WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:15.500 If you would turn in your Bibles to John chapter 5, it is on page 1058 of your pew Bible, and I just need to ask you all to give me a glory. 00:00:15.500 --> 00:00:16.500 Glory. 00:00:17.500 --> 00:00:18.679 Okay, good, good, good, good. 00:00:19.500 --> 00:00:22.179 Now imagine this, the unthinkable happens. 00:00:23.000 --> 00:00:28.280 You're an adult, and you're arrested for a crime you didn't commit. 00:00:28.380 --> 00:00:39.799 Now if you're a child in the room, just imagine this, one of your parents gets arrested for a crime that they did not commit, and that case is fast-tracked to trial. 00:00:39.799 --> 00:00:53.799 And at that trial, the prosecutor seeks to convince a jury of your peers that you are guilty for an alleged crime. 00:00:55.339 --> 00:01:03.619 Punishment is stiff, 20 years in jail, and as the prosecutor is making his case, you are watching the faces of the jury. 00:01:04.179 --> 00:01:05.379 You're watching them nod. 00:01:05.379 --> 00:01:11.359 You're seeing them fixated on the prosecutor like they're buying it. 00:01:11.699 --> 00:01:13.179 And you're like, oh no, this isn't going well. 00:01:15.199 --> 00:01:25.539 And then your defender, your attorney, stands up, and she, her aim is to defend your innocence. 00:01:25.540 --> 00:01:40.620 And what she does on your behalf is to bring forward witness after witness in consecutive order, to bear witness to who you are, and that you are not guilty of the crime. 00:01:41.860 --> 00:01:48.120 Now the question becomes, does she make the case to prove your innocence? 00:01:48.120 --> 00:01:53.780 In John chapter 5, Jesus is on trial. 00:01:55.020 --> 00:02:03.160 Not the trial that we'll see later on in John where he is before the Jewish authorities and the Roman authorities. 00:02:03.320 --> 00:02:12.240 No, no, he is, he has been accused of blasphemy, of being, of claiming to be God, though he is a mere man. 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:25.939 I mean, he, in, earlier in John 5, has healed a man on the Sabbath, and then he starts claiming to be God's son, which is equating himself to be God. 00:02:27.219 --> 00:02:35.060 And so he's opened up himself to the charge of blasphemy, and the Jewish leaders, as a result, they want to kill him. 00:02:35.060 --> 00:02:41.560 So in their mind, Jesus is guilty of a capital crime. 00:02:41.680 --> 00:02:43.400 You can't claim to be God. 00:02:45.920 --> 00:02:52.599 Last week, Jesus asserted his authority to both give life and to judge all. 00:02:52.740 --> 00:02:56.560 He is the judge of all, something that God alone does. 00:02:57.400 --> 00:03:03.480 And here, in our passage today, in verses 30 through 47, we have four witnesses. 00:03:05.060 --> 00:03:09.539 Who take the witness stand to bear testimony about Jesus. 00:03:10.599 --> 00:03:12.159 That he was sent from God. 00:03:13.280 --> 00:03:16.300 And as the one sent from God, he's the son of man. 00:03:16.400 --> 00:03:18.360 He's the son of God. 00:03:18.460 --> 00:03:21.099 He is totally God, totally man. 00:03:21.259 --> 00:03:24.039 He is the savior of the world. 00:03:27.400 --> 00:03:32.360 So these four witnesses are going to come in consecutive order. 00:03:32.360 --> 00:03:37.300 And what we're going to see is if Jesus makes his case. 00:03:38.140 --> 00:03:40.400 Because Jesus hasn't hired his own lawyer. 00:03:40.580 --> 00:03:42.720 He's representing himself. 00:03:43.940 --> 00:03:46.580 So would you read with me verses 30 through 47? 00:03:48.080 --> 00:03:49.040 Hear God's word. 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:52.599 I can do nothing on my own, says Jesus. 00:03:52.819 --> 00:03:57.439 As I hear, I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not my own will, but the will 00:03:57.439 --> 00:03:58.340 of him who sent me. 00:03:59.739 --> 00:04:03.479 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 00:04:04.419 --> 00:04:06.780 There is another who bears witness about me. 00:04:06.879 --> 00:04:09.859 And I know that the testimony that he bears about me is true. 00:04:10.459 --> 00:04:13.519 You sent to John and he has borne witness to the truth. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:18.720 Not that the testimony that I receive is from man, but I say these things so that you may 00:04:18.720 --> 00:04:19.360 be saved. 00:04:20.000 --> 00:04:25.199 He was a burning and shining lamp and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. 00:04:26.139 --> 00:04:29.240 But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. 00:04:29.740 --> 00:04:35.300 For the works that the father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, 00:04:36.180 --> 00:04:39.720 bear witness about me that the father has sent me. 00:04:39.720 --> 00:04:45.360 And the father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. 00:04:45.580 --> 00:04:51.040 His voice you have never heard, his form you have never seen, and you do not have his word 00:04:51.040 --> 00:04:55.240 abiding in you for you do not believe the one whom he has sent, speaking of himself. 00:04:56.800 --> 00:05:03.580 You search the scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. 00:05:03.579 --> 00:05:10.699 And it is they that bear witness about me. 00:05:12.019 --> 00:05:14.800 Yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life. 00:05:15.279 --> 00:05:20.299 I do not receive glory from people, but I know that you do not have the love of God within you. 00:05:20.659 --> 00:05:23.819 I've come in my father's name and you do not receive me. 00:05:24.000 --> 00:05:26.279 If another comes in his own name, you will receive him. 00:05:26.279 --> 00:05:33.979 How can you believe when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the only God? 00:05:34.679 --> 00:05:37.059 Do not think that I will accuse you to the father. 00:05:37.559 --> 00:05:42.199 There is one who accuses you, Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 00:05:42.519 --> 00:05:49.019 For if you believed Moses, you would have believed me, for he wrote of me. 00:05:49.019 --> 00:05:56.099 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words? 00:05:56.299 --> 00:05:58.919 May God bless the reading and hearing of his word. 00:05:59.399 --> 00:06:00.359 So four witnesses. 00:06:00.879 --> 00:06:01.659 Let's look at the four. 00:06:01.799 --> 00:06:02.500 First witness. 00:06:03.019 --> 00:06:07.479 The first witness is in verses 30 through 32, Jesus himself. 