Jesus, The Father’s Savior
John 5:31-36
Last Sunday morning we began looking
At this first sermon of Jesus in the book of John.
He had healed a man who had been crippled for 38 years,
But He did it on the Sabbath, just as He had been doing.
This infuriated the Jews, but Jesus said that it was OK because this was what His Father God was doing too.
John 5:18 “For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.”
They were infuriated with the fact
That Jesus would call Himself the Son of God.
Their anger prompted this first sermon of Jesus.
It is a four-part study, in which
Jesus outlines the unique relationship He has with the Father.
We see the third point this morning.
Jesus has already shown us that He is the Father’s Son
Sunday night, Jesus showed us that He is the Father’s Standard.
But this morning we look at the third point of Jesus sermon, and that is that
Jesus is the Father’s Savior.
I don’t mean that God needs to be saved,
But rather that Jesus is the anointed Savior of God.
We have already studied this point a little in the book of John.
John 1:29-34 “The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! “This is He on behalf of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ “I did not recognize Him, but so that He might be manifested to Israel, I came baptizing in water.” John testified saying, “I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. “I did not recognize Him, but He who sent me to baptize in water said to me, ‘He upon whom you see the Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, this is the One who baptizes in the Holy Spirit.’ “I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God.”
We learned there that Jesus was the Sent One of God.
He is the Only One that God has ever endorsed.
This is the point that Jesus is making about Himself.
Jesus is going to show us that He is the only Savior
Whom God has ordained.
He is the only Savior whom God has anointed.
In a pluralistic world it will do us good to realize
That Jesus and Jesus alone is God’s anointed Savior.
The Jews had questioned Jesus claim to be from the Father,
Now Jesus is showing them that He is the One the Father sent.
He is the Messiah.
This is significant.
All throughout the Bible, it mattered who God anointed.
1 Samuel 16:1-13 “Now the LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil and go; I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have selected a king for Myself among his sons.” But Samuel said, “How can I go? When Saul hears of it, he will kill me.” And the LORD said, “Take a heifer with you and say, ‘I have come to sacrifice to the LORD.’ “You shall invite Jesse to the sacrifice, and I will show you what you shall do; and you shall anoint for Me the one whom I designate to you.” So Samuel did what the LORD said, and came to Bethlehem. And the elders of the city came trembling to meet him and said, “Do you come in peace?” He said, “In peace; I have come to sacrifice to the LORD. Consecrate yourselves and come with me to the sacrifice.” He also consecrated Jesse and his sons and invited them to the sacrifice. When they entered, he looked at Eliab and thought, “Surely the LORD’S anointed is before Him.” But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.” Then Jesse called Abinadab and made him pass before Samuel. And he said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” Next Jesse made Shammah pass by. And he said, “The LORD has not chosen this one either.” Thus Jesse made seven of his sons pass before Samuel. But Samuel said to Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Are these all the children?” And he said, ” There remains yet the youngest, and behold, he is tending the sheep.” Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” So he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy, with beautiful eyes and a handsome appearance. And the LORD said, ” Arise, anoint him; for this is he.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah.”
All that mattered was whom God chose.
Height didn’t matter, appearance didn’t matter.
If God chose Him, it was a done deal.
All others were destined to fail.
Saul tried to hold on to the kingdom.
1 Samuel 20:30-31 “Then Saul’s anger burned against Jonathan and he said to him, “You son of a perverse, rebellious woman! Do I not know that you are choosing the son of Jesse to your own shame and to the shame of your mother’s nakedness? “For as long as the son of Jesse lives on the earth, neither you nor your kingdom will be established. Therefore now, send and bring him to me, for he must surely die.”
But Saul was no longer God’s anointed.
The Philistines would attack Saul.
They would kill Jonathon and Saul would fall on his own spear.
Absalom tried to steal the kingdom from his father.
2 Samuel 15:10 “But Absalom sent spies throughout all the tribes of Israel, saying, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpet, then you shall say, ‘ Absalom is king in Hebron.'”
But Absalom was not God’s anointed.
And so Absalom’s mule proved to be too tall, he got his hair hung in a tree and Joab thrust three spears into him.
Sheba tried to share the kingdom and lead 10 tribes away.
2 Samuel 20:1-2 “Now a worthless fellow happened to be there whose name was Sheba, the son of Bichri, a Benjamite; and he blew the trumpet and said, “We have no portion in David, Nor do we have inheritance in the son of Jesse; Every man to his tents, O Israel!” So all the men of Israel withdrew from following David and followed Sheba the son of Bichri; but the men of Judah remained steadfast to their king, from the Jordan even to Jerusalem.”
But Sheba was not God’s anointed.
So at Joab’s request the people of Abel Beth-maacah
Threw Sheba’s head over the wall.
There was only one anointed King and all others failed.
This is a lesson we must remember as well.
There is only One whom God has anointed as Messiah.
There is only One whom God has anointed as Savior.
No matter His appearance
Isaiah 53:2 “For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him.”
HE IS STILL GOD’S MESSIAH
Isaiah 53:10-12 “But the LORD was pleased To crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, And the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; By His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, As He will bear their iniquities. Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.”
