But We Won't or We Love Ourselves

[0:00] please turn to John's gospel the gospel of John John chapter 5 if you need a Bible there's a Bible in the chair in front of you a black Bible you can go to the back they renumber the New Testament page 75 in that black Bible you'll find John chapter 5 75 in that black Bible John chapter 5 and we're gonna finish the chapter John the chapter of gonna finish John chapter 5 there we go couldn't get it out gonna finish that this morning worked out good to finish this chapter and we'll be gone next week and then we'll start in chapter 6 that chapter 6 is probably one of my favorite chapters in all of John's gospel John chapter 5 we'll start in verse 30 go to the end of the chapter verse 47

[1:01] John chapter 5 starting in verse 30 to 47 John chapter 5 verse 30 I'm not able to do anything on my own as I judge as I hear I judge and my judgment is righteous because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me if I testify of myself my testimony is not true is not sufficient there's another who testifies of me and I know that the testimony which he testifies is sufficient you've sent to John and he's testified to the truth but the testimony which I received is not from man but I say these things that you may be saved he was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light but the testimony which I receive is greater than John for the works which the Father has given me to accomplish the very works that I do testify of me that the Father sent me and the Father who sent me he testifies of me you have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his form and you do not have his word abiding in you if you do not believe in him whom he has sent you search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life and it is these that bear testimony of me and you're unwilling to come to me that you may have life

[2:42] I do not receive recognition from men but I know you that the love of God you do not have in yourselves I have come in the name of my Father and you do not receive me if another shall come in his own name you will receive him how can you even believe when you receive recognition from one another you do not seek the recognition that is from the only God do not think that I will accuse you before the Father the one who accuses you is Moses in whom you yourselves hope for if you believe Moses you will believe me for he wrote of me but if you do not believe his writings how will you believe my words I remember a situation which you've probably experienced it yourself there's a couple young couple nothing I just do that's a catra don't worry about it and they have the little one their two year old maybe three the parents said it's time to go no

[3:54] I don't want to do that no no I don't want to you ever experience that no Walmart that's the place that happens ah we have those kids ah flailing their arms maybe on the ground throwing a tantrum I don't want to do that you can't make me how does that connect with today's passage how does that connect with today's passage the call is to come and receive Jesus come believe into Jesus come know Jesus the call is come the invitation is there from John the evangelist to his readers to us come receive but we won't if you want to sum up these verses verses 30 through 47 it's this we won't we won't

[5:03] I don't want to do that no we just won't come to Jesus all humans have this inherent unwilling attitude towards him because when it's all said and done it comes down to this we don't love God we love ourselves you could even have that as the title we love ourselves we don't come because we love ourselves we're unwilling I mean why does the child not want to go who does that child love herself himself see this passage it unveils and reveals our deepest problem we love ourselves we love darkness rather than the light unless the light awakens us by the life-giving spirit we will remain in our self-love that's why Jesus said in verse 25 truly truly I say to you an hour is coming and now is when the son of man excuse me when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God and those who hear shall live that's what he's talking about he speaks and you're given life and unless the light awakens us we will remain in our self-love in spite of all the evidence that supports

[6:52] Jesus' identity which is verses 31 to 39 Jesus presents evidence to who he is when you're doing evangelism you don't say well I can't present to you the evidence of scripture that's ridiculous give them the evidence of scripture Jesus did it but in spite of all the evidence that supports and points to Jesus' true identity our problem as humans is that we love ourselves we seek our own recognition instead of God's recognition that's why we need a heart change we need a heart change we need someone to speak life into our dead hearts praise Jesus we gather together to sing about the fact that he's rescued us from our self-love hasn't he yeah even as Christians even as Christians this is a challenge to us to what extent do we love ourselves and not Christ and his body do we only love

