John chapter 5 verse number 36 it says but I have greater witness than that of John total for the
sermon tonight is greater witness than that of John greater witness than that of John who's John
John is there referred to as John the Baptist John the Baptist came we know he came and witnessed of
Jesus Christ he came in and and and showed Christ to be the lamb of God who's taken by the sin of
the world the light of the world John the Baptist was there witnessing and proclaiming Christ as
Christ walked this earth but there's a greater witness than that of John well we'll learn about
that as we go through the chapter let's start there in verse number one John chapter 5 verse
number one after this after what just quickly get you back up to speed remember Jesus Christ was
baptizing in Judea with his disciples and then they were concerned about the Pharisees making
their way toward them so they went and journeyed through Samaria and into Galilee well now after a
period of time now it says here after this there was a feast of the Jews and Jesus went up to
Jerusalem so Jesus Christ is returning from Galilee coming back to Jerusalem because it
is a feast I'm not sure what feast it is but you're probably aware that there were seven
major holidays seven major feasts like the passover the days of unleavened bread the the
feast of the tabernacles the the the feast of the trumpets I think it was called I don't know what
it's called right now you know there are all these feasts are about seven major feasts that require
the Jews to come into Jerusalem and this is the time for this to happen and so Jesus Christ is
making his way to Jerusalem verse number two now there is at Jerusalem by the sheep market a pool
which was caught in the Hebrew tongue Beth Bethesda having five porches Bethesda now if you
know you know you often find towns and names that that have that word Beth remember that Beth like
Bethany Bethesda okay the word Beth signifies house okay house now Bethesda apparently means
the house of mercy the house of mercy okay now when I want I'm saying this to you because I want
you to think about this story and it's quite a strange story that we're about to read okay
and I've heard different variations I'm going to share with you what I believe is going on
and it might be a bit controversial it might be a bit controversial as to what I have to say
okay but let's keep going there it says in verse number three in these lay a great multitude of
impotent folk of blind hopes withered waiting for the moving of the water so you have all these
sick people gathered amongst this pool they're waiting for the water to make some unusual
movements they're all watching and observing waiting has the water moved they say why is that
well let's keep going to verse number four for an angel went down at a certain season into the pool
and troubled the water whose server then first after the troubling of the water stepped in
and was made whole of whatsoever disease he had so when this and by the way verse number three
verse number four this is not just what they believe this is the narrator of the bible telling
us what's taking place the narrator of the bible is the holy spirit okay so this isn't just
someone's opinion that an angel has come in trouble in the water this is happening there
is something supernatural taking place and angels come into that water troubling the waters okay
and when these sick folks seek see that water troubled they all try to rush into that water
and the first one that gets there gets healed okay quite interesting like i said it's a bit of
a weird story a bit of a strange story you know what what to make of this now as we keep going
there and this is the part that's going to be controversial we see that there is an angel
coming there that's troubling that was that water now often when we read the bible we think of the
word angel we often have the thought that this must be an angel of god because angel means
messenger an angel that's coming from heaven from god that's troubling these waters hey these people
are going in it's a bit like a lottery system the first one that sees it and the first one that
gets into that water gets healed it's going to be a little bit lucky you're going to be watching
that water carefully and so this is happening this is happening this miracle is taking place
okay and again many times someone thinks of an angel they think of a heavenly angel sent by god
don't forget that in the world there are fallen angels there are angels that are disobedient to
the lord god okay don't forget that the devil has his angels okay don't forget that you know
angel just means messenger and here's the thing and i'm going to tell you straight out i believe
this is a a devil i believe this is the fallen angel doing this work okay this is the controversial
part because the bible doesn't tell us it's a it's a fallen angel you know it doesn't really
tell us in here just tells us that there's an angel okay they say pastor why would you think
that why would you think that it's a fallen angel that's making these this water move
number one because i find it very inconsistent with the way god works you know i just find this
lottery system watching the water patiently you know and waiting for that movement for one person
who is the most capable to get into that water first to be healed and for the others then to
have to wait next time to be healed and waiting for that next time to be healed and waiting for
that next time to be healed just one at a time that's taking place seems a bit odd to me okay
it doesn't seem like something that i'm familiar with the god of the bible how he operates within
the stories that we read in the bible okay now again there are many i've heard many thoughts
around this and i i don't think most people really are going to agree necessarily as to what's taking
place but don't i want to read quickly to you from galatians 1 8 galatians 1 8 it says but you can
stay there but though we he's the apostle paul says this but though we are an angel from heaven
preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you unto you let him be
accursed see the apostle paul is saying look even if an angel from heaven came and preached to you
another gospel let him be accursed a cursed angel there are cursed angels there are cursed angels
that preach other gospels there are cursed angels that preach that in order for you to be made whole
that you require the works and what's quite interesting about this story is that as these
people are watching the water we see the son of god appear on the scene okay let's keep going there
verse number five and a certain man was there which had an infirmity 30 and eight years this
man's been sick sick for 38 years okay when jesus saw him lie and knew that he had been now a long
time in that case he's safe unto him will thou be made whole hey do you want to be healed ask jesus
verse number seven the important man answered him sir i have no man when the water is troubled to
put me into the pool but while i am coming another step down before me he says look i can't be made
whole i've got no one to help me i'm trying my best i'm trying to make my way i'm struggling
to make my way to the pool but before i get there someone else gets there first
how can i be healed and again you can see the anguish of this man you know the hopelessness
that he has a lack of hope am i ever going to be healed am i ever going to make it am i going to
win this lottery system or not it's amazing because the great physician is right in front of him
jesus christ is right in front of him asking him do you want to be healed do you want to be made
