John 5:38-47 Don’t Deny the Truth

Scripture Reading: Luke 24:13-35

Introduction: Verse John 5:37 ““And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.”

Jews did not pay attention to the words of God because their own words had replaced the scriptures. They only studied to point to themselves. God gave them all the evidence needed to see the truth but they denied it for their own glory. In Matthew 3:17 “and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”” God points out who Jesus is.

Luke 3:22 “and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”” Their is a visual representation of the truth.

In 1 John 5:9–12 “If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son. The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has given concerning His Son. And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.” We see the testimony clearly.

We have seen the evidence and heard the testimonies. Today we will see the consequences of denying the truth that Jesus is God.

There are 4 consequences that we will address today:

You can’t understand or interpret the Bible.

You can’t truly love God.

You can’t honor God.

You can’t avoid the judgment of God.

Verse 38 Jesus concludes His sermon to the Jewish leaders.

The Jews believed themselves to love God and they were fastidious in their adherence to scripture. They believed that the scriptures gave eternal life and if you studied and worked hard in the pursuit in holiness in them you could be blameless before God. In verse 39, Jesus points this truth out to them. They have it all wrong!

What is the purpose of scripture? Why has God given us His holy inspired, written word?

Was it for a historical record of God dealing with man, to reveal truths about God, be a moralistic handbook, be a book of fables that had allegorical intentions? We teach in some applications that it is the BIBLE- basic instructions before leaving earth. How about a book of encouragement like “Chicken Soup for the Soul”.

Or is it a beautiful love story of God’s redemption of his created people through His Son, Jesus Christ. John 20:31 “but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”

The truth of the bible is to point to Jesus. Instruction, guidebook, road map, record of Jesus’ works all these point to Jesus Christ the Messiah. The God of all. It is the only truth that matters. The bible is about Christ, for Christ, and through Christ! If you miss Jesus and that He is God you miss it all. All the other knowledge you glean from it will only make you the most biblically educated person to inhabit Hell forever.

2. If you deny this truth you can’t love God. In Verse 40, Jesus tells His listeners that they are unwilling to come to Him so they can have life. They can’t understand the scripture so they are unable to see Jesus, worship Jesus, encounter Jesus, and obey Jesus. What is God’s greatest commandment? Deuteronomy 6:5–6 ““You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.”

If you can’t love God then there is no way you can follow the second command Jesus spoke of Leviticus 19:18 “‘You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the sons of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself; I am the Lord.”

If you don’t know God you cannot know love. You will only wish to love yourself and receive glory for your actions.

Verse 42 continues this thought. Jesus knows the heart of men. The love they have for worldly things and ambitions causes them to be easily deceived.

Jews claimed to love and honor God but when you look at their lifestyles it was all about bringing glory on themselves. And they refused to obey Him.

Obedience illustration. A constantly rebellious child will not honor the instructions of their father. they hear and then judge its value to themselves. They struggle with subjecting their will. Loving God is willing to subject yourself to Jesus.

Jesus points out in verse 43 how they are easily deceived when they don’t recognize the truth. Jesus has presented all the evidence in the prior passages but they will not see. The Father’s own testimony is denied but when an imposter comes offering. False messiahs offered easy victory, political power, and material advantages. Christ offered the cross.

63 messiahs are recorded to have come to the Jewish leadership between 0- 70 AD, promising what they wanted to hear, and many were followed for a while at least. See easily deceived.

3. IF you deny Jesus is God then you can’t honor God. They enjoyed their power and influence. They enjoyed long prayers in the public square and the best seats at the table and synagouge. They enjoyed the titles and influence their position afforded them. They enjoyed be announced and honored at functions and each others eyes. They longed as is said in John 12:43 “for they loved the approval of men rather than the approval of God.”

Have you seen the outfits famous athletes wear? Or movie stars? Or how about preachers?

Jesus says we receive glory from God when we are humbled. The last shall be first. When we come to Christ and we become a Christian we follow the old A, B, C’s right. Admit, believe, and confess. This allows us to be filled with the Holy Spirit, to be filled with the glory of God Himself!

4. Lastly, if you deny Jesus is God you cannot avoid the judgment. Verses 45-47.

Moses would be their accuser. Moses point to Christ’s coming in Deuteronomy 18:15 ““The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your countrymen, you shall listen to him.” Moses delivered them the 10 Commandments. Why? To reveal their fallen nature and show their inability to please God their their unaided efforts. We need God to please Him. We need God to avoid the judgement that is prepared for all men. Hebrews 9:27 “And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,”

Jesus states that if you believed Moses, they did not, then you would believe Christ because this was written to give them escape from the punishment of their sins. John 3:17–19 ““For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. “This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil.”

They believed John the Baptist until He pointed to Jesus as the Savior. They asked if He was the prophet Moses had spoke of and he said plainly, “I am not the prophet”. Then he points to Jesus and says it’s Him not me. I am just the voice crying out in the wilderness.

The Pentateuch was al they needed to prepared them for the truth of Jesus. Are you prepared to accept Him for who He truly is. Is your denial keeping you on the fence and preventing your eyes to see. Jesus is God and your God wants you to be saved. He sent His most precious to bring you to this conclusion. Will you deny the truth?

Let’s pray.