Transcript

The Case For Christ

John 5:31-47
Sunday, December 15, 2002
Pastor Randy Smith

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Jesus of Nazareth, Son of Joseph, you stand before us on trial. The plaintiff has brought forth the following charges against you. First: Witnesses have testified that you healed a man of the Sabbath. You are hereby indicted as a Law-Breaker. The punishment demanded by our law is death by stoning. Second: Sources present with us this morning have reported that you have pronounced equality with God, demonstrated by your claims to: Impart spiritual life (Jn. 5:21), judge all people (Jn. 5:22), raise the dead (Jn. 5:28) and receive honor (Jn. 5:23). You are hereby indicted as a Blasphemer. The punishment demanded by our law is death by stoning. You know that according to our law you must provide for yourself 2 or 3 witnesses to verify your actions. What do you have to say in your defense? Who do you choose to call to the stand? How do you respond to these charges?

Though it sounds blasphemous in and of itself for man to put God on trial, such a dialogue was reminiscent of the accusations that Jesus faced by His persecutors. From their perspective, Jesus was only a man who brought forth outlandish claims to be God. You'll remember that we studied many of these in detail last week.

Let's also remember, the Jewish leaders, unlike the skeptics today, did not deny Christ's existence or His claims to be God. They only put Him on trial to testify to the validity of such claims. John 10:33, "For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God."

When Jesus faced the Jewish leaders and Pilate, just prior to the cross, He had very little to say in His defense. The Sheep before His shearers was silent (Isa. 53:7). But here in John chapter 5, near the beginning of His ministry, Jesus addressed His opposition and brought forth witnesses to justify His actions.

Our objective this morning is to examine the five-fold witness of Jesus Christ. This witness proved the validity of Christ's ministry to His first century accusers and still proves the validity of His ministry for skeptics today.

1. WITNESS FROM THE FATHER

Let's start with the witness from the Father. Beginning in verse 31, Jesus said, "If I alonetestify about Myself, My testimony is not true. There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true" (Jn. 5:31-32). Jesus starts off by affirming the fact that His claims need more than a personal testimony from Himself to be valid.

For instance, I can claim to be Michael Jordan. That's easy! Talk is cheap! But unless I bring forth some witness (such as my mother and my wife and my teammates that affirm I am him) and the deeds expected of Michael Jordan (superb basketball skills), my claims are meaningless.

Likewise, anybody can claim to be the Messiah. Even today anybody can put on a bathrobe, head down to the beach and profess to be the Messiah. If they were dynamic and persuasive enough, odds are they would probably gather a significant following. However, more discerning individuals would expect some proof to authenticate one's radical statements. One must bring forth the witness and deeds expected of the Messiah. Jesus (in verse 31) admitted that such self-attestation is insufficient.

So what witness could Jesus Christ call to the stand in His defense? Naturally the best was the only One from whom all things flow, the One whom Jesus called His Father (Jn. 5:17). So in a desire to prove the validity of His ministry, Jesus Christ calls forth none other that God Himself. Jesus does not testify of Himself, but according to verse 32, He says, "There is another (as in God the Father) who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true."

Now let's be realistic here. Unless Jesus was expecting God the Father to audibly speak on His behalf, His acknowledgement of the Father appears to add no credence or progression to the situation. Accusers: "Jesus, who do you have that can witness on your behalf?" Jesus: "The One who supports my claims is God." (SILENCE) We're back to where we started, or are we?

God the Father could have easily spoken audibly in defense and support of the Son. After Christ's baptism, the multitudes heard Him say, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased" (Mt. 3:17). During the transfiguration, the inner 3 disciples heard Him say, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!" (Mt. 17:5). But this time the Father did not reply in such a fashion, nor did Jesus expect such a response. Rather, Jesus Christ called His Father to testify on His behalf regarding 4 aspects of the Father's work that validated Jesus Christ as the One sent from His bosom.

The witness of the Father is expressed in the aspects or the testimonies of John the Baptist (one sent from God), the works of Christ (miraculous power by God), the Scriptures (written Word of God) and Moses (another one sent from God).

