Witnesses to Jesus - John 5:..

Welcome to Cornerstone Reformed Baptist Church. Thank you for using and sharing our resources. What you're about to hear is God's Word from one of our teaching elders. We trust that God's Word will inspire, instruct, and bless you. For further teachings or information on our ministry, please visit us on our website at cornerstonerbc.

com. That's cornerstonerbc.com. And our reading this evening will be or this afternoon will be from verses where we left off two weeks ago. So from verses 31 through 47.

Verse 31 through 47. If I alone bear witness about myself, and this is Jesus speaking, my testimony is not true. There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that his or 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 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 on me.

But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words? Amen. This is the word of the Lord. The passage before us in our ESV Bibles, I'm assuming most of us have ESV Bibles in our hands, is titled, The Witnesses to Jesus. And I do think this is a fitting title.

Because what we have here in chapter 5 is really an unveiling. It's a revelation of who Jesus is. It is front and center to this chapter. So if one asks the question, who is this Jesus? Then one needs to open his Bible and come to John chapter 5.

And there, by the time you've read through this chapter, you'll know beyond any shadow of a doubt how the Bible answers the question of who Jesus is. And he uses various testimonies as we'll come to see. And at that point, once we've gone through and examined what the Bible speaks of Christ, the question that is above all questions is this, do I believe what the Bible says about who Jesus is? As a congregation, we've been working our way through this chapter for several weeks now. We've made our way through the first 30 verses together.

We should be somewhat familiar with the context already, although it's been a couple of weeks since we've been in the Gospel of John. So the first 16 verses, we know our narrative of the invalid man who was healed in the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath. And we know that the religious leaders of the day were quite upset with Jesus because of what he did. As far as they're concerned, he broke the Sabbath. He violated the Sabbath according to their understanding.

So he made for himself enemies. But they were enemies anyway, because they were already seeking to kill him. We know that much. But when Jesus makes a defense or justifies what he did on that day, He begins with these words in verse 17. He says, my father is working until now, and I am working.

The Jews could clearly recognize what Jesus is saying in those words. They understood his claims. And if they were angry before, that anger is now swallowed up with indignant fury at him. And then we're told in the text that now all the more they sought to kill Jesus. because Jesus is making himself equal with God.

Now I've said before whether we believe the words in this Bible or not, and I'm trusting we do. We cannot deny what Jesus is saying in chapter 5 of the Gospel according to John. You see, the proud religious leaders of the day clearly recognize what Jesus is saying. And it's no different for us who read these words some 2,000 years later, because this is where it gets really serious. Because his claims or the claims of our Lord in this chapter are not neutral.

They're not claims that we read of who he is and what he claims to be, and we can sit back and go, okay, interesting, and move on. No, no, it demands a response from those who read. You see, this Jesus cannot be avoided. His self-attestation, the testimony that he gives of himself, if it is true, then everyone, that is, not only those here in the first century, but everyone who has ever lived would be accountable to this Jesus that we read of. And the only fitting response would be, if these words are indeed true, is that everyone should bend their knee to this Jesus and claim him as Lord.

Because one day He will judge, and this is where we ended the last time we were in the Gospel according to John a few weeks ago, and He'll judge the living and the dead with the authority that the Father has given Him. And those who have faith in Jesus, those who have heard His voice, testimony, the testimony that He is the source and the substance of life. They will enjoy life with Him, union with Him. They will share in His life for all eternity. But those who have not heard His voice, those who have not trusted, who have not believed upon this Jesus, then He will, with the power and the authority given to Him by the Father, He will judge them for all eternity, and they will spend all eternity in punishment.

outside the immediate presence of God. Now in the text before us, in verses 31 through 47, it seems to me very plausible that some present were thinking How much value? How much value are we to give this man? How much value are we to give this man who's testifying of himself? How much weight do we give to a single testimony of this once carpenter, now rabbi that stands before us?

Are we to believe what he says is true just because he says it's true? Maybe some in the crowd were thinking this way. Maybe some were thinking like the Pharisees, who were in John chapter 8, when they were around Christ, and Christ claimed to be the light of the world, and this was their response. They said, Jesus, if you're the only one bearing witness about yourself, then your testimony is not true, they said. We know the law, we know what Moses has written in Deuteronomy chapter 19.

