Summary
- The sermon focuses on the transformative power of faith in Jesus Christ, exemplified by the testimony of a man named Ron who was saved from a life of despair and now wishes to help others through a men’s home.
- The preacher emphasizes the contrast between spiritual darkness and the light of Christ, encouraging the congregation to admit their own darkness and trust in Jesus as their Savior and Lord. The message concludes with a call to partake in the Lord’s Supper as a means of experiencing God’s presence and grace.
Good afternoon, everybody. A lot of people to welcome here who are here in person, so I’d like to first welcome Carolyn and Chris, Danny, Stephanie, Joelle, visiting from San Jose, welcome.
People from all over, we have Jackie’s dad from Torrance, over there we have Andre from Santa Barbara, we have Minjin from Korea, and we have Ron and Margie from San Dimas. We have Daniel, Sora, Nathan, Isaac, Joshua, from Hawaii, wow, everyone came from all over, so praise the Lord we can gather like this.
Now is the time to share testimony. So, if you have a word from the Lord, you have an encouragement to edify the Body of Christ, now would be the time to come forward. And I do have one testimony that I’d like to have someone come forward and share. Anyone first?
If not, I’ve asked Brother Ron to come forward and share. He did some construction for me this past week, and I just got to hear bits and pieces of his testimony. I was just so intrigued and I wanted to hear more.
So sure that the rest of the body of Christ will be so blessed to hear. So, I’d like to welcome Ron. Good morning. It’s good to be here this morning. I’m blessed. I truly am. I was very fortunate enough to meet your pastor. And I’ll tell you, from the first time I met them and I was able to speak with them a little bit, I was very humbled to meet Pastor Ray and his wife, just amazing people. You can sense the Spirit of God and the humility in them. And it’s humbling to be around that.
I’m just very grateful. Brother Jim, he’s the one that has introduced me to countless people. And I’m so blessed to have Brother Jim in my life. He’s a good brother in the Lord, but he’s much more than that. He’s family. And just like all of you, we don’t have the same mothers and fathers, but we are a family by the blood of Christ. And I’m so grateful to be here today. I just wanted to share a few words with you this morning.
When Pastor asked me, it’s just, you’re looking at proof that God is able to save people that are lost. If you look out in the streets, wherever you go now, it’s really bad. You see people just rambling on, talking to themselves, just filthy mess and dirty. Their hair is wild and not wearing shoes.
And I was like, that was me. I lived under a bridge in downtown East Los Angeles, right across the bridge from downtown LA. And I was there for some time. I had no shoes. My feet were cracked and bleeding.
It was just a mess. I woke up one time and I woke up in a cycle. They gave me all these pills, you know, and after that, I was like, “Wow, I get free drugs,” you know, so I just kept going back and getting free drugs from the pharmacy, you know. But I was, I got hooked on those and I was really bad, you know. I had poop in my pants and urine and my clothes were stuck to my body.
I couldn’t even. I had to pour water holes down my shirt just to get my clothes to unstick from my body, and I remember trying to get on the bus a number of times. The bus drivers knew me already, and they wouldn’t let me on. I was sharing with the pastor because I smelled so bad, you know, and I was just broken, lost. I thank God for people that go out there and minister the gospel.
I ran into a friend that had seen me, and he picked me up and took me to a men’s home, and my journey as an adult in Christ began, you know. I’ve had some ups and downs, but God had pulled me out of a very dark place, you know, and I got to experience the love of Christ and fall in love with him, you know.
I’ve made some bad choices, you know, and you know when you get back on your feet. Sometimes, I just, you forget where you came from and God has never let me get too far, you know. He’s always kept me, you know, hey, remember, you know. And I always ask the Lord, no, I don’t ever want to forget that, you know. My past is my past but I don’t want to forget, you know.
I want to remember, keep those things fresh in my mind so that, you know, when I see people out there, I know there’s hope. I know that my God is able to save the most wretched and lost case out there, because that was me, you know. But I’m so grateful. And if I can leave you with something…
I share with Brother Jim. Me and Jim spent some time together over the past couple of years, about two years, I think. And it’s like, you know, when Jesus was just a young boy and he was lost. You know, he wasn’t lost, but his parents thought he was lost. You know, but he, she was looking for him. She says, “you know, why did you do this to us, you know?” And he said, “Didn’t you know I had to be about my Father’s business?”
And, you know, that’s something that really ministers to me, because I know that we all have work, we all have responsibilities to families, but I want to be about my father’s business, you know. I know what God has called me to. I had a men’s home and I have hopes, and I’m hoping that you will partner in prayer, keep me in prayer, that, you know, the men’s home will come to flourish.
I have a couple of men that want to come in, actually three men that have been writing me from state prison, that I’m hoping to take in and start the men’s home again. And it’s funny, because people have been calling me, and giving me furniture, and shelves, and Bibles, and I’ve been getting a number of things. Pastor, thank you so much, and you know, other people.
