Jesus the Son of God

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INTRODUCTION:

Gospel of John chapter 5. In this section today we are going to look at what it means for Jesus to be the Son of God.

What comes to mind when you hear Jesus call Himself the Son? Does that mean that God bore Jesus as His only begotten Son? How could the God of Creation who the Bible says is Spirit have a Son? And since Jesus referred to Himself as the Son, what should that mean to us?

In John chapter 5, beginning in verse 16 Jesus refers to Himself as “the Son” ten times and in this we can grasp a better understanding of what this sonship is.

In this section I’m going to point out four things Jesus says the Son is in relation to the Father and make some application as we go along.

1) The Son is equal to the Father

John 5:16–18 NASB95

For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” 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.

Explanation:

Let’s begin by talking about what offended the Jews. The Jews being the religious leaders such as the Pharisees and Sadducees and Scribes.

The Jews had Sabbath restrictions

One of the reasons the Jews began to hate Jesus is because He broke their rules and healed on the Sabbath. It almost seems silly that someone would be upset by a person being healed on a Sabbath day, but that is the power of legalism. It blinds us to the mighty deeds of God.

The Jews had made up many rules to keep them from breaking the Sabbath command: “You shall remember the Sabbath and keep it holy, six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God; in it you shall do no work”

The Jews made up all sorts of things that they considered work and one of those things was carrying your mat or mattress on the Sabbath. And that is what Jesus told the lame man to do after He healed him which began all the controversy.

When the Jews confronted Jesus about this, Jesus said, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working”

“My Father is working until now” is referring to God’s continuing work in the world which is 7 days a week. God sustains the world every day of the week. God causes children to be born everyday week. God heals the sick 7 days a week. He answers prayers 7 days a week.

And the Jews would certainly agree with that statement! And they would not cite God with a Sabbath violation because he is God and He is Lord of the Sabbath.

But it’s the next phrase that they had a problem with, “and I Myself am working”. He is essentially saying that just as God the Father is above the Sabbath regulations because He is God, Jesus is also above them because He is equal to God.

He is simply saying that he has every right to conduct miracles on the Sabbath just as God has that right because He is equal to God in authority and status to God.

Application

This is the place where Christianity is set apart from other religions.

Mormons believe Jesus became a god by some kind of divine power.

Jehovah’s Witness believe Jesus was created by God but not equal to God.

Muslims believe Jesus was a prophet but not God.

All false religions claim that Jesus is less than God.

It is essential that we believe and confess that Jesus is not only God, but completely equal with God the Father.

He is our object of worship.

He is our perfect sacrifice.

He is the head of the church

He is the image of the invisible God.

If we want to know what God the Father is like, then all we must do is look at the Son!

And that is what the gospel of John is all about, showing us who Jesus Christ is so that we may know God the Father.

Jesus does not come and conform to man’s expectation sinAnd we will never know Him like that! He does not serve our requests, jump through our hoops, play by our rules.

Jesus puts it out there and says this is the way it is, take it or leave it!

2) The Son is subordinate to the Father

John 5:19–20 NASB95

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 like manner. “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 marvel.

Explanation:

When Jesus says, “The Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing” He is not talking about some kind of weakness here but that He is in total cooperation with God the Father.

A little better translation would be, ‘The Son can do nothing on His own initiative’. The point that He is making is that He always submissive to the Father

The father initiates, sends, commands, commissions, grants, and the Son obeys.

To better understand this relationship we should think about a Father/Son relationship today. Imagine a Father and Son whom both in adulthood, relate to one another. Though both are fully capable of doing s task, the Son subordinates Himself to the Father because He is the Son.

Now this flies right in the face of them accusing Jesus of violating the Sabbath because He is saying that God Himself completely agrees and even initiated the healing of that man!

(v 19) “For Whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner”

Jesus here is explaining His unlimited power to do everything that the Father does. The point is not that He is some kind of puppet, for He has the capability to act on His own, it’s that He is fully capable of doing everything that God does.

If God heals a man Jesus is also fully capable of healing a man.

If God speaks things into existence, Jesus is also fully capable of speaking things into existence.

