Sermon Tone Analysis

Will we ever learn?

Recap

Last week I started off by telling you that we would experience some overlap with this week and the passage that we will be covering.

We ended last week with verse number 37 with the unfortunate reality that though Jesus had performed many signs in the presence of these people, they “were not believing in him.”

How on earth could this be the case?

Imagine being present for the resurrection of Lazarus.

Imagine seeing Lazarus walking around after having been dead for 4 days.

Imagine eating some of the food that Jesus had created, seeing His miracles first hand, watching the lame walk.

And still walking away.

If we are honest, we may be even asking the question: How could this be?

I’m sure John, the writer of this book, as a Jew was blown away by the rejection of the Jews.

After all, his whole purpose for writing was to show the signs so that people would believe and have life in the name of Christ.

But Life only comes through belief and trusting in Christ.

In verse 37 we are told where the problem lies.

Verse 37 lets us know that the problem is not with Jesus or a lack of proof of who he was.

The ministry of Jesus was enough.

In fact in John 5

The problem is with their unbelief.

It is their rejection of who He is that bring upon the judgment of God even further.

Back in , we discussed the multiple witness that have testified to Jesus’s being the Messiah.

John the Baptist- the last OT prophet.

His works- Every sign validates who He claims to be.

His Father- The Father Himself has spoke AUDIBLY.

Jesus even says this is for them and not for him.

And the Scriptures they claim to believe.

4 testimonies ignored.

4.

In fact Jesus has already told them:

What a dangerous game to play.

But some of you in here may be doing the same thing.

You have heard the Scriptures.

You may come every single Sunday and you sit there on the pew and you listen to sermon after sermon after sermon of the Word of God being unfolded right before your eyes and ears , and in your rebellion and in your rejection, you stand up and you walk out of those doors having rejected every word you heard.

“I’ll come when I’m ready.”

“I know I need to do better.”

“I know I need to get back in church.”

Those are confessions of those who in their hearts have rejected Christ.

Those are confessions of people who think they they are go.

Those mindsets reveal something.

They reveal the pride rooted deep in our heart where we believe God is sitting there wringing His hands, saying “Oh Why?!?!?? Won’t you accept me?!?!”

Jesus is the Lord of the universe and he doesn’t have to put up with your rejection.

Hear me out.

God is not required to extend His hand of salvation to you continuously when time and time again you tread upon His grace and mercy in allowing you to even hear His message.

God is not required to allow you to live until your next opportunity to hear the Gospel.

This rejection comes in many forms.

Some reject because they don’t know.

They reject out of ignorance.

Maybe a first time hearing the Gospel.

Searching for something.

Searching it out

Some reject knowing, and they hate what they know.

they know who Jesus is and who he claimed to be.

Some have been raised in the church.

Then they leave.

Thats a dangerous place to be as well.

Some reject because they have measured the cost.

They know and reject.

They have seen His signs.

They have experienced unmistakable testimonies to His deity and to who He is, and they have rejected Him.

The final two we have mentioned are what we see present in this passage.

According to verse 37, some of these Jews know and reject.

They are either aware of Jesus and just refuse to follow Him and submit to His leadership.

In verse 38, John explains to us that we should have expected this.

This was prophesied about in Isaiah chapter 6.

Look at what

Look here in verse 38.

They are indifferent.

They just don’t care.

The first question: Who has believed our report?

They have seen His signs.

They have experienced unmistakable testimonies to His deity and to who He is, and they have rejected Him.

This indicates the small amount of people who are genuine believers.

but wait a minute… What about the large crowd? the crowd that just welcomed Him as king?

These people were not believers.

In fact we have seen this time and time again.

In fact they not only had walked away from following Him.

They had taken up arms against him.

At the end of chapter 11, they have taken up counsel against him.

The reality and root of all of this is unbelief.

They don’t follow him, because they do not believe.

They hate him, because they do not believe.

Every action toward Jesus is inspired by the unbelief.

Even their religion.

They continue to practice their religion because they do not believe.

And here we see where the problem lies with a majority of people within the church today.

Religious Unbelief.

Is your life characterized by belief or unbelief.

Understand something.

Our obedience or disobedience is a direct correlation of our belief.

Do you really believe that Jesus is the only way to heaven?

Then why aren’t we evangelizing.

Why do we sit back and watch people we love continue in sin and fail to go to them and tell them that they need to forsake their sin and turn to Christ.

Do you really believe that Hell is an eternal place that:

Then why are we not begging those people to be reconciled to God.

Hear me out church: Please understand what I am saying this morning.

If we are

The first question here is to highlight the point that very few people actually believe.

The answer to the first question is: not many.

Listen to the next question.

AND TO WHOM HAS THE ARM OF THE LORD BEEN REVEALED?”

Answer: these people who have rejected Him.

The arm has been extended.