The Voice of the Son of God

Lesson #86

With this lesson we begin our study of John 5:25 – 29, which looks at two resurrections. Click on the link and read carefully our text and see what points stand out for you. As I read the ESV translation I notice there are four sentences expressing four thoughts which we will cover in four lessons. In this lesson we will focus on the three parts of verse 25: “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live” (ESV). We see that there is a special hour when something is going to happen; in that hour there will be a voice with an important message; those who hear the message will live.

In the beginning it was Jesus who spoke the universe into existence “and he upholds (or sustains) the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3 ESV). It is appointed for all to die and then to face judgment (Hebrews 9:27). The dead, who are a part of his universe, hear the voice of the Son of God, are these who are appointed to die. Everyone, without exception, will hear the voice of the Son of God. When the Day of Judgment comes it will be clear that the Son of God did speak, but what was said was ignored. Those who heard and responded will not come into judgment.

Those who hear the voice and respond in faith, coming to Jesus, will live. “If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9 ESV). “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36 NASB). “Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life” (1 John 5:12 ESV). Jesus, the Son of God, speaks to everyone and each will choose. Most will choose by ignoring and will remain in their sin, but those who respond in faith will live.

When is this hour that is coming and is now here? As a teen I heard the voice of the Son of God and I felt compelled to come to Jesus by faith and receive the gift of eternal life. I am confident, and have the assurance of the indwelling Holy Spirit, that I will again hear his voice as he raises me from the dead. A close childhood friend of mine has yet to respond to the first voice and if there is no response, he will one day hear the voice in his call to judgment. For each person there is an hour, a window of destiny. During that hour it is only Jesus who has the authority to speak and be heard. It is he who stands above his creation; who provided the means of salvation; who has the authority to call people to salvation.

Prayer

Father, preparing this lesson has brought to mind a conversation my friend and I had in church one day before either of us was saved. We were talking about our behavior and I expressed a concern about mine. He expressed no such sensitivity. Father, my sensitivity continued to grow to the point of salvation and his did not. It seemed that in me fertile soil had been prepared to receive the word of life and in him there was no such soil. Father, I am convinced that those you choose for salvation you prepare the heart to hear the voice of Jesus calling. Father, thank you for extending mercy to me and Lord, in mercy your gift of eternal life.

Scripture Tension

Lesson #85

In this lesson we will cover John 5:22 – 24 and deal with the tension found between verses 19 and 22. In verse 19, “The Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing” (ESV); in verse 22, “The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son” (ESV). It seems that in verse 22 Jesus does something that he does not see his Father doing. In John 3:17 we learned that God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save it. We need to consider what is not being said here. Based on verse 19 it can’t mean that Jesus doesn’t see the Father judging and goes ahead and judges anyway. We know from John 3:36 that God does judge because his wrath remains on the one who does not obey the Son.

Again a perfect union is seen here, but this time the standard is on the Son because of his unique involvement on the basis of judgment. This judgment is relative to the work Jesus accomplished on the cross. How a person is judged is based on that person’s relationship with Jesus. Lack of belief allows God’s wrath to remain on the person; belief removes it. All enter life under the wrath of God, but based on their relationship to Jesus can be removed from. Both Father and Son are involved in Judgment, but the critical point is the relationship with Jesus. This is pointed out in verse 23: “Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him” (ESV). Judgment remains on the person who fails to honor the Son. Judgment is determined on whether a person honors Jesus for who he really is. In that sense all judgment is given to the Son. As we study this it becomes clear that the Father and the Son are in perfect step with each other.

Verse 24 concludes this thought very well: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life” (ESV). Anyone who truly hears the gospel and comes to Jesus in belief will experience something awesome. That person will not come into judgment because the wrath that the person entered life with is removed through the work Jesus did on the cross. As a result that person passes from spiritual death on to eternal life.

Jesus heals the man beside the pool to get his attention so that a conversation could be had about his holiness; “Go and sin no more.” In the process of doing this Jesus makes it clear that he is not working alone, but in total union with his Father thus making himself equal with the Father. The two are inseparable in work and are inseparable in honor. Failure to honor the Son results in failure to honor the Father. This makes Jesus unique. He is the key that unlocks our passage to heaven. There is no other!

