of the Lord's table together,
and I want to remind you that next Sunday we'll have a church
dinner together. I've entitled this message, Never
Man Spake Like This Man. There were some officers who
had been sent by the Pharisees to arrest the Lord Jesus. And they come back, verse 45,
then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees,
these same ones they had sent to arrest the Lord Jesus. And they said unto them, why
have you not brought him? Verse 46, the officers answered,
never man spake like this man. We have never heard anything
like this. Then answered them, the Pharisees,
are you also deceived? Have any of the rulers of the
Pharisees believed on him? Like that would be a good reason
not to, we don't. But the people who knoweth not
the law are cursed. Nicodemus, the man from John
chapter three, saith unto them, he that came to Jesus by night,
being one of them, doth our law judge any man before it hear
him? And know what he doeth? They answered and said unto him,
art thou also of Galilee? Search and look, for out of Galilee
ariseth no prophet. And every man went unto his own
house. Verse 46, the officers answered,
Never man spake like this man. A truer statement has never been
made. Never man spake like this man. No one ever spoke with the confidence
that he spoke with. He said, we speak what we know.
We testify what we have seen. And really when the Lord uses
the we in reference to that, he is speaking as a spokesman
really to every believer. Every believer can say by his
grace, we speak what we know and we testify what we have seen. Everything he said was absolute
truth. No lies, no exaggeration, utter
sincerity, no attempt to project an image, no manipulation. Never in the history of the universe
has any man spake as this man. So clear, so lucid. So convincing. Is it any wonder
that Mary sat at His feet and heard His Word? Would to God that that's what
takes place this morning, that we are enabled by His Spirit
to sit at His feet and hear His Word. Would you turn with me
for a moment to Matthew chapter seven? Now this is after the Sermon
on the Mount. What a sermon. And this is how the people concluded
what, this is the conclusion they came up with after they
heard this glorious message where the Lord begins this sermon by
telling us who is blessed. Blessed are the poor. Blessed
are they that mourn. Blessed are the meek. Blessed are they that hunger
and thirst after righteousness. They'd never heard anything like
this. And here their conclusion in Matthew chapter seven, verse
28. And it came to pass when Jesus had ended these sayings,
the people were astonished at his doctrine for he taught them
as one having authority and not as the scribes, the religious
leaders. Although his manner of speech
was like no other man, it was the content of his speech that
demonstrated his authority. I don't think there's anything
more powerful in the New Testament when the Lord says, you've heard
of it said of them of old, and then he would quote a scripture. But I say it to you. I say unto you, I'm the one who
determines what it means. I'm the one who wrote this book. I say unto you. Not one time
did the Lord ever say, thus saith the Lord. He said, I say unto
you. He spake with the same authority
that God speaks with because he is God. For he whom God hath sent speaketh
the words of God. Everything he said recommended
itself as nothing less than God's literal words. Never man spake like this man. He could make promises that only
he could keep. Come unto me. What a command. I'm glad this is said in the
form of a command. Come unto me, all ye that labor
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. And we could spend our lifetime
on this verse and never exhaust it. But since this statement
was made in the book of John, I want to spend the remainder
of our time in John considering the words which he spake that
were like no other man. No one has ever spake as this
man. In John chapter one, his first
recorded words, I'm not gonna ask you to turn with me to all
these passages of scripture, I'm going to quote them, but
I want you to listen. His first recorded words in the book of
John is, what seek ye? What seek ye? Right now. What seek ye? And they replied, Where dwellest
thou? And you know what he said? Come
and see. Come and see? He's not holding
us off. Come and see! His word to Nathaniel When he
said, behold, an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile. And Nathaniel's
reply was, whence knowest thou me? How do you know me? And then
he said, before that Philip called thee, when thou was done to the
fig tree, I saw thee. Now he's speaking as one who
is omnipresent. One who is omniscient, one who
is omnipotent. Before Philip saw thee, when
you were sitting under the fig tree with nobody else around,
I saw thee. And it's my prayer that that
said of every one of us right now. that the Lord sees and knows
me. In chapter two, when he saw the
temple money exchangers, he made a whip and drove them out. saying, take these things hence,
make not my father's house. And when he said that, he was
saying, this is my house. I and my father are one, equal
with God. Take these things hence, and
make not my father's house a house of merchandise. And they said,
who gave you the authority to do this? And he said, destroy
this temple. And in three days, I will raise
it up. No man ever spake like this man. In John chapter three, we read
of him speaking with Nicodemus. And he said to Nicodemus, marvel
not that I say unto you, you must be born again. You must be born from above.
