1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:03,920 Is equal with God. And today we'll see how Jesus is 2 00:00:03,920 --> 00:00:13,680 the judge of all. You may have heard children say 3 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:19,120 this particular phrase. Prove it, prove it, prove it. 4 00:00:20,240 --> 00:00:22,760 Well, this particularly is in a scene in a movie that I watched 5 00:00:22,760 --> 00:00:26,520 a lot with my family. It's about a famous boy band of 6 00:00:26,520 --> 00:00:29,760 five brothers who couldn't get along, so they split up. 7 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:33,440 And one of the brothers, Bruce, went on and got married and had 8 00:00:33,440 --> 00:00:37,920 children. And he also with that, got a dad 9 00:00:37,920 --> 00:00:39,400 bod. If you don't know what that is, 10 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:42,360 it's a big belly that comes along with being a father. 11 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:45,320 And when all the brothers started getting back together, 12 00:00:45,320 --> 00:00:49,720 Bruce's children just could not believe his dad's words when he 13 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:54,160 said he used to be in a boy band, singing, dancing. 14 00:00:54,840 --> 00:00:58,760 And so they start chanting, prove it, prove it, prove it. 15 00:00:59,440 --> 00:01:03,680 And the dad feels like he has no choice but to prove himself. 16 00:01:04,959 --> 00:01:10,840 Now this posture of unbelief until proven otherwise is not 17 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:15,560 just in children, not just in movies, it's and it's also not 18 00:01:15,560 --> 00:01:19,360 just against people when people claim to be something that is 19 00:01:19,360 --> 00:01:23,560 hard to believe. This posture first is in all 20 00:01:23,560 --> 00:01:27,880 people and and we are all naturally against God. 21 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:34,240 We are not naturally believers. 1 atheist summarizes it well. 22 00:01:34,280 --> 00:01:38,920 His reason for being an atheist. He claims that simply God has 23 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:43,920 not given sufficient evidence, just not enough. 24 00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:49,640 At the heart, saying there is not enough evidence from God is 25 00:01:49,640 --> 00:01:55,840 the same as mockingly demanding God prove it, prove it, prove 26 00:01:55,840 --> 00:02:02,640 it, when God has already provided the evidence to go 27 00:02:02,640 --> 00:02:06,080 along with the claims and the truths that he makes in God's 28 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:08,479 word. It's just simply a more mature 29 00:02:08,479 --> 00:02:12,000 way to say God doesn't show us enough evidence. 30 00:02:13,280 --> 00:02:16,720 Well, we need to understand that a lack of more obvious evidence 31 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:19,360 does not mean that there is no evidence at all. 32 00:02:20,880 --> 00:02:24,720 If God wanted us to give more obvious evidence in the ways we 33 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:27,960 wanted, He could. He could have spelled out the 34 00:02:27,960 --> 00:02:31,880 name Jesus using the pieces of chicken in your Boo Boo I am, or 35 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:33,840 whatever else you had this morning. 36 00:02:34,920 --> 00:02:38,080 But let's be clear. In the Bible there are 37 00:02:38,080 --> 00:02:41,920 descriptions of people who have seen miraculous things, signs of 38 00:02:41,920 --> 00:02:45,960 God, but did not necessarily draw closer to God by faith. 39 00:02:46,520 --> 00:02:47,920 This is clear in the Old Testament. 40 00:02:47,920 --> 00:02:51,720 The Israelites, prime examples of people miraculously slaves 41 00:02:51,720 --> 00:02:55,840 out of slavery from Egypt, miraculously sustained by manna, 42 00:02:56,040 --> 00:02:59,280 this miraculous food from God every morning in the wilderness, 43 00:03:00,120 --> 00:03:04,640 who drank water flowing from the rock, yet still disobeyed and 44 00:03:04,640 --> 00:03:08,200 rebelled against God. And then in the New Testament, 45 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:11,000 it's no surprise when we see the same pattern all over again now 46 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:13,960 happening with Jesus and the Jews. 47 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:18,280 Jesus came to his own people, but his own people did not 48 00:03:18,280 --> 00:03:22,120 receive him. They saw Jesus signs and wonders 49 00:03:22,840 --> 00:03:25,560 like healing all kinds of sicknesses and physical 50 00:03:25,560 --> 00:03:30,760 conditions and infirmities, even spiritual ones, and even raising 51 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:34,400 people back from the dead. But that still was not enough, 52 00:03:36,480 --> 00:03:38,720 because in our natural perspective we are naturally 53 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:41,680 against God. Let's not think too highly of 54 00:03:41,680 --> 00:03:47,320 ourselves that somehow we would ever be satisfied by more 55 00:03:47,320 --> 00:03:50,240 obvious evidence, even if God were to show us. 56 00:03:51,120 --> 00:03:54,480 So instead of doing that, instead of demanding God with an 57 00:03:54,560 --> 00:03:57,160 attitude of prove it, prove it, prove it. 58 00:03:57,600 --> 00:04:00,560 The more reasonable approach would be for us to come and 59 00:04:00,560 --> 00:04:04,520 examine and evaluate the evidence that has already been 60 00:04:04,520 --> 00:04:08,520 given. To do the honest work of first 61 00:04:08,520 --> 00:04:13,400 carefully considering what God has said and done, to work with 62 00:04:13,400 --> 00:04:17,880 what is available to us, and then to come to a conclusion to 63 00:04:17,880 --> 00:04:21,120 believe it as true or not believe. 64 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:24,800 This is what we will all need to do today as we go through the 65 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:29,040 words of Jesus Christ in John chapter 5 verses 19 to 47. 66 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:32,920 To give some context, in the beginning half of John chapter 67 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:37,920 5, we saw last time how Jesus miraculously healed a man who 68 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:42,040 was an invalid for 38 years by simply telling the man get up, 69 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:45,080 take up your bed and walk and instantly he was healed. 70 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:49,600 But the problem that was, was that it was on the Jewish 71 00:04:49,600 --> 00:04:54,120 Sabbath day where no one could be working, even healing 72 00:04:54,120 --> 00:04:58,160 apparently, where no one else but God could be working to that 73 00:04:58,200 --> 00:05:04,360 Jesus called God my Father. And that upset the Jews even 74 00:05:04,360 --> 00:05:07,960 more because they saw Jesus making himself equal with God. 75 00:05:08,760 --> 00:05:13,240 So Jesus now responds to them in verses 19 to 47. 76 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,160 So follow along as please follow along with me as I read. 77 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:18,520 And if you don't have a Bible, I'm sure somebody next to you 78 00:05:18,520 --> 00:05:21,360 would be willing to share. It will benefit you to keep your 79 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:25,560 Bible open throughout the sermon to check that what I am saying 80 00:05:25,560 --> 00:05:27,960 is really from God's Word and not my own ideas. 81 00:05:28,840 --> 00:05:34,440 So let's look to John chapter 5 verses 19 to 47. 82 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:40,040 So Jesus said to them, truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can 83 00:05:40,040 --> 00:05:43,240 do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father 84 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:45,520 doing. For whatever the Father does 85 00:05:45,520 --> 00:05:49,040 that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and 86 00:05:49,040 --> 00:05:52,400 shows him all that he himself is doing, and greater works than 87 00:05:52,400 --> 00:05:55,840 these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 88 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,200 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so 89 00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:01,760 also the Son gives life to whom He will. 90 00:06:02,360 --> 00:06:05,240 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgement to 91 00:06:05,240 --> 00:06:07,920 the Son, that all may honour the Son, just as they honour the 92 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:10,280 Father. Whoever does not honour the Son 93 00:06:10,280 --> 00:06:11,760 does not honour the Father who sent him. 94 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:15,520 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and 95 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:18,240 believes Him who sent me has eternal life. 96 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:21,840 He does not come into judgement, but He has but has passed from 97 00:06:21,840 --> 00:06:24,880 death to life. Truly, truly, I say to you, an 98 00:06:24,880 --> 00:06:28,200 hour is coming and is now here, when the dead will hear the 99 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:32,160 voice of the Son of God and those who here will live. 100 00:06:32,520 --> 00:06:35,560 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the 101 00:06:35,560 --> 00:06:39,720 Son to have also to have life in himself, and He has given him 102 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:43,200 authority to execute judgement, because He is the Son of man. 103 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:47,520 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are 104 00:06:47,520 --> 00:06:51,440 in the tombs will hear His voice and come out, those who have 105 00:06:51,440 --> 00:06:54,360 done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done 106 00:06:54,360 --> 00:06:56,400 evil to the resurrection of judgement. 