Prayer

Father, as I ponder over these last two lessons, I am struck by the relationship between you and your Son. You have such love for your Son and he is in total submission to you. By this I am reminded of the Lord’s sacrificial love for me and the need for me to honor and submit to him. I am further reminded that as a husband I am to sacrificially love my wife and she is to respect and submit to me. In these three cases I see it is love that creates the bond of unity. Father, forgive me for falling so far short of the example expressed by Jesus.

Total Submission

Lesson #84

We saw in the last lesson that the Jews were seeking to kill Jesus because he was breaking the Sabbath and because he was referring to God as his Father, making himself equal with God. Jesus doesn’t let up but responds with, “Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will” (John 5:19 – 21 ESV).

I have read these verses many times in the past, but never stopped to really think of what was being said. Repeating “truly” implies what follows is very important. Looking at the three translations I usually work from we find that the Son “can do nothing of his own accord” (ESV); “can do nothing of his own initiative” (NET); “can do nothing of Himself” (NASB). Jesus doesn’t decide to act independent of his Father. When I was growing up on my dad’s dairy farm, I didn’t do anything on my own without first receiving directions from my dad. I had to act in accordance with the will of my dad. By the nature of the union between Jesus and his Father, he did nothing he was not commanded to do and that which he did he sees the Father doing. The connection between them is so strong that whatever the Father does, the Son does and whenever the Father acts, Jesus acts. This working together; this union between them is based on the Father’s love for his Son. It is a love that shares all and includes Jesus in everything. It is that love which glues them together to act as one. In saying this Jesus was clearly saying he was one with the Father and thus he was God.

Jesus has turned water into wine, healed the official’s son and now this man. God performed miracles in the Old Testament and so Jesus is not doing anything on his own. Jesus continues by saying that even greater works will done. As his Father, God in the Old Testament raised the dead and thus don’t be surprised that the Son can and will give life to whom he will.

Consider your union with Jesus. How independent are you in what you do or is there a union of obedience to his commands based on love? This union is to be as close as two oxen yoked together pulling a load.

Prayer

Father, what a lesson this is in singleness of purpose. To see this union of purpose in love between you and your Son is an example to me of how I am to relate to you as your child. I confess that I have much to learn before I realize that perfect submission I will experience in heaven. Forgive my self-centeredness and encourage me to greater submission as revealed in this lesson.

Jesus Is Equal with God

Lesson #83

In this lesson we will look at only John 5:18: “This was why the Jews were seeking all the more to kill him, because not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God” (ESV). Two reasons are given in this verse why the Jews were seeking to kill Jesus; first, according to the Jews Jesus was working when performing miracles and thus he was breaking the Sabbath; second, calling God his Father the Jews believed Jesus was making himself equal with God, which was blasphemy and punishable by death.

In John 5:17. Jesus made it very clear that both he and his Father were working together, as we will see in our next lesson, but doing what. At the end of the work of creation, “God rested from all his work that he had done in creation” (Genesis 2:3 ESV). At this point everything was perfect “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good” (Genesis 1:31 ESV). Then “The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”” (Genesis 2:15 – 17 ESV). We know what happened. Eve took some of the forbidden fruit and took a bite and she gave some to Adam and he also ate and then their eyes were opened to what had happened (Genesis 3:1 – 7). Because of sin, creation was corrupted and at that point the Father and Son began the work of restoration and continue to this day. That work of restoration is the work referred to in John 5:17.

The Jews saw Jesus as simply a man with unusual abilities, but they were not willing to accept the fact that he was the Messiah, the Son of God, and the Christ. In John 10:30, Jesus said, “I and the Father are one” (ESV). The Jews picked up stones to stone him and Jesus asked why. The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God” (John 10:33 ESV). The Jews could not accept this and most people today can’t either. As a believer we know that Jesus is God (John 1:1, 14). In fact we are children of God and call him “Father”. Maybe that is a reason why the world hates us and persecutes us because we refer to God as our Father.

Prayer

Father, it brings me such joy to know you as my Father. Thank you for adopting me into your family by causing me to be born again. Lord, thank you for your sacrifice that made this possible. Thank you for the living hope I have of being fully restored to the image of God.

