When the Dead Hear - Apr. 17th, 2022

John 5:16–30 KJV 1900

16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day. 17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. 18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. 19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. 20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. 21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will. 22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him. 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life. 25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live. 26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. 28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. 30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Introduction:

In the opening chapter of his prophecy, Ezekiel describes an approaching cloud. Fire flashes in it, and a bright light surrounds it. In the center of the cloud there appears to be molten metal. As the cloud rushes toward him, Ezekiel sees that the molten metal is really four human images, each having four faces and four wings. Each image faces north, east, south, and west, so that as those living images move, they never need to turn because they are already facing in all directions. Next to these fantastic images, Ezekiel sees great amber-colored wheels rising into the heavens. The wheels have wheels within wheels, the inner wheel set sideways, and thus they have the same freedom of movement as the human images have visually. Even stranger, the rims of the wheels are full of eyes. So wherever the living images move, the wheels move. Above this astonishing sight, Ezekiel sees a crystal expanse, and above that is a sapphire throne, and on the throne sits a figure in human form surrounded by a radiant rainbow. Ezekiel 1:1 says this intense vision was a revelation of God, expressed in symbolic form. The living beings that move wherever they want are pictures of God’s accomplishing his will. The eyes in the wheels and the rotating eyes represent his omniscience, his complete knowledge. The gleaming expanse represents his indescribable glory.

That passage in Ezekiel is one of the great foundational passages of Scripture concerning the doctrine of God and his character. With this background it is no wonder that when a Hebrew came to the name of God in Scripture he did not read it, but instead used a name that combined God’s other names—the name Jehovah. Reverence for the divine name was so great among the Israelites that when the scribes came to it, they would wash their hands before writing it. And nothing was allowed to interrupt the writing of that name. If a king addressed them while they were writing the sacred name, they would not respond!

Knowing this background, we understand why Jesus’ claims were considered blasphemous. The “blasphemous” claims recorded in this text were made in response to the furor that raged because Jesus performed miracles on the Sabbath. Jesus’ reply had been, in part, “My Father worketh hitherto, and I work” (v. 17). This answer was intolerable to the Jews, so intolerable that they decided to try even harder to kill him (v. 18). No doubt some Jews could hardly believe what they were hearing. Readers might wonder, was Jesus really claiming to be equal with God? Yes, He was, and the audacious claims of Christ that we find in John 5:16–30 had enormous implications.

I want to talk to you today about trusting Jesus with your eternal destiny so that you can avoid eternal damnation. I hope and pray that you will accept God’s invitation to get right with Judge Jesus before it’s eternally too late. How do you get right with Judge Jesus? Easy…just look at verse 24, simply by responding to His Word in faith, BEFORE you hit the GRAVE.

CPS: Escaping eternal execution is as easy as A, B, C. (Acknowledge Jesus' Word; Believe on the Son; Come out of death into life).

Sub-intro:

If any person wants to know what it means to confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God, he couldn’t go to a better passage than ours today. It may help us if we can set some cultural insights down. We live in a postmodern day, which means that the age of industry has already come, but the people in our passage are living in a pre-industrial culture. What that means is that the majority of sons do what their father does. Whether that’s farming, baking, or like Jesus for instance, carpentry. This position of like father like son gives Jesus just the opportunity He needs to talk about be the Son, and doing what the Father does when He is challenged about “working” on the Sabbath.

