On resurrection Sunday we discuss the great care taken in scripture, particularly by John the author of the gospel and the book of Revelation, to provide legal testimony to the claims that Jesus is the Messiah.
2. Joh 5:30-36 NLT
I can do nothing on My own. I judge as God tells Me. Therefore, My
judgment is just, because I carry out the will of the One who sent
Me, not My own will. 31 "If I were to testify on My own behalf, My
testimony would not be valid. 32 But Someone else is also testifying
about Me, and I assure you that everything He says about Me is true.
33 In fact, you sent investigators to listen to John the Baptist, and his
testimony about Me was true. 34 Of course, I have no need of
human witnesses, but I say these things so you might be saved. 35
John was like a burning and shining lamp, and you were excited for a
while about his message. 36 But I have a greater witness than John--
My teachings and My miracles. The Father gave Me these works to
accomplish, and they prove that He sent Me.
3. Witness # 1
• John the Baptist
– Knew Jesus all his life
– Told many about Jesus
– Died believing in Jesus
4. Luk 24:13-21 NLT
That same day two of Jesus' followers were walking to the
village of Emmaus, seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 As they
walked along they were talking about everything that had
happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these
things, Jesus Himself suddenly came and began walking with
them. 16 But God kept them from recognizing Him. 17 He
asked them, "What are you discussing so intently as you walk
along?" They stopped short, sadness written across their
faces. 18 Then one of them, Cleopas, replied, "You must be
the only person in Jerusalem who hasn't heard about all the
things that have happened there the last few days."
5. Luk 24:13-21 NLT
19 "What things?" Jesus asked. "The things that happened
to Jesus, the man from Nazareth," they said. "He was a
prophet who did powerful miracles, and He was a mighty
teacher in the eyes of God and all the people. 20 But our
leading priests and other religious leaders handed Him over
to be condemned to death, and they crucified Him. 21 We
had hoped He was the Messiah who had come to rescue
Israel. This all happened three days ago.
7. Luk 23:39-48 NLT
One of the criminals hanging beside Him scoffed, "So You're
the Messiah, are You? Prove it by saving Yourself--and
us, too, while You're at it!" 40 But the other criminal
protested, "Don't you fear God even when you have been
sentenced to die? 41 We deserve to die for our crimes, but
this man hasn't done anything wrong." 42 Then he
said, "Jesus, remember me when You come into Your
Kingdom." 43 And Jesus replied, "I assure you, today you
will be with Me in paradise." 44 By this time it was
noon, and darkness fell across the whole land until three
o'clock.
8. Luk 23:39-48 NLT
45 The light from the sun was gone. And suddenly, the
curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn down
the middle. 46 Then Jesus shouted, "Father, I entrust
My spirit into Your hands!" And with those words He
breathed His last. 47 When the Roman officer
overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he
worshiped God and said, "Surely this man was innocent.
" 48 And when all the crowd that came to see the
crucifixion saw what had happened, they went home in
deep sorrow.
9. Witness # 3
The Works
1. Lord of Quality - Water into wine
2. Lord of Space - Healing the royal official's
son in Capernaum
3. Lord of Time - Healing the paralytic at Bethesda
4. Lord of Quantity - Feeding the 5000
5. Lord of Nature - Jesus' walk on water
6. Lord of Misfortune - Healing the man born blind
7. Lord of Death - Raising of Lazarus
10. Our Testimony
• Our Belief in His Word and Works
• Our Living His Word and Works
He is Risen!
Editor's Notes
Currently most of the world is aware of the Oscar trial, You have to be pretty disconnected to not at least have heard about the trial. I have only caught snippets of the trial as the testimony of witnesses and now Oscar himself has been shown in the press. All of the goings on about this trial boils down to can Oscar be believed, is he speaking the truth. His own testimony is important but valuable only as far as it lines up with the testimony of others will it be believable. But another trial has been ongoing for almost two thousand years, another trial that is about verifying whether someone was lying or telling the truth, the trial about who Jesus really was. Many people, like the good folks from the “Church of Reality” claims that the Bible is a total book of fiction and that everything in it even the life of Jesus are mere fairy tales to be given as much credence as the Easter bunny, tooth fairy or father Christmas. The ongoing trial of Jesus, like that of Oscar hinges greatly on the testimony of witnesses. Some think that we shouldn’t be concerned about the historical correctness of the Bible but we should just focus on the message. But a position like this would not be in keeping about how seriously Jesus and the biblical others took the matter of proof. John the author of the gospel of John as well as Revelation took great effort in establishing the witnesses to testify that Jesus was who He said he was.They knew that the claims of Jesus would not survive very long if it did not proof credible to those alive at the time of Jesus. If the people that knew Jesus and saw Jesus didn’t believe Him then how could the rest of us trust in His claims. Therefore Johns carefully described for us many witnesses that attested to the veracity Jesus’ claims.The first witness was John the Baptist.
Joh 8:17-18 NLT Your own law says that if two people agree about something, their witness is accepted as fact. 18 I am one witness, and My Father who sent Me is the other."
During the live of Jesus there were many that testified to his actions. But lets jump to a very critical point in the future of the Jesus story. We pick up the events that followed after Jesus’ death. This was the potential end to the Jesus story, it appeared as if the claims of Jesus have all been found to be untrue that he was just another poser, because how can the son of God be dead. But here we see again how John lays down the evidence to support the claims of Jesus.
My teachings and My miracles.Portraits - second Adam, priest like Aaron and Melchizedek, the fulfillment of the offering of Isaac on Mount Moriah (the samemount as Mt. Calvary, where Jesus literally died.), the Passover lamb, scapegoat bearing away the sins of the people, the mercy seat where the shekinah glory of God dwells, lion of Judah.Prophecies - Did you know there are about 300 prophecies in the Old Testament about the coming Messiah? The Messiah will be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2) Fulfillment: Luke chapter 2 and Matthew 2:1. The Messiah would make His triumphant entry riding on a donkey (now what king does that?) Zechariah 9:9 “Behold, your king is coming to you; He is just and endowed with salvation, Humble, and mounted on a donkey, Even on a colt, the foal of a donkey.he Messiah would die by crucifixion. (Psalm 22, especially vv. 11-18)“…for dogs have compassed me; the assembly of the wicked have inclosed me; they have pierced my hands and feet.”Fulfillment: Luke 23:33, Matthew 27:35, Mark 15:24 John 19:235. Those who arrested Him would cast lots for His garments (Psalm 22:18)“They part my garments among them, and throw dice upon my vesture.Professor Peter Stoner was chairman of the mathematics and astronomy departments at Pasadena City College until 1953, then was Chairman of the Science Department at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, California. He wrote a book titledScience Speaks. He proved that it is impossible, by the law of mathematical probability, for Jesus Christ not to be the one true Messiah of Israel and the Son of God
Joh 20:30-31 NLT The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in Him you will have life by the power of His name.The Seven Signs od the Lordship of Christ (From John: The Gospel of Belief by Merrill C Tenney)These Signs occurred very publically with many eye witnesses and caused people to believe in Jesus.Changing water into wine in John 2:1-11Healing the royal official's son in Capernaum in John 4:46-54Healing the paralytic at Bethesda in John 5:1-18Feeding the 5000 in John 6:5-14Jesus' walk on water in John 6:16-24Healing the man born blind in John 9:1-7Raising of Lazarus in John 11:1-45
We are witnesses in the ongoing debate of who Jesus was. Through our belief in the Word and the Works we offer living proof that allow others to see Jesus for who He really Is. He is Risen!