The Testimony of the Son of God

INTRO

Recently I heard something that made me a little upset.

Coffee doesn’t dehydrate you.

Now many of you may be thinking, “So what, who cares.”

Well for a long time I have believed that.

So I started doing a bit of my own research… and by golly it doesn’t dehydrate you.

It just makes you have to go to the bathroom more.

How many goofy things have you believed because someone told you?

Couple things you may have believed that aren’t true:

You can’t swim after you eat

Gum stays in your stomach for 7 years after you eat it

Carrots help your vision (A LIE FROM BIG CARROT)

You swallow 7 spiders a year.

I could give a lot more.

The point is too often someone tells us something and we believe it wholesale.

There is a principle that existed in Jewish culture that was established in Deuteronomy

Deuteronomy 19:15 (ESV)

“A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.

John is bringing the person of Jesus before us again in a courtroom style drama.

He is going to call witnesses to the stand to testify on behalf of Christ.

He is calling multiple witnesses to corroborate what he has said, That Jesus is indeed the Christ the son of God.

The church at this time had been entrenched in Gnosticism.

They were denying the divinity of Jesus.

They got Jesus massively wrong and were leading people away from abundant life.

Today we are going to enter the courtroom and weigh out the evidence.

John is going to bring witnesses before us to testify about who Jesus is.

I want you to reflect on where you place your hope.

The truth is, we are all on a life pursuit.

We are all searching for meaning.

God’s testimony is clear: the only way to find true meaning in life is to find it in the Creator of life, the Author of life Himself.

And His name is Jesus.

Big idea: Life is found in Jesus Christ.

Today we will walk through this text and see simply two things

The Testimony and The Verdict.

We will spend the bulk of our time walking through the testimony and then see what the verdict is and where we land.

sound good?

Alright let’s look at the passage and see the testimony

1. The Testimony (1 John 5:6-10)

1 John 5:6–8 (ESV)

This is he who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the water and the blood; and these three agree.

What?

This is weird right?

John tells us that Jesus Christ came by water and blood, and the Spirit bears witness to this truth.

These three elements—the Spirit, the water, and the blood—testify together.

What is he saying?

Well again let’s remember the context.

We have a church that is rattled by outside voices.

Gnosticism made people question the basic tenets of what they understood to be true about Jesus.

One of the biggest proponents of these teachings was Cerinthus

He taught that the divine Christ descended on the man Jesus at His baptism and left Him before His crucifixion.

While there is some speculation on exactly what John means here is what John seems to be doing, taking this ideology to task:

The water refers to Christ’s baptism, where the Father’s voice from heaven affirmed His Son and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him (Matthew 3:16-17).

The blood points to Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, marked by darkness covering the land, an earthquake, and the temple veil tearing in two (Matthew 27:45, 51).

These events were God's way of testifying to the truth of His Son and His mission.

So it’s not just at the baptism, it was in his atoning death.

Then John calls the Spirit of the Living God to the stand.

The Holy Spirit was certainly there when Jesus was baptized.

The spirit of God was there as sorrow and blood flood mingled down.

He was the one who filled the lungs of Jesus with breath at this resurrection.

Jesus taught us that the Holy Spirit’s role isn’t to magnify Himself but to magnify Jesus.

It’s the Holy Spirit who reveals the significance of Jesus’ coming into the world.

When you were lost in sin, it was the Holy Spirit who first dealt with your heart.

Salvation isn’t possible without the Holy Spirit drawing you in.

The Holy Spirit draws you to Jesus and imparts the spiritual truths of His life, death, and resurrection.

It’s His job to impress these truths upon your heart.

John goes on to say that the Holy Spirit testifies to the significance of Jesus’ coming.

He confirms in our hearts and minds the truth of these things, drawing people to salvation.

He empowers the preaching of the gospel and enables us to live it out.

In this sense, the Holy Spirit is the first witness to testify to Jesus and His salvation.

Consider the Spirit’s presence throughout Jesus' ministry.

The Holy Spirit was there at Jesus' birth, His baptism, His earthly life, His crucifixion, His resurrection, and His ascension.

He was with Jesus in eternity past and will be with Him for all eternity as the third member of the Trinity.

The Holy Spirit’s testimony is clear: Jesus Christ is the Son of the living God.

So we have an ironclad testimony that Jesus is indeed who he said he was!

The Father testified at Christ’s baptism - This is my beloved son.

Christ death testified of fulfilling the Old Testament.