We understand that a testimony cannot be established apart from two or three witnesses. Jesus, where's your witnesses? Maybe that's what they were thinking. I think it's possible that the words of our Lord in verse 31 have that in mind. Because our Lord says, 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. Now, we have to be very careful here not to flatten the words of Jesus, to make them mean something that he does not intend for them to mean. To suggest, for example, that Jesus is saying that his testimony on its own is somehow untrue. or that he claims that, or his claims to deity, his making of himself, don't stand on their own merits. Think about those implications.

Neither can be correct, beloved, because these words cannot be taken literally like that. As the sinless Son of God, He is the epitome of truth. His lips have never spoken a lie. In fact, if there was ever an eerie silence in first century Palestine, it would have been in John chapter 8, when Jesus issues His countrymen a challenge. Who or which one of you can convict me of a single sin?

Which one? Jesus' ministry was a public ministry. Day after day He was witnessed by thousands upon thousands who saw His every move, heard His every words, saw His actions, His attitudes, performing His miracles, and yet not one could come forward and stick or claim a single lie to the lips of our Lord. No, No, his testimony, the testimony of Jesus Christ does indeed stand on its own, and it is true. But according to his listeners ears, who were thinking probably Old Testament law, a single testimony would not be valid.

It would not be credible. It won't hold up on its own in a human law courts. I think we should read this verse like this. If I bear testimony of myself, then my testimony is not valid. Because the emphasis for our Lord in the following verses is to show that the Father has indeed provided credible witnesses to support the truth claims that the Lord has already made of himself.

You see, the veracity and the reliability of our Lord's testimony is never in question. In fact, in another context, John says, when he stresses this exact point, Jesus speaking, he says, even if I do bear witness about myself, my testimony is true. For I know where I come from and where I'm going, but you do not know where I come from or where I am going. that in Christ's mind, he knows that the very next words that are coming out of his mouth are to establish how it is that the Father uses or has provided witnesses to the truthfulness of who Jesus is. So Jesus brings this up.

And that's his purpose, to reveal that it's not only himself who's attesting to these truth claims, but others also. Verse 32, there is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. You see, Jesus doesn't put his foot down here. He doesn't demand to be believed upon or based upon his own testimony, although he is well within his rights as the Son of God to do so, but he doesn't do this here. Instead, he demonstrates that the Father himself testifies to the exactness of his claims.

Jesus is saying, I'm not a lone ranger. I've come in the name of my father to do his will. And my father is the one who verifies who I am. And my father has provided credible witnesses to testify of who I am. In fact, the theme that defines Jesus' whole ministry, the theme that is emphasized throughout this chapter as well, is the theme of the perfect unity that the Son has with the Father in all things.

All that He says and all that He does is exactly what the Father has given Him to say and to do. is in perfect harmony with the father's will, and therefore he bears testimony, or the father bears testimony to Christ through the provision of sufficient and credible witnesses. In other words, by sending the witnesses we're about to consider together here in chapter five, the father is saying, this is my son. I say, his words are my words, his works are my works, and you ought to listen and obey him as you would listen to and obey me. This makes sense of verse 23, doesn't it?

When we read verse 23, where Jesus says that we need to honor him as we would honor the Father. And then he goes on to say something along the lines of, if we dishonor him, the father is dishonored. The father is honored through the honoring of the son. There is a bond here between the father and the son. There's a father-son relationship that we need to understand.

It's one of unity. It's one of harmony. They work in concert. I and the father are one, Jesus would say. And you can almost hear it in the text.

It's as though the father is saying, I and the son are one. Now after thinking this through for a few moments, we probably would be thinking that this is a massive indictment for the Jews. They rejected the testimony of Christ, we know this, and by accusing Him of being a liar, they've accused Yahweh of being a liar. And it's not like they didn't know. You see, Jesus was very, very clear.

The witnesses that the Father had given were very, very clear. And we'll see that in a few moments. But Jesus will go on to say in John chapter 12, listen to what he says. He spells it out for them. He says, for I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has given me a commandment.

Hear this. His commandment is this, what to say and what to speak. Everything that Jesus says in his earthly ministry, including the incredible truths that we read from verses 19 through 30, and what we examined in the last, well, several weeks ago, they are the words that the Father had given or has given to Jesus Christ to speak. You see, Yahweh's name. The Lord, the God's name, the Father's name is at stake.

