 Our passage this morning is John chapter 5. We're looking at verses 31 through 47 And the title of the message this morning is believe the son believe the son And this is part 2 as we've been working through these verses from verse 31 to 47 Looking at the fourfold witness of Christ looking at the witness of Christ and again in John's gospel as we get into our Text we come once again to this recurring theme of witness in John's gospel Jesus Christ here in John chapter 5 is bearing witness of himself. He bears witness of himself John the Baptist has borne witness to the Lord Jesus Christ Jesus says I have a greater witness the works that I do bear witness of me So his works bear witness to Jesus and today we're going to see more witnesses to Christ in this glorious passage John the evangelist as we walk through this is lining up witnesses And he's going to line up more witnesses throughout the gospel as we work throughout the entire gospel of John Remember he writes again so that we may believe that he is the Christ the son of God and that believing We might have a life in his name. So as he presents that purpose for writing He's going to develop that and present witnesses to us from the words of God The Holy Spirit working through him to present to us witnesses to Christ that we might believe if you're here today And you've never believed in the son of God You've never turned from your sin to put your faith in him. There are tremendous Evidences given Unquestionable evidences undeniable evidence given for why you should believe and in believing have a life in the Lord Jesus Christ no reason why anyone should die and spend any eternity in hell. There's no reason for it There is tremendous evidence if we'll simply open our hearts and minds to what the Lord has to say in his word and cry out to God to give us understanding here Jesus says in verse 34 that he says these things with the gracious purpose with the compassionate purpose, right of Evangelism of saving sinners. He says he says these things that you may be saved that salvation We know comes by grace through Faith grace through faith through a saving Belief in the son of God often you see belief and faith synonymous in scripture They mean the same thing, but what does it mean to believe in the son? What kind of response is expected from us with respect to these tremendous Evidences that the Lord is presenting here of himself. Do you believe in the son? Do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ? Ephesians chapter 2 verses 8 and 9 says for by grace you have been saved Through faith through a saving belief in him and it says that is not of yourselves It is the gift of God not of works less anyone should boast and presenting all these witnesses in John chapter 5 Jesus Christ the Lord is after a specific response After a specific response that response is saving faith in him saving belief in the Lord No other response will do you think you'll make it to heaven on your own works? No other response is acceptable. Do you think that you'll make it because God is forgiving? That's what he does No other response is acceptable You think that you're gonna make it by performing religious rituals going to church, you know going through the motions No other response is acceptable, but saving faith in Christ No counterfeit will suffice The only acceptable response is saving faith belief in the son now many many many people today Say they believe it's easy to say that they believe Yeah, I remember one person saying thinking of Romans chapter 10 if you confess the Lord Jesus You know say with your mouth that you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ You'll be saved and he said I could teach my parent to say that my parent is gonna go to heaven Because my parent can say I believe in Christ Is that the response? Is that all there is to it? Is that what believe is in scripture? Just being able to say parent the words? No other counterfeit. No other response will do. It's acceptable Saving faith in Christ. It's the only response that the Lord is after according to a Gallup poll 78% of Americans say they're Christians 78% of those that live in our country say they believe in the Lord Jesus Christ say that they're Christians Within that group of those that say they believe in the son You have a whole bunch of CEOs, right? That's not of companies. That's Christmas Easter only Christians Tons of CEOs you have a bunch of ABCs All they've done is admit believe and confess and there's no are in there There's no repentance. They continue to live in their sin You have a ton of people out of those 78% of people in our country who say they're Christians You have a bunch of LDVL's Live into Vita Loka, right? They're just living how they want to live living the crazy life, you know doing whatever they want to do living like the devil and Calling themselves Christians and they go to mass the next morning so everything's washed over everything's okay, right? Is that how it works? They believe many of these in the same way that demons believe and they live like the devil and you think about it a demon Has more evidence for his belief than you and I do they've seen the Lord They've seen the miracles they can attest that all of this is true And yet James says you believe there is one God you do well even the demons believe and tremble Do you have the belief or the faith of a demon? What does it mean based on the evidence that the Lord provides? What does it mean to believe the son? I witnessed a young man at the campus this last week Who said he believed I was talking to him. He said he believed he believed the Bible He believed there were no errors in the Bible believed the word of God believed wholeheartedly believed God believed heaven Believed the miracles of Christ believed Christ. He said I believe in the son I believe in Jesus Christ and yet when we were talking the thing that hung him up that he could not come to grips with that He could not believe Was that Jesus Christ God in the flesh perfect life would die for sinners? That's fundamental to the Christian faith if you don't believe that Then you are rejecting the perfect person and work of the Lord Jesus Christ And if you reject the son you reject the father who sent him