Validating Jesus: Witnesses of His Divine Authority

Summary

### Summary

Today, we delved into John chapter 5, focusing on the credentials of Jesus Christ. We began by praying for wisdom and guidance for our children, asking God to equip them to be leaders and influencers in their generation. We also prayed for Mike Morley, who is recovering from a severe accident, and for the elderly lady he was helping.

In John 5, Jesus presents His credentials to the religious leaders who questioned His authority. He begins by stating that His testimony alone would not be valid according to Jewish law, which requires two or three witnesses. Jesus then calls upon five witnesses to validate His claims: God the Father, John the Baptist, His miracles, the Scriptures, and Moses.

The first witness, God the Father, testifies to Jesus' divine authority and mission. Jesus emphasizes that His critics have not heard God's voice or seen His form because they do not believe in Him. The second witness, John the Baptist, is recognized as a credible prophet who testified to the truth of Jesus' identity. The third witness is the miracles Jesus performed, which serve as signs pointing to His divine authority. Despite witnessing these miracles, the religious leaders still refused to believe.

The fourth witness is the Scriptures themselves. Jesus points out that the religious leaders diligently study the Scriptures, yet they fail to recognize that these very Scriptures testify about Him. Finally, Jesus calls upon Moses as the fifth witness. The religious leaders placed their hope in Moses, yet Jesus reveals that Moses wrote about Him. Therefore, their rejection of Jesus is a rejection of Moses' teachings.

In conclusion, the evidence for Jesus' divine authority is overwhelming. The problem is not a lack of evidence but a lack of willingness to believe. We are challenged to examine our own hearts and ensure that we are not merely knowledgeable about the Scriptures but truly believe in Jesus and His message.

### Key Takeaways

1. The Witness of God the Father: Jesus emphasizes that God the Father testifies to His divine authority. This testimony is difficult for His critics to accept because they do not have God's word residing in them. This highlights the importance of having a personal relationship with God to truly understand and accept His testimony. [49:33]

2. The Credibility of John the Baptist: John the Baptist is presented as a credible witness because he was widely known and accepted by the people. His role as a prophet chosen by God adds weight to his testimony about Jesus. This reminds us that God often uses credible and recognized individuals to convey His truth. [53:41]

3. Miracles as Signs: The miracles Jesus performed are not just powerful acts but signs pointing to His divine authority. These miracles serve as evidence that Jesus is the authorized spokesman of God. This teaches us to look beyond the miracles themselves and understand their deeper significance as signs of God's presence and power. [57:08]

4. The Testimony of Scriptures: Jesus points out that the Scriptures testify about Him. The religious leaders' failure to recognize this reveals that it is possible to have extensive knowledge of the Scriptures yet miss their true meaning. This challenges us to seek a deeper understanding of the Scriptures and their testimony about Jesus. [59:10]

5. Moses as a Witness: Jesus reveals that Moses, whom the religious leaders highly esteemed, wrote about Him. Their rejection of Jesus is, therefore, a rejection of Moses' teachings. This underscores the importance of understanding the continuity of God's revelation from the Old Testament to the New Testament. [01:04:28]

### YouTube Chapters

[0:00] - Welcome
[11:54] - Prayer for Children and Mike Morley
[35:52] - Introduction to John Chapter 5
[37:26] - Prayer for Mike Morley and His Family
[40:31] - Reading John 5:31-47
[42:17] - The Credentials of Jesus
[44:03] - Jesus' Miracles and the Sabbath
[45:56] - Jesus' Claims and the Need for Proof
[47:26] - Witness of God the Father
[49:10] - Witness of John the Baptist
[53:41] - John the Baptist's Credibility
[57:08] - Witness of Miracles
[59:10] - Witness of Scriptures
[01:04:28] - Witness of Moses
[01:09:55] - Lessons from the Religious Leaders
[01:13:21] - The Importance of Believing in Jesus
[01:18:37] - Invitation to Accept Christ
[01:25:24] - Evening Service Announcement
[01:26:40] - Closing Prayer and Fellowship

Study Guide

### Bible Reading
- John 5:31-47

### Observation Questions
1. What are the five witnesses Jesus calls upon to validate His claims in John 5? ([45:56])
2. How does Jesus describe the religious leaders' relationship with the Scriptures in John 5:39-40? ([59:10])
3. What does Jesus say about the testimony of John the Baptist in John 5:33-35? ([53:41])
4. According to Jesus, why is the testimony of God the Father difficult for His critics to accept? ([49:10])

