John 5:36-40
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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. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 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. 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, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
We are gathered here together, on this Lord’s day to worship
To worship: a feeling or expression of reverence and adoration
Is not unique to us—every human being worships
What makes us unique is our object of worship
It’s not self, or anything of this world
Our object of worship is God who transcends all of creation
And since Colossians 1:15 says...
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
Our focus of worship centers on Christ Jesus
The Messiah
The promised One
The one who was and is and is to come
The alpha the omega
The Son of Man
The Son of God
We are a people who have come to realize that Jesus Christ is the only one worthy of worship
Such a conviction has come upon us, who truly believe, by testimony
By witness
Since we come into this world knowing nothing, we have come to such a conviction through the testimony
The essence of that testimony is not found in man or in any creation
Indeed creation does bear testimony to Jesus and his worthiness
But that is not the foundation of the testimony we rely on
If you remember, we saw how Jesus made that clear
33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.
The worthiness of man’s testimony is that it is used to save other men
But the essence of man’s testimony must rest on the foundational testimony of One who knows all things
That is the Father’s testimony
32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.
You can say is THE truth
The Father’s testimony is the foundation of all truth
His truth is the standard
Jesus says in essence, the foundation of the testimony to me being the Son of God, Son of Man, equal with the Father is not rooted in man but God
But when man gives truthful testimony of this, God uses it to save other men
The Father, being omniscient, is the foundation of all truth…and thus is the essence of the testimony Jesus receives
Therefore when we bear witness to Jesus to those around us, that testimony isn’t what makes Jesus true
So let all the world neglect to bear proper witness, Jesus is still true
But let his church bear such witness so that we can save our fellow man
Jesus is telling the Jewish leaders this because their testimony finds its essence in man, not God
Which is why ultimately they hated Jesus
For since the fall of man, man’s testimony is in rebellion, or at odds with God and His truth
For man fell because of the false testimony of the Serpent in the garden, and after he dragged humanity with him in which our natural testimony is false
Thus Jesus will show the problem here is not with him and the lofty titles he claims
The problem is with the haters of Jesus who hate him because they hate God
And remember what we said last week, through dissecting the true testimony of God and how the Jewish leaders will reject it for false testimony, we will gain a better understanding of belief and unbelief which aids us in our own Christian lives and in trying to reach our pagan neighbor
Jesus said I receive testimony from man, but that’s not for my sake but for your sake…that you would be saved
Then he goes on to say
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.
But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John
It is greater than that of man—of anyone who bears true testimony
John the Baptist
The Apostles
The Church
God— who knows all, is the greater testimony
And this testimony is seen in the Works that he gave Jesus to do
The very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me
What are those works?
Well he uses the present tense so it seems he means the ones that he had done up to that point
Healing—bringing demons out of people—turning water into wine
What do all of these works have in common? Or what do they all point to?
Life…and life in abundance
Jesus came to give life and he will come again to judge the dead
And this he detailed already in verses 19-29
As the Son of Man and Son of God Jesus shows the testimony of the Father
But what is ironic is that the Jewish leaders see such actions not as a way to honor the Son, but rather to hate the Son
That’s not because these works do not testify well enough that the Father sent the Son
Remember
42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you.
44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
All that Jesus did and does is a testimony that he was sent by the Father
Those who love God utilize that testimony to worship Christ
Those who hate God fail to worship Christ
Because of the depravity of their hearts
This is the very heart of belief and unbelief
This is the very reason why people fail to worship Christ
Not because they are a victim of lack of evidence
But that they use the testimony to further solidify their unbelief
As the Jewish leaders were doing here
And if you are here today in true worship to Christ and obedience to his name
It is not because you are smarter than them who are indifferent to the works of Jesus
But it is because the Father has given the Son the work of giving life
And that work of life has fallen on your wretched and undeserving soul
Another words the foundational purpose of your salvation is to be a testimony that the Father has sent the Son
We should consider that when we consider the life we live as Christians
The Father gave the Son works to do to prove that the Father has sent the Son
That work is found in life
I claim that Jesus has performed that work of life in me
Is what defines me the life of Christ?
That’s the essence of the Christian battle, isn’t it?
Battling our flesh so that the work of Christ can shine brighter
So that we can be a greater testimony of His work of life
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.
The work of giving life
And when he returns he will perform the work of judgement as well
These show Jesus as being Son of God, Son of Man, and it is the testimony from the Father that Jesus is Lord
You have a sneering coworker that demands proof that Christ is who he is?
Give him the evidence that Christ gave
He is the giver of life and he is the judge of death and he will judge you in your deadness unless you repent and find life in him
Now starting from verse 37 to the end of this conversation to verse 47 Jesus is going to continue to talk about testimony to himself
But now explicitly about the Word of God—Scripture
And the Scriptures prove to be the crescendo of the testimony to Jesus from the Father
Notice the transition of thought from Jesus here
33-35 I receive testimony from man
But there’s better
36 The works I do now in front of you (healing, bringing demons out, making water into wine) is a testimony from the Father of who I am
37-46 But there is the greatest of all testimony and that is the word of the Father himself, the holy Scriptures
And despite the fact the Jewish leaders thought they knew Scripture, they proved to know it not since they do not know Jesus
I’ve heard it from pagans and I’ve heard it from Christians alike that they wish God would do miraculous works in front of them like it supposedly happened in the Bible
(I then point them to the greatest miracle of being born again)
But what Jesus is about to say here is remarkable, God deems his revealed special word to be the greatest of all testimony to him
16 For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honor and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain. 19 And we have the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts, 20 knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation. 21 For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.