It's impossible to be saved if we reject the son if you'd reject the person and work of the son two guys you think about that say I Want to join the military? I believe in the cause of our military So I want to join the military two guys say it they're both planned to go into the military One of them you talked to him you ask him why why do you want to go into the military? What's the purpose of you making that kind of a commitment and he says I want to travel the world. I want to travel the world I want to see Glamorous and picturesque ports of call all my friends are going in so I want to go in with them, right? I just think it sounds exciting like to be on a boat So I want to go and I want to travel the world and I want to get to hold a gun really excited about that Just sounds cool. You besides you get that really cool uniform I just I think it's cool to every morning wake up and have shiny shoes where a uniform You get to sing those songs like anchors away, and I mean it's just gonna be a party like all the time They're going into the military Recruiter says now wait a minute son Understand here what you're signing up for what are you signing up for? This guy just says I don't care. Just sign me up right sign me up So he goes off and he joins the military. He goes to boot camp. He's like wait a minute What time do I have to get up? Yeah, I thought it was we do more before 10 a.m. The most people do all day I don't know up at 6 o'clock in the morning. Yeah, how far do I have to run? What do I have to clean? What's a latrine? I've never heard of that before, right? And then he goes, you know, he's not gonna obey any orders He just lazes around the barracks right waiting on the ship to set sail and then he goes to his first picturesque Glamorous location. It's a desert in the Middle East What in the world is this is not what I signed up for right besides that in the back of his shiny new uniform He's got his gun. He's boot print on the rear seat of his pants because he won't follow orders won't do what he's supposed to Is that guy is that is his heart in it? There's something going a guy believes in a different way believes in the cause of our military in a totally different way He comes to grips really quickly with what's expected of him though when the bullets start flying When the bullets start flying and he has to start following orders. He has to do what he's told He comes to grips heart may not be in it because he had other expectations But he grits it out and does what he's supposed to says he believes in the cause of our military Then you have the second guy the second guy says you know what I believe in the cause of our military I want to join the military He loves his country vows to protect her against all enemies foreign and domestic Because he believes in the cause because he believes in the military because he loves our country He's willing to grid it out in the dirt and the sand not 115 degree temperatures willing to go out when the bullets are flying willing to obey orders You know willing to do what the gun he says because he knows it's for his good and for his safety For the good of the military for the good of our cause willing to fight in fact he signed up knowing it could cost him his life because he believes in a way that the first guy didn't believe do you see Just a difference in a mindset difference in the heart set right difference between the two forms of belief here That's a lame analogy. You can't carry it too far, but you get the picture There's a difference in the way that they view the cause a difference in the way they view their commitment a difference in what their expectation is But we have a greater retirement program than the military does amen amen and I'm not having to love That gunny and serve him with all my heart soul and strength. I get to love the Lord Jesus Christ who died for me amen far better cause to believe in But you get the idea. What does it mean to believe in the Sun now? Many of us grew up in easy. Belief ism Many come out of that whether you're Lutheran Baptist Methodist charismatic Pentecostal, whatever Most of that Catholicism. It's all one form or fashion or another of easy. Belief ism seems like nowadays Easy believe ism is another word for a theological term called antinomianism made up of two Greek words anti which means against or instead of or no and Namas meaning law so it's instead of the law or against the law Antinomians anti anti-nomos namas meaning lawlessness Now many of you like me who grew up in that movement. We said that we believed We testified with our lips that we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and yet we were easy Believers or antinomians meaning that we lived lawlessly of those 78% of the Gallup poll that said they're Americans are said that they believed in Christ that they were Christians a vast majority of those today that claim to be Christians are Antinomians they are lawless they profess Christ with their mouths, but their hearts are far from him They profess Christ with their testimony and yet their lives look like the devil They don't live for him. Is that belief in the Sun? No, if you say That you believe in Christ and yet you live lawlessly you can't be saved You're not saved. It's antinomians. It was lawlessness Many will say to me in that day Lord, Lord, I believe Lord Lord, I believe but under that kind of belief He's going to respond to us as Lord says in Matthew 7 depart for me. I never knew you you who practice Lawlessness you live in a lawless way It's a rejection of that kind of belief the Lord rejects that kind of belief the only kind of belief that is appropriate to the evidence that we find here in John chapter 5 and think about it for a moment The only response that is appropriate to the evidence that the Lord is giving us of himself in John chapter 5 is The entirety of your life the entirety of your commitment It is turning from sin which offends God and turning by complete faith Commitment trust in the Lord Jesus Christ that bears evidence in fruit in service to him in obedience to his commands It's a belief that radically change changes your life. It's a belief that consumes Who you are for the Lord? It's a belief that turns you wholeheartedly to