And the Father who sent me has Himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, John 5:37 ESV
In following the movement of the scripture, in John chapter 5, we’ve seen what should have been viewed as a time of celebration for both the entire Jewish Community and Jesus - (as the Messiah has revealed Himself); but we find that the time of celebration became a time of confusion; what should have been a time of delight has become a time of debate; what should have been a time of amazement has become a time of intense argument between the Jewish Leaders and Jesus.
John 5:1-15; Jesus visits the Pool at Bethesda located in Jerusalem to celebrate one of the Jewish Feast. While at the Pool, Jesus heals a man on the Sabbath who had been lame (an invalid) for 38 years. One would think that a sick person being healed would carry more importance vs. the day on which he was healed - (I’m just saying)
In performing this miracle on the Sabbath;
Jesus is re-establishing the correct intent for worship. Worship should raise out of the heart of man - thus filling the entire body.
John 4:24 “God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (Woman at the Well)
Jesus is re-directing the public’s minds back to the Father of all creations. Away from the temporal things of life, away from the pool at Bethesda, away from the angels and away from the troubling of the waters. All this means nothing without the movement of God.
In the account of the Pool of Bethesda, the Bible says: John 5:2-3 “Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, in Aramaic called Bethesda, which has five roofed colonnades. In these lay a multitude of invalids—blind, lame, and paralyzed.”
Isaiah 29:13 “The Lord says:“These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is based on merely human rules they have been taught.” (Jewish Leaders and their view of the Sabbath)
John 4:48 "Unless you people see signs and wonders," Jesus told him, "you will never believe.” (Nobleman)
Jesus is re-claiming His authority over all beings (both celestial and human) the angels and man, over nature and sickness, and over the Sabbath.
Hebrews 1:5-6 “For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father?” Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”? And again, when God brings his firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”
Matthew 28:18 “And Jesus came and said to them, All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.”
So this should have been a time for celebration, a time for worship, a time for praise and a time for thanksgiving - for the awaited Messiah has arrived.
But no, that’s not the case. We learn in John 5:16-30 that the Jewish Leaders engaged in an all out attack on Jesus, challenging His Divinity; John 5:18 “For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.”
In this dialogue with the leaders of the church, Jesus introduces the power shift that has taken place in the Kingdom Of Heaven (between the Father and the Son).
John 5:22-23 “Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.”
John 5:27 “And He has given Him authority to judge because He is the Son of Man.”
Quote: “Sometimes you have to give up on people, not because you don’t care, but because they don’t care.”
This moves us into our text for this morning as we prepare to close out John chapter 5.
Seeing that the Jewish Leaders refused to comprehend or lacked the capacity to comprehend what Jesus was teaching; Jesus shifts the conversation from a highly spiritual conversation to one that they “ought” to understand. Allowing others to stand as witnesses to the things which He was says. (Explain historical perspective - having two to three witnesses to testify on ones behalf.)
To be clear, Jesus did not need others fo testify on His behalf, but since the religious leaders were inept in their ability to comprehend, Jesus make the transition for their sake - this not unlike His trek from Heaven to Earth, his lifestyle adjustment was for our sake.
Jesus introduces:
The Holy Spirit: John 5:32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true.
John The Baptist: John 5:33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth.
His Works: John 5:36 “But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.”
The Father: John 5:37 “And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen,”
The Scripture: John 5:39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,
Then Jesus introduces Moses, not as a witness - but as a prosecuting attorney, as an accuser of the Jewish Leaders - the very one they looked to defend their position is now their accuser; John 5:45-47 “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 of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
Life Application:
Don’t become so involved in “religion” that you miss the Truth (Jesus).
The religious leaders knew what God’s word said, but failed to apply it to their lives.
The religious leaders knew the teachings of scripture, but failed to see the Messiah to which it pointed.
The religious leaders very much knew the rules that governed the Sabbath, but failed to see the Savior.
Who do you seek approval from?
“Your approval means nothing to me,” John 5:41 Life Application Bible says “ Your approval or disapproval means nothing to Me?”
Proverbs 19:21 “Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the Lord that will stand.”
Proverbs 16:9 “A man's heart plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps”.
In other words: Jesus is saying “I did not come to be affirmed by you, I came that you maybe affirmed before My Father”.
We seek the truth, but are blinded from receiving it, As Truth is standing before you. John 14:6 “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.” Truth is a person - not just a thought, not something to be reasoned, nor is truth based upon one’s ideology.
Truth is powerful, though humble in His approach.
Truth is forever present, though often ignored.
Truth sees all, though rarely seen.
Truth shouts freedom, though no one will listen.
Signs that testify against the Jewish Leaders and against us:
You do not have his (God’s) message in your hearts vs38
You do not believe me (Jesus) vs38
You don’t have God’s love within you vs42
You don’t care about the honor that comes from the one who alone is God vs44
You don’t believe what he (Moses) wrote vs47
Give Up and Let Jesus Take Over. . . . . Quote: “You’re entitled to your own opinions. You’re not entitled to your own facts”
John 5:30-47 (ESV)
30 “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me. 31 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 32 There is another who bears witness about me, and I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 33 You sent to John, and he has borne witness to the truth. 34 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. 35 He was a burning and shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 36 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me. 37 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, 38 and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, 40 yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 41 I do not receive glory from people. 42 But I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 43 I have come in my Father's name, and you do not receive me. If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. 47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?”