The Holy Spirit testifies Christ through the apostolic word.

The trinity- God in three persons declare that Jesus is the son of God, the Christ.

Illustration

Have you ever made a decision based on what you wanted rather than what is clearly the right choice?

Or have you ever gone against conventional wisdom cause you were sure it’d all work out.

Hannah and I had planned to go see one of my good friends bands while he was playing on tour.

It was my birthday and Hannah had planned a fun trip.

Now to date us a bit this was back in the day of mapquest.

Hannah knew the way to the show but despite the clear path she thought it be fun to go a little out of the way to see a roadside attraction as a surprise

We start driving and I’m asking, “hey are you sure this is the right way? It says this high way goes to Kansas City shouldn't we be going north?

Hannah says, “No I know what I am doing I have a cool surprise.”

My brother Daniel is chiming in at this point, “no this is the wrong way Hannah, we need to turn around.”

Turns out the surprise was a near 2 hour detour for a faded hand panted pecan made out of cement. - The Worlds Largest Pecan

(PICTURE)

Needless to say we missed the concert.

Sometimes we can be stubborn even when everything is screaming out to testify to what is actually true.

look at verse 9

1 John 5:9 (ESV)

If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.

One of the foundational principles in God’s Word is that a “matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses” (2 Cor 13:1; Deut 19:15).

Yet, despite the threefold testimony God has given us, many still choose to believe human opinion over God’s truth.

God’s testimony is greater—He’s the only one who doesn’t need a margin of error.

John now calls God the father to the stand to testify that Jesus is indeed messiah, he is the son of God!

So do you take God at his word?

From the very beginning God had a plan of salvation.

This plan involved His only-begotten Son, Jesus, coming to earth to pay the penalty for humanity’s sin through His death on the cross.

God foretold Jesus’ coming through the prophets and sent John the Baptist as His forerunner.

An angel was sent to Mary to announce that she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus.

Though Jesus existed eternally as the second person of the Trinity, He became man.

The night of His birth, angels sang about it, shepherds witnessed it, and wise men came to pay homage.

As a man, Jesus began His ministry and was baptized.

The heavens opened, and God declared, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The night before His crucifixion, Jesus prayed, “Father, if it can be Your will, let this cup pass.”

But it was not God’s will, and He allowed His only Son to be crucified by evil men, for a purpose, which Jesus fulfilled willingly—to atone for humanity’s sins.

Jesus was crucified and buried, but three days later, God raised Him from the dead.

Forty days later, He ascended to Heaven, where He sits at God’s right hand.

One day, God will determine the time has come, and Jesus will return to earth.

Eternal life is given as a gift, and this eternal life is found in Jesus.

The testimony stands before you.

Do you know it, does your heart testify that this is true?

look at verse 10.

1 John 5:10 (ESV)

Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.

John now says there are two more testimonies

Whoever believes testifies that Jesus is indeed who he said he is.

Our faith itself testifies that He is exactly who He claimed to be.

It isn’t just a matter of intellectual agreement; it’s the Holy Spirit working within us, affirming this truth deep in our hearts.

We know it is true

But when we refuse to believe, it’s like sticking our fingers in our ears and calling God a liar.

Rejecting or ignoring Jesus is a direct affront to God.

It’s not just disbelief; it’s a direct affront to God.

By dismissing His Son, we’re challenging God's own testimony about Jesus.

Belief in Jesus aligns us with God’s truth. Disbelief sets us against it..

I think of the story or rather the tragedy of the Conemaugh Valley, the South Fork Dam.

The engineers were sent to the valley. They checked the dam and said it was going to break.

They pointed out certain weaknesses that made the dam unsafe.

After they made their investigation, the engineers rode down the valley, and began to warn the people saying, “Move out! Get on higher ground! Get rid of everything and get away from the danger!”

The engineers went away and the people remained.

Then the engineers returned a second time. They checked the dam again.

Then they warned the people again, urging them to move before the dam broke and the entire valley flooded.

This time the folks laughed.

They said, “You were here a short time ago and nothing has happened. Everything is just as it was.”

The engineers again went on their way, knowing that they had done their best.

Then for a third time they came back—this was in the spring of the year.

This time their warning was more urgent.

They told every man, every woman, every child, everyone, “You must get out at once! Move out of here! Get to a higher place! To a safer place!”

The people again scorned their warning. “You are trying to get our land. This is rich and good land, and we are not going to move.”