Christ a belief that trusts Christ in every circumstance It's a belief that trust the entirety of who you are all of your decisions all of your desires all of your hopes it Trust the entirety of who you are to who he is and what he has done and what he wants for you It's a belief that bears the fruit of obedience rather than serving yourself And think about it now. That's the response of Saving faith to Christ and who he is here's the Lord Jesus Christ. He's walking through Jerusalem the Judean country sign Samaria Galilee and he is presenting evidence that he is God in the flesh that he is God Incarnate that he is equal with the father united with the father that he is eternal as the father is eternal that he has life in himself Self-existent as the father Jesus Christ is God your creator and my creator and he is walking through the wilderness the the Hebrew countryside so to speak and he's giving evidence of that fact the only response That is adequate or acceptable being that Jesus Christ the Lord is God is our creation God in the flesh is one of total belief total commitment encompassing all that you are it's the only Appropriate response to that fact. Amen He's presenting evidence of this very thing. We've already seen examples Of people believing in the Sun. Haven't we as we walked through the Gospel of John We saw Matthew, you know Matthew leaves his tax table Stands up at the very call of Christ for sakes all and follows him whole wholeheartedly from that day forward Heart soul mind and strength. What does Peter do? Peter leaves behind his fishing the day that he's called he for sakes all and follows Christ heart soul mind and strength You know, some people might think and often often often churches teach That you can become a Christian and at some point in the future you'll begin following Listen, that is an unbiblical theology that will lull you into a sense of peace with God all the way to hell The fruit that you believe in the Lord the fruit that you believe in Christ is that you live like it That you bear fruit of that faith Already we see many examples of those here who say they believe and yet don't believe remember those in Jerusalem at Passover Week in John chapter 2 they said they believed Because the miracles that they saw but they never got out of the barracks, right? They weren't gonna put on the uniform They were gonna take bullets. They never followed What are the Pharisees doing here? They're the enemy. They're firing bullets at the Lord Jesus Christ They would say that they believe in the God of the Bible They would say that they believe in the Messiah, but they're rejecting God's promised Messiah right here in this account And the greatest purpose imaginable is given for this evidence here The Lord presents evidence in John chapter 5 and the greatest purpose Imaginable is given for that. It's so that you may know Christ that you may be saved Jesus says in verse 34 I say these things that you may be saved you might have a life in his name every one of these in John chapter 5 that he's speaking to you here the Jewish opposition are Wicked rebels against him and they are wicked rebels against him here Jesus Christ is giving this evidence and all the while they are seeking plotting to kill him Rebelling against him. They've already made up their minds. This testimony is garbage and we're not gonna accept it They've rejected him in every way possible that you can reject him to the point that in the near future It's going to lead to his crucifixion. It's gonna lead to the death of Jesus Christ on the cross and yet here He graciously condescends to make his case Despite the hard-heartedness of man Despite the total depravity of man. He continues to give evidence and continues to make his case Despite the utter rebellion of man despite those that bear his name that call themselves Christians and yet speak his word like a curse word despite those that call themselves Christians and Waste their weekends getting drunk Waste their weakings taking someone home with them right fornicators adulterers liars These are the people that the Lord Jesus Christ is Condescending to present evidence to so that they might be saved enemies of his by their wicked works And yet the Lord Jesus Christ and grace and in mercy continues to pour on the evidence So the obvious question is will you believe him? Will you believe the Sun? This is great grace great mercy great compassion If you do if you're gonna believe the Sun, it's gonna radically change your life And wouldn't you want your life changed aren't you sick and tired of living under the weight of that sin? The way of the transgressor is hard Turn to Christ and live and trust me it gets harder on the authority of God's word You'll live a hard life now bearing the weight of your sin, and then you'll die and you'll go to hell You're not living your best life now Will you do it? What will you do with the evidence? In verse 31 as we studied last week The Lord says if I bear witness of myself my witness isn't true to you basically he says Jesus is not saying that his own witness is unreliable. It is Completely sufficiently reliable, but his opponents have already rejected that witness. They've called him a liar And so then verse 32 he appeals to the father's witness of him He says there's another who bears witness of me And I know that the witness which he witnesses of me is true Now that witness the witness of the father Unquestionably conclusive for the Lord Jesus Christ, but he knows it's not going to be for his opponents His opponents have already rejected that witness if they reject the witness of the son They reject the witness of the father. They reject the father out of hand So in spite of that rejection that he's faced already in spite of the opposition in spite of their Hostility in spite of the plot to kill him He again just sets up a line of witnesses a line of witnesses so that Hard-hearted rebels like you and I can be saved. We saw the witness of John last week verses 33 through 35 We looked at the works of Christ in verse 36 today beginning point three on your notes We'll look at the words of the father in verses 37 and 38 and then finally the writings of the scriptures in verses 39 to 47 All of that witness all of that