Reading: John chapter 5 verses 31-47.
Ill:
Things people actually said in court, word for word:
(1).
• Question: “What is your date of birth? “
• Answer: “July fifteenth”.
• Question: “What year?”
• Answer: “Every year”.
(2).
• Q: When the car crashed, what gear were you in at the moment of the impact?
• A: T-shirt, jeans and Reebok trainers.
(3).
• Q: What was the first thing your husband said to you when he woke that morning?
• A: He said, "Where am I Cathy?"
• Q: “And why did that upset you? “
• A: “Because my name is Susan”.
(4).
• Q: The youngest son, the twenty-year old, how old is he?
(5).
• Q: Were you present when your picture was taken?
(6).
• Q: Was it you or your younger brother who was killed in the war?
(7).
• Q: “Doctor, how many autopsies have you performed on dead people? “
• A: “All my autopsies are performed on dead people”.
Well, this answers just goes to prove that…
• When we are looking to prove something, we need reliable witnesses.
• We want the help of those who see it right and hear it right.
• We want the help of those who remember it right and get the facts right.
• We want the testimony to be reliable and trustworthy.
JOHN CHAPTER 5 IS A DRAMA IN THREE VIGNETTES;
• Vignettes is this week’s newly discovered word;
• So I thought I would share it with you.
• Question: What does it mean?
• Answer: In theatre script and poetry writing,
• Vignettes are short, impressionistic scenes that focus on one moment;
• Or give a trenchant impression about a character, an idea, or a setting
• I suppose a more modern word, would be; ‘Snapshot’
• A short incomplete moment that reveals so much.
John chapter 5 is a drama in three vignettes or snapshots;
• Verses 1-15: A miracle – the healing of a man paralyzed for 38 years.
• Verses 16-30: A series of claims – where Jesus declares that he is equal with God.
• Verses 31-47: A defence – where five witnesses are introduced to verify his claims.
Before we meet the witnesses; I want us to note the words of Jesus in verse 31:
"If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.
• Jesus is not saying that his claims are false;
• Here he is saying that in a court of law one witness alone is not valid.
• In Jewish, Roman and Greek law the testimony of a single witness was not accepted;
• He must have other witnesses to support his case.
• Quote: Deuteronomy chapter 19 verse 15:
• On the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.
(1). Witness number 1: God the Father (vs 32):
“There is another who testifies in my favour, and I know that his testimony about me is true.”
• If we had a copy of John’s gospel in Greek;
• The language that it was first written down in,
• The verse we read would reveal two grammatical points;
• That add more colour and flavour than we have in our English translations;
(A). NOTICE HOW JESUS INTRODUCES GOD THE FATHER.
• “There is another”.
• In the Greek it can read; “There is another of the same kind”.
• Don’t forget the section you looked at last week;
• Jesus claimed equality with God the Father;
• And he is doing so again in this simple but profound statement.
Ill:
• The ‘Nature’ of people is humanity (that never changes).
• All people are human beings (that is an unchanging truth).
• But all peoples outward form is always changing;
• We were babies, children, teenagers, adults, middle aged & elderly).
• ill: 3 ages in life!
• “When you are young, middle aged and when you are looking very well!”
Ill:
• Roses, daffodils, tulips and chrysanthemums, primroses, daises etc;
• All have one ‘Nature’ – the nature of flowers.
• But their outward form is always changing;
• They are different sizes, different colours, different appearance and different scents.
Ill:
• Aspirin, penicillin, magnesia etc
• All have one ‘Nature’ - that of drugs
• But their outward form is different to look at;
• The ‘Nature’ never changes but the outward form continually does.
So too with Jesus!
• Jesus is in ‘Nature’ – God the Son - He is unchangeably divine.
• And although his outward appearance changed (he became human ill: grow up);
• In his very core, his very nature,
• He was and is and always shall be divine.
(B). NOTICE THE LITTLE EXPRESSION “TESTIFIES” OR “BEAR WITNESS”:
• Once again the original Greek adds more colour to that expression;
• It literally reads; “continues to testify” or “continues to bear witness”.
