Sure Witnesses for Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
The Gospel of John
John 5:31-47
Sermon by Rick Crandall
Grayson Baptist Church - September 21, 2016
(Revised August 3, 2019)
BACKGROUND:
*Please open your Bibles to John 5. But before we read, we need to know that this whole chapter flows out of one of the Lord's amazing healing miracles. The healing took place in Jerusalem by the pool called Bethesda. There Jesus instantly healed a man who had not been able to walk for 38 years!
*But Jesus performed this healing on the Sabbath Day. That was not a crime against God's Law. But it was a crime punishable by death under the man-made laws of the Jewish scribes and Pharisees.
*As soon as Jesus began to respond to their charge, He committed another crime punishable by death. This new charge against the Lord was blasphemy, because when Jesus called God "My Father," He made Himself equal with God.
*We see these charges in vs. 15-18, where the Bible says:
15. The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.
16. For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus, and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath.
17. But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working.''
18. Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill Him, because He not only broke the Sabbath, but also said that God was His Father, making Himself equal with God.
*In vs. 19-23, Jesus pleaded guilty to the charge of making Himself equal to God, and that was the right thing to do, because Jesus IS the one and only eternal Son of God.
*The Lord's testimony before His accusers continues until the end of this chapter. And as Jesus built His case before them, He pointed them to four sure witnesses for our Savior. Last week we looked at John the Baptist, and this week we will focus on the other three.
*In vs. 34, Jesus pointed out that He was telling these things to His accusers so that they "might be saved." Why did the Lord do that? Why did Jesus urge those men to pay attention to His witnesses? It's because God loves lost people, and He wants them to be saved! God loved them, and He surely loves us!
*With this background in mind, let's read vs. 31-47. And as we read, please think about how much God loves us.
MESSAGE:
*Even at our best, we are light years away from grasping how much God loves us. In Jeremiah 1:5, the LORD told Jeremiah: "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you." And the same is true for us!
*Think for example about all the circumstances God had to arrange to get you into the world. If you go back just ten generations, the Lord brought 1,022 people together as man and wife to give life to you. That number doubles every generation farther back you go. Everyone of those people had to meet at the right place at the right time, fall in love, stay in love, stay alive, and have babies who survived all kinds of disease and danger.
*You are I are in the world because God gave us life. Down through the ages, God did billions of things big and small to make sure we got here. It really is a miracle that we were ever born in the first place. And why did God make sure that we were given life? Because He loves us!
*God wanted us to have earthly life, and He wants everyone to have eternal life with Him in Heaven. The Bible makes this truth clear in places like Matthew 18:14, where Jesus said: "It is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish." And 2 Peter 3:9 tells us that "the Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that ANY should perish but that ALL should come to repentance."
*God wants people to live forever in Heaven. This is why Jesus told those Christ-rejecters about His rock-solid witnesses. Everybody needs to pay attention to these witnesses, because it will make the difference between everlasting life and everlasting death, between eternity in Heaven and eternity in hell.
1. FIRST WE HAVE THE WITNESS OF GOD THE FATHER.
*We can see the Father a couple of places in tonight's Scripture. But first notice that in vs. 31, Jesus said, "If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true." Here the Lord wasn't suggesting that He might be dishonest. In fact, Titus 1:2 tells us that God cannot lie.
*William MacDonald explained that Jesus "was simply stating a general fact that the witness of a single person was not considered sufficient evidence in a Jewish court of law. God's divine decree was that at least two or three witnesses were required before a valid judgment could be formed. And so the Lord Jesus was about to give not two or three, but four witnesses to His deity." (1)
*Again, the first witness tonight is God the Father. He has surely witnessed for the goodness and divinity of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! And Jesus was possibly talking about the Father's witness in vs. 32. There the Lord said, "There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true."
*I've always thought that Jesus was talking about John the Baptist in that verse. But John Phillips explained that "the original word for 'another' there is talking about another of the same kind." (2)
*It's the same original word that Jesus used for the Holy Spirit in John 14:16-17. There, the Lord said:
16. . . "I will pray the Father, and He will give you ANOTHER Helper (or Comforter), that He may abide with you forever,
17. even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you."
*Jesus could have been talking about the Holy Spirit or the Heavenly Father here in vs. 32. But the Lord was certainly talking about His Heavenly Father down in vs. 36-38. There, Jesus said:
36. But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish the very works that I do bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.
37. And the Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.
38. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
*God the Father surely witnesses for the goodness and divinity of our Savior. James Merritt noted that "God the Father said something about Jesus that God has never said about anyone else. Up until Jesus, God looked at the whole world and in Psalm 53:3, God said, 'Every one of them has turned aside; they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.'
*Yet, when Jesus came, the Father gave the same testimony for Jesus, both at the beginning and near the end of the Lord's ministry: 'This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' (3)
*The first testimony from the Father was at the Lord's baptism. Matthew 3:16-17 says:
16. Then Jesus, when He had been baptized, came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
17. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.''