whole his eyes his concentration is on that miracle the miracle water that's the thing that
makes me whole surely verse number seven so verse number eight look at jesus christ responds jesus
saith unto him rise take up thy bed and walk and immediately the man was made whole and took up
his bed and walked and the same day was the sabbath what does this story represent i believe
this story represents the difference between a works-based gospel and a faith-based gospel
one that requires you to make the effort to get into that water and never reaching it never
succeeding because others are better than you others are more capable than you and you watch
yourself people that think salvation was based on themselves on their good works they're never going
to make it because there's always someone more there's always someone doing more than them
there's always greater works being done and it never satisfies trying to be satisfied by
trying to focus on that water that's the angels moving at some miracle taking place
and then jesus appears on the scene and he makes him whole immediately immediately the savior is
there so i believe this is teaching us the difference between putting your eyes on some
miraculous works-based efforts to be made whole or just put your eyes on jesus
just jesus and immediately the man got up and walked immediately the man was made whole
and so to me like when i think about the consistency of the bible when i think about
the way god works i see these waters as a distraction from jesus christ because we've
got this multitude of people waiting for that water to move and there comes jesus walking on
the scene and they don't recognize the son of god they don't recognize the savior they don't
recognize the one that can heal the one that can save they're so focused so preoccupied
on watching that water move and hoping it's their chance to be made whole
you know this reminds me of this reminds me of the pentecostals,
charismatic so i went to a christian school christian high school and it was a baptist
it was meant to be a baptist high school but it was it was more like a pentecostal charismatic
style church and people would talk about their visions they'll talk about their miracle that
their miracle all their miracles and their experiences they've had and look i've never
really gone to a pentecostal church but i know this stuff is going on within those churches
and what i found was as people would express how you know oh man you know i've been able to speak
in tongues the spirit has worked within me and they're speaking they're gibberish
and they're talking about some miracle that they've been able to hear the same miracle
repeated over and over again by different people and then i realized that miracle is not theirs
they're just repeating a story that others have repeated these are all make-believe stories and
talking about their visions that they've seen that god has revealed certain things toward them
it sounds amazing it sounds wow fantastic but what i found within my school at the time were
others that were more sincere that that looked at those kinds of things going wow that's amazing
look how god is using them and then they turn around and say well god why aren't you doing it
to me god how come i'm not experiencing those visions lord how come i'm not experiencing those
miracles lord how come i didn't get a chance to raise someone from the dead right these kinds of
stories that that you hear you know how come lord you're not using me like the way you're using all
these people it reminds me of this man who is unable to make it to the water the others get
the chances the others get in first i even hear this as a pastor i go door to door sometimes
i speak to sometimes pentecostal sometimes on the phone and they're like why is god not using me
so what do you mean because look at all these other people look at all their works look how
your spirit moves look at look at all their visions that they've having
and they're like god are you have you forgotten me am i not special to you
and they're comparing others they're comparing miracles look at all these miracles taking place
for all these other people and me god what about me what about you you know what you need you need
jesus you need you need jesus christ to walk up to you and say will thou be made whole that's
the miracle christ salvation okay not being preoccupied with all these miracles you don't
even know if they're of god we know in the bible that the devil can perform miracles
in the last days the devil's going to perform some crazy miracles out there
he's going to deceive many many
look i'm not against if god can perform i've seen god perform miracles
to me just waking up tomorrow is a miracle i don't need to be i don't need to see the waters move
and for someone to be made whole i've seen a miracle in my own life that i was on my way
to hell and now i'm on my way to heaven because of jesus christ because of him will that be made
whole that one that man that said those words and yes lord i will be made whole yes lord i want to
yes lord i want to be that person i don't want to be trusting in other people to get me there
or my efforts to crawl to that water doing the best i can i just want to rely on you
what you can do for me lord
so he's done this on the sabbath let's keep going there verse number 10 the jews therefore said
unto him that was cured it is the sabbath day it is not lawful for thee to carry thy bed
it's so amazing this man's been healed he's been sick for 38 years and instead of the jews going
wow praise god for your healing praise god that you're up and walking like he's carrying the bed
that's not what you're meant to be doing on the sabbath
and the jews are partly right you're not meant to work on the sabbath you're not meant to labor on
the sabbath okay they're partly right about that but they're missing the bigger picture
that this man's been made whole okay there's been a work of god in this man's life
verse number 11 he answered them he that made me whole the same said unto me take up my bed and
walk so he throws jesus under the bus he goes that's not my decision to carry the bed the one
that made me whole told me to carry my bed it's from jesus christ under the bus against you know
to the jews right not not intentionally but you know he's just being honest as to you know why
he's doing that verse number 12 then asked him what man is that which said unto thee take up
thy bed and walk and he that was healed wish not or knew not who it was for jesus had conveyed
himself away a multitude being in that place okay so there's a multitude there's a multitude amongst
that pool watching that water okay hoping to see that miracle take place and and then when jesus
comes he heals that man and then jesus christ just kind of goes into the midst of the other people
and the guy just doesn't remember like who was he exactly i can't even remember you know he just
he's gone he's amongst the multitudes now and again the sad reality that we see here is that
jesus christ can be walking through the multitudes but the multitudes do not recognize him
right they don't recognize him i mean out of all the people there
that could come to christ they're all just busy watching the water they could all get
they could all get healed the only one that got healed on that day was the one that had
an interaction with jesus christ he's the only one and christ is walking in the midst of the
multitudes and it's like well he's gone verse number 14 afterward jesus findeth him in the
