“WHO HE IS, AND WHAT HE DOES!”
(Message 12 in Gospel of John 2012)
John 5:16-30
Greenmount and O’Leary Churches of Christ
April 11, 2012
Video Link to Sermon: https://youtu.be/ZrM2LbAAWWs
INTRODUCTION:
1.) Today’s message is the follow-up to the healing of the lame man we looked at two weeks ago.
2.) At that time, the wrath of the religious leaders was starting to build against Jesus for his work on the Sabbath, and his claims of being the Son of God.
3.) Today, I want us to see how Jesus used this as a teaching time to reveal “who he is, and What He does.”
I. JESUS WAS SEEN AS A SABBATH BREAKER AND A BLASPEHEMER. (John 5:16-18)
1.) “The Jews persecuted him.” (5:16)
A.) Literally: “They hunted him down.”
B.) This is perhaps six to eight months into Jesus’ ministry, yet even then the tide had changed, and the Jewish leaders were seeking to kill him.
2.) Jesus’ defence of his actions:
A.) “My father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.” (5:18)
aa.) When the world was created Scripture tells us that on the seventh day God rested.
aaa.) There have been many discussions as to what that meant.
aab.) Perhaps the best explanation is that God took a day off from creating the world.
.01) That in no way means that God does nothing on the Sabbath day.
.02) In fact we can be thankful that God is at work on the Sabbath.
.021) Even on the Sabbath, the world continues in its normal path; God hears and answers our prayers; he brings salvation to those seeking it. He gives strength, encouragement, and ten million other things to meet the needs of the world.
B.) Jesus declared that God is always at work, and the Son of God was also carrying out the work of His Father, even on the Sabbath.
ba.) This proclamation of Jesus did not in any ways make him more popular with the religious leaders.
bb.) Observe the reaction of the religious leaders:
1.) “The Jews tried all the harder to kill him. (5:18)
A.) This was not just a board meeting to discuss this new preacher/teacher/miracle-worker.
aa.) It was far more serious than that.
ab.) This was a lynch mob determined that Jesus had to be killed.
aba.) It was a couple more years before their wickedness would be carried out, but even early in his ministry they decided that Jesus must die.
abb.) Afterall:
B.) He was breaking the Sabbath.
ba.) Not keeping the holiness of the Sabbath day was a major sin among the Jews.
baa.) Exodus 20:8-11
bab.) When the Israelites went through the wilderness a man was caught picking up some firewood on the Sabbath day. (Numbers 15:32-36)
.01) It was such a serious thing that he was brought before Moses, Aaron, and the entire assembly of the Israelites.
.02) He was arrested and kept in custody until it could be determined what the will of God was for dealing with this man.
.03) The declaration of God was “the man shall be put to death; all the congregation shall stone him with stones outside the camp.”
.031) God considered it a serous thing to be violating this commandment.
.032) When we see that action, we can understand and appreciate more clearly just why the religious leaders were so upset at with Jesus.
.0321) But that was not their only issue with Jesus.
C.) He was also calling God his father, making himself an equal with God.
ca.) We are familiar with the ten commandments.
caa.) These commandments are divided into our treatment of God and our treatment of others.
cab.) The holiness of God was to be supreme over all things in the lives of the Israelites.
cb.) When we consider the holiness of God, and his own insistence to be revered and esteemed as holy we can perhaps understand just a bit better why the religious leaders were so upset with Jesus.
cba.) In fact, if anyone other than Jesus had made the claims which he had made of his relationship with God it would in fact have been blasphemy, and under Judaism worthy of death.
II.) JESUS IS THE SON AND EXTENSION OF GOD THE FATHER. (John 5:19-21)
1.) “The Son can do nothing by himself.” (5:19a.)