• That was evidenced throughout the life of Jesus:
• Ill: At his birth his arrival was announced by prophets, angels & a miraculous star.
• Ill: At Jesus’ baptism, the Father testified;
• “This is my one and only Son, in whom I delight!”
• Ill: Later on in his ministry on the Mount of transfiguration;
• God would once again speak to reaffirm his son.
In verses 37-38:
• Jesus gives a searing rebuke to the religious leaders,
• Where he underlines the Fathers on-going testimony concerning himself:
“And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me.
You have never heard his voice nor seen his form, 38 nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.”
Wow what a statement and what a rebuke:
• Jesus tells his accuses that they “Have never heard God the Father’s voice”
• Imply of course that he has heard God’s voice.
• He tells them that they have never; “Seen his form”
• Imply of course that he has seen God’s form.
• He tells these religious leaders (custodians of the Law) that: “God’s word does not dwell in them”.
• Imply of course that God’s word does dwell in him.
Note: This is not the way to win friends and influence people!
• But these religious leaders;
• Were dead in their traditions & man made interpretations of God’s law.
• Their minds were already made up concerning Jesus;
• And they did not want to be influenced by the facts.
(2). Witness number 2: John the Baptist (vs 33-35):
"You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth. 34 Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved. 35 John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.”
When John the Baptist exploded on the scene (ill: stick of human dynamite);
• Nobody else looked like him (ill: Camelhair coat & leather belt);
• Nobody else sounded like him (ill: Fire & brimstone preacher)
• Nobody else probably smelt like him!
Note:
• John asked his own Jewish people to do the unthinkable;
• That is be baptised – to the Jew baptism was for converts to Judaism;
• (ill: top tennis player – to get fit or a top racing car driver to have lessons)
The heavy weights from Jerusalem (RL) came down to find out who and what he was all about.
• John did not blow his own trumpet and say look and listen to me;
• He kept pointing people to another who was coming – that other was Jesus!
Ill:
• John told his listeners three key truths concerning Jesus:
• In chapter 1 verse 23: John told the people that Jesus was the Lord
• In chapter 1 verse 29&36: John told the people that Jesus was the Lamb of God.
• In chapter 1 verse 34: John told the people that Jesus was the Son of God.
Jesus tells the religious leaders that John as a "lamp that burned and gave light";
• John was like a lamp in that he burned bright;
• Ill: Like moths drawn to a flame – and for a while people were excited about his ministry.
• John was also like a lamp in that he had a limited lifespan (ill: no oil – no life);
• John when he was arrested and beheaded by Herod.
The religious leaders looked upon John as a "local celebrity" (Matt 11: 7-8):
• But they did not want to take on board his message;
• Because it was too hard hitting – we would say; “John scratched where they itched!”
• It was a message of repentance.
• That they did not mind being applied to others but refused to allow it to affect them.
Ill:
• The most despised elements of society – the tax-collectors and sinners;
• They accepted John's message and were converted,
• But the religious leaders, who were blinded by pride and self-righteousness;
• Refused to humble their hearts and admit their need (Matt. 21:28-32).
(3). Witness number 3: Jesus’ own works (vs 36):
“"I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me”.
• Jesus moves his defence from the verbal; to the visual.
• From words to actions, from language to display.
Ill:
• (1). Water into wine at Cana in Galilee (2:1-11).
• We see the power of Jesus over creation (nature miracle)
• (2). Healing an official’s son in Capernaum (4:46-54)
• Power of Jesus over distance (20 miles away)
• (3). Healing an invalid at the pool of Siloam (5:1-18).
• We see the power of Jesus over time (38 years waiting & wasting away).
Jesus will go onto perform another 4 miracles as recorded by John:
• (4). Feeding the five thousand people near the Sea of Galilee (6:5-14)
• We see the power of Jesus over volume (1 or 5,000 not a problem).
• (5). Walking on the water of the sea of Galilee (6:16-21)
• We see the power of Jesus over natural laws.
• (6). Healing the blind man in Jerusalem (9:1-7).
• We see the power of Jesus over darkness - over physical laws.
• (7). Raising Lazarus from the dead in Bethany (11:1-45).