A Call to Holiness

Lesson #82

In our last lesson we were looking at the two issues found in John 5:13 – 14; first, “Why did Jesus quickly disappear into the crowd after healing the man without further conversation with him about spiritual matters?” and second “Why did he later find the man and speak to him about his sin?” We addressed the first issue and in this lesson we will look at the second.

As we look further into these two verses, we realize that the main purpose was not to heal the man, but to use his healing as an opportunity to have conversation with him about spiritual matters. Jesus begins that conversation by saying to the man, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you” (John 5:14 ESV). Jesus chooses a person who had a need that he was unable, on his own, to overcome. Jesus saw the need and chose to give a free gift of health, but there is something worse than being disabled for 38 years and that is enduring the wrath of God in Hell for an eternity for a life of sin.

Jesus demonstrated to this man that he has the power to provide health. In his conversation with the man after his healing he suggest that he also has power over sin to provide eternal life. In his conversation, Jesus moves the focus of the man’s need for health to the need to overcome the problem of sin. That is the same job that has been assigned to each one of us as believers. We are to intentionally create conversation with those in need of salvation to help them see their sin problem and how Jesus is the way to overcome it. Jesus later says, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6 ESV).

As I look back over this incident at the pool I notice there are a great number there that need healing, but Jesus chose only one. We are not told why he chose that one and not someone else or why he chose only him. Also this healing did not remove future suffering for the man. When we receive the gift of eternal life this does not remove our battle with sin or the suffering we will experience before death. Full healing for the believer will occur at the second coming of Jesus. As with this man, Jesus provides a foretaste of the complete healing he will provide at his second coming. This statement to this man to “Sin no more” is a call to holiness. We receive that same call when we are born again.

Jesus chooses to work on the Sabbath by performing miracles to draw attention to the fact that his Father also works on the Sabbath; “And this was why the Jews were persecuting Jesus, because he was doing these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, “My Father is working until now, and I am working” (John 5:16 – 17 ESV). This raises a question; “Why is the Father working?” Did not God rest after creation? So, what is he working on? We will look at this in our next lesson.

Prayer

Father, I am told to be holy as you are holy. This same command is given to the man that Jesus healed by saying, “Go and sin no more.” Lord, thank you for keeping me close to you by keeping me close to your word. Thank you for these studies because the word covered for these lessons are so spiritually nourishing. 

God Makes Choices

Lesson #81

We ended the last lesson at John 5:9 with the disabled man of 38 years being healed by Jesus and told to pick up his mat and start walking. The problem was it was the Sabbath and to be seen carrying his mat would surly cause a conflict with the Jews because that was not an acceptable thing, in their view, to do on such a day. Surely Jesus knew this would create conflict, but “Conflict in the ministry of Jesus is the furnace where the steel of his identity is forged. In the fires of conflict, his glory is made to shine” (John Pieper). Let us continue on with John 5:10 – 17 and see how this conflict develops and what we learn about Jesus from it.

“So the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath, and you are not permitted to carry your mat.”“ (John 5:10 NET). The conflict begin! The man who for 38 years lay by the pool, trying to be the first to enter its waters when it was stirred to receive healing, was healed by Jesus and is now in trouble with the Jews because he is in violation of one of the Jewish many rules; he was carrying his mat on the Sabbath. The man answers them by saying, “The man who healed me, that man said to me, ‘Take up your bed, and walk.’” (John 5:11 ESV). In an attempt to get himself out of trouble, he blames his behavior on the one who healed him. Wanting to know who to go after for giving such a command, the Jews asked the man, “Who is the man who said to you, ‘Take up your bed and walk’?” (John 5:12 ESV). This question creates a problem for the man because he didn’t know the name of the one who healed him.

At this point we need to use our imagination to fill in the details of what happened in the interval between not being able to give the Jews the name of the one who healed him to where Jesus found him in the temple. All we know is that “the man who had been healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn, as there was a crowd in the place. Afterward Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, “See, you are well! Sin no more, that nothing worse may happen to you.”” (John 5:13 – 14 ESV). There are two issues we need to look at in these two verses; first, “Why did Jesus quickly disappear into the crowd after healing the man without further conversation with him about spiritual matters?” and second “Why did he later find the man and speak to him about his sin?” We will finish this lesson by suggesting an answer to the first question and then leave the spiritual aspect of the second question for the next lesson?