A.) The charges against Jesus of blasphemy are on the basis that they can only see and understand the human side of Jesus.
aa.) The very thing which makes those charges false is that Jesus is not just human, but he is also God.
ab.) Jesus acknowledged if his entire being was only the physical that he could not do anything of himself.
aba.) As far as his miracles, teachings, and other works they did could not have been done if he was only Jesus, the son of Mary (and Joseph.)
abb.) The miraculous works and teachings of Jesus were accomplished because there was also a divine side to Jesus.
.01) These works, and teachings should have given adequate proof that He was from God.
.011) In fact Niccodemus’ earlier encounter with Jesus testified that the religious leaders in fact knew Jesus was from God because of these things.
abc.) Jesus was fully human, but Jesus was also fully God.
.01) It was not as though he was half man and half God, he was fully man and fully God.
.02) Jesus could fully function as God, and the Son of God, even while in a human body.
2.) “He can only do what he sees his father doing because what the father does, the Son also does.” (5:19b.)
A.) The human and divine sides of Jesus are intricately connected in one being.
B.) “For the Father loves the son and shows him all he does.” (5:20a.)
ba.) Man has always had trouble with the divinity of Christ.
bb.) Because God his father, and the two of them are so closely united, God shows and reveals all things to the Son.
C.) “Yes, to your amazement he will show him even greater things than these.” (5:20b.)
ca.) The greater things to which Jesus was referring he proceeded to mention raising the dead and judging the world.
cb.) Beyond these things, his own sacrificial death on the cross, resurrection from the dead, and work as a mediator between Man and God would all be greater works than healing this lame man and telling him to walk (even on the Sabbath).
IV.) JESUS IS THE SOURCE OF LIFE. (John 5:21,24-26,28-30).
1.) Jesus like the Father is the source of Physical life.
A.) As part of the Godhead, Jesus was and is self-sufficient in himself.
aa.) Jesus the Son has power and authority to himself give life.
B.) “as the Father raises the dead and gives them life…” (5:21a.)
ba.) We think of the power of resurrection with God the Father.
bb.) While that is true, Jesus as the Son of God also has that same resurrection power.
bba.) On that Great Resurrection morning it will be the voice of Jesus Christ that will summon us from the graves.
bbb.) We can only imagine when our souls and bodies will hear the voice of Jesus Christ and be united and brought to life.
C.) “Even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.” (5:21b.)
ca.) Jesus has the power to give us both physical life, and also spiritual life.
2.) Jesus is the source of Eternal life.
A.) Our Lord lived a sinless life and was offered as the only perfect, and sinless sacrifice.
aa.) Jesus has completed the redemption of mankind.
ab.) He is now at the right hand of God as our mediator, and intercessor.
aba.) Jesus has done everything he can do to bring us to salvation.
abb.) Beyond the work of Christ salvation becomes our choice.
B.) The reception of that life is on man’s part: “Whoever.” (5:24a.)
ba.) It is an open invitation to all who would come to Christ.
bb.) In 1870, Philip Bless penned the words:
"Whosoever heareth," shout, shout the sound!
Spread the blessed tidings all the world around:
Tell the joyful news wherever man is found,
"Whosoever will may come."
bc.) It is an open invitation to salvation, but it is on the terms given by Christ.
C.) “hears my word” (5:24b.)
ca.) The Word of God is given to bring us to salvation.
caa.) John 20:30-31
D.) “and believes Him who sent me.” (5:24c.)
da.) That belief or faith in Christ is to bring us to salvation.
db.) That belief also includes following in the plan of salvation established by Jesus Christ.
dba.) This Scripture has no mention of the plan of salvation, and for good reason.
dbb.) Jesus had not died for man’s sins, and therefore the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ was still a future event.
.01) These people were still living under the Old Covenant.
.02) The mercy and Grace of God through the blood of Jesus Christ had not yet been given.
dbc.) It would be a couple of years after this when Jesus would die for man’s sins.
.01) For that reason, the New Testament plan of salvation would not be presented until after Jesus had completed his work of redemption.
