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Call to worship: Psalm 132:8-18

Text: John 5:30-47

Summary:

Jesus continues to explain His equality with God. Seeking only the Father's will, He judges all in perfect accord with the Father's judgment. His judgment is the judgment of God. He is God the Son incarnate. But in a legal sense, though He is the Word, His word alone is insufficient to establish His identity as the divine Christ. He has four further primary witnesses: John the Baptist, His own works, the Father, and the Scriptures. It is a divine testimony. What will people believe if not that? And if not that, why not that? Along with His proofs, Jesus gives several pointed reproofs: spiritual fickleness, blindness, unwillingness, fear of man, pride. Whatever it is, it's not a failure of the truth, or of the will of Christ to save, but something terribly intrinsic to the sinful heart. He cannot have a better group of witnesses! May we have hearts to hear them and believe.

Sermon Outline:

1. Christ's testimony about Himself. (5:30-31)
2. The Father's multifaceted testimony to Jesus. (5:32-40)
   • By John the Baptist. (5:33-35)
   • By Jesus' works. (5:36)
   • By His own attestation. (5:37-38)
   • By the Scriptures. (5:39-40)
3. Christ's further reproof of His unbelieving audience. (5:41-47)
   • How can you believe?: the fear of Man.
   • How will you believe?: misreading Moses.

Prepare

Discussion Questions:

1. Read John 5:30-47.
2. In 5:30-31, what does Jesus say about Himself? How is it that the word of the incarnate Word would be insufficient in this case? What lovely thing do we see of Christ in His condescension to further validation?
3. In 5:32, Who is the 'Another'? My capitalization gives away my thoughts, but look also at 5:34 and 1 John 5:9-13.
4. I find four ways the Father bears witness to Jesus. What do you find in 5:33-40? As you search, what reproofs does Jesus give His critics (5:35, 5:37-38, 5:39-40)? Concerning the last reproof, how is it possible to be a student of Scripture and totally miss the point of Scripture? To have it all around you, and you be all in it, but it not be abiding in you? Is there a right and wrong way to read the Bible? What would be a wrong way? The right way? Have you given thought to Jesus' bold assertion that the Old Testament does one thing ultimately: bear witness to Jesus!?
5. Why, according to Jesus in 5:41-47, will people not believe in Him? That is a common enough question, isn't it? Here, Jesus gives the answer. What is it? Is it that He lacks a will to save (5:34)? Is it that He lacks sufficient testimony (5:32-40)? Is it that He is unclear? If none of that, what is it? With whom does responsibility lie for unbelief? How can someone come to faith in Jesus? What must occur?