John 5:39-47 "Bring on the Witnesses; The Scriptures & Moses." (Part One) with Pastor Michael Petit

Oct 04, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Scripture Becomes a Shield Against the Savior

Religious knowledge can become a barrier if it never reaches the heart. Jesus confronted leaders who memorized prophecies yet rejected the Messiah they described. They treated the Bible as a trophy case for their expertise rather than a window to encounter the living God. Eternal life comes through Christ alone, not through academic mastery of texts. The danger remains: we can weaponize doctrine to justify pride while our hearts grow cold to the One the words proclaim. [00:56]

“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.” (John 5:39-40, ESV)

Reflection: What biblical truths do you “know” intellectually but struggle to live out relationally? How might your familiarity with Scripture actually hinder your dependence on Christ?

Day 2: The Acid Test of a Heart’s True Love

Jesus diagnosed the religious elite’s fatal flaw: “You do not have the love of God within you.” They performed rituals flawlessly but lacked affection for the God they claimed to serve. Love for God isn’t measured by temple attendance or theological debates, but by surrendered obedience and hunger for His presence. Like a marriage growing cold through neglect, our faith withers when we stop pursuing intimacy with Christ. [09:45]

“But I have this against you, that you have abandoned the love you had at first. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent, and do the works you did at first.” (Revelation 2:4-5, ESV)

Reflection: When did you last feel genuine delight in God’s presence? What routines have replaced relationship in your spiritual walk?

Day 3: Coffee Orders and the Currency of Knowing

The difference between knowing about someone and truly knowing them becomes clear in daily details – like how a husband knows his wife’s exact coffee order. Scripture study becomes lifeless when it’s about accumulating facts rather than deepening friendship with Christ. The Pharisees could parse Hebrew verbs but missed God’s heartbeat. True knowledge of God always leads to greater wonder, not complacency. [15:15]

“And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.” (John 17:3, ESV)

Reflection: When has a “new detail” about God’s character recently surprised or moved you? How does your Bible reading fuel affection versus mere information?

Day 4: Burning Cities and the Urgency of Unclaimed Glory

As French youth riot in spiritual emptiness, Jesus’ indictment echoes: “You refuse to come to me that you may have life.” Our world craves purpose but rejects the Source. Christ came in the Father’s name, yet many prefer self-made saviors. The church’s task isn’t to condemn the chaos but to carry the antidote – actively demonstrating and declaring the hope we’ve been given. [20:54]

“For ‘everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’ How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard?” (Romans 10:13-14, ESV)

Reflection: What lost person’s face comes to mind when you read “fields of faith”? How could you intentionally engage them this week?

Day 5: When Sunday Performance Replaces Eternal Priorities

Jesus’ harshest words targeted religious performers: “You honor me with your lips, but your heart is far from me.” The danger isn’t in wrong doctrine but right actions done for applause. True worship measures success by God’s approval alone, not crowd size or social media metrics. It asks not “Did I impress?” but “Did I love?” – transforming duty into delight. [12:03]

“But the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature... For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’” (1 Samuel 16:7, ESV)

Reflection: What ministry activity do you approach more as performance than offering? How would preparing for Christ’s physical presence change your Sunday preparations?

Sermon Summary

Jesus confronts a generation that can search the Scriptures, know the words, study every detail, and still miss Him. John 5:39 shows that the Scriptures bear witness about Christ, but eternal life is not found in merely possessing religious knowledge. Jesus points to Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms because all of them lead to Him, His suffering, His glory, and His saving work.

Christ’s mercy stands out even in His rebuke of the religious leaders. Jesus tells men who are rejecting Him that He says these things so that they may be saved. Religion becomes dangerous when it makes a person think that knowing the law is the same as knowing God. The Pharisees loved the Scriptures, loved the temple, loved the outward stuff, and yet Jesus says, “you do not have the love of God within you.”

The contrast between Christ and the religious leaders comes down to glory. Jesus never seeks His own glory, never grabs for a crown, and never operates to get the approval of people. Christ walks in humility, obedience, and servanthood because He seeks the glory of the Father who sent Him. Pride, on the other hand, keeps people from denying self, taking up the cross, and following Christ.

The need for approval exposes a deep struggle in the human heart. God alone is the One whose approval matters, yet people spend their lives looking for it from parents, friends, teachers, crowds, and religious spaces. Jesus knows the heart, and He knows whether love for God is really there or whether a person is simply wearing the right outfit, saying the right words, and going through the motions.

Love for God cannot stay in the head. The image of a husband continuing to learn his wife shows that love grows cold when relationship is abandoned, even if knowledge remains. Revelation says that the first love was not lost but abandoned through other priorities, neglected fellowship, neglected time in the Word, and neglected service.