temple so jesus christ ends up finding me in the temple later on and said unto him behold
thou art made whole sin no more lest the worst thing come unto thee wow we learned something
interesting there so the reason this man's been sick for 38 years is because of his sin
you know we all get sick right we're all gonna our bodies fail we're all gonna catch a flu or
catch the covert or catch whatever okay but you know there are some sicknesses that are a direct
consequence because of your sin for example if you're out there just drinking up the alcohol
and destroys your liver that's a consequence of sin okay you're out there smoking your cigarettes
and he causes lung cancer that's a result of your sin there are many things there are many sins that
have direct consequence but sometimes the lord god may just come down strong upon someone
and cause you to be in a sickness some type of illness because of your sin
and again let's not confuse things i i'm not saying that everybody that gets sick
is because you've sinned now we all get sick because of our sin nature this body is breaking
down because of a sin nature definitely okay but we see within this man there was something he was
doing we don't know exactly what he was but that's why he was cursed you know with this disease that
he had is because of his sin jesus christ says look stop doing that sin all right sin no more
lest a worse thing come unto thee you continue down that path man you're going to end up worse
than you were to begin with okay verse number 15 the man departed and told the jews that it was
jesus which made him whole and therefore did the jews persecute jesus and sought to slay him because
he had done these things on the sabbath day all right keep your finger there and come with me to
exodus chapter 20 come with me to exodus chapter 20 and verse number eight exodus chapter 20 and
verse number eight the significance of the sabbath day was to be a reminder that god created
all things within six days and on the seventh he rested from his works all right and this was so
important that you know god put this within the ten commandments that he gave to moses that we're
about to read here exodus chapter 20 verse number eight which says remember the sabbath day to keep
it holy six days shout thou labor and do all thy work but the seventh day is the sabbath of the
lord thy god in it thou shalt not do any work thou nor thy son nor thy daughter thy manservant
nor thy maidservant nor thy cattle nor thy stranger that is within thy gates so i want to
show you that the pharisees do have an understanding that no work should be done the sabbath so right
now they've got a problem they see a man carrying the bed that's work in their eyes
say this someone's healed this man on sabbath that's another work that's been done
on the sabbath and so they seek to slay jesus okay i want to show you that you know it's
they're kind of kind of right but of course not completely right which we'll understand as we
keep going there verse number 17 back to sorry john chapter five verse number 17
john chapter five verse number 17 says in verse number 17 but jesus answered them
my father worketh hitherto and i work this is the sabbath day jesus says my father works so i work
wow jesus christ is not covering up the facts he says look i'm doing works yeah i am doing works
in the sabbath you say pass that so did jesus christ not keep the sabbath
well let's keep going there verse number 18 therefore the jews sought the more to kill him
and by the way before we keep reading verse 18 what are we seeing here and the the narrator once
again the narrator is telling us this information the narrator of the bible is the holy spirit
okay you can question when the bible is referring to words being spoke by man you can assess that
and say hey is this right or wrong but when it comes to the narrator telling us what's taking
place of course it's correct it's the holy spirit telling us the events of the story here verse
number 18 verse again it says therefore the jews sought the more to kill him because he not only
had broken the sabbath but said also that god was his father making himself equal with god
so when jesus christ says that's my father my father works so i work the jews you're making
yourself equal with god and of course jesus christ is god he is equal to god he is equal with the
father okay but not only that we see within the narrator here the narrator tells us that
he broke the sabbath doesn't it isn't that what it says because he had not only broken the sabbath
yes jesus broke the sabbath according to the bible he said i don't understand pastor how is
that the case how can you break the sabbath if jesus christ was meant to fulfill all the law
i mean there's an easy explanation to this and if you can please keep a finger there
and come with me to matthew chapter 12 come with me to matthew chapter 12 in verse number 11
matthew chapter 12 and verse number 11
jesus christ uses the very simple principle here in matthew chapter 12 verse 11
and he said unto them what man shall there be among you that shall have one sheep and if it
fall into a pit on the sabbath day will he not lay hold on it and lift it out jesus christ is
in common sense and reasoning look if you've got a sheep that falls in a pit on the sabbath day
if you leave it there it's going to die or get you know or suffer greatly wouldn't you just as
a reasonable person even if it's a sabbath pull that sheep out he's asking that question
then he continues in verse number 12 how much then sorry how much then is a man better than
a sheep wherefore is it lawful to do well on the sabbath days to do well on the sabbath days is
lawful okay so even though christ broke the sabbath he did that which is lawful okay he did
not do something that is unlawful he did something which is lawful to do good on the sabbath is not
committing sin okay so one thing we learn here in the times of of the old testament that yeah if
your sheep was in distress if there was a time to to aid a man which is much better than sheep
to heal a man to help a man in turmoil to save life then yes you're breaking the sabbath
but you're breaking the sabbath is justified it's not it's not unlawful
okay because again the greater picture of this what the sabbath is sabbath is a rest from works
okay which is a picture an object lesson of the old testament pointing us once again to
what salvation is that salvation is not of works but it is resting on the finished work of jesus
christ you rest salvation is no i'm not going to work anymore lord i'm not going to work my way
to heaven i'm going to rest in the finished work of jesus christ jesus is my sabbath rest
that's what the sabbath represents salvation doing that which is good and of course that which is
good is lawful let's say we were keeping the sabbath in the same way of the old testament
saints let's like saturday where that would be the sabbath and someone comes up to you and says
what must i do to be saved i need to know how to go to heaven which of you would be like well it's
a sabbath i'm not required to work right now so hey wait till tomorrow i'll tell you about the
gospel tomorrow no that would be wicked that'd be wicked all right a sabbath is about healing
it's about salvation you know even if your animal was struggling on the sabbath it was lawful to
help that creature how much better is a man how much better is the soul of a man than the health
of an animal so christ is not doing anything wrong is what i'm trying to say he hasn't committed sin
yes he's broken the sabbath but what he's done is justified and it is lawful
