Will you please turn to the Gospel according to John, Chapter 1? We will begin with verses 29 through 34.
On the morrow He seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world!
This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is become before me: for He was before me.
And I knew Him not; but that He should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water.
And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and It abode upon Him.
And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize in water, He said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon Him, the same is He that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit.
And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.
Let us have a word of prayer.
Dear Lord, as we continue in Thy presence, we wait to hear Thy word. We pray, Lord, that Thou wilt open our hearts and our understanding, that Thy word will really not only be understood, but will be received and will bear fruit unto Thyself.
Lord, we acknowledge that we depend upon Thy Spirit completely. Thou art the only One who is able to make things real and living. So, Lord, we humble ourselves before Thee, trusting Thy Holy Spirit to do this work for the glory of God. We ask in the name of our Lord Jesus. Amen.
We have been considering a few questions, and these questions to us are very basic.
The first question that we had fellowship on is this: who are we? In other words, what is our identification? What is our identity as a people—we who are gathering together here? Who are we?
Again, we will say that we do not like to talk about ourselves because, as a matter of fact, there is nothing to talk about—nothing but bad. But thank God, we have everything to talk about in the One whom we believe in, even our Lord Jesus.
So, when we are talking about who we are—our identification—thank God, by His mercy, we find our identification not in ourselves, but in Christ Jesus.
We are identified, to be known, only in Him. And if there is anything known outside of Him, it will be a stumbling block, because we have nothing to boast of.
So, dear brothers and sisters, our attention, when we talk about who we are, is not directed to ourselves, but actually is directed to Christ. We want to find ourselves in Christ, and we want to see one another in Christ. This will be our identity.
And then secondly, we talk about why we so gather. There are so many Christian gatherings all around the world, all around this city. Why is it that we should add one more? Do we have the right to do that?
Thank God, our Lord Jesus said:
I will build My church; and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
In other words, we are saved one by one, individually, personally. But when He saves us, it is not His will that we should live as independent, individual believers, because His purpose is that He wants to build us together as His church, as His body.
So, the very meaning of the church is the called-out ones gathered together. Unfortunately, we find that today God’s people are gathered together, but they gather together under many names. And because of these many names, God’s people are divided.
So, by the grace of God, we feel that God wants us to come out of all divisions and return to that oneness, that unity, of the body of Christ.
And more than that, we feel that it is the will of God that we should come out of all different names and come under only one name: the name of our Lord Jesus.
Where two or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them.
And we do hope that when we gather together under His name, it is not just an outward thing. It is our heart’s desire that, when we gather together under His name, we put ourselves under His authority.
By the grace of God, we want to hold Him as the Head, and all who are the Lord’s as members one of another in this wonderful body of Christ.
We dare not deny His name, and we want to keep His word. That is why we all should gather.
And this morning, we would like to come into the third question: what is our testimony?
We use John the Baptist as an example. John the Baptist knew who he was not, and he knew who he was. He was but a voice, preparing the way of the Lord.
And likewise, we feel that we are but a voice—nothing. But the message is important: the Lord.
Not only did John the Baptist know who he was not and who he was; he practiced baptism. And when he was questioned, “By what right do you practice baptism? You baptize people with water. You are not the Christ. You are not Elijah. You are not the prophet. What right do you have to do such a thing?”
John the Baptist said, “I baptize with water in order to prepare the way of the One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.”
In other words, he was not just a voice; he also practiced baptism. His voice witnessed to Christ, and his practice prepared the way for the Lord.
So, brothers and sisters, likewise, we are but a voice, but we do gather together as a practice for the Lord.
Now, the Bible tells us, “On the morrow, he seeth Jesus coming unto him.” Now, when you read the word “on the morrow,” it actually does not refer to the morrow, or the next day, after our Lord’s baptism, because when you first read it, it looks like that.
In the preceding verses, when John was practicing baptism and when he was being questioned, actually the Lord was there. So John said, “There is One who standeth in your midst, whom ye know not; the latchet of Whose shoe I am not worthy to unloose.”
By the providence of God, when these people questioned John, it was at the same time that Jesus came to be baptized. But after our Lord Jesus was baptized, He was sent by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil for forty days and forty nights.
