God's Authority, God's Testimony
John • Sermon • Submitted • Presented
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Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Last week we saw Jesus heal a lame man. But there was a “problem.” Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath.
This angered the religious leaders and we closed last week with verses 16.
So, because Jesus was doing these things on the Sabbath, the Jewish leaders began to persecute him.
In our passage today, Jesus is going to show that His authority comes from God the Father.
And Jesus is going to show that God the Father, Himself testifies that Jesus is the Messiah.
If you have your Bibles, turn with me to John 5 and we’ll begin reading with 17.
In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”
Jesus Defense
Jesus Defense
Jesus said that His father was always at work (v. 17a).
God the Father is even at work today (v. 17b).
And in true fashion, Jesus is joining with the Father and also working (v. 17c).
The Religious Leaders Response
The Religious Leaders Response
For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
This led to the religious leaders wanting to kill Jesus (v. 18):
Jesus was breaking the Sabbath
He was calling God (Gk. theos) His Father
Jesus was making Himself equal with God
Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.
Jesus Answer to the Religious Leaders’ Death Threats
Jesus Answer to the Religious Leaders’ Death Threats
He (the Son) can do nothing by Himself! (v. 19a)
The Son (Jesus) can only do what He sees the Father doing (v. 19b).
(SIDE NOTE: Henry Blackaby in Experiencing God says that we need to look and see where God is working and join Him there—this is what Jesus did).
For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.
The Father (God) loves (Gk. phileo, to love as a friend, to be in a close relationship with someone, to have affection for ) the Son (Jesus) (v. 20a).
The Father will shows the Son everything He does (v. 20b).
In fact, the Father will show the Son greater works than “these” (the things that the religious leaders have already seen) (v. 20c).
And the purpose of the “miracles” that God will do is to amaze the religious leaders (v. 20d).
For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it.
Just like God the Father can raise the dead and give people life—so also the Son gives life to whomever He pleases (v. 21).
Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son,
An even bigger deal than giving life is the fact that God the Father choses not to administer judgement (v. 22a).
No the Father has entrusted (Gk. didomi translations: entrusted, given, granted, allowed, laid upon, appointed) ALL judgement to the Son (v. 22b).
that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
The reason for God giving Jesus the ability to judge—is so that everyone will honor the Son (Jesus) just like they honored God the Father (v. 23).
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
Jesus gives us a signal that what He is about to say is very important— “Very truly I tell you. . .” (v. 24a).
Anyone who hears the words that Jesus in God the Father who sent Him will: (v. 24b)
Have eternal life
Will not be judged
Has crossed over from death to life
Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live.
Another signal to listen— “Very truly I tell you. . .” v. 25a).
A time is coming (future) and has now come (present)—has the idea of both now and not yet (v. 25b).
When the “dead” (Gk. dead, lifeless, corpse) will hear the voice of the Son of God (Jesus) (v. 25c).
Those who hear His voice will live (v. 25d).
INTERPRETATION: This could mean that those, like O.T. saints, will hear the voice of Jesus and be given life (cf. v. 29-20, Eph. 4:9-10, Matt. 12:40). It could also be a reference to those who, in His day, were spiritually dead. You can make an argument for both of these views. I believe both are seen are true.
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
God the Father is the source of life (v. 26a).
And the Father has made the Son a source of life (v. 26b).
And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
And the Son has been given the authority to judge (v. 27a).
God gave it to Him because He is the Son of Man (notice that John changed from the Son of God (cf. v. 25) to the Son of Man—a term that John will use throughout the rest of gospel).
“Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice
This section is going to be a repetition of part of the previous verses.
First, Jesus says that they should not be amaze—after this was already foretold (v. 28a).
A time is coming when those who are in their graves (those who are dead) will hear the Son of Man’s voice (cf. v. 25) (v. 28b).
and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned.
When they hear His voice they will come out (v. 29)
Those who have done good things will raise to live.
Those who have done evil will also raise, but to condemnation (judgment).
By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
Jesus receives ALL of His power from the Father—He can do nothing in His own power (v. 30a).
He simply carries out His judgment as He hears (v. 30b).
Jesus’ judgment is just—because He is not trying to please Himself (His judgment is not on His personal agenda) rather He seeks to please “him who sent me” (a reference to God the Father) (v. 30c).
So What
So What
Jesus said that He could do nothing by Himself. I can’t help but wonder if that was part of what Paul was thinking when he wrote Philippians 4:13.
I can do all this through him who gives me strength.
Today, I hope that you and I will understand that we can do nothing apart from Christ working in our lives.
And because we can do nothing apart from Him, He deserves to be our Master, Ruler, and King.
This week I want to challenge each of us to work to allow Jesus to Master this week.
“If I testify about myself, my testimony is not true.
The Testimonies about Jesus
The Testimonies about Jesus
Jesus tells the religious leaders that if he were to testify about Himself, no one would believe the testimony (v. 31a).
No they would not think a person’s self-reporting was true (v. 31b).
