The Witness of the

Works of Christ & the Word of God

A STUDY IN JOHN 5:36

The Works & Word.

Introduction: Every Aspect Of The Works Of Jesus Testified To The Deity Of Jesus. 

The majority of the miraculous works of Jesus were simple acts of compassion and mercy, done for simple, needy people. In this, these works . . . bear witness to the heart of God.

The Jews looked for a miraculous Messiah, but they did not look for One who would express His miraculous power in simple acts of compassion and mercy. They wanted a Messiah to use miraculous power to bring political deliverance to Israel.

Because Jesus’ miraculous works didn’t fit in with what they thought the Messiah would do, they didn’t receive this witness of Jesus’ works.

A.     The Works of Jesus Christ (v.36).

1.       There Was The Witness Of Miraculous Works.

a)        Three Significant Things Were Said By Jesus:

1)        But I have a greater witness than John’s… Jesus’ Works Were A Greater Witness Than The Witness Of John The Baptist Himself.

1.         Jesus Said That John Was The Greatest Among Those Born Of A Woman (Matt.11:11).

2.         John Overcame His Weaknesses, Held Strong Convictions (No Compromise), Denied Self

2)        …for the works which the Father has given Me to finish—Jesus’ Works Were Given To Him By The Father.

1.         Jesus Was The One Appointed By God To Carry Out The Works Of God. 

2.         Jesus Was The One Empowered By God To Do The Works Of God.

Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work. (John 4:34 cf. Matthew 4:4)

But I have a greater witness than John's; for the works which the Father has given Me to finish----the very works that I do----bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me. (John 5:36)

Jesus answered, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but that the works of God should be revealed in him. (John 9:3 NKJV)

If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me;   "but if I do, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and believe that the Father is in Me, and I in Him." (John 10:37-38 NKJV)

3.         Note That Jesus Claimed To Have Completed The Works Perfectly

I have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do. (John 17:4 NKJV)

So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, "It is finished!" And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit. (John 19:30 NKJV)

3)        – the very works that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent me.  Jesus works bear witness of Himself & prove that the Father has sent Him & did the works through Him. 

I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work. (John 9:4 NKJV)

Application: Eph. 2:10; 2Tim.16-17; 2 Tim.4:7; Matt.5:14; Acts 1:8

2.       The Works Which Jesus Did.

a)        The Use of the Term Works:

The Use Of This Term "Works" (Erga) Refers To Those Deeds That Revealed Jesus' Divine Nature. As the quality of a man's deeds show his moral standards, skill, and personal ability, so Jesus' works marked him as phenomenal in both his compassion and his power (cf. 3:19-21).

He said later to those who questioned him, "The miracles I do in my Father's name speak for me" (10:25). In his final discourse to the disciples he asked them to believe him "on the evidence of the miracles [works] themselves" (14:11). Although he never performed miracles for the purpose of drawing attention to himself, he regarded them as valid proofs of his claims.

1)        The Gospel Lists Seven Of These Works:

1.     The turning of water into wine (2:1-11)

2.     The healing of the official's son (4:43-54)

3.     The healing of a paralytic (5:1-15)

4.     The feeding of the multitude (6:1-14)

5.     The walking on the water (6:16-21)

6.     The cure of the blind man (9:1-41)

7.     The raising of Lazarus (11:1-44).

These Miracles Demonstrated Jesus' Power In A Different Area Of Human Experience.  They are called "signs" (semeia) because they point to something beyond themselves.

Their significance does not lie in their extraordinary character but in the fact that Jesus was able to meet the emergencies of life directly and satisfactorily.

1.         It is noteworthy that they were generally followed by a confession of belief on the part of many of the spectators (2:11; 4:53; 6:66, 69; 9:38; 11:45).

B.     A Refusal To Believe The Claims of Jesus Christ (John 10:22-25)

       Jesus Was Asked, “If You Are The Christ, Tell Us Plainly.” Just in the last few days the people had heard Him proclaim the truth as forcefully as He could.

The problem was not His proclaiming the fact in clear language; the problem was the unbelief of the people. They only pretended not to understand.