And it’s just God preparing me for what’s ahead, because, you know, I personally, I can’t do it, but I know that my God is a provider, and I know that He’s the one that I rely on, you know, for that. And you’re looking at a grateful man, you know.
Again, if I can leave you with something, it is just, there’s hope, no matter what, you know. And God has called you to sometimes believe for people that can’t believe for themselves, you know. And to do your best, you know.
There’s so many illustrations in the Bible that share about half-hearted and whole-hearted. You know, and I always have to ask myself, where is the posture of my heart when it comes to my service for God? You know, I can work day and night and I can work myself to the bone. But with that same energy that I love my children, that I love work, and I do, am I serving God? Am I doing?
The best I can, that I know that I can, for God, you know. And that’s where I want to be. I want to be about my Father’s business wholeheartedly because I’m grateful for what he did for me on that cross. You know, so I want to encourage you today that you know, you have some amazing pastors. You know, I hope that you would travail for him, and his wife, and his family in prayer because he’s got a target on him. He’s got a big target on his back, on his head, his family.
He’s got a target. So, you cover him with your prayers, you know, and uh, please keep me in prayer as well. Thank you.
Amen, amen, thank you. Thank you, brother, for sharing.
Yeah, you confirmed the message in many ways, so thank you for that. Why don’t we just read a verse, and I’ll pray, and then we’ll get into it. It’ll be a short message today.
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. (John 1:12-13, ESV)
Okay, let’s pray.
Father, we thank you that you came into this world to save us and to start a large family And we thank you that you came to this world to save us and to start a large family And we thank you that you came.
We pray that more and more people can be added to your family, even on this day. Thank you, Lord. Meet us now in this time. I give you my mouth. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
Yes, yes, as Ron was saying, I definitely feel like there’s been a target on my back. This is probably one of the rougher weeks for me, physically and, I don’t know, just mentally, spiritually, it was a rough week. And Ron might have noticed, toward the end of the week, I didn’t come out to see him. And he might have thought I was not liking the quality of his work, but that’s clearly not the reason.
I was in a lot of pain, and started with cold symptoms, cough, and the cough really aggravated my sciatic pain. I had a really hard time just walking, lying down, just would wake up in tears of pain, just couldn’t bear it. But the Lord, he got me through. The Lord, he got me through. I feel so much better.
So it’s a mini miracle that I’m here today, speaking in front of you. So praise the Lord. I do covet your prayers, as I pray for you as well. This is in John 1:1.
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4, ESV)
There are different versions of the Christmas story, but I really appreciate John’s version. Because he doesn’t mince words. He just gets right at the heart of the issue spiritually, like what is happening on Christmas?
It is light and darkness, and gets past all the wise men, the shepherds, no room in the inn, all of those themes that come out on a Christmas Sunday. But he gets to right at the heart of the issue, which is light and darkness. And I don’t know how you feel. Do you feel like things are getting brighter in life? Do you think things are getting darker in life? As a person, as a citizen of this world, are things getting brighter or are things getting darker? Jesus says, ‘I am the author of life.’
4 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. (John 1:4, ESV)
So, the two things we know right away about Jesus, he is the author of life, and this life is the light of men. And that means, apart from Jesus, there can only be two things, death and darkness. The absence of life, the absence of light.
That’s how I would characterize my life. Ron has his version of lifelessness, or death and darkness. I have my own version, and it’s not as, maybe as dramatic as his, but I would say I was equally lost.
Even while going to a decent school, I was lost. If people could read my thoughts, I could have been a murderer. That’s how much hatred there was in my heart, how much resentment I had in my heart. I was lost. I was spiritually dead, but God had mercy upon me.
He called upon my life in November 1993, and he called me by name, and it was like the light bulb came on. In a heart that was just pitch black, the light bulb came on.
Somebody turned on the light switch, and Jesus came to me, and he saved me. Truly, Jesus is the light of men.
And so, before I knew Jesus, I was lost. I didn’t know what life is about. I just was following what other people are doing. I don’t even know if they’re happy, but they’re chasing after the dream, so I chased after similar things.
And I thought, okay, they must be happy. If I chase after these same things, I will be happy. But there was nothing. There’s just nothing in this world, nothing in this world.
But when Jesus came and the light turned on, everything made sense. It was so stark. It was like nothing made sense, and then instantly, everything made sense. I knew my purpose. I knew why I was here. I knew what I had to do with my life.
Everything was clear because it was darkness to light. It was someone who was spiritually dead who had now come alive for the first time.
5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:5, ESV)
So, if you’re experiencing some form of darkness, I want to encourage you that it just takes a little bit of faith in Jesus to overcome even the darkness of the night. Just a little bit of Jesus, just a small amount of faith, you can move a mountain. There is no darkness that is so dark, so hopeless that Jesus cannot overcome. That is what we read in verse 5.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (John 1:6, ESV)
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. (John 1:7-8, ESV)
I so appreciate John the Baptist, because he clarifies for me what my purpose as a pastor is. My purpose is to say, I’m not the guy. I’m not the guy. Our church is not the answer. We don’t have a program that will fix you, but I know somebody who has all the answers for you. It is Jesus.
