[Biblemat] S: Jesus Calls His Witnesses

[westside]

I preached this yesterday and got a good response. 
Dennis 
Jesus Calls His Witnesses: John 5.16-19

Introduction: A witness is one called to testify, establishing the truth. While the number of witnesses by itself is not the deciding factor; trustworthy witnesses testifying to the same effect is important. In courts of law witnesses are called to reveal what they know. We want to examine the testimony of Jesus' witnesses. 

I) Questions Often Asked of Jesus

A) Matthew 11.2 And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples 3 and said to Him, "Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?" 

            1. The disciples of John understood another was coming, one greater than Jesus. They wanted to know if He was the one. 

            2. It is proper to ask questions. 

B) "Are you greater than our father Jacob" John 4.12 

            1. Asked by the Samaritan woman by the well. 

            2. Jesus had spoken of giving living water

C) John 6:42 And they said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, 'I have come down from heaven'?" 

            1. They had a real problem accepting Jesus as the Son of God when they      knew Mary and Joseph. 

D) "Are you the Christ, the Son of God" Mark 14.61  the High Priest and scribes were asking this question at the trial of Jesus. 

E) Matt 26:63 But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest answered and said to Him, "I put You under oath by the living God: Tell us if You are the Christ, the Son of God!" 64 Jesus said to him, "It is as you said. 

            1. Again at the trial of Jesus, after three years of teaching, they were still asking this question. 

            2. If we are going to ask we need to listen to the answer. 

F) Pilate asked Jesus if He was the King of the Jews, Matthew 27.11; Luke 23.3

            1. Imagine seeing a man half beaten to death, bleeding from head to toe, and asking him this question.

            2. Yet it was the charge leveled against Jesus. 

G) Jesus had made Himself equal to God by referring to God as His Father. John 5.17-18 

            1. Jesus made the claim but that by itself did not establish the fact of Him being the Son of God. John 5.31

            2. People can claim any thing they want but it does not make it so. 

            3. False teachers often claim to be of God, Acts 5.34-39

            4. According to the law there had to be two or 3 witnesses, Deut. 19.15; Hebrews 10.28

II) In John 5 Jesus calls His witnesses. 

A) The Testimony of John the immerser, John 5.32-35

            1. John came as a forerunner of the Christ, John 1.24-34; 35-36

            2. The people accepted John as a prophet of God, therefore, his testimony   had to be accepted. 

B) The Works of Jesus testified to His claim of being the Son of God, John 5.36

            1. No one could deny the miracles He had performed; healing the sick, raising the dead, casting out demons, feeding 5,000 people with a little fish and a few loaves of bread

            2. This was the answer to John's disciples, Matthew 11.4-5

            3. The miracles of Jesus were done in the open and known by those that crucified Him, Acts 2.22

            4. The miracles were to confirm the words spoken

C) The Father testified of Jesus, John 5.37-38

            1. at the baptism of Jesus, Mark 1.9-11 the voice of God was heard

            2. at the Mount of Transfiguration, Matthew 17.5

            3. God can not lie; therefore, Jesus is the Son of God, Titus 1.2

D) The Scriptures, John 5.39

            1. Old Testament passages speaking of His birth, lineage, life and death

            a. Galatians 3.24 the law was a tutor to bring them to Christ

            b. Acts 17.11 they searched the scriptures to see if these things were so

            2. Notice the use of Old Testament passages used by Jesus and then later on          by the Apostles 

E) After His death Jesus used the testimony of the Apostles, Acts 1.8

            1. The qualifications of being an apostle is given in Acts 1.21-22

            2. A witness can only testify of what they have seen and know. 

            3. The Apostles went preaching of the things they saw and know about Christ. 

Conclusion: Do you accept the testimony of Jesus' witnesses? The critics of Jesus could not dispute their testimony only persecute the witnesses. No one was able to discredit them. Their testimony stands today for all to read and accept. 

View other lessons at www.thewestsidechurch.us



"If you make a mistake, learn from it. If you do something brilliant, get over it." D.T. 
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