The Gospel of John-6 – I Am Not He

John 1:15–18

 

"John testified concerning him. He cried out, saying, 'This is the one I spoke about when I said, "He who comes after me has surpassed me because he was before me."' Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known." Amen.

 

A Humble Confession Witnessing the Eternal Light

The John mentioned in verse 15 of today’s text refers to John the Baptist. As we have already discovered in our reading of the beginning of John chapter 1, John is a person who came to testify to the Light. What, then, is the meaning of John’s proclamation? It certainly carries the meaning that "Even though I was born six months earlier than Jesus, He is an eternal Being who existed before me." However, beyond that, what John truly intended to convey was this: "I have come to witness to the Light, and that Light is the One who exists eternally. I am not that Light; for I am merely a human being who has come to this place to testify to the Light." In other words, John is saying, "I am not the one." Then, he testifies that the Lord alone is grace and the only foundation of our grace.

 

Everyone, John is a prophet. Moreover, he is the last prophet of the Old Testament era. After the book of Malachi, the final book of the Old Testament, the Word of God was finally revealed through John the Baptist after 400 years. It had been a full 400 years. How marvelous an event this must have been! Yet, he appeared and began to testify about the Light, starting with the words, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." He shouted, "He must increase, but I must decrease," crying out that he himself was not the true Savior. Even John the Baptist, the great prophet, was not the one. He could not save us, nor could his words save us.

 

The True Temple and Fullness of Grace in the Flesh

Everyone, do you remember verse 14? You recall the passage that begins, "The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us," do you not? We learned last time that "dwelling" here means that He became the Tabernacle and remains with us. When the Israelites passed through the wilderness, there was a Tabernacle—that large tent, the place of God's worship, where all the sacrificial instruments were kept. But now, that presence is no longer among the people as a physical Tabernacle; He was with them in the person of Jesus Christ. Then, what does that make the Temple that existed at the time of Jesus' coming—the Temple in Jerusalem? It becomes nothing. It was neither the sacrificial system nor the temple building. A "True Temple" emerged—one that surpasses all the sacrifices of the Tabernacle and all the instruments in the Temple; rather, one that renders all those things meaningless and shatters them all. Regarding the Word made flesh, Jesus Christ, the Bible says that He was full of grace and truth.

 

One of the most difficult parts of believing in Jesus is when, despite Jesus Christ being full of grace and truth, we ourselves do not properly enjoy those things. If you are in such a situation, I hope that there will be a work of restoration through today's Word and the Holy Communion. If you look at verse 16, one of the reasons we are preaching today is written here: "Out of his fullness we have all received grace in place of grace already given." We all want to receive grace upon grace. And rightfully, we must receive it to live. The "grace upon grace" mentioned here is a great blessing that God gives to His saints. And this grace must be received from the fullness of Jesus Christ, where His fullness signifies grace and truth. To be "full" means to be overflowing. Nothing else is necessary.

 

The Reality of Total Grace Beyond the Law

John first used John the Baptist, the prophet, to say "I am not the one," and then used the Temple to show that the Temple is not it either. He also shows that sacrifice is not it. Then, John brings up this issue once more and introduces Moses. Look at verse 17: "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." We need grace and truth to live in fullness, but that fullness does not come through the Law. Grace and truth cannot be given by the Law. To simplify and organize the beginning of John’s Gospel that you have heard so far, let us think for a moment. What is "grace" trying to say here? When we say "it is grace," it means that it is not something we choose and strive to possess. Many people think of faith like this: "Here is light and here is darkness. Which will you choose?" Naturally, they say "Light." Or, "Here is a red card and a blue card. Take the blue card; it has more money." Then they think they can naturally take the blue card.

 

Unfortunately, we are blind people who do not know how to distinguish between light and darkness. We are unable to see. No one among us knew who God was, and no one could understand the statement that Jesus Christ is full of grace and truth. We were people who knew nothing about such things. Yet, we keep wanting to insist, "I chose the light." No. If you chose the light, your eyes were already opened. You saw because you opened your eyes. You must have chosen the light because you saw it. It goes without saying that opening the eyes comes first, and seeing the light comes first. In other words, God opening your eyes so that you can see—that is what we call "grace." It is not something we possess through our choice or effort. Since we are beings who cannot do that, the Apostle Paul also expressed it this way. Let us look at Romans 4:1.

 

"What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, discovered in this matter? If, in fact, Abraham was justified by works, he had something to boast about—but not before God. What does Scripture say? 'Abraham believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.' Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: 'Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.'"