I would point out to you that Jesus doesn’t spend His time here trying to argue with them about WHAT the Sabbath is, or what should be considered “work.” Instead, He goes right to the point of justifying His “works” by saying that He was only doing what His Father does. His Father works (even on the Sabbath, or providence itself would cease!), and so does he. They take it seriously, and realize that He is claiming to be equal with God, and that really torques them. They mistakenly come to the conclusion that He’s blaspheming, in that He’s trying to say that He’s another god, but what they missed was that He was actually claiming to be THE ONE TRUE GOD, the Self-existent I AM THAT I AM. I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

Allow me to draw a Courtroom scene in your mind as we approach this chapter. The Jews (religious leaders) are the Prosecution, and Jesus is going to offer a marvelous a three-fold defense that demonstrates His absolute deity, and then He will call a four-fold witness to validate His claims. Notice…

I. The Prosecution Levies the Charges (John 5:16-18).

A. The Scorning Charge - Jesus Broke Tradition (John 5:16).

John 5:16 KJV 1900

16 And therefore did the Jews persecute Jesus, and sought to slay him, because he had done these things on the sabbath day.

• The term translated as ‘persecuting’ can also have the force of ‘prosecuting’ hence the forensic overtones are very obvious here.

B. The Staggering Comment - Jesus Baffled the Complainers (John 5:17).

John 5:17 KJV 1900

17 But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

• That’s it—not another word. But this brief word is like a shot into the center of the target, such as Jesus alone is able to deliver. It absolutely and completely refutes the Jewish authorities.

• Describing the Father and Son together in Glory, John tells us…

Revelation 21:22–23 KJV 1900

22 And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof.

Revelation 22:1–5 KJV 1900

1 And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. 2 In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: 4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. 5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

C. Their Self-righteous Assumption - Jesus Blasphemed Jehovah (John 5:18).

John 5:18 KJV 1900

18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

Hebrews 1:3 KJV 1900

3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;

1 Peter 2:7 KJV 1900

7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,

Transition: Jesus Christ claimed to be Jehovah. He claimed to be equal with God. He claimed to be Messiah God. Unlike His own disciples, and the angels of Heaven, He accepted worship from men many times. He claimed to have equal authority with God. He taught us to pray in His name, because the Son Is God. Consider…

II. The Defense's First Claim: Jesus Is Equal with God (John 5:19-23).

John 5:19 KJV 1900

19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise.

• The double seal of verity, “Amen, amen,” is combined with the voice of authority, “I say to you.”

• Himself here is very emphatic, by himself, on his own authority, independently.

• Gar number ONE- explanation: it is impossible for the Son to do what He does independently from the Father, thereby essentially pitting Himself against God as another god. Because EVERYTHING that the Son does is both concurrent and correspondent to EVERYTHING that the Father does.

A. The Father's Prerogative to Love the Son (John 5:19-20).

John 5:20 KJV 1900

20 For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.

• Gar number TWO- explanation: this is HOW the Son is able to do whatever the Father does, because of how the Father passionately and affectionately loves (phileo not agapao as) the Son, and deliberately chooses to show Him all that He does (like an apprentice in trade).

• The purpose is so that His opponents would bow the knee now, so that they don’t have to wait until the end when Paul says that EVERY KNEE shall bow, and EVERY TONGUE shall confess that Jesus is LORD. Also, when Jesus says, ye, He puts them emphasis on them.

B. The Father's Power to Give Life, so the Son (John 5:21).

John 5:21 KJV 1900

21 For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.

• Gar number THREE- explanation: Jesus will now illustrate what He set forth in vv19-20 with the picture of raising the dead and giving life to them. This is important, because if these Jews knew anything of OT writing, then they would have believed that raising the dead was something that ONLY God could claim the right of doing (see 2 Kings 5:7). Jesus wasn't simply saying that He was acting as an extension of God like Elijah, but that His authority is even greater than that of Elijah's. In other words, even though He cannot do anything by Himself, what He does choose to do is so completely one with what the Father would choose. Just like He chose that man out of the crowd at Bethesda, He can choose whomever He wants to give eternal life to, and that choice is made clear in the statement, "Whosoever will, let him come, and drink of the waters of life freely…” He chooses to give eternal life unto those that accept His invitation. He also chooses to withhold eternal life from all those that refuse to accept His free gift through faith.

• “He quickens οὓς θέλει, i.e., no matter how dead the person is; even though he has lain as long useless as the impotent man.” [Marcus Dods, The Gospel of St. John, 739 (New York: George H. Doran Company).]

