Sermon Central
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"testimonials To Jesus" Series
Contributed by Gordon Weatherby on Apr 19, 2021 (message contributor)
Summary: Jesus began in this passage of Scripture by showing He needed more than his own testimony to verify himself. From there he presented four other witnesses which proved He is the Christ, the Son of God.
TESTIMONIALS TO JESUS
(SERMON 13 IN GOSPEL OFJjOHN 2021)
GREENMOUNT AND O'LEARY CHURCHES OF CHRIST
APRIL 18, 2021
Video Link to Sermon: https://youtu.be/zwPDT4j1vOU
INTRODUCTION:
1.) “Jesus said “If I testify about myself, my testimony is not valid.” (31)
A.) Jesus was not declaring himself as unreliable to testify about himself.
B.) He was merely stating that one cannot testify on his own behalf.
C.) In John 8:13-15 Jesus will make a similar statement.
2.) Jesus was affirming the principles which God had already established.
A.) Early in Scripture God had decreed that validity of one’s testimony was to be established by at least two, and preferably three witnesses.
aa.) Deuteronomy 19:15
“One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.
ab.) 2 Corinthians 13:1
This will be my third visit to you. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses."
3.) In accordance with that Jesus presents not merely two or even three, but four witnesses to his identity.
A.) These next few minutes I want us to look at these four witnesses to Jesus as Messiah and God.
I. THERE WAS THE TESTIMONY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. (5:32-35)
1.) His testimony was valid. (5:32)
A.) His testimony was valid because God had called him from birth for that purpose.
aa.) Hundreds of years before the birth of John, Isaiah prophesied of him as a voice in the wilderness preparing the way for the Lord.
B.) His testimony was valid because he was filled with the Holy Spirit from birth for that purpose.
ba.) Until the coming of Jesus John was the first person who received the Holy Spirit of God for his entire life.
bb.) God had gifted him in this manner so that he could be a reliable witness of Jesus.
2.) His testimony proclaimed the truth of God. (5:33)
A.) He proclaimed the truth that Jesus is the prophet like Moses.
B.) He proclaimed the truth that Jesus is the Messiah of God coming with the Holy Spirit of God.
ba.) John was made aware of the identity of Jesus by means of the Holy Spirit.
bb.) John taught that it would be Jesus who would bring the Holy Spirit to the world.
C.) John proclaimed the truth that Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
ca.) In all these ways God had prepared him in advance to be a reliable spokesman to prepare the way for the Messiah.
3.) Yet human testimony was not needed.
A.) John 5:34
B.) When Jesus said these words, he was neither belittling nor dismissing the testimony of John the Baptist.
C.) While Jesus accepted the testimony of John the Baptist, he was also making it clear that man is not capable to give testimony to God even when it is God who has been incarnated into human flesh.
ca.) It is impossible for finite man to give adequate testimony to the infinite and eternal God.
cb.) How can creation bear testimony to the creator?
cc.) How can the temporal give testimony to the eternal?
4.) His testimony was as a lamp that burned and gave light. (5:35)
A.) John came to be the forerunner of the Christ.
aa.) Just as this verse described John came as a light to reveal Jesus Christ.
B.) The Jewish leaders accepted the testimony of John until John started bearing testimony to the Messiah.
C.) Yet Right from the beginning John’s ministry was meant to be temporary and then disappear to make room for Christ.
D.) In this passage of Scripture Jesus spoke of John in the past tense, and so we know that John has already faded from the spotlight.
da.) It is also quite likely that by this point that John had already been arrested and put to death.
E.) As we come to verse 36 Jesus said: “I have testimony weightier than that of John.”
ea.) While the testimony of John was true, the Declarations of God, the Works of Jesus, and even the Words of Scripture are weightier testimony than that of John the Baptist.
F.) , and so, we move on to our second testimony.
II. THE WORKS OF JESUS ARE A TESTIMONY TO HIM.
1.) The work which Jesus does is from God.
A.) The work of Jesus was heavenly work.
aa.) The very works of Jesus should have by themselves been adequate testimony to prove Jesus as the Messiah and Son of God.
B.) He was finishing the work which God had given him to complete which testified He was from God.
ba.) When Jesus healed it was the work of God.
