Transcript

Dependence and Deity

John 5:19-30
Sunday, December 8, 2002
Pastor Randy Smith

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He was born in a manger. His childhood is relatively obscure. He was poor. He never wrote a book. He was rejected by the multitudes. He entrusted His ministry to 12 uneducated men. His ministry was cut short after 3 years. He died an ignoble death as a prisoner of Rome.

Yet in some remarkable way this humble carpenter from Galilee became arguably the most significant figure the world has ever know. Jaroslav Pelikan, Professor Emeritus of History at Yale University, rightly said, "Regardless of what anyone may personally think or believe about Him, Jesus of Nazareth has been the dominant figure in the history of Western culture for almost 20 centuries…It is from His birth that most of the human race dates its calendars, it is by His name that millions curse and in his name that millions pray."

Whether you love Him, hate Him or choose to remain indifferent, almost everyone has heard of Jesus Christ. Yet almost everyone (even among His followers) has a different opinion as to who He was. Wheaton College professor Paul House commented, "The Jesus we so often read about today…is only a wise teacher, religious sage, political revolutionary, Jewish peasant, Cynic spinner of proverbs or inspiring guru…(Yet this) is a Jesus far removed from biblical revelation." Maybe we should take his advice and ignore the labels of the world by seeking to discern the character and mission of Jesus from the pages of Scripture.

You will remember from our study 3 weeks ago that Jesus infuriated the religious leaders of His day. It began by healing a crippled man on the Sabbath (Jn. 5:16). When confronted by His opponents, Jesus justified Himself by claiming to be equal with God (Jn. 5:17). And though He was given the opportunity to deny, minimize or clarify His actions on the Sabbath, Jesus Christ boldly went a step further with a comment that was guaranteed to provoke hostility. The charges now increased from Sabbath-breaker to blasphemer! John 5:18, "For this reason therefore the Jews were seeking all the more to kill Him, because He not only was breaking the Sabbath, but also was calling God His own Father, making Himself equal with God." Who did this man think He was?

In the verses that follow, Jesus Christ will present one of the most definitive discourses as to the nature of His identity. Without a doubt this account not only addresses the implications of Christ's claims (monotheism vs. equality with the Father), but also instructs us as to the true character of Jesus Christ. In speaking of this section J.C. Ryle adds, "Nowhere else in the Gospels do we find our Lord making such a formal, systematic, orderly, regular statement of His own unity with the Father, His divine commission and authority, and the proofs of His Messiahship, as we find in this discourse…To me it seems one of the deepest things in the Bible."

As a Christian, there should be no greater pursuit than to rightly understand the character of Jesus Christ. It is my desire as we dissect these 12 verses that the Holy Spirit will release you from any false worldly concoctions and present unto you a true biblical understanding of His identity, an identity that might shock you as much as it did the religious leaders of His day!

1.DEMONSTRATES EQUALITY

When we consider the God of the Old Testament, one fact was made abundantly clear. He presented Himself as holy and separate and sanctified from His creation. "I am the Lord, and there is no other; Besides Me there is no God. I will gird you, though you have not known Me; that men may know from the rising to the setting of the sun that there is no one besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other" (Isa. 45:5-6). Hannah prayed, "There is no one holy like the Lord, Indeed, there is no one besides You, nor is there any rock like our God" (1 Sa. 2:2). Moses sang, "Who is like You among the gods, O Lord? Who is like You, majestic in holiness, awesome in praises, working wonders" (Ex. 15:11).

You can now imagine the outrage when Jesus Christ claimed equality with the God, the One He called His Father! "How can this wandering vagabond be God? Why would God take on such a humble appearance? We all know that nobody can see God! Is He claiming to be a second God? We all know that there is but one God, separated from humanity! This man is a blasphemer!" In verses 19-20, Jesus addresses the accusation of blasphemy by defending His deity but yet stressing His distinction from the Father. "Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner. For the Father loves the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing; and the Father will show Him greater works than these, so that you will marvel" (Jn. 5:19-20).

After claiming His equality with the Father in essence, Jesus immediately stresses His distinction from the Father in role. Jesus identifies His function in the Godhead with terminology similar to the father-son relationships of His day. Most of the fathers in first century Palestine were involved in a trade. It was expected that the son would serve his father as an apprentice. The son would watch the father and mimic the actions of the father. The father, out of his love for the son, would show him all things and intimately share His work with the child.

