JESUS' TESTIMONY ABOUT HIMSELF

John 5:31©47

Key Verse 5:36

"I have testimony weightier than that of John. For the very

works that the Father has given me to finish, and which I am

doing, testifies that the Father has sent me."

John's gospel was written to give us clear evidence that

Jesus is God. It is to help us to believe in Jesus so that God

may bless us with eternal life. This is the main reason why this

gospel was written. Then, once we believe, we are to be the next

witnesses about Jesus to this generation. John's gospel mentions

witnesses to Jesus. The Apostle John, the writer of this gospel,

was one of them. He was a witness to the great works of Jesus. In

regards to Jesus' crucifixion he said in 19:35, "The man who saw

it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that

he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may

believe."

This morning we want to examine who the witnesses are that

Jesus mentions to prove to the Jews that he is really God. Jesus

mentions a few credible witnesses to state his case to the

unbelieving Jews. Through this, may God help you to come to Jesus

and believe in your heart. I pray also that your Bible study may

lead you to Jesus so that he may dwell in your hearts by faith

and so that you may become a powerful witness of his work and

grace in your life.

Part 1. John's testimony about Jesus is true. (31©36)

This passage is actually a continuation of what we heard

from last Sunday. It is a long discourse after Jesus healed a man

who had been a paralytic for 38 years. Who is Jesus talking to

here? He is talking to the religious leaders who are persecuting

him for healing a man on the Sabbath. When he said in verse 17,

"My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I, too, am

working", they wanted to kill him because he was calling God his

own Father, making himself equal with God. In other words, they

were saying, "You are a blasphemer! You are blaspheming God by

saying such a thing!"

The religious Jews could not accept that someone who looked

like a common and ordinary person could be doing great miracles

and then in the next moment saying he was God. Especially, their

legalism blinded them to the obvious life©giving work that Jesus

was doing. What did Jesus do in this situation? Did he try and

get a fake i.d. made up and run for the border to save his life?

No, Jesus did not try and save his life. Instead, he spoke with a

great shepherd heart to these unbelieving Jews so that they may

believe who he is and have eternal life. He desperately wanted

them to come out of their great unbelief which had blinded them

to see God in him. He earnestly wanted them to hear his words and)
believe so that they would be saved from God's impending judgment

on them.

This is why he said to them in verse 24, "I tell you the

truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has

eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from

death to life."

Now in the verses of this passage, he gives them clear

evidence of witnesses to prove who he was to help them believe.

Look at verse 31, "If I testify about myself, my testimony is not

valid." According to Deuteronomy 19:15, any matter must be

established by the testimony of two or three witnesses. This law

also has been in our legal system from the beginning. If only one

person testified that they saw you doing a crime, then it has

little weight. But if two or more saw you and told the police,

then it is credible evidence. The more witnesses, the better. For

example, Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15 that there were

many witnesses who saw the risen Jesus after he was crucified. We

call them "resurrection witnesses." He mentions Peter, the

Twelve, James, all the apostles and more than five hundred of the

brothers at the same time. This is quite a big list of people!!

The word "testify" or "testimony" has the meaning of witness

or true statment. The word "witness" itself has the meaning of

"martyr." Those early Christians who gave their lives for their

faith in Jesus were martyrs for Jesus. They did not change their

minds when they were challenged by Rome to bow down and worship

Caesar and say he was god. They would not deny Jesus even if it

meant to be burned at the stake or to be thrown into a den of

hungry lions. This was because the evidence that Jesus is God was

so strong in their personal life and they could not deny it. One

who brings a testimony or a witness is to give a true statement.

When one is in court he must sware under oath to tell the truth

and nothing but the truth. Then he is to say, "So help me God."

Anything else is perjury which is a crime.

From the beginning, when God established Israel as his

people, he sought to keep witnesses to them to remind them that

he saved them out of Egypt and that he took care of them. They

were given the Ten Commandments. Later, the Ten Commandments as a

whole were called "the testimony." The first commandment says,

"You shall have no other gods before me." The second one says,

"You shall not make for yourself an idol in the form of anything

nor bow down to worship them." Through this testimony, God's

people are reminded who the God they believe in is. He is the

invisible Creator God, and the only God, who saves his people

with mighty acts of deliverance. He alone is worthy of all

worship and praise. God's people were to teach this to their

children and their children's children all the way down the line

so that they may learn to revere God and be blessed by God. It is

so important that God's people remember the great works of his

love and salvation and base their faith on what he has done.

