Bible Text: John 5:16-47 | Preacher: Pastor Joe Ricchuiti | Series: John, The Sabbath and the Son

Recap of the sermon from March 11, 2012 (John 5:24-47):

1.  Jesus asserts His deity following the healing of the paralytic in John 5:1-15.  He claims equality with God in essential nature (vv. 16-18); in power (vv. 19-23); and in authority (vv. 24-30).

2.  Jesus’ divine authority is seen in that He offers eternal life to those who put their faith in Him.  They will not only never face judgment but pass from the realm of death to the realm of life (vs. 24).  In addition He has the authority to call the spiritually dead to eternal life and to call the physically dead out of the tomb (as He will do with Lazarus in Ch. 11).  Authority over life, death, and judgment are prerogatives of deity alone, thus Jesus is claiming to be equal with God.

3.  In 5:31-47 Jesus calls upon five witnesses to the fact of His deity:  John the Baptist (vv. 31-35); His own works/miracles (vs. 36); God the Father (vv. 37=38); the Scripture (vv. 39-44); and Moses (vv. 45-47).

-John the Baptist pointed the Jews to Jesus, as the Lamb of God and the Son of God.

-Jesus’ miracles showed that God the Father was at work through Him as He showed power over nature, over sickness, and over death

-God the Father affirmed the deity of Jesus at His baptism, the Transfiguration; and in the Triumphal Entry

-Repeatedly Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah, but the Jews had eyes but were blind to the truth, they didn’t lack evidence, but love for God; they exalted themselves while rejecting God.

-Moses (meaning the Pentateuch) spoke of the Redeemer God would send, the Prophet, the seed of Abraham, the Brass Serpent lifted up in the wilderness which saves from all those who looked to it in faith, the Passover, the Manna, the Offerings, the Priesthood.  All of which pointed to Jesus Christ and were fulfilled in Him.