evidence how hard-hearted The have to be to just reject out of hand all this evidence You know think about it for a moment Romans chapter 1 Romans chapter 1 says to us that creation is enough That if all that we had Was creation to testify to God to testify of Jesus Christ That's enough and that because of creation. We are without excuse The evidence of creation is enough and yet the Lord Jesus Christ again comes with mounting evidence for who he is If you think about a trial courtroom a court case Oftentimes it's the weight of the evidence that determines guilt or innocence, right? You may not come in there with a videotape of the crime showing the accused doing it You may not come in there with a smoking gun so to speak with the prints all over the gun You may not come in there with this silver bullet evidence But it's gonna be the weight of the evidence that determines innocent or guilt and as you examine that for the jury What do we ask for as a? Standard so to speak for that we ask for Beyond a reasonable doubt right evidence beyond a reasonable doubt We have Mounting evidence if you look at it the same way it's by the weight of the evidence all Considered together that turn determines innocent or guilt in a courtroom here We have evidence upon evidence upon evidence upon evidence of the truthfulness of the claims of Christ that if any reasonable person any Reasonable person would upon the weight of the evidence have to respond with belief There have been many who have looked at the scripture that way and have come to that conclusion There's just so much evidence evidence upon evidence miracles upon miracles just proof from the word of God and in any given courtroom the weight of the evidence is abundantly over abundantly sufficient to take the claims of Christ is true We saw the witness of John beginning in verse 33 where the Bible says you've sent to John He's born witness of the truth yet. I do not receive testimony for man, but I say these things that you may be saved He was the burning and shining lamp and you were willing for a time to rejoice in his light So here comes John the Baptist as we talked about according to Matthew 11 the greatest man born among women first prophet of God in 400 years the forerunner sent by God to bear witness to the light and For a time the Bible says they were willing to rejoice in his light He was the burning and shining lamp just as a lamp lights the path For people John lit a path to Christ and they rejected that testimony So then he goes on to his second witness Jesus brings in an even greater witness the witness of his works verse 36 says But I have a greater witness than John's for the works Which the father has given me to finish the very works that I do bear witness of me that the father has sent me So it's profound as significant as and as believable as John's witness was Jesus brings in a greater witness and he's referring to his works the miracles. He says the very works that I do bear witness of me They dismissed the the testimony of the prophet They then Dismiss the miracles upon miracles upon miracles attesting to the veracity of the Lord Jesus Christ claims Miracles attested to in fact even by his enemies. They believe them to be true and this was done To point to the unquestionable truth that Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah those miracles designed to point to the truth of his claims miracles Attesting to the truth of his words Attesting to his authority attesting to his work as a Messiah now someone might say thinking about those miracles as evidence What about miracles today? What about the miracles that we see done today interesting how Satan takes Evidence like this something that is good Something that is profitable something that the Lord does for our good and Satan corrupts it and counterfeits the truth The miracles that Jesus did the miracles that we see in the Bible were intended to point to Christ Point people to Christ as the Son of God someone sent from God with a power and authority to perform miracles Miracles were meant to attest to the truth of God's word spoken by his messengers his servants meant to attest to the authority of Apostolic preaching and teaching apostolic writing miracles had the purpose Before we have the completed prophetic word made more sure as Peter calls it Pointing to the truth of God's word the truth of who Christ said that he was Who do the miracles today that we see often point to Yeah, themselves the fanatic doing the miracle right often points to themselves They point people to Christ They point people to the truth of God's word to solid sound doctrine from the scriptures They point people to holy living No, they often point to themselves They point people to crazy false religion marked by unholy living and false doctrine The miracles performed by Jesus were for the purpose of bearing witness to him Jesus says here the very works that I do bear witness of me listen to Acts chapter 2 verse 22 Men of Israel this is Peter's sermon at Pentecost men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man Attested by God to you by miracles wonders and signs Which God did through him in your midst as you yourselves also know Talking to a crowd you know it you've seen the miracles God attests to the Lord Jesus Christ by doing miracles wonders and signs Before we had the Bible before we had this prophetic word as Peter says made more sure We had the word Confirmed in the mouths of his messengers in Mark chapter 16 verse 20 listen to this the disciples They went out and preached everywhere the Lord working with them Confirming the word through the accompanying signs. That's God going with the messengers of God Attesting to the truth and veracity of scripture that was being spoken with the accompanying signs the miracles that were done Paul and Barnabas in Acts chapter 14 Stay in Iconium It says they're speaking boldly in the Lord who was bearing witness again all this right with a purpose of bearing witness with a purpose of giving us evidence It's not simply The miracle in and of itself to its own end the miracle has a purpose and its purpose is to bear Witness to Christ bear witness to his words So here speaking boldly in the Lord the Lord was bearing witness to