Point: It is not that Jesus is less than the Father, but that Jesus has made himself subordinate to the Father

We refer to God as our Father as well. John 1 tells us that those who receive Him (Jesus) are given the right to become children of God.

And if Jesus whom was equal to God, demonstrated this kind of subordination to the Father, what does that say about how we should relate to God the Father? What does this say about what kind of sons and daughters we should be to the Father?

Application:

I think what can be learned here is that a real genuine relationship with God looks just like what Jesus has modeled for us here. A child of God one is fully subordinate to God the Father, seeking to do God’s will at all times, looking to Him in all things, depending upon Him for Guidance through this life so that we may please him!

That is to what God commands us in His Word, He expects us to do. What God’s will is for us is what God expects us to do. The submission God demands is what God expects us to do!

And I can think of no better way to demonstrate submissiveness than praying and seeking God’s will in everything!

It is really hard to be dependant upon God is we are not asking God what He wants us to do! That includes every decision, every direction, and especially the life altering decisions we make.

If we are not praying and truly depending upon God to lead us then we are leading ourselves. And I can’t think of anyone more qualified to lead than God Himself.

Submissiveness to God does not requires our human understanding.

And this is where most people miss it completely. We are tempted to live life according to what we see and what we think.

You take a child who does not know what he needs. And imagine that child doing whatever he wants every day.

He doesn’t need candy for breakfast, but he thinks it will not hurt him so he eats it.

He does not understand the danger of being outside with a t-short on when it’s 25* outside.

He does not understand the need to clean his room or study his words at school.

The same is true for us. I am telling you, we do not know all that we need, and we do not know the future! And if we are not submitting to God’s we are sure to pay for it in the future!

How can we know that it is good to submit to God?

(v 20) “for the Father loves the Son”

The same way that the Father loves the Son, the Father loves us!

1 John 3:1 “See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are.”

We can trust God because He loves us and cares for us deeply! Just like a child can trust his earthly father who loves him, because his earthly father how much more should we trust God who is perfect and loves us so much more!

God has what is best for us, much better than we could ever give ourselves.

But we will never know this, until we learn to be submissive toward Him and truly let Him lead us.

3) The Son gives spiritual life to whomever He wishes

John 5:21–23 NASB95

“For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son, so that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

Explanation:

It was not arguable by the Jews then then that God has the ability to raise the dead. If God breathed life into Adam who was mere dust then surely He can breathe life back into a dead corpse and make them live.

But Jesus declares here that He also “gives life to whom He wishes”

What kind of life is He talking about?

Well he is not talking about physical life, though that certainly is included here and we will see that later in Lazarus.

If we look down at verse 24, we will see that Jesus is speaking of spiritual life: “He who hears My word, and BELIEVES Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgement, but has passed out of death to life”

Bridge:

I want to make some observations about this truth of Jesus giving spiritual life

Those who are not spiritually alive are dead

I’m not talking about dead as physically, nor though they may not have any enjoyment in this life, nor do I mean they may not have a good life and even feel blessed.

I am talking about dead in a Spiritual sense. That is they are unable to respond to God, to His Son, His Living Word, or His church in any kind of meaningful way that has any kind of spiritual significance!

Spiritually dead people hear with their ears, but are unresponsive in their hearts.

They can hear the warnings, but do not feel the warnings

They can hear the truths of Scripture but these truths never make it to the heart to change their lives

Like a corpse that is not breathing, cannot be awakened by any amount of stimuli: you cannot yell, pinch, poke, or scare them and wake them up, you cannot shock them and jolt them to life, they are spiritually dead to the things of God!

And that was everyone of us at one time. Not a soul ever born today is born spiritually alive. We are born as dead corpses unable to respond to God, dependent upon God’s gracious touch

Jesus gives life to whom He chooses

To become spiritually alive is not a human choice first. It is the choosing of Jesus Christ. “to whom He wishes”

That is no dead man may decide one day, that he wants to become spiritually alive and come to God and say regenerate me I’m ready to live. Jesus gives life “to whom He wishes”

Does that mean we are passive and robotic in it all? No, it means we can only respond after God calls

John 6:44 NASB95

“No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day.

And my dear friend, if you feel a pull, a drawing towards God, a deep stir within your heart to give your life to Jesus Christ, then you give it!