okay verse number 19 john chapter 5 verse number 19
then answered jesus and said unto them verily verily i say unto you the son can do nothing of
himself but what he seeeth the father do for what thing soever he doeth these also doeth the son
likewise just i'm just doing what the father does i've seen the father do i've seen the father heal
so i'm healing jesus christ is saying i'm an obedient father i've seen what the father does
so i'm doing the same thing i'm an obedient son we learned something about parenting in these verses
okay let uh let's look at it again verse 19 then answered jesus said and said verily verily i
sent to you the son can do nothing of himself but what he see if the father do you know what parents
sometimes we say to our children we say do what i say but not what i do that's not how our heavenly
father is our heavenly father sets the example first he shows his son what he does and then the
son does likewise parents we need to do the same thing if we want our children to write to to love
the lord and to do that which is right then we need to set that example for them the father set
that example for his son verse number 20 for the father love of the son and show of him all things
that him that himself doeth and he will show him greater works in these that ye may marvel
he says look the father loves me that's why he's showed me all the things that he does
can we learn nothing about fathers fathers if you don't teach your children if you don't show them
the right way you do not love your children jesus christ says the father loves me that's why he's
showing me all the things that he does all fathers parents you love your children you got to teach
them you got to guide them you're going to direct them you can't just say oh that's just the mum's
job i'm at work the mother's raising the kids that's her business no the father shows you
direct your kids fathers you're the head of your house give them direction in life set a
good example so they can follow likewise and that is love verse number 21 for as the father
raised up the dead and quick enough them that's quick enough means to made alive even so the son
quick enough whom he will for the father judge of no man but have committed all judgment unto the
son very interesting something else interesting doctrines that jesus christ is teaching us
remember i told you it's christ that came on the scene teaching us about the trinity teaching us
about the father son the holy spirit and the relationship in this one god that we worship
and serve but we see it the father's committed judgments unto the son wow that's interesting
you may remember that as believers we're all one day going to stand before the judgment seat of
christ christ is going to judge us for what we've done as believers for him he's going to reward you
for the great things that you've done for jesus christ in your life we also learn about another
judgment in the book of revelation the great white throne judgment okay we're unbelievers
are going to be judged the books are going to be open the names are not going to be found in the
lamb's book of life and they're going to be cast into the lake of fire tormented day and night
forever and ever i personally believe based on this verse that it's jesus christ once again on
that great white throne judgment that's my belief because the father has passed judgment there onto
the sun we as we keep going we're going to see things that flesh out this idea and look i'm not
here i'm not saying that i know all the mysteries of god here i'm just i'm just trying to point out
certain things that christ is saying and i think it's wise not to just read over it and read over
quickly but pay attention what is christ really saying you know why is he saying these things
verse number 23 so this is why the father has committed all judgment to the son
that all men should honor the son even as they honor the father he that honoreth not the son
honoreth not the father which have sent him if you don't honor the son then you don't honor
the father who sent him
it's quite interesting the only way to god is through the son is through jesus christ you reject
the son you're rejecting the father you dishonor the son you dishonor the father
every religion every false religion that this honors the son this honors the father you know
the two main religions that do this of course is islam islam islam they deny god has no son
god cannot have a son and you know that their vision of what a son is that they think i've
spoken to a lot of a lot of muslims they think we teach that the father came into mary carnally
you know sexually and then and then she brought forth a son and they're like god cannot do this
and that's what they're taught in their moss that that's what we believe that's not what we believe
at all okay this was a spiritual work of god and mary was still a virgin and pregnant we believe
there was a virgin birth okay they dishonor the son islam dishonors the son they don't believe in
the son so guess what they dishonor the father judaism do they believe in the son of god jesus
christ no they reject the son therefore they reject the father they dishonor the son they
dishonor the father judaism is not and we'll look at this as we keep going judaism is not
old testament christianity without the new testament that's not what it is it's not like
oh they're doing things right the way moses and abraham and all these other men did things but
they just forgot to read the new testament no because we'll see later on if they believed
moses they would have believed on jesus they never believed the scriptures of the old testament
verse number 24 jesus christ says very very i sent to you he that heareth my word and believeth on
him that sent me hath everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from
death unto life say hold on jesus christ saying in order to have everlasting life we must believe
in the one that sent the son say hold on i don't understand that pastor are we not to believe in
the son are we meant to believe in the father instead in order to have everlasting life
don't forget the words what jesus christ has finished saying in order to have the father
you must have the son in order to honor the father you must honor the son okay the only way and and
so in other words yes you do have to believe in the father in order to have everlasting life
but the only way that you can believe in the father is if you have first trusted in christ
you must have christ in order to have the father so yes the father sent the son
okay because if you dishonor the son if you dishonor the one the father sent
then you're dishonoring the father you must believe in him that sent the son of course you do
okay now this is an important verse because as we keep going there's a verse later in this chapter
that might sound confusing but if you remember this verse it'll clarify all things i'll read
verse number 24 once again verily verily i sense you hear that hear of my word and believe on him
that's have sent me that sent me hath everlasting life let's keep reading there and shall not come
into condemnation will not be condemned but is passed from death unto life brethren we've already
passed from death into life okay it's already happened i know we're looking forward to the
rapture the resurrection the physical resurrection but something has already transpired spiritually
within you you've passed from death into life the moment you've trusted the son and by default then
trusted the father let's keep going there verse number 25 jesus christ then says these words in
