Chapter 2
The Heavenly Way
John 1:19-51
1. I Am Not
The similar phrases “I am not” are used six times by John the baptist(in verse 20, 21, 27, 31 and 33). We could learn the spiritual principles of the service through this humble servant. He denied himself six times in his witness. Although John is the herald of the Lord, he fully understood that he is just a voice to awaken the hearts of people to turn to their Messiah Christ.
He could say: “Yes, I am Elijah! I am the prophet! I am....” when the hungry multitudes come to him. That is a great opportunity of being famous, welcome and popular for himself, and he could easily start a big Christian work for the Lord by just saying once “Yes, I am”. And then suddenly many closed doors of the work will be opened to him, and he will have a honored position in the work of the Lord and be an important leader.
However, we know that John said six times “I am not”. Here is a servant who deeply died to his own ambitions in the service. He seemingly said that: “The fame, popularity, position etc., are not the chief considerations for me, and I would let them go to my Lord. If the Master calls me into any His appointed service or ministry, I believe that He will supply all that I need and take the full responsibility, therefore I could trust everything from my own hands into His mighty hands. And my supreme concern is to be faithful to the Lord’s divine purpose, intention and leading for me (even in the unfriendly, lonely, unapproved, unwelcome and adverse situations)!” John was so selfless and faithful in the service of the Lord!
On the other hand, let us pay attention to the person of John. If we read other scriptures about him, we will find that he really is nobody! His parents are just people of the Jewish priesthood. But he is the wild-man! He is not the important fellow to the world and to the religious world! He is nothing at all! Therefore he has no burdens of the old traditions laden upon him, and is free from the bondage of the fixed religious system. Such a poor and simple natural background provides much ground upon which the Holy Spirit could work out the new, amazing and wonderful things.
Let us remember an important truth: the God’s instruments for His services are people who without natural glory. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29: ”But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;” And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence.” God could only use the broken, frail, imperfect vessels, so that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. Therefore all the glory belongs to Him alone, and He will not give His glory to another.
Moreover, Dear Brethren and Sisters, once and for all, we have to recognize a tremendous fact that the ability and might from our old natural man could never contribute anything to God’s service. The flesh profits nothing. Zechariah 4:6: “Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the Lord of hosts.” In the holy ground of God’s service, the cross says: “No! Never! Get out here!” to all that have the origins from our old natural man. There is no place for human factor in this divine realm! The Christ must beall, and in all! Therefore the reality of God’s service is: of Him, and through Him, and to Him, are all things, to Whom be glory for ever. Amen.
2. Come Out Of Nazareth?
Verse 46: “And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.” This verse speaks forth the perils of the prejudice. If we are the earnest disciples of the Lord, we will immediately find that the great hindrances for us to follow the lamb are our old religious conceptions. Jesus Christ had dedicated for us a new and living way through the veil, henceforth His new leading and guide on this way will always challenge our religious prejudices. That is so uncomfortable to our proud flesh! Even sometimes the Lord has to compel us to accept His strange, unpredictable and incredible providence in the view of the spiritual welfare of us and others.
If Nathanael allow his prejudice to dominate his thoughts, he will have no part with an opened heaven. If Peter unwisely hold his Jewish lawful conception (when he saw the great sheet descending in a vision), the salvation could not befall the house of Cornelius. If the prophet Jonah continue to disobey God stubbornly, the great city Nineveh would be overthrown without any chance of repentance. However, blessed be our Lord! If we allow His mighty grace to break our prejudices, we will not miss his wonderful plans and blessings for us.
3. Our Heavenly Position
Verse 51: “And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.” This verse is from Jacob’s vision in Genesis 28. Jacob saw a ladder reached unto the heaven. Our Lord Jesus is the true ladder by which we have already sit together in heavenly places. Ephesians 2:5-6: “Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” The real position of Christians is heavenly in God’s sight! And the heavenly position which Christ had already secured for Church is very marvelous and very powerful!
The Risen Lord, Our Great King, Who conquered the Devil and annulled the power of the death, sit on the throne above the heavens. Now He says to us: “Come here! Faithful Christians! Sit on My throne with Me side by side! I am very willing to share My throne with you! I have a great business in this universe. Come here! Engage in My business with Me! I will teach you how to do it. And I have prepared well all the resources for it! You can share and rely on the wisdom and authority of My heavenly throne.” Oh! That is our heavenly position and privilege!
John Bunyan (1628-88) had written his immortal book The Pilgrim’s Progress in prison. Do we know that there is a heavenly way lies before us since we became Christians? The direction of our movement should be vertical and upward! There are two lines in The Revelation: one line is for them that dwell in heaven, the other line is for them that dwell upon the earth. The Lord said: “woe, woe, woe,” to them that dwell upon the earth! Watch and pray! The heavenly Abraham is our sample, and the earthly Lot is our warning! May the Lord give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation to understand the heavenly things more clearly!
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