00:06:08.479 --> 00:06:15.539 The first person Jesus calls to the stand to give defense that he is God incarnate. 00:06:15.639 --> 00:06:16.879 He is not blaspheming. 00:06:16.879 --> 00:06:18.539 He has authority to judge. 00:06:19.019 --> 00:06:20.620 He references himself. 00:06:21.459 --> 00:06:28.459 I can do nothing on my own as I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I seek not my own will, but the will of him who sent me. 00:06:28.740 --> 00:06:33.219 If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 00:06:33.719 --> 00:06:38.719 What Jesus is doing in verse 30 is just simply reiterating something that he's already said. 00:06:38.719 --> 00:06:47.539 And that is that he has the authority to judge all because he is the son who's been sent by the father. 00:06:47.540 --> 00:06:54.340 What he's doing is he's saying, I share the same essence with my father. 00:06:55.379 --> 00:06:56.520 I'm God the son. 00:06:56.580 --> 00:06:57.860 He is God the father. 00:06:58.020 --> 00:06:59.280 We're talking about the Trinity. 00:06:59.540 --> 00:07:04.200 Again, last week I told you here are the three statements to hold together, to be orthodox. 00:07:04.860 --> 00:07:07.860 God has eternally existed as three distinct persons. 00:07:07.860 --> 00:07:10.560 Each person is fully God. 00:07:11.080 --> 00:07:12.480 There is one God. 00:07:13.120 --> 00:07:15.180 God the father ordains salvation. 00:07:15.780 --> 00:07:18.180 God the son accomplishes salvation. 00:07:18.900 --> 00:07:23.360 And God the spirit applies the finished work of Christ to those who believe. 00:07:24.160 --> 00:07:27.980 So this whole salvation plan is a triune plan. 00:07:27.980 --> 00:07:33.860 And so what Jesus is saying in verse 30 is, hey, I'm here to do the will of my father, the one who sent me. 00:07:34.420 --> 00:07:35.800 I'm in lockstep with him. 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:48.080 In verses 22 and 27, earlier on we say that Jesus has been given full authority to judge. 00:07:49.200 --> 00:07:51.080 He's in lockstep with his father. 00:07:51.259 --> 00:07:53.319 He gives life to whom he pleases. 00:07:53.319 --> 00:08:01.519 Jesus, in verse 27 in particular, we see that God the father has sent Jesus, the son of man. 00:08:02.540 --> 00:08:04.500 This is an enormous claim. 00:08:05.839 --> 00:08:07.699 It's referring back to Daniel chapter 7. 00:08:07.980 --> 00:08:11.279 And this son of man comes to the ancient of days. 00:08:11.439 --> 00:08:16.800 God the father in the ancient of days gives him a dominion, an everlasting dominion. 00:08:16.800 --> 00:08:25.300 And those people who will be brought into his everlasting kingdom will come from every nation and every tribe around the world. 00:08:25.379 --> 00:08:31.120 It's a claim of being the Messiah, the Christ, the one sent by God. 00:08:31.699 --> 00:08:34.740 And what Jesus is doing here is simply saying, I'm that guy. 00:08:35.700 --> 00:08:37.000 I've got full authority. 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:48.080 And so we're being reminded in verse 30 that Jesus, what he's claimed of himself, that he is authority that God has given him to judge all. 00:08:49.759 --> 00:08:53.220 In verse 31, he says something kind of interesting. 00:08:55.120 --> 00:08:59.419 He says, if I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not true. 00:08:59.419 --> 00:09:04.379 He's saying, but don't just take my word for it. 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:06.519 There are other witnesses. 00:09:08.099 --> 00:09:15.379 You see, what he's setting up here is that if he alone were bearing witness to himself, it wouldn't stand in Jewish court. 00:09:15.539 --> 00:09:22.479 In Jewish kind of legal proceedings, you needed two to three witnesses to establish a charge against someone. 00:09:23.219 --> 00:09:27.079 It had to be kind of corroboratory, what is it? 00:09:27.080 --> 00:09:29.780 Thank you. 00:09:31.040 --> 00:09:34.420 Testimony that something has happened. 00:09:35.440 --> 00:09:40.680 And so what Jesus is saying, hey, if I'm just trying to convince you based upon my own testimony, it's not enough. 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:46.800 So in verse 32, he says, there is another who bears witness about me. 00:09:47.660 --> 00:09:50.800 And I know that the testimony he bears about me is true. 00:09:54.220 --> 00:09:55.360 Here's what I want you to do. 00:09:55.360 --> 00:10:02.200 In light of this first witness of Jesus himself, I want to give you, give me a glory. 00:10:05.519 --> 00:10:06.480 Let's try that again. 00:10:08.120 --> 00:10:08.980 I'll just say it. 00:10:09.039 --> 00:10:10.000 I'll say, give me a glory. 00:10:10.440 --> 00:10:11.460 And you give me a glory. 00:10:11.680 --> 00:10:11.779 Yeah. 00:10:12.620 --> 00:10:13.680 You know, we've come. 00:10:13.980 --> 00:10:15.580 The first witness is Jesus Christ. 00:10:15.700 --> 00:10:16.419 Give me a glory. 00:10:18.180 --> 00:10:18.620 Okay. 00:10:18.759 --> 00:10:19.720 Who's the second witness? 00:10:19.720 --> 00:10:25.000 The second witness is in verses 33 through 35. 00:10:26.800 --> 00:10:29.279 JTB, John the Baptist. 00:10:29.279 --> 00:10:34.079 And so in verse 33, we read this. 00:10:35.519 --> 00:10:36.899 There's this another testimony. 00:10:37.419 --> 00:10:41.019 You sent to John and he has borne witness to the truth. 00:10:41.439 --> 00:10:44.120 The John that he's talking about is John the Baptist. 00:10:44.620 --> 00:10:48.399 And when you read that you sent to John, you're kind of like, is that English? 00:10:48.519 --> 00:10:49.740 That doesn't make any sense to me. 00:10:49.819 --> 00:10:50.559 What is he saying? 00:10:51.379 --> 00:10:56.119 And what Jesus is saying to his Jewish opponents is this. 00:10:56.799 --> 00:11:00.379 Hey, you guys sent a delegation to check John the Baptist out. 00:11:00.459 --> 00:11:01.339 Do you remember what he told you? 00:11:03.159 --> 00:11:13.619 If you flip to John chapter one in verse 19, Jesus in John five is talking to the Jewish authorities 00:11:13.620 --> 00:11:20.220 in Jerusalem and in John chapter one, verse 19, we read this. 00:11:20.700 --> 00:11:26.620 And this is the testimony of John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem 00:11:26.620 --> 00:11:28.700 to ask him, who are you? 00:11:29.259 --> 00:11:32.860 He confessed and did not deny, but confessed, I'm not the Christ. 00:11:33.820 --> 00:11:35.299 And they asked him, what then? 00:11:35.340 --> 00:11:35.879 Are you Elijah? 