[8:07] God and his people when it's only convenient for us which is not true love this will be a challenge to us to what extent do we love Christ to what extent do we love his body and yet praise Jesus he's rescued us from our self-love and praise his name that he continues to forgive us when we do display self-love doesn't he he forgives us our sins and that's the that's the irony in this whole passage what is true real love this is this is this is the irony and this this whole scenario and dialogue that Jesus brings up while we were yet sinners loving and serving ourselves God sent his only begotten son who died for us he sacrificed himself on our behalf for our sins that's the irony in this when we were so full of self-love

[9:11] God gave himself isn't that ironic when it Jesus said in chapter 3 the light does not the darkness don't want to come to the light it rejects the light it doesn't want to be exposed and yet the light has come that's grace isn't it this this is God's grace and we're challenged let this be a challenge to us to show true willing love for our Savior and to show the same grace toward his body I said this last week about these verses and it's true for verses 30 through 47 as he said in verses 19 through 29 Jesus makes the most audacious open direct claims about himself he emphasizes his identity his relation to the Father his credibility and yet he and then he unveils the reality of people's hearts we won't come we love ourselves and by the way

[10:29] I want to say this too I was I use different three different commentaries as I do my study and I got this one his name is Edward Clink Edward Clink the third this guy has just been so helpful I would endorse him very much so Pastor Clink he actually pastors a church and he's just been so helpful I've really enjoyed his helps and all these things going through John's gospel but I want you to see how Jesus he kind of ends and yet begins here in verse 30 look at verse 30 I am not able to do anything on my own as I hear I judge here's Jesus true identity this is in verse 30 and my judgment is righteous because I don't seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me so he's transitioning showing how his self-judgments were inadequate and yet he returned to the truth that his actions were united to the father's intentions he sought the father's will that's his relation to the father this is who

[11:40] I am I'm the unique son who's loved by the father we mentioned this I mentioned this last week the ontological equality but economic subordination which is why his judgment is just or righteous because what's the reality of his will he's dependent upon the word and will of the father period this is who Jesus is the unique eternal son loved by the father this is his identity this is who he is this is who Jesus is before us I will do whatever it is that the father wants me to do and now notice what he does in this part from verses 31 all the way to verse 39 he gives evidence for his identity I'm going to give you the evidence for who I am prove to you this is the proof

[12:42] I'm not just doing this self-testimony thing or self-testifying because notice what he says in verse 31 if I testify or bear witness of myself my testimony is not true probably a better word would be sufficient if I testify of myself my testimony is not sufficient he's fully dependent upon the father so his testimony of himself is not sufficient on its own his testimony as Clint said is rooted in the father it's empowered by the spirit because if it's not the triune God relationship is in jeopardy the father testified of the one whom he loved dearly whom he loved for eternity look at what he says verse 32 there's another who testifies of me and I know that the testimony which he testifies is sufficient this is none other than the father and you couple that would

[13:46] Jesus testimony his testimony is sufficient and now what Jesus does he gives here's four co-participating testimonies as evidence of who Jesus is notice how he begins first John the Baptist testified verse 33 you've sent to John they sent an envoy the Jews to John who was sent by God John was and he testified to the truth they sent this envoy to find who John was they recognized John's testimony look at what Jesus says the end of verse 35 you were willing to rejoice for a little while in his light there was fervor around his ministry they were like oh who's this guy oh maybe Messiah is coming they were like excited about John the Baptist wow they were all like you know who is he what's going on is there Messiah going to come they were willing to rejoice a little while under his testimony and yet the problem was they missed the object of his testimony

[14:52] Jesus missed it entirely right over their heads but he says Jesus says John testified to the truth which was testifying to Jesus who is the truth and what did he say behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world and it's to the testament of John notice Jesus says I don't receive this from men it's not what I receive but I say these things that you may be saved in other words it's not from man ultimately his this man testimony it's insufficient Jesus is not dependent on human testimony testimony but even though he's not dependent on human testimony and even though John's testimony was limited he was the voice in the wilderness proclaiming salvation to the world John the Baptist look at what he says about