verse 25 verily verily i send to you the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the
voice of the son of god and they that hear shall live now verse number 25 might sound like a
resurrection passage i can understand that but i believe once again it's speaking about the time
you've trusted christ and you've passed from death into life and i'll explain that to you
in a minute why because it says well explain to you now okay let's read it carefully verse
number 25 verily verily i sent to you the hour is coming it's coming and now is so has the
resurrection already happened no the physical resurrection i'm talking about here from the
graves that's not happened okay this is something that's coming and now is now this language was
used once again when jesus christ spoke to the woman the samaritan woman at the will if you may
remember if you come back with me to john chapter four come with me to john chapter four verse number
22 john chapter four verse number 22 jesus christ is given the woman at the will the gospel you know
and she's trying to understand these spiritual truths it's not yet clicked in for her and then
jesus christ says these words because she's talking about being a worshiper a worshiper in
the mountains the jews worship in jerusalem and then jesus christ speaks to her about the true
worshippers meaning those that just worship at physical locations they're not true worshippers
okay but there are true worshippers that he speaks about here in john chapter 4 verse number 22 he
says ye worship ye know not what jesus christ says you don't know what you're worshiping
she's finished saying look we worship the father in the mountains because you don't know what you're
worshiping okay he goes we know what we worship for salvation is of the jews then he says these
verses in verse number 23 but the hour cometh and now is when the true worshippers shall worship the
father in spirit and in truth for the father seeker of such to worship him and so the hour
was coming for her to get saved and now it's now and the penny drops when she realizes this is the
christ this is the savior of the world and then she goes and preaches the gospel to the people
in the city in samaria so the it's the hour is sorry uh the hour cometh and now is was referring
to her salvation and of course those that came from the city that got saved under the preaching
of jesus christ jesus christ is once again using that same language of saying it's coming and now
is look when we go door to the soul winning we should have that mindset the hour cometh okay
this is the hour going out soul winning and hopefully we see someone gets saved and now is
that person gets saved the moment they trust christ because i want to show you that it's
something that took place in the present moment okay so come back with me to john chapter five
and verse number uh john chapter five verse number 25 i'll read it again very very rarely
i sent to you the hour is coming and now is when the dead shall hear the voice of the son of god
and they that hear shall live we need to hear the voice of the son of god and of course jesus christ
is the word of god and in order for you to be saved you must hear the word now very quickly i'm
going to read to you just to further give reinforcement to this truth that i just read
to you come with me to roman seven you go to roman seven roman seven please roman seven
and it is a long chapter i'm trying my best to give it due diligence and trying to speed through
it as well but you got a roman seven verse number nine roman seven verse number nine which says
this is the words of paul for i was alive without the law once but the commandment came
sin revived and i died you see the moment we're confronted with the laws of god we realize we're
sinners we're not perfect we're not righteous we die spiritually everyone that is unsaved in this
world has had a spiritual death and then it continues in verse number 10 and the commandment
which was ordained to life i found to be unto death for sin taken occasion by the commandment
deceived me and by it slew me of course paul is still speaking in the flesh physically
he's still alive but he's saying hey there was a time when i died spiritually
and i'll read another passage to you ephesians 2 1 and you have be quickened or be made alive
who were dead in trespasses and sins we were dead but the moment we've trusted christ we've
made alive don't forget john chapter three what they've got what did jesus christ say
he must be born again speaking about a spiritual life we need a new life
okay yes we've been given a physical life but we need a spiritual life because we've all died
spiritually again the moment you trust in christ you've been born again into his family okay so
we pass from death unto life you know and we've heard the words of jesus christ we've heard the
gospel someone was was was uh kind and love enough to tell us about the bible about the
words of god the gospel message and we've trusted in that word and then we were made alive
let's keep going there john took the five that's number 26 john 5 26
for as the father hath life in himself so have he given to the son to have life in himself
so he says look i've got the ability to give people life i've got the ability to save souls
and then look at verse number 27 this is really interesting and have given him authority to
execute judgment also we saw that already the father has given judgment over to the son
and then he says this interesting phrase and again i don't fully understand it
i'll tell you what i think but maybe it's a lot deeper than what i think okay he says because this
is why the father has given judgment to the son because he is the son of man he just finished
saying that he's the son of god father he's the son of the father now says look the reason the
father has given me authority to judge is because i'm also the son of man okay can you explain that
to me i'll try my very best okay you see jesus christ experienced humanity when he came to this
okay a hundred percent man a hundred percent god this is not something the father has experienced
i mean the father obviously knows what man is okay but the father has not been made flesh the
word was made flesh the son of god was made flesh and christ has experienced humanity and so because
of this we here we see here the father has passed judgment onto the son okay what's the significance
of that what jesus christ knows what it is to be man jesus christ knows what it is to be tempted
jesus christ knows what it is to become weary jesus christ you know when he healed the sick
don't forget the stuff the sicknesses came upon his body don't forget within his body within his
flesh he took on the sins of the whole world jesus christ has experienced something unique
of humanity and because of this the father has given judgment over to the son
and here's just my thoughts again i'm just i'm just shooting some things out there okay
i'm not saying 100% perfect on this but this removes any excuse that man can have on the
day of judgment to say god but you don't know what it's like to be a man god you don't know
what we struggle with god you don't know what it is to suffer because of sin and christ could say
yes i was the son of man i did suffer for all sin all of that you know i i i experienced the
wrath of god for all of the sins of all mankind and there because of that knowledge because of
that experience christ is able then to judge all of man and again maybe it's deeper than that i
don't know again these are some deep mysteries that i can't fully wrap my head around but it's
