The Deadly Desire for Praise

John 5:30-47

There is a symphony of witnesses who shine brightly

John the Baptist bears witness about Him

His testimony is not from man (John the Baptist)

His testimony was given to John the Baptist and proclaimed through John the Baptist

For their salvation

Jesus bears witness about Himself

His witness is even greater than John’s

This does not take away from John’s witness but rather points to the greatness, brightness, and power of His own witness

2 Corinthians 4:6- For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

The Father bears witness about Him

It seems that He bears witness in two ways specifically here

Through the Scriptures, through which He has spoken

Through the works that He has sent His Son to do

The Scriptures bear witness about Him

He doesn’t tell them to throw their Old Testament away

He doesn’t tell them that they don’t need those Scriptures anymore

He tells them the opposite, that they are unbelievably important because they point to Him

The Old Testament is not an irrelevant throwaway

It is the very Word of God that points like a bright light toward Jesus

Seeking salvation in the Scriptures

According to Jewish thought, they looked for eternal life in the words of the law

They believed that the more law that you know, the more life that you have

What they didn’t realize was that this simply is not true

The words themselves give no one life, but the realities behind the words give life

Not only this, but they also put their hope in the works of the law

But what they were blind to is that they fell short of the holy standard of the law every day of their lives

They didn’t read the Scriptures correctly

Ironically, they do not rightly believe that on which they have set their hope

They trust in the law to supply their salvation, but if they understood the law, then they would see that it was not sufficient to save

This is the point of the law and the sacrificial system

It is continuous and bloody to show the need for something better and sufficient

If they read the Scriptures rightly, then they would see all of it pointing to Jesus

In the end, the thing that they set their hope in will be what accuses them before the judge of the universe

Jesus will not have to come down from His judgment seat to make accusations against them

The law of Moses will bear witness that they fell short of God’s holy standard, and they will be condemned

Romans 7:10- The very commandment that promised life proved to be death to me.

Romans 3:19-20- Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

Knowing the words of the Bible does not guarantee knowing the Savior of the Bible

The issue is not whether you know in your head what God has said

The issue is whether you have what God has said abiding in your heart

The desire to receive glory from others is deadly

If another comes in his own name, you will receive him

Why?

It is because they are just like them

They love praise and give praise just like everyone else

This is the reason that so many people follow false teachers and teaching

They want to fed by praise and what they want to hear

Jesus is not like those who come in His own name

He carries the perfection and mission of God

He is not interested in praising sinful men, but rather calling them to repent and turn from their wickedness

Here lies the heart of the issue

They love the praise of man

It feels so good, and being convicted of sin feels so bad

John 3:19-20- And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed.

Love of the praise of man keeps blind eyes blind

It’s like drinking poison for the soul

It’s the way that we are all wired

Lest we think that we don’t need to worry about this for ourselves

Matthew 7:15- watch out for false prophets

2 Peter 2:1- there will be false teachers among you

2 Timothy 4:3- keep your head in all situations

Acts 20:28- Keep watch over yourselves

2 Peter 3:17- Be on your guard

1 John 4:1- Test the spirits because many false teachers have gone out

2 Peter 1:12- so I always remind you of these things

Love of the praise of man hinders the people of God from knowing Christ as we ought

It’s not about you and it’s not about me

All praise belongs to Christ

Therefore, may we stop desiring and trying to receive praise from others

Let’s go today singing Psalm 150 together as His people