2. WITNESS FROM JOHN THE BAPTIST

Let's begin with the Father's witness of John the Baptist. In verse 33 Jesus said, "You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth."

We have learned already that John the Baptist was a forerunner to Christ. He was sent by God with the responsibility to prepare the way for the Messiah (Jn. 3:28) and then to decrease in popularity once Jesus Christ hit center stage (Jn. 3:30). He was the special prophetic witness announced in the pages of the Old Testament (Mal. 3:1). The Apostle John introduced his ministry by saying, "He came as a witness, to testify about the Light, so that all might believe through him" (Jn. 1:7).

John's mission was to testify that Jesus was the sent One from God. He said, "I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie" (Jn. 1:26-27) and "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (Jn. 1:29) and "After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me" (Jn. 1:30). His personal conclusion, "I myself have seen, and have testified that this is the Son of God" (Jn. 1:34).

The Father who gives a true witness (vs. 32) first used John the Baptist to testify of the truth. The truth being none other than Jesus Christ Himself, the One who is the way, the truth and the life (Jn. 14:6).

Jesus further describes John's ministry in verse 35. "He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light." Though Jesus Christ is called the Light of the World (Jn. 8:12), John the Baptist was referred to as a lamp. John was not the light himself; He only served as a container for the light. He was a lamp that burned and gave light. And like any lamp, he needed to be ignited. He was set on fire by God and empowered to illuminate the way for the Messiah.

This uniqueness of John's ministry was even witnessed by Christ's accusers. Jesus said to them in verse 35, "And you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light." In other words Jesus was saying, "You were attracted by his preaching! You were glad to experience a prophet to your own generation! You overflowed with anticipation to think that the expected time of the Messiah was near!" Jesus was saying, "You should have remembered the dynamics of John's ministry! You should have remembered the healthy response he received to his preaching! You should have remembered the One he came to announce! You should have known that this man was sent by God to show Me!"

John the Baptist was a tremendous witness sent from the Father. But in spite of his credibility, Jesus Christ makes it clear that He Himself does not rely on any human testimony. God is not dependent on man for anything! Jesus knew who He was and would successfully accomplish His mission regardless of whether people chose to accept Him or not. In verse 34 He said, "But the testimony which I receive is not from man."

So then you may wonder why Jesus even included the testimony of John? The reason is given in the remainder of verse 34, "But I say these things so that you may be saved." Jesus didn't need any testimony for Himself, but He knew that we as humans need a testimony of Him. He pointed to John because John was a witness whereby people might see beyond the Baptist and embrace the source of light that John pointed to.

3. WITNESS FROM WORKS

Jesus now asks the Father to call His second witness to the stand. It is a testimony even greater than the witness of John. It is the testimony of Christ's works given to Him by the Father. John 5:36, "But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish-- the very works that I do-- testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me."

As many people know, the ministry of Jesus Christ was filled with miracles. I'm sure all of us could identify at least a dozen miracles performed by Christ. Though we have a tendency to see these miracles as a remarkable display of His power, the gospel writers, especially John, preferred to see them as "signs." In other words, they were divine manifestations that pointed toward a greater truth. When Jesus calmed the sea, it was not simply so the disciples could have better fishing conditions. Likewise when Jesus restored sight, it was not simply because Jesus was a man of compassion.

Rather, the miracles of Christ had an amazing way to reinforce His teaching and display the validity of His claims. For example, it's one thing for Christ to call His disciples to be "fishers of men" (Mk. 1:17), but it's another thing to provide these commercial fishermen with more than one miraculous catch of fish (Lk. 5:6; Jn. 21:6). That miracle, as with so many others, illustrated in visible form the teaching of Christ and also confirmed His authority as the One sent from God (Jn. 14:10).

This is what Jesus is speaking of in this section. It's not every day that you see a man feed over 5,000 with 5 loaves and 2 fish (Mt. 14) or raise 3 people from the dead (Mt. 9:25; Lk. 7:15; Jn. 11:44). The Scriptures even say that over 500 eyewitnesses would later observe His own resurrection (1 Cor. 15:6).