Jesus point here is that He is God’s anointed Savior. He is God’s Messiah.
The problem is that just as Isaiah said, many didn’t see Him.
In this sermon, Jesus reveals why there is no doubt that He is the Messiah.
He will show us three testimonies about His Messiahship.
#1 THE UNBELIEVED TESTIMONY
John 5:31-32
“If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.”
His point is that if He testifies about Himself,
That won’t be acceptable to the people.
He was speaking in reference to the Law.
Deuteronomy 19:15 “A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.”
Jesus point was if He just shows up and claims to be the Messiah, No one will believe Him because He is testifying about Himself.
And sure enough they didn’t.
His testimony was unbelieved.
Jesus claimed to be God and they didn’t believe Him.
John 8:58-59 “Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” Therefore they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.”
John 10:33 “The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”
Jesus claimed to be God’s Son and they didn’t believe Him.
John 5:17-18 “But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.” For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God.”
Jesus claimed to be the Savior of the World and they didn’t believe Him.
John 8:31-33 “So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, ‘You will become free’?”
Jesus claimed to be the Messiah and they didn’t believe Him.
Mark 14:60-64 “The high priest stood up and came forward and questioned Jesus, saying, “Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?” But He kept silent and did not answer. Again the high priest was questioning Him, and saying to Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see THE SON OF MAN SITTING AT THE RIGHT HAND OF POWER, and COMING WITH THE CLOUDS OF HEAVEN.” Tearing his clothes, the high priest said, “What further need do we have of witnesses? “You have heard the blasphemy; how does it seem to you?” And they all condemned Him to be deserving of death.”
Jesus claimed to be from Heaven and they didn’t believe Him.
John 6:41-42 “Therefore the Jews were grumbling about Him, because He said, “I am the bread that came down out of heaven.” They were saying, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?”
Jesus claimed He’d go back to Heaven and they didn’t believe Him.
John 6:61-63 “But Jesus, conscious that His disciples grumbled at this, said to them, “Does this cause you to stumble? “What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life.”
Jesus testimony about Himself has been unbelieved by the Jews and even by most in the world today.
Dr. Phil claims to be a doctor and people believe him.
Tom Brady claims to be a quarterback and people believe him.
George Bush claims to be president and people believe him.
But Jesus comes and claims to be the Son of God,
And for the most part people don’t believe Him.
And there is a reason why they don’t.
John 8:42-47 “Jesus said to them, “If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and have come from God, for I have not even come on My own initiative, but He sent Me. “Why do you not understand what I am saying? It is because you cannot hear My word. “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he is a liar and the father of lies. “But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me. “Which one of you convicts Me of sin? If I speak truth, why do you not believe Me? “He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason you do not hear them, because you are not of God.”
The reason people don’t believe Jesus
Is because they are not of God, and Jesus is God.
But their excuse was
That He couldn’t be trusted because what He said He said about Himself.
John 8:13 “So the Pharisees said to Him, “You are testifying about Yourself; Your testimony is not true.”
What a pathetic reason not to believe,
Yet that is all the excuse it takes for some people.
Jesus said “Follow Me” and yet people won’t believe Him.
They need more proof.
They need a sign.
They want God to jump through hoops and write it on the wall.
It doesn’t matter that what He said is the truth,
They aren’t willing to believe what He said.
His is the unbelieved testimony.
That is why Jesus said.
“There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.”
But there is a second testimony about Jesus.
#2 THE UNRECEIVED TESTIMONY
John 5:33-35
Jesus testified about Himself, but they wouldn’t believe His testimony.
So Jesus points them to a second testimony about Himself.
It is the testimony of John.
And they knew what that testimony was, for they had already sent to him.
John 1:19-24 “This is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent to him priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” And he confessed and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” They asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” And he said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” Then they said to him, “Who are you, so that we may give an answer to those who sent us? What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am A VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, ‘MAKE STRAIGHT THE WAY OF THE LORD,’ as Isaiah the prophet said.” Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.”
These Jews went to find out what John was teaching, and John testified to the truth.
Now Jesus wants you to know He didn’t need John’s testimony.
Vs. 34 “But the testimony which I have is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.”
He didn’t need John to testify about Him, but you do.
Jesus doesn’t need men to testify about Himself, but you do.
Jesus does not need men to travel around the world, but the world does.
But the tragedy is, even that witness is often times not received.
See verse 35, “He was a lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.”
Now notice John wasn’t the light, John was a lamp.
A lamp uses borrowed light and carries that light to the darkness.
Jesus is the Light of the World, John simply carried His light,
And for a while the people liked it.
“you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.”
John was a sensational act to them. Much like Ezekiel.
Ezekiel 33:30-33 “But as for you, son of man, your fellow citizens who talk about you by the walls and in the doorways of the houses, speak to one another, each to his brother, saying, ‘ Come now and hear what the message is which comes forth from the LORD.’ “They come to you as people come, and sit before you as My people and hear your words, but they do not do them, for they do the lustful desires expressed by their mouth, and their heart goes after their gain. “Behold, you are to them like a sensual song by one who has a beautiful voice and plays well on an instrument; for they hear your words but they do not practice them. “So when it comes to pass — as surely it will — then they will know that a prophet has been in their midst.”
