and turn with me to the book
of John chapter 5. John chapter 5. I'd like to deal
with verses 30 through 39. But before we begin, let's ask
our Lord's blessing upon His Word. Our Father, thank You again for
the privilege to assemble ourselves together I pray that you would
bless this Word. Bless it to our hearts. Bless
it to our understanding. Bless it, we pray, to the honor
of the Lord Jesus Christ. And these things we pray in His
name. Amen. The Scripture sets forth that
the Jews sought to kill the Lord Jesus Christ. That was in verse
18. They sought to kill Him. Because
according to their thoughts, he had not only broken the Sabbath,
but he had said that God was his Father, making himself to
be equal with God. That offended him. Now, in the
passage that we're going to consider today, the Amen Himself, the
faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of
God, the Lord Jesus Christ is going to set forth that which
witnesses of Him and His equality with the Father. Now, here is
something that we need to absolutely understand. When God Almighty
sets forth in His Word that which is so. One of two things is going to
happen. Either we're going to believe it or we're not going
to believe it. And to not believe Him is death. To not believe God Almighty is to assure our peril. So here's what I would ask the
Lord to do for me. I'll ask the Lord to do for you.
Lord, would you give me eyes to see? Would you give me ears
to hear? Lord, you say it. Blessed are
your eyes for they see. Blessed are your ears for they
hear. My sheep hear, my boy. Lord, help me. I don't want to go through a
service, come to the end of it, just feeling my heart while I've
done my duty. Lord, help me. Lord, help me
to be faithful. Give me a heart. Lord, give me
an understanding. Teach me of Yourself. Our Lord
is going to speak of the witnesses that the Father has given concerning
the Son. This is what God the Father is
going to set forth. They got mad because they had
broken the Sabbath, they said. He healed a man on the Sabbath
day. Oh, but you said that God was
your Father. You're making yourself equal
with God. Well, let's listen to what the
Spirit of God has to say concerning the Father's witness of the Son. Verse 30, and here's the Lord
speaking. I can of mine own self do nothing. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment
is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the
Father which has sent me." Now, the apparent difficulty of this
verse is going to be eased by those that know the Lord and
have the Spirit of God bear witness to them when we actually understand
what our Lord is saying. He's not setting forth, you know
this, He's not setting forth any weakness in Himself because
we know according to the Scriptures, Matthew 28, 18 concerning our
Lord's power. Here's what Matthew 28, 18 says,
Jesus came spake unto them, saying, All
power is given unto me in heaven and earth." Well, whenever he
says in that 30th verse, I can of mine own self do nothing,
he is sitting here revealing to these people that because
of the oneness that he has with the Father, He cannot do anything
separately from Him. As I hear, He says, from the
secret counsels of that everlasting covenant, I can of my own self
do nothing. As I hear from Almighty God eternally, Here again, I have
the greatest struggle trying to speak and use words, the word
eternal. And I try to say some things
and I don't know how to say it. The only thing I can say is eternally. The Father, the Son, the Spirit. In that everlasting covenant
of grace, when all that God everlastingly purposed to do in the redemption
of his people to the glory of God Almighty as revealed by the
Lord Jesus Christ for the honor of the Son. The Son was there. The Father there. The Spirit
there. And he said, as I hear, I judge. I know this. The Scripture reveals. that the Son is going to judge. He's the one that's going to
judge. We don't have to worry about whether or not His judgment
is going to be just. We know it's going to be just
because God is a just God. And the Lord Jesus Christ is
God, God Almighty. God the Father, God the Son,
God the Spirit. God is Spirit. No man has seen
God. No man has seen Jehovah at any
time. But God Almighty has been pleased
to reveal Himself. God who is invisible. God who cannot be looked upon. God Himself. has been pleased
to manifest Himself to men, and He's done it in the person of
the Lord Jesus Christ. The Son, the Word were made flesh. He veiled Himself. God veiled
Himself. That's what every time I bring
up, I keep thinking about these cherubim. I just am so... intrigued, but
this is what I believe after trying and asking and seeking. In the covenant of God's grace,
God the Father, the electing God, God the Son, the redeeming
God, God the Spirit, the quickening God, what God Almighty purposed
to do, in all of their individual persons, purposes, and covenant
graces to be given unto the elect of God. The only way we would
know what God had purposed was by the Lord Jesus Christ, God's
Son, God's Messiah. That's what the cherubim said.