So, “on the morrow” simply means the morrow after He returned from the wilderness, from temptation. So when John saw Him coming, John said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.”
This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a man who is become before me: for He was before me.
So there you find the testimony of John. He testified; he witnessed for Christ.
You know, in a sense, John and our Lord Jesus were kinsmen—relatives. And even though they grew up in different cities, I think it is natural that they had heard of each other. They might have met each other before.
So how can John say, “I knew Him not, but now I know Him”? What is it? Now, naturally and physically, most likely they knew each other.
And you remember, even when Mary visited Elizabeth and saluted Elizabeth, John, who was in Elizabeth’s womb, leaped. He responded because, even when he was in the womb, he was filled with the Holy Spirit.
And when Jesus came to be baptized by him, you remember how he refused to do that. He said, “I have need to be baptized of Thee.” In a sense, by the Spirit in him, he sensed that this was a Man who was perfect. He could sense it in his spirit, but he still said, “I knew Him not.”
Not until he baptized our Lord Jesus, and our Lord Jesus came out of the water, and heaven was opened, and there was a voice:
This is My beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased.
And he saw the Holy Spirit as a dove descending and abiding upon Him. And the Holy Spirit told him, “The One upon Whom the Holy Spirit descends and abides, this is the One Who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.” And John said, “I know Him.”
You know, this knowing is not an external thing. This knowing is an inward knowing. It is a knowing by revelation. It is a knowing in the spirit. It is a knowing by the illumination of the Holy Spirit.
And this knowing—this kind of knowing—constitutes a testimony.
So, brothers and sisters, when you come to the spiritual realm, the only way to bear testimony is that you have to see, and you have to hear, and you have to experience in your spirit—not only outwardly.
All good things may constitute a testimony in the world, but inward seeing—that seeing by the Spirit of God—that constitutes a real testimony.
And thank God, John knew the Lord Jesus by the Spirit. And you find that his testimony of our Lord Jesus is full.
Because he testified, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world.” He testified that our Lord Jesus is the Lamb of God.
You know, with the children of Israel, they had sacrificed thousands and thousands—countless lambs through the years. But here is the Lamb of God.
This Lamb of God alone, not symbolically but literally and spiritually, takes away the sin of the world. That is the testimony of our Lord Jesus.
And at the same time, he testified. He said, “I came to baptize with water, but there is One among you Who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.” That is the real thing. Baptizing with water is just a preparation, but baptizing with the Holy Spirit brings in the real body of Christ.
In one Spirit were we all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all made to drink of one Spirit.
That is real. So John testified that our Lord Jesus is the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit. He could do this because he was told by God.
And not only that, he also testified. He said, “He is the Son of God.” That is the Person. He is so great that I am not even worthy to untie His shoe’s latchet. What a glorious Person our Lord Jesus is.
More than that, in the Gospel of John he also said, “I am but a friend of the Bridegroom. When I hear the voice of the Bridegroom, I am happy. I must decrease, but He must increase.”
He testified that our Lord Jesus is the Bridegroom, coming to seek and to find His bride, the church.
So, brothers and sisters, you find that John the Baptist had a full testimony. But his testimony was not of himself; his testimony was of Christ.
He was saying, “Put down myself. Do not look at me as a great man. I am not even worthy to untie the shoelace of the One Who is coming.”
Oh, brothers and sisters, what a testimony! John testified of Christ. No wonder later on, in the Gospel of John, you find people saying, “John indeed did no sign; but all things whatsoever John spake of this Man were true.” And many believed in the Lord Jesus.
Brothers and sisters, what is our testimony?
If you want to find the exact phrase, “our testimony,” in the Bible, where can you find it? In 2 Thessalonians 1:10.
There you find the Apostle Paul writing to the church in Thessalonica, and he said, “Our testimony unto you was believed.”
Paul and his fellow workers went to Thessalonica, and they testified. Their testimony to these Thessalonians was received.
You remember the Apostle Paul said to the church in Corinth, in 1 Corinthians 2:1-2:
And I, brethren, when I came unto you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God.
For I determined not to know anything among you, save Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.
And again, you find in 2 Corinthians 4:5:
For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake.
So, brothers and sisters, what is our testimony? What is the testimony of the church? The testimony is about the Lord Jesus. That is the testimony—nothing else.