[15:53] John verse 35 he was a lamp burning and shining sent by God rooted in triune God this was divinely ordained he was like a lamp a portable lamp he was not the light but he testified to the light chapter 1 verse 7 he burned he shined because he was the one who manifested the light to the world so John the Baptist testified there's the evidence number 2 the works of Jesus testified verse 36 but the testimony which I receive is greater than John for the works which the father has given me to accomplish the very works I do testify of me God himself was working in and through his son because it was the father who gave those works to Jesus well what are the works obviously the signs were included in those works but it was

[16:59] Jesus' highest priority it was Jesus' highest priority to accomplish to complete those works but the greatest of the work would be his death and resurrection his whole mission was to come and die because it would be the work of redemption the cross that's the greatest work that Jesus would do so these works testified bore witness they were proof of who he was the evidence of who Jesus is his identity John the Baptist his works the end of verse 36 that the father sent me verse 37 and the father who sent me he testified of me number three the father testified it here's the proof of who Jesus is John the Baptist proved it his works prove it the father proves it the father gave his son the works and the father testified to the truth of his son but notice

[18:09] Jesus doesn't say how he doesn't specify that and you can speculate well maybe he did this maybe Jesus doesn't go into that but notice what Jesus does do at this point regardless of how the father testifies when it came to the father these Jews verse 37 have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his form verse 38 you do not have his word abiding you for you do not believe the one whom he sent notice how he's beginning to go into the purpose of his dialogue these Jews religious leaders they had not heard the father's voice at any time they had not seen his form his word was not abiding or remaining in them that's a three tier rebuke from Jesus the voice absent face absent word absent they were deaf blind if they didn't hear

[19:16] Jesus voice they were not of God's followers if one sees Jesus and one has seen the father because he's the ultimate exegeter of the father and Jesus is the very word of God so to have the word is to have Jesus see all that these Jews thought they were protecting their heritage their history they thought they were protecting the law Jesus used that to rebuke them why verse 38 for because you do not believe him whom he sent if they truly heard the father's voice if they truly seen his form if they truly had his word abiding in them then they would have believed Jesus see we need to understand something

[20:18] I'm just going to move into the last testimony the Bible is not just a nice moral way to live it points us to the person what did you just sing show us Christ prepare our hearts so God plant your word down deep into us help our unbelief there's a reason why we sang that song show us Christ as we come to the word of God which by the way the scriptures is the last testimony John the Baptist proved who Jesus was the works proved who Jesus the father and then the scripture itself the Bible and as Jesus is speaking he's talking about the Old Testament and notice how Jesus he rebuked the Jews for not seeing him in the word verse 39 you search the scriptures you make careful thoughtful effort you're diligent studiers of the

[21:26] Old Testament to learn scripture because you think that in them you have eternal life and it is these witnessed to testify of me that's audacious isn't it that's an open claim Jesus rebuked Jews for not seeing him as the heart and central theme of the Old Testament scriptures they were blinded to the true subject matter of the Old Testament oh they were diligent studiers of it and they were protecting that law right it was like a lucky charm to them and yet know this there is nothing within the study of the scriptures itself that gives life especially when the true purpose and focus of the word is denied or rejected see this is the key to every human on this planet apart from the spirit of God opening people's eyes so that they embrace the word of God in the word of God they will never believe in the truth never that's why

[22:51] Jesus said and now is coming and now is verse 25 when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of God and those who hear shall live he's talking about spiritual life remember we looked at that last week the spiritual life they must be awakened to that unfortunately they did not read the Old Testament in the way the Old Testament is supposed to be read you got to put your Christ centered Jesus focused glasses on you know you got to read something what's the first thing that comes out of your mouth where's my glasses I get my glasses I can see that to there right got to get your glasses on so get your Christ centered Jesus focused glasses on then you can read the Old Testament the way it's supposed to be Mike they're on your head okay and notice so he's going into this he's starting to bring out what's going on in their hearts and this is where he moves into this in verse 40 the problem is here the problem their unwillingness to come and you're unwilling to come to me that you may have life this is the evil state of their hearts the problem is not the

