1 John 5.6-13 His Witness, Our Witness

Sing I’ll tell the world that I’m a Christian

I have witnessed some crazy things in my life. So have you I am sure, Once in Port Crane, I saw a Bob Cat. Really, I have been in the Port Crane area for years and I have never seen a bear. I am sure most of you will be able to give me bear stories and you will never tell me about seeing a bobcat. But I was leading a trail ride with the youngest kids I took on trail rides by myself. I came up to the crest of a hill where there was a pond and boom mangy bob cat drinking from that water. We locked eyes for a moment and bounces away into the woods. I had like 7 girl scouts with me. They saw it too. I froze. What should I do? I just pictured the bobcat coming back out of the woods to attack the girls horses, that sounds irresponsible. I could go back into the woods were the bob cat went, also not a good choice. For a second I thought giddy up and lets run as fast as we can to the barn. That sounded like a great idea except again little girls. We got back and told stories of a bob cat. I didn’t know if I should believe myself. Until others saw it and one night I was counseling a young couple considering marriage in out dining room and low and behold, the bob cat walked behind our house and four of us saw it, Now I had good credible witnesses to back my story. I saw a bob cat. Now that I have born witness to my story, let’s talk about witnessing.

Witnessing is mandatory for a Christian.

Matthew 28:19–20 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Amen.

The last thing that Jesus told us to do was to be a witness in the world. He didn’t say what manner it should be done in, but he did say that we should be actively making disciples all over the world. He did not tell us by what manner we should do that. I will tell you this, some people enjoy handing out tracts, some people leave them with a tip. I am not a track hander outer, that doesn’t make you right and me wrong. Tracts are a great witnessing tool. I like handing out copies of God’s word. I like deep personal meaningful conversations where I can make a systematic conversation about Jesus. You may like to say Jesus saved me and He can save you too. Or would you like to go to chruch with me. Evangelism is a big part of who we as Christians should be. Jesus has done something to us and we should tell others about it.

The truth is found in the water and that blood.

1 John 5:6 This is He who came by water and blood—Jesus Christ; not only by water, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who bears witness, because the Spirit is truth.

There are a lot of secular thoughts that oppose our Christian belief. John wrote his book to combat those who prized their great intellect and denied the truth about Jesus Christ the gnostics. While we don’t spend a lot of time arguing with gnostics we do rub shoulders with the secular world. The person who hangs their hat on false religion like islam, those who are adamant athiests, those who hang their hat on evolution, or they flat out deny the existance or deity of Jesus. I will tell you, don’t rest your witness on your great debating skills, no make this a spirtual battle. That person may have a hard heart, but they need the Holy Spirit to bear witness. Let the book and the Spirit be the thing that guides your tongue and impacts your heart. I guarantee it will not be about you when they are saved it will be about Him. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be prepared to give a defense for the reason that is in you. You need to be preapared to speak to the hope that is in you.

Witness #1 The Water

Matthew 3:16–17 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

The first witness that Jesus is God is His water baptism. When Jesus came out of the water and God from heaven proclaimed Him to be the Son the Messiah the Savior and that He was satsified with Him, just like God was satisfied with Able’s offering that is proof that Jesus is God. Someone might argue, “Well you weren’t there.” How do you know, well the answer is two fold. Well what if it was true, Jesus has changed the world and if this is true, you don’t want to miss it and look at the power of baptism. It has the power to change people. I know what is popular to say. There are a lot of phonies and fakes in Christianity. BUT I would argue. There are a lot more success stories than failuares. I look around this church. I see some alcholics drug users sinners faced with anger, but GOD changed you from the inside out. The baptism of Jesus is proven when the act of baptism is evidence that Jesus has changed you. Look their at the moment. We glance over it, but as Jesus coming out of the water, their is the Spirit the Holy Spirit of truth coming down on Him and the Father proclaiming this is my Son He pleases me. The witness of the Father the Son and the Spirit.

Witness #2 The Blood

Hebrews 9:12–14 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctifies for the purifying of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

The second witness is the blood of Jesus Christ offered on the cross. Do you see in Hebrews 9 how once again the witness of the Father the Son and the Holy Spirit are evidence that Jesus died to change the world. Hebrews 9 has a great picture of what happened on the cross. When Jesus gave up the ghost., He left the cross, took the blood, and headed to the throne of God, he presented the blood, the Father accepted it, the Spirit was the witness like a witness at a wedding ceremony and the veil was torn the price was paid and our redemption was certified. I LOVE THAT!

We are to share the witness of the cross.

Matthew 27:54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!”

We are supposed to be witnesses but witnesses to what, well Jesus atonement on the cross of course. It’s power to save and change and the victory that we have in Jesus the crucified LORD. The water “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” and the Blood, “It satisfied the Father”

The Holy Spirit is the most powerful witnessing tool.

Acts 1:8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.

Don’t go in to battle without your greatest asset the Spirit, He is the power of your witness. I have seen young people saved and their lives changed for eternity. IT is always the Spirit who does a miraculous transformation in their lives. I don’t worry about them, God has them.

The 3 witnesses of heaven:

1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear witness in heaven: the Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one.

I will tell you this. This is clearest verse in the Bible about the trinity. If I were writing a doctrinal statement this would make a good proof text for the trinity, but it is the most controversial. As a matter of fact some of you here may have a Bible that omits this verse. The reason is ancient greek manuscripts don’t have the verse and some people believe it is a footnote that found its way into the scripture. Can I tell you something, I can’t tell you how to think about this verse. We can discuss it later if you want, but I would encourage you to do your own research. I will tell you this, this is important if it is supposed to be there or if it isn’t because it fits with everything I have spoken about today. Matthew 28 the first verse I used, The Father Son and Spirit ask you witness, Matthew 3 The Father Son and Spirit are witness at the baptism, Hebrews 9 The Father Son and Spirit are integral in the importance of the blood sacrifice. So if the verse is to be there it fits it agrees with other scripture, if it isn’t supposed to be there the message is still the same the father son and Spirit are the heavenly witnesses that Jesus is God. This message isn’t about textual analysis this is about the witness.

