John chapter 5, we finished the
book of Peter last week, 1st Peter, so I thought we'd just
do a couple messages in different portions, and then eventually
I'll find another book for us to go through. John chapter 5,
today I'd like us to look at 7 proofs of Christ's deity. 7 proofs of Christ's deity. John chapter 5, let's start in
verse 14, and then we'll read all the way down to verse 27. John 5, starting in verse 14. Afterward, Jesus findeth him
in the temple and said unto him, Behold, thou art made whole,
sin no more, lest the worst thing come upon thee. Now, this is
the man that was healed at the pool of Basadia. That is the
man that he found. The man departed and told the
Jews that it was Jesus which had made him whole. And therefore
did the Jews persecute Jesus. and sought to slay him because
he had done these things on the Sabbath day. But Jesus answered,
my father worketh hither and I work. Therefore the Jews sought
the more to kill him because he not only had broken the Sabbath,
but also that God was his father making himself equal with God.
Now in the next few verses we see the authority of the Son
of God, the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ. Then answered
Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son
can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do,
for whatsoever things he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son,
and showeth him all things that himself doeth, and he will show
him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. You know
how we marvel at the wondrous works of the Lord Jesus Christ,
and what he's done. What he's done in our lives,
personally, and what he's done just in general. Oh, what a great
God we have. What a great God. For as the
Father raises up the dead, and quickeneth them, even so the
Son quickeneth whom he will. For the Father judges no man,
but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. That all men should
honor the Son, even as they honor the Father. He that honoreth
not the Son honoreth not the Father which has sent him. Verily,
verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth
on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. What a glorious
verse. Verily, verily, I say unto you,
the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the
voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall live. For
as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given the Son to have
life in himself, and hath given him authority to execute judgment
also, because he is the Son of Man. Now our Lord, in the preceding
verses to our text, had healed the man at the Pool of Bessadia. And then he had conveyed himself
away. And the man he had healed did
not know who he was. He did not know who he was and
could not therefore show him to the Jews who inquired of him
who had healed him. Who had healed him. Now in The
Lord going to that one man and passing by all those others,
we see God's distinguishing grace, don't we? He passed by all those
other people and went right to that man, beloved. Right to that
man and healed him. And healed him. Think of all
the others he's passed by in our lives. And think of the healing
he's done for us. Redeemed by his precious blood,
beloved. So we see in him seeking out
that man at the pool of Bethsaida, we see him again seeking out
his sheep. Let's look at verse 14 again.
Afterward, Jesus findeth him in the temple and said unto him,
Behold, thou art made whole, thou art made whole. Sin no more,
lest a worse thing come unto thee. Now the Jews inquired of
this man who it was that had healed him. And we see that again
in verse 12 and verse 15, the Lord had spoken to him, to the
man, and he goes back to them. Now that man goes back to the
Jews, to those who had inquired of him. And look what he says,
the man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus which
had made him whole. He goes back and testifies, Christ
made me whole. It was him. That's what we do,
isn't it? We testify to those around us.
Anyone who inquires, it's the Lord who made me whole. I couldn't
do it myself. We'll see that tonight. We'll
see that tonight. We're looking at Ezekiel 16 with
the baby in the wilderness. Oh my. Total inability. Total inability. Helpless. Hopeless.
Oh my. We know that that when this man
went to the Jews, there was a danger of him being excommunicated by
the Jews and being persecuted by them. But this man boldly
told them who had healed him. He boldly told them who had healed
him. He was not ashamed to proclaim that it was Christ. Christ did
this for me. Christ did this for me. He did
this marvelous work. Turn over to John chapter 9,
if you would, where we see another man who was blind from his birth,
whom Jesus said, And he's being questioned by the Jews too, and
he testifies of the wondrous things that the Lord has done
for him also. He boldly professes that it was Christ who healed
him. And then what happens? He's cast
out by the Jews. He's cast out by the Jews. But
then what happens? Our Lord seeks him out, beloved.
Our Lord seeks that man out. Look at this in John chapter
9, verses 30 to 38. The man answered and said unto
them, Why, herein is a marvelous thing,
ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.
They don't have a clue who he is. They just hate the Lord.
They've seen him, but they don't know him like we know him. They
hate him. They hate him. Now we know that
God heareth not sinners, but if any man be a worshipper of
God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. Since the world began,
was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was
born blind? Never. If this man were not of
God, he could do nothing. Oh, what a testimony of our great
God and Savior. They answered and said unto him,
Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us?
