John’s News
1 John 5:5-13
At the gates of the city they gather, Jacob Ben Hadad has claimed that Saul Ben Calib has stolen his best hoe. Saul Ben Calib says that this is a lie and the hoe was a gift. They argue and almost come to blows until one of the elders sitting in judgement ask if there are any witnesses. Jacob calls and out of the crowd step 2 other men who state that Jacob has spoken the truth. This is the law, a fact is established in the testimony of 2 or 3.
A. In a court trial the evidence either makes or breaks a case. The evidence is examined and the court decides what is true or false.
B. John presents us with a bag full of evidence. He stated in verses 1-5 that belief in Jesus’ claim to be the Christ, the Son of God, makes humans the sons and daughters of God and overcomers of the world systems, v5. According to the law, there had to be corroborating evidence of 2 or 3 witnesses to establish a fact.
C. In our text god gives us some witnesses to prove that Jesus is His Son, and out Saviour. Let us hear these witnesses and make a judgement and forever put aside doubts that we may have.
I. The witness of the Spirit. v6-8
A. The most compelling testimony is always the eye witness. The only eye witness that we have to Jesus’ claims on earth today is the Holy Spirit.
B. Let’s examine His credentials . Notice v.6, He is the "Spirit of Truth".
C. The testimony states that Jesus came by;
1. Water, baptismal water, why is this important?
a. Baptism is the act of consecration. It shows intent, an intent to do God’s will, to be committed, to not give up and go back to the past.
b. Jesus was baptized as a witness that He was doing the Father’s will.
c. It signaled the beginning of His ministry to redeem man.
d. It witnessed also His coming death burial and resurrection.
e. So His baptism signified His intent to do all that the Christ had to do to redeem man, which makes Him the Saviour.
2. Jesus also came by blood.
a. The water signaled the beginning of His work, the blood signaled the end of the task. Man was redeemed.
b. He provided the perfect sacrifice to buy back our lost souls.
c. If Jesus had not been the Son of God, the chosen sacrifice, all He would have had to do was say so and He would have been spared.
d. If it had all been a lie, his mother would have said that she lied and He would have been set free.
D. The water, the blood and the work of the Spirit in the world verify the facts.
1. The Spirit was eye witness to the baptism and death of Jesus and He testifies to every person about this truth.
2. v8-9 tells us that all these witnesses agree to the truth.
II. The witness of the Father. v9
A. Years ago two lawyer friends were on opposite sides of a minor case. As they arrived one said to the other, "Mitchell, are these your witnesses?" pointing to some men behind the railing of the court room. "Why yes, " said Mitchell. the other lawyer shut his briefcase and said, "Well I might as well quit now, I’ve used them myself before, and they are good." One of the most important things about witnesses is their credibility, can you believe them. The most believable witness ever is the Father, Titus 1:2 tells us that God cannot lie. Not will not, but cannot.
B. John brings out the greatest witness in the world, the Father Himself.
1. He states, " If we believe the witness of men, then we should definitely believe God.
2. If your willing to believe a scientist who tells you the Bible is a lie, and your really a monkey in disguise, let me tell you, God is more believable.
C. Well OK, what does God say about Jesus?
1. At His baptism,
(Mat 3:16-17) "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: {17} And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."
2. At His ministry,
(Luke 9:28-35) "And it came to pass about an eight days after these sayings, he took Peter and John and James, and went up into a mountain to pray. {29} And as he prayed, the fashion of his countenance was altered, and his raiment was white and glistering. {30} And, behold, there talked with him two men, which were Moses and Elias: {31} Who appeared in glory, and spake of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem. {32} But Peter and they that were with him were heavy with sleep: and when they were awake, they saw his glory, and the two men that stood with him. {33} And it came to pass, as they departed from him, Peter said unto Jesus, Master, it is good for us to be here: and let us make three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias: not knowing what he said. {34} While he thus spake, there came a cloud, and overshadowed them: and they feared as they entered into the cloud. {35} And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him."
3. And at His death,The Father witnessed to Jesus’ identity with signs at His death.
(Mat 27:50-55) "Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. {51} And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; {52} And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, {53} And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. {54} Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
D. All through His time on Earth the Father bore witness to Jesus identity and deity.
III. The last witness that John calls is you. v10-12
A. A person may doubt historical evidence of Jesus, they may even doubt the testimony of the Father, but you cannot ignore what you know.
B. v10 declares we have a witness inside us if we are saved. Eph. 1:13-14 backs up this statement.
(Eph 1:13-14) "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, {14} Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory."
C. As we get into closer fellowship with God the Holy Spirit gives us more confidence of the facts of Jesus. But the opposite is true also.
(2 Pet 1:4-9) "Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. {5} And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; {6} And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; {7} And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. {8} For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. {9} But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins."
D. As we grow and allow the Holy Spirit to work in us, the witness of the Spirit to our soul grows stronger and stronger, and we become a witness to Jesus reality, and our changed life witnesses also that all this is true.
E. Notice the Spirit’s witness to us of the truth of the Scripture in 1 John.
1. 2:29 & 3:9, sin cannot be stopped without Jesus.
2. 3:14 & 4:7, Love is impossible without Jesus.
3. 5:4 & 5:11-12, Overcoming the worldly influence is not possible without Jesus.
F. The Spirit points at Jesus and says it’s all because of Him.
con.
The evidence is overwhelming, Jesus is the Christ, The Son of God, The Saviour of mankind.
Law students once held a mock trial and examined all the evidence and they discovered that Jesus was telling the truth about all the Bible says, as a result many of them believed.
What keeps you from believing?
Examine the evidence and give your all to Him, v13.