The 3 witnesses of earth:

1 John 5:8 And there are three that bear witness on earth: the Spirit, the water, and the blood; and these three agree as one.

Until we get to heaven we have these three things to verify our faith. They are the best evidence that Jesus is God! The baptism, the death and resurrection of Jesus and the Spirit of God in your heart. That does not take anything away from the work of me like Lee Strobel who defend the faith so well, but it is saying for you Christian here on this side of heaven. Cling to the life changing message of the baptism and the blood.

Three witnesses are important.

Deuteronomy 17:6 Whoever is deserving of death shall be put to death on the testimony of two or three witnesses; he shall not be put to death on the testimony of one witness.

this is very important, Jesus death had to ratified by three witnesses and in the end those three witnesses were more than mere men who may lie.

God is the best witness.

1 John 5:9 If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater; for this is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son.

I believe what I am about to say with all my heart. It doesn’t matter what you think or believe. It doesn’t matter what someone on TV says. In the end the only thing that matters is what God says. In the end, that is all we have to lean on and cling to. God says it that settles it. God said this is my beloved Son that’s it.

Jesus is God, the resurrection says it all.

Acts 17:31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.”

Everyone will stand before God, and when you do you must be accountable to the witness of the resurrection. Jesus died so that you could be saved and we have assurance in Him because of what He did on the cross.

Jesus is God, the Spirit will point to the resurrection as proof.

Romans 1:3–4 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

This is why I like Resurrection Sunday better than Christmas and I like Christmas, It is all about Jesus rising from the dead. The most important thing that you do in this life is what do you do with that news.

God’s witness is important.

Matthew 17:5 While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!”

This happens with the transfiguration, Jesus has been displayed in all His eternal glory for Peter James and for our purposes today John. JESUS the glory for all to see. Their He is and you remember the story. Peter sees it, Jesus transfigured, He could tell that Jesus was God but He says lets set up three tabernacles one for Jesus one for Moses and one for Elijah. I know I have heard it time and again. This was the law in Moses give credence to Jesus as God and the prophets in Elijah affirming that Jesus is God. But that is overshadowed in a moment. Because God says this is my beloved Son. Hear Him! That is the important part of this entire thing. That Jesus is God! Listen to Him! God says Jesus is God!

Our witness of His witness is important.

1 John 5:10–11 He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.

If you believe in Jesus, the Son of God, that most important witness is in your hear and He bears witness to you that Jesus is God. If you do not believe the Son you are calling God a liar because God claimed that Jesus is God. Believe Him to not believe in Jesus is to comit the greatest form of blaspheme. Let me put it this way. You can say what you want about me, I deserve it. I have probably been a bad witness for Jesus at times, the same can be said of you. Hey look at Peter and Paul, even they had their moments. You can say what you want about this church. It has been a bad witness at times, parishioners choices, trustees and deacons have made mistakes. BUT do not mess with JESUS. In the end it is what you do with him that matters. If you deny Him you are calling God a liar and that is the worst form of blasphemy. To not believe in Jesus is to call God a liar at Jesus Baptism, at His transfiguration, at the cross and at His resurrection. The Holy Spirit tells you that He is right. Some of you know exactly what I am talking about others you aren’t sure.

Witness - (martureo): to testify, or to speak well of, or to vouch for

The word for witness’ etymology leads us to the word we use martyr.

I picture all the missionaries we have heard of over the years, Jim Elliot, Amy Charmical Adonira Judson, recently Charlie Kirk. They put their lives on the line to be a witness for Jesus Christ. Some have paid the ultimate price for Christ. To witness for Christ is to make your self vulnerable. You are to speak well of Christ to vouch for Him as the Son of God. To testify to the water and the blood. That is Jesus power to change your life as told in the baptism of Christ. His power to save as told in the witness of the cross and His resurrection.

The reason for your witness.

1 John 5:12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.

This is why we share the gospel. How many of you talk about Jesus to your family and friends and your neighbor? Don’t raise your hands but think about it in your heart. Do you love them? Do you want them to go to heaven? Sure! Well then share the gospel! Invite them out, give them the good news. It is not up to you to win them. The Holy Spirit does that. We play a small part He does the rest.

The ultimate witness is up to God.

Luke 10:16 He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me.

This is not a plea for you not to witness. This is not saying sit on the couch, bury your head and never talk about Jesus. NOPE, This is saying “when you witness it isn’t about you, it’s about Him!” It’s saying that when you witness, God takes your words and does miraculous things with them. I know what the gospel message is. God created everything in a word! Man destroyed it and brought death into the world through Sin. God sent His Son to die in our place on a cross and God brought Him back to life so that we can live forever with Him! That is a big step of faith. I can’t sell you on that. Only God can! He takes our poorly presented words and works on man’s heart. That is good news. I will never have the perfect words, but that is ok I do my best and give it my all and leave the rest to Him. If they accept Salvation they have accepted Him not you, if they reject, they have rejected Him not you. We are not called to save, Jesus does that, we are called to witness.

The goal of our witness is simple.

Romans 10:9–13 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

We are called to witness.

Romans 10:14–15 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

There is a purpose to your witness.

1 John 5:13 These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.

I have said this before and I will say it again this is John’s purpose statement to this book. That is the purpose of our witness. That people may come to believe in Jesus and have eternal life. They are worth it, share the gospel with them.

I want to share the gospel more. I want to go get them for Jesus. I want to evangelize more. How about you are you with me?