The evidence was enough to convince any jury. Those accusing Jesus must come face to face with His ability to perform the supernatural because they were there. They witnessed these amazing feats. They knew they were beyond the works of man.

4. WITNESS FROM THE SCRIPTURE

The fourth witness called to the stand from the Father was none other than the Scriptures, the section of our Bibles that we commonly refer to as the Old Testament. Jesus said in verse 39 (coincidently, the same number of books contained in the Old Testament), "You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me."

The Jews were noted for their diligent search of the Scriptures. Jesus Himself affirmed that fact in this verse. The Jews also believed that the Scriptures led to eternal life. Jesus affirmed that fact as well in this verse. However, despite their keen scrutiny and diligent search of the Scriptures, the vast majority of the Jews never achieved their goal of eternal life. The reason being that they failed to understand that all of the Old Testament testified of Christ. They missed the landscape in their desire to analyze the trees. Jesus Christ, God's Word Himself, the One to whom all of the Old Testament pointed was standing before their very eyes and these scholars of the Scripture could not see Him. In their love for the written Word, they missed the living Word.

The study of the Bible is meaningless unless one identifies its purpose as pointing to Christ for eternal life. Paul said to Timothy, "And that from childhood you have known the sacred writings (the OT Scriptures) which are able to give you the wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 3:15). Eternal life is discovered by looking through the window of the Scriptures and seeing Christ.

On the 96^th floor of the John Hancock building is a restaurant that overlooks the entire city of Chicago. On a clear night the view is simply spectacular. I would often find myself with my nose plastered up against the window analyzing, thinking, meditating at the sheer immensity and beauty of the city.

But nothing would destroy the glory of the city more than if an individual stood beside me and began to adore the window itself. The window instead of a wall was placed there for a purpose. It is not to draw attention to itself. Rather, the purpose of the window was intended as a conduit or a channel or an avenue to bring glory to the city. Therefore, I must understand the purpose of the window, in order to understand that which it seeks to display.

Likewise, the Scriptures are intended to be a window to Christ. If we read the Scriptures and miss the beauty and the wonder and splendor and the loveliness of Jesus Christ, we completely miss the purpose for which they have been intended.

Apollos, the one noted for being "mighty in the Scriptures" (Ac. 18:24) did not miss the purpose of the Scriptures. It was he who "powerfully refuted the Jews in public, demonstrating by the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ" (Ac. 18:28). Regarding the men on the road to Emmaus, Luke commented, "Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, (Jesus) explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures" (Lk. 24:27). Jesus said to these men, "These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled" (Lk. 24:44). Earlier Jesus said to them, "O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken" (Lk. 24:25). All of the law (the Sabbath, the temple, the animal sacrifices) and all of the prophets (His birth, His ministry, His death) not only pointed to Jesus Christ but were also fulfilled by Jesus Christ (Mt. 5:17).

As a matter of fact, it has been estimated that Jesus Christ precisely fulfilled over 300 prophecies pertaining to His ministry. In reference to this amazing feat, Peter Stoner a scientist in the area of mathematical probabilities in his book Science Speaks, said, "(If) we take 10¹⁷ silver dollars and lay them on the face of Texas they will cover all of the sate two feet deep. Now mark one of those silver dollars and stir the whole mass thoroughly…Blindfold a man and tell him…he must pick up one silver dollar…What chance would he have of getting the right one? Just the same chance that the prophets would have had of writing eight prophecies and having them come true in any one man." That's the probability of fulfilling 8. Let's remember, Jesus fulfilled over 300!

The accusers were sinking in their courtroom chairs. What could they say in defense of their case? They witnessed the ministry of the Baptist, they observed Christ's miracles and they venerated the Scriptures. And all of these were destroying their case and testifying that Jesus was truly who He claimed to be.

But the remaining witness in the courtroom must have dealt the final deathblow. The Father brought forth the one the Jews thought would forever be their defender and mediator. The Father called forth the testimony of Moses.

5. WITNESS FROM MOSES

Jesus said, in verse 45, "Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope" (Jn. 5:45-47).

