GREATER WITNESS
John 5:36 But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. 37 And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. 38 And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.
John 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
The Lord Jesus had just stated, If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. (v.31) And then he told of the true witness of John the Baptist. But now he tells of the Greater Witness of God the Father being one with himself. For, as he said, his was not just a singular witness of his own personality and exploits. So it was not an outside preacher that was his greatest witness, but an inward Presence! …but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. He was not just, as Nicodemus stated, “a teacher come from God.” He was actually God come to teach!
Every thought; every word; every motive; every miracle; every direction in which he traveled was orchestrated by God the Father being one with him! John 8:29 And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him. 12:49 For I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak.
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? 10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. 11 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.
He has the same life as the Father! John 5:26 For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself; For he is one with the Father! John 10:30 I and my Father are one. John 10:38 But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. 1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh,
His Greater Witness is the works that he does among men, revealing that only God could accomplish such things! John 15:24 If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.
John 9:30 The man answered and said unto them, Why herein is a marvellous thing, that ye know not from whence he is, and yet he hath opened mine eyes. 31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth. 32 Since the world began was it not heard that any man opened the eyes of one that was born blind. 33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing.
And is this not the absolute pattern for the true believer? For a christian is not a man on earth looking up towards heaven. He is a man, sitting in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6), looking back towards earth. He judges all things by the inner Spirit of God! John 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. Colossians 1:27 To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:
Even in the worst days of adversity the Holy Spirit is within the true believer directing his path! Isaiah 30:20 And though the Lord give you the bread of adversity, and the water of affliction, yet shall not thy teachers be removed into a corner any more, but thine eyes shall see thy teachers: 21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Then in verse thirty-seven of our text we read that the Lord Jesus proclaims to this highly religious people that they have not benefitted at all from his being among them to reveal the Father. For he states that although his voice and appearance were the manifestation of God, they had not seen his shape or heard his voice by seeing him as very God! For as he told Philip, he that hath seen me hath seen the Father;
Listen to the ‘normal’ testimony of a true believer as to what they saw and heard as the Christ was revealed to them. 1 John 1:1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; 2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) 3 That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
This little ‘jesus’ of todays religion is kept as a dead god on a cross, or as a baby in a manger, or as Red Cross worker to hand out free stuff! The broad way of carnal religion is full. But very few are on the narrow way which leadeth unto life! For the difference is that these on the narrow way have seen not just memorized a few bible verses, and adhered to a form of traditional religion, but have ‘seen’ the glory of Christ! John 2:11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him. John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. 18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.
And that is where the problem lies – coming short of the glory! Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; And not having been born by the Spirit they cannot even see the spiritual kingdom of Christ! John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. For the kingdom is not seen in the performance of outward religious practices, but in the realm of the imputed righteousness of God! Romans 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.
They are erroneously convinced that the kingdom of God shall not exist until the end of the age. But that is because they have not experienced their personal entrance into the kingdom by the new birth. John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 5 Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
The kingdom is seen exclusively by faith! Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. It is a spiritual kingdom. John 18:36 Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence.
Abraham saw the kingdom of Christ by faith, across the centuries! John 8:56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw it, and was glad. 57 Then said the Jews unto him, Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham? 58 Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am.
God Was In Christ
The apostles speak of the Greater Witness of God being in Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. Notice in that verse eighteen that it was “God” who “reconciled,” or “restored us to himself by Christ!”
And Apostle Paul also in the Colossian letter writes of this. Colossians 1:18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; 20 And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.
Colossians 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Notice in that verse twenty it states, by him (that is by Jesus Christ), to reconcile all things unto himself; (that is unto God the Father)! Then it states in Colossians 2:9 that the fulness of the Godhead dwells in the embodiment of Jesus Christ! Therefore it was God who died on that cross!
Then the songwriter (Isaac Watts), did well as he penned these words:
“Well might the sun in darkness hide,
And shut its glories in,
When God, the mighty Maker died,
For man, the creatures sin.”
The Lord Jesus plainly stated that this great mystery would not be known until he had finished his work on the cross. John 8:28 Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And the Apostle Paul states that it would only be after the death of Christ is made effectual to the believer’s heart that he would thereafter understand his new relationship to God. 2 Corinthians 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
And we have record that after his death on the cross this was literally stated. Matthew 27:50 Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. 51 And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; 52 And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, 53 And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. 54 Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God.
Carefully and prayerfully consider these verses which concern themselves with the difference the death and resurrection of God makes in the true believers life. Romans 1:4 And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
For it was after his ascension, upon the sending of the Holy Spirit, the spirit of holiness, that the Lord Jesus was declared universally to be the Son of God. And his resurrection eternally established the justification of all the elect of God. For his resurrection proved that in all things, his birth, his life, and his death, he had pleased the Father, and thereby assured his satisfaction. Isaiah 53:11 He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Revelation 1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, 6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
God the Father was in Christ restoring the world unto Himself. Ephesians 1:20 Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, 21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: 22 And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, 23 Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
And in answer to the Son’s prayer, the Trinity shall fix itself into oneness with the redeemed church. John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 1 Corinthians 15:28 And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all. Revelation 21:3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Pastor Gene Breed
October 6, 2018
