"who He Is And What He Does" (Message 12 In Gospel Of John 2021) Series

“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.)