New Life Bible Fellowship Church
10-13-24
      • Bible Trivia
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      • Psalm 33:20–22ESV

  • As The Deer
  • We Come O Christ To You

      • Psalm 108ESV

  • Introduction:

    As we continue in this great discourse that Jesus gives to the religious leaders who opposed him, a discourse that was precipitated by an act of healing that Jesus did on the Sabbath, we saw last week that Jesus claims his oneness with God the Father. This oneness was shown in how he was unified with the Father in his purpose and works, and that he had been given honor by the Father to judge and to give life. We saw finally that he was given the ultimate authority, as God, to grant life, and as man, to judge and rule all humanity.
    This morning we will see that as Jesus continues this discourse, this rebuttal, in the presence of his opposers, he declares that all he has said can be verified by numerous witnesses, which to the Jews was very important, since by the mouth of two or more witnesses, a word is established. This of course was part of the Mosaic law, uncovering the truth of someone bringing charges against someone else for a offense that was committed:
    Deuteronomy 19:15 ESV
    15 “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established.
    So with that being said, let’s look at the finale of Jesus’ discourse with his Jewish opposition from John 5:30-47, and understand all those that Witness to Jesus.

    Text: John 5:30-47

    John 5:30–47 ESV
    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?”

    Main Idea: Because all that Jesus claims can be verified by numerous infallible witnesses, we must believe and obey, without reservation, all that Jesus commands.

    As we go through these 5 witnesses, we will see that Jesus uses what has already happened in the life of Jesus and was completely exposed for all to see, and that which these religious leaders held dearly, the law of Moses.

    I. The Witness of Christ to Himself (30-32)

    (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. - Jesus is again asserting what he has already said in verses 19 & 22:
    John 5:19 ESV
    19 So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.
    John 5:22 ESV
    22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son,
    Jesus is saying that his witness; his authority, is one that is commissioned by the one who sent him, his Father, and therefore his witness to himself is valid.
    (31) If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true.
    my testimony is not true. Jesus’ testimony would not be false even if He alone were to speak it. However, in the context of this discourse and for the benefit of his hearers, by saying that his testimony, “is not true,” he means that his testimony alone would not be permitted in court according to the Mosaic law, which requires confirmation by at least two witnesses (Deut. 17:6; 19:15).
    (32) There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.
    In the greater context Jesus is speaking about the Father who superintends all things in the life of Jesus, however, in the immediate context, I believe Jesus is referring to…

    II. The Witness of John the Baptist (33-35)

    (33) You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. - The reference is to the testimony of John which is found in 1:19–28, in which a delegation had been sent to him from the Jewish leaders.
    John 1:19–23 ESV
    19 And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” 20 He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” 21 And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” 22 So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” 23 He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”
    John 1:34 ESV
    34 And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.”
    (34) Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.
    Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, Jesus did not need human testimony, but one was needed, so that you may be saved (1:7).
    John 1:7 ESV
    7 He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.
    (35) He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.“
    John was a light, a witness to Jesus but the religious leaders soon turned from him when he witnessed to the person and work of Jesus.
    Jesus’ characterization of John the Baptist as a burning and shining lamp echoes Ps. 132:17, where it is said that God has “prepared a lamp” for his anointed. John the Baptist was a “lamp,” but not the light (John 1:7–9); his witness was small (though important) and of a temporary nature. The past tense was, may imply that John is now dead or at least in prison.

    III. The Witness of Works (36)

    (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 testimony that I have is greater than that of John - there is more than the earthly proclamations of John, this proclamations where evidenced by miracles, as we see next…
    the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me - here refers to Jesus’ miracles, (miracles, along with other evidences, established Christ’s claims as being true). Nicodemus verified these when he came to Jesus by night:
    John 3:2 ESV
    2 This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.”