In similar fashion, Jesus Christ the Son of God begins this section by stressing His dependence on the Father. Though we have learned in this gospel that Jesus is God (1:1; 20:28), we are learning now that His role in the Godhead is one of submission and subordination. The Father initiates and the Son obeys as they function together in perfect unity and perfect love.

Verses 19 and 20 protect us from three errors pertaining to the character of Jesus Christ. First, these verses teach us that Jesus Christ is fully God. It would be easy to conclude that the Son is a created being inferior to the Father. Quite the contrary is true. The last clause in verse 19 says, "For whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner." Of this verse, D.A. Carson said, "(This) constitutes another claim to deity; for the only One who could conceivably do 'whatever the Father does;' must be as great as the Father, as divine as the Father." Though Jesus may submit to the Father and allow the Father to initiate, Jesus Christ acts and teaches with all the power and authority of God. The verses that follow will even clarify this point.

Second, these verses teach us that Jesus Christ and the Father are two distinct Persons. There was a heresy developed and condemned in he 3^rd century that is still common among many today called Sabellianism. Sabellianism accepted the deity of Jesus Christ but denied the trinity. Basically they said that God the Father and God the Son and even God the Spirit were all just different manifestations or modes of the same God.

Third, these verses teach us that Jesus Christ is in perfect harmony with God the Father. We do not have two cosmic beings or two gods going their own direction or competing for glory. We see an acceptance of roles. We see a display of love and affection. We see perfect unity and harmony striving together for a common purpose.

Simply in verses 19 and 20 alone, we learn that Jesus Christ is fully God. We learn that Jesus Christ is distinct from the Father. And we learn that Jesus Christ is submissive to the Father in perfect unity.

2.EMBODIES EXISTENCE

Another distinctive belonging to God, as we move to point number 2, is what theologians call His "self-existence." It is the truth that God is completely independent from His creation. He is self-sufficient. Paul said in Acts 17, "The God who made the world and all things in it, since He is Lord of heaven and earth, does not dwell in temples made with hands; nor is He served by human hands, as though He needed anything, since He Himself gives to all people life and breath and all things" (Ac. 17:24-25). Because He is self-sufficient, God does not depend on outside sources to meet any deficiencies. He is the embodiment of wisdom. He is the embodiment of love. He is the embodiment of power. And He is the embodiment of life. He is the "living God." Nobody gave Him life, because He has (verse 26) "life in Himself."

Jesus reaffirmed this commonly accepted fact, but then claimed to be self-existent Himself. Verse 26, "For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself." Before we learned that Jesus was equal with the Father, a radical statement in itself. Now we are learning that one aspect of that equality is His self-existence. Jesus Christ too has "life in Himself."

3. IMPARTS LIFE

And because Jesus has life in Himself, He also has the unique and divine ability to impart life to others. God, as it is stressed throughout the Bible, is the only giver of life. All creation from the beginning of time owes their life and existence to Him. "Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being" (Gen. 2:7). Job said, "You have granted me life and lovingkindness; And Your care has preserved my spirit" (Job 10:12) and "The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life" (Job. 33:4). Not only is God the giver of physical life, but it was also widely accepted that God was the sole giver of spiritual life as well. 1 Samuel 2:6, "The Lord kills and makes alive; He brings down to Sheol and raises up. The King of Israel said, "Am I God, to kill and to make alive" (2 Ki 5:7).

Once again, Jesus claims to share the same prerogatives that belong only to God. Jesus Christ claims also to be the giver of life, specifically in this case, the giver of spiritual life. First, Jesus Christ imparts spiritual life to those who are dead in their sins. Is it any wonder Paul could say, "'The first man, Adam, became a living soul.' The last Adam (Jesus Christ) became a life-giving spirit" (1 Cor. 15:45). Jesus imparts spiritual life. Or as He Himself put in John 5:21, "For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes."

Biblically speaking, the world is filled with spiritual corpses. They may have physical life, but their spiritual EKG is flat line. It is the divine prerogative of Jesus Christ through the Spirit to impart spiritual life (as verse 21 teaches) "to (those) whom He wishes." In verse 25 He said, "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead (spiritually) will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live (spiritually)." Jesus Christ has the divine authority according to His sovereignty to impart spiritual life by calling people to Himself. In chapter 15 He said, "You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit" (Jn. 15:16).