00:11:36.000 --> 00:11:37.080 He said, I am not. 00:11:37.940 --> 00:11:38.759 Are you the prophet? 00:11:38.879 --> 00:11:39.659 And he said, no. 00:11:39.659 --> 00:11:43.139 So they said to him, who are you? 00:11:43.539 --> 00:11:45.799 We need to give an answer to those who sent to us. 00:11:45.959 --> 00:11:47.679 What do you say about yourself? 00:11:48.019 --> 00:11:51.959 He said, I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness. 00:11:53.059 --> 00:11:55.819 Make straight the way of the Lord. 00:11:56.259 --> 00:12:00.500 As the prophet Isaiah said, Isaiah 40, verse 30. 00:12:02.139 --> 00:12:04.339 No, I'm not the Christ, John the Baptist says. 00:12:04.340 --> 00:12:10.060 But I have been sent to make the way for the Lord. 00:12:10.340 --> 00:12:13.840 And that word Lord is the word Yahweh, God. 00:12:14.660 --> 00:12:20.800 I am going before him to prepare, make straight his way. 00:12:22.440 --> 00:12:23.720 I'm not the Christ. 00:12:25.080 --> 00:12:25.600 No. 00:12:26.620 --> 00:12:29.400 But he's the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. 00:12:29.580 --> 00:12:30.180 Verse 29. 00:12:30.179 --> 00:12:36.239 And so what John the Baptist is bearing witness to, what Jesus is doing is, remember John the 00:12:36.239 --> 00:12:36.959 Baptist's testimony? 00:12:38.500 --> 00:12:41.620 He bore witness about me, the truth of who I am. 00:12:43.339 --> 00:12:44.439 That I am the Lord. 00:12:45.979 --> 00:12:51.239 And so what Jesus is implying in all this is that he is God. 00:12:54.379 --> 00:12:58.979 John the Baptist is very clear in saying in chapter one, he's not the Christ, he's not the 00:12:58.980 --> 00:13:00.759 Lord, but he's come before the Lord. 00:13:01.320 --> 00:13:08.320 And in this sense, in the words of Jesus, he is born witness to the truth. 00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:13.100 To the truth of God's plan for the fullness of time. 00:13:13.340 --> 00:13:16.159 Of God sending his son. 00:13:18.180 --> 00:13:23.940 It's interesting that John the Baptist in other places implies that Jesus is the Christ. 00:13:24.080 --> 00:13:25.700 He implies that Jesus is the Lord. 00:13:25.820 --> 00:13:27.420 He calls him the lamb of God. 00:13:27.419 --> 00:13:34.379 He says it's Jesus who does not baptize with water, but baptizes with the Holy Spirit. 00:13:34.699 --> 00:13:39.759 And that is just another way of saying he's the one who is bringing with him the new covenant 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:42.539 promised in Jeremiah and Ezekiel. 00:13:45.199 --> 00:13:48.479 John also says, this is repeated early in the book of John. 00:13:49.860 --> 00:13:54.579 John the Baptist says of Jesus that he was born, the one who was born after me ranks higher 00:13:54.580 --> 00:13:56.460 than me because he was before me. 00:13:57.920 --> 00:13:58.900 We just sang it. 00:13:59.620 --> 00:14:00.620 You have no birthday. 00:14:01.860 --> 00:14:02.879 You have always been. 00:14:04.980 --> 00:14:11.780 It's the nature of the second person of the Trinity to be from everlasting to everlasting. 00:14:11.779 --> 00:14:19.079 You know, this is the last time that we're going to see John the Baptist in the Gospel of John. 00:14:20.240 --> 00:14:25.860 And Jesus references him as the second witness that he has been sent by the Father. 00:14:26.339 --> 00:14:28.779 That he is the Savior of the world. 00:14:29.439 --> 00:14:30.579 God in the flesh. 00:14:30.580 --> 00:14:30.660 God in the flesh. 00:14:32.200 --> 00:14:36.560 So John the Baptist steps down from the witness stand, so to speak. 00:14:39.259 --> 00:14:40.360 Give me a glory. 00:14:41.700 --> 00:14:42.100 Glory. 00:14:43.540 --> 00:14:44.700 Okay, who's next? 00:14:45.540 --> 00:14:46.660 Witness number one is Jesus. 00:14:47.460 --> 00:14:49.180 Witness number two is John the Baptist. 00:14:50.220 --> 00:14:52.220 Now things start to get really interesting. 00:14:53.660 --> 00:14:56.800 Witness number three, starting in verse 36. 00:14:56.799 --> 00:14:59.500 It's the works of Jesus. 00:15:02.439 --> 00:15:07.039 Jesus calls in another witness. 00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:15.519 It's the works that God the Father has given him, God the Son, to do. 00:15:16.659 --> 00:15:22.639 And notice in verse 36, he says that there are greater, there are greater witnesses than that of John the Baptist. 00:15:22.639 --> 00:15:31.840 This is God the Father witnessing through God the Son through the works that he does. 00:15:33.139 --> 00:15:34.399 Think about it like this. 00:15:34.779 --> 00:15:38.639 Jesus at this point says, okay, I'm going to call up my third witness. 00:15:38.980 --> 00:15:45.240 It's the works that I've done, and I've got multiple exhibits to show you of the works that I have done. 00:15:46.600 --> 00:15:49.000 What are those works that he has done? 00:15:50.740 --> 00:15:51.500 Exhibit A. 00:15:51.500 --> 00:15:53.500 Exhibit B. 00:15:53.500 --> 00:15:54.720 Turning water into wine. 00:15:55.399 --> 00:15:56.740 John chapter 2. 00:15:57.460 --> 00:15:58.460 Who does that? 00:16:00.820 --> 00:16:01.879 Exhibit B. 00:16:02.879 --> 00:16:04.080 Cleansing the temple. 00:16:05.139 --> 00:16:07.240 Who has the authority to do that? 00:16:08.899 --> 00:16:10.139 Exhibit C. 00:16:10.740 --> 00:16:13.320 Healing of the official's son in Cana. 00:16:13.659 --> 00:16:19.139 He was 22 miles away, and the official came, says, my son is dying. 00:16:19.139 --> 00:16:20.720 And Jesus said, go. 00:16:21.139 --> 00:16:21.819 He's healed. 00:16:24.460 --> 00:16:25.720 Exhibit D. 00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:30.100 Healing of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda on the Sabbath. 00:16:30.199 --> 00:16:35.779 This is what is set in motion this whole chapter 5 issue with the authority of Jesus. 00:16:35.779 --> 00:16:40.699 Jesus, on the Sabbath, Jesus heals this paralytic. 00:16:41.120 --> 00:16:45.159 He brings peace to him for all to see. 00:16:47.159 --> 00:16:48.120 Exhibit E. 00:16:48.500 --> 00:16:50.019 You'll hear this one next week. 00:16:50.360 --> 00:16:53.259 Les is going to preach on the feeding of the 5,000. 00:16:54.120 --> 00:16:55.259 Exhibit F. 00:16:55.259 --> 00:16:58.299 The healing of a blind man in chapter 9. 00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:01.600 And that sets in motion its own stuff. 