[24:16] Bible the problem is not the father the problem is not the works of Jesus the problem wasn't John the Baptist the problem is their heart and here's the irony what they placed at the center of their faith the Old Testament scriptures they truly did not believe they were blind they were lost friends the problem with people is their heart our problem is our heart the testimony of John the proof of Jesus works the proof from the father the proof from the Bible falls on deaf ears if it's stripped of the powerful life-giving spirit of

[25:17] God God or what did Jesus call it unless you're reborn born again born from above you'll never enter the kingdom of God and look at what he does in verse 41 he begins to bring out the issue of self love I do not receive glory from men probably better translation would be recognition so Jesus was saying human recognition is insufficient besides it's not about human recognition anyways it's about the father's recognition verse 42 here it is but I know you that the love of God you do not have in yourselves there it is why are people unwilling to come what is our problem because of self love the light reveals the darkness he manifested the true nature of their hearts see this is actually the point of the whole dialogue

[26:36] Jesus knows that humanity does not possess a love for God that's what he's talking about here when he's talking about love of God he's talking about love for God you don't have that love for God you don't have it in yourselves they don't love God this is the whole point this is what's driving Jesus in this dialogue this is driving this whole dialogue is right here people are filled with self love love who do they really love themselves at the end of the day people love themselves they don't love God they love the darkness rather than the light so they won't come to the light won't come and that's the irony God showed his love to people who don't love him that's why his love is so amazing that's why it's so gracious what does

[27:42] Paul say while we were still sinners Christ died for us whatever we read in Titus when the kindness of God and his love for humanity appeared what did he do he saved us not on the basis of the works we've done in righteousness but through that renewal and that rebirth from the spirit so if you're here today and you don't know Jesus you need to be reborn you need to come to Christ come and receive him get out of your self-love come into the love of God he'll forgive you he'll liberate you he'll save you he'll love you he'll show grace to you repent and trust Jesus God should condemn us but he's merciful he'll show you mercy come receive him what's the problem the problem is our self-love we won't come because we love ourselves and look at what Jesus does kind of closing off this these audacious claims and he says even more audacious claims from verses 43 to 47 he gives examples of their self-love first their self-recognition

[28:59] I have come in the name of my father and you don't receive me okay so here's the irony it thickens they claim to love God but when it came to Jesus who came in the authority of the father in whom they claim to love remember they don't receive him that's why that's the proof they don't love God if they truly love God they would not fail to love Jesus I've come by the authority of the father you don't receive me but then look at what he says if another shall come in his own name you'll receive him some nameless guy comes they receive him how does this make any sense wouldn't they love Jesus no love and this could be false messiahs it could be others but the point Jesus is trying to make is there's no love for Jesus and no love for God there's no love for God there's no love for Jesus look at what he says verse 44 how can you even believe that's a nuance here how can you even believe when you receive recognition from one another oh that's really what it was about you like the recognition from one another you like the recognition from each other yeah

[30:21] I like me and you don't seek the recognition as from the only God what's the essence how can they even begin to believe when they receive recognition from one another but they don't seek God's recognition this is this nonsense but it's true people want self-recognition as a way to enhance their self-love humanity humanity chooses self instead of embracing God they wanted someone whose values made them central they wanted someone who made them the focus they got the recognition that's what they wanted is this not the true meaning of sin to recognize and find what is worthy in ourselves focusing and centering upon ourselves isn't that not what sin is we're more concerned with human praise and recognition than giving that recognition of God that recognition happens in and through the Lord