It is Jesus Christ, in union with the Father and Holy Spirit, who calls us and regenerates us and enables us to believe. But the means He uses to quicken our hearts spiritually is the proclamation of the Gospel. So in this section of explaining His equality with the Father, Jesus shares the Gospel. Look with me at verse 24, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."

According to this verse, eternal life from a human perspective begins with His word, His message, the Gospel going out to the entire world. In order to be saved, in order to become spiritually alive, people must hear the word. We know that "faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ" (Rom. 10:17). Audible hearing is important, but eternal life is granted only to those who respond to hearing with faith and obedience. It is for those to whom God has given the ability to have "ears that hear."

As a result of hearing the word in faith (Gal. 3:2), additionally in verse 24, Jesus said people must "believe Him who sent Me." The word is only a means to a greater end. The word is the avenue that enables and calls us to have faith in God. Often Jesus, as you know, calls for faith in Himself (3:16). Here he calls for faith in God the Father which again shows the deep unity within the Godhead. Or if I can put it another way, any faith placed in the Son is also faith placed in the Father who sent Him. It is unacceptable to believe what the Father says and then turn away from the Son.

The ones who hear the word of Christ and believe the Father who sent Him, not only show themselves to be chosen by Christ (5:21), but also show themselves to be possessors of eternal life. Verse 24 again, "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life."

Do we as a professing Christian community really believe everything in this verse? You couldn't guess the number of Christians that think eternal life is only future orientated. They think eternal life begins when they die. That's wrong! According to this verse, eternal life begins the moment you believe! It's a present possession that begins now and continues into eternity. We are not simply talking about living forever. Even those who reject Christ will live forever in hell separated from the presence of God (2 Thes. 1:9). We are talking about a guaranteed state of being that comes into close intimate communion with the God of the universe, a state of being whereby we are forgiven and adopted as His children. This state of being, eternal life, begins the moment you believe!

Many Christians also think that God is currently judging them, which presently leads to fear and doubt and guilt and great anxiety as to their fate on Judgment Day. Be comforted, beloved. Verse 24 teaches that the one with eternal life "does not come into judgment." This person has been adopted forever into the family of God. This person has all of his or her sins washed in the blood of Jesus Christ. This person is justified, whereby he or she will not face condemnation either now or in the future. F.F. Bruce said, "The believer does not need to wait for the last day to hear the judge's favorable verdict; it has been pronounced already." Because John says in verse 21 that this person "has passed out of death into life." This verse promises that all of the judgment for the believer's sin was accomplished at the cross. God wants us to know we are forgiven. He wants us to have certainty of our eternal destiny. The Apostle John said elsewhere, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life" (1 Jn. 5:13).

Let's return to the character of Christ. So the Lord Jesus has the divine ability to impart spiritual life here and now, but He also has the ability to complete our process of redemption by raising our bodies from the grave. Often we think of our resurrection as the event which occurs immediately after we die. That is true, "To be absent from the body (is) to be at home with the Lord" (2 Cor. 5:8). But the resurrection spoken of often in the Bible is the final resurrection when we receive our glorified bodies at the Lord's Second Coming. That ability to call forth our bodies from the grave, just as He illustrated with Lazarus in chapter 11, is also a divine prerogative of Jesus Christ.

Follow along with me, beginning in verse 28. "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming (future, no "now is"), in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment" (Jn. 5:28-29). Elsewhere Jesus said, "This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day" (Jn. 6:39). An incredible process is initated the moment we believe the word of Christ. It begins by entering into eternal life and culminates with the glorification of our new, immortal bodies in the future. The powerful voice of Christ is enough to generate spiritual life now and powerful enough to call forth the dead in the future.

Are you getting a feel that these Jewish leaders who questioned Jesus about His equality with God are getting a bit more than they asked for? Well Jesus is not done. His claims continue to build and get even more impressive. Since Jesus is the One who can impart life, He also has the prerogative to judge life as well.

4. EXECUTES JUDGMENT

Once again, the Jewish view was that all judgment was reserved for God. Genesis 18 refers to Him as the "Judge of all the earth" (Gen. 18:25). Judges 11:27 calls Him, the Lord, the judge." James 4:12 declares that there is only "one Lawgiver and Judge."

But again, like the other verses we've examined, Jesus Christ has divine rights, in this case, to execute the final verdict as Judge (Ac. 17:30-31). Verse 22, "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son" and verse 27, "And He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man."