 

Some may find this graceful as they read, while others may ask, "What does this mean?" Do not be startled; it is not because your ability is lacking, but because the translation can be difficult. If explained simply, it is something everyone can understand. If you work, you receive money as a reward for that work. That is how you all make a living. But if you receive a reward even though you did not work, that is what is described as "grace." You did nothing, yet you received something. Because I committed a sin, I must pay the price for that sin. Whether living in prison for several years or facing the death penalty, the price for sin must be paid, but God says He will not recognize that sin as sin. God says that person is blessed. Was that our choice? Did we erase our sins by asking for them to be removed? It is not so. The Bible says that blessed is the one whom God recognizes as sinless. That is why this is called grace. Then what is the role of the Law here? The Law actually expresses that grace and truth come from Jesus Christ, who is full of grace and truth, and nothing comes from the Law. Moses gave the Law, but nothing could be done with that Law. In a sense, the Law also tells us, "It is not through the Law."

 

The Self-Denial That Defines a Believer’s Life

Everyone, we have now pointed out the three important things that appear in the Old Testament: the prophet, then the Temple and sacrifice, and finally the Law. All of these are shouting, "I am not the one." This is not simply entangled in the Old Testament but is the core part of the life of us believers. What a believer's life means is a life that shows "I am not the one." Let us explain this together. According to the Bible, light and life come only through Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh, who is full of grace and truth. Everyone, please focus on this word: only. There is no other. Nothing else can imitate this. Nothing else can give this to you. All the rest are "not it." There is nothing else but the flesh and blood of Christ, the Word made flesh. Nothing else can save us.

 

If you go to John 1:19, which we read today, the Jews, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees send people to ask John the Baptist, "Are you the Christ?" He says, "I am not the Christ." He says no. "Then are you Elijah?" He says no. "Then are you the Prophet?" Here, "the Prophet" refers to the one Moses spoke of. He says he is not that prophet either. If you have read the Bible a little, the question might have arisen: "Why does John the Baptist say he is not Elijah when Jesus clearly said he was Elijah?" And you might have thought, "Does this have some special meaning?" That is the part we will deal with next week, so set that aside for now; if you understand this preceding part, next week will be much easier. What it means is that John the Baptist himself keeps saying, "I am not the one." "I am not the one." Even when talking about Jesus, he says, "He must increase, but I must decrease." "I am not the one." Therefore, our lives are also lives that testify to "I am not the one."

 

The True Nature of "Foolish" Evangelism and Testimony

How should this be revealed? We are people who prove this in all the things we pursue, follow, and value in our daily lives. Everyone, how important is evangelism? Have you evangelized recently? Have you ever told your friends or acquaintances, "You must believe in Jesus, otherwise it will be a big problem"? Not everyone who goes to church is saved. Nevertheless, you must naturally share the Gospel. However, even for us who believe, according to the Bible, we would be the same as those who do not know Jesus Christ. Believers must naturally evangelize. But what you must show through evangelism is precisely "I am not the one." This is what you must show.

 

This is what "I am not the one" means in all of your life. Let us look from chapter 1, verse 21. Since it is a very famous passage, you will know it immediately. "For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God."

 

What does it say evangelism is? It says it is "foolish." "I am not the one" means being foolish. It means that evangelism does not happen because of the act of evangelism itself. We are the ones who prove that "people do not come because of evangelism." Evangelism is proving that people do not come to God because you evangelized diligently. Is this getting difficult? What this means is exactly what is written here. The reason this is expressed as foolish is that from people's perspective, they say, "Show me a sign or a miracle. Then I will believe." They say, "Explain it well to me." It says the Greeks look for wisdom. "Explain it philosophically or logically; then I will believe." But it says that won't work. They seek those things, but since we have nothing to preach but Christ on the cross, we say Christ is the power. That is why it is called foolish.

 

Evangelism itself doesn't work, yet people believe in Jesus. That is evangelism. If you have understood this, it is a very dangerous thing to say, "If you do this and that, evangelism will happen," right? "Because I received this and that training, if I do it in this and that way, I can effectively bring people to Jesus and have them evangelized." This is an attitude we must consider very dangerous. Everyone, evangelism is relying only on the Holy Spirit and confessing that no one can be saved except through the blood and flesh of Jesus Christ. But if we start thinking that we can make someone believe in Jesus through a method, we are doing something wrong or strange. It never happens through my method. Evangelism is proving that the method of evangelism is "not it."