*Then on the mountain of Christ's transfiguration, Matthew 17:4-7 says:
4. . . Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.''
5. While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!''
6. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their faces and were greatly afraid.
7. But Jesus came and touched them and said, "Arise, and do not be afraid.''
2. GOD THE FATHER IS A SURE WITNESS FOR OUR LORD. NEXT WE HAVE THE WITNESS OF THE LORD'S WORKS.
*In vs. 36, Jesus said, "But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish the very works that I do bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. "
[1] THINK ABOUT THE WORKS OF CHRIST IN THE PAST.
*What are some of your favorites? How about Jesus and His disciples out on the Sea of Galilee in Mark 4:
35. On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side.''
36. Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him.
37. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.
38. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?''
39. Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!'' And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.
40. But He said to them, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?''
41. And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, "Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!''
*Jesus talked to the storm and said, "Peace, be still!'' And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. It's just 3 words in English. That's all it took to calm that raging sea.
*In the original language, it was just 2 words. The first word was "hush," like you would say to a whining child or a barking dog. It's been a long time, but I can remember lots of times I've said "hush" to a little child, without too much effect. Freckles goes nuts barking every time somebody knocks on the door, and my "hush" doesn't make a difference there either.
*But Christians, we have a Savior who can calm the fiercest storm, with a little "hush." And just to be sure, that word for "be still" meant to put a muzzle on something. There is no storm too big for Jesus to muzzle! "Peace, be still!" He said.
*We have the witness of God's works in the past. And there are so many more: Jesus healing the crippled man here in John 5. In Matthew 9, Jesus healing the woman who had the issue of blood for 12 years. In John 11, Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead! And many more.
*Jesus had started these works when He spoke here in vs. 36, but He wasn't finished! And when Jesus talked about "finishing" the Father's works in vs. 36. It reminds us of the cross. We remember the Lord hanging on that cross, paying the price for all of our sins. Then in John 19:30, just before He died, Jesus said, "It is finished. . ."
*And in the most important sense, that was true, because the debt for our sin had been paid in full! But the Lord still had more wonderful works to do, because 3 days later, Jesus rose from the dead!
[2] THOSE ARE THE WORKS OF CHRIST IN THE PAST. BUT WHAT ABOUT IN THE PRESENT?
*The question is: Do we believe that God still works in the world today? This is a critical question, because, if God is not working in the world today then why should we pray?
*If God is not working in the world today, then His Word is not true. And we must deny Scriptures like John 14:12-14, where Jesus told His disciples:
12. "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.
13. And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
14. If you ask anything in My name, I will do it."
*The wonderful truth is that Jesus Christ is still at work in the world today! Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever! And God is always at work in His world, even when we can't see it.
*Sometimes we are like Elisha's servant in 2 Kings 6, and we just need our eyes opened. 2 Kings 6:8-17 says:
8. Now the king of Syria was making war against Israel; and he took counsel with his servants, saying, "My camp will be in such and such a place.''
9. And the man of God sent to the king of Israel, saying, "Beware that you do not pass this place, for the Syrians are coming down there.''
10. Then the king of Israel sent someone to the place of which the man of God had told him. Thus he warned him, and he was watchful there, not just once or twice.
11. Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was greatly troubled by this thing; and he called his servants and said to them, "Will you not show me which of us is for the king of Israel?''
12. And one of his servants said, "None, my lord, O king; but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the words that you speak in your bedroom.''
13. So he said, "Go and see where he is, that I may send and get him.'' And it was told him, saying, "Surely he is in Dothan.''
14. Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city.
15. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?''
16. So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.''
17. And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord, I pray, open his eyes that he may see.'' Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
*The Lord opened that young man's eyes, and many times He will do the same thing for us. God wants us to see His Hand at work, and Milford Humphreys is a good example of this truth. Mary and I met Milford when we were at Emmanuel Baptist in West Monroe. He was retired from the Post Office, and he passed away in the mid 1990's, after a long illness.
*The last time he got sick, Mr. Humphreys was in Glenwood Hospital, and several days before he died, he saw an angel in his room. Milford's nurse came in later to adjust his IV, and he told her that he had seen an angel.
*She was skeptical about it, and replied, "I'm your angel." Well, Milford was a little gruff, and he firmly said: "No. This was a bona fide angel. Guess I'm getting ready to kick the bucket." But Milford wasn't afraid, because he belonged to the Lord!
*God opened Milford's eyes. He pulled back the veil to remind us that He is still at work in the world today. And God's greatest work today is salvation. This is the work of God that He longs for everybody to have!
*In vs. 39-40, salvation is also the work Jesus longed for those unbelievers to have. There Jesus told them:
39. "Search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.
40. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life."
*If they would have only come to Jesus, they would have received God's greatest work in our lives: The gift of salvation, the gift of everlasting life!
3. AND THE WORKS OF THE LORD ARE A SURE WITNESS FOR JESUS CHRIST. BUT WE ALSO HAVE THE WITNESS OF GOD'S WORD.
*Jesus talked about the witness of God's Word in vs. 37-39, and He said:
37. . . "The Father Himself, who sent Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time, nor seen His form.
