Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction:

Have you heard of Thalidomide sold under the brand name Immunoprin?

Thalidomide was first marketed in 1957 in West Germany under the trade-name Contergan.

A German drug company developed and sold the drug.

Primarily prescribed as a sedative or hypnotic, thalidomide also claimed to cure "anxiety, insomnia, gastritis, and tension".

Afterwards, it was used against nausea and to alleviate morning sickness in pregnant women.

Thalidomide became an over-the-counter popular drug in West Germany in October of 1957.

However, shortly after the drug was sold in West Germany, despite the testimonies of the drug company that Thalidomide was completely safe, between 5,000 and 7,000 infants were born with a severe malformation of their limbs.

Only about 40% of these children survived.

Throughout the rest of the world, about 10,000 cases were reported of infants affected by thalidomide; only 50% of the 10,000 survived.

Those subjected to thalidomide while in the womb experienced limb deficiencies in a way that the long limbs either were not developed or presented themselves as stumps.

Other effects included deformed eyes and hearts, deformed alimentary and urinary tracts, blindness and deafness.

Some of those affected might have been spared if it were not for the testimonies of that German drug company.

To make matters worse, in the U.K., a court trial began to determine if the marketing of Thalidomide to treat pregnant women was legal, and according to British law, no one could publish anything negative about the drug or the company until after the trial came to a conclusion.

This meant that during the long months of the trial, it was illegal to give any public testimony about the harm that the drug might have caused you or your child.

Obviously the testimony of men or women can be used for great good or great harm.

That drug stayed in circulation longer based on the testimonies of a corrupt drug company, but was taken off the market based on the testimony of real people whom had suffered.

Transition:

The Apostle John has something to say about peoples’ testimonies:

Scripture Reading:

As I read these verses I was reminded of the difficulties of John’s ministry.

John lived during the first days of the early church, while the church was fragile and in its infancy.

The Gospel was being shared around the known world and many were saved, but false doctrine and heresy abounded as well.

Many denied the finished work of Jesus, refusing to embrace Him as the Messiah.

Others rejected any mention of the true and living God.

The known world was still under Roman dominance, influenced by the philosophies and doctrines of those many gods they worshiped.

John knew the truth; he was settled on the Gospel message, and yet he realized others were still skeptical—ready to leave the faith as things heated up.

He boldly and confidently presents Jesus as the Messiah to come.

He emphasizes irrefutable evidence to validate his message.

The world looked for truth and assurance and John sought to provide that for them.

We live in a society today that shares many of these similarities.

The Gospel is embraced by some, and even accepted as “a” (possible) truth by others even if they aren’t yet born again.

However, many other faiths, philosophies, and doctrines are being venerated, promoted, and taught today even in some churches.

Some question the Gospel truth and wonder how it is possible to know for sure—or with complete certainty.

As believers here this morning, we are settled in our faith (hopefully), but we must realize not all are as sound and rested in the faith as we are.

Many have more questions than answers.

Transition:

This passage this morning helps us provide at least a couple evidences that solidifies our confidence.

First:

I. Christ’s Glorious Dual Nature (vv.6-8)

Let’s consider the assertions John makes as we continue: The Witness of Christ

In this verse, “water” and “blood” are mentioned again along with “the Spirit.”

The terms “water” and “blood” are mentioned twice and The “Spirit” twice may refer to Jesus’ baptism because of the dove descending.

There is some disagreement about the exact historical allusion that each of these three represents.

They relate to the false teachers’ rejection of Jesus’ true humanity.

“This is He who who came” This emphasizes the Incarnation (Jesus as both man and God) and His sacrificial death, both of which the false teachers denied.

“by water and blood” What in the world does “by water and blood” mean?!?

Some scholars think that the water refers to Jesus’ baptism, but thanks to Νικοδημος and Jesus written about by our author John in the Gospel of John 3 we know that “water” likely refers to Jesus’ physical birth (cf.

John 3:1–9) but Jesus mentions being born by water and by Spirit for salvation.

So then, what about the “blood?”

While there is room for debate, most scholars agree that “blood” refers to His physical death.

This makes sense given the context of the gnostic false teachers’ rejection of Jesus’ true humanity.