But then God sent Jesus. Jesus himself is the living

testimony of God. He is the eternal Word that became flesh. He is

the one who makes God known to us by his great works of love and

his power to save life and to give eternal life. However, the

Jews persisited in unbelief. They denied what they saw and what

they heard. Now Jesus wants to introduce to the Jews evidence

through these witnesses he is about to mention. It looks like a

court case. Jesus verses the religious Jews. Now Jesus is going

to defend his words. Let's see who the witnesses are as they come

to the witness stand.

The first witnesses is John the Baptist. Let's read verses

32©35, "There is another who testifies in my favor, and I know

that his testimony about me is valid. You have sent to John and

he has testified to the truth. Not that I accept human testimnoy;

but Imention it that you may be saved. John was a lamp that

burned and gave light, and you chose for a time to enjoy his

light."

Jesus first mentions John the Baptist because he was the

most powerful and visible witness to the Jews. The religious

leaders clearly knew about John the Baptist. John the Baptist had

created quite a stir among the nation of Israel when he came and

began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of

sins. John the Baptist testified to Jesus by his powerful

uncompromising lifestyle and his powerful preaching. Many people

came out to hear him and be baptized. To those who came out to

him, he rebuked them to repent of their unfaithful lives and sins

against God. John did not point to himself. Rather he pointed to

Jesus, the one who saves people from their sins.

In verse 33, it says that they sent for John. They came and

questioned John, "Are you the Christ?" However, John denied it.

John only spoke the truth and said that he wasn't. He said he was

the voice of one crying out in the wilderness. He identified

himself as God's messenger prophesied from Isaiah that would

prepare the way for the Lord's messiah who would comeand save the

people fromtheir sins.

Jesus emphatically mentions John the Baptist so that the

Jews may take warning and be saved (verse 34). This is the whole

point. Jesus wants to save them. How could they deny what John

had said? How could they deny his lifestyle and faith? How could

they deny all that was happening in the coutryside and in Judea?

People were repenting and being baptized. What was going on? It

was the work of God and John was the main character until he was

ready to pass on the baton to Jesus. John's whole life was

centered on mission. His whole life was to point others to Jesus.

He said in Luke 3:16, "I baptize you with water. But one more

powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not

worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and

fire."

He kept saying to them, "Prepare the way for the Lord!)
Prepare the way for the Lord!" John testified Jesus' coming so

powerfully, "Look the lamb ofGod who takes away thesin of the

world!" The Jews enjoyed John and his faith. They liked to hear

what he had to say. They were impressed with his uncompromising

and powerful life of faith. This is why Jesus said in verse 35

that John was a lamp that burned and gave light and that they

chose for a time to enjoy that light.

Now Jesus is saying, if you believed John, then why don't

you believe me? He talked about me and preached about me and

lived to prepare my coming for you. The credibility of John was

an undeniable fact of who Jesus was. Last week Secretary of Stae

Colin Powell gave much evidence before the U.N. to prove that

Iraq was hiding weapons of mass destruction. He showed pictures

from spy satellites and spy planes and even a conversation

between an Iraqi General and Colonel who were getting ready to

hide some weapons and move them the day before the U.N.

inspection team would arise. Why did President Bush use him to

address the U.N. Council instead of some freshman Senator? It is

because Colin Powell is very respected and a credible man. As a

result, 70% of Americans are convinced now, before it was 40%

In the same way, it is hard to deny John the Baptist as a

credible witness because he was the most credible witness of who

Jesus was and the religious Jews knew it.

Who is the second witness Jesus mentions? Who does Jesus

bring next to the witness stand? It is the works of Jesus. Let's

read verse 36, "I have testimony weightier than that of John. For

the very work that the Father has given me to finish, and which I

am doing, testifies that the Father has sent me."

Just what are the works that Jesus had been doing? Let's

recall John chapter 2. What amazing thing happened in John

chapter 2? Jesus turned water into wine. It was a great miracle!

Who can change water into wine? Especially dirty wash water into

wine? But what was the meaning of turning wash water to wine? It

was show the transforming power of Jesus. Jesus came to change

people's lives. He came to give eternal life to those who were

dead in their sins and transgressions. In chapter 3 an old man

named Nicodemus came to Jesus because he knew about the miracles

Jesus was doing. He wanted to see a miracle and maybe be changed

into an angel, but Jesus said that he needed to be born again.

