The Light Has Come – John 1:9-13

The Light Has Come – Week 3- THE LIGHT RECEIVED

John 1:9–13

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him.

¹¹ He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

¹² But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,

¹³ who were born, not of natural descent, or of the will of the flesh, or of the will of man, but of God.

• Let’s talk about light for a moment
• One of the most interesting things about light
• Is that it doesn’t ask permission.
• When light enters a room,
• It simply shows up
• And everything changes.
• Light reveals where we are.
• Light reveals what’s real.
• Light reveals what’s been hidden.
• And we all know this to be true:
• Because at times
• Light can feel comforting…
• Or at times
• Light can feel uncomfortable.
• It depends on whether you’re ready for it.(Iona)
• Because light doesn’t just warm a room
• It exposes what’s already there.
• That’s why some people love the light…
• And others avoid it.
• As we continue through the opening chapter of John’s Gospel
• This Christmas season,
• We come to a turning point in the story.
• So far,
• John has shown us who Jesus is
• And who pointed to Him
• Now John brings the story to the most personal question of all:

What do we do when the Light comes to us?

• Let’s break down the passage together.

John 1:9

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

• John begins by calling Jesus “the true light.”
• That word true matters.
• It means Fact, or underlying reality
• Real but not just like something is real
• But real in that Jesus was the real deal
• Not just like God or a God, but the full revelation of God
• Revealed to man in the flesh
• Jesus is not A light among many options.
• I had someone recently tell me, “Christan’s, Muslims, or Jews, it doesn’t matter which one you are, we all worship the same God.”
• Though there may seem to be similarities
• There is only one Jesus and
• He is not A light
• He is THE Light.
• Even the other types of light people chase
• Success, approval, control, pleasure, comfort
• They all eventually fade.
• But Jesus does not!

Hebrews 13:8 (CSB)

“Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

• Lets keep going

John 1:9

⁹ The true light that gives light to everyone was coming into the world.

• John says this true Light “gives light to everyone.”
• That does not mean everyone is automatically saved.
• It means no one is excluded from His invitation.
• Every story.
• Every background.
• Every level of brokenness.
• Is invited to experience Jesus
• This is why he came
• We call it the Gospel
• What is the Gospel?
• Jesus God’s perfect Son
• Fully God himself… left heaven and took on the form of man
• Humbled himself
• Yet lived his life in human flesh
• Never once sinning
• And in his sinlessness
• Took all of our sin on him
• And he was Beaten, Crucifed, Dead and buried
• And then rose again on the third day
• Defeating, sin and death once and for all
• And All I have to do to have him
• As the light of my life
• To let all that he did count for me and all my mess
• Is to confess Him as Lord and believe that he did it all for me

Romans 10:9

⁹ If you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Then John says something heartbreaking:

John 1:10

¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was created through him, and yet the world did not recognize him.

• The Creator stepped into His creation
• And creation didn’t know Him.
• The One who spoke galaxies into existence
• Was ignored by the people He made.
• And then it gets even closer:

John 1:11

1. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him.

• This Wasn’t just misunderstanding.
• This was rejection.
• The people with the Scriptures.
• The promises.
• And the expectations.
• They wanted a Messiah
• On their own terms
• Just not the true Messiah.
• When the true Light came into the world,
• Everyone was looking for the Messiah
• Just not the way He arrived.
• The Pharisees were waiting for a law-restoring teacher,
• But the Light came offering grace they couldn’t control.
• The Sadducees were protecting the Temple and their power,
• And they missed the Light standing in front of them.
• The Essenes expected an apocalyptic judge to arrive in fiery judgment,
• But the Light came quietly in a manger.
• The Zealots wanted a warrior king to overthrow Rome,
• But the Light came preaching peace and surrender.
• And the crowds wanted a miracle-working deliverer to fix their lives immediately,
• But the Light came calling them to just believe in who he was.
• They were ready for a Messiah who looked like their version of success,
• But they weren’t ready for a Savior who came low and ordinary.
• But John doesn’t end with rejection.

Verse 12 shifts everything:

John 1:12

¹² But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,

• Jesus is not forced on anyone.
• He is offered.
• To receive Him means welcoming Him as He truly is
• Not reshaping Him into who we want Him to be.
• And to those who receive Him,
• John says something astonishing:

John 1:12

¹² But to all who did receive him, he gave them the right to be children of God, to those who believe in his name,

• Not church attenders.
• Not admirers.
• Not religious performers.