You know what he's saying when he says that to Nicodemus, this
man who was a ruler of the Jews? He says, you're so dead in sins. You're so depraved. You're so
without understanding that you must be born again. God's got to give you life because
you're dead. You must be born again. He said in that same chapter
to Nicodemus, as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness. Even so must the Son of Man be
lifted up, crucified, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting life. For God so loved the world that
He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him
should not perish, but have eternal life. For God sent not His Son
into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through
Him might be saved. He that believeth on him, listen
to this. He that believeth on him is not condemned. But he that believeth not is
condemned already because he hath not believed on the name
of the only begotten Son of God. I love when the Lord calls Himself
the only begotten Son." This is exactly what David was talking
about in the Psalms when he said, this day have I begotten thee. This begetting of the Son is
not an event of time. It's a fact. He's the eternal
only begotten Son of God. the express image of the Father. Never man spake like this man. In John chapter four, says he
must need to go through Samaria because there was an appointment
that he was going to keep. And he says to this poor, ignorant
woman, this Samaritan woman. He'd been talking with Nicodemus,
the ruler of the Jews, the religious man. Now he says to this poor,
ignorant woman, if you knew the gift of God. Now remember this about the gift
of God. There's no strings attached. He doesn't need anything from
you. If you knew the gift the free gift of God and who it is
that saith to thee, give me to drink. You would have asked and
he would have given thee living water. Never man spake like this man. She later on said, I have no
idea what you're talking about, but I know when Messiah comes,
he'll tell us all things. I that speak unto thee, am he. Never man spake like this man. In John chapter five, after he had healed
the impotent man, a great message began. And during the course
of that message, he said, as the father raises the dead and
quickens them, Even so, the Son quickens, gives life to whom
He will. Now, only God can give life. He says, I give life. Only God
gives life to whom He will. Absolute sovereignty. I give
life to whom I will. Never man spake like this man
in that same chapter. He said, you search the scriptures. And these people were students
of the scripture. They read the Bible. You search the scriptures.
In them, you think you have eternal life. And they are they which
testify of me. And you will not come to me that
you might have life. Never man spake like this man. In the sixth chapter of John,
we have the great message at Capernaum, where after that message,
all of his hearers, with the exception of the 12, left him. From that time forth, many of
his disciples went forth and left him and walked no more with
him. What did he say in this message? They asked him, what must we
do that we might work the works of God? Good question. Listen to his
answer. This is the work of God. Here it is. Listen up. This is
the work of God. that you believe on him whom
he hath sent. You believe he was before he
was sent. When he was sent, he came in
the flesh. And whatever it was he was sent
to do, he did. You believe that. And he looks
at these people and says to them, you've seen me and you believe
not. All that the father giveth me
shall come to me. You don't believe, but there
are some who will. All that the father giveth me shall come to
me. And him that cometh to me I will
in no wise cast out. Never man spake like this man. He said the words that I speak
unto you, their spirit and their life. And you can't come to me
except it were given to you of my Father, never man spake like
this man. We read those words in John chapter
seven, our text. Never man spake like this man.
I love the way this chapter opens. He says to his brothers and his
sisters, his physical siblings, the world cannot hate you, but
me it hateth, because I testify of it. that the works thereof
are evil. All the works thereof are evil. That's my testimony. And he said
in that same chapter, if any man thirst, would that be you? If any man thirst, let him come
to me and drink. As the scripture has said, out
of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. Never man spake like this man.
In John chapter eight, when that woman was taken with adultery,
he said to her after, he said, he that's without sin among you,
let him catch the first stone they all left. He said, woman,
where are those thine accusers? Hath no man condemned thee? She
said, no man, Lord. He said, neither do I condemn
thee. Go and sin no more. Never man spake like this man. He said in that same chapter
to his enemies, You are of your father, the devil. And the lusts of your father,
you'll do. He was a murderer from the beginning.
