THE WITNESSES OF CHRIST
JOHN 5:31-47
Introduction:
Jesus had healed the impotent man on the Sabbath and this cause the Jews to want to kill Jesus. At first the man healed didn’t know who it was that had healed him. Upon discovering who healed him he shared the blessing with the Jews. However, their interest was not in his healing, but rather, that the Lord had done it on the Sabbath.
We enter the conversation in the middle here to bring out some facts about who Jesus is. The Jews did not know who he was, but knew of Him. They were afraid of Jesus.
I. JOHN THE BAPTIST WAS A WITNESS
A. John was a burning and a shining light, v. 35, “He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light.”
1. A man sent from God, John 1:6-8, “There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.”
2. John was a just and holy man, Mark 6:20, “For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.”
B. His witness is true, vs. 32, “There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.
1. John’s witness was true, v. 33, “Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.”
2. John identified who Jesus was, John 1:29, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
II. THERE IS A GREATER WITNESS
A. The works that I do are a greater witness, John 9:30, “The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes.”
1. Nicodemus recognized His works, John 3:2, “The same came to Jesus by night, and 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 him.”
2. Many saw Him raise Lazarus from the dead, John 11:37, 43-44, “And some of them said, Could not this man, which opened the eyes of the blind, have caused that even this man should not have died? 43And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go.”
3. Many miracles were not recorded, but these were cause you to believe, John 20:30-31, “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: 31But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”
B. The Jews did not believe Him, John 10:25-26, “Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye believed not: the works that I do in my Father’s name, they bear witness of me. 26But ye believe not, because ye are not of my sheep, as I said unto you.”
1. The Word of God did not abide in them, v. 38, “And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.”
2. They were blind leaders of the blind, Matthew 15:14, “Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.”
III. THE WITNESS OF THE SCRIPTURES
A. Search the Scriptures, v. 39, “Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”
1. Many of the Jews were doctors of the Law, Luke 5:17, “And it came to pass on a certain day, as he was teaching, that there were Pharisees and doctors of the law sitting by, which were come out of every town of Galilee, and Judaea, and Jerusalem: and the power of the Lord was present to heal them.”
2. They had the key of knowledge of the truth, Luke 11:52, “Woe unto you, lawyers! for ye have taken away the key of knowledge: ye entered not in yourselves, and them that were entering in ye hindered.”
B. Moses accuses you, vs. 45-46, “Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. 46For had ye believed Moses, ye would have believed me: for he wrote of me.”
1. If you had believed Moses, Deuteronomy 18:15, “The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;”
a. But they did not “hearken,” v. 47, “But if ye believe not his writings, how shall ye believe my words?”
b. It wasn’t that they could not believe, v. 40, “And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.”
c. They were seeking their own honor, v. 44, “How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?”
d. They loved their way of life, John 3:19, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.”
e. Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled in them, John 12:37, “But though he had done so many miracles before them, yet they believed not on him: 38That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake, Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed?”
CONCLUSION:
The Jews refused to believe the Lord’s Word. Even when the Old Testament prophecies were fulfilled before them their hearts were too hard to believe God’s Word.