All right, let's turn back to
John 5. John chapter 5. I wanna read the text tonight
again. We're gonna read verses 32 to
38. That's our text. John 5, 32 to 38. It says, there is another that
beareth witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesseth
of me is true. Ye 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 ye were willing for a season to rejoice
in his light. But I have 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
hath sent me. And the Father himself which
hath sent me hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard
his voice at any time, nor seen his shape, and ye have not his
word abiding in you, for whom he hath sent him ye believe not. Four weeks ago, everybody on
this side of the building was in Gatlinburg. And we were in John chapter five,
and the text was verses 28 to 31. And the title of that message
was, must a person believe in order to be saved? That's the subject our Lord is
dealing with through the rest of this chapter. You notice how
much it says, believe, believe. Believe his word. Believing that he is the Christ. He's the one who he says he is.
He's talking about a witness and he's talking about a testimony.
Why do you need all that? Why do you need all that? Anybody,
you've been to a courtroom before. They're gonna call a witness.
You're gonna give a testimony. Why do you need all that? It's
in order to believe what is true. Okay? In order to believe what's
true. In verse 31, our Lord said, if
I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. That's Christ
saying that. Why did he say that? Why would
he say that? Turn over to John chapter eight. John chapter eight, and look
at verse 14. Jesus answered and said unto
them, though I bear record of myself, yet my record is true. For I know whence I came and
whither I go, but ye cannot tell whence I come and whither I go.
I know where I came from and I know where I'm going. And my
witness is true. As God, everything he says is
true." Now, here is what we believe. Okay, this is talking about believing. That's what he's saying. You
have not the word of God in you, you believe not. He that the
Father has sent. Here's what he's talking about.
We believe that Jesus, the one that this world thinks Christmas
is all about, right? Is God. That's the point. If you wanna know why are we
meeting here? Why did we pay the money for
the building? Why do we pay the lights? Why are you paying me?
Why are we not over there? It's because there's a difference.
And the difference is we believe that this one whom the Father
sent is God. That's it. And people don't know
that. And people don't believe that.
but he's giving record of himself. And we know that his record is
true and we believe it. As God, everything he says is
true, but listen to this, as a man, as a man, under the law,
here's what the law says, at the mouth of two or three witnesses,
a matter is established. So he just gave two other witnesses
in this text to prove and to abide by the law as a man that
he is true, all right? He came to fulfill all righteousness
and he came to do everything according to the scriptures.
Now turn with me to John 18. John 18 verse 19 says, the high
priest then asked Jesus of his disciples and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spake openly
to the world. I ever taught in the synagogue
and in the temple, whether the Jews always resort. And in secret
have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? Ask them
which heard me what I have said unto them. Behold, they know
what I said. They believe it. They can quote
it. They know what I said. All right,
back over in our text in John 5. He says in verse 32, there
is another that beareth witness of me. And I know that the witness
which he witnesses, witnesseth of me is true. Now I got to thinking
about this. We believe that Jesus Christ
is God, the highest God. We believe that if you don't
honor the Son, you are not honoring the Father. That's what he just
got finished saying in this chapter. We believe that it is the Father's
will for us to give all of our glory and honor to the Son, right? And we believe this by God's
grace because of the record that God has sent. It is all based
on this Word of God. It is vital that the Lord sent
this word. It's everything. It's life and
death, everything. This is how we know God's will,
the true God. This is how we believe. This
is life and death right here. I have a center margin right
here for verse 32. There is another that beareth
witness of me. My center margin says verse 37.
Verse 37 says, and the Father himself, the Father himself, there is
another that beareth witness of me, and I know that the witness
which he witnesseth of me is true. Now turn to Matthew 3. Matthew chapter three, look at
verse 16. And Jesus, when he was baptized,
went up straightway out of the water, and lo, the heavens were
opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like
a dove and lighting upon him. And lo, a voice from heaven saying,
this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased. Well pleased. That's gonna be
a key to something we're gonna look at in just one second. A
voice from heaven, this is him. Do you know that the Jews do
not believe that Jesus Christ is the Messiah? Isn't that amazing? Do you know that the Jehovah's
Witnesses do not believe that Jesus Christ is Jehovah? The father said, this is him. This is him. This is the one. I am well pleased
with him. I came home yesterday and there
was a track by the Jehovah's Witnesses in the door. And I
thought, isn't that something? Isn't that amazing? I'm so grateful
to God that he has forced me to believe that Jesus Christ
is Jehovah. Jehovah, I'm so glad for that.