These two experiences, then, birth and death both prove and reveal His humanity.

The other option related to the gnostic false teachers is that “water” refers to Jesus’ baptism.

They asserted that the “Christ spirit” came upon the man Jesus at His baptism (water) and left before the man Jesus’ death on the cross (blood), but that cannot be right either considering John chapter 3. When John commented about water and blood, he was also refuting claims that Jesus was “the Christ” only between his baptism and his death—that is, he was merely human until he was baptized, at which time “the Christ” then descended upon him but later left him before his death on the cross.

But if Jesus died only as a man, he could not have risen from the dead, and Christianity would be an empty religion.

“And the Spirit is the one who testifies” One of the roles of the Holy Spirit is to reveal and expose Jesus.

The Holy Spirit is the part of the Trinity who convicts of sin, leads to Christ, baptizes into Christ, and forms Christ in the believer (cf.

John 16:7–15).

“the Spirit is the truth” (cf.

John 14:17; 15:26; 16:13; 1 John 4:6).

Whether at his birth, his baptism, or at his death, Jesus’ identity as God’s Son was clearly revealed.

The Holy Spirit gives us the testimony that this is true.

God’s Spirit, alive in their spirit, witnesses to the fact that everything Jesus said and did was true.

You would expect the three that testify to be the persons of the Trinity—especially if you have the King James Version!

There is some confusion in the English translations as to where vv.

6, 7, and 8 begin and end.

The portion of v. 7 that is found in the KJV which says “in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Spirit, and these three are one,” is not found in any of the three “Great UNCIAL Greek manuscripts” of the NT: Alexandrinus, Vaticanus, or Sinaiticus, nor in the Byzantine manuscripts.

However The biblical doctrine of one God (monotheism), but with three personal manifestations (Father, Son, and Spirit) is not affected by the rejection of this KJV verse addition.

Although it is true that the Bible never uses the word “trinity,” many biblical passages speak of all three persons of the Godhead acting together:

at Jesus’ baptism (Matt.

3:16–17)

the great commission (Matt.

28:19)

the “Helper” Holy Spirit being sent (John 14:26)

Peter’s Pentecost sermon (Acts 2:33–34)

Paul’s discussion of flesh and spirit (Rom.

8:7–10)

Paul’s discussion of spiritual gifts (1 Cor.

12:4–6)

Paul’s travel plans (2 Cor.

1:21–22)

Paul’s benediction (2 Cor.

13:14)

Paul’s discussion of the fullness of time (Gal.

4:4–6)

Paul’s prayer of praise to the Father (Eph.

1:3–14)

Paul’s discussion of the Gentiles’ former alienation (Eph.

2:18)

Paul’s discussion of the oneness of God (Eph.

4:4–6)

Paul’s discussion of the kindness of God (Titus 3:4–6)

Peter’s introduction (1 Pet.

1:2)

All these mention the Trinity!

BUT our ESV tells it like it is in the next verse:

In the OT two or three witnesses were needed to confirm a matter (Deut.

17:6; 19:15).

Here, the historical events of Jesus’ life are given as a witness to His full humanity and deity.

According to the Jewish law, the testimony of one person is not a valid witness.

Truth or validity has to be established by two or three witnesses.

Since people believe human testimony when validated by two or three witnesses, John explained that surely they could believe the testimony that comes from God.

The Gospels twice record God’s clear declaration that Jesus is God’s Son—at Jesus’ baptism (Matthew 3:16–17) and at his transfiguration (Matthew 17:5).

John said that if they believe testimony from people, then they can surely rely on the threefold witness of God (5:8).

The three witnesses, described in 5:8, agree because God himself is behind them.

All three form a single “testimony from God” that Jesus is the Christ.

Verse 7 had to do with the three critical phases in Jesus’ life where he was manifested as God incarnate, the Son of God in human form by birth.

This was made evident at his baptism, his death (the blood), and his resurrection.

At his baptism, Jesus was declared to be God’s beloved Son (Matthew 3:16–17).

At his bloody crucifixion, Jesus was recognized by others as God’s Son (Mark 15:39).

In his resurrection, Jesus was designated the Son of God in power (Romans 1:3–4).