00:17:02.519 --> 00:17:08.160 And then there's exhibit G of the works of Jesus in the Gospel of John. 00:17:09.000 --> 00:17:12.099 The raising of Lazarus from the dead. 00:17:14.079 --> 00:17:15.099 It's chapter 11. 00:17:15.099 --> 00:17:21.339 Seven exhibits of this third witness. 00:17:21.959 --> 00:17:28.859 The works God the Father has given God the Son to demonstrate that he's been sent by God. 00:17:29.119 --> 00:17:30.639 That he's God in the flesh. 00:17:30.980 --> 00:17:33.159 That he is the Savior of the world. 00:17:34.219 --> 00:17:39.039 In fact, if you flip in your Gospel of John, back to John chapter 20. 00:17:39.039 --> 00:17:44.200 We have the purpose statement of the book that I just want to remind you of. 00:17:44.819 --> 00:17:48.220 John chapter 20 verses 30 and 31. 00:17:52.879 --> 00:18:00.180 These exhibits that Jesus presents throughout the Gospel of John have a purpose. 00:18:01.359 --> 00:18:02.259 They're signs. 00:18:03.920 --> 00:18:07.180 Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples. 00:18:07.180 --> 00:18:09.840 Which are not written in this book. 00:18:10.400 --> 00:18:15.019 But these exhibits are written, are recorded. 00:18:15.140 --> 00:18:18.440 So that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ. 00:18:18.940 --> 00:18:21.960 The Son of Man who's been sent from God the Father. 00:18:22.840 --> 00:18:24.060 The Son of God. 00:18:24.519 --> 00:18:28.700 And that by believing you may have life in his name. 00:18:30.420 --> 00:18:32.600 So these seven exhibits. 00:18:32.880 --> 00:18:36.000 These works that God the Father has given God the Son to do. 00:18:36.000 --> 00:18:39.400 They speak a word about who Jesus is. 00:18:39.480 --> 00:18:42.019 And that he was sent from God. 00:18:43.539 --> 00:18:52.500 But these seven exhibits in the Gospel of John aren't the only exhibits in the New Testament. 00:18:53.380 --> 00:18:57.220 There are a number of other exhibits in the New Testament. 00:18:57.640 --> 00:19:01.799 Okay, I'm going to do a call out to my Carthage friends just to prepare them. 00:19:01.880 --> 00:19:04.000 The last time I did this, they were frozen. 00:19:04.000 --> 00:19:05.099 They didn't know what to do. 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:06.759 They were shocked. 00:19:07.200 --> 00:19:08.380 Maybe even upset. 00:19:09.819 --> 00:19:11.980 All right, shout out to my Carthage people. 00:19:13.640 --> 00:19:14.079 Yeah. 00:19:17.880 --> 00:19:18.319 Yeah. 00:19:20.160 --> 00:19:24.440 We've been going through the Gospel of Mark on Fridays now. 00:19:24.440 --> 00:19:30.660 And a couple Fridays ago, we were in Mark 4 and 5 and talk about exhibits. 00:19:31.620 --> 00:19:40.799 We saw four demonstrations of the authority of Jesus where Jesus first calms the deeps, the Sea of Galilee. 00:19:41.320 --> 00:19:44.740 And then Jesus casts out a legion of demons. 00:19:45.000 --> 00:19:46.000 How's that for authority? 00:19:46.000 --> 00:19:53.240 And then following that, Jesus cures a woman who had a disease of bleeding for 12 years. 00:19:53.359 --> 00:19:55.319 There was no other human being that could heal her. 00:19:55.640 --> 00:20:02.359 And then finally, the piece de la resistance was his raising of a 12-year-old girl from the dead. 00:20:03.240 --> 00:20:08.240 Your Gospels are packed full of exhibits like that. 00:20:08.240 --> 00:20:11.079 He's demonstrating who Jesus is. 00:20:12.019 --> 00:20:14.740 That he's got all authority because he's God Almighty. 00:20:16.059 --> 00:20:18.420 He's the Savior of all and the Judge of all. 00:20:18.420 --> 00:20:34.340 Now, one final exhibit that all four Gospels bear witness to is the greatest work God the Father sent his Son to do. 00:20:35.279 --> 00:20:42.940 And that greatest work is when Jesus died on the cross and then was raised from the dead three days later. 00:20:42.940 --> 00:20:53.920 The death and resurrection of God incarnate was the greatest work that God the Father had given his Son to do. 00:20:54.160 --> 00:20:59.279 Because it's in that work that the Son accomplished our salvation. 00:21:00.200 --> 00:21:05.900 He made a way for you and me not just to be forgiven, but to be able to stand in God's presence without fear. 00:21:05.900 --> 00:21:13.220 And so it's that death and resurrection of God incarnate that accomplished our salvation. 00:21:13.380 --> 00:21:17.880 And all these other exhibits, they have a way of pointing to that. 00:21:22.320 --> 00:21:24.259 And he's continuing that work today. 00:21:25.900 --> 00:21:34.180 He's continuing the work of bringing people from out of the domain of darkness and transferring them into his kingdom of light. 00:21:34.180 --> 00:21:37.299 I like to call him the great repo man. 00:21:38.420 --> 00:21:44.580 He's repoing those people who have been claimed by sin, death, and the devil. 00:21:44.860 --> 00:21:46.299 And he rescues them. 00:21:46.360 --> 00:21:48.019 He repos them to himself. 00:21:48.820 --> 00:21:50.460 And it frees them from sin. 00:21:50.700 --> 00:21:51.759 Frees them from the devil. 00:21:52.259 --> 00:21:54.779 Frees them from the fear of death. 00:21:55.420 --> 00:21:56.519 And now we live for him. 00:21:57.180 --> 00:21:59.920 We experience eternal life. 00:21:59.920 --> 00:22:08.620 This is the third witness to who Jesus is that God has sent him. 00:22:08.660 --> 00:22:09.500 Give me glory. 00:22:10.140 --> 00:22:10.740 Glory. 00:22:13.420 --> 00:22:14.900 There's one more witness. 00:22:16.940 --> 00:22:19.700 And this one is quite extraordinary. 00:22:19.700 --> 00:22:29.100 The final witness, witness number four, is the Father himself through the scriptures. 00:22:31.860 --> 00:22:34.460 We see this in verses 37 through 40. 00:22:38.460 --> 00:22:39.519 Let me read that. 00:22:39.519 --> 00:22:44.700 And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me. 00:22:45.660 --> 00:22:45.879 How? 00:22:48.240 --> 00:22:50.299 His voice you have never heard. 00:22:50.420 --> 00:22:51.559 His form you have never seen. 00:22:51.619 --> 00:22:55.460 Which is interesting because Jesus is God's incarnate voice. 00:22:56.639 --> 00:23:02.400 And Jesus himself is the incarnate form of God. 00:23:04.000 --> 00:23:04.920 Interesting statement. 00:23:04.920 --> 00:23:09.420 You've never, his form you've never seen. 00:23:09.820 --> 00:23:12.519 And you do not have his word abiding in you. 00:23:12.940 --> 00:23:14.060 His voice, his word. 00:23:14.140 --> 00:23:14.960 What is he talking about? 00:23:15.640 --> 00:23:17.700 For you do not believe the one whom he has sent. 00:23:18.060 --> 00:23:19.340 He's talking to himself. 