Stone
3 – John 3:27
“John answered and said, ‘A man can receive
nothing, except it be given him from heaven.’ ”
Throughout his
ministry John the Baptist maintained that he was not the Messiah; that pointing
to the Messiah was his purpose. He did not decide this on his own. John knew
the power in his message didn’t come from natural ability. He was not caught up
in himself when the crowds flocked to hear him. Fame did not deter him from his
purpose. John pointed his own disciples to Christ. When the crowds coming to
Jordan to hear him dwindled, it did not detract from what he had done. John
knew it all had been given to him.
Not all men are as
receptive to the notion of God’s sovereignty over individual lives as was John.
Nebuchadnezzar, “The king spake, and
said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom
by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?”
“While
the word was in the king's mouth, there fell a voice from heaven, saying, O
king Nebuchadnezzar, to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee. And
they shall drive thee from men, and thy dwelling shall be with the beasts of
the field: they shall make thee to eat grass as oxen, and seven times shall
pass over thee, until thou know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of
men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.”
It
is tempting to believe differing perceptions, like those of John and
Nebuchadnezzar, are rooted in personal experiences and preferences. The cause
goes deeper than that. It goes to the makeup of Man as a species. The natural
man loves to believe that he is master of his own soul and the source of his
own vision. The idea stirs the heart; makes great inspirational posters and
gets “liked” on Facebook. But, both John and Nebuchadnezzar would tell you this
bit of popular thought is nothing more than a mirage; a deception of the
natural eye. Seeing the truth requires a focus that does not come from within
the self. Few men are willing to admit such focus exists; fewer still are
willing to see.
Contrary to modern thought, Christianity embraces
diversity. The idea of differing gifts, talents, callings, and worship
experiences is woven through the New Testament. This is because Christianity is
a way of life; not a set of rules. Nevertheless, every Christian shares a
single experience—new birth. No man may one day, and of his own accord, decide
to become a Christian. He simply cannot see it unless and until God opens his
eyes to the reality beyond the mirage. This is why Jesus told Nicodemus, “Except a man be born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God.” Sight and the new birth are the gift of God. No man
can possess either unless it is given him from heaven. The root and ground of
Christianity is given by God to every individual. If the foundation cannot be
laid without it being given by God, how can anything built thereon be less?
Thus, “A man can receive nothing, except
it be given him from heaven.”
Christians look out
over the world and see a Creator or listen to a beating heart and hear a Composer.
Knowing “the grace of God that bringeth
salvation hath appeared to all men…” (Titus 2:11) it is difficult for
Christians to accept that anyone could see things otherwise. The scripture
says, “…faith cometh by hearing, and
hearing by the word of God.” Nevertheless, we have seen two people go to
church on Sunday morning. Both sing the same songs; hear the same scripture;
and both are called to repentance. One
falls on the altar seeking salvation while the other wonders what all the fuss
is about. It is evident hearing involves more than listening and seeing is more
than looking. There must be an internalization of what is seen and heard. The
talents and blessings we are born with may be gifts from God, but they are not
enough to win heaven. Whatsoever we may know or experience of God must be given
to us.
Critics say the
dependent nature of Christianity is a crutch men “find” in times of crisis and
use thereafter to prop themselves up. There is some truth in the analogy. Perspective
is the key. The natural man and the spiritual man see things differently. The
natural man sees the cross is an instrument of death and condemnation.
Christians see it as a symbol of life and victory. In the same way, critics see
a crutch as a symbol of weakness. Meanwhile Christians see a crutch as an
instrument of healing. Without a crutch, a man’s broken bones must bear his
entire weight and his pain is intensified. Constantly tread upon; the hurt does
not heal leaving the man halt and lame. A crutch enables a man to heal. Then,
when he is healed within; a man may walk again. Only now he walks with a steady
gait and an appreciation of his own weakness.
The religious leaders
of Jesus’ day saw repentance as a needless crutch.“And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a
physician; but they that are sick.” Luke 5:31. Christ came to give moral
cripples the ability to walk straight and whole. The righteous walk perfectly
without healing and have no such need. This is why no man who is right in his
own sight comes to Christ. No man who already possesses heaven comes to receive
it from another. God has called all men to salvation. The needy hear him--the
others do not. “And in them is fulfilled
the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not
understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's
heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they
have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with
their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted,
and I should heal them.”