I'm so glad that when I stand before him, the Lord has caused
me to have a great need and desire to bow the knee and say, my Lord
and my God, and not walk up to him ignorantly and say, where
is Jehovah? Depart from me, I never knew you. A voice from heaven, go to Matthew
17. Matthew 17 verse one says, and
after six days, Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother,
and bringeth them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured
before them. Can you imagine that? Can you imagine that? And his
face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the
light. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking
with him. Then answered Peter and said
unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here, if thou wilt
let us make here three tabernacles, one for thee, one for Moses and
one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a
bright cloud overshadowed them. And behold, a voice out of the
cloud which said, this is my beloved son in whom I'm well
pleased Hear ye him. Hear him. And believe what he says. Hear ye him. Obey him. Turn with me to 1 John 5. 1 John 5 verse 5 says, who is he
that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus
is the Son of God. Now, everybody believes Jesus
is the Son of God. Everybody does. But what this
means is, He that believeth that Jesus is that equal third part
of the Trinity called God, the Son of God, God Himself. Verse six says, this is He that
came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ, not by water only,
but by water and blood. Here's what that means. He was
not born 2,000 years ago. He was born 2,000 years ago,
but he did not begin 2,000 years ago. He is eternal. He was in the beginning with
God, he was God, and he in time made himself flesh. He is the
eternal God. Verse six, this is he that came
by water and blood, even Jesus Christ, not by water only, but
by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth
witness because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that
bear record in heaven, the Father, The Word, that's Christ, and
the Holy Ghost, and these three are one. And there are three
that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the
blood, and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness
of men, the witness of God is greater. For this is the witness
of God, which he hath testified of his Son. Verse 10 says, he
that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself. He that believeth not God hath
made him a liar, because he believeth not the
record that God gave of his son. It's vital, isn't it? It's vital. Back over to our text in John
5, verse 32 says, There is another that beareth
witness of me, and I know that the witness which he witnesseth
of me is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bear
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 ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. He's telling them, you came to
John and after you called me a year ago, or however long it was, we started
in John. You remember that? John, we've been in John a long
time. And they, chapter one, they came to John saying, who
are you? And John said, don't worry about it. They said, what's
your name? He said, it doesn't matter. He
said, there's somebody coming that I'm not worthy to tie his
shoes. And he's saying right here, you
came to John and John told you the truth. But I don't need John's
testimony. I don't need a man's testimony. I don't need a man to confirm
that what I said is true. I don't need that. We're quoting it a lot right
now. God said it, I believe it, that settles it. I don't need
that. I don't need that. He does not
need me to believe this. He doesn't need that. He does
not need anybody to believe this. You know that? Isn't that wonderful? He doesn't need anybody to believe
this. He is self-sufficient. If nobody winds up in glory with
him, he has all he needs. Isn't that something? It is grace
and it is mercy and it is compassion and it is tenderness to take
a rebel sinner like me and stick this belief in me to cause me
to trust him and look to him and love him. Our God is good. He is nothing but good, nothing
but good. Verse 34, he said, I receive
not testimony from man, but these things I say. I'm telling you
this. He goes on to say that you might
be saved. That you might be saved. Now,
if a man does not need to hear God's word to be saved, why is
God wasting his time telling them this? Why is God wasting his time telling
him this? He said, I'm telling you this right now that you might
be saved. He said, John is my messenger.