see how important it was for the son of son of god to become the son of man that he can then
pass judgment on all of man verse number 28 christ says marvel not at this now it says these words
again for the hour is coming but it doesn't say for the hour is coming and now is now saying
something different for the hour is coming in the which all are all that are in the grave shall hear
his voice so now we're talking about the graves and shall come forth they they have done good
unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation
now we're talking about a time that is coming the hour is coming but not is not not now because
that was salvation now we're talking about a physical resurrection a resurrection of life
and a red resurrection of damnation damnation is condemnation with condemnation there's a
resurrection coming you're not strange this is a rapture this jesus christ is teaching us about
the resurrection from the dead and you know what blows my mind i've heard preachers say
jesus never taught on the resurrection
jesus christ never taught on the rapture the rapture was this mystery you know hidden
for all time until paul came on the scene and then he was given the mystery of the resurrection
mystery of the rapture so then we can only really understand what the resurrection is
through the writings of paul again i'm not exaggerating i hear those things i've heard
and then i i read my bible and go hold but jesus christ is speaking about the resurrection
you say maybe it's different things the resurrection the rapture keep your finger
there and come with me to first corinthians 15 first corinthians 15 please first corinthians 15
and verse number 51
first corinthians 15 51 we're looking at the second most famous passage on the rapture
okay first thessalonians 4 is the most famous first corinthians 15 is the second most famous
passage on the rapture first corinthians 15 51 says the words of paul behold i show you a mystery
we shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed so this is about the rapture in a moment
in the twinkling of an eye at the last trump for the trumpet shall sound and the dead shall be
raised incorruptible and we shall be changed for this corruptible must put on incorruption
and this mortal must put on immortality that's the rapture the new resurrected body that we receive
this corrupted body is going to be changed into one that it's incorruptible this mortal
body is going to be changed into one that is immortal okay they say well is that really
about the resurrection maybe the different things well just come with me a few verses up
they're in verse number 42 first corinthians 15 verse 42 which says so also is the resurrection
of the dead it is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption so what's the
resurrection of the dead the corruption gets changed into incorruption what's the rapture
about this corrupted body taking on an incorruptive body this mortal body taking on an immortal body
and so jesus christ taught on the resurrection jesus christ taught on the rapture
it's just that for some reason preachers don't like it when jesus christ speaks about it
so then they can add their timing that they prefer because it doesn't mesh with what jesus christ said
about it jesus christ oh that's just the resurrection of the jews or something
no it's the resurrection of the dead okay now first of all some people say well hold on paul
said it's a mystery that means nobody knew about it until paul revealed it okay that's your
definition of a mystery that's your that's your bible college's definition of a mystery it may
not be god's definition of a mystery though i believe there is a mystery that has been revealed
in that passage and i'll share with you in a minute what it is but a resurrection from the
dead is not the mystery the rapture is not the mystery okay this is something that's been known
not only taught by jesus christ but this was known by old testament saints you don't need
to turn there but i'll read to you from daniel 12 verse 2 daniel 12 verse 2 and many of them
that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and
everlasting contempt that's a resurrection of condemnation
but some will experience the resurrection of everlasting life we already saw when christ
taught he was teaching of two types of resurrections daniel's teaching the same
thing and old testament saints so don't tell me paul's the only one that knew about it and
revealed something that nobody else knew about what about before the old testament did the saints
before the old testament know the resurrection of the dead well one very famous old testament saint
before the old testament i shouldn't call it one very famous saint before the old testament of
course is joe joe 19 verse 25 he says for i know that my redeemer liveth and that he shall stand
in the latter day upon the earth then he says in verse number 26 and though my skin worms destroy
this body yet in my flesh shall i see god because even if the worms destroy this body i'm still in
this flesh going to see god he believed in a resurrection a physical bodily resurrection
of the dead what i'm trying to say to you brevin as we keep going for this when christ teaches on
the resurrection it is good and proper and consistent to apply it to the rapture that we
learn about in the new testament scriptures it's the same thing the bible is not confusing in the
sense okay i mean man likes to confuse things man likes to just really speak over your heads and
when they don't like something that doesn't fit their graph doesn't fit their procedure they
want to try to force or that's not really about the same rapture that or resurrection that paul
spoke about well who says it by the authority of what how do you have the authority to tell me
that what christ says has nothing to do with the rapture it's ridiculous god's given us his word
we just need to read it and believe it and accept it straightforward it's not only straightforward
but it's so consistent when man wants to make all these multiple raptures that one's just for the
jews and that one's just for the gentiles and i think i've heard like the seven raptures or
something i don't know i mean it just gets more and more and more confusing and then when you
try to go to god's words to understand it and really it's not there say well how do i understand
it you got to pick up that book oh you got to invite that end times conference preacher to
come and explain it to you why can't i just read it in my bible say pastor what is the mystery then
something's been revealed and again i'm just giving my thoughts i do believe something's
been revealed i do believe i know what the mystery is of that passage not that there's
a resurrection because that's been known but rather that the resurrection is one of an
immortal incorruptible body made like unto jesus christ that's what i believe the mystery is not
that there's just a resurrection but this body is special like the one like unto jesus christ made
like unto christ i believe that's the mystery that's been revealed in these passages but the
resurrection has been known throughout history let's go back to john 5 john 5 24 oh sorry one
more thing in that passage of verse number 29 i think i'm going to go over time brethren i'm
going to do my best to speed up okay but uh let's look at it's important that we look at it again
uh in verse number 29 john 529 so who experiences the resurrection of life and who experiences the
resurrection of damnation let's read again verse 129 and shall come forth they that have done good
oh you have to do good works unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil oh you've