the word of his grace Granting that signs and wonders to be done by their hands see the purpose of the miracle miracles were an attestation of apostolic authority Apostolic teaching until we had the prophetic word made more sure listen to 2nd Corinthians chapter 12 verse 12 Says truly the signs Those are miracles works the signs of an apostle were accomplished among you with all perseverance in signs and wonders and mighty deeds miracles you see today Often point to the person who is garnering a following to themselves often point to the hysteria that follows this Sensationalistic kind of experience miracles you see today are nothing like the miracles that we see in the Bible right Lord Jesus Christ healing a man lame on his mat for 38 years He says to rise and walk take take up his mat and the man rises immediately Today you go to a healing rally and it's healing Aunt Edna's gout You know Claiming to you know healing uncle Ted's earache or backache or whatever ache He's not restoring with her hand. He's not giving a blind man his sight and it doesn't happen immediately most of the time And then they blame it on the person's faith Oftentimes as we saw in John 5 there's no expectation of faith before the healing takes place Miracles we see today are nothing like we see Performed in the Bible the only thing being attested to is crazy theology really bad theology One scandal after another one fallen teacher after another one guy extorting Fornicating whatever time and time and time again in fact the Bible warns us Against believing the charismatic fake miracles that happen today says in Matthew chapter 24 verse 24 for false Christ and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to Deceive they're done to deceive says there if possible even the elect It's very interesting To consider the charismatic movement today and think about it for just a moment the miracles that we see The miracles in the Bible were used again by God to attest to Christ in his word and yet today The so-called miracles that we see all the time the so-called miracles flourish in a charismatic movement that has very little regard for Christ in his word often marked by Terrible theology terrible Christology Charismatic movement is right for this area because it's marked in large part by an abandonment of the word of God not a sticking closely to it Abandoning sound doctrine from the scriptures charismatic movement today saturated right by what's in it for me? It's the whole basis the foundation for the health wealth and prosperity Gospel but if I believe in Christ if I follow Christ that I can be rich I'm not gonna be sick or I can overcome diseases. I'm gonna be wealthy. I'm gonna be good. I'm gonna my life's gonna be good I'm gonna live my best life now right word of faith teaching word of faith nonsense and all along These guys these false teachers just garner a following to themselves They seek to do miracles or seek to deceive with wonders and signs in the same exact way That Simon Magus sought to do it in Acts chapter 8 It's the same thing give me this power that I can deceive the people's also Reflects a complete ignorance of the truths of the Bible and the Bible the Bible says God says right that you'll know them by their Fruit what kind of fruit do you see out of that movement? If you neglect God's word If you neglect sound doctrine, that's what you should expect You should expect that movement to produce those kinds of things But if you neglect God's word and you neglect sound doctrine You should expect that you could fall into that kind of heresy that kind of deceit also If you went home today, right? If you went home today and you took all of the garbage from your house over the last month You know you just collected it all up, right? Messy job collect all the garbage in your house for the last month and you spread it all over your front yard Just lay it out there right all over your front yard What's that gonna attract? Bugs the flies all kinds of vermin, right? It's gonna attract false teacher. I mean rats It's gonna attract all kinds of people Who are vermin who don't care a thing about what they're eating, right? You put garbage all over your front yard. That's what you should expect That's why we've got to stick carefully closely meticulously faithfully to the pure milk of the word, right? That we may grow there by Not grow by garbage Alright with all that now we come to the next witness the next witness point three on your notes is are the words of the father the witness of the father The father himself Jesus says in verse 37 who sent me has testified of me You've neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his form But you do not have his word abiding in you because whom he sent him you do not believe That begins with the fact that God the father has testified of the Lord Jesus Christ this is After his baptism in the River Jordan where you heard God's audible voice This is my son in whom I'm well pleased this is before the Mount of Transfiguration which they wouldn't have heard but this is pointing to because he uses a reference to his word in verse 38 And then again his word also in verse 39 What's most likely meant here by God's testimony is God's word they had in the Old Testament So he's talking about his testimony of Christ from the Old Testament scriptures the Old Testament scriptures and all that is there Point to the Lord Jesus Christ they give evidence bear evidence of the Lord Jesus Christ In fact in verse and Deuteronomy chapter 18. There's a prophetic statement about the Lord Jesus Christ coming We see the proto Evangelion in Genesis chapter 3. There's testimony there of Christ now to this Because they have disregarded this this testimony He adds to this statement three scathing rebukes right three scathing rebukes all three Consequences of their hard-hearted unbelief the first one that he says is that you've neither heard his voice at any time This is a rebuke of the Pharisees who thought themselves to be Obsessively religious and yet in the Old Testament Abraham heard the voice of God Noah heard the voice of God Moses heard the voice of God Samuel heard the voice of God Elijah heard the voice of God and yet these have not heard the voice of God in any time