107 00:06:57,160 --> 00:07:00,040 I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my 108 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:04,000 judgement is just because I seek not my own will, but the will of 109 00:07:04,000 --> 00:07:06,840 Him who sent me. If I alone bear witness about 110 00:07:06,840 --> 00:07:10,240 myself, my testimony is true. There's another who bears 111 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:13,040 witness about me, and I know that the testimony that He bears 112 00:07:13,040 --> 00:07:16,760 about me is true. You sent to John, and he has 113 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:19,240 borne witness to the truth. Not that the testimony that I 114 00:07:19,240 --> 00:07:22,760 receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be 115 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:24,960 saved. He was a burning and shining 116 00:07:24,960 --> 00:07:27,720 lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his 117 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,000 light. But the testimony that I have is 118 00:07:30,000 --> 00:07:32,880 greater than that of John. For the works that the Father 119 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:36,520 has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear 120 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:39,080 witness about me that the Father has sent me. 121 00:07:39,600 --> 00:07:43,880 And the Father who sent me has Himself borne witness about me. 122 00:07:44,320 --> 00:07:47,480 His voice you have never heard, His form you have never seen, 123 00:07:47,640 --> 00:07:49,720 and you do not have His word abiding in you. 124 00:07:50,040 --> 00:07:52,680 For you do not believe the one whom He has sent. 125 00:07:53,000 --> 00:07:55,240 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them 126 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,760 you have eternal life, and it is they that bear witness about me. 127 00:07:58,840 --> 00:08:01,520 Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 128 00:08:02,400 --> 00:08:05,200 I do not receive glory from people, but I know that you do 129 00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:06,680 not have the love of God within you. 130 00:08:07,160 --> 00:08:09,760 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive Me. 131 00:08:10,080 --> 00:08:12,480 If another comes in His own name, you will receive Him. 132 00:08:13,040 --> 00:08:16,440 How Can you believe when you receive glory from one another 133 00:08:16,600 --> 00:08:19,000 and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 134 00:08:19,560 --> 00:08:21,760 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. 135 00:08:22,040 --> 00:08:24,960 There is one who accuses you, Moses, on whom you have such a 136 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:27,600 hope. For if you believe Moses, you 137 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,240 would believe me, for he wrote of me. 138 00:08:30,600 --> 00:08:34,000 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe 139 00:08:34,159 --> 00:08:37,039 my words? This is the Word of God, Amen. 140 00:08:37,520 --> 00:08:39,120 We'll look at this passage in two parts. 141 00:08:39,240 --> 00:08:41,760 And if you're undertaking notes, these are the two points of the 142 00:08:41,760 --> 00:08:44,480 sermon. These are the evidences that are 143 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:48,640 already available for us to carefully consider today, right 144 00:08:48,640 --> 00:08:53,840 now, as Jesus explains his define authority as the judge of 145 00:08:53,840 --> 00:08:56,600 all. So first we'll see Jesus's 146 00:08:56,600 --> 00:09:00,200 defence of divine authority verses 19 to 29. 147 00:09:00,440 --> 00:09:05,280 And 2nd, Jesus witnesses of his define authority verses 30 to 148 00:09:05,280 --> 00:09:10,120 47. So first his defence of divine 149 00:09:10,200 --> 00:09:12,320 authority. Jesus begins his defence by 150 00:09:12,320 --> 00:09:18,520 saying in verse 19, Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can 151 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:21,520 do nothing of his own accord, but only that what he sees the 152 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:24,600 Father doing for whatever the Father does that the Son does 153 00:09:24,600 --> 00:09:27,760 likewise. To be clear here, Jesus is not 154 00:09:27,760 --> 00:09:31,080 just another prophet like Moses or Elijah. 155 00:09:31,520 --> 00:09:35,480 Prophets came to people declaring thus says the Lord, 156 00:09:35,480 --> 00:09:39,560 for they were messengers from God delivering messages to the 157 00:09:39,560 --> 00:09:41,560 people. But Jesus says in this passage 158 00:09:41,560 --> 00:09:49,520 three times and including here, truly, truly, I say to you, He 159 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:53,440 then says that he cannot do anything of his own choosing. 160 00:09:53,880 --> 00:09:56,760 He doesn't say that he does not do other things from the Father. 161 00:09:56,840 --> 00:10:00,200 He cannot do other things apart from the Father. 162 00:10:00,720 --> 00:10:04,160 This is emphasized in the the original language here as a 163 00:10:04,160 --> 00:10:08,080 double negative, literally meaning I cannot do nothing. 164 00:10:09,720 --> 00:10:12,760 It's not the best of grammar in English, but we still 165 00:10:12,760 --> 00:10:15,480 nevertheless understand the meaning that is emphasized. 166 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:20,600 Jesus is making a strong point that he indeed is equal with God 167 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:24,680 for everything that he does. It's what the Father does. 168 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:27,400 Everything the Father does is what he does. 169 00:10:29,200 --> 00:10:35,120 And so in the most ultimate sense, we see like Father, like 170 00:10:35,120 --> 00:10:38,720 Son. By seeing who Jesus is, we get 171 00:10:38,720 --> 00:10:41,080 to see what God the Father is like. 172 00:10:42,680 --> 00:10:46,840 And so for us here today, if you have a hard time believing how 173 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:50,800 God created the universe by speaking creation, all of 174 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:53,720 creation into existence, then look to Jesus. 175 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:57,360 Look to Jesus and how he healed a man who could not move on his 176 00:10:57,360 --> 00:11:03,440 own for 38 years, simply telling him to get up and walk and he 177 00:11:03,440 --> 00:11:06,560 did just that. And before that we saw how Jesus 178 00:11:06,560 --> 00:11:11,320 healed the dying Son in the next town over when he told the 179 00:11:11,320 --> 00:11:13,680 desperate Father who came searching for Jesus. 180 00:11:13,880 --> 00:11:16,240 Your Son will live in that very moment. 181 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:19,120 Next town over, the Son was healed. 182 00:11:20,560 --> 00:11:25,320 See God the Son and you can know more of God the Father. 183 00:11:26,840 --> 00:11:30,360 Jesus continues his defence that the unity that He has between 184 00:11:30,440 --> 00:11:34,680 the Father and the Son is seen in their unique relationship 185 00:11:34,880 --> 00:11:37,680 with one another. Their unique relationship is 186 00:11:37,680 --> 00:11:43,440 marked by a shared love between Father and the Son. 187 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:51,040 This truth helps us to understand because all of us to 188 00:11:51,040 --> 00:11:54,160 some degree have a difficult time understanding how there is 189 00:11:54,200 --> 00:11:57,520 one God eternally existing in three persons. 190 00:11:58,440 --> 00:12:01,200 If you have a hard time believing that doctrine of 191 00:12:01,200 --> 00:12:05,160 Trinity, hear Jesus words. He describes this mysterious 192 00:12:05,160 --> 00:12:10,160 unity of the distinct persons of one God in this passage. 