The engineers rode out of the valley.

In fifteen days’ time there came a man riding swiftly, on horseback as in the olden days, crying as he rode, “The waters are coming! The dam is breaking! The waters are coming!”

He kept on shouting and screaming and crying, and still, they tell us, some people stood and laughed at him!

(Picture)

He was not out of their sight before they could hear the sound of the waters, for the South Fork Dam had broken, and in just a few minutes almost 2000 people had lost their lives.

It took over six weeks to dig their bodies out of the refuse, the muck and the mire. Listen! They had been warned, not once, not twice, but three times.

John is pleading with us to see who Jesus is, he is laying out the best case.

He has laid out for us the testimony.

Now he lays out the verdict

2. The Verdict (1 John 5:11-12)

1 John 5:11–12 (ESV)

And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

This is the verdict: Christ is life

Eternal life.

Not just quantity…quality of life.

But we often chase after lesser truth.

We look elsewhere for abundance.

The world calls us to chase after what it offers as life, but these promises are nothing but mirages in a desert.

They promise fulfillment but leave us thirsty for something more.

John says look at my testimony and see where life is.

But the world drags before us false life.

Consider what we often look to instead of Jesus:

Material Wealth and Possession

The world shouts that happiness is found in money, luxury, and material goods.

It tells us that the more we have, the more we are.

Yet, these things lead to a sense of emptiness, leaving our souls unfulfilled.

Jesus warned us about storing treasures on earth, where they decay and disappoint

Matthew 6:19–21 (ESV)

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Paul reminds us that the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, plunging many into ruin

1 Timothy 6:9–10 (ESV)

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs.

Success and Achievement

Society equates our worth with our professional success and accolades.

We’re told that climbing the corporate ladder and achieving recognition will satisfy us.

But this endless striving leads to burnout and a perpetual hunger for more.

Solomon, in all his wisdom, declared that striving after success is like chasing the wind—meaningless and futile

Ecclesiastes 2:11 (ESV)

Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

Jesus posed the profound question: What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul? Mark 8:36

Pleasure and Entertainment

The culture around us insists that pleasure and entertainment are the ultimate goals of life.

It tempts us with indulgence in food, drink, sex, and amusement.

While these may offer momentary happiness, they ultimately leave us feeling hollow.

Paul’s letter to the Galatians lists the fruits of indulgence and warns us against such things Galatians 5:19-21

Galatians 5:19–21 (ESV)

Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Even Proverbs tells us that laughter can hide a heavy heart, but joy found in God lasts (Proverbs 14:13)

Power and Influence

The pursuit of power and control is glorified, promising a sense of significance and security.

But power corrupts and distances us from true relationships, leading us down a path of pride and isolation.

James warns us about the destructive nature of selfish ambition (James 4:1-3

James 4:1–3 (ESV)

What causes quarrels and what causes fights among you? Is it not this, that your passions are at war within you? You desire and do not have, so you murder. You covet and cannot obtain, so you fight and quarrel. You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions.

Jesus redefined greatness, teaching that true power is found in serving others

Matthew 20:25–28 (ESV)

But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”

Personal Autonomy and Self-Sufficiency

The world praises independence and self-reliance,

You need to be in control and you don’t need anyone

However, this mindset breeds loneliness and alienation.

Proverbs tells us that isolating ourselves is not wise

Proverbs 18:1 (ESV)

Whoever isolates himself seeks his own desire;

he breaks out against all sound judgment.

Jesus reminds us that we must remain in Him, for apart from Him, we can do nothing

John 15:4–5 (ESV)

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

Appearance and Physical Beauty

Society bombards us with the message that beauty and attractiveness are essential to happiness and acceptance.

This leads to insecurity and an unhealthy obsession with our looks.

God looks beyond our exterior and values the heart

1 Samuel 16:7 (ESV)

But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.”

Peter encourages us to cultivate inner beauty, which is of great worth in God’s sight

1 Peter 3:3–4 (ESV)

Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.

Legacy and Family:

The world often tells us that our ultimate purpose and fulfillment can be found in our legacy and our families.

We’re encouraged to look to our children, our spouses, and our loved ones to give us meaning.

While family is a beautiful and God-given gift, it cannot be the ultimate source of life.

When we rely on our loved ones to fulfill us, we place a burden on them that they were never meant to carry.

True fulfillment comes from Christ alone, who offers us eternal life and the deepest sense of belonging

Matthew 10:37 (ESV)

Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.