Christ comes in the Father’s name, does the Father’s will, and brings glory to the Father. Christlike living means that God’s people are sent out in Christ’s name rather than merely sent to attend church. The greatest exercise of love is sharing the gospel, because a lost generation does not merely need better circumstances or religious activity. This generation needs hope, needs Jesus, and needs people willing to go make disciples.

Key Takeaways

1. Scripture must lead to Christ Jesus warns that a person can search the Scriptures and still refuse to come to Him for life. Biblical knowledge becomes empty when it never produces faith, love, humility, and surrender to Christ. The Bible is not a place to hide from Jesus; it is the witness that brings people to Him. [04:41]
2. Religion can hide a cold heart The Pharisees had the law, the temple, the tithes, and the public image, yet Jesus said the love of God was not in them. Outward faithfulness can become a substitute for actually loving God and caring for people. A heart shaped by God’s love will not use religion to gain attention or push people away from Him. [12:03]
3. God’s approval is the one sought Christ refuses to seek glory from people because the Father’s glory is enough. The hunger for human approval can quietly rule decisions, service, worship, and even religious behavior. Humility begins when self stops being the center and God becomes the One whose approval matters. [08:32]
4. First love can be abandoned Love for God grows cold not because God changes, but because people abandon fellowship, the Word, prayerful meditation, evangelism, and service. Knowledge about God cannot sustain love for God apart from ongoing relationship with Him. Love must move from the head to the heart and then into obedience. [16:53]
5. Sharing Christ is real love Christ sends His people out in His name just as the Father sent Him. Evangelism is not somebody else’s responsibility, because the command to make disciples belongs to every follower of Christ. Giving people the gospel is a deep act of love because Jesus alone saves.

## [22:23]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:37] - A Lost Generation Needs Jesus
[00:56] - The Scriptures Bear Witness to Christ
[02:45] - Eternal Life Is Through Jesus
[04:41] - Reading Scripture but Missing Christ
[05:32] - Jesus, the Resurrection and the Life
[06:18] - Christ’s Humility and God’s Glory
[07:46] - Deny Self and Follow Christ
[09:27] - Seeking God’s Approval
[10:04] - Religious Activity Without God’s Love
[12:03] - Lip Service and Cold Hearts
[14:44] - When Knowledge Never Reaches the Heart
[16:53] - Abandoning First Love
[18:28] - Sent Out in Christ’s Name
[20:54] - Sharing the Gospel Is Love

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading

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,” [00:56]

John 5:42
“But I know that you do not have the love of God within you.” [09:42]

Matthew 15:8-9
“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.” [12:03]

Observation questions

In John 5:39, what do the Scriptures do, and what did the religious leaders wrongly believe their searching of Scripture would give them? [00:56]
What contrast does Jesus make between receiving glory from people and seeking the Father’s glory? [06:05]
According to John 5:42 and Matthew 15:8–9, what was missing beneath the religious leaders’ outward worship and religious activity? [11:49]
What practices were named as ways people can abandon their first love for God over time? [17:17]

Interpretation questions

Why is it possible for a person to know many facts from the Bible, attend church faithfully, and still fail to come to Jesus for life?
Jesus spoke hard words to religious leaders who were rejecting Him, yet He desired that they be saved. What does this reveal about the purpose of Christ’s rebuke? [03:21]
How can the desire for people’s approval affect a person’s worship, service, decisions, and willingness to obey God? [08:32]
Matthew 15 describes people whose words honor God while their hearts remain far from Him. What are some ways religious habits can look faithful outwardly while hiding a heart that has grown cold? [12:03]

Application questions

When reading the Bible, what helps move a person beyond simply gaining information and toward trusting, loving, and obeying Jesus? What could that look like in the coming week? [15:05]
Where is the pull for human approval strongest right now—at home, work, school, church, or online? How might seeking God’s approval change one specific decision in that area? [08:44]
Is there any area of serving, giving, worshiping, or attending church where it is tempting to be noticed by people? What would it look like to quietly seek the Father’s glory instead? [12:41]
Have fellowship, time in the Word, prayerful meditation, service, or evangelism been pushed aside by other priorities? Which one needs to be intentionally restored this week? [17:17]
Who is one person in your life who needs the hope of Jesus? What is one practical step you could take to care for them and begin or continue a gospel conversation? [22:39]

Sermon Clips

47s

#ShareTheGospel

“And and so when we look at this some... So many times when we we we look at the gospel, a lot of times what we do is we we think that's somebody else's responsibility. That's not mine. But God has God has called all of us to do that, has commanded all of us to do that. His son has come in his father's name. Now you're called to go out in his name. And you know what the greatest exercise of love is? Sharing the gospel. That's what they need. Sharing the gospel. That's what that's what's needed. You know, that shows more about you loving them than anything that you could ever do.”