193 00:12:10,680 --> 00:12:14,040 How and it is how people throughout history came to 194 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:19,480 understand what the Bible teaches about the Trinity along 195 00:12:19,480 --> 00:12:22,480 with the Holy Spirit as the third person of God. 196 00:12:22,680 --> 00:12:27,400 Christians studied Jesus's words and then came to the conclusion 197 00:12:27,560 --> 00:12:31,840 that there is a special spiritual unity among three 198 00:12:31,840 --> 00:12:37,560 persons, the Tri unity of God. The doctrine of the Trinity is 199 00:12:37,560 --> 00:12:43,200 not then man made stuff, but truths that Jesus himself taught 200 00:12:43,200 --> 00:12:47,400 us. If I could speak briefly to the 201 00:12:47,600 --> 00:12:50,520 teens here and to the young people, if you want to consider 202 00:12:50,520 --> 00:12:54,840 yourself young, whoever you are, if you truly want to know God 203 00:12:55,400 --> 00:13:01,560 who is invisible and cannot be seen, look to Jesus in his word. 204 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:07,440 Hear what Jesus says, study carefully what he teaches, see 205 00:13:07,440 --> 00:13:14,960 what he has done, and you can know the God of this universe. 206 00:13:15,160 --> 00:13:18,440 You can know the God who created you. 207 00:13:21,360 --> 00:13:26,160 As your parents are helping you, as church members here are 208 00:13:26,160 --> 00:13:31,160 helping you, as Sunday services are meant to help you know God 209 00:13:31,160 --> 00:13:34,240 more, you must come to see for yourself. 210 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:41,040 Look to Jesus if you want to know and be in a relationship 211 00:13:41,080 --> 00:13:46,040 with God. And the fact that the Father 212 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:51,440 loves the Son is the foundation of our hope to know God and then 213 00:13:51,440 --> 00:13:55,360 to know His love. Our hearts that are longing for 214 00:13:55,360 --> 00:14:02,840 such acceptance, for such love and care that is deep, that 215 00:14:02,840 --> 00:14:07,160 lasts throughout all situations and all seasons and trials of 216 00:14:07,160 --> 00:14:11,840 life. Our foundation to know such a 217 00:14:11,840 --> 00:14:14,680 love is found in the fact that the Father loves the Son. 218 00:14:15,480 --> 00:14:18,360 Because Jesus would then later teach his disciples saying that 219 00:14:18,440 --> 00:14:21,760 as the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. 220 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:29,080 Abide, remain in my love. In other words, if we see Jesus 221 00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:33,680 and how he loves, then we know the Father and how God loves us. 222 00:14:34,520 --> 00:14:39,160 For God so loved the world, He gave up his Son, and because the 223 00:14:39,160 --> 00:14:43,320 Son so loved his people that he would save, he gave up his life, 224 00:14:44,600 --> 00:14:48,560 was obedient to the Father's will, even to death, death on a 225 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:53,320 cross. And so the more that we see the 226 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:59,840 Son, the more that we know what God the Father is like, the more 227 00:14:59,840 --> 00:15:05,520 than we are able to respond in love to love the Son as the 228 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:12,200 Father loves the Son. Many of us as Christians walking 229 00:15:12,200 --> 00:15:17,560 this Christian walk feel that dryness or in regards to our our 230 00:15:17,560 --> 00:15:21,160 love and and our passion that once perhaps burned brightly 231 00:15:22,240 --> 00:15:26,480 well as sinners that that love, that affection for God will come 232 00:15:26,760 --> 00:15:30,040 and and wax and wane in the seasons of life. 233 00:15:31,120 --> 00:15:35,080 What's the solution? Look again to Jesus. 234 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:38,360 Don't try to muster up more love somehow. 235 00:15:40,000 --> 00:15:43,080 OK, I just need to read the Bible five times this month 236 00:15:43,120 --> 00:15:48,400 through from beginning to end. Don't lean on the the exercises 237 00:15:48,400 --> 00:15:52,640 or the religious activities that you aim to do and accomplish, 238 00:15:52,960 --> 00:15:56,560 but look. Simply look to Jesus as you look 239 00:15:56,560 --> 00:16:01,000 to Jesus and you know more of God, your affections will 240 00:16:01,000 --> 00:16:04,960 continue to grow and be kindled into a bright and burning flame. 241 00:16:07,440 --> 00:16:10,920 There's more to see so that we may properly respond to Jesus 242 00:16:10,920 --> 00:16:14,920 continuing in verse 20. It says in the second a sentence 243 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:18,320 there, and greater works than these will he show him, will the 244 00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:23,200 Father show the Son so that for the purpose that you may marvel, 245 00:16:23,440 --> 00:16:25,760 so that you may be in awe, you may be in wonder. 246 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:31,040 Now what greater works can there be then an impossible healing 247 00:16:31,160 --> 00:16:34,080 done simply by speaking that Jesus has done so far? 248 00:16:34,400 --> 00:16:36,720 Well, there are two greater works that Jesus mentions. 249 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:41,320 First is eternal life and the second eternal judgement. 250 00:16:41,880 --> 00:16:44,120 Those are the two works. First, eternal life. 251 00:16:44,120 --> 00:16:47,320 We see it in verse 21. For as the Father raises the 252 00:16:47,320 --> 00:16:50,800 dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom 253 00:16:50,800 --> 00:16:55,160 he will. And again in verses 25 to 26, if 254 00:16:55,160 --> 00:16:58,800 you drop down there, truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is 255 00:16:58,800 --> 00:17:02,720 coming and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the 256 00:17:02,720 --> 00:17:05,319 Son of God, and those who here will live. 257 00:17:05,760 --> 00:17:10,119 For as the Father has life in himself, so he granted the Son 258 00:17:10,160 --> 00:17:17,480 also to have life in himself, Jesus as fully man. 259 00:17:20,640 --> 00:17:25,680 He is just like the rest of us in every way, but also as fully 260 00:17:25,680 --> 00:17:28,160 God. Jesus is unlike us in unique 261 00:17:28,160 --> 00:17:31,920 ways. Here is another claim to divine 262 00:17:31,920 --> 00:17:34,840 authority, the power to give life. 263 00:17:35,640 --> 00:17:41,280 Only God can give life, and we can only receive because the 264 00:17:41,280 --> 00:17:44,640 Father and the Son as God has life in himself. 265 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:48,480 In other words, our lives are dependent on the life God has. 266 00:17:49,040 --> 00:17:53,120 No one gave God life, for He is the source of all life. 267 00:17:54,040 --> 00:17:59,040 One theologian reminds us of how this truth should deeply humble 268 00:17:59,040 --> 00:18:04,480 us, puts us in our right place, because our life, though it is a 269 00:18:04,480 --> 00:18:07,760 fact, it's real, it's not a necessary fact. 270 00:18:07,800 --> 00:18:11,800 He says The world would have moved on without us if we had 271 00:18:11,800 --> 00:18:15,600 not been born. But that's not with the life of 272 00:18:15,600 --> 00:18:18,480 God. His life is a necessary life 273 00:18:18,640 --> 00:18:21,560 because if God did not exist, none of us would. 274 00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:25,400 Nothing would exist. So to think that we could exist 275 00:18:25,400 --> 00:18:28,120 apart from God. To think that we could live 276 00:18:28,120 --> 00:18:32,880 separately from God means that we are thinking way too highly 277 00:18:32,880 --> 00:18:36,440 of ourselves. In fact, it is a vain attempt of 278 00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:41,400 trying to make ourselves equal with God, even claiming we can 279 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:46,960 produce life on our own. Perhaps to think we are even 280 00:18:47,040 --> 00:18:51,200 better than God. Perhaps we think we can imagine 281 00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:54,840 better lives than the life God provides. 282 00:18:56,360 --> 00:18:59,280 The Father is a source of all life, and Jesus the Son shares 283 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:01,360 in that very life from all eternity. 284 00:19:02,080 --> 00:19:06,240 And Jesus explains how he will give life to whom he will. 285 00:19:06,640 --> 00:19:11,280 How does he do that? He makes the dead here now. 286 00:19:11,360 --> 00:19:16,200 Jesus can do this as he has proven it later. 287 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:20,440 He proves it later and and again in John Chapter 11, specifically 288 00:19:20,440 --> 00:19:25,200 when he calls out to his friend Lazarus who was dead and laid in 289 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:30,280 his tomb for four days. Jesus shows how he has the 290 00:19:30,280 --> 00:19:33,320 power, the authority to give physical life to the physically 291 00:19:33,320 --> 00:19:38,040 dead by his voice, for he simply calls out to Lazarus. 