And in the word of God, you find another term: the testimony of God.
Now, in 1 Corinthians 2:1, you can find that term. Paul said, “We came to you to announce the testimony of God.” Now, what is the testimony of God? What does God testify?
Our brother during the worship time mentioned Hebrews 1:1. God has spoken. He has testified. He has revealed Himself. He tells us something that is in His heart.
God, having of old time spoken unto the fathers in the prophets by divers portions and in divers manners.
In other words, that refers to the Old Testament. There we find God has spoken. He is saying something, testifying something.
And you remember, in John 5:39-40, our Lord Jesus said:
Ye search the Scriptures, because ye think that in them ye have eternal life; and these are they which bear witness of Me; and ye will not come to Me, that ye may have life.
So, brothers and sisters, what is the testimony of God? The testimony of God is none other than what God testifies of His beloved Son: “Look at My Son.”
And when you read the Old Testament prophets, you will find that the spirit of prophecy is the testimony of Jesus.
Our Lord Jesus, after He was resurrected from the dead, walked with two disciples going from Jerusalem to Emmaus. He walked with them, and He talked with them. And He opened to them, from Moses to the Psalms—the Old Testament—telling them that these things must be fulfilled, because Christ must suffer and then be glorified.
And afterwards, He met with the disciples in the room in Jerusalem, and He also opened their understanding from Moses, the Psalms, and the prophets—everything that needed to be fulfilled in Him.
In other words, the testimony of God is concerning His Son. Look at My Son. See what My Son is. Believe in Him; trust in Him. He is everything.
And even when our Lord Jesus was in the flesh, three times the heavens opened. You know, because of the sin of this world, heaven was closed to the world. But in Christ Jesus, heaven was opened.
And God said, “This is My beloved Son, in Whom I have found My delight”—both at His baptism, on the Mount of Transfiguration, and then when some Greeks wanted to see the Lord in John 12.
The heaven opened and said, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” In other words, God the Father testified of His Son.
And that testimony is what the apostles announced to the people in Corinth.
So, brothers and sisters, what is our testimony? Our testimony is none other than what God testifies of His Son. In other words, it is the testimony of Jesus.
Now, you find in the Scriptures the testimony of Jesus, especially in the book of Revelation, a number of times. What is the testimony of Jesus? What does our Lord Jesus testify of Himself?
You know, when you and I testify of ourselves, people will not believe it, and they have every reason not to believe it. Because our hearts are deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.
We may testify of ourselves as so good, so proud of ourselves, but it is not true. Or we may even try to be humble and testify that we are so bad. It may not be bad enough. God knows how bad we are; we do not know.
So the Pharisees said, “If Thou bearest witness of Thyself, Thy witness is not true.” They even said that to Jesus.
But you know what our Lord Jesus said in John 8?
Even if I bear witness of Myself, My witness is true; for I know whence I came, and whither I go; but ye know not whence I come, or whither I go.
So, even though our Lord Jesus testified of Himself, His testimony is trustworthy because He knows where He came from and knows where He is going.
Did you hear what He testified of Himself? Even though all through His life on the earth He humbled Himself, He denied Himself, He always said, “I am sent. I do the will of Him Who sent Me. I cannot do anything by Myself.”
He emptied Himself. He took upon Himself the form of a bondservant and was obedient unto the Father, even unto death, the death of the cross. And yet, He did testify of Himself.
You remember in John 4, He talked to the Samaritan woman, a sinful woman. He revealed the life of that woman, bringing that woman to repentance and to conviction.
And that woman said, “When the Christ comes, when the Messiah comes, He will tell us everything.” And you remember what Jesus said:
I that speak unto thee am He.
He acknowledged Himself as the Christ, the Messiah, the Sent One of God. And that woman believed. She left the waterpot, went to the city, and bore witness to our Lord Jesus. Wonderful!
Did He testify of Himself as the Son of God? People often said, “Are You the Son of God?” He said, “I am the Son of Man.” But did He ever testify of Himself that He is the Son of God? Yes.
In John 9, that blind man, born blind, was healed by Him. But because of this, he was cast out by the Jews. The Lord found him and said, “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?”
He said, “Who is He, Lord, that I may believe on Him?” The Lord said, “Thou hast both seen Him, and He it is that speaketh with thee.” And the blind man who had been healed worshiped Him and said, “Lord, I believe.”
