Let’s turn in our Bibles to John chapter 5, and as you’re turning you need to know this morning that there are really only 2 attitudes about Jesus Christ that the Bible recognizes. Either we reject Him or we bow to Him as Lord. Either He is Lord and King and God, or He is really nothing at all. You see there is no middle ground; in our lives, Jesus is Lord of all, or He’s not Lord at all. Either we believe that He has the right to reign and rule, and we are actively submitting to Him, or we are ruling over our own lives. That’s the only 2 positions there are.
In the passage we have before us this morning Jesus is going to present the Jews with proofs that He is Lord and God, and we will do well to study these together over the next several weeks, all the while examining whether He is our Lord and our God.
16 So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jews persecuted him. 17 Jesus said to them, "My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am working." 18 For this reason the Jews tried all the harder to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Jesus gave them this answer: "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him. 24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. 25 I tell you the truth, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man. 28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me. John 5:16-30
Here we have the Astounding Authority of Jesus Christ presented to us. We are shown that He is Lord, He is Judge of all, equal to the Father, He has life in Himself and He gives life to whoever He pleases. Jesus is Lord.
Now the context of this passage is that Jesus had just healed a man who had been sick for 38 years, and the Jews were persecuting Him and wanting to kill Him because He had healed on the Sabbath. And Jesus answers their accusations by providing 7 proofs of His Lordship; of His right to do as He pleases. In essence, He is presenting His Deity, His Lordship to the Jews here. Let’s notice 7 proofs that Jesus is Lord.
Proof 1. Equal with God (v.17-18)
In verse 17 He calls God “My Father” not “our Father” (v.17), indicating His special and unique relationship to God. The Jews clearly understood (v.18) “not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.”
What conclusion should the Jews have drawn from what Jesus said? Just that He had the right to do whatever He pleases with anyone He pleases on any day of the week He pleases because He is equal with God. He made man, therefore He is Lord of man, and has the right to do with man whatever He pleases. Later He would say to the Jews, “Before Abraham was born, I Am.” Taking the very name of God, the Great I Am. He would say to Philip, “If you have seen Me, you have seen the Father.” Philippians 2:66 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped.
Proof number 1: He is equal with God.
Proof 2: He does what God does (v.19)
(v.19b) “the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.” In other words He can do as He pleases with man because He only does what God does. If the Jews are condemning Jesus’ work, they are condemning God Himself, because the work of Jesus and the work of God are identical. He is equal with God and His works are God’s works.
He is equal with God, He does what God does.
Proof 3: He has power over life and death (v.20)
“20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.”
Notice how He says, “He will show him even greater things that these.” He would do greater things in power, and greater things in authority. Greater things in power, such as raising people from the dead. I mean if people thought healing a sick man was something wait until Jesus raises Lazarus, and Jairus’ daughter, and the widow’s son, AND HIMSELF. They would see greater things than these. And greater in authority. If the Jews thought Jesus was breaking one commandment out of ten (breaking the Sabbath) just wait until God nails the entire law to the cross of Jesus Christ.
Colossians 2:13-14 tell us:
“13 God forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross.”
Indeed, God would show greater things than these, greater in power and greater in authority. He would not only heal the sick He would raise the dead. This shows us that Jesus is Lord of life. He has the keys of death and hell and as Lord he can cure sick people and raise dead people. It’s the same thing to Him. Every funeral He went to someone came back to life, because He is Lord over life.
You know what the Jews should have done right here? They should have dropped to their knees in worship and begged His forgiveness. This man can give life to whoever He wants? He can not only heal the sick but raise the dead? He is Lord, He is God, and I’m so sorry.
So notice the first 3 very compelling proofs that Jesus is Lord: He is Lord because He is equal with God, because He does what God does, and because He has power over life and death.
Proof 4: He is Judge of all the earth. (v.22-23) “22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.” He has control over the whole judicial process. Jesus is the Judge of all the earth, He is the Judge of the living and the dead. What conclusion should the Jews have come to when Jesus said this? That they should be honoring Jesus. What do we call our Judges? “Your Honor.” Jesus is “Your Honor.” The point is, the Jews were not honoring Jesus, therefore they were not honoring God, because He who honors Jesus honors God.