If everything Jesus has said is not completely and absolutely true, his name is on the line. So again, as I said earlier, to accuse Jesus of being a liar or to be dishonest in what he says is to accuse the Father of being a liar. You see how serious this is? The Jews thought that they could discredit Christ, but they didn't understand the implications of that. But in this chapter, Jesus has made it so clear to them that there is no excuse.

And beloved, don't for a moment think that this is a predicament that was facing only the first century Jews that we read of in this context. You and I, you and I, are aware of these truths also. We've read them. We've heard them. We've contemplated them.

We cannot unsee them or unread them. Our hearts, beloved, I want you to hear this, our hearts have already made a verdict upon the attestation of Jesus Christ of who he is. We've already done that in our hearts. We've made a decision. And so either we believe everything that is written in this book, and we believe what Jesus has spoken and what he claims of himself and says is supported and attested to and is witnessed by the Father, or we don't.

But we've already made that decision. in our hearts. And beloved, if we deny the truths of Christ, then we deny the truths of the Father. If we call Christ a liar, we call the Father a liar. The same author makes it very clear in 1 John chapter 5, where he says these words, whoever believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself.

Whoever believes in the Son of God has a testimony in himself. Whoever does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has borne concerning the Son. So how? How has the father borne testimony concerning his son? We have before us three witnesses that the father uses to testify to Jesus Christ.

Three credible witnesses that speak to the veracity and the truthfulness of Jesus's own claims of himself. The first witness is John the Baptist, and we'll see that from verses 33 through 35. The second witness is the works of Christ, verse 36. And the third witness is the Word of God, or the Scripture. And we see that theme actually follows through from verses 37 through to the end of the chapter, through verse 47.

So by God's grace, we will look at the first two here this afternoon. We will look at the witness of John the Baptist, and we'll also look at the witness of the works that the Father has given to Christ, the works of Jesus Christ. The Scripture will lead God willing till next week. And by God's grace, we'll try to finish that off next week, if that's possible. First witness is John the Baptist.

As far as men are concerned, is there even a more credible witness? In the words of our own Lord Matthew chapter 11, truly, truly, I say to you, among those born of women, there has risen no one greater than John the Baptist. He was born for this purpose. He was consecrated to usher in the arrival of the Messiah, the Savior of the world, prophesied in the Old Testament as the forerunner to come. He was filled with the Holy Spirit in his mother's womb, and he was set apart for the ministry that is before him.

The father appointed John, and he sent John as a credible witness to Jesus Christ. Not that the truthfulness of Christ's identity relies on the testimony of man. Jesus Christ, He knows who He is. He knows that He was in eternal fellowship with the Father from eternity past. John 1-2 tells us He was in fellowship with the Father, face to face with the Father in the original, from eternity past.

Now, Jesus knows who He is. He doesn't depend on the testimony a man but John's testimony has been given or John and his testimony has been given by the father and Jesus mentions it here so that people would see what he said and who he pointed to hear his message and believe in the one that was pointed to and that they may be saved that's that's what verse 34 speaks here in our text and the Jews heard John's testimony They heard it, and they understood his message. You see, Jesus reminded them in verse 33. He said, you sent to John. I think it's clear in this passage that Jesus is speaking about the context of the passage that we examined as a church back, back a year ago, back in chapter one, from verses 19 to 28.

If you remember back then, it's been over a year, so our memory might be a bit, Not so good, but if you remember back then that the Pharisees had already sent a delegate of Levites and priests to go and inquire who this John is. They heard the kafafu. They heard the commotion. John's influence was great and it was far-reaching. And they needed to know who this man is in the wilderness, this peculiar, odd-looking man in the wilderness, and why it is he's attracting the crowd.

So when the Levites and the priests approached John, if you remember, they asked him a few questions. And what was on their mind was this. Are you Elijah? Are you the Elijah they were waiting to return? Or are you the prophet?

Are you the prophet like Moses that's spoken of in Deuteronomy chapter 18 that we're awaiting for? Or are you even the Messiah? Many in the day thought John the Baptist was indeed the Messiah, but John was neither. He was a man sent by the Father to witness and proclaim the truth of the Messiah. He was a forerunner to point to Christ, and he was a humble man who knew his place in God's plan of redemption.

He didn't take glory upon himself. He didn't revel in the fame that God had given him, but rather he was fully aware who he was as the forerunner And so he denies all these assumptions from the Levites and the priests. And this is what he says. He says, I am a voice in the wilderness, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. It's not about me.