Luke 14:26 (ESV)

“If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

In stark contrast to these false promises, true life is found in Jesus Christ.

He offers us a relationship with God, eternal life, and the fulfillment that the world cannot provide

John 10:10 (ESV)

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

John 14:6 (ESV)

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Christ is life.

Marry Go Round of Noramality - Get off

John is pleading with us to see.

He says:

I was there when Jesus died for our sins on that cross.

I am a personal eyewitness, as I have already reminded you.

I was the first to see the empty tomb.

I was in the Upper Room a week after Jesus’ resurrection when He appeared to His disciples.

I witnessed His ascension into Heaven.

From that day until now, I have been telling everyone about this Jesus.

I wrote five books in your Bibles, declaring that Jesus is the Son of God.

If you have the Son as your Savior, you possess eternal life.

But if you do not have the Son, you do not have life.

Without Jesus, there is only death.

If you die apart from Jesus, you will spend eternity separated from Him.

So what do you think of the son? (PAUSE CHALLENGE)

There’s a story, more of an urban legend that has set with me.

There was a famous artist, renowned throughout Europe.

Remarkably, his son shared the same talent, and they would joyfully paint together, creating masterpieces.

Then, war broke out, and the son went off to fight.

Tragically, news came back that the son had died in battle.

This shattered the old man’s heart, and he lost the will to paint.

One day, after the war had ended, there was a knock on the artist’s door.

A young, tattered soldier stood there, holding a rolled-up canvas.

The artist answered, and the soldier said, "I knew your son."

The artist, curious and heartbroken, asked, "How did he die?"

The soldier replied, "He took a bullet for me.

But even before that, I loved your son.

He was a great friend, he was so kind and taught me to draw whenever we weren’t fighting.

He meant the world to me."

The soldier then unrolled the canvas and revealed a crude drawing of the artist’s son.

He said, "I’m not much of an artist, but I drew this picture of your son. I wanted you to have it."

The old man, deeply moved, thanked the soldier and placed the drawing in the center of his art collection.

Years later, the old man died.

Sotheby’s and other auction houses were called in to auction off his collection.

People from all over the world came to bid on the famous paintings.

The auctioneer stood up, called the meeting to order, and announced that the first piece up for auction was the soldier’s drawing of the son.

The audience was shocked and began to mock and protest.

The auctioneer asked, "Who will give me ten thousand pounds?"

There were no takers.

"Five thousand pounds?" Still no response.

"One hundred pounds?" Silence.

Finally, he asked, "Ten pence?"

The soldier, unable to bear it any longer, stood up and said, "I have only a few pence, but I'll give you everything I have. Just give me the son."

The auctioneer accepted the bid and declared, "Sold, for ten pence."

The audience sighed with relief, thinking the real auction could now begin.

But the auctioneer slammed the hammer down and said, "The auction is over."

Confused and angry, the people demanded an explanation.

The auctioneer opened the will and testament of the father and read, "He who takes my son gets it all."

Do you see?

He who has the Son has life.

He who does not have the Son does not have life.

This is what the gospel is about.

To be in Christ is the source of the Christian’s life; to be like Christ is the sum of his excellence; to be with Christ is the fulness of his joy.

-Charles Hodge

Everything God has ever done points to His Son.

Paul and Thief on the cross receive the same reward - Christ!

Jesus came to save sinners.

So now I ask do you believe the testimony and the verdict?

Do you have this testimony in yourself.

The one who has the son has life.

The one who doesn’t have the son of God does not have life.

I plead with you today.

Choose life.

Do I truly believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God? How does this belief shape my daily life and decisions?

How has the Holy Spirit worked in my life to reveal the significance of Jesus’ coming, life, death, and resurrection?

In what ways do I struggle with believing human opinions over God’s truth? How can I strengthen my reliance on God's testimony?

Do I see Jesus as my ultimate source of life, both in quantity (eternal life) and quality? How does this change my priorities and actions?

PRAYER

Big House

- Successful restart of Replanted groups in September.

- Strengthened support for existing DSS and church connections.

- New connections in Burke, Caldwell, and Catawba counties.

- Successful launch of Care Communities for foster families.

- God’s glory and people coming to faith.

Mission Church

Sayler

Community Groups

That transparent, meaningful relationships would become normal and remaining anonymous strange.

Benediction:

The God who sent His Son to save,

From guilt and darkness and the grave

be gracious to you and bless you

And cause His face to shine upon you