So He is equal with God, He does what God does, He has power over life and death, He is Judge of all the earth.
Proof 5: He has control over man’s destiny VS. 21: the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 24 "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.”
Jesus is sovereign over man’s final destiny. He gives life to whoever He is pleased to give it. He is in control of every man’s future, every person’s eternity. Speaking of the new birth and of eternal life, James 1:18 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth.
Yes we gain eternal life by hearing and believing the gospel, but Jesus is sovereign over Who He gives life to, who He gives birth, and the new birth to.
So He is equal with God, He does what God does, He has power over life and death, He is the Judge of all people, and He has control over every man’s destiny.
Proof 6: He is self-existent (v.26) 26 “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.” Jesus does not depend on any source outside of Himself for life, He has life in Himself. Every human being depends on God for our every breath, for our next heartbeat, but not so with Jesus, He is God, He has life in Himself. God is represented by the burning bush, which was self-contained, it did not need an outside source to continue burning and it was never burned up. That’s Jesus, He has life in Himself. Speaking of Jesus John 1:4 says, “In Him was life.” Because He is God, He is Lord.
The Jews should have been catching a clue here. This is more than a mere man.
Proof 7: His power to resurrect all people from the grave (v.28-30) 28 "Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out--those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.
This tells us that at the end of the world every single person will be raised from the dead by the voice of Christ. He will simply tell every person to come out of their graves, and every person will rise from the dead to be judged by Christ.
So let’s just put this all together by way of a summary. Here it is: Jesus is equal to and one with God the Father, doing the very works that God does, and having power over life and death. He is the Judge of all people, and has control over every person’s destiny. As God He is self-existent and as the Judge of all the earth He will one day call out each person, every man, woman and child from the grave, and will judge us all in righteousness. Or in one simple sentence, “Jesus is Lord.”
So what is our response to this truth about Jesus today? I invite you to turn with me in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 12 and let’s note the only 2 responses that people give to this kind of a message:
1 Now about spiritual gifts, brothers, I do not want you to be ignorant. 2 You know that when you were pagans, somehow or other you were influenced and led astray to mute idols. 3 Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:1-3
As I said at the beginning today, Jesus is either Lord of all or He is not Lord at all. Our lives either say “Jesus be cursed” or “Jesus is Lord.” This is why we are praying for the Spirit of God to come in power, so that more and more people would be able to say “Jesus is Lord in my life.”
Two Applications of this message today:
Unbelievers: Up to this point you have been saying “Jesus be cursed, I’ll run my own life thank you. I’ll do as I please, choose my own way of life.” What you need to do is bow your knee to Him, receive Him as Savior and surrender to Him as Lord, confessing your sins and receiving His pardon. See the issue is Lordship. Who is on the throne of your life, you or God? Today, if you hear His voice, don’t harden your hearts, rather bow your knees in humble submission to Jesus as Lord.
Believers: We can rest in the fact that Jesus is truly in control of all things. Things are not random, there are no accidents, there is no plan B. Jesus is Lord of all; He is running the show, He is in control.
Does your life reflect that you know Jesus is Lord of all things and all people? Do you reflect a peace and calm assurance that God is in control, that He is seated on His throne, that He is working all things together for your good? Or are you frantic and frenzied and given to drama? If Jesus is Lord, you can rest in the knowledge that all things that come to us pass through Him, and that He is in entirely in control. He is Lord!
“Lord Jesus, we bow before Your throne, we declare Your Majesty. Oh come to those today who are living as their own little gods, directing their own life, not submitting to Your Lordship but living as they please. Come and by Your Spirit enable them to surrender all, and to say “Jesus is now Lord of my life.” And Lord, to those of us who have submitted to Your Lordship, give us peace in our hearts that You are on Your throne, ruling and reigning and are sovereign over all things and over all people.
Oh Lord, we come to You Who are God and Lord of all, You Who are Judge of all. And yet when we look into the face of our Judge, we see a Savior there. The hands that hold the gavel have been pierced for our transgressions. Your Honor is our Savior and Lord and very best friend.”