Oh man, now they're getting offended, aren't they? This blind man who's
been healed knows more about the Lord than they ever do, and
they've been studying the Word of God for years, and they just
don't know nothing. See, you can know doctrine, and
you can know things in the Word of God, and not know Christ. He's got to be revealed to us.
You must be born again. You must be born again. And then look what they do as
a result. They cast him out. They cast him out. That's what
the world does, doesn't it? That's what religion does. And
that's what the world does. Jesus heard that they had cast
him out, and when he had found him, look at that, the shepherd
seeks the sheep. Seeks the sheep to comfort him. He said unto him, dost thou believe
on the Son of God? He answered, Who is he, Lord,
that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him, Thou
hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. Oh,
my goodness. Oh, my goodness. And look at
the man's response. And he said, Lord, Lord. He called
him Lord. Lord, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. I believe,
Lord. With that in mind, let's go back
to John chapter 5, and look at verse 16, where now we see the
depravity of man on full display. This man had just been healed
at the Pool of Pisadia, and it's absolutely wondrous, beloved.
He's been in that state for 30 years. It's wondrous. And the
Lord Jesus Christ had healed him. He made him whole. And look at the hate-filled religionists
here before us in verse 16. And therefore did the Jews persecute
Jesus and sought to slay Him, because He had done these things
on the Sabbath day. Now an absolute wondrous miracle
had been performed. A wondrous miracle had been performed.
And here the wicked religionists of Christ's day Their hatred for Christ comes
through, and they bring up that, oh, he violated the Sabbath. He violated the Sabbath. Now
think of this. I want you to really ponder this.
The Lord of the Sabbath, Christ, had just healed one of his lost
sheep. He's the Lord of the Sabbath,
beloved. They don't know him. They hate
him. They despise him. But the Lord
of the Sabbath had just healed a man. And what did the religionists
of his day want to do? They want to slay him. They want
to kill him. All because he had done these
things on the Sabbath day, he'd broken one of their traditions.
Supposedly, but he didn't. He didn't. We know our Lord and
did no sin at all ever. He's the Lord of the Sabbath.
He can do whatever he pleases, beloved. Oh, my gosh. Now let's read verses
17 through 27, and we'll see our great Redeemer, our wonder,
Savior God incarnate in the flesh set forth. His absolute oneness
with the father. And here in these verses he gives
us seven proofs of his deity. Now when the man identified that
it was Jesus who had healed him, who had told him to take up his
bed and walk, the Jews must have said something to him, but it's
not recorded because verse 17 declares that our Lord answered
them back. But Jesus answered them, My father
worketh hither when I work. Look at verse 18, Therefore the
Jews sought to kill him the more, because he not only had broken
the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself
equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said
unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing
of himself, but what he seeth the Father do. For what things
soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father
loveth the Son, and showeth him all things. that himself doeth,
and he will show him greater works than these, that ye may
marvel. For as the Father raises up the
dead, and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom he
will. For the Father judges no man, but hath committed all judgment
unto the Son. that all men should honor the
Son as they honor the Father. He that honoreth not the Son
honoreth not the Father, which is sent him. Verily, verily,
I say unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him
that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into
condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. Verily, verily,
I say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall
hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall
live. For as the Father hath life in
himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.
And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because
he is the Son of Man. So let us consider the seven
proofs of the deity of Christ found in this little portion
of scripture. And I pray that it will be a
blessing to you as we look into these seven proofs. Our first
proof of Christ's deity is found in verse 17, but Jesus answered
them, my father worketh hither hither and I work. Here we see
our Lord in his redemptive work. He is one with the father. He's
one with the father. Beloved of God before the foundation
of the world, we know that our great God has been working his
will to redeem a people of his choosing. a people of his chosen
from every nation and every tribe. And because this is true, because
the scripture declares that all things work together for good
to them that love God, to them who are the called according
to his purpose, according to his purpose. Now it angered the
Jews that Christ proclaimed that he was one with the Father, thereby
making himself equal with God. We see that in the scriptures
there, don't we? Turn, if you would, to John chapter 10, just
one chapter, or a couple chapters over. And we see this truth proclaimed
in verses 30 to 33. The Jews seek to stone him. Look what the Lord says to them.
He says here in John chapter 10 verse 30, he says, I and my
father are one. What do the Jews do right away?
They pick up stones. They want to kill him. They want
to kill him right away. They pick up stones again to
stone him. Jesus answered, many good works have I showed you
from my father, for which these works do you stone? Which one? The Jews answered him, for a
good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy, and because
thou, being a man, makest thyself God. They had no clue who he
was. Here is God incarnate in the flesh, standing before them,
and he says, I and my Father are one, and they have no idea
who he is. No idea at all. No idea that he was God incarnate.