There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know that his testimony about me is true.
Jesus states that there is another who testifies about Him (v. 32a). This is a reference to God the Father’s testimony that Jesus was/is His Son.
The Father’s testimony has to be true, because “lying” goes against his very nature (v. 32b).
“You have sent to John and he has testified to the truth.
The religious leaders may have immediately thought of John the Baptist as the testimony to which Jesus is referring.
So Jesus even says, they (the religious leaders) sent messengers to John, and John testified about the truth of Jesus (v. 33).
Not that I accept human testimony; but I mention it that you may be saved.
Not that Jesus needed a human to testify about the truth of who He is (v. 34a).
Still, Jesus mentioned John’s testimony so that the religious leaders might believe and be saved (v. 34b).
John was a lamp that burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his light.
Then Jesus equates John as a lamp that burned brightly giving light to all around him (v. 35a).
In fact, the religious leaders enjoyed John’s light for a period of time (v. 35b).
“I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to finish—the very works that I am doing—testify that the Father has sent me.
Jesus says that He has someone with a testimony about Him that is greater than John the Baptist’s testimony about Him (v. 36a).
The testimony about Jesus are the works (Gk. works, deeds, actions, tasks, occupation, undertaking, business, message, or toil) that God the Father gave him to finish (Gk. finish, complete, perfect, fulfill, or accomplish) (v. 36b).
Jesus says that the works that He is doing are the works that the Father has given Him to do (v. 36c).
These very works testify that God the Father sent Jesus (v. 36d).
And the Father who sent me has himself testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen his form,
But it gets even better because God the Father—the One who sent Him—testifies concerning (Gk. concerning, about, with regard to) Jesus (v. 37a).
The Problem
The Problem
You--the people to whom Jesus is speaking, which were the Jewish religious leaders—have never heard God’s voice (v. 37b).
You have never seen God’s form (v. 37c).
nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe the one he sent.
It gets even worse, because God’s Word does not living in them (v. 38a).
And the reason God’s Word is not in them is because they do not believe what God says! (v. 38b).
You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me,
These religious leaders diligently study the Scriptures, but they study them for the wrong reason!
They study them because they believe that by studying them they will gain eternal life (v. 39a).
They miss the point of the Scriptures! The Scriptures TESTIFY about Jesus (v. 39b).
yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
PROBLEM: The religious leaders refuse to respond to Jesus to gain eternal life (v. 40)!
QUESTION: How many times do I study God’s Word looking for answers to some problem, but fail to see Jesus? Or even worse, how many times do I study God’s Word and fail to apply it to my life so that it effects change in me?
“I do not accept glory from human beings,
Jesus’ Response
Jesus’ Response
Jesus refused to accept “glory” (Gk. glory, praise, honor, greatness, brightness, splendor, reputation, or opinion) from human beings—from “man” (v. 41).
but I know you. I know that you do not have the love of God in your hearts.
The reason is that He knew them (knew their hearts) (v. 42a).
What Jesus knew was that these people did not have the love of God in their hearts! (v. 42b).
QUESTION: What does it mean to have the love of God in our hearts? I immediately think of 1 John 4:16, “And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.” Or I think of 1 John 4:7-8,
And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.
It seems as though not loving people means that we do not have God’s love in us! Jesus has already given the two greatest commandments (cf. Matt. 22:36-40; Mk. 12:30-31; Lk. 10:27). Thus, loving God is seen in our expression towards humanity (loving people).
I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.
Jesus makes it clear that He did not come on His own. He came as a representative of the Father (v. 43a).
But the Jews did not accept Him (at all, but for sure they did not accept Him as God’s messenger) (v. 43b).
The sad thing was that the Jews would have accepted Jesus testimony if He had come in “His own name” (v. 43c).
They accepted all kinds of self-promoting testimonies (v. 43d).
How can you believe since you accept glory from one another but do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
Jesus asks a rhetorical question: How could they believe? After all they accept “glory” (see notes on v. 41) from one another (v. 44a)
They don’t seek the “glory” that only comes from God (v. 44b)!
“But do not think I will accuse you before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are set.
Their Accusers!
Their Accusers!
Jesus says that He will not accuse them before the God the Father (He won’t have to) (v. 45a).
No Moses will be their accuser because they have placed all their hopes on Moses (v. 45b).
If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me.
After all, IF they had believed what Moses said they would have believed in Jesus (v. 46a).
Because Moses wrote about Jesus (cf. Gen. 3:15) (v. 46b).
Their Problem
Their Problem
If they didn’t believe what Moses wrote, who in the world are they going to believe what Jesus says (v. 47)? (cf. Lk. 16:29, 31)
So What?
So What?
QUESTION: Do you believe the testimony of God regarding His Son, Jesus?
Jesus is God’s one and only Son.
And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Jesus is God
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Jesus is the righteous Judge
I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war.
His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.
He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God.
The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.
Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty.
On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and lord of lords.
So the final question is:
QUESTION: Will you make Jesus your King?
