The Witness of Christ Rejected                                   John 5:1-47

1. THE HEALING OF THE LAME MAN (John 5:1-16)
1. The Occasion (John 5:1)
1. A feast of the Jews
2. A trip to Jerusalem (Deuteronomy 16:16)
2. The Location (John 5:2)
1. At Jerusalem
2. By the sheep market
3. At a pool
1. Called Bethesda; meaning house of mercy
2. With five porches
3. The Need - "a great multitude" (John 5:3)
1. All sick
1. Impotent – without strength (Romans 5:6)
2. Blind – without sight (2 Corinthians 4:3-4)
3. Halt – without steadiness
4. Withered – without full growth
2. All waiting
4. The Expectation (John 5:4)
1. An angel (Hebrews 1:13-14)
1. To go into the pool
2. To trouble the water
2. A cure
1. To the first who stepped in
2. To be made whole
5. A Certain Man (John 5:5-9)
1. His helpless condition (John 5:5-7)
1. 38 years without health (John 5:5-6)
2. 38 years without help (John 5:7; Psalm 142:4; Acts 8:30-31; Roman 10:13-17)
3. Note: Israel wandered 38 years in the wilderness after the rebellion of the spies and congregation (Deuteronomy 2:14).
2. His merciful Deliverer (John 5:8)
1. Rise
2. Take up your bed
3. Walk
3. His sudden change (John 5:9)
1. No waiting – immediately (Acts 3:6-7; Ephesians 1:13)
2. No water – no works (Ephesians 2:8-9)
3. No winning – no competition (John 3:16)
6. The Hostility of the Jews (John 5:10-16)
1. The accusation of the Jews (John 5:10)
1. It is the Sabbath day
2. It is not lawful to carry your bed.
1. This is true concerning bundles of merchandise (Jeremiah 17:21-22; Nehemiah 13:19).
2. But this man had a bed probably consisting of a rough blanket or garment.
2. The answer of the man (John 5:11-13)
1. He was obeying the One who healed him (John 5:11; Matthew 12:8).
2. They wanted the identity of the One who healed him (John 5:12).
3. He did not know the identity of his healer (John 5:13).
1. Christ had left.
2. Because a multitude was there
3. The revelation of the Christ (John 5:14)
1. He reveals Himself to the man.
2. He admonishes the man to sin no more (John 8:11).
3. Note: the man was healed before he even knew who Jesus was, much less was able to believe on Him.
4. The testimony of the man (John 5:15)
1. He spoke to the Jews.
2. He identified Jesus as his healer.
5. The reaction of the Jews (John 5:16)
1. They determined to persecute Jesus.
2. They sought to slay Jesus.
3. Their cause is that Jesus did these things on the Sabbath day.
2. THE ONENESS OF CHRIST WITH THE FATHER (John 5:17-30)
1. One in Service (John 5:17-19)
1. His personal relationship – “My Father” (John 5:17; John 2:16; Luke 2:49)
2. His working relationship (John 5:17; John 14:10)
3. His identical relationship (John 5:18) – brings the wrath of the Jews
1. Because He broke the Sabbath
2. Because He made Himself equal with God (John 10:30-33)
4. His unifying relationship (John 5:19)
1. He does nothing of Himself (John 5:19, 30).
2. He does only what the Father does (John 5:19).
3. Note: This passage does not teach the inability of the Son, but the impossibility of separating the Son from the Father.
4. In His oneness with the will of the Father and complete submission to Him, Jesus is the perfect example to the believer (Philippians 2:5-8).
2. One in Knowledge (John 5:20)
1. Because of love (John 3:35)
2. Revealing all things (Matthew 11:27)
3. Greater works to come (John 14:12)
3. One in Resurrection Power (John 5:21)
1. As the Father (Acts 2:22-24)
2. So the Son (John 10:17-18)
4. One in Judgment (John 5:22)
1. Not the Father
2. But the Son
3. But not in the first coming of the Son (John 12:47)
4. Note: Although the Father and Son are equal in authority, they may be diverse in practice. Their works may also change according to time.
5. One in Honor (John 5:23)
1. As the Father
1. Positive – should be honored
2. With equality – honored as the Son
2. With the Father
1. Negative – to refuse to honor the Son
2. Without distinction – is to refuse to honor the Father
6. One in Saving Power (John 5:24-29)
1. To give everlasting life (John 5:24-26)
1. As the result of believing (John 5:24)
1. The hearing of the word
2. The believing on the Father
3. The possession of everlasting life (John 3:15-16; Romans 6:23)
1. A present possession
2. Impossible to have today and lose tomorrow
4. The deliverance from condemnation (Romans 8:1, 33-34)
5. The passing from death to life (Romans 5:17; 2 Timothy 1:10)
2. With the reward of resurrection (John 5:25; 1 Thessalonians 4:16)
1. The hour of resurrection
1. It is coming.
2. It now is.
2. The dead
1. Shall hear the voice of the Son
2. Shall live
3. Through the power of Christ (John 5:26; John 1:4; John 14:19)
1. The Father has life in Himself.
2. The Son given to have life in Himself
2. To execute judgment (John 5:27-29; Acts 17:31)
1. As the Son of man (John 5:27; Hebrews 2:14-18)
2. At the time of resurrection (John 5:28-29)
1. The resurrection of the dead (John 5:28)
1. In the hour to come
2. When those in the graves hear His voice
2. The two kinds of resurrection (John 5:29; 2 Timothy 4:1)
1. The resurrection of life (Revelation 20:5-6)
2. The resurrection of damnation (Revelation 20:11-15)
7. One in Will (John 5:30)
1. Not distinct in judgment – “as I hear, I judge”
2. Not distinct in will – “I seek not mine own will” (John 4:34; Hebrews 10:5-7)