00:23:19.440 --> 00:23:20.200 You don't believe me. 00:23:20.560 --> 00:23:22.180 You don't believe the Father's word. 00:23:22.580 --> 00:23:25.900 And then he says in verse 39, you search the scriptures. 00:23:26.620 --> 00:23:27.460 The voice of God. 00:23:27.539 --> 00:23:28.380 The word of God. 00:23:28.840 --> 00:23:31.700 Because you think that in them you have eternal life. 00:23:31.700 --> 00:23:35.420 And it is they that bear witness about me. 00:23:35.960 --> 00:23:40.000 Yet you refuse to come to me that you may live. 00:23:40.120 --> 00:23:44.779 It is they that bear witness about me. 00:23:46.759 --> 00:23:47.840 That's extraordinary. 00:23:50.120 --> 00:23:53.140 Do you feel the weight of that claim? 00:23:53.140 --> 00:23:57.620 Because if I were to ask you, who's the Bible about? 00:23:57.720 --> 00:23:59.420 I'm guessing you would say, it's about God. 00:24:00.680 --> 00:24:03.400 What Jesus is saying, a little bit more specific. 00:24:04.360 --> 00:24:05.300 It's about me. 00:24:07.780 --> 00:24:12.000 Jesus is claiming to be the focal point of all the scriptures. 00:24:13.940 --> 00:24:17.640 This is absolutely an audacious claim. 00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:28.300 God the Father, he is saying, is bearing witness to him through the scriptures that he has inspired. 00:24:28.520 --> 00:24:29.520 Now just move forward. 00:24:29.960 --> 00:24:31.920 Look to verses 45 and 46. 00:24:32.880 --> 00:24:36.320 Jesus says, again, remember, he's talking to his opponents, the people who want to kill him. 00:24:36.920 --> 00:24:40.600 He says, do not think that I will accuse you, my opponents, to the Father. 00:24:40.960 --> 00:24:46.120 There is one who accuses you, Moses, on whom you have set your hope. 00:24:46.119 --> 00:24:49.879 In other words, you're putting your trust in Moses for deliverance. 00:24:51.179 --> 00:24:53.699 For if you believed Moses, you would believe me. 00:24:53.919 --> 00:24:58.779 For he, Moses, wrote of me. 00:24:59.859 --> 00:25:00.500 Extraordinary. 00:25:02.919 --> 00:25:09.559 It's extraordinary in the claim itself, and it's extraordinary in the courage by which he's saying it to who he's saying it to. 00:25:09.559 --> 00:25:19.819 So the question becomes, how does Moses write about the Son of God? 00:25:20.960 --> 00:25:22.419 What does that look like? 00:25:23.559 --> 00:25:26.079 Is that just kind of a general statement without substance? 00:25:27.859 --> 00:25:31.980 Moses, he composed the first five books of the Bible, the Pentateuch. 00:25:31.980 --> 00:25:35.059 The law, the law of Moses. 00:25:36.880 --> 00:25:49.279 John 3.15, no, Genesis 3.15, remember, God is speaking curse on the serpent, and he says to the serpent that there's going to be an offspring of Eve that will crush his head. 00:25:51.360 --> 00:25:53.779 Bearing witness to me. 00:25:53.779 --> 00:26:02.920 That's Jesus claiming Genesis 3.15 as regarding himself. 00:26:03.420 --> 00:26:14.779 Genesis 12, God promises to Abraham that from him an offspring, through an offspring of Abraham, all the nations of the earth will be blessed. 00:26:15.500 --> 00:26:17.839 Salvation will be brought to the nations. 00:26:19.379 --> 00:26:22.660 And Galatians, do you know who Paul claims to be the offspring? 00:26:22.660 --> 00:26:23.660 Jesus. 00:26:23.660 --> 00:26:24.660 Jesus. 00:26:27.880 --> 00:26:30.640 Leviticus 16, the day of atonement. 00:26:31.279 --> 00:26:32.720 Not just the day of atonement. 00:26:32.820 --> 00:26:37.560 Let's just see the whole sacrificial system of the Jews. 00:26:38.100 --> 00:26:38.580 Everything. 00:26:39.420 --> 00:26:40.720 It was so bloody. 00:26:42.040 --> 00:26:46.420 Because in order for sin to be atoned for, there had to be the shedding of blood. 00:26:46.420 --> 00:26:58.120 And it all is pointing, the whole institution of the sacrificial system is anticipating one great, one and done, final sacrifice. 00:26:58.779 --> 00:27:00.320 This is Hebrews chapter 10. 00:27:01.420 --> 00:27:02.100 Jesus. 00:27:02.099 --> 00:27:02.299 Jesus. 00:27:03.099 --> 00:27:06.980 The institution of priesthood. 00:27:07.919 --> 00:27:10.039 A mediator between God and man. 00:27:10.219 --> 00:27:13.699 Jesus is the greatest, highest priest. 00:27:15.599 --> 00:27:16.579 Deuteronomy 18. 00:27:17.119 --> 00:27:19.459 God would raise up a prophet like Moses. 00:27:19.919 --> 00:27:21.779 Jesus is the ultimate prophet. 00:27:23.099 --> 00:27:24.279 He's the final word. 00:27:24.279 --> 00:27:24.359 Amen. 00:27:24.359 --> 00:27:37.459 I've just given you some examples from the law of Moses that bear witness to Jesus. 00:27:37.599 --> 00:27:47.599 I mean, you could even talk about in terms of the Ten Commandments and how the Ten Commandments expose our sinfulness and our need for a Savior. 00:27:48.740 --> 00:27:50.759 And how Jesus fulfilled each one of them. 00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:51.359 00:27:51.359 --> 00:27:51.359 00:27:54.359 --> 00:28:02.339 What we see going on here is Jesus rebuking his opponents for the way they're reading their Bibles. 00:28:05.359 --> 00:28:10.379 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life. 00:28:10.639 --> 00:28:16.219 You think by the kind of the accumulation of Bible verses in your brain. 00:28:16.979 --> 00:28:22.039 Or how well you obey the commands that there's eternal life in that. 00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:25.039 There's no life in that. 00:28:27.220 --> 00:28:30.579 The life is in whom the Scriptures point to. 00:28:32.139 --> 00:28:35.859 It is they that bear witness of me. 00:28:38.159 --> 00:28:40.759 So they are refusing the witness of Scripture. 00:28:42.200 --> 00:28:46.420 God himself, the Father, bearing witness to the Son. 00:28:46.420 --> 00:28:53.779 John isn't the only gospel to record Jesus making this kind of claim. 00:28:56.140 --> 00:28:57.420 Matthew 5, 17. 00:28:57.820 --> 00:28:59.360 Jesus is talking about the law. 00:28:59.740 --> 00:29:02.620 I came not to abolish the law but to fulfill the law. 00:29:04.800 --> 00:29:06.840 There's Luke 24. 00:29:08.300 --> 00:29:09.940 Jesus has been raised from the dead. 00:29:09.940 --> 00:29:13.799 There's these two kind of episodes in Luke 24. 00:29:14.860 --> 00:29:16.980 Luke 24, 25 through 27. 00:29:17.519 --> 00:29:20.860 Jesus joins two of his disciples as they're walking to Emmaus. 00:29:21.600 --> 00:29:23.420 Jesus doesn't reveal himself to them. 00:29:23.519 --> 00:29:25.019 And Jesus is kind of playing dumb. 00:29:25.100 --> 00:29:26.279 He's like, hey, what are you guys so upset about? 