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.

37 And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.

38 You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent.

39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;

40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

41 I do not receive glory from men;

42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.

43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?

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.

46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.

47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words
(John 5:31-47 NASB)

Introduction:

Theme: Eight reasons why you should believe in Jesus Christ so you might be saved

{Review

1. He was not alone in His testimony vv. 31-32

2. John the Baptist testified of Him vv. 33-35

3. The works of Jesus testify of Him vs. 36

4. The Father testifies of Him vs. 37

5. The Scriptures testify of Him vs. 39}

6. He comes in His Father’s name vs. 43

7. Moses wrote of Him vs. 46

8. The rejection of Him by the Jewish leaders vv. 37-47

• a. They had never heard God’s voice or seen His form vs. 37b
• b. They do not have God’s Word abiding in them vs. 38
• c. They are unwilling to come to Christ for life vs. 40
• d. They do not have love for God in themselves vs. 42
• e. They do not receive Christ Who comes in His Father’s name vs. 43
• f. They do not seek the glory from God vs. 44
• g. They are accused by Moses vs. 45
  • They do not love the Lord
  • They love their sin
  • They are deceived
• h. They do not believe Moses vv. 46-47

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31 “ If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true.

32 There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true.

33 You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth.

34 But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved.

35 He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light.

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.

37 And the Father who sent Me, He has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any time nor seen His form.

38 You do not have His word abiding in you, for you do not believe Him whom He sent.

39 You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me;

40 and you are unwilling to come to Me so that you may have life.

41 I do not receive glory from men;

42 but I know you, that you do not have the love of God in yourselves.

43 I have come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, you will receive him.

44 How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and you do not seek the glory that is from the one and only God?

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.

46 For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me, for he wrote about Me.

47 But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words
(John 5:31-47 NASB)

Introduction:

Theme: Eight reasons why you should believe in Jesus Christ so you might be saved

1. He was not alone in His testimony vv. 31-32

2. John the Baptist testified of Him vv. 33-35

3. The works of Jesus testify of Him vs. 36

4. The Father testifies of Him vs. 37

5. The Scriptures testify of Him vs. 39

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19 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.

20 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.

21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.

22 For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,

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.

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.

25 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself;

27 and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.

28 Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice,

29 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.

30 “ I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me
(John 5:19-30 NASB)

Theme: Seven properties the Son shares with the Father so you will better understand His nature as equal with God.

I. He does the same works as the Father vv. 19-20

A. They are works that He sees the Father doing
B. They are works done in the same manner as the Father does them
C. They are a sample of greater works the Father will show Him

II. He is loved by the Father vs. 20

III. He imparts life like the Father vs. 21, 24-25
Two Kinds of Life
1. Resurrection Life
2. Spiritual Life

IV. He executes judgment instead of the Father vv. 22, 27, 30

V. He receives the same honor as the Father vs. 23

VI. He has life in Himself from the Father vs. 26
“The personal property of the Son is that He is eternally begotten of the Father . . ., and shares with the Father in the spiration of the Spirit.”

“. . . suggested by the Biblical representation of the first and second persons of the Trinity as standing in the relation of Father and Son to each other. Not only do the names ‘Father’ and ‘Son’ suggest the generation of the latter by the former, but the Son is also repeatedly called ‘the only-begotten,’ John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18; Hebrews 11:17; 1 John 4:9.”

1. It is a necessary act of God
2. It is an eternal act of the Father
3. It is a generation of the personal subsistence rather than of the divine essence of the Son; though in that subsistence the divine essence is also communicated “in it’s entirety” – “it was one indivisible act”
4. It is a generation that must be conceived of as spiritual and divine

“It is that eternal and necessary act of the first person in the Trinity, whereby He, within the divine Being, is the ground of a second personal subsistence like His own, and puts this second person in possession of the whole divine essence, without any division, alienation, or change. Louis Berkhof, Systematic Theology, 93-94

“The nature of the eternal relationship existing between the Father and the Son is commonly spoken of as ‘generation,’ while the relationship between the Father and the Son, on the one hand, and the Holy Spirit, on the other, is spoken of as ‘procession.’ By ‘eternal generation’ is meant ‘eternal emanation.’
“spoke of an eternal communication of the life of the Father to the Son.”
Henry Thiessen, Lectures in Systematic Theology, 98

VII. He raises the dead for judgment like the Father does vv. 28-29

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19 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.

20 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.

21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes.

22 For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,

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.

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.

25 Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.