C. The Father's Passing of Judgment to the Son (John 5:22-23).

John 5:22–23 KJV 1900

22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: 23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

• The frequency of the occurrence of key forensic terms suggests that it can be seen as a defence in an interrogation or trial. ‘To judge’ (κρίνω) occurs twice (vv. 22, 30), ‘judgement’ (κρίσις) is found five times (vv. 22, 24, 27, 29, 30), ‘to witness’ (μαρτυρέω) is employed seven times (vv. 31, 32, 33, 36, 37, 39) and ‘testimony’ (μαρτυρία) is used four times (vv. 31, 32, 34, 36). [Andrew T. Lincoln, The Gospel According to Saint John, Black's New Testament Commentary, 202 (London: Continuum, 2005).]

• Gar number FOUR- explanation: further illustration laying out the different ROLES that the Father has as opposed to the Son. That is, the Father doesn't JUDGE anyone, simply because He has placed the Son in the ROLE of JUDGING all. He has entrusted this judgment to the Son completely. So, it may be summarized this way: The Father and Son both enjoy the right to give life (v21) because the Father has decided that His direct task will not be to judge anyone, but rather that He gives the task of ALL judgment to the Son. They both are equal in essence, quality, and character in being able to give life, but they are different in their ROLES in that the Father delegates to the Son the job of Judging everything, as He is the One who has taken upon Himself the form of a servant, and as God, has also been fully man, and thereby qualified to render this judgment. Hence, Jesus, as the I AM, is the entity of the Godhead bodily that even Abraham rightly called Jehovah, The Judge of all the earth (Gen. 18:25).

Transition: Defense One: Jesus is equal with God. Now…

III. The Defense's Second Claim: Jesus Is Equipped to Give Eternal Life (John 5:24).

Jesus and Judgment

• Jesus stated that judgment hinges on acceptance or rejection of him.

• Jesus explained that a judgment of “eternal life” or “condemnation” happens in this life.

• Jesus revealed that he is the judge (v24, 26). [Mark Water, Bible Teachings Made Easy, The Made Easy Series, 38 (Alresford, Hampshire: John Hunt Publishers Ltd, 1998).]

• He calls them out as being Lawbreakers themselves, as they have violated God's command to Honor their Father in Heaven. He had already shown them how they had made that commandment of God of none effect by their tradition (cf. Mt. 15:6). With their lips, they honor God, but their heart is really far from Him (Mt. 15:8).

A. Taking Christ- Hear the Word & Believe on the Father (John 5:24a).

John 5:24a Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me…

• His WORD is the same as His MESSAGE, and to hear it, means to heed it, or obey it. His message is the good news to sinners that He paid the price for sin, and we can be saved by grace through faith.

B. Tasting Communion- Sweetness Here & Now; Security There & Then (John 5:24b).

John 5:24b …hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation…

C. Transfer Completed- Signed, Sealed, & Delivered (John 5:24c).

John 5:24 …and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.

• Hell to shun, Heaven to gain. The word here literally means, to pass over from one place to another. It’s also a Divine Passive, in the sense that God is the One who does the transferring. The LORD is my shepherd, is He yours? Sin condemns and kills. All have sinned, so all are both condemned and spiritually dead. Belief in Christ removes condemnation and brings everlasting life.

Transition: Defense 1- He is Equal with God. Defense 2- Jesus is Equipped to give everlasting life to whosoever will. Now…

IV. The Defense's Third Claim: Jesus Is the Executioner Beyond the Grave (John 5:25-30).

John 5:25 KJV 1900

25 Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live.

• Let this sink in. There is a place where the dead go, that Jesus' voice can penetrate, though we cannot reach them.

• The mention of Jesus’ voice as the agent of resurrection anticipates in the narrative sequence his cry ‘with a loud voice’ outside Lazarus’ tomb resulting in the appearance of Lazarus still wrapped in his grave-clothes (John 11:43–44), and this in turn anticipates the eschatological resurrection.