done evil works unto the resurrection of damnation see it is based on works okay well i've done good
and evil so which one do i experience haven't we all done good and evil every man has done some
good in life and every man has done some wickedness in life
so we have to decide within the context of what is that which is good and what is that which is evil
and that's why i told you keep in mind verse number 24 because christ already explained it
to us before we got to that passage go back to verse number 24 john 5 24 verily verily i
say unto you he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me half everlasting life so
what's the resurrection of life or the everlasting life the one that believes in the father what is
the good thing you must do to be saved believe in the father who sent the son
what is the evil thing he says and shall not come into condemnation but is passed from death unto
life shall not come into condemnation so the one that does not believe that the father sent the
son passes into that condemnation they experience the resurrection of damnation what is the good
thing to do to put your faith and trust on christ and the father who sent him what is the evil thing
that you have to do to experience the resurrection of damnation to not believe on the one that was
sent and that's how easy it is by looking simply at the context of the passage okay
let's keep going there verse number
30 john 5 30 jesus christ says i can of mine own self do nothing as i hear i judge and my judgment
is just because i seek not my own will but the will of the father which have sent me so he's
again an obedient son he says if i bear witness of myself my witness is not true interesting
he says if i'm the only one that speaks of my nature as the son of god here then my witness
is not true he says now you may recall in john chapter one john bear record that this is the son
of god okay but just by saying if i'm the only one saying it then yeah my witness is not true
and what christ is alluding to here is the teaching found in deuteronomy i'll just read
it to you quickly deuteronomy 19 15 that says at the mouth of two witnesses or at the mouth
of three witnesses shall the matter be established you see if someone had done a
crime and there's only one voice one witness it was not enough to to uh what's the word looking
for to condemn that person for the crime okay there needed to be at least two or three witnesses
and then investigations done before the matter could be established so just christ is using that
same thought process yeah if i'm the only one saying this yeah my witness is not true
some of you guys are familiar with a person called tyler doker coming and claiming himself
to be the son of god yeah it's only his witness only his witness is not true nobody else is
claiming tyler doker is the son of god if you don't know what i'm talking about don't waste
your time finding out so just to this question explain to us who these witnesses are who has
been claiming that this is the son of god verse 132 there is another bereft witness of me and i
know that the witness which is he witness of me is true he sent unto john and he bear witness
unto the truth he goes john's been bearing witness of me john's been pointing out this this is the
lamb of god which take away the sin of the world it's interesting that he says you sent unto john
now again you you know who jesus christ is speaking to once again who was sent unto john
who was making problems for john those that were sent by the pharisees again he's dealing with the
same people you sent unto john john told you about me he's already bear witness of me i'm not the
only one bearing witness of that i'm the son of god so has john the baptist and what's really
interesting as we keep going in verse number 34 he says but i receive not testimony from man
but these things i say that ye might be saved he says look i don't need the witness of man i don't
need john the baptist's witnessing of me so i'm justified because he's been sent by the father
okay but he says i'm telling you this that john bear witness of me but these things i say that
ye might be saved the reason john the baptist came on the scene pointing you to me is that you would
be saved you wicked pharisees even though these pharisees are the enemies of jesus christ
you can see here christ still wanted them saved
and who was it that god would use to try to convince these pharisees
john the baptist a witness reverend who's going to convince sunshine coast to believe on christ
we need a witness of man that's you going out with the word of god
and proclaiming christ jesus we must witness of christ if we care for people
christ cared for these people that hated him
there's probably people right now that want nothing in fact i'll give you a quick testimony
i'm sure i know we're going to go long in time tonight hope you don't mind but the first
salvation that i saw on saturday the guy was like not me and god you were there right
i'm not going to heaven i'm far from the lord you know i you know he said a few words you know
a few things he goes like i like nobody and nobody likes me and i've just decided i'm going to look
after myself because god's not going to look after me this kind of attitude with the profanity and
all that kind of stuff and at first he's going to tell me to get lost and then i told him hey
yeah if going to heaven was based on your performance how good or bad you are
you're right thanks for being honest that yeah you're not right with god and you're
on your way to hell but what if i told you that salvation was on the finished work of
jesus christ that it's not your performance that it's only it's all being paid for already
in jesus christ this is a man that was angry at god but the man got saved the man got saved
because i've never heard it like that before
and i when i wanted to lead him in prayer at the end of the presentation it's like i've already
done that i said no you haven't already done that the prayer the faith so-called that you had in the
past was on the things that he said i really committed my life i've really tried to do the
commandments i've already been going to flame tree baptist church and whatever see free and
whatever other churches he's been at yeah those churches do not preach the gospel they are not
witnesses of jesus christ they're telling you struggle try your best and maybe you'll make it
to the pool and get healed now set your eyes on jesus and jesus only and he at some point he
clicked i'm telling him it's not you stop thinking it's about you it's about christ just trust him
and he was so angry at god when he started and then he trusted the lord and i could see it in
his eyes i could this man was emotional and emotion doesn't prove anything but i could see
this man got it but we need witnesses don't we someone's got to go out there and i'm no hero
i'm just the rest like the rest of you guys you know i'm a sinner saved by grace just like
everybody else but we need to be utilized to witness of christ please don't waste your time
i know some have more time than others but utilize the time you've got to serve christ
to point people to him where i'm up to brevin verse number 35 speaking of john the baptist
it's quite interesting as well he says he was a burning and shining light and you were willing
for a season to rejoice in his lights jesus christ saying the pharisees that early in the
ministry of john the pharisees liked john they're like ah he's preaching the bible he's preaching
the scriptures and if you know that many of those that john the baptist converted and one to the