It's been barred that testimony that evidence has been barred from them because of their hard-hearted unbelief Here the Lord Jesus Christ is standing before them They reject the voice of God in Jesus Christ Him whom he sent it says in verse 38 him. You don't believe second rebuke Jesus says Nor have seen his form. You've never seen his form before and you think about it in the Old Testament Jacob saw a form of God Joshua saw a form of God Moses saw a form of God Isaiah saw a form of God and that that evidence that testimony has been barred from them because of their hard-hearted unbelief Here Jesus Christ is standing before him and they do not see God in the Lord Jesus Christ Because whom he sent him they have not believed The third rebuke that he adds here Verse 38 says their but in your new King James that word is a Greek word Kai better translated and It's just the third of the three rebukes and you do not have his word abiding in you It's a rebuke a consequence Because why do you not have God's word abiding you because whom he sent him you do not believe? Jesus is the very word of God. We saw that in John chapter 1 verse 1, right? The greatest revelation of God is standing before them the fullest most complete Revelation that God will ever give them is standing right there in front of their face and yet They have rejected the greatest and fullest revelation that God gives them of himself him whom He sent him you do not believe The word they're abiding you do not have his word abiding in you means remaining staying It's a part of who you are it becomes just Intrinsic to you and who you are and what you do you do not have the word of God abiding remaining in you the statement Implies that it has come to them that they received it and then since then has have rejected it It hasn't abided in them has not remained in them. It's done them. Absolutely. No good. No good because it hasn't remained in them That's a warning for you and I right it's a warning that if you believe the word of God That word should abide in you should remain in you. It's like the Lord said to Joshua This word of the Lord should not depart from your mouth means it's already in there and it should not depart But you should meditate it meditate on it day and night Observing to do all according to what is written in it got to obey it got to observe it got to meditate on it Word of the Lord should abide in you The evidence of the reality of these three rebukes is that they don't believe They don't believe and that gives evidence to the three rebukes that Lord has already leveled against them Otherwise if they had believed God's testimony, they would have not have would have acknowledged Christ for who he is They would have seen him as the Messiah But because they do not honor the son they do not honor the father who sent him think about it this way Brilliant doctor right brilliant doctor wise doctor known all over the world for his expertise comes in and he Diagnoses you with a terrible disease. You're diagnosed with a terminal deadly terrible disease But he lays out a treatment plan for you a treatment plan that is gonna work It's been attested to that it works. It's gonna work as long as you do it And so the doctor then sends his son to you see the analogy, right? The doctor sends his son to you and goes in with a treatment plan So the son walks in the room with a treatment plan He's about to start treatment for you this treatment. It's gonna work if you'll take it and you say who are you? Where's the doctor get the doctor in here? I want to talk to the doctor the son says no the doctor has sent me I've got the treatment plan. Look here. I've got your chart the doctor filled out Look you can look at the bottom that screely handwriting that no one can read. You know, that's the doctor's handwriting So take the treatment plan. Let's start it right now. Let's get you cured But you won't do it because you don't trust in The doctor's son The patient has had ample evidence, right? You've got the chart. You've got the son of the doctor You got the treatment plan. You've meticulously and faithfully scoured over that treatment plan It's been attested that the treatment plan works see it working all over the world people getting cured from that terrible disease called sin Got ample evidence. You've seen the chart filled out by the doctor. You've read the treatment plan What's the problem here? What's the problem is the problem the evidence is? The problem the testimony of the doctor the testimony of the son. No, the problem is the patient The problem is the wicked terminally ill heart of the patient who rejects the doctor and rejects the doctor's son Is it that the treatment plan is somehow not compelling enough? No, it's the it's the greatest story ever told It's the most compelling story imaginable is it lacking sufficient testimony No, we see the testimony of God's people the testimony of his word The problem is is the patient despite all evidence to the contrary the patient simply won't believe Will not submit himself to the doctor will not submit himself to the treatment plan I don't want to listen. I play golf on Wednesdays. I can't come for treatment on Wednesday. Sorry You know, I've got this or that thing to do besides, you know If I have to do this treatment plan, I gotta cut all those things. I really love, you know I love to do those things and I don't have to give that up Rather die in your sin, you know die in your disease than take the treatment The problem is with the person Problem is with the patient. They don't believe What other conclusion can you possibly come to then simply that they don't believe? They just don't believe you have a terrible you have a terrible disease called sin a Terminal disease called sin the treatment plan has been laid out the doctor in grace and compassion has taken the time to Condescend and treat you Willing to treat you. He's not willing that you should die not willing that any one of you should perish Takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked desires that you you you are saved Once people to be saved sent Christ in the world for the purpose of saving sinners to seeking to save that which is lost Take your medicine Take your medicine Aren't you sick and