He abode not in the truth. He's a liar and the father of
it. You're of your father, the devil. Nobody spake like that. Only the Lord could. He said, he that's of God, Heareth
God's words, you therefore hear them not, because you are not
of God. Never man spake like this man. He ended that eighth chapter
with these words. Before Abraham was. I am. I am the one who spoke
from the burning bush to Moses. Before Abraham was,
I am. And then that ninth chapter,
after healing that man that had been blind from birth and he
gave him sight, he said for judgment, I'm coming to this world that
they that see not might see. And that they would see might
be made blind. Now think of what he says. There's
somebody that says, I can't see why God would ever save me. You're gonna see. I can see why he saved me. You're
gonna be made blind. The Pharisee said, are we blind
also? If you were blind, he said, you'd
have no sin. But now you say we see, therefore
your sin remains. No man ever spake like this man. In John chapter 10, the great
passage with regard to the shepherd and the sheep. said, I lay down
my life for the sheep and other sheep I have which
are not of this fold, them also I must bring and there shall
be one fold and one shepherd. He laid down his life for the
sheep. Who are the sheep? Well, the
Pharisees said in John chapter 10, If thou be the Christ, tell
us plainly, He said, I told you plainly. He said, you believe not because
you're not of my sheep. As I said unto you, my sheep
hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. My father which gave them me
is greater than all. And no man can take them out
of my father's hand. I and my father. are one. Then they picked up stones to
stone him. In John 11, when he raised Lazarus
from the dead, he'd not done it yet. And Martha says, if you'd
been here, my brother had not died. And he said, your brother
will live again. And she said, I know he'll live
after the resurrection of the last day. He said, I am the resurrection. That passage of scripture you
read in first Corinthians 15. I am the resurrection. It's not
an event. I'm it. I am the resurrection. I am the life. Do you believe this? He that believeth in me, though
he were dead, yet shall he live. Whoso liveth and believeth in
me shall never die. Believest thou this? What about
these words? Lazarus, come forth. He that was dead came forth. Oh, I pray that's what's taking
place right now. Lazarus, come forth. Could Lazarus have said no? Of
course not. Never man spake like this man. In John chapter 12, he said,
the hours come that the son of man shall be glorified. Father, glorify thy name. He said, and I, if I be lifted
up from the earth, speaking of his crucifixion, will draw all
men to me." Now, obviously, he's not talking about all men without
exception, he's talking about all the elect. Every one of those
people will be drawn irresistibly and invincibly to him. He said in chapter 13, you call
me master and lord. And you say, well, for so I am. Never man spake like this man. He said, a new commandment give
I unto thee that you love one another as I have loved you. And at the end of that chapter,
He tells Peter, Peter, you're going to deny me three times. And his next breath is, let not
your heart be troubled. Never man spake like this man.
You believe in God, believe also. Even so, believe in me and my
Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have
told you." And then he gives this glorious statement in chapter
14. I am the way. Not I'll show you the way. Not
I'll lead you along the way. I'm it. I am the truth. Do you hear that? He is the truth. He's truth embodied. If you don't know him, you don't
know the truth. I am the truth. I am the life. Not I'll give
you life. I'm it. I'm the life. If you're
going to have life before God, it's going to have to be my life.
And you can't come into God's presence except you're in me.
And I bring you into his presence. No man comes to the Father. but
by me." Philip said, show us the father
and we'll be satisfied. He said, he that has seen me has seen the father. Never man spake like this man. He said in chapter 15, I am the
vine and you are the branches. Without me, severed from me,
you can do what? Nothing. He didn't say hardly
anything. He said, nothing. He said, listen to these words,
as the father hath loved me. Now how'd the father love him? Let me tell you something, it
wasn't unconditional love. He loved him because he's altogether
lovely, because he's perfect. As the father hath loved me,
so have I loved you. Never man spake like this man. When he speaks of the work of
the Holy Spirit in John chapter 16, he says, when he has come,
he says, I have many things to say unto you, but you can't bear
them right now. But when he's come, he will convict, reprove,
convince the world of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. Those three things. He'll convince
the world of sin because they believe not on me. Now, when
you're convicted by the Holy Spirit, you find out that you
can't believe and it's out of your hands. The only way you
can do it is if he gives you that faith. You can't believe. Have you ever found out that
you can't believe? And then you find yourself believing
and you can't not believe when he gives you faith. When He has
come, He'll convince the world of righteousness because I go
to my Father. You're going to be convinced
that the only righteousness there is, is that righteousness that
He presents to the Father. That's your righteousness. You'll
be convinced that judgment, because the Prince of this world is judged,
you'll be convinced that all judgment took place on the cross.