41s

#KeepGrowingInLove

“I I love my wife. I've known her since I was 16. 16 years old, and I'm still getting to know her. And it's been forty years of marriage, forty one years of being with each other. Now if if I decide that, you know, I I I have a book about Theresa, everything that I need in that book. Nothing's changed, but she's still getting older. Right? If I decide that I'm not gonna learn about her anymore, what do you think is gonna happen to that love? It's gonna grow cold.”

39s

#DenyYourself

“The problem is is nobody wants to deny self. We we we love self. Right? We're very self centered people. We're very prideful people. Let's be honest. You know? We struggle with these things. And and and so that's why when you think about it, he tells you what, what's the first thing you have to do? Deny self. You gotta deny self. And and so will we do that? Will will we be humble? Will we deny self? Will we we look to to bring glory to him?”

39s

#JesusIsTheLife

“And, unfortunately, we're in a time where people love darkness. And and and yet, you know, somebody who's very religious and thinks they know everything about god can still have a very dark heart and and be in darkness. The the savior is the purpose and the reason why we're here, the reason why, we choose to follow Christ, and it's understanding that he is the resurrection and the life. That the only way that we have life is through Christ.”

29s

#LoveAndJustice

“because they were so focused on keeping the law. They were so focused about being seen. And yet they didn't care about justice. They didn't care about the love of God. They didn't care about helping others. And so we have to ask ourselves, like, are we struggling in this area as well? Do we struggle with the love of God in our hearts?”

30s

#GodKnowsYourHeart

“But he knows the heart. He knows if you're producing love or or or not. He knew that the the the the religious leaders, unfortunately, were just hypocrites. They wore all the garb, and they had all the the right outfits and the costumes, and they knew how to get in and out of the temple and do all the things, but they had the... They didn't have the love of God in them.”

43s

#ServeWithLove

“Jesus was sent here, and he came in the father's name. And, like, we're called to be Christ like, and we're called to evangelize. We're commanded, actually. We're commanded. And so for me, like, when I look at things that we get to do, like, get to do a fields of faith, man, I will pick up trash. I... If that's what I get to do to serve, I'm doing that. Because everyone, I'm part of the blessing. When those kids come to faith, we're part of that blessing. Every drink that gets passed out, every bible that we pass out, because we'll have them there.”

32s

#FaithOverReligion

“And so we know that that the Pharisees were were very fanatical about the scriptures. They would even have numerology where they would actually try to break down each letter in the Hebrew, alphabet. And and, I mean, it just gets crazy when you look at it, and and it it was just this infinite study of the scriptures, but they were missing, and they had no love of God.”

39s

#AuthenticFaith

“The people that that are there serving in the temple instead of drawing people to the Lord, they were pushing people away from God because of their religious... Their their their religion that they have. They love the law. They love the scripture. They love to go into the temple. They love to tithe, and they love to make that noise when the... Because they have that copper that would hit, and it would boom, and they would know, oh, man, that was a big tithe. They love the pomp and circumstance of being religious.”

40s

#LoveOverReligion

“So they... Their religion had actually pushed them away from the love of God, and that's what happens. Religion does that. And and it's the same thing in Israel now today. They they worship. They go through and worship God. They do all these different festivals and things, but they're just religious acts. There are a lot of churches like that today. It's... That that are based upon religion that are not, that don't have the love of God in them.”

30s

#GodsApproval

“one person that we should be seeking approval from, and that is God. One person to seek approval from, and that's God. And and we do struggle with seeking approval. We've had that since we were kids. Right? Your kids seek approval from you you you as parents. Right? And and whether it's in a good way or a bad way, they still seek approval.”

43s

#JesusIsHere

“I'm gonna tell first service this, and and this is something to think about. If if I was to tell you that Jesus is gonna take that chair tomorrow or it's next Sunday or Wednesday, Jesus will be here Wednesday. He'll be in that chair. Do you not think I would spend more time on my teaching? Do you not think I would be more focused on what we pick for worship songs? Would you not wanna be here on time? Would you not be like, oh, let let everybody raising their hands and praising the Lord. But do you realize he's here every week?”

36s

#RepresentChrist

“And it's understanding, like, even as we we go through the gospel of John, it's it's a a a reminder to us that, you know, the Christ like living is because because the father sent the son and the son was representing the father. We're supposed to represent the son, and we're supposed to be Christ like. And so when when we read that scripture, you know, I have come in my father's name. Like, you're being sent out as well.”

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