tired of living under the weight of that disease? Isn't it difficult? to be the the serial adulterer Addicted to pornography Adulterous lying lie after lie after lie The drunkard the drug addict the Unfaithful spouse lying to your wife Angry all the time Angry with your wife angry with your kids angry with co-workers angry with yourself angry with God angry with life in general Because life of the life of the sinner is hard way of the sinner is hard Aren't you sick and tired of it? The Lord will take all that weight completely off your shoulders remember the book pilgrims progress You see the image of Christian Walking around with a great backpack, you know the great pack on his back and all that representing his sin This is a great pack. It's interesting that there Christians the only one with one No one else realizes their sin, but Christian realizes his sin Realize the condition that he's in realizes the freedom that he is missing he's got that great weight of sin on his back and Bearing the burden of it. Now some of you here today You're not burdened by your sin. You need to cry out to God because that condition will lead you to hell Cry out to God that he shows you your sin. God show me more of myself Show me more of myself show me my sin So that God then you can show me more of you show me who Christ is Show me the excellencies of your kingdom your glory your salvation The way the sinner is hard But the Lord says he will if you will turn to him you'll turn from your sin and You'll turn put your trust in Christ live for him and he'll cleanse you He'll wash you forgive you of all that despicable sin Will place your feet on solid ground accept it in the beloved a child of the kingdom with Just a glorious inheritance waiting for you Way the sinner is hard Maybe you're here today, and you've grown up in churches that don't faithfully Preach the gospel don't faithfully preach God's word and so God to you is the God of easy-belief ism It'll let you live any way you want to live on the authority of God's word That's a lie on the authority of God's word that will send you to hell Maybe your God is the Catholic God That you can live it up on Saturday night as long as you go through a couple of religious motions on a Sunday morning Rub a few beads pray a couple prayers go to confession take mass, and you're okay Maybe your God is the God of works righteousness. You think somehow you're gonna clean up your own act That you're seeking to establish your own goodness and in that you miss out on the goodness That is supplied to you in the Lord Jesus Christ if you'll turn from your sin turn from your own filthy Righteousness to him by faith trusting him alone Maybe your God is the God of Charismania. You're just looking for the next spiritual high The next emotional Sensational experience and somehow you think that that makes you right with God Maybe your God is the God of antinomianism Or you think somehow that you can just live the way that you want to live and things are just gonna work out at the end They don't work out in the end if God's word is God's word then it is true Completely through and through we can take it to the bank and God's word says it's not how it works Truth doesn't come from within you You don't have a corner on truth. It doesn't matter what you believe who made you the arbiter of truth How do you think your belief? What where's that belief gonna get you when you die? It's gonna get you nowhere, but hell you're not the source of truth You're not the center of the universe and So stop believing the lie was I believe this and I believe that it doesn't matter what you believe If God's word is a source of truth and believe that because it is true Fourthly and quickly we see the writings of the scripture the writings of the scriptures to test to who Jesus Christ is verse 39 says You search the scriptures for in them. You think you have eternal life and these are they which testify of me But he says verse 40 you're not willing to come to me that you may have life Verse 39 implies great diligence the rabbis the scribes the Pharisees Scoured over the scriptures they scoured over them. However that study that's scouring that intense diligence Didn't provoke them to worship didn't provoke their affections for the Lord Jesus Christ passion for the Lord. They're lost Searching and not finding seeing and yet not perceiving and many scholars many liberals Many people study the Bible just the same way. Let me think about a man Standing in front of a window right sitting in front of this this huge window Overlooking this glorious scene. Maybe he's in Austria, right? He's looking out at the mountains It's just glorious mountain range snow capped peaks, you know Beautiful just snow covered tree covered mountains look down in the valley below There's this beautiful river that that winds through the valley little town You know nestled up against the river with you know these tile roofs and the smoke coming out of the chimneys You know kids playing over here. You got people skiing over here, you know breaking legs and you got Just beautiful picture as seen you know the Sun just dipping below the edge of the mountains when sort of daylight turns The dusk beautiful picture as seen another guy walks up stands next to him and he's like wow Wow, look at that window That's that's got to be the best window. I've ever seen look at how clear it is There's not a single smudge on it. What are they? They must have polished that this morning, you know I really like to know what the chemical composition of that window is look how clear how they get it that clear That really is pretty astounding Look at the frame. Well, you can't even see the you know the cuts in the wood Cocked over real nicely like how decorative it is Check out the window treatments. You know who did those really really nice You see the the difference Window God's word God's word is a window to his revelation the type and text which is all very important in God's word reveals something and it's the revelation That has the Christian enamored has the Christian with great affection in their heart for Christ It's the it's the the revelation that is the thing that is pure converting the soul Does that all mean that we shouldn't