John 5:30-38 Sermon
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Introduction: The Will of the Father (v.30)
Introduction: The Will of the Father (v.30)
1) The Will of the Father (v.30)
Verse 30 "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
Verse 30 "I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.
In verse 30, it seems that Jesus is repeating what He said in verse 19.
19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
Question: Why does Jesus do this again?
If you look after verse 19, Jesus begins to explain the truth of His equality with the Father.
21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will.
22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 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.
John 5:
25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself.
27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man.
Before Jesus explains the truth of:
the Son giving life to whom he wills
all judgment being given to the Son
all honoring the Son, just as they honor the Father
the Son having life in Himself as the Father has life in Himself
the Son having all authority to execute judgement
Before this Jesus made it clear that He does nothing of His own accord.
Pay attention to this Saint. Because this is the mind of Christ. And it a truth we must follow as well.
Namely, that whenever we speak of ourselves in Christ and all the truths about who we are in Christ, apart from Him we can do nothing.
This is where comes from!
1 So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, 2 complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. 3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Question: Does this makes sense now?
Jesus made sure to point out that He did not have selfish ambitions.
What He said pertaining to Himself was not out of conceit.
But it was done in humility. And He counted the Father’s will more significant than His own.
The truth about Himself was rooted in His obedience to the Father.
Continuing on to Philippians 2:4-5,
4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. 5 Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,
This is the mind we are seeing in our text today.
Before Jesus went to the truth of who He was, He made sure to explain that He did nothing of His own accord, doing nothing without first seeing the Father doing what He wanted Him to do.
In verses 19 and 30 Jesus lays a foundation of humility and obedience to the Father in order to explain the truth of who He is.
By the way this is essential when speaking about the gospel.
The gospel is no gospel without the incarnation of Jesus Christ.
In our text today, He continues to reveal Himself as what has already been stated in the beginning of this gospel.
Our passage today comes after Jesus had already performed miracles and after He had revealed Himself as equal with the Father.
After healing a man on the Sabbath He was accused of breaking the Sabbath.
And because of this accusation, He will now provide witnesses. Not that He needed the testimony of man as stated in verse 34, but this was given to them so that they may be saved.
The following passage includes 4 witnesses.
Testimonies About Jesus. After his central claims about himself, Jesus names several witnesses concerning himself:
1. John the Baptist (vv. 31-35),
2. Jesus’ own works (v. 36),
2.
3. the Father (vv. 32,37-38),
3.
4. and the Scriptures (v. 39), especially Moses (vv. 45-47).
Today we will cover the first three and next week conclude with the Scriptures.
1) The Witness of John (v.31-35)
1) The Witness of John (v.31-35)
Verse 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.
Verse 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.
It seems that in verse 31, Jesus is referring to the law.
What we have to remember is that He was speaking to critics who had accused Him of breaking the Sabbath when He healed a man on that day.
In verse 16 of chapter 5, we know that His critics were persecuting Him and in verse 18 of chapter 5, we know that His critics also wanted to kill Him.
Jesus is dealing with being accused. So it makes sense for Him to bring up ; ).
In verse 18 of chapter 5, we know that His critics wanted to kill Him.
Jesus is dealing with being accused. So it makes sense for Him to bring up ; ).
6 On the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses the one who is to die shall be put to death; a person shall not be put to death on the evidence of one witness.
15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
Jesus goes on to provide witnesses who believe contrary to what the Jewish leaders accused Him.
The first being John the Baptist.
Verse 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.
Verse 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.
This is actually the case that has been established in this gospel.
In speaking of John the Baptist....
7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. 8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.
15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’ ”)
32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him.
34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
Jesus points to what John had witnessed about Him and according to Jesus, John’s testimony is true!
Namely, that Jesus is:
the light
the One who was before Him
the One whom the Spirit descended on
and that He is the Son of God
This is what John believed, proclaimed and preached! And it is true!