 

Everyone, it's not just that. Testimony is the same. The purpose of a testimony is to show that "the testimony itself is not it." "I am not the one." However, in many cases, when you hear a testimony or when you yourself give one, you often testify like this: "I prayed, and God answered, so my disease was healed, and I started believing in Jesus from then on." The person who was healed and prayed can be thankful because they understand what that event was, but someone listening from the side can misunderstand the content. They think, "I believed in Jesus because the disease was healed." "If my disease is healed, if I see a miracle..." It's the same thing as the Jews: "Show me a sign, then I will believe."

 

Everyone, if people believed in Jesus through miracles, there would have been no reason at all for Jesus to be crucified at that time. Right? I mean, who in the world performed more miracles than Jesus? Even dead people got up on the spot after being rotten for three days, but these days, things like the gift movement or people in wheelchairs getting up appear on TV and are shown, but compared to Jesus, in vulgar terms, it is like "a drop in the bucket" (jojokjihyeol). It means it's nothing. But what happened to Jesus? He was nailed to the cross and died. If people could be saved through miracles, Jesus would not have been crucified.

 

Everyone, that event did not happen that way; rather, the evidence that Jesus Christ broke into that person's life and captured their environment and life to save them simply appeared that way. By God giving such things to them in their life, He made them know God; it is God's work of rescuing them, and no one believes just by seeing a miracle. Even if I go to the Pacific Ocean tomorrow, raise my hands, pray, and shout, "Pacific waters, all dry up!" and even if all that Pacific water actually dried up, people would absolutely not believe in Jesus. They might believe in me, or they might come to me and offer money, but they would never come to Jesus. Unless the Holy Spirit penetrates and works within their life and existence, no one can come before God. Therefore, what we prove through testimony is: "I did not come here by my own strength. God did it. I am not the one." This is what we must testify.

 

Christ-Centeredness Over Methods and Programs

Everyone, many methods are appearing in churches these days. These days, the most famous is cell ministry, and a while ago it was discipleship training, and for a while, seeker-sensitive worship (open worship) emerged as an important topic among all pastors. Whatever we do, we don't need to find fault with it, but if we don't prove that all those things are not done by our methods, and instead prove that "it works if you do it by that method," it is fake. This is because, if that were the case, Jesus would not have needed to be crucified. This is because, if that were the case, there would be no place for the Holy Spirit to work. Where does the Holy Spirit work? If people can believe in Jesus through such good programs, where in the world should the Holy Spirit work? If a person can come through programs made by people, words spoken by people, wisdom of people, and the ability of people, then does that mean Jesus Christ, God, and the Holy Spirit should just be resting in a corner? That's not it. Do not be deceived.

 

Everyone, when you do discipleship training, you emphasize "Quiet Time" (QT) very much. There is probably nothing as important as Quiet Time. Everyone, meditiating on God's Word every day is a natural duty for a believer. When looking at sermons or applications, 60 percent of the application is: "Read the Word and live according to God's Word." This is probably most sermon applications. You must treat the Word that closely. Do not even dream that the problem will be solved by listening to a sermon for 20 or 30 minutes a week. You must draw near to the Word of the Lord.

 

However, even if you have Quiet Time, it should not result in "Now I have made it." It should result in "I am still not the one." What this means is that you live by Christ, you live by His life and blood, and no other method can replace that. When is Quiet Time dangerous? It's when people, who should reach the conclusion through Quiet Time that "there is nothing but Christ," keep concluding, "I received grace during Quiet Time, so I can live by that strength." They think Quiet Time gives us grace. How you know this is: if you read the Bible every day and then don't read it for one day, or if you pray every day and then skip one day, and then while driving today you are anxious about getting a ticket, or you have a heart that fears being scolded by God because of the skipped QT—that means you unconsciously think that QT itself can give you grace and blessing.

 

Everyone, the act of Quiet Time itself absolutely does not give you grace or change you. You live solely by Christ, who is the Word. You have Quiet Time to prove that and to see that. Because we must show that we live not by this method of Quiet Time but by Jesus Christ, we confess that "this is not it" and "Christ is the Truth" as we go forward.

 

The Evidence of Christ Living Within Us

Everyone, the daily life that our life lives is the same. Testifying that "I am living by receiving from the flesh and blood of Christ, from His fullness," is the life of a Christian. Some people might misunderstand this and think, "Starting tomorrow, whatever happens, I should live with things like 'I lived by God's grace, Amen' attached to my mouth." It doesn't mean you should add a tag every time, "I am nothing, I have done nothing." I'm not telling you to live like that. If you live like that, as shown in Timothy, you become accustomed to false piety, and your face becomes very holy while your inside becomes pitch black.