Children of God.

• He gives us a new Identity
• When I come to him
• It is not about who I was, what I have done, good or bad
• It is that regardless of it all
• I am a child of God
• Loved as a son and daughter of the king
• This new birth does not come from my family background
• Or where or how I was raised
• What I have or don’t have.
• It does not come from my efforts or my own willpower.
• It comes from God.

WHY THIS MATTERS?

• This passage presses one unavoidable question into our lives:
• What do we do with the Light when it comes to us?
• Because the same Light that brings hope
• Also calls for a response.
• Some people reject Jesus loudly.
• Others reject Him quietly
• Through delay (I will get to him when I get it all together
• I just don’t have time for him right now
• Or distraction (Looking for temporary happiness),
• Or distance (I had a bad experience, I have been hurt by the church)
• I am not diminishing anyone’s pain.
• But today you can truly receive Him
• Not because you have it all together,
• But because He knows we don’t.
• And he loves us anyway

And this is where Advent meets us today.

• Today we will light the fourth candle of Advent — the Candle of Love.
• Because love is not just something God feels
• Love is who God is
• Love is the reason the Light came.
• Love is the reason He kept shining even when He was rejected.
• Love is the reason He offered adoption instead of judgment.

John later says In

John 3:19

The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light.

• He came to change what we love
• To show us he was true love
• Let me tell you…you will never know true love until you know the God who is love
• Love keeps offering the Light anyway.
• Receiving Jesus doesn’t mean cleaning ourselves up first.
• It means opening our hands.
• And when we do,
• God gives us a new name:

Child of God.

• Then by his love
• He changes our hearts
• He changes our desires
• He changes our destiny

HOW WE RESPOND TO THE LIGHT?

• So how do we live this out
• Especially as Christmas draws near?
• First, we have to receive the Light
• And from there our receiving the light
• Should always lead to us reflecting the Light.

Jesus said later on in John 8:12

I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows me will never walk in darkness.

• In Jesus our life is no longer dark and hopeless
• But regardless of our circumstances
• Our life is filled with his light
• And everyone around us will take notice
• And living as children of God means
• We stop striving for approval and start living from it.

Matthew 5:16

Let your light shine before others.

Two responses today:

• First, if you are in the room
• And you have never encountered the Jesus I am talking about
• Today you can walk in the light
• Let him shine his light on the dark areas of your heart
• All you have to do is confess him as Lord of your life
• Second

TRANSITION INTO GROUP PRAYER

• Before we close today,
• I want us to practice what we’ve just talked about.
• Last week, we handed out three invite cards
• And asked you to come up with the names of three people
• God has placed in your life
• People you care about, people you love, people you want to experience the Light of Jesus this Christmas Eve.
• Today, we’re not starting something new.
• We’re continuing that prayer.
• Because love doesn’t just receive the Light
• Love reflects the Light.
• And one of the most loving things we can do
• Is pray for someone by name.
• So we’re going to take a few minutes and pray together.
• I’d like you to gather in groups of three or four — with family, friends, or people near you.
• If you’re more comfortable praying quietly on your own, that’s okay too.

STEP 1 — THANK GOD

Begin by thanking God for the people He has placed in your life.

Simple prayers like:

• “God, thank You for this person.”
• “Thank You for the relationship we have.”
• “Thank You that You love them even more than I do.”

STEP 2 — PRAY FOR OPEN HEARTS

Now, go around your group and share one or two names.

As names are shared, pray:

• “Jesus, shine Your light in their life.”
• “Soften their heart to receive You.”
• “Remove fear, resistance, or distraction.”
• “Let them experience Your love this season.”

STEP 3 — PRAY FOR COURAGE TO INVITE

Now pray for yourselves.

Ask God for courage, love, and wisdom:

• “Give me the right moment.”
• “Help me invite with love, not pressure.”
• “Let my life reflect Your light clearly.”

STEP 4 — PRAY OVER CHRISTMAS EVE

Close your group prayer by praying for Christmas Eve:

• “Prepare hearts.”
• “Let Your presence be strong.”
• “Let the Light be clearly seen.”
• “Draw people to Yourself.”

PASTORAL CLOSE

• Church, this is how the Light spreads
• One name, one prayer, one invitation at a time.
• As we light the Candle of Love today, remember this:
• The Light was not forced on us.
• He was given for us.
• And on Christmas Eve,
• We will celebrate the miracle that makes all of this possible:

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.”