“A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven.” John 3:27
We are looking at some words of John the Baptist, the man who was given the great privilege of announcing the coming of Jesus.
John attracted great crowds through his preaching in the desert, and his message was simple: “Something that has never happened in the history of the world is about to take place. God is coming near! You are going to meet with God! Make straight the way of the Lord” (John 1:23).
Many people felt that if they were going to meet with God they had better get ready, and that led them to confess their sins and to be baptized as a sign of their repentance.
Then John spoke to them about Jesus: He is “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (1:29). He is the one who “baptizes with the Holy Spirit” (1:33). He is able to fill your life with the power and presence of God.
Notice John’s next words: “A person cannot receive even one thing unless it is given him from heaven” (3:27). In the verses that follow there are four gifts that Jesus Christ, who came from heaven, is ready to give to all who will receive them—purity, peace, love, and joy.
Where do these come from? How do we get them? The answer is: Jesus Christ. If we have him, we will have these four marvelous gifts of purity, peace, love, and joy. Jesus is the source of these gifts and the one who holds them together.
Have you, personally, found these gifts in Jesus Christ?