### Interpretation Questions
1. Why does Jesus emphasize that His testimony alone would not be valid according to Jewish law? How does this relate to Deuteronomy 19:15? ([45:56])
2. What is the significance of Jesus using miracles as signs to validate His divine authority? How do these signs serve a purpose beyond the miracles themselves? ([57:08])
3. How does Jesus' reference to Moses as a witness challenge the religious leaders' understanding of their own Scriptures? ([01:04:28])
4. What does Jesus mean when He says that the religious leaders do not have God's word residing in them? How does this affect their ability to accept His testimony? ([50:44])

### Application Questions
1. Jesus calls upon five witnesses to validate His claims. How can we apply the principle of seeking multiple confirmations in our own spiritual decisions? ([45:56])
2. The religious leaders had extensive knowledge of the Scriptures but failed to recognize Jesus. How can we ensure that our study of the Bible leads to a deeper relationship with Christ rather than just head knowledge? ([59:10])
3. Jesus performed miracles as signs of His divine authority. Have you experienced or witnessed any "signs" in your life that pointed you to God's presence and power? How did they impact your faith? ([57:08])
4. Jesus emphasizes the importance of having God's word residing in us. What practical steps can you take to ensure that God's word is deeply rooted in your heart and not just in your mind? ([50:44])
5. Jesus challenges the religious leaders' reliance on Moses by revealing that Moses wrote about Him. How does understanding the continuity of God's revelation from the Old Testament to the New Testament strengthen your faith? ([01:04:28])
6. The sermon mentioned the importance of believing in Jesus and His message. Reflect on your own journey of faith. Are there areas where you struggle to fully believe or trust in Jesus? How can you address these doubts? ([01:13:21])
7. The religious leaders were unwilling to come to Jesus despite the evidence. Are there areas in your life where you are resisting God's call? What steps can you take to be more open and willing to follow His guidance? ([01:00:57])

Devotional

Day 1: The Witness of God the Father
Jesus emphasizes that God the Father testifies to His divine authority. This testimony is difficult for His critics to accept because they do not have God's word residing in them. This highlights the importance of having a personal relationship with God to truly understand and accept His testimony. Jesus' critics were unable to hear God's voice or see His form because they lacked belief in Him. This serves as a reminder that a genuine relationship with God is foundational to recognizing and accepting His truth. [49:33]

John 5:37-38 (ESV): "And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word abiding in you, for you do not believe the one whom he has sent."

Reflection: Do you feel that you have a personal relationship with God that allows you to hear His voice and understand His testimony? What steps can you take today to deepen that relationship?

Day 2: The Credibility of John the Baptist
John the Baptist is presented as a credible witness because he was widely known and accepted by the people. His role as a prophet chosen by God adds weight to his testimony about Jesus. This reminds us that God often uses credible and recognized individuals to convey His truth. John the Baptist's testimony about Jesus was significant because it came from someone who was respected and trusted by many. This teaches us to pay attention to the credible voices God places in our lives to guide us toward His truth. [53:41]

John 1:6-8 (ESV): "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light."

Reflection: Who are the credible and recognized individuals in your life that God might be using to convey His truth to you? How can you be more attentive to their guidance?

Day 3: Miracles as Signs
The miracles Jesus performed are not just powerful acts but signs pointing to His divine authority. These miracles serve as evidence that Jesus is the authorized spokesman of God. This teaches us to look beyond the miracles themselves and understand their deeper significance as signs of God's presence and power. The religious leaders witnessed these miracles but still refused to believe, showing that the issue was not the lack of evidence but their unwillingness to accept it. [57:08]

John 10:37-38 (ESV): "If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me; but if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father."

Reflection: Have you witnessed or experienced any "miracles" or signs of God's presence in your life? How can you look beyond the miracles themselves to understand their deeper significance?

Day 4: The Testimony of Scriptures
Jesus points out that the Scriptures testify about Him. The religious leaders' failure to recognize this reveals that it is possible to have extensive knowledge of the Scriptures yet miss their true meaning. This challenges us to seek a deeper understanding of the Scriptures and their testimony about Jesus. The religious leaders diligently studied the Scriptures but failed to see that they pointed to Jesus, highlighting the importance of not just knowing the Scriptures but understanding their true message. [59:10]

Luke 24:27 (ESV): "And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself."

Reflection: How can you deepen your understanding of the Scriptures to see how they testify about Jesus? What specific steps can you take today to study the Bible with this perspective?

