Bethlehem Baptist Church
Sunday Evening 12/07/25

      • Matthew 1:22-23ESV

  • Sing We The Song Of Emmanuel
  • Joy To The World
  • It Came Upon The Midnight Clear
  • What Child Is This
  • Introduction
    Do you ever get the winter blues? I saw a product that was advertised the other day that is a type of light that you sit in front of to help beat the winter blues.
    It turns out that winter blues are a real thing. People are living through shortened days and the weather has usually turned colder. This produces a melancholy state of emotion for many people.
    So this light is supposed to mimic the light of the sun and help lift your mood. It is actually called a SAD light, named after the condition it treats.
    Show light
    Seasonal Affective Disorder
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    We’ve probably all heard that we need sunlight to make Vitamin D; but did you know that we have a problem worse than SAD? It’s called SIN.
    Just like the SAD light therapy, there is a SIN Light therapy. Jesus is that light that heals our sin-sick hearts.
    Let’s take a look at the rest of the birth story that John records in John 1.
    John 1:5–13 ESV
    5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light. 9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
    Pray
    Tonight as we continue looking at this passage, we are going to look at two aspects of this light therapy that treats our sin.

    1. John’s Mission as a Witness (vv.6-8)

    John 1:6–8 ESV
    6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
    He was a man sent from God
    John was a man
    John was not an angel, though he was a messenger
    We are the ones with the commission to preach the gospel and not angels
    John had a special calling, but we have a Great Commission
    John came with a purpose - shine the light
    John was sent
    John was to go not to stay - we are called to go out and witness in the culture and to the world
    Some people say that they cannot go to the ends of the world, but can we go across the street, or across the driveway
    He was to be a witness to the Light
    John’s purpose was to help people see the light
    John could not open their eyes for them
    Application
    In the same way, we are called by God to go and tell people the gospel.
    We are not called to sit idle.
    We are not called to just try to live the happiest, most fulfilling life on earth we can.
    John gave up the comforts of this life in order to live his life on mission pointing people to Jesus, and we are called to do the same.
    In the same way that all John could do is point people to Jesus and could not open their eyes, we can only do the same.
    We are to be a witness to the light, but only God can open the eyes of the blind.

    2. Jesus’s Mission to Save (vv.9-13)

    John 1:9–13 ESV
    9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.
    The theme here that John picks up is once again rooted in the creation story.
    Imagine watching on as God began to speak the world into existence. There would be nothing but blackness. It would be a dark you could feel with nothing in it.
    Then, God speaks and the swirls of light begin to form as God creates light and separates it from the darkness.
    God would later call planets and stars and meteors into existence and give them their own luminescence.
    Jesus came to give light - spiritual illumination
    1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV
    14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
    Jesus came to His own as their Messiah, but is rejected sending the gospel goes to the Gentiles
    Romans 11:11–12 ESV
    11 So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous. 12 Now if their trespass means riches for the world, and if their failure means riches for the Gentiles, how much more will their full inclusion mean!
    Jesus is accepted by those whom God has chosen to save
    Notice that John says that these “children” were born not of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God
    John 6:44 ESV
    44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day.
    Romans 9:16 ESV
    16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy.
    Conclusion
    John Bunyan, the Christian author of Pilgrim’s Progress and pastor wrote in one of his sermons:
    You that are born of God, and Christians, if you be not criers, there is no spiritual life in you; if you be born of God, you are crying ones; as soon as he has raised you out of the dark dungeon of sin, you cannot but cry to God, What must I do to be saved? As soon as ever God had touched the jailor, he cries out, "Men and brethren, what must I do to be saved?"
    You and I are called to believe on the Lord Jesus, and once we have believed, we are to be criers.
    We need the light Jesus gives and this world needs it too.
    Let’s go shine the light of the gospel everywhere we go in this dark world.

      • John 1:5–13ESV

      • John 1:6–8ESV

      • John 1:9–10ESV

      • 1 Corinthians 2:14ESV

      • John 1:11ESV

      • Romans 11:11–12ESV

      • John 1:12–13ESV

      • John 6:44ESV

      • Romans 9:16ESV

  • Without Him
Bethlehem Baptist Church
info@bbced.org
478-272-7827
https://www.bbced.org
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