This is something that His listeners already heard according to verse 33 which tells us exactly who they were.
Verse 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
Verse 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
The NRSV reads,
33 You sent messengers to John, and he testified to the truth.
We covered in . There it was the Jewish leaders who sent Levites to investigate and question John’s ministry.
This again points to the Jewish leaders as those whom Jesus was talking to.
Jesus is affirming the testimony of John about Himself and He is reminding His listeners that they have already heard what John’s was declaring.
Verse 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.
Verse 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.
In verse 34 notice that Jesus does not need the testimony of man.
34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.
Jesus now is pointing to the source of John’s testimony.
John’s testimony was not a self taught truth.
It was given to Him by God. Making His testimony not of man but of the Father.
The testimony Jesus recieved is not from man.
9 If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son. 10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
This is again another reminder that our testimonies are not greater than the testimony of God.
People do not get saved from the story of you being saved.
This doesn’t mean you don’t share what happened but it is vital that you share how it happened.
This can guard people from being enamored by a story or an experience. Which happens often without God.
It is noticeable that John didn’t focus on himself. He spoke clearly about the Son being sent by the Father! And so should we!
John didn’t focus on himself. He spoke clearly about the Son being sent by the Father! And so should we!
This was the cause to John’s testimony and ministry being like a lamp that was burning and shining bright!
It is by the way how John knew to see Jesus. The instruction given to John about Jesus was given by God the Father.
So even John’s testimony was not in itself a testimony from man.
Because it was from God the Father and not from man.
Verse 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
Verse 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.
This is why Jesus spoke highly about John in verse 35.
In verse 35, it seems that Jesus is bringing to mind
17 There I will make a horn to sprout for David; I have prepared a lamp for my anointed.
John was a lamp that was burning and shining because of the truth and witness he was given.
Many spoke of John possibly being Elijah which was one of the signs of the Messiah’s coming.
Which it actually was. The testimony of John about Jesus was and is true.
The testimony of John about Jesus was true.
Let us remember that Jesus fulfilled what was told about the coming Messiah.
23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
John was the voice spoken of in Isaiah that would prepare the way.
John’s testimony was not only given to Him by the Father, it was spoken of in Holy Scripture which is of course from God through inspiration.
Question: Do you want a great testimony?
If yes, then your testimony should come from what God has done in His Son which is how we came to saving faith!
Jesus when reading the Scriptures, He told people about what they said concerning Him!
The testimony being that Jesus is the Son of God. He is the Christ who would come and set the captives free.
He read of what the Messiah would do.
16 And he came to Nazareth, where he had been brought up. And as was his custom, he went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day, and he stood up to read. 17 And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”
The works He read of here spoke of what the Messiah would do.
And His works were themselves witnesses to who He said He was. To what John said He was.
Question: Remember when John was in prison?
1 When Jesus had finished instructing his twelve disciples, he went on from there to teach and preach in their cities. 2 Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3 and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?” 4 And Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them. 6 And blessed is the one who is not offended by me.”
The works themselves as we have concluded do not save. But they point to the Saviour who saves.
In fact, they prove that Christ was greater than John!
This He was revealing through His works.
2) The Witness of His works (v.36)
2) The Witness of His works (v.36)
Verse 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
Verse 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
In , we see that this actually happened.
Namely, that the very works that He did bore witness.
2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”
His works was proof that God was with Him. But what was missed was that they proved that the Father sent Him.
This is an important difference.
One can believe that Jesus had God with him as Nicodemus did, one can believe this apart from Jesus being the Son sent by the Father.
This is what the works were proving.
They were proving that Jesus is who He said He was and who the Scriptures said the Messiah would be. Which is a greater testimony than John’s!
Which answers the
Let’s dig more into why the testimony that Jesus had was greater than that of John.
The word “for” afterwards being used in the following verse explain why His testimony is greater.
“For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.”
The works that Jesus was given to accomplish bear witness about Him that the Father has sent Him.