Day 5: Moses as a Witness
Jesus reveals that Moses, whom the religious leaders highly esteemed, wrote about Him. Their rejection of Jesus is, therefore, a rejection of Moses' teachings. This underscores the importance of understanding the continuity of God's revelation from the Old Testament to the New Testament. The religious leaders placed their hope in Moses, yet they failed to see that Moses wrote about Jesus. This teaches us the importance of seeing the Bible as a unified story that points to Jesus. [01:04:28]

Deuteronomy 18:15 (ESV): "The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen."

Reflection: How can you better understand the continuity of God's revelation from the Old Testament to the New Testament? What can you do today to see the Bible as a unified story that points to Jesus?

Quotes

### Quotes for Outreach

1. "The whole point of this text, the whole point of this presentation of these witnesses comes down to this. There is adequate testimony. To who Jesus is. If anyone does not believe that Jesus is who he claimed to be and who he is, if anyone does not believe, it's not because of a lack of evidence. It's because of a lack of will." [01:06:21]( | | )

2. "You can know the details of Scripture and still miss the meaning. You can know what the Bible says but not understand the meaning behind it. You can read a passage of Scripture and not know the context at all. In fact, it's impossible to interpret a verse of Scripture without the context. You've got to know who he's talking about. You've got to know the circumstances, the situations behind it." [01:09:55]( | | )

3. "You can know the Bible and still not know the Savior. Yeah, you can have a knowledge of God's Word. You can know what it says and still not know the Savior. I've known of four pastors in my ministry who got saved in their lives. And you know what? All four of them, people got mad. He's been our pastor for five years and he just got saved. Rejoice. The Bible says all of heaven is rejoicing right now and you got a problem with him? He finally got it right. Now you got a real pastor." [01:11:35]( | | )

4. "It does not matter how much you know if you don't know him. It doesn't matter how educated you are in the Bible. If you don't know him, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter." [01:11:35]( | | )

5. "You either believe the word of God or you reject the word of God. Either the Bible is completely inerrant, infallible every way or throw it in the garbage. But you don't get to pick and choose. What you'll believe. Don't tell me, well, I just believe the Old Testament. Don't tell me I just believe the New Testament. Don't tell me I just believe the Gospels because that's where Jesus speaks. I only believe the words that are in red. Well, I'm in trouble. My Bible isn't in red. No, no, no, no. It's the word of God. It is the breath of God given to us so that we might know the son of God who is the savior of the world, who is God himself." [01:13:21]( | | )

### Quotes for Members

1. "Jesus says the problem is not the lack of information, the problem is not the lack of knowledge, the problem is not that they're stupid or that they're ignorant, the problem is they're unwilling to face the problem. So many people are always saying you know what Jesus is not customary the truth. There's a lot of people in our culture today who grew up in church. They may have been hurt in church. They may have gone through some sort of thing in their life that caused them to get away from God, but they know what the Bible says. They have the ability to read the Scriptures." [01:02:24]( | | )

2. "What an awesome tragedy that these very ones who searched the Scripture, who prided themselves on being experts of God's Word, and thinking that in doing so that they had eternal life, were not willing to come to the one to whom the Scriptures spoke about. They rejected Him. He was standing right in front of them. Challenging them. Inviting them. Yet ultimately, they turned away from Him in anger. All the while believing that in doing so, they were being faithful to the Word of God." [01:04:28]( | | )

3. "The great irony is that the very one that these religious leaders felt they knew and trusted is going to end up being their accuser. See, the whole point, the point of this text, the whole point of this presentation of these witnesses comes down to this. There is adequate testimony. To who Jesus is. If anyone does not believe that Jesus is who he claimed to be and who he is, if anyone does not believe, it's not because of a lack of evidence. It's because of a lack of will." [01:06:21]( | | )

4. "You can know the details of Scripture and still miss the meaning. You can know what the Bible says but not understand the meaning behind it. You can read a passage of Scripture and not know the context at all. In fact, it's impossible to interpret a verse of Scripture without the context. You've got to know who he's talking about. You've got to know the circumstances, the situations behind it. That's why you've got to dig when you study. The Bible says, study to show thyself approved, a workman who needeth not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." [01:09:55]( | | )

5. "You can know the Bible and still not know the Savior. Yeah, you can have a knowledge of God's Word. You can know what it says and still not know the Savior. I've known of four pastors in my ministry who got saved in their lives. And you know what? All four of them, people got mad. He's been our pastor for five years and he just got saved. Rejoice. The Bible says all of heaven is rejoicing right now and you got a problem with him? He finally got it right. Now you got a real pastor." [01:11:35]( | | )

Chatbot

Transcript

What was the most surprising thing in this sermon?

Were there any personal stories shared?