00:29:26.799 --> 00:29:27.539 And he's like, you haven't heard? 00:29:28.519 --> 00:29:29.920 And he starts asking them questions. 00:29:29.980 --> 00:29:30.940 And it becomes apparent 00:29:30.940 --> 00:29:36.340 that they are unaware of who's in their midst. 00:29:38.100 --> 00:29:39.580 And picking up in verse 25, 00:29:39.720 --> 00:29:40.539 And Jesus said to them, 00:29:40.620 --> 00:29:42.380 O foolish ones and slow of heart, 00:29:42.500 --> 00:29:45.600 to believe all that the prophets have spoken. 00:29:46.120 --> 00:29:49.340 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things 00:29:49.340 --> 00:29:50.740 and enter into his glory? 00:29:50.740 --> 00:29:53.660 And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, 00:29:53.860 --> 00:29:56.620 he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures 00:29:56.620 --> 00:29:58.500 the things concerning himself. 00:29:58.500 --> 00:30:01.779 It is they that bear witness of me. 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:06.460 This is huge. 00:30:07.039 --> 00:30:08.480 It changes the way that you read your Bible. 00:30:11.440 --> 00:30:12.700 Later in Luke 24, 00:30:13.359 --> 00:30:16.680 Jesus shows up in a room with his disciples. 00:30:17.680 --> 00:30:19.839 He says, don't freak out. 00:30:20.140 --> 00:30:20.779 Peace be with you. 00:30:21.519 --> 00:30:23.259 And they're like, do you want some broiled fish? 00:30:23.559 --> 00:30:24.059 He's like, sure. 00:30:24.700 --> 00:30:25.579 Eat some broiled fish. 00:30:26.460 --> 00:30:27.859 And then he says in verse 44, 00:30:27.859 --> 00:30:29.859 These are my words that I spoke to you 00:30:29.859 --> 00:30:31.099 while I was still with you, 00:30:31.199 --> 00:30:32.719 that everything written about me 00:30:32.719 --> 00:30:34.959 in the law of Moses and the prophets 00:30:34.959 --> 00:30:37.740 and the Psalms must be fulfilled. 00:30:38.039 --> 00:30:40.219 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 00:30:40.379 --> 00:30:41.119 And he said to them, 00:30:41.619 --> 00:30:42.599 Thus it is written, 00:30:43.039 --> 00:30:44.679 that the Christ should suffer 00:30:44.679 --> 00:30:47.159 and on the third day rise from the dead. 00:30:48.659 --> 00:30:50.639 Not only is the Old Testament 00:30:50.639 --> 00:30:54.139 in various ways pointing to the Messiah, 00:30:54.140 --> 00:30:57.300 it's very specifically pointing to a Messiah 00:30:57.300 --> 00:31:00.000 who would die and be raised from the dead. 00:31:00.200 --> 00:31:01.020 Give me a glory. 00:31:01.640 --> 00:31:02.200 Glory. 00:31:02.720 --> 00:31:05.500 Your Bible is one big book 00:31:05.500 --> 00:31:08.040 authored by the living God 00:31:08.040 --> 00:31:11.600 that is aimed at helping you see Jesus 00:31:11.600 --> 00:31:14.600 because he is the controlling center 00:31:14.600 --> 00:31:16.880 of God's plan for the fullness of time. 00:31:17.280 --> 00:31:18.960 Salvation is in him alone. 00:31:19.759 --> 00:31:20.940 It's a big deal. 00:31:20.940 --> 00:31:23.120 It's a big deal. 00:31:25.440 --> 00:31:27.059 And the tragedy is 00:31:27.059 --> 00:31:30.220 his opponents who were supposed to be 00:31:30.220 --> 00:31:32.299 experts in the law 00:31:32.299 --> 00:31:34.799 were blind 00:31:34.799 --> 00:31:39.840 to who their Bibles were all about. 00:31:39.839 --> 00:31:45.639 What I want to make sure you're hearing is 00:31:45.639 --> 00:31:49.079 that the gospel of Jesus Christ 00:31:49.079 --> 00:31:50.699 is not a plan B 00:31:50.699 --> 00:31:52.740 in God's economy of things. 00:31:54.299 --> 00:31:56.179 The gospel of Jesus Christ 00:31:56.179 --> 00:32:00.159 was established from before the foundation of the world 00:32:00.159 --> 00:32:02.220 and God anticipated it 00:32:02.220 --> 00:32:04.099 throughout the Old Testament Scriptures 00:32:04.099 --> 00:32:06.699 in a variety of different ways and textures 00:32:06.700 --> 00:32:10.279 because God's plan 00:32:10.279 --> 00:32:12.259 is a Christocentric plan 00:32:12.259 --> 00:32:16.019 to save men and women, 00:32:16.240 --> 00:32:16.960 boys and girls 00:32:16.960 --> 00:32:18.840 from around the world. 00:32:19.420 --> 00:32:21.200 So what Jesus is saying here 00:32:21.200 --> 00:32:24.059 must change the way 00:32:24.059 --> 00:32:26.700 we read both the Old and New Testaments 00:32:26.700 --> 00:32:28.819 but particularly reading the Old Testament. 00:32:29.700 --> 00:32:30.519 And not just that, 00:32:30.600 --> 00:32:31.960 it changes the way you preach it. 00:32:31.960 --> 00:32:34.460 It changes the way you preach Jonah. 00:32:34.799 --> 00:32:36.779 It changes the way that you preach Habakkuk. 00:32:37.039 --> 00:32:39.940 It changes the way you preach Amos and Isaiah. 00:32:42.660 --> 00:32:44.740 Listen to what Spurgeon had to say about this 00:32:44.740 --> 00:32:46.299 in his book, The Soul Winner. 00:32:47.620 --> 00:32:49.980 You remember the story of an old minister 00:32:49.980 --> 00:32:53.180 who heard a sermon by a young minister 00:32:53.180 --> 00:32:55.460 and when the old preacher 00:32:55.460 --> 00:32:58.240 was asked by the young preacher 00:32:58.240 --> 00:32:59.759 what he, the old guy, 00:32:59.840 --> 00:33:01.220 thought of his sermon, 00:33:01.720 --> 00:33:03.480 the old guy was slow to answer 00:33:03.480 --> 00:33:04.680 but at last he said, 00:33:05.340 --> 00:33:06.900 I must tell you, 00:33:07.460 --> 00:33:09.740 I did not like it at all. 00:33:11.320 --> 00:33:13.140 There was no Christ in your sermon. 00:33:14.019 --> 00:33:15.960 No, answered the young preacher. 00:33:16.200 --> 00:33:17.080 Of course not. 00:33:17.420 --> 00:33:19.820 Because I did not see that Christ was in the text. 00:33:20.259 --> 00:33:20.539 Duh. 00:33:20.539 --> 00:33:25.139 Oh, said the old preacher. 00:33:26.720 --> 00:33:28.039 But do you not know that 00:33:28.039 --> 00:33:30.240 from every little town and village 00:33:30.240 --> 00:33:31.819 and in tiny hamlet in England 00:33:31.819 --> 00:33:33.940 there is a road leading to London? 00:33:34.259 --> 00:33:35.940 Whenever I get hold of a text, 00:33:36.779 --> 00:33:37.779 I say to myself, 00:33:38.259 --> 00:33:40.379 there is a road from here to Jesus Christ 00:33:40.379 --> 00:33:42.839 and I mean to keep on his track 00:33:42.839 --> 00:33:44.039 till I get to him. 00:33:44.220 --> 00:33:44.920 Give me a glory. 00:33:45.339 --> 00:33:45.819 Glory. 