examine all the details and be concerned about the details? No Now we should scour we even more should scour over the scriptures the way a legalistic Pharisee did But separating ourselves from the manner in which they did it we should scour the scriptures because the scriptures reveal Christ reveal God It's a glorious picture That man just sees but he doesn't see he doesn't get it The Christian loves the word of God loves the word of God because of what it reveals and what it does Listen to a believer's testimony of the abiding word of God Psalm chapter 1 verse 2 says but his delight is in the law of the Lord and in his law he meditates Day and night Psalm 119 verse 97. Oh how I love your law and if you love it He says it is your meditation all the day Psalm 119 103 how sweet are your words to my taste They're words of salvation right words of glory words of the Lord Jesus Christ They are sweeter than honey to my mouth Psalm 119 verse 167 my soul keeps your testimonies. I love them exceedingly Job 23 12 I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my necessary food those aren't just platitudes That's a Christians love for the word of God word of God if you feel that way about the word of God the word of God will abide in you to what degree do you not feel that way about the word of God or to what degree do you see Evidence that the word of God is not abiding in you need to cultivate in your heart a love for the word Of God this way in addition to you cultivating a love for the word of God in this way cry out to God to give it to you Reveal himself to you on the pages of scripture. It is living inactive. He'll do it But you got to cultivate a love for the word of God You know despite all of these witnesses the word of God John's witness the witness of the Lord's works the witness of the father Despite these witnesses verse 40 hands down the verdict, but you are not willing to come to me that you may have life They weren't willing Verse 44 gives the motive. They want the praise of men more than the praise of God But it's also that this wasn't the evidence they were looking for the Pharisees at this point were looking for The Messiah to ride in on a stallion Kill off all the Roman opposition and set up his throne and make Pharisees the rulers. That's what they were expecting They were expecting a conquering king. They weren't expecting or weren't looking for a suffering servant There's a reason that he had to suffer and that's so that you and I could be saved So that he could pay the penalty for sin that you and I rightly deserve to pay And he would take that upon himself on the cross The third reason that they weren't willing is because they were trying to establish their own righteousness They weren't willing to say that what they were was abysmally wicked They weren't willing to confess and acknowledge their condition that they were enemies of God because of their wicked works They rebelled against them. They just didn't see themselves as that bad and God's not that mad And Romans 10 3 says for being ignorant of God's righteousness Seeking to establish their own righteousness. They've not submitted to the righteousness of God All the presentation of the evidence here that Lord gives us in John chapter 5 ends in this warning You're not willing to come to me that you may have life So self-righteous right so stubborn so ignorant What is your reason that you won't come to him and have life? What's your reason? Verse 41 Jesus says I don't receive honor from men. They were acting in their own self-interest, but not Jesus 42 Jesus says as a result of all this rejection. I know you you don't have a love of God in you Verse 43 I've come in my father's name, and you don't receive me. Listen, you'll receive any other false teacher that walks in the door Amazing how many times you're standing at the door witnessing you're talking to someone about the Lord and You show them from the Bible why that guy is preaching a false gospel and Yet they refuse to come to the Lord on the testimony of his word They will stay with that fault. He's so nice You know he held my hand one time when I was sick such a nice guy Yeah, that's that false teacher doesn't the Bible say that Satan's demons often masquerade themselves as angels of light of course. They're nice Verse 44 how can you believe you who receive honor from one another do not seek the honor that comes from the only God back at that time? they Would teach and write and in teaching and writing would garner followers to themselves They would seek get followers to themselves another guy would teach and write would get followers to himself and those two camps Would argue to try to get more followers to themselves. They were interested in the honor. They could get from the people Praise of men, but they weren't interested in the honor that comes from the only God and Lastly another rebuke Verse 46 if you believed Moses you would believe me for he wrote about me But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words Jesus says don't think that I accuse you Moses the one in whom you trust he is the one who accuses you they had all their trust in Moses all their trust in the law Believing that if they meticulously kept the law they'd be saved the law doesn't save the law Condemns the very thing that they trusted in the very thing that in which they had all their hope is the very thing Ironically that condemns them the only hope that you have is Jesus Christ the law was given to point us to Christ You can't clean up your act. You can't be a good person and think you're gonna get into heaven Your goodness is as a filthy rag to God. That's what says in Isaiah 64 The law here if it doesn't point you to Christ it will condemn you to hell Unbelief can never be justified by a lack of evidence We have a tremendous amount of evidence to believe amen for the Christian this evidence should Steal you in your commitment of the Lord be steadfast be immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord because you know on the testimony of who Jesus Christ is That our work and Lord is not in vain. Amen. Let's pray father in heaven. Thank you for this time Thank you for your word Lord help us to live in light of this truth for your glory in Jesus name