I'm the voice. I'm going to testify. I'm going to bear witness of another. And that other is greater than I, and I am unworthy to untie his sandals. And beloved, the Jews would have been pretty impressed at that.

You see, and this is why Jesus would say here that for a while they found joy, the Jews found joy in John's ministry. because it's been many months now since we've examined, but we do know how great John's ministry was. And we do know his influence that was throughout the whole countryside, which was unparalleled by any other prophet. And one of the main reasons, especially to attract the religious leaders of the day, and when John, the apostle John, speaks of the Jews throughout this book, we said it before, but he is really speaking about the religious leaders of the day, not just the common folk, but mainly the religious leaders. And they would have been very, very impressed because they were all waiting for Messiah.

See, John the Baptist was proclaiming the imminent return or imminent arrival of Messiah. And at a time where, according to each extra biblical resources, the messianic anticipation was never higher, John's message that the Messiah is coming was welcomed and it was received with open arms. Israel rejoiced to hear the message of the Messiah. They wanted to see the Messiah come, because in their mind, the Messiah, as far as they're concerned, was going to be a warrior general. He was going to be a powerful man sent by God who will conquer the oppression of the enemy against Israel, restore the land to the people of Israel.

He will rule and reign in peace and righteousness. Yes, bring it on! bring the messiah on john keep it keep it going preach the messiah this is what we want we will rejoice in him and even to the point where mark chapter 6 tells us even herod king herod the evil king herod who captured john the baptist imprisoned him And at this time, it's very likely that he's probably just being beheaded by this evil king. John, in Mark chapter 6, we're told that he, Herod, acknowledged John as a holy man. But not only that, he gladly heard him preach.

He was glad to hear him. Because the message, although it was peacing, he spoke of a Messiah to come. See, as a forerunner to Christ, John was not. It was not the main event. And he gives us the example in John chapter 4 where he speaks of him being like the best man at a wedding.

And when the bridegroom comes, the best man slips aside and he gives the limelight and the center stage to the groom. See, because in John chapter 1 verse 6 we're told, or verse 8, John was not the light, but he came to bear witness about the light. his function, his purpose was to bear witness to Christ. Because Christ is the light of the world. And so when John, when Jesus went out into the wilderness to be baptized by John, the Spirit of God had revealed to John that this is Messiah, this is the Son of God.

And then something happens. There's been a change in his in his proclamation. It was, prepare ye the way, straight the way of the Lord. But now his proclamation is now, I now know that Jesus has come on the scene. The Messiah has come, the Christ that we've been anticipating has now come, and his message is that over there, that man over there, he is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

Now, it's probably about this time where the Jews or the Jewish religious leaders were thinking, OK, don't we? We do want to see the Messiah come. And we're glad to hear you say that. But what's this about sins? take the blame of God, it takes away the sin of the world.

And what is this about world? When you say world, are you saying that the Messiah is also the Messiah of the dirty, uncircumcised Gentiles? Because I don't know if we like that very much, John. You see, it becomes quickly obvious that this Christ, this Messiah that John the Baptist was testifying to, didn't stack up according to their expectations. They didn't want to land.

They wanted a lion. So as the moths are attracted to a shining light of a lamp until the oil runs out, the Jews rejoiced in John's light for a while. That's what Jesus is saying. But now with John, at least he's imprisoned or most likely beheaded. That light, that lamp has been snuffed out.

And so rather than rather than to turn to the source of light, the light of the world that John always was pointing towards. rather than go to the one he was testifying about. The very purpose of his ministry was to see Christ and to usher him in and to tell Israel, he is your king, he is your Messiah, he is your Redeemer, your Savior. Rather than to walk after the light, once John's out of the way, they slip back into the darkness. They reject the light.

Why? Because their works were evil. It's not that the testimony of John was unclear. He was very clear in what he said. How clearer can you get than saying Christ must increase and I must decrease?

Basically, he's saying follow him, not me. Follow him. But the issue was not with the witness. It wasn't with John or with his message. He was faithful and true.

The issue was with a corrupted heart that rejects Jesus. Beloved, the issue is unbelief. So even then, as great as John the Baptist was, Jesus says there is yet a greater witness that the Father uses to testify to him. 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.

You see, John proclaimed the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. Jesus is the Lamb of God, and Jesus is the one who does take away the sin of the world. You see, it's one thing to prepare the way for Messiah. It's another thing altogether to do the work of the Messiah. John's witness was great.