Yes, our Lord Himself said that He is the Son of God, and His testimony is true.
In John 10, He said, “The Father and I are one.” The Jews understood it very clearly, so they wanted to stone Him. “How dare You make Yourself equal with God?” But that is what He is, and His testimony is true.
Brothers and sisters, when you read the Gospel of John, it is wonderful. The other Gospels record the outward history of our Lord Jesus, but the Gospel of John reveals the inner secret of our Lord Jesus.
In the Gospel of John, how often He said, “I am.” I think everyone who reads the Gospel of John notices that: “I am.”
Now, that is the name of God. Because when Moses asked, “Who art Thou? What is Thy name? How can I tell the people about Thee?” you remember the Lord said:
I AM THAT I AM.
And in the Gospel of John, how many times our Lord Jesus said, “I am”:
I am the bread of life.
I am the light of the world.
Before Abraham was, I am.
I am the resurrection and the life.
I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one cometh unto the Father, but by Me.
I am the door.
I am the good shepherd.
I am the true vine.
Brothers and sisters, the great I AM is everything. All the spiritual blessings in the heavenlies, all the fullness of God, are in Him.
And He said, “You are complete in Me.” That is the testimony.
So, dear brothers and sisters, we have a testimony. What is the testimony of the church?
Our Lord Jesus has entrusted Himself and His testimony to the church.
Just as in the Old Testament times God entrusted His testimony to the children of Israel, His name was given to them. They were the custodians of the testimony of God. But unfortunately, they failed in that testimony.
And you remember, when the children of Israel were taken into Babylonian captivity, during those seventy years, God was only recognized as the God of heaven, but not the God of heaven and earth. Why? Because on earth He had no testimony.
The temple was destroyed. The ark disappeared. There was no testimony.
In New Testament times, our Lord Jesus entrusted His testimony to His gathering—to those who gather together unto His name. They are the custodians of His testimony. They are the people who have the testimony of Jesus.
Dear brothers and sisters, we gather together for the sake of testifying that Jesus is Lord, that He is everything to us. We have nothing to say about ourselves, but we have everything to say about Him.
We believe that He is the First and the Last, and the Living One. He came to die, and He has risen from the dead, and He lives forevermore. And He holds the keys of death and of Hades.
That is His testimony. You remember Revelation 1. He revealed Himself with such a glorious vision, and then He testified of Himself.
You know, when John saw that glorious vision of the Lord, I often think John was the one who was closest to the Lord when the Lord was on earth. He even lay upon the bosom of the Lord. He knew the Lord so well. Among all the apostles, probably he was the one who knew the Lord the best and was so close to the Lord.
But when our Lord Jesus in heaven revealed His glory to him, he fell down as one dead.
Then our Lord touched him and said:
Fear not; I am the first and the last, and the Living One.
Brothers and sisters, is Christ the First? Not only in each of our individual lives, but is He the First in our gathering together?
You know, the disciples, when they were with the Lord Jesus, had a very basic problem in their midst. And what was it? They always quarreled with each other about who was the first.
But the Lord said, “I am the First.” Is He the first to each one of us—first in our life, first in our love, first in our thought, first in our service? In everything, is He first?
Is it true? Does our gathering testify that He is the First? We dare not take His place.
Everything has to begin with Him, and everything has to end with Him—conclude in Him—because He is the Last. He is everything.
Not that He is the first, I am the second, and you are the third. No. It means the First is everything, because first and last includes everything.
He is not the first Person who leaves you the last. Even the last, the end, is in Him. Brothers and sisters, this is our Lord Jesus. And do we recognize Him as such?
Again, we see the same principle. This is not to be known outwardly, mentally. Yes, mentally I acknowledge He is the First and He is the Last, but that is not true unless it is something revealed to you.
And let the Holy Spirit not only reveal it to you, but actually discipline you into it.
Brothers and sisters, naturally we want to be the first and the last. It is natural with everyone.
And it is only when God shall open our inner eyes and show us, “No, He is the First. No, He is the Last. He is everything. You are nothing.”
We need not only revelation; we need that leading of God by His Spirit, with the cross, to bring us to nothing and allow Christ to be everything. Now that is testimony.