And you know, they'll never know that unless God reveals himself
to them. We didn't know it, did we? In
our natural state, did you know that Christ was God incarnate
in the flesh? I didn't understand it in the
aspect of what the scriptures say. I used to say, oh, Christ
is the Son of God, but I didn't really know what that meant.
Not until he revealed himself to me and revealed to me that
he is God, one with the Father and one with the Spirit. Our second proof of Christ's
deity is found in verse 19. Then answered Jesus and said
unto them, verily, verily, I say unto you, the Son can do nothing
of himself, but what he seeth the Father do, for what things
soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. Well, here
we see that Christ in will and purpose is
one with the Father. Christ in will and purpose is
one with the Father. He being God, He's one in will
and purpose with God the Father. And we clearly see this proclaimed
in this wonderful verse. Take note, the Son can do nothing
of Himself, but what He seeeth the Father do. This does not
restrict Him nor limit His power, but He is saying that the Son
does not act and cannot act independently of the Father. They're one, they're
in unison, beloved. They're in absolute unison, and
the Holy Spirit too. The three are in absolute unison.
And we know from studying the scriptures that all three are
involved in our salvation. That's why we proclaim salvations
of the Lord, because it's all they're doing. It's all they're
doing. The Father chose us in Christ.
The Son redeemed us on Calvary's cross. The Holy Spirit regenerates
us and fetches us. It's the work of God. It's all
God. It's all His work. They do not
work independently. and act independently of each
other. No, they're one in will and purpose. They're one in will and purpose.
They act in total unison, total unison. Our third proof of the
deity of Christ is found in verse 20. For the Father loveth the
Son, and showeth him all things that himself doeth, that he will
show him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. Here we see
that the Lord Jesus Christ is one in knowledge with the Father.
One in knowledge with the Father. Now there's no one on this earth,
no creature at all, who is capable or will ever understand the ways
of God. Not one of us. Not one of us
will totally understand the ways of God. Not one of us. We'll never obtain that. We'll
never obtain that. We'll never understand all the
workings of God. Turn if you would to Romans chapter
11 and then put your finger in Proverbs chapter 8. Romans chapter
11 and Proverbs chapter 8. Do you know that God's ways are
past finding out? That's why we'll never understand
all his works and all his ways. They are so far above us, beloved. They're past us finding out. But praise God He reveals Himself
to us, doesn't He? Praise God that Christ reveals
Himself to His sheep. Or again, we'd never know Him.
We'd never know Him. Look in Romans chapter 11. Look
at this. Brother Matt and I were going
through a book in Ephesians together this week and a guy was talking
about, it was marvelous, the guy was talking about the limitlessness
of God, how he's limitless. His powers is depthless and you
can't measure it. You can't measure the width of
it, you can't measure the height of it, you can't measure anything.
The depth of it, you can't. His ways are limitless. It's
absolutely incredible. He can do whatever he pleases,
whenever he pleases, with whomever he pleases, because he's God. Look at this, what Paul writes
in Romans chapter 11, verses 33 and 34. Oh, the depth of the
rich is both of wisdom and knowledge of God. How unsearchable are
his judgments, and his way is what? Past finding out. We can't plumb the depths, beloved.
His ways are unsearchable. Now he reveals to us a little
bit, doesn't he? And Matt and I were talking this
week and I was telling him about what Donny Bell used to say about
Scott Richardson. He said, after 45 years of preaching, well one
of these days I'm going to learn how to preach. And then Donny
said, I talked to Donnie one time, we were talking about Christ
and what we've learned, and he said, Brother, we're just scratching
the surface, we're just putting a little nick. Remember when
we used to roll up tinfoil balls and all that, and you put a little
nick on them sometimes? He says that's what it's like,
what we know in our whole life about Christ, just a little Oh, it's humbling, but don't
we rejoice in that little scratch that we learn? Isn't it wonderful?
It's absolutely wonderful. So we can never, we can never,
his ways are past finding out. Because look at this, for who
hath no one in the mind of the Lord, for who hath been his counselor?
No one. The Lord needs no counselors,
does he? None at all. None at all. His ways are past
finding out. Presidents and other leaders,
they need counselors, don't they? to help them, to help them with,
and we encourage that, we think that's wonderful, because there's
things they don't know, and they have people that can help them,
and experts on certain things that advise them, and that's
good. God needs no one. He needs no
one, beloved. He doesn't need no advisors,
no counselors, nothing. His ways are past finding out,
beloved. Now turn, if you would, over
to Proverbs chapter eight, Now we see that there's one who knows,
there's one who knows the things of God, because he is God himself.