292 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:43,400 Lazarus come out and the man who was really physically dead, 293 00:19:43,400 --> 00:19:46,880 still wrapped in the linen clods, he came out walking 294 00:19:47,240 --> 00:19:49,840 alive. But this here does not only 295 00:19:49,840 --> 00:19:52,880 describe Jesus's authority to give physical life, because look 296 00:19:52,880 --> 00:19:55,720 at verse 24. He says truly, truly. 297 00:19:55,720 --> 00:19:58,920 I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who has 298 00:19:58,920 --> 00:20:03,080 sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgement, 299 00:20:03,240 --> 00:20:05,360 but has passed from death to life. 300 00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:08,920 And so Jesus here speaks also of spiritual life. 301 00:20:10,200 --> 00:20:16,280 And that points to the reality that we are all spiritually dead 302 00:20:16,840 --> 00:20:21,320 for Christians. We were spiritually dead because 303 00:20:21,320 --> 00:20:24,960 that's how we all start off, dead in our sins. 304 00:20:25,760 --> 00:20:28,880 We know that we are sinners because we do not give what we 305 00:20:28,880 --> 00:20:32,120 owe God. God created every single one of 306 00:20:32,120 --> 00:20:37,480 us to know God, to love God, to worship God, and so God deserves 307 00:20:37,480 --> 00:20:39,360 our whole hearts and our whole lives. 308 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:44,440 But instead of loving and living for God, we as sinners, we love 309 00:20:44,440 --> 00:20:46,800 ourselves and we live for ourselves. 310 00:20:47,560 --> 00:20:51,800 I mean, just think about how naturally it is for us, for you 311 00:20:52,040 --> 00:20:59,080 to think about yourself and not God, how much you want to do 312 00:20:59,080 --> 00:21:02,760 what you want to do and not what God wants you to do. 313 00:21:06,880 --> 00:21:13,400 Our sin then, has separated us from the living God, and apart 314 00:21:13,400 --> 00:21:17,760 from Him, there is no spiritual health or life in us at all. 315 00:21:20,320 --> 00:21:23,400 And let's be clear, it's not that we were spiritually sick 316 00:21:23,400 --> 00:21:27,920 and just need some spiritual medicine or spiritual advice or 317 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,520 some spiritual help. No, we were spiritually dead, 318 00:21:32,640 --> 00:21:38,720 unable to do anything of worth in heaven. 319 00:21:41,000 --> 00:21:44,960 We needed, we need a miracle and the only and only the voice of 320 00:21:44,960 --> 00:21:47,680 the Son of God could raise us up to new life. 321 00:21:48,200 --> 00:21:52,880 This means for all the Christians here, it's a good 322 00:21:52,880 --> 00:21:55,800 reminder we were not always Christian. 323 00:21:57,400 --> 00:22:00,720 We know this from even in Ephesians chapter 2, where the 324 00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:06,160 Apostle Paul tells Christians, you were dead in the trespasses 325 00:22:06,360 --> 00:22:08,720 and sins in which you once walked. 326 00:22:10,440 --> 00:22:13,880 In which among the sons of disobedience, among whom we all 327 00:22:13,880 --> 00:22:18,160 once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the 328 00:22:18,160 --> 00:22:22,320 desires of the flesh, and were by nature children of wrath. 329 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:27,520 Now the best thing about what what those verses claim is that 330 00:22:27,800 --> 00:22:30,240 it's all written in the past tense. 331 00:22:32,000 --> 00:22:34,680 We're dead. It's the ways we once walked. 332 00:22:35,560 --> 00:22:37,680 We were by nature the children of wrath. 333 00:22:38,520 --> 00:22:41,240 But that's not the case, because what's even better is what Jesus 334 00:22:41,240 --> 00:22:48,200 says here in the present tense. Whoever believes him who sent me 335 00:22:48,360 --> 00:22:52,440 has eternal life. As you look to Jesus, as you 336 00:22:52,440 --> 00:22:57,280 look to his, as you look to what he has done, what he has taught, 337 00:22:57,400 --> 00:23:00,880 we come to know more of God the Father who has sent the Son. 338 00:23:03,240 --> 00:23:06,240 And whoever believes him who sent me, has eternal life. 339 00:23:06,360 --> 00:23:10,680 It's a present tense gift, a present tense possession. 340 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:16,040 So if you're a believer here today, you have a real present, 341 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:21,640 living, lasting hope. Not only did Jesus Christ die 342 00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:25,080 for your sins on the cross, but as the giver of life who has 343 00:23:25,080 --> 00:23:29,360 life in himself, He did not remain dead and buried in his 344 00:23:29,360 --> 00:23:32,320 tomb. Jesus has risen from the dead. 345 00:23:32,440 --> 00:23:36,800 He has by by his resurrection. He has secured your gift of 346 00:23:36,800 --> 00:23:41,200 eternal life so that no one and nothing in this world could ever 347 00:23:41,200 --> 00:23:46,800 take it away from you. What a wonderful truth to 348 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:51,160 remember if you're Christians for members of this church this 349 00:23:51,160 --> 00:23:56,400 morning. I recently turned 39 and 350 00:23:56,400 --> 00:24:01,000 honestly, I had no immediate sense of joy about it at all. 351 00:24:03,360 --> 00:24:06,560 And I can testify there is such a thing as the midlife crisis. 352 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:10,640 I couldn't help but just think, what is my life worth? 353 00:24:10,640 --> 00:24:15,840 What have I done? But as I thought about my life 354 00:24:16,600 --> 00:24:19,560 in the in the redeemed perspective that God has given 355 00:24:19,560 --> 00:24:24,120 me, I realized that now I have been Christian for a little bit 356 00:24:24,120 --> 00:24:27,760 longer than I have not been a Christian all by the grace of 357 00:24:27,760 --> 00:24:31,920 God. I've walked with God longer now, 358 00:24:31,920 --> 00:24:36,480 a little bit longer than I was walking away from him. 359 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:40,640 By the grace of God, I have been hating my sin for a little bit 360 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:43,560 longer than I have been loving sin. 361 00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:49,240 By the grace of God, I have been loving Jesus a little bit longer 362 00:24:49,960 --> 00:24:53,320 than I have been disobeying and rebelling against Him. 363 00:24:54,440 --> 00:25:00,640 All because through 1 sermon some 18 years ago, I heard the 364 00:25:00,640 --> 00:25:04,000 voice of the Son through faithful preaching of God's word 365 00:25:04,320 --> 00:25:07,560 and Jesus, though I was dead, He gave me life. 366 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:15,120 The only thing I desire from the previous years of my life, if 367 00:25:15,120 --> 00:25:19,360 it's if I had just a little bit more time to walk with the Lord, 368 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:23,560 a little bit more time to know him and love him, perhaps now 369 00:25:23,560 --> 00:25:28,600 that I would have a deeper well of of love for Him and affection 370 00:25:28,600 --> 00:25:36,020 for him. If you're a Christian today, 371 00:25:36,020 --> 00:25:40,880 this too is your testimony of what Christ has done. 372 00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:45,160 You were dead, but by hearing His voice, He has made you 373 00:25:45,320 --> 00:25:49,560 alive, a new heart that desires and beats with affection for 374 00:25:49,560 --> 00:25:51,600 him. More than anything else in this 375 00:25:51,600 --> 00:25:58,800 world, it is this greater work of eternal life that we praise 376 00:25:58,800 --> 00:26:01,280 God for. And we can thank God, especially 377 00:26:01,280 --> 00:26:03,960 today. That was the first greater work, 378 00:26:03,960 --> 00:26:06,280 eternal life. Now the second work is eternal 379 00:26:06,320 --> 00:26:09,160 judgment. We see this in verse 22 for the 380 00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:12,520 Father judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son. 381 00:26:13,040 --> 00:26:17,600 And again in verses 27 to 29, drop down there it says, and He 382 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:20,480 has given him authority to execute judgement because He is 383 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:23,080 the Son of man. Do not marvel at this for an 384 00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:26,200 hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 385 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:28,520 and come out. Those who have done good to the 386 00:26:28,520 --> 00:26:31,240 resurrection of life and those who have done evil to the 387 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:35,760 resurrection of judgement. Let's make sure Paul's here for 388 00:26:35,760 --> 00:26:37,440 a moment. Make sure we feel the weight of 389 00:26:37,440 --> 00:26:42,040 what Jesus is saying here. He is really telling people that 390 00:26:42,040 --> 00:26:48,240 He is the final judge of all people, that He is the Son of 391 00:26:48,240 --> 00:26:51,120 Man. To the Jews, they knew what 392 00:26:51,160 --> 00:26:54,200 Jesus was referring to, that he was referring to the prophetic 393 00:26:54,200 --> 00:26:58,280 vision of the book of Daniel, Chapter 7, where God, who is 394 00:26:58,280 --> 00:27:01,320 called the Ancient of Days, is seated on his throne. 