[31:43] Jesus so example of their self-love first self-recognition and second convenient religion look at verse 45 don't think I'm going to accuse you before the Father I'm not going to accuse you Moses is going to accuse you this would cut them to the core to reject Jesus really means one rejects Moses here's Jesus as the judge remember Jesus said he was the judge verse 19 through 29 he's the life giver he's the judge and who's the accuser it's Moses interesting notice how Jesus challenged the object of their faith which was themselves and all they did they used

[32:48] Moses for their own selfish ends convenient religion Jesus must be the object of faith and the one notice he says the one who accuses Moses in whom you yourselves hope and the you yourselves is emphasized there on purpose you yourselves hope in him and he's the one accusing you there's the irony the one who would accuse them before the father on the last day of judgment even more heavy because who is Moses he wrote the first five books of the Old Testament so not only is that going to affect the Pharisees it's going to affect the Sadducees the religious leaders in whole why why is he going to accuse them verse 46 for if you believe Moses you would believe me for he wrote of me boom that is totally audacious when was the last time the Old

[34:01] Testament speaks about me that's right Moses wrote about me that's audacious isn't it Moses very message had Jesus as the centerpiece so they truly didn't believe Moses if you believe Moses you believe me because he wrote about me I'm in his writings I'm in Genesis I'm in Exodus I'm in Leviticus Numbers and Deuteronomy this tells us something about the Old Testament by the way again commentator says this Jesus is the quote ultimate and fullest subject matter of the Old Testament scriptures another phrase he is quote the hermeneutical key for reading the scriptures so the Old Testament must be read we must read the Old Testament and the way the Old Testament is supposed to be read with Christ centered Jesus focused glasses on and look at how he ends verse 47 but if you don't believe his writings how will you believe my words

[35:14] Moses who was the object of their hope he wasn't really believed God because they really didn't believe Jesus all they wanted was something to foster their own self love they didn't care so if they in essence didn't believe Moses Jesus says how can you believe my words so to believe in Moses is to believe in Jesus to reject Jesus to reject Moses if they did not understand the scriptures of Moses centered on Jesus they would never understand Moses and never believe Jesus and never believe his words because it's a belief that embraces Jesus it's a belief that obeys Jesus it's a belief that loves Jesus not self I mean this enhances for us the grace of God this puts

[36:22] God's grace on such display do you see that when we were at a state where we could not and would not embrace him in true faith God came down to us accommodating himself to us by showing us his love and grace how taking on human flesh and dying for us while we were still sinners when you were steeped in your self-love Jesus moved God initiated that's grace this passage reveals our deep problem the deepest problem we love ourselves we just won't come all humans have this inherent unwilling attitude towards God we don't love God we love ourselves this is a challenge to us as Christians to love

[37:24] Christ and his body more and more and there are love for Christ and each other will be done for the sake of Christ and for others not for our own convenience right it's a challenge and unless the light awakens us by the life-giving spirit we will remain in our self-love so praise God for his awakening grace praise God he's awakened you to your self-love so how do you get out of this self-love focus focus on Jesus let him be the centerpiece let him be your focus because he is the epitome of the grace and love of God isn't he let's pray for him to do that in us our father we know we fall short days where we are filled with our self-love thank you we say thank you for rescuing us from our self-love and we thank you that you've rescued us from this inherent unwillingness to come so we come we come to you willingly make known our self-love make known how we focus on ourselves and not on you

[39:09] Lord Jesus we make it about us not about you spirit of God we pray awaken that more and more in us by your power through the word to show us Christ through the words of scripture the ancient words of the word to be a people of grace who have experienced your grace rescued out of our self-love love I encourage you in a few moments to fill your mind with God's word to ponder what we've seen from the truth today maybe the spirit's pricked you and you've seen some self-love repent of that confess it

[40:21] Jesus loves he forgives he liberates go to the cross he died for that fill your mind with gospel truth in these few moments it's like a minute or so take this time if you would between you and the Lord and then pray Lord plant your word down deep in me deep down in me please take the time and do that now to you to cross two Crill sounds later like

[41:23] Thank you.