38. But you do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do not believe.
39. Search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me."
*Church: We can certainly find Jesus Christ in the Old Testament.
[1] FOR EXAMPLE, WE CAN FIND JESUS IN OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES.
*There were hundreds of Old Testament prophecies fulfilled by Jesus. For example, prophecies of His suffering in Isaiah 53:4-6. There God's Word says:
4. Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted.
5. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.
6. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.
[2] CHRIST IS SURELY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT! THERE ARE PROPHECIES, AND THERE ARE PICTURES OF JESUS.
*For example, in Genesis 3:21, after Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, an animal was killed. Its blood was shed to provide covering for their nakedness.
*In Genesis 7, we have the picture of Noah's Ark. That Ark was the one and only way of salvation. Noah and his family were safe in the Ark, just as we are safe in Jesus.
*Then in Genesis 22 we have the picture of Abraham and Isaac. There God commanded Abraham to do what our Heavenly Father would do one day: Allow His only Son to be sacrificed. And there on the mountain, God provided a ram, just as He provided His Son as the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
*The story of Joseph is another Old Testament picture of the coming Messiah. Joseph was loved by his father, hated by his brothers, sold for price of a slave, taken to Egypt, tempted, falsely accused, bound in chains, and placed with two other prisoners, one saved and one lost. Then, after his suffering, Joseph was exalted.
*Of course, the Passover Lamb was another picture of Jesus with no broken bones, and his blood spread on the wooden door posts of the homes. The Children of Israel were protected by the blood of those lambs. We are protected by the blood of true Lamb of God! (4)
[3] CHRIST IS SURELY IN THE OLD TESTAMENT! THERE ARE MANY PICTURES OF JESUS, AND MANY APPEARANCES OF THE LORD.
*There are many appearances of God in the Old Testament. But it wasn't God the Father. It was the pre-incarnate Son of God. We know this, because John 1:18 tells us that "no one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him." And in John 6:46 Jesus said that no one "has seen the Father, except He who is from God; He has seen the Father."
*Every Old Testament appearance of the LORD was Christ pre-incarnate. For just a few examples, the LORD appeared to: Hagar in Genesis 16:7-13, Abraham in Genesis 17-19, Jacob in Genesis 32, Moses in Exodus, Joshua in Joshua 5 and 6, Gideon in Judges 6, Isaiah in Isaiah 6, and Job in Job 42. Who did they all see? It was not God the Father. It was God the Son! (5)
*Jesus Christ is most certainly in the Old Testament! In every book of the Old Testament we can find connections to Christ. No wonder that in vs. 39, Jesus said, "Search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me."
*Search the Scriptures, because there you will find the Lord, and there you will find life! In vs. 40, Jesus is telling us that if we will come to Him, we will have life! Does it matter whether we believe the Word of God? The answer is most certainly yes!
*Jesus shows us in vs. 40-47. Here the Lord continued to speak to those hard-hearted, unbelieving accusers. And Jesus said:
40. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
41. I do not receive honor from men.
42. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.
43. I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.
44. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God?
45. Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you Moses, in whom you trust.
46. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me.
47. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?''
*The first five books of the Bible were written by Moses. And that's one part of the Scripture most attacked by skeptical scholars: The Creation story, Adam and Eve tempted by the devil in the Garden of Eden, Noah and the Flood, the parting of the Red Sea, manna from Heaven, and so on.
*Many people today reject God's Word. Does it matter? The answer is absolutely yes! And Jesus shows us the horrible harvest it brings when we refuse to believe God's Word:
-In vs. 40, we'll receive no life from God.
-In vs. 42, we'll have no love for God.
-In vs. 43, we'll be drawn to dangerous lies.
-And in vs. 44, we'll receive no lasting honor from God.
*All of these horrible things will happen, because people won't listen to the witness of God's Word.
CONCLUSION:
*Christians: Thank God for the witness of our heavenly Father! Thank God for the witness of the Lord's works! And thank God for the witness of His Word.
*If you have never received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, put your trust in the Lord's sure witnesses. Call on the Lord to save you right now. You will never regret trusting in the witnesses God has given to save your soul.
*Would you please bow for prayer.
(1) BELIEVER'S BIBLE COMMENTARY by William MacDonald - Edited by Arthur Farstad - Thomas Nelson Publishers - Nashville - Copyright 1995 - "Four Witnesses to Jesus as the Son of God" - John 5:30-47
(2) Adapted from EXPLORING THE GOSPELS: JOHN by John Phillips, Kregal Publications, Grand Rapids - "The Impenitent Men Challenged - John 5:16-47
(3) Adapted from Sermons.com Sermon "Nobody's Perfect -- Except Jesus" by James Merritt - Hebrews 4:15-16
(4) Seen on GodTube.com - "Portraits of Jesus in the Old Testament" - submitted by ProclaimHisWord
(5) http://www.eadshome.com/Jesuslessons.htm