395 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:05,240 The description of him, His clothing as white as snow, the 396 00:27:05,240 --> 00:27:09,840 hair of his head like pure wool, His throne fiery flames with all 397 00:27:09,840 --> 00:27:12,800 people standing before him. The court sat in judgement and 398 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:16,040 the books were opened, for he is the judge. 399 00:27:16,560 --> 00:27:19,680 And then, strangely, a son of man comes to the Ancient of 400 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:22,520 Days. And this son of man was given an 401 00:27:22,520 --> 00:27:27,080 everlasting Kingdom of all peoples, nations and languages 402 00:27:27,600 --> 00:27:32,120 that they should serve him. So imagine how crazy it sounded 403 00:27:32,280 --> 00:27:37,840 when they just saw a man, son of a Carpenter coming, you know, 404 00:27:37,840 --> 00:27:43,160 without degrees in the, in the, in the synagogue and, and, and 405 00:27:43,160 --> 00:27:46,200 studies and to show what he what he knows. 406 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:50,360 Imagine when they saw just a man claiming to come at the end of 407 00:27:50,360 --> 00:27:54,200 time to judge every single person and that their eternal 408 00:27:54,200 --> 00:27:58,640 destiny depended on how they listen and obey him. 409 00:28:00,400 --> 00:28:03,760 That they had to come to a decision. 410 00:28:03,760 --> 00:28:05,520 And indeed, they had to come to a decision. 411 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:12,200 Either Jesus is a madman, he has lost his mind, or that Jesus is 412 00:28:12,200 --> 00:28:15,880 truly the God man as he says he is. 413 00:28:16,680 --> 00:28:21,640 Either Jesus has severe delusions of grandeur or he 414 00:28:21,640 --> 00:28:26,360 really is God. There's no middle ground based 415 00:28:26,360 --> 00:28:33,280 on the kinds of claims that Jesus is making, but for them, 416 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,520 learning from them. We should not jump to 417 00:28:36,520 --> 00:28:39,760 conclusions too quickly without weighing in the claims and the 418 00:28:39,760 --> 00:28:43,040 defence that Jesus makes, because it's serious what Jesus 419 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:45,680 is saying. On that final day, each one of 420 00:28:45,680 --> 00:28:50,520 us has a scheduled appointment with the Judge of all. 421 00:28:52,360 --> 00:28:55,600 There will be a physical resurrection then, when all who 422 00:28:55,600 --> 00:28:59,040 are in the tombs will hear His voice and come out, and each one 423 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:02,680 of us will be judged, as it says here, by what we have done, 424 00:29:03,360 --> 00:29:08,640 Those who have done good, those who have done evil, doesn't 425 00:29:08,640 --> 00:29:10,720 matter what we think about ourselves, how much good we 426 00:29:10,720 --> 00:29:14,280 think we have done, no matter how much good we think has 427 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:18,880 outweighed our wrongs, because only the judgement of the judge 428 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:24,160 of all will matter. It says in Revelation 20, 429 00:29:24,160 --> 00:29:27,680 describing how there will be books open before the throne of 430 00:29:27,680 --> 00:29:30,720 God, these books that contain the evidence, whether you have 431 00:29:30,720 --> 00:29:35,720 done the good work of hearing the good work of believing, the 432 00:29:35,720 --> 00:29:41,120 good work of living for Jesus, or you have not done that good, 433 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:44,520 no one will then will be excused. 434 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:47,960 No one then will be given a second chance when that time 435 00:29:47,960 --> 00:29:50,920 comes. So if you're here today and you 436 00:29:50,920 --> 00:29:54,800 are not a Christian, we are glad that you are here so that you 437 00:29:54,800 --> 00:29:59,240 can hear the same truth that has saved us, that has changed our 438 00:29:59,240 --> 00:30:02,560 lives. We would love for you to be able 439 00:30:02,560 --> 00:30:07,400 to say with us that we were once dead, now made alive because of 440 00:30:07,400 --> 00:30:14,440 Jesus Christ. We want you to hear the gospel 441 00:30:14,440 --> 00:30:18,080 that has changed our destiny. We were headed for eternal death 442 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:22,760 and separation from God in hell to eternal life, to be with God 443 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:27,960 forever. To our non Christian friends, 444 00:30:28,320 --> 00:30:35,600 this is what you need because without faith in Jesus you still 445 00:30:35,600 --> 00:30:39,720 are spiritually dead. But if you repent of your sins 446 00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:44,600 and believe in Jesus Christ and follow him as a disciple in His 447 00:30:44,600 --> 00:30:49,600 church, you can be sure that you are saved, that you can say in 448 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,160 the present tense, I have eternal life. 449 00:30:52,160 --> 00:30:59,160 Now understand the purpose of God in all of this in verse 23, 450 00:30:59,280 --> 00:31:03,400 that all may honour the Son just as they honour the Father. 451 00:31:04,520 --> 00:31:08,000 And so we want to make it clear, as Jesus makes it clear who He 452 00:31:08,000 --> 00:31:14,120 is to you, so that you too may honour God by honouring the Son. 453 00:31:15,600 --> 00:31:19,720 You cannot honour God but just doing whatever good works you 454 00:31:19,720 --> 00:31:22,640 think is good enough. You cannot honour God if you 455 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:26,120 have checked off all the religious duties that you think 456 00:31:26,160 --> 00:31:30,960 are fit or are coming fitting for someone worthy to be saved. 457 00:31:30,960 --> 00:31:35,840 No, if you do not honour Jesus, honour him with faith and 458 00:31:35,840 --> 00:31:38,600 obedience and the life of following him. 459 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:43,600 You cannot honour God. So please do not face the judge 460 00:31:43,600 --> 00:31:46,720 of all thinking. You can get by with anything 461 00:31:46,720 --> 00:31:51,520 else other than faith in Jesus Christ and the accomplished work 462 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:53,840 of Jesus on the cross for your sins. 463 00:31:56,000 --> 00:31:59,800 If we're honest, we couldn't even get by our friends, let 464 00:31:59,800 --> 00:32:02,880 alone the judge of all. You know, if we ask our family 465 00:32:02,880 --> 00:32:07,760 members, if we ask even our good friends, close friends who know 466 00:32:07,760 --> 00:32:11,640 us very well, and if we tell them just honestly tell me some 467 00:32:11,640 --> 00:32:14,560 things about me that are not good that I need to work on, 468 00:32:15,800 --> 00:32:17,480 they will have things to say, wouldn't they? 469 00:32:21,160 --> 00:32:25,280 Now it's if that is from our sinful fellow peers. 470 00:32:27,360 --> 00:32:33,760 How much more than before? An all knowing Almighty God who 471 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:38,560 knows the desires of your heart, who sees even your thoughts, who 472 00:32:38,560 --> 00:32:44,200 is well aware of everything you have done and said, who knows 473 00:32:44,480 --> 00:32:48,120 our sins even better than we no our own sins. 474 00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:55,920 You want Jesus as your Saviour, not as your judge. 475 00:32:58,040 --> 00:33:06,800 And remember that the concluding verdict of Jesus that you have 476 00:33:07,840 --> 00:33:11,360 will determine His concluding verdict of you. 477 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:17,680 You can starting today as you hear His words, believe you too 478 00:33:17,720 --> 00:33:20,680 can have the love of the Father that he has for His Son. 479 00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:24,920 You can live now with true love that you need starting now if 480 00:33:24,920 --> 00:33:29,360 you hear His words and believe. But if you're not yet sure of 481 00:33:29,360 --> 00:33:32,120 this, if you're not yet convinced, let's see Jesus how 482 00:33:32,120 --> 00:33:36,400 he helps us to be sure, because He provides in the second here, 483 00:33:36,720 --> 00:33:38,440 witnesses of his divine authority. 484 00:33:39,680 --> 00:33:41,720 Let's quickly move to verse 30 to 31. 