The apostle here is not belittling or reducing the impact or the faithfulness of this great man. His ministry, his witness was great. But Jesus's ministry, Jesus's works, the works of the father has given to Christ to accomplish a greater still. All the work, all the work that Christ will accomplish in His incarnation, or has accomplished in His incarnation, are in view here. From His birth to the cross, His whole ministry will testify to who He is, that the Father sent Him.

that He is the Son of God, that He is all He claims to be. All of it will testify to Him. The things that He's spoken already, the truths that we've examined already from verse 19 through 30, that He is the resurrection and the life, the truths about the spiritual resurrection to those who hear His voice. He will bring them to life from death to life spiritually. It works.

They testify to who He is. What about the physical resurrection that will one day happen, where the voice of Jesus, even those in the tombs, will rise up physically, and He will judge, and He will execute judgment, righteous judgment, and to those who do good, to the resurrection of the life, and those who do evil, to the resurrection of judgment. That is a work of Jesus Christ, and that is going to, or does, testify to who He is, But here in the immediate context of John chapter five, our Lord is specific because he says specifically the works that I am doing. And that's a present time phrase. So the works he's referring to, I believe, the works that will evidence who he is, the works that give or bear testimony of who he is, are the signs and the wonders that he has performed.

Now we know for a fact that the signs and wonders do not create faith in a person. We've said that many a times. Signs and wonders do not create faith in a person. It is the Spirit of God who quickens a person unto life and gifts faith. The signs and the wonders are to validate, to attest, to the person doing the signs and the wonders.

But they should never be dismissed. The signs and the wonders should never be dismissed because the Lord, because the Father, uses those testimonies, those witnesses, to draw people unto Christ. In other words, a sign should never be the ends of itself, but it ought to point to the doer and say something about the person who performs that sign. In the case of Jesus, Jesus is saying here that the signs were given or the works were given him by the Father to bear witness that he was sent by the Father. that when people see, that when people see the wonders and the signs that Jesus performed, they would back off and say, this can only be done by God.

This is impossible with man. So they must conclude one of two things, either the person performing the sign is indeed God, or at the very least, that it is God who has empowered the sign. Either way, if God is behind, then God is authenticating the person who is in front of you, and at that point, that sign serves so that those who are witnessing the sign being performed ought to look to that person and hear what he has to say, because he is sent by God. They ought to know that it is from God. And so we know this is the case.

We have an example, for example, in John chapter 3, when Nicodemus comes to Jesus. You remember the first words he says to Christ. He says, 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. Now, it's important that we understand that in the Gospel according to John, we only have seven signs, and we know that I've said that on many occasions, but we do know that Jesus performed much more than this. In fact, the synoptics tell us that Jesus was doing miracles very, very early in his ministry.

And we're told also that in the last verse, in fact, of the Gospel of John, we're told that if all the signs that Jesus had done, if all the work that he had done were recorded, all the books in the world would not be able to contain them. So we know that Jesus did many, many, many signs, but only seven recorded in the Gospel here, according to John, because there's a specific reason why John records those. Ultimately, in chapter 20, He tells us, so that we would, this is what he says, these are written so that we may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing, you may have life in his name. That's the purpose to put seven, but we know there are much more. But the Father bears witness.

to Christ in every single one of those signs. Because if we track the Gospels, if we track the synoptics or even hear the Gospel according to John, we would quickly realize that every wonder, every healing, every miracle at the hand of our Lord can only be attested to God Himself. Because these are impossibilities. with men, and Nicodemus comes and vouches for that. Although this man, at least maybe not at a heart level at this point, but at least mentally, a man who recognizes the scripture, he was able to come to Jesus and say, we know that you're from God because no one can do the signs that you do unless God is with him.

And even if we were only to consider the few signs that we have for us already, because we've been through three of these signs. The first one was Jesus turning water into well-aged wine, just by his will. The second is when Jesus heals the royal official's son in Capernaum, when Jesus is in Cana, some 25 kilometers away, by his words. And what about the third? The third is right here before us in this chapter.

When the invalid man of almost four decades, body as good as dead. And then Jesus says, get up. And that body, his life, his body is restored to life. Beloved, anyone who'd see these things. must back off and say, this is either God who is before us or empowered by God.