00:33:46.399 --> 00:33:47.159 Come on. 00:33:47.159 --> 00:33:50.059 Spurgeon understood what Jesus is saying here clearly. 00:33:50.539 --> 00:33:54.500 He believed that all of the scriptures, 00:33:54.740 --> 00:33:56.019 both Old Testament and New Testament, 00:33:56.559 --> 00:33:57.980 bear witness to Jesus, 00:33:58.259 --> 00:33:59.359 not in the same way, 00:33:59.920 --> 00:34:01.879 in various beautiful ways. 00:34:03.379 --> 00:34:05.899 And because the Jews who Jesus was addressing 00:34:05.899 --> 00:34:08.800 did not believe what Jesus Christ 00:34:08.800 --> 00:34:10.579 was saying here, 00:34:10.579 --> 00:34:14.779 they wouldn't come to him. 00:34:17.259 --> 00:34:18.739 Jesus was telling them this, 00:34:19.139 --> 00:34:20.059 that they'd be saved, 00:34:20.179 --> 00:34:21.519 but they wouldn't come to him. 00:34:22.460 --> 00:34:24.880 They were denying him 00:34:24.880 --> 00:34:26.619 in the eternal life 00:34:26.619 --> 00:34:28.199 that he is offering. 00:34:28.340 --> 00:34:30.279 That's why Jesus is at the center 00:34:30.279 --> 00:34:31.099 of the whole Bible. 00:34:31.759 --> 00:34:33.179 So here's the fourth witness. 00:34:33.960 --> 00:34:36.299 All the scriptures bear witness to Jesus. 00:34:36.300 --> 00:34:36.539 Jesus, 00:34:37.140 --> 00:34:38.980 give me a glory. 00:34:39.600 --> 00:34:40.200 Glory. 00:34:40.539 --> 00:34:41.140 Yes. 00:34:45.580 --> 00:34:46.780 In this passage, 00:34:46.900 --> 00:34:48.460 at the end of John 5, 00:34:48.600 --> 00:34:49.960 Jesus representing himself 00:34:49.960 --> 00:34:51.300 has brought four witnesses 00:34:51.300 --> 00:34:52.320 bearing testimony 00:34:52.320 --> 00:34:55.480 that he is the one that God has sent, 00:34:56.460 --> 00:34:58.320 that he's got all authority 00:34:58.320 --> 00:34:59.840 because he's God Almighty. 00:35:00.060 --> 00:35:01.280 He's the Savior of all 00:35:01.280 --> 00:35:02.720 and the judge of all. 00:35:02.719 --> 00:35:06.500 Did you see the bearing witness to him? 00:35:07.719 --> 00:35:08.519 Verse 31, 00:35:08.819 --> 00:35:11.199 Jesus says to bear witness about himself. 00:35:11.480 --> 00:35:12.159 Verse 33, 00:35:12.299 --> 00:35:13.299 regarding John the Baptist, 00:35:13.879 --> 00:35:15.899 he bore witness to the truth about him. 00:35:16.000 --> 00:35:16.679 Verse 37, 00:35:16.779 --> 00:35:17.539 the works of Jesus, 00:35:17.759 --> 00:35:18.859 bear witness about me. 00:35:19.239 --> 00:35:19.939 Verse 39, 00:35:20.079 --> 00:35:22.099 it is they that bear witness about me. 00:35:22.379 --> 00:35:24.619 Why all the bearing witness to Jesus? 00:35:26.099 --> 00:35:27.399 What's the big deal? 00:35:28.639 --> 00:35:29.559 Well, in one sense, 00:35:29.659 --> 00:35:32.000 he's repudiating the charge of blasphemy 00:35:32.000 --> 00:35:34.820 but in another sense, 00:35:34.860 --> 00:35:35.940 he's positively saying, 00:35:36.099 --> 00:35:37.039 I am God incarnate, 00:35:37.360 --> 00:35:38.500 the Savior of the world, 00:35:38.679 --> 00:35:40.159 all authority given to me 00:35:40.159 --> 00:35:40.960 to give life 00:35:40.960 --> 00:35:42.639 and to judge people 00:35:42.639 --> 00:35:45.639 and when Jesus says, 00:35:46.159 --> 00:35:47.820 claims that God is his Father, 00:35:48.179 --> 00:35:51.500 it is not a claim of blasphemy 00:35:51.500 --> 00:35:53.739 because he is God. 00:35:55.579 --> 00:35:56.719 Here's what's at stake. 00:35:59.460 --> 00:36:00.900 Whether you believe this or not, 00:36:00.900 --> 00:36:02.599 here's what's at stake. 00:36:03.960 --> 00:36:04.480 Glory. 00:36:06.480 --> 00:36:08.380 As in who you live for. 00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:12.860 As in who matters most to you. 00:36:13.660 --> 00:36:15.740 As in who do you worship. 00:36:16.039 --> 00:36:18.579 As in who is the controlling center 00:36:18.579 --> 00:36:20.539 of your solar system. 00:36:21.840 --> 00:36:23.059 That's what's at stake 00:36:23.059 --> 00:36:24.519 if you don't believe 00:36:24.519 --> 00:36:26.840 that these four witnesses 00:36:26.840 --> 00:36:27.840 are testifying 00:36:27.840 --> 00:36:27.840 00:36:28.460 --> 00:36:30.740 to the glory of God in Jesus. 00:36:31.059 --> 00:36:32.059 Do you know what Jesus says? 00:36:32.920 --> 00:36:33.840 It is because 00:36:34.380 --> 00:36:36.700 you seek the glory 00:36:36.700 --> 00:36:37.880 that comes from man. 00:36:38.000 --> 00:36:39.900 Verses 41 through 44. 00:36:41.300 --> 00:36:43.180 You're seeking man glory. 00:36:44.900 --> 00:36:47.180 Not God glory. 00:36:48.059 --> 00:36:49.140 Look at verse 44. 00:36:49.139 --> 00:36:52.199 How can you believe 00:36:52.199 --> 00:36:54.500 when you receive glory 00:36:54.500 --> 00:36:55.339 from one another 00:36:55.339 --> 00:36:57.679 and do not seek the glory 00:36:57.679 --> 00:36:59.420 that comes from the only God? 00:36:59.619 --> 00:37:01.799 This is a matter of glory. 00:37:03.019 --> 00:37:04.619 What you believe about Jesus, 00:37:04.920 --> 00:37:06.400 what you believe about the Bible, 00:37:07.400 --> 00:37:09.099 it's a matter of glory. 00:37:09.099 --> 00:37:15.420 Jesus gives us two options, 00:37:15.839 --> 00:37:17.599 man glory and God glory. 00:37:17.839 --> 00:37:20.339 Man glory is from man. 00:37:21.619 --> 00:37:23.339 It's pleasing man. 00:37:23.539 --> 00:37:25.139 It's winning the approval of man. 00:37:25.460 --> 00:37:28.259 It's gaining the praise of man. 00:37:28.779 --> 00:37:31.019 It's trusting in man. 00:37:31.500 --> 00:37:33.119 It's having your thinking 00:37:33.119 --> 00:37:34.339 and your living 00:37:34.339 --> 00:37:37.380 shaped by the ways of man. 00:37:37.380 --> 00:37:37.440 Man. 00:37:39.099 --> 00:37:41.759 One of my all-time favorite passages 00:37:41.759 --> 00:37:42.319 in the Bible 00:37:42.319 --> 00:37:45.360 is Jeremiah 17, 5, 5 through 8. 00:37:46.719 --> 00:37:48.619 And Jeremiah 17, 5 says, 00:37:49.380 --> 00:37:51.179 cursed is the man 00:37:51.179 --> 00:37:54.000 who trusts in man, 00:37:54.400 --> 00:37:57.380 whose heart turns away 00:37:57.380 --> 00:37:59.019 from the living God. 00:38:00.239 --> 00:38:02.099 And then he depicts their life 00:38:02.099 --> 00:38:03.739 as a wasteland. 00:38:04.460 --> 00:38:05.900 There's no life 00:38:05.900 --> 00:38:07.920 in man glory. 