John is telling the truth. Listen to John. Verse 35, he
was a burning and a shining light and you were willing for a season
to rejoice in his light. He fervently pointed men and
women to Christ. John doesn't get any glory. No
glory. John was a chosen vessel. God
had mercy on John. God put a message in John. And
all the glory goes to God. And God doesn't need me. He doesn't
need me. I get no glory in this. He chooses
man. He puts a message in man. And
if he does not want to use a man, he'll use a donkey. But he fervently told men, behold
the lamb, behold the lamb. Verse 35, he was a burning and
a shining light and you were willing for a season to rejoice
in his light, for a season. He said, you believed it for
a while, but not anymore. Verse 36, but I have 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. The works that I do bear witness
to my people that the Father has sent me. Now turn with me
to John 10. John 10 verse 24 says, Then came the Jews round about
him, and said unto him, How long dost thou make us to doubt? If
thou be the Christ, tell us plainly. Jesus answered them, I told you,
and you believed not. The works that I do in my Father's
name, they bear witness of me. But ye believed not, because
ye are not of my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep
hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me. Now verse
two says, but he that entereth in by the door is the shepherd
of the sheep. To him the porter openeth, and
the sheep hear his voice, and he calleth his own sheep by name
and leadeth them out. And when he putteth forth his
own sheep, he goeth before them, and the sheep follow him, for
they know his voice. And a stranger will they not
follow, but will flee from him, for they know not the voice of
strangers. This parable spake Jesus unto
them, but they understood not what things they were which he
spake unto them. Then said Jesus unto them, again,
verily, verily, I say unto you, I am the door of the sheep. All
that ever came before me are thieves and robbers, but the
sheep did not hear them. I am the door. By me, if any
man enter in, he shall be saved and shall go in and out and find
pasture. Verse 14 says, I'm the good shepherd
and know my sheep and am known of mine. I am known of mine. Go to John 14. John 14, verse
11 says, Believe me that I am in the Father
and the Father in me, or else believe me for the very works
sake. Believe me for my works. I have
one that beareth witness of me and it's my works. Go to John
15 verse 22. He said, if I had not come and
spoken unto them, they had not had sin. but now they have no
cloak for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my father
also. If I had not done among them
the works which none other man did, they had not had sin. But now they have both seen and
hated both me and my father, but this cometh to pass that
the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, they
hated me without a cause. If I had not done among them
the works, if I hadn't done the works, what works? The healings? The miracles? No, Pharaoh's magicians
could do that. I think Benny Hinn can do that
somehow. He's talking about the sinlessness. That's what he's talking about.
the sinlessness before he came, nobody could live one second
on this earth without being totally destroyed by sin. Nobody. He's talking about living this
life without sin. If he had not done that, he condemned
everybody when he did that. Everybody. He's talking about
the righteousness, living this life in perfect holiness before
God. If I had not done among them
the works which none other man did, no other man could do, they
had not had sin, but they did not believe me even for my works
sake. Now, I had this thought. As I was studying this, I thought,
how could those people back then know whether or not he was truly
sinless or not? It's of the heart, it's of the
mind. And then it dawned on me, how about let's fast forward
2,000 years? How do I know? You believe it, don't you? You
believe it. You are convinced that man did
not sin. And he's the only man that did
not sin. How did that get there? I'm not
fooling myself, I'm not. I believe it. I believe it. I believe his works. I believe
he is righteous before God. I believe he's worthy to walk
straight into heaven. And I believe if he's covering
me under the shadow of his wing, I'll get to walk in with him.
That's what I believe. I believe that. I believe that. We'll back over to our text in
John chapter five. Verse 36 says, You have not his word abiding
in you. For him whom he sent, you believe
not. That's a word of conviction to
those who don't believe. It's a word of warning to everybody
everywhere. Bow the knee and kiss the son,
lest he be angry. I believe that man is my God
and he can do with me whatever he wants to. whatever he wants
to. Kiss the son lest he be angry.
Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. Now
here's a little encouragement to close with, okay? Turn with
me to 1 John chapter four. First John chapter four, look at verse 13. Hereby know
we that we dwell in him. I love seeing words like that. Hereby know we that we dwell
in him. And he in us because he hath
given us of his spirit. And we have seen and do testify
that the Father sent the Son to be the Savior of the world. Whosoever shall confess that
Jesus is the equal part of the Trinity, Son of God, God Himself,
God dwelleth in Him, and He in God. And we have known and believed
the love that God hath toward us. God is love, and he that
dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Peter, who
do you say that I am? Thou art the Christ. We read
this morning, no man can say that Jesus is anathema. or that
He's the Son of God, but by the Spirit. By the Spirit. And if the Lord has caused me
to believe in my heart, truly believe in my heart, that Jesus
is the Son of God, God dwells in Him and He in God. That's what it says. That is comforting. That is comforting. Lord, we believe, help thou our
unbelief, right? We believe, that's what he's
dealing with. Believe, believe, help me to believe, cause me
to believe. It's my only hope. All right,
let's stand together.