Because these signs are divine. But either way, it doesn't matter which way you conclude at that point, you must know that whatever comes out of the mouth of that person is truth. And then what you do with that truth is what will determine where your heart is. This point is made so clear, because when the Jews in John chapter 10, they corner Jesus, and they come to him point blank, and they say to him, listen to what they say in John chapter 10, 24. So the Jews gathered around him and said to him, how long will you keep us in suspense?

If you are the Christ, Tell us plainly. If you are the Messiah we've been waiting for, would you please just tell us? Tell us with your words, Jesus. Get us out of our misery, please. Are you the Christ or not?

Very interesting how Jesus replies. Listen to what he says. Jesus answered him, I told you and you do not believe. So these people are saying, tell us, and Jesus says, I've already told you, but you do not believe. How did you tell them, Jesus?

Listen to what he says. The works that I do in my father's name bear witness about me, but you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. Do you see what Jesus is saying to you? We need to just take notice and listen to the words of our Lord. He's saying that the works you have seen me do, the works that the Father has given for me to do, they speak louder than words.

This is incredible. My works have spoken to my identity. And if you had eyes to see, you would know that that question, am I Messiah? Am I the Christ? Has already been answered time and time and time again.

but they couldn't understand because they didn't have the ears to hear and they didn't have eyes to see. Although the signs were unmistakable, these people did not recognize the voice of their shepherd because they're not among his sheep, because they don't believe. This is devastating. This is actually terrifying. because it's possible, what Jesus is saying is that it's possible to see his work.

It's possible to marvel at his wonders and still not believe the truth. We have an example of this, a man who's been invalid for 38 years, made completely whole at the sound of Jesus's voice. Now he walks in perfect physical health, and rather than the Jewish leaders falling on their knees, and submitting their whole allegiance to Christ and believing all that he claims to be because only God can perform these signs and these wonders. And if God has chosen to perform them through you and Jesus, you have said to us that you are the son of God doing the very work of God, that you have life in your name, that you should be honored like God. Then we need to believe you because God doesn't work through liars.

Rather than do that, so clear, what do they do? They persecute him for healing on the Sabbath, and they seek to kill him. Beloved, is this not devastating? You see, his works speak, and they tell that you are, that he is the Messiah that you've been waiting for, that he's the Redeemer of Israel, the Redeemer of the world, and you are hung up on a violation of the Sabbath according to your understanding. It's not that Jesus' witness was unclear.

It wasn't that his words were unclear. You see, John spoke clearly and Jesus' words speak clearly. The problem is an unbelieving heart. That's the problem. And this is the nature of sin.

It makes a man a fool. What is so clear and staring one in the face, they cannot see for what it is. You see, the Jews didn't deny the signs of the wonders. They didn't deny them. They were so plain and they were so obvious, they couldn't deny them.

They dealt with Christ and his works in a fairly evil way. Because they could not deny what he did, they tried to cover up as much as possible. An example of this is when Jesus raises Lazarus from the dead. There were too many witnesses. There were actually many people who saw Christ raise this man after four days being dead.

And what can they do? There's witnesses there. And then they heard reports that people are trickling into the town to see Lazarus for themselves to see, is this what we hear true? So what did they do? Well, they choose not to believe.

They saw, they knew, they knew Lazarus is alive. They knew, rather than to submit to Christ and realize that only God, they knew the scripture, and they knew only God could give life. Yet Jesus, through the power of His own words, and says, Lazarus, come forth, and He comes forth, rather than to submit to the truth of He who is standing before them. They hardened their hearts in unbelief, and they choose instead to get rid of the evidence. So they plot to kill Jesus and kill Lazarus.

This is the product of the sinful heart. And beloved, if that assassination, or if they cannot pull off an assassination like that, they'll do all they can to discredit Jesus' testimony. Because these works that Jesus claims are from the Father, they claim he's doing them by the power of Belzebul. And you've got to think about the seriousness of that. Because Jesus says that I don't do anything on my own.

I only do that which the Father has given me to do. Therefore, my work, the Father's work, is my work. My work is the Father's work. That's what he's saying. And then, if you sit back and you listen to what these Jewish leaders are saying, the religious leaders are saying, if Jesus' work is attributed to Beelzebul, then what they're doing is they're attributing Yahweh's work to Satan himself.