 

I am not telling you to repeatedly say "I have done nothing," but what is required of you is to put all your attention on what Jesus Christ has done and on the cross. In that place, there is His obedience. There is the life He lived. And you should focus all your attention on who that Jesus is and make Him the center of your life. Everyone, if He is not the center, we have no choice but to live like this: "If I believe diligently, God will bless me, and Jesus will give me a smooth road ahead in my life so that the things I do will work out and I will succeed." We have no choice but to live a life of believing in such an absurd way. You must absolutely not do that. Do not think that you will bring it about by believing diligently; rather, let Jesus Christ be your center and live by His flesh and blood. You must keep in mind that the things you experience in life are not your business, and you are no longer a person who lives for yourself.

 

The Apostle Paul also says, "None of us lives for ourselves alone." He never said we should strive for our own lives. People who believe in Jesus Christ and enter into Him no longer live by anything other than Jesus. This is the whole of the Gospel. So, do not just be humble saying "I am a person who can do nothing," but you should be amazed, saying, "How can the work that Jesus accomplished be fulfilled today even in the body of a miserable person like me?"

 

Everyone, the fact that people like us can receive reconciliation before God, come before the Lord's presence, eat the Lord's blood and flesh, worship, and sing praises is because the work accomplished by Jesus Christ is being fulfilled in you. Making you realize your sin while living and say, "Oh, I have done wrong again, I haven't lived according to God's will," and making you turn back and repent, and making you turn back saying, "Heavenly Father, I didn't know your heart and I did this again"—that work is because the work accomplished by Jesus Christ is being fulfilled in you, so you cannot help but be amazed. You cannot help but be thankful. It is a thing of deep emotion. Without this, you are an illegitimate child; you are not a child of God. No matter how much you call upon Jesus, no matter how much you call upon God, no matter how hard I come to church and give all my strength and sincerity, as the Apostle Paul said in 1 Corinthians 13, it is just a resounding gong and a clanging cymbal, just noisy. It is nothing.

 

Everyone, therefore, the meaning of living with Christ as the center is that the work He did and His person become the center of my life, and it means that you have now become a child who should live while enjoying that within Him. You see life through the eyes of Christ as the center.

 

Holy Communion: The Visible Word and the Only Blessing

Everyone, now we will receive the Holy Communion today. Receiving the Holy Communion is important because it carries this very meaning. Holy Communion is the visible Word. That is why it is important. It is to confess once again that the work accomplished by Jesus Christ and the life of Jesus Christ have now been poured into me and have become my inheritance. Everyone, this is indeed the only blessing promised by Christianity. It is the only blessing promised in the Word of God. This is everything that has been granted to you. Why? This is not a ritual. This is the act of eating and drinking the person of Jesus Christ, and it means that God has given us the entirety of God, which He promised.

 

There is nothing more. The event of giving the entirety of God Himself is the meaning of this Holy Communion. Think about what He has given you. Please do not look around to find other things and do not open your eyes as if something else were more necessary to you. Beloved, when you receive the Holy Communion today, I earnestly hope that the flesh and blood of Christ will completely cover your flesh and blood, so that the flesh and blood of Jesus become your flesh and blood. I hope you feel that it works dynamically within you and leads your life and your existence. Please prove that "I live by that." I truly want you to show what the words of the Apostle Paul, "It is not I, but Christ who lives," really mean. Whatever you do, whatever you are, wherever you are, I want you to show this. I bless you in the name of the Lord that you may be blessed saints who testify to this as you live your lives and your daily existence.

 

Let Us Pray

Loving Lord, we thank You. We want ourselves and our entire lives to stand before You just as we are. Lord, we confess our inadequacies once again, and because of that, we want to know Jesus Christ even more. We want to know what You have done and who You are, so that we may truly enjoy that Lord and enjoy what the Lord has done on this earth. We want that to be our strength and our comfort. Just as the Lord was betrayed by Judas Iscariot but endured until the end, we hope that such patience becomes our patience. We want the Lord's touch in washing the disciples' feet to be our humility and love, and we earnestly desire that it be revealed through our hands, feet, lips, and eyes. Lord, now we receive the Holy Communion. O Lord, O Lord, help us.

 

In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.