26 For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself;

27 and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man.

28 Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice,

29 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.

30 “ I can do nothing on My own initiative. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is just, because I do not seek My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me
(John 5:19-30 NASB)

Theme: Seven properties the Son shares with the Father so you will better understand His nature as equal with God.

I. He does the same works as the Father vv. 19-20

A. They are works that He sees the Father doing
B. They are works done in the same manner as the Father does them
C. They are a sample of greater works the Father will show Him

II. He is loved by the Father vs. 20

III. He imparts life like the Father vs. 21, 24-25
Two Kinds of Life
1. Resurrection Life
2. Spiritual Life
IV. He executes judgment instead of the Father vv. 22, 27, 30

V. He receives the same honor as the Father vs. 23

VI. He has life in Himself from the Father vs. 26

VII. He raises the dead for judgment like the Father does vv. 28-29

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7 This precious value, then, is for you who believe; but for those who disbelieve,

“ The stone which the builders rejected,
This became the very corner stone,”

8 and,
“ A stone of stumbling and A rock of offense”;
for they stumble because they are disobedient to the word, and to this doom they were also appointed.

9 But you are A chosen race, A royal priesthood, A holy nation, A people for God’s own possession, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

10 for you once were not A people, but now you are the people of God; you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

11 Beloved, I urge you as aliens and strangers to abstain from fleshly lusts which wage war against the soul
(1 Peter 2:7-11 NASB)

Theme: Four distinct Christian acts to practice in 2015.

I. The Priority of Prayer vs. 7

II. The Preeminence of Love vs. 8

III. The Practice of Hospitality vs. 9

IV. The Performance of Gifts vv. 10-11

A. No one is left out, but each one has received a gift
B. The purpose for the gift you have received is for serving one another
C. There are two broad categories of these gifts

1. Speaking gifts
2. Serving gifts

D. The ultimate goal of serving is to glorify God

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Introduction:

Theme: Five reasons why Christmas is primarily a Jewish celebration

I. Israel needed a King Luke 1:32-33; Matthew 1:1, 17; 2:2, 6

II. Israel needed a Saviour Matthew 1:21; Luke 1:67-77; 2:11, 30

III. Israel needed Prophetic Fulfillment Matthew 1:20, 22-23; 2:5, 15, 17, 23

IV. Israel needed God with them Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:35; 2:11

V. Israel needed to provide Gentiles, Hope Luke 2:30-32; Isaiah 9:2; 42:6; 49:6*

Conclusion:

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Introduction:
John 5:1-18
1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes.

3 In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [ waiting for the moving of the waters;

4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.]

5 A man was there who had been ill for thirty- eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He *said to him, “Do you wish to get well?”

7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

8 Jesus *said to him, “ Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.”

9 Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day.

10 So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.”

11 But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk. ’”

12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?”

13 But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place.

14 Afterward Jesus *found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.”

15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

16 For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.

17 But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”

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
(John 5:1-18 NASB)

Theme: Three reasons why Jesus is equal with God so you will believe in His deity

I. The Command to arise, which accompanies the miracle, points to His power vv. 5-9a

II. The Controversy over the timing of the miracle points to His authority vv. 9b-16

III. The Comment about working as His Father points to His equality vv. 17-18

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Introduction:
John 5:1-18
1 After these things there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.

2 Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porticoes.

3 In these lay a multitude of those who were sick, blind, lame, and withered, [ waiting for the moving of the waters;

4 for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.]

5 A man was there who had been ill for thirty- eight years.

6 When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He *said to him, “Do you wish to get well?”

7 The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”

8 Jesus *said to him, “ Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.”

9 Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. Now it was the Sabbath on that day.

10 So the Jews were saying to the man who was cured, “It is the Sabbath, and it is not permissible for you to carry your pallet.”

11 But he answered them, “He who made me well was the one who said to me, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk. ’”

12 They asked him, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Pick up your pallet and walk’?”

13 But the man who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had slipped away while there was a crowd in that place.

14 Afterward Jesus *found him in the temple and said to him, “Behold, you have become well; do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.”

15 The man went away, and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

16 For this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because He was doing these things on the Sabbath.

17 But He answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I Myself am working.”

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
(John 5:1-18 NASB)

Theme: Three reasons why Jesus is equal with God so you will believe in His deity

I. The Command to arise, which accompanies the miracle, points to His power vv. 5-9a

II. The Controversy over the timing of the miracle points to His authority vv. 9b-16

III. The Comment about working as His Father points to His equality vv. 17-18

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