This is an indictment to the Jews, and beloved, it's an indictment to us as well. Because we read these words, we may not have been there to witness with our eyes the miracles, but they're recorded for us in Scripture. We may not have heard the testimony of John the Baptist with our own ears, but it's recorded for us in Scripture. And if we believe that Scripture is inerrant, it is the Word of God, it is the sole revelation of God. for mankind is how he reveals himself to mankind, then we are accountable to what we do with that revelation.

That comes next week because we'll address scripture next week. But we ought to be thinking these things through and asking ourselves, do I believe what the Bible says? Do I believe what Jesus says of himself? Because it's easier to look back and say, how could they have been so blind? to see the miracles and yet not see that He is indeed the Son of God.

And I can only say that is a suppression of the truth of God in unrighteousness. And beloved, if we stand here today, redeem the believing upon Jesus Christ, then the only reason we don't do the same is because of the grace of God. Not because of the goodness of our own hearts. Our brother said earlier, it is simply the grace of God. Because it's so natural, so natural to say, to point the finger and say, how could they get it so wrong?

How could they get it so wrong? And this is just as a plea, when I want to ask you this question, I want to end with this. that sometimes we look back and we think maybe they were primitive, you know, this is 2,000 years ago, they didn't have the technology, they may not have been as educated as we are today. And we look at that and we think, well, okay, maybe they weren't as smart or whatever, so we might blame them. We might look back and point the finger and blame them and say, look, if I was there, I would have seen it, I would have heard, I would have known, like, surely I would have, and I wanna ask you the question.

Because I've heard this from my own ears. I've heard people say, if I see a miracle done right now before me, I will believe. I will believe. If I see a miracle, I will believe. If God heals my son, I will believe.

If God gives me this promotion, I will believe. I will trust in Him. I will worship. I've heard it. I've heard it before.

But is our world any different? Is our generation now, in the 21st century, any different to what it was in the 1st century? I will submit to you and say the human heart is just as corrupt. It's just as corrupt. Because when we look in our world and we look at its beauty, and its order, and its delicate precision, and how it all works, whether it's the sun and the moon, or the oceans and the mountains, or something closer to home, like the intricate complexities of the human anatomy, When we look at these things, how is it that the world can look at these witnesses that cry out, there is a God?

How can they look at these witnesses that cry out that he is glorious and deny that there is a God? How can they believe the lie that expels God completely from creation? The lie that makes you and I and everything around us a cosmic accident with no purpose and godless? It began with a few millimeters of nothingness 13.7 million years ago.

How could one take the Creator, God, out of the equation and still be deemed rational? Beloved, this is the devastating thing, that although everything in creation is stamped with His glory and it cries out that there is indeed a God, the devastating thing is those who believe that are seen as irrational. and small-minded in our society today. Tables have turned. But the question we need to ask ourselves is this, do we believe?

Because one thing we should remember is that Jesus is the judge of all the world. He will judge the living and the dead and we'll all stand before him one day. And only those who have trusted in him, only those who believed upon him, only those who have placed and apprehended him by faith knowing and believing every truth claim he has made in this world is to be true. and a bend their knees to Him, only those will be safe. Not because of what they are or who they were or what they've done, but because of who He is and what He has done.

Beloved, as I said earlier, the problem in the first century with these religious leaders and the problem today is unfortunately, it is the corruption of the heart. It is unbelief. And the remedy to unbelief is grace. It's the divine grace of God. That's what's needed.

witnesses to point us to Christ. And He uses those witnesses as means. They don't produce faith. It is God, by His Spirit, that produces faith within us. But it is through understanding and knowing who Jesus is and what He claims to be, knowing that we are sinners, that we are in need of a Redeemer, of a Savior.

We're in need of the life because In a natural state, we're dead, and He brings us to life, and He is the only life giver, the source and the substance of life. We need, in a natural state, a new heart, because the old heart is one of stone that cannot respond to the things of God. We need a heart transplant, and that, beloved, comes by grace, and the Bible tells us that it comes through the preaching of the gospel, that it pleases God through the preaching of the gospel, through pointing to Messiah, through pointing to Jesus, through pointing to the only Savior of the world, that God is pleased, that through that means that He by His Holy Spirit presses that into the hearts of some and brings them into faith. And by His grace, He gathers and gathers, and He will gather a bride, a complete bride, and He will make her beautiful for His Son. May it be that we believe, may it be that we acknowledge this in our hearts, in our minds, and may it be something that we live out in our lives.

Amen, let's pray.