They understood, but they refused to believe. This is, of course, the problem with most men. In unmistakable terms, Jesus proclaims...

q        that His teaching is not His, but God’s ( John 7:16-19).

q        that He knows God & was sent from God (John 7:25-31; John 8:54-59;  John 10:14-16).

q        that He is the Source of life and the One who gives the Holy Spirit to men ( John 7:37-39).

q        that He is the Light of the world (John 8:12;  John 9:5).

q        that He is the Revelation of God ( John 8:19).

q        that He has a different origin from man (John 8:23).

q        that if a man does not believe in Him, that man shall die in his sins (John 8:23-24).

q        that He is the Spokesman for God ( John 8:26).

q        that He is the Son of Man who was to be lifted up on the cross ( John 8:28).

q        that God never left Him alone; He never sinned; He never failed to please God ( John 8:29).

q        that He came from God ( John 8:42-43).

q        that He is sinless ( John 8:45-47; John 8:29;  John 8:54-59.)

q        that He is the Savior & Deliverer from death; that a man who keeps His Word shall never see death ( John 8:51-53  )

q        that He is the great “I Am” ( John 8:54-59).

q        that He is the Son of God ( John 9:35-38).

q        that He is the Door of the sheep ( John 10:7-10).

q        that He is the Good Shepherd ( John 10:11-14).

1.       The Hardened Heart (John 12:35-50).

a)        John Tells Us That Jesus Had Done Many Miracles Before Them, Yet They Did Not Believe.

Miracles & signs that Jesus did were important & John says that he even wrote his book to record these signs and to encourage his readers to trust Jesus Christ and receive eternal life (Jn 20:30-31).

And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book;   but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:30-31 NKJV)

1)        It Takes More Than Believing In Miracles To Be Saved!

1.         Miracles can only lead us to the Word (John 5:36-38) and the Word generates saving faith (Romans 10:17)

2.         The same miracles that attracted Nicodemus caused some other religious leaders to want to kill Him (John 11:45-53).  They even said that His miracles were done in the power of Satan     

3.         The miracles were testimonies (John 5:36) giving evidence of His divine Sonship.

4.         Sometimes we mistakenly think that if a person could just see a miracle, then surely they would believe. Not so.

a.         The Rich Man & Lazarus—“if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent” (Lk16:19-31).

b.         Many times miracles only lead to a hardened heart.

2)        Why Is It That Some People Refuse To Believe In Jesus Christ?

1.         They Suppress The Truth (Romans 1:18-20) General Revelation

a.         God has made Himself known in creation (1:19; Ps 8, Ps 19:1-6) Divine Nature: God has revealed Himself as wise, eternal and powerful (1:20)

b.         God has revealed Himself as a Moral God in giving man a conscience (2:14-15)

c.         God has revealed Himself as Benevolent through Providence (Acts 14:17).

d.         His control over the nations thus causing them to seek Him (Acts 17:22-34 [esp. 24-28a]). 

e.         Man is made in the image and likeness of God.

f.          The Holy Spirit convicts the world of sin, of righteousness and of judgment (John 16:5-11).

2.         Jesus tells us that they love darkness rather than light (John 3:19-20)

3.         Take Heed what we hear (Mark 4:24-25)

2.       The Hardening of Pharaoh’s Heart (Ex. 8:32 ff.)

a)        Think of the Pharaoh of Egypt when Moses came with the demand for the release of God's people.

1.     He began to work miracles before the Pharaoh.

2.     We read that the Pharaoh hardened his heart,

3.     Again we read that he hardened his heart.

4.     Finally we read that God hardened the heart of the Pharaoh (Ex.9:12)

The Hebrew word used for hardened when it declared that God hardened the heart of the Pharaoh, is different than when Pharaoh hardened his heart.

When God hardened his heart the word literally means “made stiff the heart of Pharaoh”.

1)        “Many” – “Pharaoh” himself “Could Not Believe” John 12:39

q         You can over and over again harden your heart to the things of God but there finally comes the day when God will step in and make stiff your resolve against Him.

q         It is possible for you to come to a place where you “cannot believe”.

q         That means that you will be hopelessly and irretrievably lost.

There is a time we know not when, a line we know not where, that marks the destiny of men, twixt sorrow and despair. There is a line though by us unseen, once it has been crossed even god himself, in all his love has sworn that all is lost.