Verse 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
Verse 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
Question: How does that make Jesus’ testimony greater?
Question: How does that make Jesus’ testimony greater?
bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.
First, the testimony of John spoke of Jesus as the Christ in preparation of His coming. But in the appearance of Jesus His works (the miracles He performed) fulfilled Scripture
John only prepared the way
He was not the light but came to bear witness about the light
Jesus appeared and performed the works that proved Him to be the Christ
And His works fulfilled what was written about Him
The works of Jesus were done by Jesus proving that He was the One promised
His works fulifilled what was written about him
The testimony of His works were greater because they were the very works that the Christ would do which was given to us in Holy Scripture
This should sober us from the false teaching of believers having the same DNA as God.
Second, on how Jesus’ testimony was greater was that Jesus would call God His Father and that He sent Him.
Second, on how Jesus’ testimony was greater was that Jesus would call God His Father and that He sent Him.
The works Jesus did not only proved Him to be the Christ
It proved clearly that He was sent by the Father
Which is essentially what this gospel is about
His testimony was greater because He was the Son of God sent by the Father who performed the miracles written in Holy Scripture.
And He had the Father Himself bear witness to His works.
The witness of the Father about the Son is the greatest testimony! And the testimony is true!
Which means that everything Jesus did was true!
Which means that we are truly saved!
It means that our present sufferings are not worthy to be compared with the glory to be revealed
It means that we will be with Him forever
It means that life now is found in Him
This had massive implications on a life when found to be true!
Belief in this is what brings life! It brings life because it is true!
The works that He did proved Him to be who He said He was and what the Scriptures had already declared!
Josephus, a Jewish historian, would even call Jesus a worker of amazing deeds.
The witness of the Son by the Father was and is true!
3) The Witness of the Father (v.37-38)
3) The Witness of the Father (v.37-38)
Verse 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen,
Verse 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen,
Question: When did the Father bear witness about Him?
18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
One thing to notice is that the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) record the voice from heaven at Jesus’ baptism.
One thing to notice is that the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark and Luke) record the voice from heaven at Jesus’ baptism.
, and . At His baptism where the Father said, ““This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
We have no record of this in John’s gospel.
His listeners, who were His critics, never heard the voice of the Father nor did they see His form.
17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
This is meant to again prove that He was sent and that He was the One promised!
Jesus seen and heard the Father. He was sent by the Father.
And the Father spoke about Him in His baptism and the Holy Spirit descended on Him.
The witness of John the Baptist, His works and the witness of the Father were enough.
They all declared Jesus being sent by the Father into the world as the Son to take away the sins of the world.
The question today is “do you believe?” Put in another way...
Question: Do you have the word abiding in you?
Question: Have you come to genuine saving faith in Christ for salvation?
is very clear.
“Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself.”
10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son. 11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
“Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.”
You not believing and denying what has been clearly witnessed, declares God to be a liar.
Your rejection of what has been vouched for by John, by the works of Christ and by the Father puts you on trial not God.
Too many apologist act like God is on trial and that we have to work hard to give evidence in order for people to believe.
This is not biblical apologetics!
Biblical apologetics proves that apart from faith we are calling God a liar for not believing!
10 Whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning his Son.
This is why we are called to declare and proclaim the gospel! And to pray for salvation that can only come by grace!
We are called to give this testimony!
“that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son.”
Our life and testimony is in the Son sent by the Father who would take away our sin because of His sacrifice that satisfied the wrath of God!
11 And this is the testimony, that God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
“Whoever has the Son has life.”
“But whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.”
Question: Where are you today!?
This is our message! We are called as witnesses of the gospel to share this to all who do not believe.
whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.
Close in prayer!
Proof of not having the word abiding in you is that you do not believe in Jesus being sent by the Father.
It is what He says to them in verse 38.
38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.
Question: Do you have the word abiding in you?
Remember that the works Jesus did never saved anyone. It was always His word.
Verse 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.