485 00:33:42,400 --> 00:33:45,840 He says I can do nothing of my own, repeating that he says I 486 00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:47,920 can do nothing of my own. As I hear, I judge, and my 487 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:51,320 judgement is just because I seek not my own will, but the will of 488 00:33:51,320 --> 00:33:54,000 Him who sent me. If I alone bear witness about 489 00:33:54,000 --> 00:33:56,280 myself, my testimony is not true. 490 00:33:57,480 --> 00:34:02,000 Here Jesus is referring to a common Jewish understanding that 491 00:34:02,000 --> 00:34:03,840 any testimony required a witness. 492 00:34:03,840 --> 00:34:07,760 So Jesus is not saying he he is able to be false or wrong. 493 00:34:07,760 --> 00:34:11,080 No, no, he understands. No one could just make claims 494 00:34:11,120 --> 00:34:14,280 without any supporting witnesses, especially the kind 495 00:34:14,280 --> 00:34:20,360 of claims that Jesus was making. So in this case is not true 496 00:34:20,360 --> 00:34:25,400 means is not deemed valid like in the court of law. 497 00:34:25,719 --> 00:34:27,880 So he calls a witness to the witness stand. 498 00:34:27,880 --> 00:34:30,120 See verse 32. There's another who bears 499 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:33,360 witness about me and I know that testimony that he bears about me 500 00:34:33,360 --> 00:34:35,960 is true. The the one mentioned here that 501 00:34:35,960 --> 00:34:40,199 Jesus mentioned, if we drop down to verse 37 initially you might 502 00:34:40,199 --> 00:34:41,960 think, oh, he's talking about John the Baptist. 503 00:34:42,239 --> 00:34:45,639 But as you read the whole passage carefully, you realize 504 00:34:45,639 --> 00:34:48,880 that the one mentioned here in verse 32 is the same one in 505 00:34:48,880 --> 00:34:51,880 verse 37. It is the Father himself. 506 00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:55,560 Jesus makes it clear there if it's the Father himself who has 507 00:34:55,560 --> 00:35:00,480 borne witness about Jesus. Now the Father has used three 508 00:35:00,480 --> 00:35:03,680 other witnesses to affirm Jesus claims. 509 00:35:03,720 --> 00:35:06,520 So we'll go through each one briefly. 510 00:35:06,800 --> 00:35:10,520 The first witness that Jesus mentions that God uses is John 511 00:35:10,600 --> 00:35:13,440 the Baptist. See verses 3335. 512 00:35:13,880 --> 00:35:16,720 You sent to John, and he has borne witness about to the 513 00:35:16,720 --> 00:35:18,800 truth. Not that the testimony that I 514 00:35:18,800 --> 00:35:22,040 received is from man, but I say these things so that you may be 515 00:35:22,040 --> 00:35:24,120 saved. He was a burning and shining 516 00:35:24,120 --> 00:35:26,840 lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his 517 00:35:26,840 --> 00:35:29,680 light. So as we have followed the story 518 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:33,680 of John the Baptist earlier and earlier on in the, in the, in 519 00:35:33,680 --> 00:35:38,800 the Gospels, we know that he came preaching and declare and, 520 00:35:39,000 --> 00:35:41,600 and giving a baptism of repentance, calling people to 521 00:35:41,600 --> 00:35:44,840 repent of their sins, preparing the way for Jesus to come. 522 00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:49,480 He bore witness to the truth. People gathered flocked around 523 00:35:49,480 --> 00:35:55,240 him and they heard him point to the One to come about Jesus and 524 00:35:55,240 --> 00:35:59,280 he would fulfil his ministry as he declared with his own eyes as 525 00:35:59,280 --> 00:36:02,480 he saw Jesus, that Jesus is the Lamb of God who has come to take 526 00:36:02,480 --> 00:36:06,760 away the sins of the world. Now Jesus does not need people 527 00:36:06,760 --> 00:36:11,160 to witness about him, but he does use people as his witnesses 528 00:36:11,840 --> 00:36:16,000 to save others. It is a privilege and a 529 00:36:16,000 --> 00:36:20,600 responsibility that he gives to his disciples to be his 530 00:36:20,600 --> 00:36:25,520 witnesses. Note how Jesus says he was a 531 00:36:25,600 --> 00:36:29,640 burning and shining lamp. And so John the Baptist may have 532 00:36:29,640 --> 00:36:32,800 been already in prison or even killed, beheaded at by this 533 00:36:32,800 --> 00:36:35,680 time. And So what Jesus says of him is 534 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:41,040 like a eulogy, a summary of his life and what inspiration for 535 00:36:41,360 --> 00:36:47,880 all of us to live in that way, to be a burning and shining lamp 536 00:36:47,960 --> 00:36:50,760 for Jesus. I would love for that to be 537 00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:54,840 written on my tombstone one day. Not because I picked it out for 538 00:36:54,840 --> 00:36:56,720 myself, like my favorite verse I went on there. 539 00:36:57,320 --> 00:37:01,640 No, because I hope that there will be other people in my life 540 00:37:01,760 --> 00:37:08,200 who will be able to testify that my life was burning and shining 541 00:37:08,280 --> 00:37:12,200 for Jesus Church. Do you want that to be the 542 00:37:12,200 --> 00:37:16,960 summary of your life as well, that people can see in your 543 00:37:16,960 --> 00:37:23,120 love, in your obedience to Jesus and how you shared his love, how 544 00:37:23,120 --> 00:37:30,200 you spoke of his love because of John, John the Baptist, even in 545 00:37:30,200 --> 00:37:33,680 the height of a successful ministry, as people rejoiced for 546 00:37:33,680 --> 00:37:36,920 a while in his light, he burned away. 547 00:37:38,640 --> 00:37:42,360 He gave his life. It ended as he lived his life 548 00:37:43,080 --> 00:37:46,520 for the Lord Jesus. But the call to be witnesses of 549 00:37:46,520 --> 00:37:54,800 Jesus still remain today for us. Jesus saves us, chooses to save 550 00:37:54,800 --> 00:38:00,520 us, and then by our salvation it means that he has chosen to use 551 00:38:00,520 --> 00:38:05,800 us to be his witnesses so that we as Christians, no matter how 552 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:10,720 old or young you are, as a Christian, we are called in our 553 00:38:10,760 --> 00:38:14,240 individual efforts, in our individual lives to burn and 554 00:38:14,240 --> 00:38:18,800 shine for Jesus. In our personal evangelism, we 555 00:38:18,800 --> 00:38:21,680 pray for such opportunities. And even as we've prayed, when 556 00:38:21,680 --> 00:38:25,080 God grants us opportunities, we ask him for help that we may 557 00:38:25,080 --> 00:38:30,320 faithfully, boldly, without shame, talk about Jesus and 558 00:38:30,320 --> 00:38:32,200 persuade others to believe in Jesus Christ. 559 00:38:33,120 --> 00:38:37,640 But we also do this corporately together as we bring non 560 00:38:37,640 --> 00:38:40,920 Christians and invite them to our services so they can hear 561 00:38:40,920 --> 00:38:43,400 God's word and so that they can as they come. 562 00:38:43,400 --> 00:38:48,200 They see the witnesses of Jesus Christ as they even as they see 563 00:38:48,280 --> 00:38:50,080 sinful people like us in this church. 564 00:38:51,080 --> 00:38:55,800 We know we are terrible sinners who deserve God's wrath, but we 565 00:38:55,800 --> 00:39:01,600 also believe that Jesus has saved us by his life, death and 566 00:39:01,600 --> 00:39:06,200 resurrection. And so together we give our 567 00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:08,920 lives to make Him known. This is how we can continue 568 00:39:08,920 --> 00:39:12,840 together to honour the Son, to tell of who He is, to tell 569 00:39:12,880 --> 00:39:16,240 others what He has done and how all of that matters in our lives 570 00:39:16,240 --> 00:39:19,880 today. You can be sure as you bring 571 00:39:19,880 --> 00:39:24,080 your non Christian friends to our Sundays, we will be sharing 572 00:39:24,160 --> 00:39:29,280 this truth, this same old gospel over and over again every Sunday 573 00:39:29,440 --> 00:39:34,600 after every Sunday. So join us, bring your 574 00:39:34,600 --> 00:39:37,440 unbelieving family friends so that they too may hear the word 575 00:39:37,440 --> 00:39:39,800 of God. So that and then for you as 576 00:39:39,800 --> 00:39:43,360 you're here that you can learn how to present the Word of God 577 00:39:43,360 --> 00:39:46,400 and the truths of God to your friends and your family members. 578 00:39:48,080 --> 00:39:51,640 May God bless us in our efforts to be burning in shining lamps 579 00:39:51,760 --> 00:39:55,240 for Jesus. The next witness, the second 580 00:39:55,240 --> 00:39:59,080 one, it's Jesus says it's a greater testimony, even that of 581 00:39:59,080 --> 00:40:02,880 John. So we see in in verse 36, but 582 00:40:02,880 --> 00:40:05,720 the testimony that I have is greater than that of John for 583 00:40:05,720 --> 00:40:08,280 the works that the Father has given me to accomplish. 584 00:40:08,520 --> 00:40:11,920 The very works that I am doing bear witness about me that the 585 00:40:11,920 --> 00:40:16,600 Father has sent me. Jesus's works here probably 586 00:40:16,600 --> 00:40:19,880 include everything, including his teachings, His signs, and 587 00:40:19,880 --> 00:40:23,320 His miracles that authenticated Jesus's claims. 