Not without Witness

Open up your bibles to John chapter 5:31 As you turn there I want to Pray and we will get started.

Today message I have titled Not without Witness. In Jesus time much like our own someones witness is extremely important.

In our own day if you are called to be a witness you go up on a stand and say I promise to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, So help me God.

In in Jesus day the importance of a witness was no different.

One Scholar said, The idea of giving a true, accurate witness in a law court was so important to Israel that when God fashioned the constitution of His people, He included among the top ten laws a prohibition against bearing false witness. The law also included strong sanctions against anyone who delivered a false witness in a capital crime. That person would himself be subject to the death penalty. So great care was taken about how the truth was to be discerned in the context of a trial.

Jesus was treated like a liar and a criminal for his actions and claims.

Jesus was facing questions and accusations over and over again, and in today’s text we will in fact see Jesus is not without witness. Let us read our Text this morning.

John 5:31–47 (ESV)

If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 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. And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 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?”

Main point I have for you this morning is this: Jesus has multiple witnesses to the fact that Jesus is the Christ.

The setting of the text is Jesus making the statement If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. Jesus has on earth done some incredible things up until this point, and as we have seen he is equating himself with God. Which as we have learned really upset the Jews. But we know that Jesus was sent from God, and today we will see that He is in fact not without witness.

Write this down of follow along in your bulletin this first point.

Witness #1 John the Baptist

During our study of the gospel of John we have seen John the baptist as a primary witness for Jesus Christ. We first saw him all the way back in John chapter 1. And John the Baptist mission was clear. John 1:7 says

John 1:7 ESV

7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.

John as we have said before is a forerunner for Christ. He went out and proclaimed of the one to come, and people believed that the one was coming. And John proclaimed that Jesus was the Christ. In John 1:29-34 he says.

John 1:29–34 ESV

29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30 This is he of whom I said, ‘After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.’ 31 I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel.” 32 And John bore witness: “I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. 33 I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”

It was clear to John that Jesus was the very son of God. Because of John’s witness many were saved. they believed that Jesus was this light that John said he was.

John’s testimony was from God, but proclaimed by a man. Most historians from that time said the popularity of John was so great that people knew more about John than Christ as the time, and he used his powerful witness to the proclaim about Jesus, yet many did not believe, even though his witness was true.

Jesus said John was a burning and shining lamp. Notice this is past tense. Because his light on earth would eventually fade away. But the light John produced during his time was so bright and so evident that he was a witness for Jesus Ultimately pointing to what John 1:9 says.. . John 1:9

John 1:9 ESV

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.

And True believers rejoiced at this, but unbelievers did not. But does not mean that John the Baptist witness was not there. John the Baptist was witness number 1. Second witness is..

Witness #2 Jesus works

John came proclaiming, pointing to Jesus, but Jesus testified through his works that he was the Christ. As incredible the works were for John, they did not compare to Jesus works. Jesus works show that he is from God. We see miracle after miracle testifying that Jesus is Lord.

Only Jesus can do what God can because he is God. We must understand that his works show that he is from God and he is God. Last weeks message was focused on that very idea. He is the messiah, and he is Lord, and he is sent from the Father.

Every work that Jesus does is proof he is God. We could go through all the gospels and see that Jesus does things that no other person every has or ever will do, and his works are evident. And we will over the course of our study of John continue to see his works see that something is different about Jesus, and his witness is a powerful one indeed.

Though his witness is not just his own, his witness is powerful enough to see that he is the Son of God.

Jesus works are the second witness. John the Baptist was the first witness

Third witness I want you to take note of is this.

Witness #3 God the Father

Jesus says that God the Father gives witness that the son is God, is the Christ. Jesus does not give examples of this witness, but we just seen Jesus heal the man at the pool, we saw that he healed the officials son. That he turned water into wine and so much more will we see.

But as far the the fathers witness goes, we see a few example of his witness about the son in the other gospels. One at Jesus baptism, and another at the mount of transfiguration.

Let me read those to you to you as a reminder. Matthew 3:13-17

Matthew 3:13–17 ESV

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

The words are no doubt powerful, but he says something proving the testimony of Christ is true, which is this is my beloved son, with whom I am well pleased. Remember a few weeks ago, when we saw Jesus making himself equal with God by calling the Father his father, a personal statement. Which is affirmed by the father himself in this very text.