That's when it took place. On that final day, it's just
gonna be the carrying out of the sentences. Judgment took place on the cross. He said in the end of chapter
16, these things have I spoken unto you that in me, in me, you
might have peace. You're not gonna have any peace
in yourself, in me. you might have peace. In the
world, you'll have tribulation, but be of good cheer. I have
overcome the world." And that opens his great high
priestly prayer for his people. In John chapter 17, these words
spake Jesus and lifted up his eyes into heaven and said, The hour has come. And he's talking about the hour
of his death. The reason he came was to die, to put away the sins
of his people, to glorify his father. Father, the hour has
come. Glorify thy son, that thy son
also might glorify thee. Thou has given him power over
all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou
hast given him, and this is life eternal, that they might know
thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast
sent. I have glorified thee on the
earth. I have finished the work thou gavest me to do. I pray for them. I pray not for
the world, but for them which you have given me. That's who the Lord prayed for.
You remember when he said, you've not chosen me, but I have chosen
you. And then in chapter 18, when
they came to arrest him, he said, whom seek ye? Jesus of Nazareth. I am. And they fell backwards,
driven back by irresistible almighty power. They were made to see
who's in control of this situation. It's not them. Whom seek ye?
Jesus of Nazareth, I am. They were driven backwards. You
know, the Lord's telling them, even at that time, I'm not in
your hands. You're in mine. He said, the cup which my father hath given me
to drink. Now, do you remember and guess
him in his garden when he said, if it be possible, let this cup
pass from me? And he was sweating great drops
of blood, the thought of drinking into himself, the sins of his
people. But then he says, the cup which
my father hath given me, shall I not drink it? That's when he
was made sin in the room instead of his people. And he said, my
kingdom is not of this world. Do you hear that? My kingdom
is not of this world. If it were, my servants would
fight that I should not be delivered, but my kingdom is not from his. I came to bear witness to the
truth. And oh, how he bore witness to
the truth of God's character, to the truth of man's character,
to the truth of salvation when he was nailed to that cross. In John chapter 19, he said,
I thirst. Oh, how he thirsted for his father
when he was forsaken by his father. I thirst. Oh, don't you love
it when Pilate says in that chapter, don't you know that I have power
to crucify you and I have power to release you? He said, thou
couldst have no power at all over me, except it be given thee
from above. Listen to these words. It is finished. Salvation is finished. Never man spake like this man. After the resurrection in chapter
20, he said, peace be unto you. And he showed them his hands
and his side. Then were the disciples glad. When they understood that their
whole salvation was found in what he did, they were glad. Now I want you to turn with this
one, John 21. Verse 18. He's speaking to Simon
Peter. He says, Verily, verily, I say
unto thee, when thou wast young, thou girdest thyself, and walkest
whither thou wouldest. But when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy
hands. And another shall gird thee.
and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. Church tradition, if that can
be believed, says Peter was crucified. And that seems to be what is
said in that passage of scripture when he stretches forth his hands.
And from what I understand, they say he was crucified upside down.
Because he said he did not deserve to be crucified in the same manner
the Lord did, but what a gruesome death. He tells him you're going
to stretch forth your hands, they're gonna nail you to a cross,
and you're going to be carried where you did not want to be
carried. Now, look at this next statement,
verse 19. This spake he signifying by what
death he should glorify God. Now, what kind of man is it that
if you're nailed to a cross, that death would actually glorify
God? The God-man. Never man spake like this man. I love what he said to the thief. When the thief said, Lord. Remember
me. When you come into your kingdom.
He said. Today. Shall thou be with me? In paradise. Never man. State. like this man. Let's pray. Lord, how we thank you for your
glorious son. And Lord, we believe from the
depths of our heart that it's true that never man spake like
him. He's utterly only unique. He is altogether lovely. And
Lord, we confess that all of our salvation is in him. And Lord, I ask in Christ's name
that you would speak to each heart here, quicken the dead
as an act of your sovereign holy will. and give us the grace to
rest in what He said. Lord, enable us to believe on
Him whom You have sent. In His name we pray. Amen.