Jesus had just performed a miracle in the midst of a crowd of people. He told the man he had just healed what to do and then disappeared before anyone else realized what had happened to prevent the turmoil that would surly result from many others wanting to be healed. Jesus had a specific mission in mind and it did not include a general healing of people, but was to focus on the sin aspect of this one man. Jesus chose this man to speak to his soul just as God chooses us out of the crowd of humanity to provide us with salvation. Salvation is by grace. It is a gift given by God just as this man was chosen by Jesus to be healed. The man did not seek to be healed by Jesus, but was simply a recipient of his grace.

Prayer

Father, I was simply a child confined in the orphanage of sin, but with such love you visited the orphanage and you chose me and you caused me to be born again. You passed over many others, but for some reason you extended mercy to me and by your grace you saved me. I had nothing to offer you because I was dead in my sin, but you made me alive in Christ for which I do not cease to give thank.

Healing the Man at the Pool

Lesson #80

With this lesson we begin chapter 5. We will look at the section defined by John 5:1 – 9. After the time spent with the Samaritans, Jesus went up to Jerusalem to attend the feast of the Jews (John 5:1). “Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool called Bethzatha in Aramaic, which has five covered walkways” (John 5:2 NET). Here at this pool is the next divine appointment for Jesus. As I prepare these lessons and see Jesus going from place to place to encounter people I can’t help but think of how this works in my life. I felt strongly led to go to China and over an eight year period I had the opportunity of teaching Bible in churches and a seminary and had conversations with many Chinese students about the Christian faith. I also think of his leading to go to Tajikistan, India and Mongolia to learn about different cultures. I think of the VOM conference that the Lord used to touch my life and various online courses. I believe that Jesus is setting an example for us to be in tune with God to be where he wants us to be, doing the work he has assigned to us to do. For many this may be our next door neighbor or a person God brings across our path.

Lying in those walkways was a great number of sick, blind, lame, and paralyzed people (John 5:3) “[waiting for the moving of the waters; ⁴ for an angel of the Lord went down at certain seasons into the pool and stirred up the water; whoever then first, after the stirring up of the water, stepped in was made well from whatever disease with which he was afflicted.]” (John 5:3b – 4 NASB). The text in brackets is not found in the original manuscripts and seems to have been added at a later time to give clearer meaning to what follows. Some translations, like NASB, put the text in brackets and others, like ESV include it as a footnote.

“Now a man was there who had been disabled for thirty-eight years. When Jesus saw him lying there and when he realized that the man had been disabled a long time already, he said to him, “Do you want to become well?”” (John 5:5 – 6 NET). How do you think you would answer if you were the person Jesus was speaking to? Would you respond with, “Yes Lord; please make me well” or would you complain as the man did saying, “Sir, I have no one to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up. While I am trying to get into the water, someone else goes down there before me” (John 5:7 NET). How would you feel if you were offering someone what they wanted for 38 years and they responded with a complaint instead of accepting the offer with gratitude? “In everything give thanks” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NJKV), which leaves no room for complaint.

In spite of this ungrateful response, “Jesus said to him, “Stand up! Pick up your mat and walk.”” (John 5:8 NET). This man was healed, not because he asked to be healed, but because Jesus choose to go to this man and heal him. I am convinced that in the same manner, God chooses who he is going to save and to those he chooses will respond as did this man; “Immediately the man was healed, and he picked up his mat and started walking. (Now that day was a Sabbath.)” (John 5:9 NET). When the Father causes us to be born again, we start walking in our new life and that day becomes the beginning of our Sabbath as we learn in Hebrews chapter 4.

Because Jesus healed this man on the Sabbath a problem is created and will be considered in the next lesson.

Prayer

Father, thank you for choosing me for salvation and causing me to be born again. Father, I pray that I will be more effective in making the most of the divine appointments you set up for me.