Can It be Proven - Jesus is God?
John 5:31-40
Intro:
1. ILL: My experience on jury duty.
2. In a court of law, both ancient & modern, four types of evidence can be entered for consideration.
a. The testimony of an eyewitness.
b. Material evidence.
c. The testimony of an authority.
d. Previously accepted truth.
3. The fact that Lord Jesus was God in flesh can be supported by all four types of admissible evidence.
I. v33-35 - An Eyewitness - John the Baptist
A. ILL: The Lord’s Baptism:
1. Jn 1:32-33 - Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. I would not have known him, except that the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is he who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God’”.
2. John was the eyewitness!
B. Although this testimony was admissible in a Jewish court of law, the religious leaders rejected it.
1. It was rejected without any valid reason.
2. It was rejected only because it didn’t harmonize with their preconceived logic & traditions.
3. It was rejected because Jesus was a threat to their positions as religious authorities.
C. If a statement doesn’t make sense to you - do you automatically reject it?
1. To the evolutionist - creation doesn’t make sense.
2. To most of us - God’s unconditional love for undeserving mankind doesn’t make sense.
3. Does God’s sacrifice of His only Son on the cross make sense?
4. You must accept by faith some things that don’t seem to make sense.
II. v36 - Concrete Evidence - the Miracles
A. ILL: Jesus Healing the Paralyzed Man (Jn 5:1-9).
1. Jesus had just performed a miracle they couldn’t deny - the healing of a local man who had been paralyzed 38 years!
2. The purpose of miraculous signs was to give authority to Jesus & His message.
B. If the Bible is true, then Jesus did only those things God could do!
1. Only God can heal.
a. A doctor only sets up conditions for healing.
b. The Lord healed a man blind from birth instantly (Jn 9:1-7).
c. The Lord healed an infirm woman instantly (Lk 8:40-48).
d. The Lord healed the Centurion’s servant in Capernaum instantly (Lk 7:1-10).
2. Only God can raise the dead.
a. The Lord raised the widow of Nain’s son (Lk 7:11-18).
b. The Lord raised Lazarus (Jn 11:38-44).
III. v37-38 - The Testimony of an Authority - The Heavenly Father
A. At the Lord’s baptism. Matt 3:17 - And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
B. At the Lord’s transfiguration. Matt 17:5 - While he was still speaking, a bright cloud enveloped them, and a voice from the cloud said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
C. Heb 1:5 in referring to Jesus - For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father “? Or again, “I will be his Father, and he will be my Son”?
(Ps 2:7; II Sam 7:14; I Chron 17:13)
IV. v39-40 - Previously Accepted Truth - The Bible
A. These religious leaders accepted the OT as God’s word.
1. There are at least 300 prophesies in the OT concerning Jesus there.
2. They were all fulfilled by Him before His death & resurrection.
B. The Talmud - the recognized authoritative Jewish commentary of the OT - says, “Only knowledge of the Law can bring life”.
1. They believed God’s life & direction came through scriptural revelation.
2. v39 - The Lord said God’s life comes through Him Whom the scriptures revealed!
Do you reverence the Bible but haven’t committed your life to the One the Bible reveals as Lord? Jesus is God. It’s a fact! Why is this important? Because He who made you wants you to choose a relationship with Him so badly that He suffered & died to make you His child! Do you care enough to give your life to Him?