And He is the Living One. Aside from Him, everything is dead. Whatever comes from the world is dead. Whatever comes from myself is dead—shameful.
But He is the Living One. Glory! You know, life is glory; death is shameful. And He is the Living One. He is the resurrection and the life, and we need to know Him as such.
No longer I, but Christ liveth in me.
For to me to live is Christ.
I am not worthy to live. I abhor myself and repent in dust and ashes. When you see Him, He is the First. He is alive. He is the Living One.
Oh, brothers and sisters, what revelation and what discipline!
That is the testimony entrusted to the church. That is why we gather. We are supposed to be the custodians of His testimony.
But thank God, He came and He died. His death put death to death. His death put sin to death. His death put me to death. His death put the work of the enemy to death—to Satan, to death.
He put everything that is not of God to death. But thank God, that is not it. He has risen from the dead.
I am alive for evermore.
Life has conquered death, and this is our testimony. How has life in us conquered death? And He holds the keys of death and Hades. That is, He is the Victor of Calvary. He is able.
So, brothers and sisters, this testimony of our Lord Jesus has been entrusted to the church. This is why He needs the church on earth: to be the bearer of His testimony.
But unfortunately, you find the church, like the children of Israel, failed in the testimony.
But even so, thank God, when you read the book of Revelation, the last book in the Bible, you find the refrain: “They have the testimony of Jesus,” “the word of God and the testimony of Jesus.”
John the Apostle, in his old age, was exiled to the island of Patmos for the word of God and for the testimony of Jesus. Revelation 1:9.
During that period there was already an apostasy. Many had fallen away. But here was John, exiled for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. The testimony of Jesus was secured in him.
Then you find, in Revelation 6, when the fifth seal was opened, people who were martyred for the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. They were under the altar. They were the martyrs of the ages, and they were willing to give up their lives for the testimony of Jesus.
And how they were comforted: just a little while, and they would be clothed.
Again, in Revelation 12, you find a man-child. A woman was travailing, and the red dragon was standing before her, waiting to swallow the man-child that was to be born.
That woman represents the church in general. The church is in travail today. Thank God, even in travail it is positive, because it is going to bring forth the man-child. Out of the travail, a man-child will be born.
And Satan knew that this man-child would be his end, so he wanted to swallow him. But thank God, as soon as the man-child was born, he was caught up unto the throne. And there was war in heaven, and Satan was thrown down to the earth.
Now, who were they? They were those who were washed by the blood of the Lamb, who had the word of their testimony, and they loved not their lives even unto death.
These are the overcomers. They overcome, and they were faithful to the testimony of Jesus.
Again, in Revelation 19, you remember the marriage feast of the Lamb. Everything was so glorious that even John lost his head. He bowed down and worshiped the angel who gave him the message.
And the angel said, “Do not do that. I am a fellow servant with thee and with thy brethren that hold the testimony of Jesus. Worship God.”
For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.
Then again, in Revelation 20, you find all those who were killed because of the testimony of Jesus. They were on thrones. They were given power and service unto God.
So, brothers and sisters, we are living in these last days. You find confusion everywhere, division everywhere, struggle and strife everywhere. The testimony of Jesus has suffered so much.
By the grace of God, in all humility, knowing that we are worse than anybody else, but by the grace of God, it is our heart’s desire that our gathering will bear only one testimony: the testimony of Jesus, and nothing else.
Are we willing? Are we willing to pay the cost? Are we willing to lay down ourselves, seek nothing for ourselves, but everything for the Lord?
It may mean martyrdom, as many of our brethren have gone through. But it must mean living martyrdom. In order to maintain the testimony of Jesus, you have to be living martyrs.
It is costly. It cost our Lord Jesus His all, and it costs us to follow Him wherever He goes.
We are far from being true witnesses to that testimony of Jesus. But this is our heart; this is our prayer. May the Lord answer us.
Shall we pray?
Dear Lord, we do thank Thee that all the fullness of the Godhead dwells in Thee bodily, and we are complete in Thee.
Lord, this is our testimony: Thou art all. Thou art everything. Oh, Lord, make it real in each one of us.
We dare not be false witnesses. We want to be true witnesses of our dear Lord. In Thy precious name we pray. Amen.