of life at the beginning of the new year, lets begin the new year with him receiving his grace upon grace.