John 11:43–44 KJV 1900

43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.

• Son of God [given to Him 40 times]. Fundamental to all else that is said of him, Jesus is peculiarly the Son of God, or simply the Son. He is functionally subordinate to the Father and does and says only those things the Father gives him to do and say, but he does everything that the Father does (5:19ff.). Jesus discloses nothing more and nothing less than the words and deeds of God. [D. A. Carson and Douglas J. Moo, Introducing the New Testament: A Short Guide to Its History and Message, 50 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2010)]

A. The Resurrection is on the Horizon (John 5:25-27).

John 5:26–27 KJV 1900

26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; 27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man.

• Gar number FIVE- explanation: How can Jesus exercise divine judgment and resurrect the dead merely by the power of His Word? Because He, like God the Father is the Self-existent One, who has life in and of Himself, as the "Living and True God" (see John 1:1-4 In the beginning was the Word…and the Word was God…in him was life…).

John 1:1–4 KJV 1900

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

• The emphasis here is on the AUTHORITY. Jesus has the authority, or the right. Here, the sense is that of a legal privilege reserved exclusively for Jesus.

• Concerning his kingly office, Christ being risen from the dead, and ascended into heaven, and having all power in heaven and earth, he doth spiritually govern his church, and doth exercise his power over all, angels and men, good and bad, to the preservation and salvation of the elect, and to the overruling and destruction of his enemies. By this kingly power he applieth the benefits, virtue, and fruits of his prophesy and priesthood to his elect, subduing their sins, preserving and strengthening them in all their conflicts against Satan, the world, and the flesh, keeping their hearts in faith and filial fear by his spirit: By this his mighty power he ruleth the vessels of wrath, using, limiting and restraining them, as it seems good to his infinite wisdom. [Thomas Crosby, The History of the English Baptists, Vol. 1, 398 (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2011).]

B. The Reckoning of that Hour (John 5:28-29).

John 5:28–29 KJV 1900

28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, 29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

• The idea here is, "Pick your jaw off the floor…" maybe Jesus is having some fun with them like butter in His hand, melting at His Word's that are unlike other scribes, as One having AUTHORITY. He is calling them to cease their unbelief, and turn to Him as the true and living God, who is able to give life to all who believe. "Stop marveling, and start believing, lest at the judgment, you are found to have given yourself wholly to things of absolutely no eternal value." (writer’s paraphrase).

Daniel 7:13 KJV 1900

13 I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him.

John 8:28 KJV 1900

28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things.

Hebrews 2:7–9 KJV 1900

7 Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: 8 Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him. 9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

• The late Warren Wiersbe laid forth four resurrections referenced in this passage: First, the resurrection of LOST SINNERS into EVERLASTING LIFE (vv24-25); second, the resurrection of Jesus Himself (v26); third, the future resurrection of life, when believers are raised from the dead (vv28-29a), and fourth, the resurrection of condemnation (v29b). Today, Jesus is the Saviour, but one day, He will sit as the Judge. Believers will be given glorified bodies in order to rule and reign with Christ in Glory. Unbelievers will be given a body also, but not a glorified body, in order to be judged and then suffer everlasting punishment in those bodies. Those bodies that were used for sin will suffer the consequences of that sin.

C. The Retribution of His Honesty (John 5:30).

John 5:30 KJV 1900

30 I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just; because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.

Isaiah 11:2–4 KJV 1900

2 And the spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him, The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and might, The spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord; 3 And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the Lord: And he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, Neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4 But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, And reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: And he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, And with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.

Conclusion:

The worst thing you could ever do is put off getting right with Judge Jesus. Today, if ye will hear His voice, harden not your heart, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.

Escaping an eternal execution is as easy as A, B, C. (Acknowledge Jesus' Word; Believe on the Son; Come out of death into life).