"The Son of Man" is the favorite title that Jesus used of Himself. It speaks of His authority to judge. Often we think the title "Son of Man" refers to His humanity. Actually it refers to His deity and harkens the reader back to its original context in Daniel chapter 7. "Then I kept looking because of the sound of the boastful words which the horn was speaking; I kept looking until the beast was slain, and its body was destroyed and given to the burning fire. As for the rest of the beasts, their dominion was taken away, but an extension of life was granted to them for an appointed period of time. I kept looking in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, and He came up to the Ancient of Days and was presented before Him. And to Him was given dominion, glory and a kingdom, that all the peoples, nations and men of every language might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one which will not be destroyed" (Dan. 7:11-14)

In this section we read that the Ancient of Days (God the Father) presented to the Son of Man an eternal kingdom whereby He might have authority, dominion and glory. Doubtless, Jesus in our account this morning is referring to this Old Testament prophecy and is grounding His authority to judge in the fact that He is the Son of Man, the One who comes on the clouds.

Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners; but those who reject Him and His sacrifice for their sin stand judged already. John 3:18, "He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." But this judgment will culminate when unbelievers too are resurrected to stand before His throne on Judgment Day. Verse 29 calls this a "resurrection of judgment" (see Daniel 12:2).

These verses in John are clear. All will stand, all will bow, and all will give an account to Jesus Christ. Those who receive Him in this life choose to receive Him as Savior. Those who reject Him in this life choose to receive Him as Judge. Pastor Kent Hughes once said, "The same qualities that make Christ such a comfort for believers will make Him an awesome terror to the lost." The decision as to what we do with Jesus Christ this day determines our fate in the final Day of Judgment. Just as eternal life begins the moment we believe, eternal judgment remains as long as we continue to reject.

That's why beloved, there is nothing more serious in this church than the salvation of souls. And there is nothing more devastating than what has been witnessed before our eyes when people come to this church, hear the gospel proclaimed, taste the sweet fellowship of the saints and then walk away and say, "It's not for me. I'm through with this Jesus stuff." Such individuals are only sealing their fate, lest they repent before they run out of time. They will again face Jesus, no longer as the Lamb of God, but now as the Lion of Judah, no longer as their Savior, but now as their Judge.

5. RECEIVES HONOR

Finally, as we move to point number 5, Jesus Christ also receives honor.

Honor and glory and praise throughout the Old Testament belonged to God alone. Isaiah 42:8, "I am the Lord, that is My name; I will not give My glory to another, nor My praise to graven images." Isaiah 48:11 "For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; for how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another." Exodus 20:3, "You shall have no other gods before Me." To extol anything as equal or above God was considered blatant idolatry.

But now we read in verse 22, "For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son." What was the purpose of the Son's judgment? Verse 23, "So that all will honor the Son even as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.

We have learned that the Son is One with the Father in activity, but now the Scriptures declare that the Son is also One with the Father in honor as well. If God the Father allows His Son to share in His honor, the Scriptures are making a declaration that the Son also shares in His deity. If Jesus is not God we have committed willful idolatry by the Christmas song we sung this morning. As a matter of fact, when the Son is exalted the Father is glorified because He takes pleasure in honoring the Son. Verse 23 even goes further and teaches that when the Son is dishonored, the Father who sent Him is dishonored too. There is no room in the biblical message for someone to say I love God, but don't follow Jesus Christ.

We live in the kingdom of Christ. All authority and divine prerogatives have been given into His hands. As He made His point clear to the religious leaders, He shares perfect equality with God the Father. That perfect equality consists of His self-existence, His ability to impart life, His authority to judge and His right to receive honor. Or if we look at it in another way, because The Son is equal with the Father, He is self-existent. Because He is self-existent, He can impart life. Because He imparts life, He reserves the right to judge. And because He is Judge, He is worthy of honor.

I hope the Spirit used this message to bring you into a better biblical understanding of Jesus Christ. And with that understanding, I pray that you will never be ashamed of Him or allow anyone to silence your witness, realizing that the eternal fate of souls rests upon hearing His word. I pray that you will marvel, adore, thank, love, obey, honor, serve and worship Him more everyday. And I pray that you will realize this Christmas that the little innocent baby born in the manger at Bethlehem 2,000 years ago also bears the titles Savior, Judge and God.