The Jews highly esteemed Moses. They revered Him for bringing forth their law at Sinai. They believed that he of all people would be their advocate. They claimed to be his disciples (Jn. 9:28). Verse 45 says they set their hope on him.

Last week we learned that all judgment has been given into the hands of the Son, Jesus Christ (Jn. 5:27). But in verse 45 Jesus ironically says that it will be Moses who accuses them before the Father. What an unexpected twist that must have been! Imagine Jesus saying, "So you love Moses; you think he is on your side. Well I have news for you. Moses is actually My advocate and your accuser. In the final day, Moses will testify against you. For even he knew that the law served a purpose in pointing towards Me. The law showed you your sins and your inability to be justified by your works. The law pointed to Me as the only hope of your salvation by dying for your sins so that you can be justified by faith. Moses was not in this thing for his own glory. Rather He stepped aside when I came on the scene. He has been fulfilled whereby the glory and the praise might be directed toward Me. He intended it that way and wants it that way and will personally accuse you if you don't see it that way."

Jesus gave further reasoning for Moses' accusations in verses 46-47. "For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words" (Jn. 5:46-47).

The Law, as we already saw pointed to Christ in a general sense. However, Moses also spoke of Christ in a specific sense as well. "Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brethren; to him you shall give heed to everything he says to you'" (Ac. 3:22; c.f. Dt. 18:15). Rightly understanding Moses leads one to rightly understand Christ. However, rejecting Christ shows a rejection of Moses as well. Both, under the unity of God's redemptive plan, either stand or fall together.

Well the facts are in. The evidence for Christ is indisputable. The case for Christ has been established. The verdict has been reached. The Judge has declared, "Not guilty!" Now the question remains, whose side are you on?

Will you be like the multitudes that ignored such verifiable evidence and yelled, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" Or will you fall down at His feet because of the evidence and worship Him for being none other than God Himself in the flesh. All of us as humans must deal with the Person of Jesus Christ. He boldly said, "Unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins" (Jn. 8:24). We can't easily dismiss that claim. Those are the words of a liar, lunatic or Lord of the universe. Will you face Him as Savior or Judge, friend or foe? His witness is irrefutable.

Jesus Christ is not asking for your intellectual assent. Even Pontus Pilate said, "I have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him" (Lk. 23:14). Jesus is calling for personal faith in all that He has done and all that He claims to be. In verse 40 He said to the Jewish leaders, "And you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life." May that not be true of you. May you come to Him and experience the eternal life that is offered in His name.

In the early 80's, a man by the name of Lee Strobel undertook the endeavor to prove Jesus Christ was a fraud by the weight of the evidence. Strobel was certainly qualified to undertake such a task to compile the case against Christ. He had a Master of Studies in Law degree from Yale Law School and was an award-winning journalist for the "Chicago Tribune" newspaper. His area of expertise was Courtroom Analyst and he rose to the rank of Legal Editor. Furthermore, he was not biased towards defending Christ - he was an atheist!

In referring to this investigation, Strobel said, "Setting aside my self-interest and prejudices as best I could, I read books, interviewed experts, asked questions, analyzed history, explored archeology, studied ancient literature, and for the first time in my life picked apart the Bible verse by verse. I plunged into the case with more vigor than with any story I had ever pursued…In this quest for truth, I've used my experience as a legal affairs journalist to look at numerous categories of proof-eyewitness evidence, documentary evidence, corroborating evidence, rebuttal evidence, scientific evidence, psychological evidence (and) circumstantial evidence."

Remarkably, after Strobel compiled and critically examined the evidence for himself, he converted to the Christian faith and eventually became a Pastor. Strobel asks his readers in his award winning book to "confront presuppositions and systematically seek out proof," to "thoughtfully consider the credibility of the witnesses, carefully sift the testimony, and rigorously subject the evidence to your common sense and logic," and to decipher "the best possible explanation for the evidence."

By way of conclusion he said, "In the end the verdict is yours and yours alone. Nobody else can cast the ballot for you…(Hopefully) you've found, as I have, that the case for Christ is conclusive."