That's why we see in that tabernacle, they were embroidered all in
that inner lining, in that tabernacle, inside the wooden framework,
the shed of wood that was covered with gold. Inside that was the
linen, the blue, the scarlet, the glory of God Almighty on
that veil, the cherubim, on the top of that Ark of the Covenant,
that mercy seat of pure gold. Mercy seat and the two cherubim. God said, I'll meet with you
between the cherubim. This is the revelation. The Lord Jesus Christ said, I
can of mine own self do nothing, not independently. As I hear,
I judge. But knowing that he is the judge,
we don't doubt that. But here in this passage, when
he speaks of, I judge, it's speaking of, I govern. I govern. In the administration of the
affairs of this world, I do all things according to
the will of Him that sent me. And that which I do, is absolutely
just. It's right. It's perfect for
the good of God's sheep, for the administration of the divine
providences of the triune God. And it's done in absolute, strict
justice. God Almighty is going to save
His people. God Almighty is going to be honored.
God's law is going to be honored. Whatever is demanded in absolute
justice, He said, that's what I do. I speak and I judge, and
my judgment, my government is right according to absolute holiness. When He walked before God Almighty,
He walked before God Almighty perfectly. Word, thought, deed. When He went to the cross, when
He was made sin, He bore the iniquity of His people in absolute
mercy and justice. God Almighty, He does that which
is just according to His Father's will. Before the foundation of
the world, God purposed that He would honor Himself. He would save His people. He
said, as I hear, I judge. My judgment is just because I
seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which has
sent me. Perfect unity. Perfect submission. Look at the humility of our Lord
when He speaks. He says, I and the Father are
one. And whatever He speaks, that's what I do. Oh, the glory
of Him. who is our Savior. He couldn't
seek His will separate from the Father. It's not but one will. The will of God Almighty. And
the Father sent Him according to purpose. He says in verse
31, if I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. And we're
going to use, by the grace of God, Caution. Wisdom. It would be blasphemy to insinuate
that our Lord's testimony about Himself is false. It would be
blasphemy if we tried to say that verse of Scripture right
there says that what He says is not right. That's blasphemy. You know that that's not what
it's saying. So what is it saying? He's saying here that if he has
no other evidences of his deity than his singular witness of
himself, that proof only, just his own witness of himself, would
not be suitable witness according to the law. That's what he's
saying. If I bear witness of myself and
there's nothing else said about it, he said, my witness is not
going to stand according to God's law. Here's what God's law said,
Deuteronomy 19, 15, at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth
of three shall the matter be established. Now, I don't know
about you. But you know that that passage
of Scripture and there's numerous ones that say the same thing
at the mouth of two witnesses or three. Have you ever wondered
why it says two or three? I mean, why would it say two
or three? I mean, if it says two, it's
two. If it says three, it's three. Why would it say two or three? The only thing that I can say,
and I tried to find something that would give suitable witness
concerning the law, not before God Almighty speaking of Himself
being a witness, but I'm talking about between men. If there was
a judgment, if somebody had to go to court, why would it be
two or three? Why? And this is the only thing,
and I'll just tell you what I found, I pray the Lord give us all understanding
in it. Two is sufficient if they don't
conflict. Two witnesses are sufficient
if they don't conflict. Three, if there's a conflict
between what two people or there seems to be a gray area or something
like that, three. And that third one would bear
witness. There would be two, actually
two witnesses in agreement, they would bear witness. And I thought,
well, that was the probably concerning God's law between men. I'd say that's fine. I just,
I'd wondered about it. And I thought, I thought, well,
that may be. That may be what it is. Two or
three witnesses. The Lord says here, if I bear
witness of myself, if there's only one, my witness It's not
true. It's not substantial. And he
says this, verse 32, There's another that beareth witness
of me. And I know that the witness which
he witnesseth of me is true. Now, I believe that our Lord
is setting forth the witness that is given him of the Father. And here's the reason I believe
that he's talking about the Father. It's because of the wording that
he uses. There is another that beareth. You remember what we've said
about ETH? Present progressive. There is
one that beareth witness of me, and I know that the witness which
he witnesseth of me doesn't stop. No stopping. The Lord reveals
that there is one who is continually witnessing of Him. And God Almighty,
who cannot lie, continually beareth and witnesseth of the Lord Jesus
Christ. So the Father is a witness of
His deity. But how has the Father borne
witness? Well, the Father Himself did
bear witness of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now, there's a witness.