The other example. The Mount of Transfiguration. Says this is Luke 9:28-36

Luke 9:28–36 ESV

28 Now about eight days after these sayings he took with him Peter and John and James and went up on the mountain to pray. 29 And as he was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white. 30 And behold, two men were talking with him, Moses and Elijah, 31 who appeared in glory and spoke of his departure, which he was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. 32 Now Peter and those who were with him were heavy with sleep, but when they became fully awake they saw his glory and the two men who stood with him. 33 And as the men were parting from him, Peter said to Jesus, “Master, it is good that we are here. Let us make three tents, one for you and one for Moses and one for Elijah”—not knowing what he said. 34 As he was saying these things, a cloud came and overshadowed them, and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!” 36 And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent and told no one in those days anything of what they had seen.

Powerful text, but for the purposes of this message. Verse 35. Proclaims that This is my Son, my chosen one, listen to him. This shows us that the Father does not leave the son without witness.

The Jews would have a hard time reconciling this idea, because as Jesus says, they have never heard from God, never seen him, and they dont have his word living in him.

But as I have said many times already in our study of John is that Jesus being God was right in front of there faces and he was proclaiming the word of God as God, making himself known to his people, and proclaiming the word of God because he is the Word.

God the father is the third witness, the second was Jesus works, and the first is John the Baptist.

Forth witness take of this…

Witness #4 The Word of God

Jesus says in John 5:39-40

John 5:39–40 ESV

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.

For the Jews a natural result of reading the scriptures should be to have faith and trust in Jesus. Because the scriptures are written about him. Jesus was promised all the back in Genesis 3:15. And he was there in front of there eyes.

One of the key passages in this text today is verse 40. Which says yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.

The issue that Jesus is telling the Jews that they have is that they are refusing to come to him to have life. The witness for Jesus is there, but they refuse to come to him, they have hardened hearts.

The scriptures proclaim that Jesus is Lord, he is the Christ.

In the gospel of Luke Jesus says in Luke 24:44

Luke 24:44 ESV

44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

Jesus life and ministry are the promises that scriptures speaks of. If you look at the scriptures you will find Christ, because they are all about him. If you study this book over and over again and miss Jesus then you miss one of the greatest witnesses for him, and that is the word of God. Don’t miss Jesus when you approach the scriptures.

The scriptures are the forth witness, God the father is the third witness, the second was Jesus works, and the first is John the Baptist.

We have two more witnesses to get to but before we do let us see the problem with the Jews in there interaction with Jesus during his ministry. We already know one of those issues was there unbelief. And that unbelief manifested itself showing that they did not have the Love of God, they did not honor God nor did they seek the glory of God.

These were people who claimed to love him, honor him, and seek his glory through through there denial of Jesus showed they truly did not.

Jesus cared about the glory of God, not man unlike the jews in this text. But what we see is Jesus telling these people because you dont receive me you dont love God. If you loved God like you said you did, you would know I am from God. Which in turn means they did not honor God. These people did not receive Jesus, but Jesus is telling them 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?

They would be more likely to receive one another than Jesus from the father. Crazy to think about.. There unbelief led them to that place. And Jesus adds another witness for them in the text that would cause them to think greatly about there denial of Jesus.

The Word of God is the forth witness, God the father is the third witness, the second was Jesus works, and the first is John the Baptist.

Write this down or take note.

Witness #5 Moses

John 5:45–47 ESV

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?”

Witness #5 Moses

There problem was with Jesus, not the prophets, not God the Father, and defiantly not moses, but now Jesus is telling them Moses who you set your hope in is going to judge you. Now moses had a big impact on the scriptures he wrote 5 books of the OT, and I could have included him in witness number 4. I even referenced some of his writings. But moses had a special places among the Jews. And his witness for Jesus was evident though-out his writings.

If you were here during our study of Galatians I have referenced this before. But Deut 18:15-22 has long be agreed upon by scholars, and pastors on this referencing Jesus Christ. Let me read it to you.

Deuteronomy 18:15–22 ESV

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen— 16 just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, ‘Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ 17 And the Lord said to me, ‘They are right in what they have spoken. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. And I will put my words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. 19 And whoever will not listen to my words that he shall speak in my name, I myself will require it of him. 20 But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that same prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How may we know the word that the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the word does not come to pass or come true, that is a word that the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You need not be afraid of him.