lord they were the ones going to these feasts they were the ones going to the temple and offering
their sacrifices and of course these religious leaders are going to like john the baptist if
they're all getting on fire for god and they're bringing the sacrifice and they bring the tithes
and the offerings to the lord of course these money hungry preachers are going to be excited
about the the revival so-called that's taking place so for a period yeah they rejoiced in
john the baptist but when john the baptist starts calling them vipers okay then things changed when
john the baptist starts telling them that they're in sin and they're not right with god just because
the children of abraham you know then that then they had a problem with john the baptist because
at the very beginning jesus christ says you rejoiced in his life for a period
verse number 36 he goes but i have a greater witness than that of john for the works which
the father have given me to finish the same works that i do bear witness of me that the father have
sent me so he goes look i've got another witness not just john the baptist i've got something
greater than that the works i've just healed this man this should prove to you
that i'm being sent by the father that i'm doing god's work here
so he's got a second witness a greater witness got john the baptist number one he's got a second
witness remember at the mouth of two or three witnesses that every matter be established
well now he's got two he's got john the baptist he's got his works that witness of him
verse number 37 then he says these words and the father himself which have sent me have
borne witness of me because my father bears witness of me now i've got three witnesses
you have neither heard his voice at any time nor seen his shape you've never seen the father you've
never heard his voice which is another thing that's quite interesting to me because when
john the baptist baptized jesus the voice of the father said this is my beloved son in whom i'm
well pleased so it makes me think of two things number one maybe those that would reject christ
just did not have were not were unable to hear the father's voice could be or it just could be
that they weren't there when jesus christ himself was baptized but they did not hear the father's
voice but jesus christ says look the father testified of me those that heard the voice of
the father this is my beloved son they would say yes we've heard the witness of the father himself
testifying of the son so now we've got the third witness right there
they say well what about us pastor we're meant to be witnesses we're meant to be going out
and uh i'm just one i mean i'm not going to be able to show people the voice of the father and
i'm not going to be able to do these miraculous works to show that this is all you know the
father's business and what are we going to do which is christ doesn't stop there he gives us
another witness he's already got three he needed two or three now he's going to add another one
to it okay verse 138 and you have not heard his word abiding in you for whom he has sent him you
believed not search the scriptures for in them you think you have ever eternal life but they are but
they are they which testify of me the scriptures are the fourth witness they testify of christ
and brevin we have the scriptures we have that testimony
a greater testimony than that of john the baptist
as much as john the baptist will have to do a great work for god
we've been given the scriptures we've been given the word of god yeah you're out there testifying
of christ there's a second witness with you the word of god brevin you must use the word of god
when you preach the gospel you're not going to convince people people are not going to get saved
by your fancy speech or i can explain it better than the bible use the words of god use john
316 such a beautiful verse that one memorize the scriptures have a plan of salvation have the bible
it testifies of christ it's a greater testimony than that of john it's a greater testimony than
that of man it's a greater testimony than that of yours
but it's the second testimony that we use when we go and preach god's word
and of course we're relying on the holy spirit of god to do a work in the hearts of those people as
well the bible says in john 1017 so then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of god
being born again first peter 123 being born again not of corruptible seed but of incorruptible by
the word of god which liveth and abideth forever we must use the word of god when we preach the
gospel of jesus christ verse number 40 john 540 and you will not come to me that you might have
life i receive not honor from men but i know you that you have not the love of god in you
i am come in my father's name and you receive me not because i come by my father's authority and
you don't receive me he goes if another shall come in his own name him you will receive
now the direct context of this is he's talking about other men
if we want a deeper context we can definitely be speaking about the beast or the antichrist
someone else that claims to be christ and he's christ rejecting jews yeah they'll receive him
that comes by the authority of man but the direct context here he says look you you receive man
you want to please man you don't want to please god i come with the name of the father i come
by the authority of the father and you reject me you just rather accept man we'll keep going
you'll see this in verse number 44 how can you believe which receive honor one of another
amongst these pharisees yet they just pat each other's back they just want to receive honor one
of another they just want to be accepted by man he says and seek not the honor that coming from
god only see they don't want they don't want the honor that comes from god because sometimes if
you know receiving the honor of god's going to cause you to be rejected by man these pharisees
will rather be received by man the honor of man the authority of man than to please the lord
45 do not think that i will accuse you to the father this is interesting do not think that i
will accuse you to the father he goes i'm not going to go to the father and accuse you for not
believing on me he goes there is one that accuses you even moses in whom ye trust moses will accuse
you to the father for not believing on me in what way well we keep going there verse number 46 for
had you believed moses that's the writings of moses of course moses will not walk in at the
same time here you know the first five books of the bible the law if he had believed moses you
would have believed me for he wrote of me but you believe not his writings how shall you believe my
words boy isn't that amazing you know judaism they do not believe the moses
they do not believe the scriptures because jesus christ says if they did they would believe on
christ we've believed on christ because we believe moses because we believed the scriptures we've
heard the word of god faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of god and we believed it
and so brethren the title for the sermon tonight was greater witness than that of
john thank you for your patience i know i've gone over time it's a long chapter greater
witness than that of john you've got a greater witness than that of john the baptist we are
baptists but don't forget in order for you to win the loss to jesus christ you must open the
word of god it's a witness it's a testimony that's been given to us as a power as a method
to win souls to jesus christ please use the bible all right let's pray