020 Witnesses of Jesus John 5:30-47

Witnesses to Jesus

Series: You Are Made for More

Title: Witnesses to Jesus

Reading: Deuteronomy 18:15-17

Text: John 5:30-47

The Father, the works of the Son, the Bible, and John the Baptist are witnesses that Jesus is the Christ, God’s Anointed One.

As God’s Anointed Who Speaks God’s Truth, Jesus should be obeyed and worshiped.

READING: Deuteronomy 18:15-19

AS WE READ THE SCRIPTURES, LET US REMEMBER

THAT IT IS JESUS WHO IS SPEAKING TO US.

Deuteronomy 18:15–19 ESV

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.

TEXT: John 5:30-47

AS WE READ THE SCRIPTURES, LET US REMEMBER

THAT IT IS JESUS WHO IS SPEAKING TO US.

John 5:30–47 ESV

“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

The reading of God’s word…

Witnesses of Jesus John 5:30-47

INTRO

We are witnesses to Jesus – How are you doing with that?

EXEGETICAL OUTLINE

John 5:30 ESV

“I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.

Jesus is clear – He does nothing of his own – as we saw last week.

Then Jesus says that as He hears, He judges and His judgment is just – because He is not seeking His own will but the will of Him Who Sent me – that is the Father’s will.

What should a judge do if the case he is given involves his mother? Why?

Yet Jesus does not because He is zeroed in on the Father’s will.

John 5:31–35 ESV

If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

Jesus realizes he cannot be the lone witness about Himself.

He begins to list the witnesses by starting with John the Baptist.

John the Baptist’s testimony about Jesus is true.

Jesus notes that the Jews went to John and they heard the truth from John.

Jesus notes that He is point to John the Baptist not because Jesus needs John’s witness, but that John’s witness should be acceptable to men because John is fully man.

John’s life and testimony to God and Jesus was a burning and shining lamp – and indeed they were willing to rejoice in it for a while.

Jesus continues…

John 5:36 ESV

But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.

THE WORKS OF JESUS

The testimony Jesus has is His works:

Teaching with authority, healing of various kinds, miracles of the feeding of the 5,000, stilling the storm, walking on water, and the changing of lives are just a few of Christ’s works.

John 5:37–38 ESV

And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.

THE FATHER

JOHN THE BAPTIST THE WORKS OF CHRIST THE FATHER

John 5:39–40 ESV

You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

THE SCRIPTURES

John 5:41–42 ESV

I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you.

HAVING THE LOVE OF GOD

John 5:43–44 ESV

I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?

SEEKING GOD’s GLORY

When someone seeks God’s glory, it is a testimony that they follow Jesus

John 5:45–47 ESV

Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”

MOSES AND HIS WRITINGS

WITNESSES TO JESUS: JOHN THE BAPTIST THE WORKS OF CHRIST THE FATHER THE SCRIPTURES HAVING THE LOVE OF GOD SEEKING GOD’s GLORY MOSES AND HIS WRITINGS

Deuteronomy 18:15–16 ESV

“The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’

God promises to raise a prophet like Moses.

Deuteronomy 18:17–19 ESV

And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him.

God will put His words in His mouth and He shall speak them all that I command.

FIND THIS PASSAGE OF JESUS SAYING THIS!

SLIDE

THE WITNESSES OF JESUS

JOHN THE BAPTIST – Recognizing we need to be right with God and that is only through Jesus Christ, His work on the cross and resurrection. Understanding John the Baptist’s testimony leads to our salvation. We also must point others to Jesus.

THE WORKS OF CHRIST – Demonstrate that His words and actions are TRUE. God may not do miracles through us, but when we demonstrate the love of Jesus, people will be drawn to Him.

THE FATHER – JESUS is the perfect image of God the Father in Human form. To believe Jesus is to believe GOD.

THE SCRIPTURES – The Scriptures point to the Son, and lead us to follow Christ’s example. We must also share Scriptures with others that the Spirit will draw them to Jesus.

HAVING THE LOVE OF GOD - We need to have the love of God in us in order to receive Jesus and demonstrate we have Jesus. As we love others as Jesus loves us, they will see Jesus.

SEEKING GOD’s GLORY – Seeking God’s glory will lead us to Jesus, and then we will be a witness of our following Jesus as they see glimmer’s of God’s light in us.

MOSES AND HIS WRITINGS – Believing in Jesus will lead us to see Jesus in the writings of Moses. May others see Jesus in us and be drawn to Him.

Hebrews 12:1–2 ESV

Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:3–4 (ESV)

Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted. In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood.

Hebrews 12:5–6 (ESV)

And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.”

Hebrews 12:7–9 ESV

It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?

Hebrews 12:10–11 ESV

For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.

Hebrews 12:12–14 ESV

Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed. Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord.

Hebrews 12:15 ESV

See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;

Hebrews 12:16 ESV

that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal.

16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.