The Father Himself has borne witness. But how has the Father
borne witness? Well, the Father Himself. Now, there's the witness. The
Father is the witness. But the Father Himself has borne
witness to the Lord Jesus Christ, first of all, by sending John
the Baptist, verse 33 to 35. He said, You sent unto John,
and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony
from man, but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was
a burning and a shining light, and you were willing for a season
to rejoice in His light. Now, the Jews held John the Baptist
in very high esteem. They considered him, according
to Matthew 21, 26, to be a prophet. And John the Baptist did bear
witness of a greater-than-himself that was coming. He was the Messiah's
messenger. It was John the Baptist that
said, Behold the Lamb of God. But our Lord said in verse 34,
but He said, I have received not testimony from man. It wasn't John the Baptist who
was the witness. The witness was the Father. The
Father Himself sent John the Baptist. John gave a true testimony. They believe not. Oh, how often
is man dissatisfied with the evidence of God's preachers speaking
according to God's Word. See, here's the bottom line.
I mean, John did witness of the Lord Jesus Christ, but the Lord
Himself said, I don't receive testimony from man. That's not the authority by which
I look. It was the Father Himself that
sent. My Father beareth witness in
me. They were willing, the Scripture
says, to rejoice in His light. John's preaching was a novelty
to many of them. Ignorant excitement. was a faithful witness, but you
remember this, he was a burning and shining light for a while. There is one that beareth and
witnesseth the Lord Jesus Christ of me. Verse 36 said, I have
a greater witness than that of John for the works which the
Father hath given me to finish the same works that I do, bear
witness of me that the Father has sent me." You notice the
authority that the Lord Jesus Christ stands upon. He said,
if I bear witness of myself, one, according to the law, that's
not true. It won't take two or three. We're
going to find out. the authority of the witness
that the Lord Jesus Christ sets forth. The Jews, they couldn't
dispute the miracles that He performed. Nicodemus told Him
over in 3, verse 2, chapter 3, John, verse 2, the same came
to Jesus by night, said unto Him, Rabbi, we know that thou
art a teacher come from God, for no man can do these miracles
that thou doest. except God be with you. So they acknowledged these miracles. These miracles performed by the
Lord Jesus Christ were evidences and witnesses of His deity. The
Father is His witness. The Father sent the Lord Jesus
Christ. The Father Himself bore witness
of Christ in these miracles. John 10.25, the works that I
do in my Father's name bear witness of me. Acts 2.22 concerning Jesus
of Nazareth, a man approved, accredited of God among you by
miracles and wonders and signs which God did by Him in the midst
of you. Not being able to deny these
miracles, they should have believed Him. But because of the hardness
of their hearts, they actually ascribed those miracles to Satan.
They said, you're doing this by being Elizabeth. Well, in
closing, I want us to look at the last witness by the Father. The Father Himself. The Father
himself verbally bore witness of Christ. This is my beloved
son in whom I'm well pleased. The Father himself bore witness
of Christ sending John the Baptist in fulfillment of scriptures.