Jesus is the fulfillment of that prophet, and the Jews did not believe Jesus, therefore they did not believe Moses. In this section of scripture Jesus over and over again speaks to the fact that the witnesses for me are there.

John the Baptist spoke of me gave witness of who I am. The works I have done testify that I am the son of God, that I am Lord, God the Father speaks of me as one who is God. The scriptures over and over again tell of my name. And Moses the one who you so greatly love proclaimed about me. The evidence is clear I am the great I am. as we will see later on in this gospel.

Jesus is God. Believe in him and have eternal life.

At this moment in the text they stand condemned before God, because they did not believe in the Son of God. Jesus, church family, guests, those who are listening online Jesus is not without witness. The evidence for him is so clear.

So many skeptics come often thinking Jesus does not have the witnesses that he we claim he has, but he does. Some of the jews in his own day didn’t believe he was the Son of God, but that was not because he was without witness it was because they were dead in there sins and loved there own-selves, and did things for there own glory. If you are sitting there in your seat or watching online, you say that not enough for me to believe Jesus is the Christ. let read you one more scripture.

1 Corinthians 15:4–6 ESV

4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

After Jesus death over 500 witnesses to the resurrected Lord. Believe it or not I love Christian rap music, this may surprise many in audience, but one of my favorite rappers in Shai Linne and he says in his rap song Jesus is Alive these words.

Throughout history there's been mad religious leaders Prophets, preachers, scholars, teachers But when it came to the grave, no one could climb out That's where Jesus stands alone like taking a 'timeout' And don't be mislead- I got a level head No resurrection, Christianity would have never spread The disciples weren't stupid guys who would ruin their lives

And then choose to die for what they knew was a lie That would be beyond ridiculous- Nah, the issue is The risen Christ seen by 500 eye-witnesses Imagine 500 people in a court of law Each of them taking the stand reporting what they saw If their stories lined up and made sense The evidence would have to leave you convinced But still it's by faith that we trust and praise the Son Who was raised for our justification

The evidence is there, but you have to believe it to be justified before God today. You must have a personal relationship with him in order to have life.

Moses is the fifth witness, The Word of God is the forth witness, God the father is the third witness, the second was Jesus works, and the first is John the Baptist.

But let me tell you something there is one more witness that we have that proves Jesus is who he says he is.

Witness #6 The believer

God has transformed millions, upon millions of lives since the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and he is continuing until he returns to do that very thing.

Witness number 6 if i am honest is worst witness, it doesn’t need the other witnesses thank goodness could you imagine if someone’s faith rested in your own witness.

Lets stop there for a moment, this troubles me, because often I am not the best witness for Christ, even though he was the best witness for me. Our lives should show that we have witnessed him and are changed by him.

but Church family I am convinced even though God is the one who saves and I am conifident of this, our witness impacts the watching world especially the unbeliever more than those other witnesses. The validly of the witnesses are greater than your witness, but the impact on unbelievers rests strongly in your witness.

I have heard it said, there are five gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and yourself if your believer. How you live your life in such a way that impacts your witness for Christ. Knowing that you may be someones only witness for him. Voddie Bachham says if you can’t say amen say ouch..

Thats ouch one fore-sure. Its one that I wrestle with often, daily I would say. Because I know if someone’s faith rested soley upon my witness it would not produce every lasting life.

But the good news for me and you is that it does not rest in me. But that doesn’t mean I can neglect my own witness. People will read you like a book, but point them to the good book. Where they will read the testimony of John, see the works of Jesus, see the Love of the Father has for the Son, and how the prophets which include Moses tell about the one who can save. So they will know your witness is because of Jesus, but even more so beacause of those other witnesses.

Be light like John was to the watching world, and proclaim him.

For those who don’t know him. You cant love God, honor God, or seek the Glory of God if you don’t believe in Jesus as God. Verse 40 was so clear if you come to him you can have life. Repent of your sins trust in Jesus and have eternal life.

Every week we have a time of response. If you have made a decision to trust Jesus either in person or online let us know. We want to help you become faithful followers of Jesus. If you are a believer and have not been baptized and wish to do so, or join this church or just need prayer respond however the Lord leads you today.

Let us be a church who responds to the word of God.