He's God himself, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God. Look
at this in Proverbs 8, verses 24 to 30. When there were no
depths, I was bought forth. When there were no fountains
abounding with water, before the mountains were settled, before
the hills was I bought forth. Well, as yet, he had not made
the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust
of the world. When he prepared the heavens, Proverbs 8, verse
27, I'm sorry. When he prepared the heavens,
I was there. When he set a compass upon the face of the depth, when
he established the clouds above, when he strengthened the fountains
of the deep, when he gave to the sea his decree that the water
should not pass, his commandment, when he appointed the foundations
of the earth, then I was by him. is one bought up with Him, and
I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him. And His name
is the Lord Jesus Christ, beloved. The Lord Jesus Christ. Oh my. What a great God and what a great
Savior we have. Now our fourth proof of the deity
of Christ found in this portion of the text, let's go back to
John chapter 5, is found in verse 21. Look at this. Or as the father
raises up the dead and quicken the them, even so the son quickeneth
whom he will, whom he will. Now we see here that Christ in
sovereign rights and power is one with the father. He is one
with the father. Look here and marvel at the wondrous
proclamation here, the proof of Christ's deity. He lays claim
here to divine sovereignty, beloved, right here in this verse. he
lays claim to divine sovereignty. For as the Father raises up the
dead and quickeneth him, even so the Son quickeneth him, he
will." What a proclamation. What a proclamation. Now think
of what had occurred before this text. He had went to the pool
of Bethsaida. He healed the lame man, the one that he sought out.
Passing by all those others, he sought that one man out. He
passed by all those others. He singled out this one man.
Why did he single out that one man? Because that's one of his
lost sheep right there. What a picture we have there,
beloved. Think of that in your life. Brother John, you told
me you were out in the middle of the ocean. The Lord knew you were here though,
didn't he? It's wonderful. It's absolutely wonderful. The
Lord sends someone to preach and proclaim the gospel to us.
Oh my. Oh my. Or we're reading the scriptures,
hey. Wow. Look at this. Oh my. He gives life to whom
he wills. That's what this says. He raises
up. What were we when we came into
this world? Dead. What did the Lord do to us? Gave
us life. He gave us life, didn't He? Look
at this verse. For as the Father raises up the
dead and quickeneth them, even so the Son quickeneth whom He
will. Oh my, born again of the Holy Spirit of God. So do not
lose sight of what we have here proclaimed and seen. As the Son,
like the Father, will quicken and give life to whomever He
wills. Whomever He wills. And this ends any arguments against
His deity. His deity is plainly proclaimed
here in sovereign power. And right here before us. It's
not to be reasoned about. It's not to be debated about.
Christ is God. He is God. He's God. Turn, if you would, to Romans
chapter 9, verse 13 to 15. And right there, now I'm going
to read that verse again to you. For the Father raises up the
dead, and quickeneth them, even as the Son quickeneth whom He
will. For as the Father raises up the dead, and quickeneth them,
even so the Son quickeneth whom He will. Now let's read over
here in Romans 9.13. With that in mind, it comes right
alive. Romans 9 verses 13 to 15. As
it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall
we say then? Is there unrighteousness with
God? Is there unrighteousness with God because he chooses one
and passes by the other? God forbid. God forbid. It's a wonder that God even has
mercy on Jacob. It's a wonder. It's a wonder
that God even had mercy on me and on you. It's a wonder. So
it should leave us in awe that God even had mercy on us. For
he saith to Moses, and remember over there in John, that he gives
life to whomever he wills, right? For he saith to Moses, I will
have mercy on whom I'll have mercy, and I'll have compassion
on whom I'll have compassion. Do you see how the scripture
just ties in together, beloved? Just ties in together. Let's
go back to John chapter five. Our fifth proof of the deed of
Christ is found in verses 22 to 23. For the Father judges
no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. that all
men should honor the Son as they honor the Father. He that honoreth
not the Son honoreth not the Father which has sent him. Turn,
if you would, to Revelation chapter 20. This next point is Christ
in divine honor and worship is one with the Father. Christ in
divine honor and worship is one with the Father. Now, most people,
if you ask them who was going to be sitting on the throne at
the great white judgment, most people, if you ask them, they'd
say, well, that's God the Father. Because it's he who's been sinned
against and he who's wronged. He'd been wronged. But the one who will be sitting
on that throne is the Lord Jesus Christ. It's the Lord Jesus Christ. Look at this in Revelation 20
verses. 11 to 15. And I saw a great white throne,
and him that sat on it, from whose face the heaven fled. And
there was found no place for them. Revelation 20, verse 12. And I saw the dead, small and
great, stand before God. And the books were opened. And
another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the
dead were judged out of those things which were written in
the books according to their works. And the sea gave up the
dead which were in it. And death and hell delivered
up the dead which were in them. and they were judged every man
according to their works. Now remember in our verse it
says that the Father committed all judgment unto the Son. There He is. There He is. And the sea gave up the dead
which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which
were in them, and they were judged every man according to their
works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This
is the second death. And whosoever was not found written
in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. What wondrous verses we have
here. The Father has committed all judgment unto the Son. All
judgment unto the Son. And at the times of this ignorance
God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent
because He hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world
and righteousness by that man, that's Christ, whom he hath ordained,
wherever he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath
raised him from the dead. Turn again, turn to Acts 17.