588 00:40:23,520 --> 00:40:27,800 Meaning these miracles that Jesus did were signs that 589 00:40:27,880 --> 00:40:33,200 pointed people to see all that Jesus said and taught were true. 590 00:40:35,880 --> 00:40:38,040 But see the response in verse 37. 591 00:40:39,400 --> 00:40:42,480 And the Father who has sent me has borne witness about me. 592 00:40:42,760 --> 00:40:46,160 His voice you have never heard, His form you have never seen. 593 00:40:46,400 --> 00:40:50,360 And you do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not 594 00:40:50,360 --> 00:40:53,280 believe the one in whom he has sent. 595 00:40:55,760 --> 00:41:01,680 Now how could this be? Imagine you're on top of a tall 596 00:41:01,680 --> 00:41:06,360 building in Jakarta and you have the view of the entire city, the 597 00:41:06,360 --> 00:41:10,160 unique Monas monuments. You see the mountains and the 598 00:41:10,160 --> 00:41:12,760 clouds and the scenery in the background. 599 00:41:13,800 --> 00:41:16,720 A beautiful view from an uncommon angle. 600 00:41:16,720 --> 00:41:20,680 We usually see the monas from down below, and it's hard to see 601 00:41:20,680 --> 00:41:24,160 past the trees. But imagine you're enjoying that 602 00:41:24,160 --> 00:41:26,440 view. And then comes somebody comes 603 00:41:26,440 --> 00:41:30,480 alongside next to you and imagine they're just so caught 604 00:41:30,480 --> 00:41:35,000 up, not with the view, but with the window, with the glass. 605 00:41:35,520 --> 00:41:40,120 How lovely is this window look, how clear it is. 606 00:41:40,520 --> 00:41:45,120 Let's research the chemical composition of the glass, study 607 00:41:45,200 --> 00:41:50,560 the design and how it's fixated into the frame of the wall. 608 00:41:51,680 --> 00:41:55,840 Well, we say they'd be missing the point completely, missing 609 00:41:55,840 --> 00:41:59,200 the purpose of that window and missing the wonderful view there 610 00:41:59,200 --> 00:42:02,760 were meant to see that that glass, that window is showing. 611 00:42:03,720 --> 00:42:06,720 Well, that's what was happening with the Jews. 612 00:42:07,240 --> 00:42:13,080 They were missing the whole point because quite honestly, 613 00:42:13,280 --> 00:42:17,720 they were scholars. They were excellent students of 614 00:42:17,720 --> 00:42:21,320 God's Word, but they missed the point completely at what God's 615 00:42:21,320 --> 00:42:23,800 Word pointed, the one God's Word pointed to. 616 00:42:25,520 --> 00:42:27,400 So it brings us to the final witness, the Scriptures. 617 00:42:27,440 --> 00:42:30,080 Verse 39. He says you search the 618 00:42:30,080 --> 00:42:32,480 scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal 619 00:42:32,480 --> 00:42:36,160 life and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse 620 00:42:36,160 --> 00:42:39,560 to come to me that you may have life. 621 00:42:43,000 --> 00:42:47,360 All the studying, all the memorizing of the Old Testament 622 00:42:47,360 --> 00:42:51,800 scriptures, no matter they how much they pointed to a coming 623 00:42:51,840 --> 00:43:00,000 Messiah, to the Son of Man who will be unlike any other man who 624 00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:04,080 would be crucified, who who would die in the place of 625 00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:11,680 sinners, pierced for their transgressions, rejected by many 626 00:43:12,800 --> 00:43:15,840 instead of putting the pieces together. 627 00:43:16,560 --> 00:43:21,080 The very thing that was meant to help them look to Jesus was a 628 00:43:21,080 --> 00:43:26,640 very thing that they were stuck on and they refuse to come to 629 00:43:26,640 --> 00:43:32,440 Jesus that they may have life for Christians. 630 00:43:32,440 --> 00:43:36,760 It is possible that we can still miss the point today. 631 00:43:37,840 --> 00:43:40,960 I mean, I think Sunday school teachers especially know this 632 00:43:40,960 --> 00:43:45,320 and parents as well. Just how the children over time 633 00:43:45,320 --> 00:43:49,760 become too common and it's too everything that we want to teach 634 00:43:49,760 --> 00:43:53,520 them becomes too predictable because every time we ask them a 635 00:43:53,520 --> 00:43:56,000 question, the answer is the same, right? 636 00:43:56,000 --> 00:43:58,560 Every good Sunday school student knows this. 637 00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:00,640 The answer is Jesus. Whatever the whatever the 638 00:44:00,640 --> 00:44:03,080 teacher says, the answer's just going to be Jesus. 639 00:44:03,840 --> 00:44:06,000 I saw that. I realized that I'm my children, 640 00:44:06,000 --> 00:44:08,240 and so I tried to throw some other questions in there. 641 00:44:10,840 --> 00:44:12,960 Who deserves to die for our sin? Jesus. 642 00:44:13,040 --> 00:44:18,720 Nope. Jesus is a Sinner. 643 00:44:18,720 --> 00:44:21,560 Oh, no, no, no, no, no. We, we are sinners. 644 00:44:23,040 --> 00:44:28,240 Jesus is our Savior, but I think that kind of attitude and 645 00:44:28,240 --> 00:44:32,920 posture toward God's word, I think still remains even in us. 646 00:44:32,920 --> 00:44:38,840 As older, mature believers, it is possible for us to become so 647 00:44:38,840 --> 00:44:42,800 familiar with the things that are meant to point to Christ, 648 00:44:43,200 --> 00:44:47,680 yet we get stuck on them and we begin to think, oh, I'm right 649 00:44:47,680 --> 00:44:50,720 with God. Not because of Jesus, everything 650 00:44:50,720 --> 00:44:54,800 that points to, but because I attend Sunday services 651 00:44:55,640 --> 00:44:58,560 religiously. I don't miss them compared to 652 00:44:58,560 --> 00:45:00,600 others who take vacations. I never, I don't know. 653 00:45:00,600 --> 00:45:03,320 I don't know whatever kind of thought you may have, how 654 00:45:03,320 --> 00:45:08,000 comparing yourself to others, perhaps even the very word of 655 00:45:08,000 --> 00:45:12,160 God, We, we memorize, we study, but we for some reason in our 656 00:45:12,160 --> 00:45:17,440 sinful hearts, we take pride in how much we know compared to 657 00:45:17,440 --> 00:45:24,000 others. And we treat the Bible as if 658 00:45:24,000 --> 00:45:27,120 it's just a bunch of religious trivia. 659 00:45:28,320 --> 00:45:32,880 We miss the whole point that it's meant to humble us before 660 00:45:32,880 --> 00:45:35,320 God, before people, so that we can love God with all our 661 00:45:35,320 --> 00:45:37,560 hearts, soul, mind and strength. And so we could love one another 662 00:45:37,560 --> 00:45:39,680 as we as our neighbors, as we love ourselves. 663 00:45:40,200 --> 00:45:47,320 We could miss the whole point how humbling it is that in even 664 00:45:47,320 --> 00:45:50,920 in these good things we can refuse to come to Jesus. 665 00:45:53,640 --> 00:46:02,720 But what stands true still is that the scriptures written by 666 00:46:03,240 --> 00:46:07,160 the power, the the the guidance of the Holy Spirit preserved for 667 00:46:07,160 --> 00:46:10,400 us. The central theme and topic is 668 00:46:10,400 --> 00:46:15,600 of the Son Jesus Christ and how he saves sinners like you and 669 00:46:15,600 --> 00:46:17,520 me. We cannot miss the point, 670 00:46:17,520 --> 00:46:20,240 especially today. I want, we want to make it clear 671 00:46:20,240 --> 00:46:27,960 to not miss that point. Jesus continues on in verse 41. 672 00:46:28,400 --> 00:46:32,160 I do not receive glory from people, but I know that you do 673 00:46:32,160 --> 00:46:33,680 not have the love of God within you. 674 00:46:34,040 --> 00:46:36,520 I've come in my Father's name and you do not receive me. 675 00:46:36,600 --> 00:46:38,800 If another comes in his own name, you will receive Him. 676 00:46:39,280 --> 00:46:41,880 How Can you believe when you receive glory from one another 677 00:46:41,880 --> 00:46:45,200 and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 678 00:46:46,440 --> 00:46:50,560 Jesus continues to humble those who would miss the point and 679 00:46:50,560 --> 00:46:56,120 reject Jesus, showing us how we as people, we desire glory from 680 00:46:56,280 --> 00:47:00,280 other people. And when somebody with a greater 681 00:47:00,280 --> 00:47:03,360 measure of glory and reputation comes and says things, they 682 00:47:03,360 --> 00:47:07,800 sound quite believable, whatever they say, and so Jesus rebukes 683 00:47:07,800 --> 00:47:12,200 them. How Can you believe them when 684 00:47:12,240 --> 00:47:16,080 Jesus himself has come in his Father's name? 685 00:47:19,360 --> 00:47:24,280 We desire glory from people. It's a temptation for for any, 686 00:47:24,440 --> 00:47:27,840 any person, and it's still for Christians, even as church 687 00:47:27,840 --> 00:47:33,800 leaders and pastors, small group facilitators, ministry pics. 688 00:47:34,920 --> 00:47:38,400 If we're honest with ourselves in our flesh, yeah, we want to 689 00:47:38,400 --> 00:47:41,880 be seen more spiritual, more charming, more serving, more 690 00:47:41,880 --> 00:47:43,720 loving, more knowing, knowledgeable. 