Sermons on John 5:39
The various sermons below interpret John 5:39 by emphasizing the centrality of Jesus in the Scriptures, particularly the Old Testament. Both sermons highlight that the primary purpose of the Scriptures is to testify about Jesus, and they critique the Pharisees for their failure to recognize this. Despite their diligent study, the Pharisees missed the essence of the Scriptures because they did not see Jesus in them. This shared interpretation underscores the idea that the Old Testament is not merely a collection of moral stories or historical accounts but a Christocentric narrative that points to Jesus. The sermons also agree that the Old Testament is sufficient to reveal the need for salvation and God's plan to provide it through Christ, challenging the audience to see beyond the literal text to its spiritual significance.
While both sermons agree on the Christocentric nature of the Old Testament, they approach the theme with different emphases. One sermon uses the analogy of a felt board from Sunday school to illustrate how Old Testament stories are often taught for personal application but should be understood as pointing to Christ. This sermon also delves into the original Greek text, highlighting the word "search" to emphasize the thorough investigation the Pharisees undertook, yet still missed the testimony about Jesus. In contrast, the other sermon focuses on the misuse of the Scriptures by the Jews of Jesus' time, who imposed their own interpretations and traditions onto the text, thus missing the true message about Christ. This sermon stresses that the Old Testament is a living testimony that reveals both the need for salvation and God's plan to provide it through Christ, emphasizing the transformative power of understanding the Scriptures in this light.
John 5:39 Interpretation:
Wrestling with God: Transformation Through Humility (MissionWay Church) interprets John 5:39 by emphasizing that the primary purpose of the Scriptures, including the Old Testament, is to point to Jesus. The sermon highlights that the Pharisees, despite their deep knowledge of the Scriptures, missed the point because they did not see Jesus in them. The pastor uses the analogy of a felt board from Sunday school to illustrate how stories from the Old Testament are often taught for personal application but should be understood as pointing to Christ. The sermon also references the original Greek text, noting that the word "search" implies a diligent and thorough investigation, which the Pharisees did, yet they missed the testimony about Jesus.
Understanding Salvation Through Christ and the Scriptures (MLJTrust) interprets John 5:39 by emphasizing that Jesus is speaking about the Old Testament when he refers to the Scriptures. The sermon highlights that the Old Testament alone is sufficient to testify about Jesus and to leave people without excuse regarding their need for salvation. The preacher underscores that the Jews of Jesus' time misused the Scriptures by focusing on the letter rather than the spirit, and by imposing their own interpretations and traditions onto the text, thus missing the true message about Christ.
John 5:39 Theological Themes:
Wrestling with God: Transformation Through Humility (MissionWay Church) presents the theme that the Old Testament is not just a collection of moral stories or a handbook for life but is fundamentally about Jesus. The sermon introduces the idea that the Old Testament contains "shadows" of the gospel, which are fulfilled in Christ. This perspective challenges the common view of the Old Testament as merely historical or moralistic and instead frames it as a Christocentric narrative.
Understanding Salvation Through Christ and the Scriptures (MLJTrust) presents the theme that the Old Testament is not just a historical or religious document but a living testimony that points directly to Jesus Christ. The sermon argues that the Old Testament reveals both the need for salvation and God's plan to provide it through Christ, emphasizing that the Scriptures are able to make one wise unto salvation through faith in Jesus.
John 5:39 Historical and Contextual Insights:
Understanding Salvation Through Christ and the Scriptures (MLJTrust) provides historical context by explaining that when Jesus referred to the Scriptures, he was speaking exclusively about the Old Testament, as the New Testament had not yet been written. The sermon also discusses the cultural practices of the Jews at the time, who were confident in their knowledge of the Scriptures but failed to recognize Jesus as the fulfillment of those Scriptures.
John 5:39 Cross-References in the Bible:
Wrestling with God: Transformation Through Humility (MissionWay Church) references Luke 24, where Jesus, after His resurrection, explains to the disciples on the road to Emmaus how the Old Testament Scriptures point to Him. This cross-reference is used to support the interpretation of John 5:39, emphasizing that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies and narratives. The sermon also mentions 1 Corinthians 10, which states that the events of the Old Testament were written for our instruction, further reinforcing the idea that these Scriptures testify about Christ.
Understanding Salvation Through Christ and the Scriptures (MLJTrust) references several Bible passages to support the interpretation of John 5:39. The sermon mentions Luke 24, where Jesus explains to the disciples on the road to Emmaus that the events of his life, death, and resurrection were foretold in the Old Testament. It also references 1 Corinthians 15, where Paul emphasizes that Christ's death and resurrection occurred according to the Scriptures. Additionally, the sermon cites 2 Timothy 3:15, where Paul tells Timothy that the Holy Scriptures (Old Testament) are able to make one wise unto salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. The sermon uses these references to illustrate that the Old Testament consistently points to Jesus and his redemptive work.
John 5:39 Christian References outside the Bible:
Embracing the Preeminence of Christ in Our Lives (FCC Moweaqua) references Diedrich Bonhoeffer, who remarked that if an Old Testament with all references to Jesus in red letters existed, it would light up a living room. This quote is used to illustrate the pervasive presence of Christ throughout the Old Testament. The sermon also mentions a podcast interview with Jason Jimenez, who discusses his book "Hijacking Jesus," which critiques how some modern interpretations of Jesus deviate from the biblical portrayal. This reference is used to emphasize the importance of understanding Jesus as the central figure of the Scriptures, as highlighted in John 5:39.
Understanding Salvation Through Christ and the Scriptures (MLJTrust) does not explicitly reference any non-biblical Christian authors or theologians when discussing John 5:39.
John 5:39 Illustrations from Secular Sources:
Embracing the Preeminence of Christ in Our Lives (FCC Moweaqua) uses the analogy of red-letter Bibles, which highlight the words of Jesus in the New Testament, to imagine an Old Testament where every reference to Jesus is marked in red. This illustration is used to convey the idea that the entire Bible, including the Old Testament, points to Christ. The sermon also references a popular debate that received more viewership than the Super Bowl to illustrate the divisiveness of contemporary issues and contrasts it with the unifying preeminence of Christ.
Understanding Salvation Through Christ and the Scriptures (MLJTrust) does not provide any illustrations from secular sources specifically related to John 5:39.