.02) Once that work had been accomplished Peter would give the commandment to those who had come to faith to:
“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
.021) But that would not be for a couple more years.
E.) “has eternal life and will not be condemned He has crossed over from Death to life.” (5:24)
ea.) Sometimes we think of eternal life after this life is done.
eb.) Instead, Jesus teaches that at the very moment of our salvation we are living in eternal life.
3.) Even those who are spiritually dead can come to have life. (5:25-26)
A.) “The dead will hear the voice of the Son of God” (5:25a.)
aa.) The dead in this verse of Scripture, were not those lying in a graveyard.
ab.) Jesus was speaking of those who were physically alive but who were spiritually dead.
aba.) People whose lives were separated from the living God, and without the Spirit of the Living God.
abb.) Jesus was speaking of people headed to an eternity apart from the presence of God unless they come to Christ.
.01) Perhaps as you hear this message today you are one of those who are spiritually in a state of death, that has never turned your life over to Jesus Christ.
.02) There are times we can even give up on people thinking they could perhaps not come to Christ.
.021) It is entirely possible that you have come to believe that you yourself could never be saved.
.022) If you have told yourself that you are listening to a lie of Satan and need to listen to the words from Jesus Christ.
.03) Listen to the last section of this 25th. verse of Scripture:
B.) “Those who hear will live.” (5:25b.)
ba.) What they need to hear is the message of Christ.
bb.) Even those whom we have given up on can come to salvation if they will only hear the message of Christ and respond to him.
C.) “For as the Father has life in Himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.” (5:26)
ca.) Jesus said: “I have come that they might have life and have it abundantly.”
4.) The day is coming when Jesus will bring back life to all who are in the graves.
A.) What a day that will be to have the graves opened and all of those in the graves brought to life.
V.) JESUS IS THE JUDGE OF THE WORLD. (John 5:22-23,27)
• The work, person, mission, and relationship of Jesus the Son to God the Father is so close that Jesus will be the one in charge of the judgment of the world.
1.) “The Father judges no one.” (5:22a.)
A.) Our society views God as the Judge, and Jesus, the merciful and loving one.
B.) The reality is that both are the same, and that Jesus will be the one to bring Judgment on this world.
ba.) Right now, is the opportunity to receive the mercy and grace of God.
bb.) On the Day of Judgment Jesus will come to judge the world.
bba.) On that day forgiveness will not be given to anyone who had not already received it.
2.) [He] has entrusted all judgment to the Son.” (5:22b.)
A.) When Jesus left this world, he made the declaration that “all authority in heaven and earth had been given to him.”
B.) That will only change when this world has come to an end, and Jesus hands his authority back to God the Father.
3.) “That all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father.” (5:23a.)
A.) God has given all authority to Jesus so that the world can know that his is the authority of God, and that man would give the same honour to Jesus the Son as to God the Father.
4.) “Whoever does not honour the Son does not honour the Father who sent Him.” (5:23b.)
A.) In our minds we can separate these as two separate people and levels of authority.
aa.) Jesus made no such distinction and stated that the measure of honour we give to Jesus is in fact the measure of honour we have for God.
5.) “Has authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.” (5:27)
A.) That title has the same authority as if he said he is the Son of God.
6.) The Judgment Jesus gives will be completely just and fair. (5:30)
A.) “I judge only as I hear.” (5:30a.)
B.) “My judgment is just.” (5:30b.)
ba.) On that day we may not care for the judgment which Jesus will bring, but when it is all done, we will be forced to say it was fair and just.
C.) “For I seek not to please myself, but Him who sent me.”
ca.) The judgment will be on the standards of God the Father.
CONCLUSION:
1.) As we have looked at this Scripture today it started out in anger on Jesus and the Sabbath and calling God His equal.
2.) Jesus quickly brought that conversation around so they could see “Who He is, and What He does”, as the Son of God.
3.) May we also be challenged in our faith today with the Biblical vies of the person and work of Jesus Christ.