If you feel shame and remorse for your sin, sorrow for your sin, carrying the weight of your sin around as a burden upon your back then you come to Jesus and He can take your sin away!

These are ways that Jesus draws us to Him, that calls us to Him, by revealing the sion in our live and the need of Him, BUT WE MUST RESPOND!

Christianity is by invitation only! Not by me but by God! And we have the responsibility to respond to His invitation! Cod draws and we respond and no strings attached!

Spiritual life begins in this life

John 5:24 NASB95

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he 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.

“has” that is in your possession! That is, eternal life is something the believer has now! He holds, it, he lives in it, he is kept by it!

He has “passed out of death to life”. That is when one is saved he moves into a different existence than he once had.

The moment someone places their trust in God, they are transitioned from death to life. They are made alive and become responsive to the living God!

Application:

This is a great example of the Eternal Security of the believer

When one is truly born again it is permanent! No one who passes from death to life will ever die again in a spiritual sense!

John 11:26 (NASB95)

and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die

No one who put their trust in Jesus will ever have to worry about hell ever again! You will never have to live your life wondering what will happen when you die. You will never have to wonder if that sin you did yesterday will cost you your salvation!

You are safe in the hands of God. It is impossible for one to be moved from the land of the living to the land of the dead.

4) The Son of God will judge the world based upon their deeds on earth

John 5:25–29 NASB95

“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.

Explanation:

We often think of God the Father as judge of this world, and rightly so, but here we read that all judgement has been placed into the hands of His Son.

There is coming a day, when every man will see the face of Jesus.

Those who never believed in Jesus will see Him. The atheist, the agnostic, the ones who worship false gods.

Those who hated Him, will scorned Him

Those who heard Him and rejected Him

Those who sat in churches and listen to His Word year after year yet never obeyed Him will stand before Him

Why will Jesus be the judge? (v 27) “because He is the Son of Man”

The “Son of Man” is a reference to the human state of Jesus. “Son of God” refers to His divine attributes during all periods of time, but “Son of Man” refers to when Jesus took on human flesh.

Jesus says this is why He will be the judge because:

Only a human Jesus could be lifted up upon the cross and killed.

It was the human Jesus who revealed the Father to the world, the very image of God.

ANSD IT IS THE ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION of this Jesus that will save or condemn the world.

This will be

What will be the basis of Jesus’ judgement?

(v 29) “Those who did good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who did evil deeds to a resurrection of judgement”

This is where we must pay very careful attention and fully understand what Jesus is saying.

We must not read this as a works based salvation. In no way is Jesus saying that if we do good things, we will make it into heaven. For that is antithetical to the gospel of grace. No amount of good can ever be good enough to take away our sin.

Courtroom example

If a lawbreaker stands before the judge with a charge of theft, and pleads that he has given to the Salvation Army at Kroger for the last 10 years will that judge excuse his crime?

No, because good does not cancel out the crime

What then does Jesus mean by good deeds and evil deeds?

‘Good’ is doing what is right defined by God! Those who do good, meaning those who do God’s will, are defined as good.

AND That’s exactly what Jesus told us in Matthew 7:21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.”

Many people who have never followed Jesus would say they are good people. Just listen to some Ray comfort interviews. He always asks if they are a good person, and most of them would say yes, because most people consider good according to the world’s standards. I help people, I am kind, I give to charities, etc.

But good must be God’s definition of good which means doing what is right, or what is God’s will.

And the opposite is also true, those who do evil will be resurrected to judgement. Evil is in opposition to God’s will.

And what is God’s will?

John 5:24 NASB95

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he 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.

Maybe you’re hearing Jesus clearer than you’ve ever heard Him before. Maybe in your heart right now God is saying to you, you need Him. And as of right now, if you leave this earth, you will be raised only to be judged, and you know this to be true because the way you are living right now is contrary to God’s will.

Would you today, and hand your life over top God, your sin, your future, your everything that you have and He promises to those who truly do this will today begin to live.

You come today and give all you know of your life, to all you know of Him, and He will save you.

And maybe this is a form of encouragement to you today, and it should be to all who live as children of God. If your life is marked by doing the will of God, submitting to the Father, and trusting the Son, eternal life is in your possession! Rejoice!

~PRAYER~