And John the Baptist clearly just said, “I’m here to bear witness about the light. I am not the light. I am just a voice. Here is the light. Behold the Lamb of God. Follow him.” Every Sunday, as God gives me breath, it’s going to be my mission that I will bear witness about the light. I am not the guy. Jesus is that man.
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. (John 1:9-10, ESV)
11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. (John 1:11, ESV)
This is probably the most shocking set of verses in this first chapter. If anybody should have received Jesus as the Messiah, it should have been the nation of Israel.
God had been with them for centuries. He had trained them in the ways of the Lord. He had given them prophet after prophet, kings, judges, and interacted with them, giving them chance after chance.
If anyone should have received Jesus as the Messiah, it should have been the nation of Israel.
God had been with them for centuries.
11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. (John 1:11, ESV)
They should have been able to know who Jesus is and recognize that he is their Messiah. It should have been Israel. And yet, his own people did not receive him. And the question is, why? The answer is in John 3:19-20.
19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. (John 3:19, ESV)
20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. (John 3:20, ESV)
If you want to meet Jesus, you have to grow sick and tired of darkness. Even the experts of the law, even the synagogue religious leaders who preach every week, there was a darkness in them that they loved. It was hidden from everybody, but there was something in their hearts, something in their closets, something they could not come clean about.
And for that reason, they loved the darkness. Jesus, the light, was standing there. And they could not receive him as their Messiah.
So, if you want to meet Jesus, who is the light, you need to grow sick and tired of the darkness. Do you love the darkness? The darkness can just be your way. Do you just like living your way? Not answering to anybody.
Do you want to just do life your way? That is a form of darkness.
There are dark things that people do, but just being about your life and wanting to do it your way, that is also a form of darkness. Do you love your darkness? Do you love your way? Chances are, if that’s you, you will never meet Jesus.
At some point, you have to say, “I am sick and tired of darkness.” Jesus is right here. He says, “I am the light. Come out to the light.”
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. (John 1:12-13, ESV)
So, it’s not of blood that we’re born of God and receive salvation. It’s not just a nation of Israel who had all this heritage and tradition. It was not them only who had access to salvation. It is not even a will of the flesh decision, a personal decision.
You can’t just say, ‘I want to accept Christ today,’ and then it happens. Salvation doesn’t work that way. It also is not the will of somebody else on your behalf. Your parents, your spouse, nobody else can save you. Only Jesus. Only Jesus.
That means we do our part, and God does his part. Our part is there in verse 12, we receive him. Jesus, you’re it. You’re the guy. Jesus, you are the savior of the world, the light of the world, the life of, the light of men. Jesus, come save me.
You are my Savior and my Lord, and you do your part to receive him. But that’s not it. You also have to believe in his name. That means you have to trust in him. That’s not a one-time decision, you are my Lord and Savior, but every single day of your life you have to say, ‘Jesus, I believe in you. Jesus, I trust in you. Jesus, I will follow you. Jesus, I will remain with you. Jesus, I will abide with you.’ you do your part and God does his part, and he saves you.
And you witness that salvation. So in the meantime, what do we need to do to have a personal Christmas? First, we need to admit we’re in darkness. We have to recognize Jesus is the light and come to Jesus, who is the light. We need to receive Jesus as our personal Savior and Lord. We need to believe in his name, trust in him, believe in him, follow him. And then we need to ask God to save us. Ask Jesus to meet you. That is my word to you. Not just on this Christmas day, but on every day.
Okay, let’s pray.
Father, forgive us for loving our darkness, whatever form it takes. Forgive us for wanting to live our way on our own terms, just wanting to enjoy life, wanting to be left alone, whatever form our darkness takes. I pray that you awaken us to our state apart from Christ. We are dead and we’re in darkness. We pray that we would become sick and tired of our darkness. That you would motivate us to come out to the light.
We do our part, Lord. We receive you as Savior and Lord at least one time in our lives, but for the rest of our lives, we believe upon your name. You’re the only name who saves. And we pray that on this day, you would meet us, Lord. Please meet us, Lord. That is the only way to be born again. Salvation requires you to do your part. We are born of God, it is your doing. And so, Lord, we ask that you meet us. We pray that you would save us.
We pray that you forgive us. Please, Lord, please, Lord. We don’t want to be in darkness a day longer than necessary. Bring us out on this day, Lord. We want to meet you, Lord, we want to meet you, Lord. Please meet us, Lord, thank you, Lord.
We pray that you minister to us as we partake in the Lord’s Supper. Thank you for your body that was broken for us. Thank you for your blood that was shed.
We pray that you meet us in a supernatural way during the partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus’ Name we pray, Amen.