19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
Despite what man thinks
God has determined His Word to be the greatest of all testimonies of Jesus and his lofty titles
Again, the world claims it needs more evidence not because they are being rational
The world throws God’s word to the ground and tramples it demanding something different like an ill disciplined 3 year old
For no other reason than their hatred for God and their rebellion against him
And so let us look at this all important principle: that God (the standard of truth) values His word as a testimony to Jesus above all things
This is why we are satisfied with our worship this morning to be centered on it
Because God has declared that to be acceptable
As you hear
the call to worship (Psalms)
the scripture reading (Proverbs)
And me proclaiming His word in (John)
Let us do so with the full weight of how God views His word
The best of all testimony to Jesus
This testimony has saved us if you are in Christ
And it is this testimony that we yearn for the rest of our days
This is the heart of true belief
But as we will see, the heart of unbelief is an indifference and ignorance of such testimony
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, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
(37) And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me.
Explicitly at his baptism
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”
But implicitly through all of Scripture
This is the context of the following verses: God’s word
Jesus meets two disciples on the road to Emmaus after his death and resurrection
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
The 2000 Baptist Faith and Message
End of 1. The Sciptures
All Scripture is a testimony to Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
(37) His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen
His voice
1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
His form
4 In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.
15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.
Thus since the Jewish leaders knew not Jesus they knew not the voice nor form of God
And since they did not know Jesus they were ignorant to the testimony of God in all of Scriptures
This is what Jesus concludes next
38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.
The Jews were seeking to kill Jesus claiming him to be in sin
And Jesus makes it clear, you do not believe in me
Not because you know the Scriptures
But because while you have memorized its words, you have totally missed it’s message
And that message is Jesus the Christ
Thus although they had the word memorized in the brain, the Word was far from their heart
This is a far too common problem among God’s covenant people through out the church age as well
We can learn the different stories of Scripture but if asked why they matter we either say nothing or can give an answer that does not lead to a better understanding of Christ
I challenge you to open to the contents page of your bible and go down the list of books of the bible
And if you do not know how each book relates to the revealing of Jesus
Then you have more focused study to do
Then once you have done that go to each section in the different books of the Bible and explain how that section teaches Christ
Our children are leaving the faith, or perhaps not denying the faith but remain largely unproductive in the kingdom of God and instead more productive in the domain of darkness
At the fault of the church and not the domain of darkness
The domain of darkness certainly pulls them away, but that is what it always has done and will do
But it’s the fault of the church because we have simply failed to teach them well
We need to love Jesus more—and when we love Jesus more we search for him
And since the Word of God his his appointed means of the greatest of all testimony
We diligently seek him from Genesis to Revelation
Jesus tells the Jewish leaders in verse 38, you show the lack of God’s word in your heart by not seeing it manifest right in front of you
May we show that we have God’s word in our heart by seeing it intimately involved with the Word made flesh
39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,
You search the Scriptures
Like a hunter on the tracks of his game
The search is intense and with much effort
The pharisees and scribes knew the Old Testament Scriptures very well
because you think that in them you have eternal life
They even do so because they realize that they have a need for life from God—the author of said Scriptures
and it is they that bear witness about me
The whole point of the Scriptures was to prepare and teach the Son of God and Man, the Messiah
That was standing in flesh right before their very eyes
And instead of using the works of Christ, and the work of the testimony of Scriptures
Instead of using the testimony given to Christ for the worship of Christ
They sought to kill him instead
Because as much as they knew the words of Scripture, they missed entirely the message of Scripture
40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.
yet
Even though Scripture is centered on me
Yet
you refuse to come to me
This is not so much ignorance as it is depravity within their hearts
They know God’s word, but they twist it to conform to their will—Not God’s will
Which is why they found it so easy to hate and seek to kill Jesus
Yet you refuse to come to me
that you may have life
The end of it all—the whole point of all of God’s dealings with man
Is to give them life in Jesus
But what’s tragic, is in our death, we take the testimony of God
And distort it with our own false testimony
And go deeper into the death of self will and sin
The answer is abundantly clear as we have just witnessed in God’s witness of Scripture
We are to lay down our own will, our own desires, our own testimony
And we are to fall in repentance at the feet of Jesus
His will, his desires, his true testimony
This is why the battle cry of the Reformation was
Reforming and Always Reforming
We are always meditating on God’s word
And conforming our lives to the testimony
19 And when they say to you, “Inquire of the mediums and the necromancers who chirp and mutter,” should not a people inquire of their God? Should they inquire of the dead on behalf of the living? 20 To the teaching and to the testimony! If they will not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn.
In the Reformers day it was the Catholic church—to the pope!
In our day it is humanism
Rely on self—our feelings—our heart
To the testimony!
The perfect revealer of Christ and his salvation to his people
We are worshippers
And the object of our worship is the image and voice of God—Jesus Christ
And we find him in the testimony, the word of God
Where the Jewish leaders and the domain of darkness in our own time use the testimony to fuel their hatred
Let us use God’s testimony for further repentance and further worship of our God and King
I do not receive glory from people. But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. I have come in my Father’s name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”