    IV. The Witness of the Father (37-38)

    (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,
    ‌the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me seems to refers to the whole of the Father’s witness, including all of Jesus’ miracles and teaching as directed by the Father (3:2; 5:19–20) and all of God’s witness in Scripture , which is why he says next…
    (38) and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent.
    you do not have his word abiding in you - it seems that the voice of of the Father (vs. 37) is defined here as referring to the word. The is word is not abiding in these religious leaders as is evidenced in what he says next…
    for you do not believe the one whom he has sent - not believing in the one the Father sent, his son Jesus is evidence that they don’t know the scriptures. This final witness will bring this out most clearly…

    V. The Witness of Scripture (39-47)

    A. Reject Jesus: Reject Scripture (39-44)

    (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 because you think that in them you have eternal life. Jesus agrees that the OT leads to eternal life (cf. 2 Tim. 3:15), while going on to reveal that this life is in Him, the author of eternal life. The searching of those who refuse to find Christ in the Scriptures is futile because it lacks the enlightenment of the Spirit, and this enlightenment is necessary if one is to believe in the Messiah (2 Cor. 3:6).
    The study of Scripture does not by itself impart life. The Scriptures rather bear witness to the One who gives life, namely, Jesus (cf. vv. 46–47). Consequently, the study of the Bible ought to result in genuine faith in Jesus, followed by obedient action and transformed lives, not merely acquisition of Bible knowledge.
    it is they that bear witness about me. People who (like Jesus’ Jewish opponents) read the OT without seeing that it all points to Jesus, fail to understand its message.
    (40) yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. - shows their blindness and inability to humble themselves and “come to me”, that they might have life.
    The religious leaders are like most of humanity today, if what they hear does not match up with what they believe, they push it down, no matter how true it may be, or how many evidences there are to support it.
    Romans 1:18–19 ESV
    18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.
    (41) I do not receive glory from people. - Jesus, even though he is the eternal Son of God, and the Son of Man, the one who can give life and reveal eternal truth that will provide salvation, he is not heralded as such but is demeaned and ostracized by those he came to save.
    (42) But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. - because Jesus is treated in this way, it is a further evidence that God’s love is not within them.
    (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.
    I have come in my Father’s name (onoma [noun] - ones character and reputation), and [you do] not [receive] (lambano [pre, act, ind] - to permit access to) me. - Jesus is saying that with all the proof and witnesses that have been called forth to validate my claim that I come from the Father, and thus I am the Son of God, you continually do not permit access to me.
    If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. - what I think Jesus is saying in the context is that anyone who comes with his own reputation and works, that does not pose a threat to the religious leaders understanding of tradition and God, they welcome them openly.
    (44) How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God?
    How can you believe, any belief system that is not based on the absolute truth of scripture is a system of unbelief, and is therefore eternally damning, since it exchanges the true glory and focus of God’s way of salvation, for one more acceptable and palatable to lost humanity, and glorifies them.
    when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God - in other words, you seek no glory higher then yourself!

    B. Reject Scripture: Reject Moses (45-47)

    The biggest reality and final nail in the coffin in these spiritually dead leaders, is that the rejection of scripture, is the rejection of Moses whom they venerate:
    (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. - Moses the one who you say you follow and obey and venerate, has become your accuser…how so?
    (46) For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me.
    For - let me explain why…
    if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me
    if you believed Moses, you would believe me assumes that genuine believers have a heart that is receptive to the true words of God, and therefore those who believe the words of God as written by Moses (that is, Genesis–Deuteronomy) will also recognize and eagerly receive the words of God as spoken by Jesus.
    Those who disbelieve Moses’ writings will also disbelieve Jesus. For he wrote of me applies not only to specific predictions like Deut. 18:15 but also to all the ways in which the history of salvation in these writings pointed to Christ, in other words, an allusion to all the types of the Pentateuch, fulfilled in Jesus.
    Deuteronomy 18:15 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—
    (47) But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” - again, in the final analysis, the words of Moses accuse these unbelievers since they are directly in synch with Jesus words.

    So What?

    Do we understand that all of scripture, both the Old and New Testaments is the revelation of Jesus, the Son of God?
    Do we understand that reading and believing the scriptures necessitates obedience to what we have read?
    Do we live in our own little world that seeks self-glory and will believe and act on only those things that feed that self-glory?

      • Deuteronomy 19:15ESV

      • John 5:30–47ESV

      • John 5:30–32ESV

      • John 5:19ESV

      • John 5:22ESV

      • John 5:33–35ESV

      • John 1:19–23ESV

      • John 1:34ESV

      • John 1:7ESV

      • John 5:36ESV

      • John 3:2ESV

      • John 5:37–38ESV

      • John 5:39–44ESV

      • Romans 1:18–19ESV

      • John 5:45–47ESV

      • Deuteronomy 18:15ESV

  • No Higher Calling
New Life Bible Fellowship Church
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https://newlifebfcde.org
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