691 00:47:48,680 --> 00:47:52,440 Even as a pastor in my flesh, when I hear of other pastors 692 00:47:52,440 --> 00:47:55,240 doing well, other churches doing well, in my flesh, there's 693 00:47:55,240 --> 00:47:57,880 something that's not. I just don't like it. 694 00:47:57,880 --> 00:48:01,840 I don't like the sound of that. I don't like when glory doesn't 695 00:48:01,840 --> 00:48:06,840 come to me, comes to others. Though in my redeemed 696 00:48:06,840 --> 00:48:10,280 perspective, in the new heart that got out to me, I really do 697 00:48:10,280 --> 00:48:14,960 rejoice that there are other faithful, healthy churches doing 698 00:48:14,960 --> 00:48:24,520 great things for the Lord. But this desire, our wrong view 699 00:48:24,520 --> 00:48:27,640 of glory and reputation, is also what hinders us. 700 00:48:27,640 --> 00:48:33,720 Because Jesus came humbly as a servant, not to be served, but 701 00:48:33,720 --> 00:48:38,840 to give his life as a ransom for many to the natural eye. 702 00:48:38,840 --> 00:48:42,200 There was no glory at the cross when Jesus hung in utter 703 00:48:42,200 --> 00:48:46,200 embarrassment and shame, weak and broken and defeated. 704 00:48:49,600 --> 00:48:55,520 Yet to us, to his people, what the world considered as weak and 705 00:48:55,520 --> 00:49:00,760 foolish, we know. It is the power of God through 706 00:49:00,760 --> 00:49:05,080 the cross, through Jesus sacrifice, through his humility, 707 00:49:07,040 --> 00:49:11,680 through his service. We have been born again as we 708 00:49:11,680 --> 00:49:14,720 come, as we have come to believe by faith in Him. 709 00:49:17,440 --> 00:49:21,280 The proper response is to see how Jesus has come in his 710 00:49:21,280 --> 00:49:22,880 Father's name and to receive him. 711 00:49:25,320 --> 00:49:30,480 Jesus finishes his rebuke explanation as to why they do 712 00:49:30,480 --> 00:49:33,880 not believe so that we as we read would come to believe. 713 00:49:36,240 --> 00:49:38,720 He says in verse 45, Do not think that I will accuse you to 714 00:49:38,720 --> 00:49:40,120 the Father. There's one who accuses you, 715 00:49:40,120 --> 00:49:42,360 Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 716 00:49:43,440 --> 00:49:45,600 For if you believe Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote 717 00:49:45,600 --> 00:49:47,640 of me, but you do not believe his writings. 718 00:49:47,800 --> 00:49:53,160 How will you believe my words? What does it mean here to 719 00:49:53,160 --> 00:49:55,800 believe Moses? It means more specifically to to 720 00:49:56,000 --> 00:50:00,760 believe that the law of God that was given through Moses, the law 721 00:50:01,000 --> 00:50:04,720 that was meant to point to understanding who God is so that 722 00:50:04,720 --> 00:50:09,320 when they saw Jesus coming in the name of God the Father with 723 00:50:09,320 --> 00:50:13,360 all their best education in the Old Testament, they could come 724 00:50:13,440 --> 00:50:19,280 and see and believe in Jesus, but it was not the case. 725 00:50:20,280 --> 00:50:22,000 I think Jr. Packer summarizes this 726 00:50:22,120 --> 00:50:26,120 particularly well when he says the simple Bible reader, the 727 00:50:26,120 --> 00:50:31,120 simple sermon hearer full of the Holy Spirit would develop a far 728 00:50:31,120 --> 00:50:35,200 deeper relationship with God than a more educated scholar 729 00:50:35,480 --> 00:50:41,560 without without the Holy Spirit. And so by seeing their negative 730 00:50:41,560 --> 00:50:46,800 example there is, it comes back to the decision that we should 731 00:50:46,800 --> 00:50:51,160 make today. For as we close, the call still 732 00:50:51,160 --> 00:50:54,360 stands. Will you believe in Jesus and 733 00:50:54,520 --> 00:50:59,920 his words? Will you believe that all the 734 00:50:59,920 --> 00:51:01,920 scripture points to Jesus Christ? 735 00:51:02,720 --> 00:51:05,600 As today is Easter Sunday, remembering the resurrection of 736 00:51:05,600 --> 00:51:09,040 Jesus Christ, there is one more witness provided for us and it 737 00:51:09,040 --> 00:51:13,040 is the empty tomb of Jesus. He died on the cross as a 738 00:51:13,040 --> 00:51:16,320 perfect sacrifice for sins. He was laid in a rich man's 739 00:51:16,320 --> 00:51:18,200 tomb. His disciples thought it was 740 00:51:18,200 --> 00:51:23,160 over, but on the third day the stone was rolled away, the linen 741 00:51:23,160 --> 00:51:27,040 cloth that covered Jesus body was left behind and Jesus rose 742 00:51:27,040 --> 00:51:31,400 from the dead and he walked out and that tomb still remains 743 00:51:31,400 --> 00:51:35,680 empty, never to die again. Jesus rules and reigns in heaven 744 00:51:35,680 --> 00:51:38,840 right now at the right hand of the Father, still in his 745 00:51:38,840 --> 00:51:42,440 resurrected body, still with the scars on his side, still with 746 00:51:42,440 --> 00:51:44,040 the scars on his hands and his feet. 747 00:51:44,640 --> 00:51:49,200 So how fitting is it for the one who has life in himself, the one 748 00:51:49,200 --> 00:51:53,200 who has authority to judge all, either to resurrection of life 749 00:51:53,200 --> 00:51:54,880 or the resurrection to judgement? 750 00:51:55,720 --> 00:51:59,320 How fitting is He? Is it for Him that He Himself 751 00:51:59,320 --> 00:52:02,080 defeated sin and death once for all? 752 00:52:04,200 --> 00:52:07,840 Jesus will come again, and when He does, He will judge sinners 753 00:52:07,920 --> 00:52:10,280 who have no defence standing on their own. 754 00:52:12,720 --> 00:52:16,480 May be true for all of us here today as we believe in His Word 755 00:52:16,840 --> 00:52:20,520 that He would when He comes, bring us to eternal life. 756 00:52:22,120 --> 00:52:25,440 Believe in the testimony that He gave, that He is the Son of God 757 00:52:25,800 --> 00:52:28,040 who died for our sins and rose again. 758 00:52:30,280 --> 00:52:33,280 Remember Jesus's words, truly, truly I say to you, whoever 759 00:52:33,280 --> 00:52:36,200 hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. 760 00:52:36,320 --> 00:52:39,680 He, he does not come into judgement, but has passed from 761 00:52:39,680 --> 00:52:44,720 death to life. So do you believe the cross of 762 00:52:44,760 --> 00:52:47,440 Jesus Christ and the empty tomb that remains? 763 00:52:47,680 --> 00:52:51,960 It demands an answer from you, from each and every single one 764 00:52:51,960 --> 00:52:54,880 of us today who has heard these words of Jesus. 765 00:52:55,840 --> 00:52:59,120 Jesus has made his claims. Jesus has provided witnesses. 766 00:53:00,640 --> 00:53:04,280 Will we dare tell God, the Son of God, that his evidence is not 767 00:53:04,280 --> 00:53:07,440 enough? Or looking at all the evidence 768 00:53:08,040 --> 00:53:11,360 Jesus has given, will you believe? 769 00:53:12,480 --> 00:53:20,950 Let's pray. O Heavenly Father, we thank you 770 00:53:21,110 --> 00:53:27,550 for sending the Son so that we as we look to the Son and hear 771 00:53:27,550 --> 00:53:31,910 his words, we may come to know you, God, our Creator, our 772 00:53:31,910 --> 00:53:37,360 Father. We've asked for your help now in 773 00:53:37,360 --> 00:53:40,480 light of the truths that we have heard from your word, from Jesus 774 00:53:40,560 --> 00:53:43,720 mouth that's recorded and preserved for us today. 775 00:53:44,520 --> 00:53:49,760 Holy Spirit, help us to respond, to come to the right conclusion, 776 00:53:50,160 --> 00:53:55,480 the reasonable conclusion after seeing the evidences and him and 777 00:53:55,480 --> 00:54:00,720 seeing the witnesses laid before us, that Jesus truly is the Son 778 00:54:00,720 --> 00:54:06,200 of God who has come to save sinners from sin and death. 779 00:54:09,320 --> 00:54:15,520 Be at work in our hearts and may you give life to the dead here 780 00:54:15,520 --> 00:54:17,920 among us. In Jesus name we pray, Amen. 781 00:54:18,480 --> 00:54:21,160 Let's take a moment to personally reflect on the truth 782 00:54:21,160 --> 00:54:25,760 of God that were preached from God's word. 783 00:54:26,520 --> 00:54:29,880 Consider what you learn about yourself. 784 00:54:29,880 --> 00:54:32,280 If you if you need a little bit more guidance, what you need to 785 00:54:32,960 --> 00:54:34,400 process. Consider what you learn about 786 00:54:34,400 --> 00:54:37,640 yourself, your approach, your attitude toward God. 787 00:54:38,760 --> 00:54:39,440 Are you? Are you? 788 00:54:40,560 --> 00:54:44,200 Are you missing the whole point? Caught up in religious duty and 789 00:54:44,200 --> 00:54:47,600 activities, in your own judgement of yourself? 790 00:54:47,600 --> 00:54:50,160 You see yourself as good. What do you learn about 791 00:54:50,160 --> 00:54:51,400 yourself? And more importantly, what do 792 00:54:51,400 --> 00:54:56,280 you learn about God? What do you learn about who he 793 00:54:56,280 --> 00:55:03,120 is and what he has done and how Jesus is who he says He is? 794 00:55:04,360 --> 00:55:09,600 The Son of God who came, the Lamb who came to take away the 795 00:55:09,600 --> 00:55:12,880 sins of the world, The Judge who will stand at the end of every 796 00:55:12,880 --> 00:55:15,120 one of our road and whom we will face. 797 00:55:16,280 --> 00:55:22,320 Will we face Him then as Judge, or will we face him now as 798 00:55:22,320 --> 00:55:25,800 Savior? Consider these truths and how it 799 00:55:25,800 --> 00:55:30,280 matters to your life, and we'll continue in our corporate 800 00:55:30,280 --> 00:55:31,960 response to God's Word afterwards.