Jesus knew that his problem was that he was spiritually blind and

that he did not see the kingdom of God. Jesus wanted him to

believe so that he could born again and have the joy and hope of

God's kingdom living in his heart. He wanted him to experience

the powerful life giving work of God if only he believed. This is

why he said John 3:16 to him.

In chapter 4 Jesus met a thirsty Samaritan woman. She had a

worship problem because she tried to give her devotion to men,

butshe was disappointed each time and went through 5 divorces.

But when she met Jesus, he gave her the living water and her soul)
no longer thirsted. Then she ran out to the people of the town

with a big smile on her face and new life in heart and she

witnessed to them about Jesus. She was dead, but because of Jesus

she was made alive. That was the great works of God through

Jesus. In chapter 5, Jesus healed an unthankful and complaining

paralytic on the Sabbath day. The Jews saw this and even

persecuted Jesus for doing this. This was the works of Jesus, the

weightier testimony than that of John, Jesus speaks about in

verse 36.

So what is the work here Jesus is talking about? It is to

forgive their sins and to make them new creations in Christ. When

we study the Bible, we see the great works of Jesus. We see him

driving out demons, healing sick people, raising the dead,

helping the blind to see and serving all kinds of people. All

this work is to save people. All this work was to help people

believe so that they could be filled with the Holy Spirit and

have the assurance of eternal life.

Jesus' actions were weightier than that of John. His

miracles proved who he was. But Jesus knows our problem is

spiritual blindness. Even one of his own disciples, Philip,

struggled with spiritual blindness. Philip also saw the miracles

and heard what Jesus said. Yet Jesus had to say to him in John

14:10©11, "...The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather,

it is the Father, living in me, who isdoing his work. Believe me

when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at

least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves."

Jesus was earnest to finish the work of God. This is why he

went to the cross to suffer for our sins and die. On the cross,

Jesus said, "It is finished." Jesus completed the works of the

Father so that we may believe and be changed and have eternal

life.

One can not deny the works of Jesus unless one is blind or

just plain stubborn. There was a young man in his college days

who would not believe that Jesus was the Son of God. Though he

had not read the Bible too much, he decided that he would gather

as much information about the Bible and about Jesus to disprove

Christianity. So he went and threw himself into deep research.

However in doing so he became a believer in Jesus. His name is

Josh McDowell. He then wrote a book called "Evidence that Demands

a Verdict." It is a well written book that is full of detailed

archaelogical references and historical references from many

sources that supports our faith in Jesus based on the Holy

Scriptures.

Therefore, our faith is not "blind faith" as some people

like to arrogantly say. There is no such thing as "blind faith"

when we say we believe in Jesus. This is because our faith is

based on clear evidence, with Jesus' works being the greatest

evidence for our faith. Today we see the works that Jesus is

doing in our ministry. God is using the YDJ team as the next)
generation of shepherds. They are using their time for Jesus and

going out to campus and making Jesus' name known. They are

participating in Jesus life giving work. They are bringing many

students to Bible study. Last August Abe Lee went to China to be

a missionary. Now many YDJ members are praying to go out for one

year to be a missionary. Mary Jagun, who used to be called

Tinuke, is serving the Bible Center. Yesterday I saw her cleaning

the bathroom with a smile on her face. She is happy because she

is doing the work of God even if it means to clean the bathroom.

The greatest fact of who Jesus is the changed lives that have

come. This is undeniable. This is why everyone who truly believes

has a life testimony. It is a testimony to the works of God in

their life through Jesus.

Part 2. The Result of Superficial Bible Study (37©47)

The evidence does not stop with the works of Jesus. Verses

37©38 show us the third witness to testify who Jesus is. Let's

read verses 37©38, "And the Father who sent me has himself

testified concerning me. You have never heard his voice nor seen

his form, nor does his word dwell in you, for you do not believe

the one he sent." Who is the third witness Jesus brings to the

witness stand? It is the Father who sent him.

How did the Father witness to Jesus. At Jesus' baptism, God

spoke from above and said, "This is my Son, whom I love, with him

I am well pleased." Also, at Jesus' transfiguration, God also

spoke the same thing so that his disciples could hear. Then God

said, "Listen to him!" Here we see another of the Jews problems.

They said they believed in God, but they did not hear the voice

of God.

Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal

life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you

refuse to come to me to have life." Here, Jesus mentions the

Scriptures as the fourth witness. The Jews were very diligent in

their study of the Scriptures. They carefully and meticulously

copied down every letter and dot of the law onto their torah

scrolls as not to leave even a dot out. They thought they were

dishonoring God if even they left a little dot or iota out of

their Scripture.