Behold the Lamb of God. The Father himself bore witness
of Christ and the miracles performed. The Lord Jesus Christ doing exactly
the same perfect will of the Father, of the Spirit. God Almighty
bearing witness to Himself. The Father bore witness through
a prophet, miracles, signs, wonders. But then the Scripture says,
here is another witness. We'll look at verses 37 to 39
and we'll close. And the Father Himself, which
hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. You have neither heard
His voice at any time, nor seen His shape. And you have not His
Word abiding in you, for whom He has sent, Him you believe
not. Search the Scriptures. For in
them you think you have eternal life, and they are they which
testify of Me. The Father which has sent Me,
O God Almighty, who no man has ever seen, neither heard His
voice, Christ has revealed Him. God Himself bore witness of the
Lord Jesus Christ by the prophets. God, who at sundry times and
in diverse manners spoke unto the fathers by the prophets,
hath in these last days, from the time that Christ came, made
flesh born of a virgin, made of a woman, made under the law,
the beginning of the last days. God hath in these last days spoken
unto us by Son." That's God's language. That's God's Word. No man has seen His form, has
seen His shape. And He said, God Almighty has sent the Son. And He said, you didn't believe Him. Oh, what
a word of accusation. What a word of condemnation. To stand before God Almighty and to hear these words, depart
from me, you workers of iniquity. I never knew you. Do you know
why God Almighty is going to put a man or a woman in hell?
Now here's the bottom line. Because they believe not the
Son. Because they believe not the
Son. And when I say believe not the Son, this is what I mean. I have to qualify what I'm talking
about. When that Philippian jailer asked
Paul and Silas, What must I do? What is the evidence? What's
the evidence? What manifestation will there
be? Obviously, something will happen. If God's done something for me,
what is it? And this is what they said. Believe
on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Now, man
by nature is going to say, well, I've done that. I've done that. But believing on the Lord Jesus
Christ means this, trusting, entrusting, looking to Him alone, apart from
anything that you can do. Now, I'm talking about not even
your faith. Don't even add your faith to
your salvation. Because, as I said before, this
is kind of a rule of thumb that I might give you. Who died for
you? Did your faith die for you? If
you're looking to your faith, if you're looking to your profession,
if you're looking to praying through, believing on the Lord Jesus Christ
means to the exclusion of everything else. Believing on Him is the evidence of life eternal. Looking to anything that you
can do. Whatever you think. You think,
well, I've thought good thoughts. God looked to see if there were
any that did good. And there was none. None. All
of our righteousnesses. I'm talking about my ability
to stand up here and try to preach. And I struggle through every
message. Somebody said, well, I wouldn't
know it. Well, just let me share it with you then. I struggle trying to pray and so ashamed
of myself as my mind wanders. And a verse of Scripture will
come to my mind and say, Lord, if you should mark iniquity,
if you would mark one deviation who could stand. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ
is to by faith, by faith, not faith that saves, faith that
is the grace of God Almighty to believe God that salvation
is all of grace. Known by faith. Revealed through
faith. That's what it means. Known by. By the means of. Salvation, all
of grace. How do I know that? The Scriptures. The Scriptures. The witness that
we have. What witness do you have? I'll tell you the witness. Let
me give you three witnesses and then I'll close. Three witnesses
of a believer to a believer. Number one, if God Almighty has
done something for you, Romans 8, 16 says, For the Spirit bears
witness with our spirit, there's a new heart there, that we are
the sons of God. But I'll tell you this, the Scriptures
themselves set forth the evidence of, the truth of, the revelation
of God Almighty doing something for His people. Our gospel did not come to you
in word only, but in power. The Scriptures itself bears witness
to God's people what the evidence of life is. You search the Scriptures,
the Lord Jesus Christ said, they are they that bear witness of
me. God's witness to His people. concerning the glory of the Lord
Jesus Christ while He was on this earth, God Himself bore
witness, spoke it, men heard it. This is my beloved son, well
pleased. God sent a prophet. Behold, the
Lamb of God. God Himself, through miracles
and signs and wonders, bore witness, a man approved of God. We've
got these scriptures right here. And I'm telling you, You want
to know what God has to say? What does God have to say in
His Word? May the Lord bless these words to our heart. May
Christ be honored, the Father exalted in the glory of His blessed
Son. Amen.