I'll read that again with you. That's what I just read to you.
It's worth reading again. Look at this, Acts 17, verses
30 and 31. It's so plainly declared here
who will be the judge. Acts 17 verses 30 and 31, and
this again ties right in to the verse that I quoted. For the Father judges no man,
but hath committed all judgment unto the Son. Now look in Acts
chapter 17 verses 30 and 31. In the times of this ignorance
God winked at, but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent,
because he hath appointed a day in which he will judge the world
in righteousness by that man, that's Christ, whom he hath ordained.
whom he hath ordained, wherever he hath given assurance unto
all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. Christ is
the only one who was raised from the dead. Oh my. Our sixth proof, let's go back
quick, I got two more points, I hope I can get them in here.
Let's go back to John chapter 5, our sixth proof of the deity
of Christ is found in verses 24 to 26. Verily, verily, I say
unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that
sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation,
but pass from death unto life. Just sit there, write that verse
to your heart. That's absolutely wonderful. Verily, verily, I
say unto you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall
hear the voice of the Son of God, and they that hear shall
live. For as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given
to the Son to have life in himself. So Christ is one in imparting
life. He is one with the Father in
imparting life. And here again we see the Savior
linking Himself again in perfect union with the Father. Again,
right here before us. He proclaims that those who hear
the Word and believe on Him, they believe on Him who sent
me. He's linked Himself again. They're one. There's no way of
getting around it. Yet you hear people in the world all the time
say, in religious cults, say, well Jesus isn't God. They say
that because they don't know that. They have no clue who He
is. He's God. He's God and He declares this
very clearly. And take note that those who
are born again by the Holy Spirit of God and believe on the Lord
Jesus Christ, they pass from death to life. In the hearing
ear, in the seeing eye, They're not qualifications for obtaining
life, but they are evidences, beloved. They are evidence. They're
not qualifications. These false preachers who say
God's done everything He can. He's just waiting for you. It's
all done. They don't have a clue. Because the only time we have
seen eyes and hearing ears is when we're born again by the
Holy Spirit of God. Regeneration always precedes
faith. Always. You must be born again. You must be born again. And the
dead are passed into life. And it's absolutely wonderful.
Now our seventh and last proof here of the deity of Christ is
found in verse 27 of chapter 5. And hath given him authority
to execute judgment also because he is the son of man. Now take
note here. That Christ in judicial power
and authority is one with the Father. He has all power. All
power. All power. He's an absolute sovereign.
He's an absolute sovereign. The Father has appointed the
Lord Jesus Christ to have all judicial power and all authority
because He is the Son of Man. He is God incarnated in the flesh.
He's God incarnated in the flesh. He's the Word made flesh. He's
become a man. He was clothed with flesh. He
walked upon this earth. He walked upon the very world
He created, beloved, amongst the very people He created. It's
absolutely stunning. And yet they hated Him and despised
Him. While He was here on earth, He was despised, rejected, crucified. Oh, beloved, in His divine glory
was denied and disowned. How this brings forth the natural
state of man's depravity. That's us in our natural state,
isn't it? And the Lord Jesus Christ lived the life that we
could never live and bled and died as our substitute, the substitute
of God's elect. The one who is called the despised
one. He is the one who alone should
have supreme honor and authority. And He is in that place for us,
isn't He? because he's redeemed us. He
saved us by his grace and we just proclaim his glory and his
majesty. He's our redeemer and he's our
savior and we say praise his mighty name. What a great God.
What a great God. Heavenly Father, we thank thee
for these wondrous truths found in your scripture and Lord Jesus,
where your deity is plainly, plainly proclaimed. We thank
thee for the wonder of you leaving the glories and splendors of
heaven. to come to this sin-cursed world and to redeem your people
from our sins. We praise Thee. We thank Thee.
In Jesus' name, amen.