They enjoyed listening to John for a little while,
They thought he was a good show,
But they didn’t truly receive his testimony.
THEY EVENTUALLY REJECTED JOHN
Matthew 11:14-19 “And if you are willing to accept it, John himself is Elijah who was to come. “He who has ears to hear, let him hear. “But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like children sitting in the market places, who call out to the other children, and say, ‘We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.’ “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘ He has a demon!’ “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Behold, a gluttonous man and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ Yet wisdom is vindicated by her deeds.”
Not only did they not believe Jesus testimony about himself, They didn’t receive the testimony of the preacher that said the same thing.
This applies today.
People don’t believe Jesus because He testifies of Himself.
People don’t believe His prophets because they find some fault in them.
It is amazing today how many excuses people can give
For not wanting the truth.
“We can’t believe John he’s a psycho that lives in the wilderness”
People use all sorts of excuses why not to believe a preacher.
He is too long…
He is too serious…
He is too boring…
He is too ugly…
People will look for any reason whatsoever to disbelieve the truth.
Not because the truth is wrong, but because they don’t like the truth.
But come the judgment they won’t have a leg to stand on.
“Depart from Me, I never knew you.”
It’s not my fault God, I didn’t believe because my preacher…
But there will be many in hell with similar excuses.
Maybe you can not believe the testimony of Jesus
Maybe you can not receive the testimony of His preachers
They are the Unbelieved Testimony and the Unreceived testimOny
#3 THE UNDENIED TESTIMONY
John 5:36
You can live your life claiming Jesus claim about Himself can’t be trusted.
You can live your life shooting holes in the preachers He sends.
But there is one testimony you cannot deny.
The testimony which the Father has given Him.
HIS WORKS
That testimony is greater than any.
1 John 5:9 “If we receive the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater; for the testimony of God is this, that He has testified concerning His Son.”
Jesus said you can doubt Me, you can doubt John,
But what are you going to do with the power God is revealing in Me?
“for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish – the very works that I do – testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.”
John 10:25 “Jesus answered them, “I told you, and you do not believe; the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me.”
John 10:38 “but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father.”
John 14:11 “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.”
TURN TO ISAIAH 35
This is a Messianic prophecy.
Verses 1-4 talk about THE PROMISE OF THE SAVIOR
But how will we know who He is?
Verses 5-7 talk about THE POWER OF THE SAVIOR
Look at what Isaiah said He would do.
“the eyes of the blind will be opened.”
John 9:32-33 “Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. “If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”
“the ears of the deaf will be unstopped”
Mark 7:32-35 “They brought to Him one who was deaf and spoke with difficulty, and they implored Him to lay His hand on him. Jesus took him aside from the crowd, by himself, and put His fingers into his ears, and after spitting, He touched his tongue with the saliva; and looking up to heaven with a deep sigh, He said to him, “Ephphatha!” that is, “Be opened!” And his ears were opened, and the impediment of his tongue was removed, and he began speaking plainly.”
“the lame will leap like a deer.”
John 5:8-9 “Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk.”
“the tongue of the mute will shout for joy.”
Matthew 9:32-33 “As they were going out, a mute, demon-possessed man was brought to Him. After the demon was cast out, the mute man spoke; and the crowds were amazed, and were saying, “Nothing like this has ever been seen in Israel.”
AND ISAIAH SAID IT WILL HAPPEN A LOT
“for waters will break forth in the wilderness and streams in the Arabay. The scorched land will become a pool and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, it’s resting place, grass becomes reeds and rushes.”
Matthew 11:2-6 “Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. “And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”
Isaiah said you will know the Messiah by His power.
Verses 8-10 talk about THE PURPOSE OF THE SAVIOR
The Messiah would be the way of salvation
For all those who would turn from their sin.
“A highway will be there, a roadway, and it will be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean will not travel on it, but it will be for him who walks that way, AND FOOLS WILL NOT WANDER ON IT.”
God had promised a Messiah that would come
And save all those who would turn from their sin and follow Him, And you would know Him because of the power that He had.
THIS IS THE POINT THIS MORNING.
You might not believe the testimony of Jesus…
You might not receive the words of a preacher…
BUT YOU CANNOT DENY THE POWERFUL WORKS OF JESUS
Jesus is the Father’s Savior.
He is God’s anointed to save the world.
There is no one else.
John 14:6 “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
Acts 4:12 “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”
1 Timothy 2:5 “For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus,”
This morning I’m going to ask you not to be foolish,
But to take the advice of Jesus.
John 14:11 “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.”
Do you know of anyone else who gave sight to the blind?
Do you know of anyone else who unstopped deaf ears?
Do you know of anyone else who made a paralytic walk?
Do you know of anyone else who gave the ability to speak?
He is God’s Savior and He will save you today.
Matthew 16:24-25 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. “For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it.”
Romans 10:9 “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved;”
Jesus is the Father’s Savior
IS HE YOURS?