• We see the power of Jesus over death.
Jesus challenges his accusers to examine and then to explain his actions:
• One of the religious leaders called Nicodemus (who you met in chapter 3):
• Had already admitted that the miracles of Jesus identified Him as "sent from God" (3:2).
• Jesus now challenges his opponents to declare the same conclusion;
• Or to come up with an alternative.
Ill:
• A man and his dog were walking the beach;
• When they came upon another visitor to the beach.
• The owner of the dog was proud of his dog’s newly mastered feat,
• So he said to the visitor, “Watch this!”
• Whereupon he tossed a piece of driftwood far out into the sea;
• And the dog immediately ran on TOP of the ocean, fetched the wood, and ran back.
• The visitor just shook his head in disbelief.
• Whereupon the owner repeated the procedure twice.
• Finally he asked the visitor, “Did you notice anything unusual?”
• The visitor responded, “Yes, your dog can’t swim, can he?”
• It is amazing, isn’t it, that some people miss the obvious?
• That’s how it is with the miracles of Jesus.
• Some people see and believe Jesus’ power to do great miracles,
• But they miss the point.
• The miracles identify Jesus as the Son of God and the Saviour of the world.
Note:
• That the silence of his accusers is deafening;
• They are checkmated, they have no answer for the signs Jesus is able to perform!
(4). Witness number 4: The scriptures (vs 39-44):
“You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you possess eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
41 "I do not accept glory from human beings, 42 but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts. 43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God ?”
Remember that the scriptures (Old Testament) was common ground:
• For Jesus everything he did was in-line with the word of God.
• For the religious leaders, they were the custodians and upholders of the Law.
• They were diligent students of Scripture.
• Ill: We have an English expression that says; “You can’t see the wood for the trees”
• This was true for these religious leaders.
• They could tell you about every comma and full stop;
• But had no idea what was the central theme of their scriptures.
• Ill: They needed spiritual specs.
• Or rather the Holy Spirit to enlighten them!
Quote: William Barcley:
• They read it not to search for God,
• But to find arguments to support their own ideas about him.
• They did not really love God;
• They loved their own ideas about God.
• They did not humbly learn a theology from scripture;
• They used scripture to defend a theology which they themselves had produced.
Ill:
• Man who went to hospital about his hearing;
• Doctor placed an alarm clock on counter, back of room & then in corridor;
• He asked the man; “Can you here it ticking?” “He replied “Yes”,
• Doctor responded; “Nothing wrong with your hearing, you just don’t listen!”
To anyone who comes to God’s word with an open mind and a humble heart:
• It (God’s word - Old Testament) is like a megaphone;
• Booming out the news of a coming Messiah (both parties agreed on this).
• But that Messiah was Jesus
• And these Jewish leaders had plugged their ears and were unable to see or hear him.
(5). Witness number 5: Moses (vs 45-47):
"But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set. 46 If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. 47 But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?"
This final witness is the trump card in Jesus’ defence:
• Because Moses,
• Like Abraham, Isaac & Jacob was one of Israel’s founding fathers.
• He spearheaded the Exodus (when they went from slavery to freedom);
• He was the one to whom God gave the Law.
• In every way Moses was highly respected and revered.
• Again and again in the gospels these Jewish leaders would describe themselves as;
• “Disciples of Moses” (9:28).
Jesus concludes by saying that Moses:
• The constant object of their hope, their Chief leader;
• The one whose scriptures they were always appealing to.
• The one whose instruction they debated and analyzed with hair-splitting accuracy.
• Will actually be the one who would testify against them!
• Think about the impact of these words;
• Moses the one in whom they put their hope, will actually be their accusers!
Because Moses testifies, speaks about Jesus:
• Many of the writers in the New Testament pick up on that theme;
• And show us Christ in the writings of Moses.
The verdict: A serious choice:
• The witnesses have been carefully chosen.
• Each has taken to the stand.
• The evidence has been judiciously presented.
• The defence rests.
• As a member of the jury you must d3eliberate;
• You must weigh the evidence,
• It’s a sobering decision, for the verdict you reach about Christ is a serious one;
• It literally is a matter of life or death!