Their Bible study however was not the kind of Bible study

that leads one to faith. Instead their Bible study had the wrong

motivation. It was merely to get head knowledge and to impress

people. In their hearts, they deceived themselves by thinking

that by studying the Scriptures would give them eternal life. But

the act of studying the Bible never gives us eternal life. It is

believing what it says. It is to believe the point of the Bible.

This is to believe in the one God sent, Jesus Christ.

So we can say that they had superficial Bible study.

Superficial Bible study is to study the Bible and miss the mark

or the point. The point is Jesus Christ. Some people like to)
study the Bible to get some moral teachings. Others like to study

it so that they can get an idea about what Christians believe.

feel good. Others like to study the Bible to find different

prophesies and to satisfy their imaginations. This is why some

people like just to read the book of Revelations and not much

else. But again, our main point is to come to know Jesus.

This should be true when we come to the Bible Center and

participate in God's work. I am coming just to make new friends

or strengthen my relationships? Am I coming because they serve

good food after Sunday Worship and I need to have lunch anyhow?

Am I coming here to seek a marriage candidate? These desires are

like the Jews who studied the Bible but did not come to Jesus to

have life. The word of God did not dwell in their hearts. Each of

us should check our motives to find out what I am studying the

Bible for and what I am coming to the Bible Center for. May God

help each of us to say that it is to know Jesus first.

From this passage, I also realized that my problem was that

I don't let the word of God dwell in me. This the reason why I

haven't been changed much. I hold onto my stubborn desires down

in my deep heart and still follow my way and don't let Jesus rule

my thought life. When I have to do some things that are new, I

become filled with fear. I pray that I may let Jesus' words dwell

in me so that Jesus may rule my heart.

Let's read verse 41, "I do not accept praise from men." If

Jesus sought praise from men, he never would have taken the way

of the cross. Jesus knew the Jews problems in detail. he knew

that they did not have the love of God in their hearts. If they

did, they would have been more concerned about what God thought

of them instead of what sinners thoughtnof them.

Jesus came in the Father's name to bring them salvation and

eternal life. Yet they did not accept him. However, they eagerly

accepted others who appeared religious or traditional or who were

like them in their motivations. Jesus said their problem was that

they sought men's praise.

Let's read verse 44, "How can you believe if you accept

praise from one another, yet make no effort to obtain the praise

that comes from the only God?" This means that they lived before

men's eyes, not God's eyes. When they lived to please men, they

sinned against God because men's ways are sinful and corrupted.

What then should be our motives? It is hard not to want to please

people. We want recognition and respect from others. There is

nothing wrong with this. However, we must clearly draw the line.

If what we do to please men is sinning against God, this is

obviously wrong and we should avoid it. If our friends try to

make us feel that we are weird and not one of them if we come to

YDJ meetings or Bible study, then we shouldn't please them and
give into their pressure. We should come and seek God first.

Someimes our parents may pressure us not to go to a fellowship

meeting or a Sunday Worship. Out of the blue they might say that

some relatives or friends of the family are coming on Sunday and

that they expect us to stay home all day and help out. But what

should we do? We need to live before God and seek his praise.

In these verses, Jesus mentions about the praise that comes

from God. This means we should live before God and seek his

reward at any cost. Jesus said in Luke 6:26, "Woe to you when all

men speak well of you, for that is how their fathers treated the

are you when men hate you,when they exclude you and insult you

and reject your name as evil, becaue of the Son of Man. Rejoice

in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in

heaven. For that is how their fathers treated the prophets."

The fifth and final testimony that Jesus mentions is Moses.

before the Father. Your accuser is Moses, on whom your hopes are

set. If you believed Moses, you would believe me. But since you

do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I

say?"

Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief. Moses wrote about

Jesus. So when they rejected Jesus, they rejected what Moses

wrote about. In essence they rejected God's whole plan and

purpose for them. This morning, Jesus challenges us. He wants us

to believe in view of all the testimonies he mentioned so that we

may have eternal life. He then wants us to be his witnesses. This

is why Jesus later said to his apostles that they would be his

witnesses to the ends of the earth. When we believe we have a

testimony and become witnesses. May God help you to confess your

faith and be a witness about the work that God is doing in

you.Its is up to us now to recognize Jesus and believe. May God

help you to come to Jesus and accept the testimony about him. May

God help you to believe the works of Jesus and all that he said

so that you may have life through him.