00:38:09.099 --> 00:38:10.679 You might get a little perk 00:38:10.679 --> 00:38:12.619 temporarily, 00:38:13.559 --> 00:38:16.500 but there's no life 00:38:16.500 --> 00:38:19.880 in the pursuit of glory for man. 00:38:21.619 --> 00:38:22.799 But God glory, 00:38:23.940 --> 00:38:26.539 seeking the glory that comes from God, 00:38:26.679 --> 00:38:28.339 this is pleasing God. 00:38:29.440 --> 00:38:31.119 This is seeking to honor God. 00:38:31.119 --> 00:38:33.559 This is seeking to trust God, 00:38:33.940 --> 00:38:35.599 to delight in God 00:38:35.599 --> 00:38:37.839 because you see 00:38:37.839 --> 00:38:40.739 that his plan for the fullness of time 00:38:40.739 --> 00:38:42.319 isn't this kind of like 00:38:42.319 --> 00:38:45.659 back alley shady deal. 00:38:45.960 --> 00:38:47.519 It's actually proclaimed 00:38:47.519 --> 00:38:48.539 throughout the whole Bible. 00:38:52.059 --> 00:38:53.460 And you delight in it. 00:38:53.460 --> 00:38:57.519 in the words of Luke 24, 00:38:58.519 --> 00:39:03.019 your hearts burn within you 00:39:03.019 --> 00:39:05.659 when you have your mind 00:39:05.659 --> 00:39:07.159 to open up to the scriptures. 00:39:09.159 --> 00:39:13.059 Or you go the route of John 1, 14, 00:39:13.059 --> 00:39:14.779 and the word became flesh 00:39:14.779 --> 00:39:16.639 and dwelt among us 00:39:16.639 --> 00:39:18.880 and we have seen his glory, 00:39:19.380 --> 00:39:21.820 glory as the one and only, 00:39:22.119 --> 00:39:23.840 the only son from the father 00:39:23.840 --> 00:39:24.900 full of grace and truth. 00:39:25.119 --> 00:39:26.699 You see the glory of it. 00:39:27.000 --> 00:39:28.860 You see he is God's plan 00:39:28.860 --> 00:39:29.759 of salvation, 00:39:30.340 --> 00:39:31.840 testified throughout the scriptures. 00:39:32.519 --> 00:39:33.679 Put forward because 00:39:33.679 --> 00:39:34.840 he is the only one 00:39:34.840 --> 00:39:36.059 that can give you eternal life. 00:39:36.059 --> 00:39:43.219 Jeremiah 7, 17, 7 says, 00:39:44.279 --> 00:39:45.699 blessed is the man 00:39:45.699 --> 00:39:46.980 who trusts in the Lord, 00:39:47.840 --> 00:39:48.980 who trusts, 00:39:49.980 --> 00:39:51.559 whose trust is the Lord. 00:39:52.960 --> 00:39:54.000 And then it's a picture 00:39:54.000 --> 00:39:55.000 of utter life. 00:39:56.519 --> 00:39:57.360 Here's the point. 00:39:59.059 --> 00:40:01.179 Believe these four witnesses 00:40:01.179 --> 00:40:03.279 and live 00:40:03.279 --> 00:40:05.820 because they point 00:40:05.820 --> 00:40:08.400 to the all authoritative, 00:40:08.960 --> 00:40:09.539 almighty, 00:40:10.019 --> 00:40:10.840 incarnate God, 00:40:10.900 --> 00:40:11.660 Jesus Christ, 00:40:12.180 --> 00:40:14.559 who has all authority 00:40:14.559 --> 00:40:15.519 to give life 00:40:15.519 --> 00:40:16.720 and to judge. 00:40:17.720 --> 00:40:19.920 Put your trust in him 00:40:19.920 --> 00:40:21.660 and live. 00:40:22.940 --> 00:40:23.500 You know what? 00:40:24.720 --> 00:40:26.440 I'm glad I put this note in. 00:40:27.380 --> 00:40:27.860 Conclusion, 00:40:28.700 --> 00:40:29.640 I almost forgot 00:40:29.640 --> 00:40:31.940 one more witness. 00:40:32.220 --> 00:40:32.840 Do you know who it is? 00:40:33.980 --> 00:40:34.840 You and me. 00:40:35.820 --> 00:40:39.460 We get to bear witness 00:40:39.460 --> 00:40:40.039 to Jesus. 00:40:41.600 --> 00:40:42.120 We, 00:40:42.580 --> 00:40:43.760 in the 21st century, 00:40:43.960 --> 00:40:44.820 in our little 00:40:44.820 --> 00:40:47.120 section of the world, 00:40:47.780 --> 00:40:51.400 we get to declare 00:40:51.400 --> 00:40:52.360 who Jesus is 00:40:52.360 --> 00:40:53.180 and what he's done. 00:40:54.620 --> 00:40:55.320 You don't need 00:40:55.320 --> 00:40:56.480 to be embarrassed by him. 00:40:57.780 --> 00:40:58.559 The scriptures 00:40:58.559 --> 00:40:59.900 are not embarrassed by him. 00:41:00.300 --> 00:41:01.480 God is not embarrassed 00:41:01.480 --> 00:41:01.920 by him. 00:41:01.920 --> 00:41:04.460 But we joyfully testify 00:41:04.460 --> 00:41:05.860 to him 00:41:05.860 --> 00:41:07.000 and what he has done. 00:41:07.420 --> 00:41:08.340 So Jesus himself 00:41:08.340 --> 00:41:09.619 bore witness to himself. 00:41:10.019 --> 00:41:10.639 John the Baptist 00:41:10.639 --> 00:41:11.280 bore witness 00:41:11.280 --> 00:41:12.539 to the truth of Jesus. 00:41:12.920 --> 00:41:13.599 The words, 00:41:13.820 --> 00:41:14.840 the works of Jesus 00:41:14.840 --> 00:41:15.900 bear witness to him. 00:41:16.280 --> 00:41:17.139 The scriptures 00:41:17.139 --> 00:41:18.220 bear witness 00:41:18.220 --> 00:41:19.000 to him. 00:41:19.119 --> 00:41:19.740 Glory, glory. 00:41:20.119 --> 00:41:20.920 And we 00:41:20.920 --> 00:41:22.599 bear witness 00:41:22.599 --> 00:41:23.500 to him. 00:41:23.500 --> 00:41:27.860 He has all authority 00:41:27.860 --> 00:41:29.039 because he's the almighty. 00:41:30.739 --> 00:41:31.800 The savior 00:41:31.800 --> 00:41:32.539 and judge 00:41:32.539 --> 00:41:33.400 of the world 00:41:33.400 --> 00:41:35.179 in whom is life. 00:41:36.019 --> 00:41:37.159 There's one word 00:41:37.159 --> 00:41:37.840 that I want you 00:41:37.840 --> 00:41:38.619 to say right now. 00:41:40.179 --> 00:41:41.280 Give me a glory. 00:41:41.920 --> 00:41:42.559 Glory. 00:41:43.360 --> 00:41:43.940 Let's pray. 00:41:46.300 --> 00:41:47.280 Lord Jesus, 00:41:47.280 --> 00:41:51.320 would you help us 00:41:51.320 --> 00:41:53.980 to live bold 00:41:53.980 --> 00:41:54.840 and bright 00:41:54.840 --> 00:41:56.120 like John the Baptist? 00:41:57.500 --> 00:41:58.700 Bold and bright, 00:41:58.900 --> 00:41:59.340 hot 00:41:59.340 --> 00:42:00.740 and shining 00:42:00.740 --> 00:42:01.580 for you. 00:42:02.740 --> 00:42:03.340 That 00:42:03.340 --> 00:42:04.480 this would be 00:42:04.480 --> 00:42:05.200 jet fuel 00:42:05.200 --> 00:42:06.240 for our souls. 00:42:07.720 --> 00:42:08.800 That we are 00:42:08.800 --> 00:42:10.140 so enamored 00:42:10.140 --> 00:42:10.540 with you, 00:42:10.660 --> 00:42:11.200 Lord Jesus. 00:42:14.080 --> 00:42:14.960 We become 00:42:14.960 --> 00:42:16.380 an unstoppable force 00:42:16.380 --> 00:42:17.060 empowered by the 00:42:17.059 --> 00:42:17.659 Holy Spirit 00:42:17.659 --> 00:42:18.279 for the glory 00:42:18.279 --> 00:42:18.779 of your name. 00:42:20.500 --> 00:42:21.199 Lord Jesus, 00:42:21.320 --> 00:42:22.699 we take great courage 00:42:22.699 --> 00:42:23.119 in knowing 00:42:23.119 --> 00:42:23.699 that you are 00:42:23.699 --> 00:42:24.559 building your church 00:42:24.559 --> 00:42:26.440 and not even 00:42:26.440 --> 00:42:27.420 the gates of Hades 00:42:27.420 --> 00:42:28.480 can stand against her. 00:42:30.380 --> 00:42:30.799 God, 00:42:30.880 --> 00:42:31.539 give us strength 00:42:31.539 --> 00:42:32.320 in Jesus' name. 00:42:32.679 --> 00:42:32.940 Amen.