Equal with the Father
Jesus, God in the Flesh | A Study through the Gospel of John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
0 ratings
· 2 viewsJesus claimed equality with God through His works, His judgement, and His due honor.
Notes
Transcript
Handout
Introduction |
Jesus had healed a man on the Sabbath.
18 For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.
If one thought that was grounds enough to kills Jesus, it was going to get worse. Because Jesus did not just heal a man on the Sabbath, He claimed to be equal with God, making Himself equal with God. Jesus, when confronted about healing a man on the Sabbath in the preceeding text, answered with the following response:
17 But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”
In this statement, while brief, Jesus made a grand claim…equality with the Father. They began persecuting Jesus for healing on the Sabbath (John 5:16) and now they were going to kill him (John 5:18). So how did Jesus claim equality with God the Father?
Focus Passage | John 5:18-24
18 For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God. 19 Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in the same way. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 22 For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. 24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Outline |
Jesus claimed equality with God the Father in three areas
Jesus claimed equality with God the Father in three areas
Jesus claimed to be equal with God the Father through His works (v. 19)
Jesus claimed to be equal with God the Father through His works (v. 19)
When Jesus faced the accusations, He did not deny them, rather He embraced them. He acknowledged that He and the Father were equal. He went a step further and blamed the Father for His actions, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing.
As we look at our text and Jesus’ response, we are reminded of other truths presented by Christ about He and His Father.
Jesus’s words are not His own but the words of the Father (John 14:10)
10 Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own, but the Father, as He remains in Me, does His works.
Jesus’ works are not His own but the works of the Father (John 5:30)
30 “I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.
Jesus was following the example of the Father (John 5:17)
17 But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”
Jesus surrendered His entire will to that of the Father (Hebrews 10:9)
9 then He said, “Behold, I have come to do Your will.” He takes away the first in order to establish the second.
The Father shows a great love for the Son due to His willful surrendering of wills and obedience. The Father loves the Son because Son surrenders Himself to the will of the Father, For the Father loves the Son. The Father loves the Son and has shown Him what He is to do and what He wills for the Son to do, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing. The Father has also shown the Son, Jesus Christ, that He had greater works for Him to do, the Father will show Him great works than these, so that you will be amazed.
Jesus claim to be equal with the Father goes deeper than just equality, it was meaning that they were one in the same. As Jesus told His disciples later within the Gospel of John...
8 Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” 9 Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you for so long a time, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? The one who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?
Not only does Jesus claim equality with God through works, He also claims equality with the Father through Judgment.
Jesus claimed to be equal with God the Father through His judgment (v. 22)
Jesus claimed to be equal with God the Father through His judgment (v. 22)
For the Jew, God was the final judge. He was the judge of all. One reads this truth in the first book of the Bible.
25 Far be it from You to do such a thing, to kill the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?”
However, within this text, Jesus states, For not even the Father judges anyone, but He gives all judgment to the Son. As we look at the New Testament, we see a few truths about Jesus in regards to judgment, the Final Judgment.
God will judge the world through Christ (Romans 2:16)
16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of mankind through Christ Jesus.
Everyone will stand before the judgment seat of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10)
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive compensation for his deeds done through the body, in accordance with what he has done, whether good or bad.
This day of judgment is an appointed day...
31 because He has set a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all people by raising Him from the dead.”
God has appointed Christ as the judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42)
42 And He ordered us to preach to the people, and to testify solemnly that this is the One who has been appointed by God as Judge of the living and the dead.
Jesus claims equality with the Father through works, through execution of judgment and finally, a key that comes with being the Judge, equal in honor.
Jesus claimed to be equal with God the Father through equal honor (v. 23)
Jesus claimed to be equal with God the Father through equal honor (v. 23)
If you deny the Son, you deny the Father (1 John 2:22-23)
22 Who is the liar except the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son. 23 Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also.
If you dishonor the Son, you dishonor the Father (John 5:23)
23 so that all will honor the Son just as they honor the Father. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.
Conclusion |
We conclude with one final point. For the orthodox Jew, God had three keys that were not shared with others. They believed that God alone...
Gave or held back the rain (Deuteronomy 28:12)
Gave the gift of birth (Genesis 30:22)
Gave the gift of life from the dead (Ezekiel 37:13)
Jesus, within our text, claims equality with God by stating that He gives life. The life He speaks of is not physical life, but He promised something greater, eternal life.
21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.
24 “Truly, truly, I say to you, the one who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.
Have you put your faith Christ and received His gift of life, His gift of sonship, His gift of eternal life.
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name,