Equality With God
Sermon Audio
Sermon Notes
Today we’re continuing our series called Visible God, which is about seeing God through the life of Jesus. We’re studying a book of the bible called the Gospel of John which records the life and words of Jesus, as it was written by an original source, an original follower of Jesus, and something I thought about this week was how much the things we believe, affects the decisions we make...The things we believe, affects the decisions we make...For example you decided to go to sleep last night because you believed you’d wake up the next morning. You decided to sit in the chair you’re in because you believed it’d hold you. But what if you didn’t believe those things?...What if you didn’t believe you’d wake up the next morning or that the chair could hold you? Would it affect your decision to go to sleep and sit in the chair? Yeah it would! Instead of going to sleep you’d spend your final breaths with those you love. Instead of sitting in the chair you’d find another chair. It’s because the things you believe, affects the decisions you make. It affects your decision to sleep, to sit in a chair, to get a flu shot or not get a flu shot, to vote Republican or Democrat, even to vote that Chik-Fil-A’s sandwich is better than Popeye’s...The things you believe, affects nearly every decision you make in life.
So what you believe matters, including what you believe about your faith. But one of the things people in our society like to say is “It doesn’t really matter what you believe...It doesn’t really matter what you believe. As long as you’re a good person, doing good things that’s what really matters in life.” But we know that saying isn’t true. Because we just determined it does matter what you believe, since what you believe affects the decisions you make. It affects even simple decisions like going to sleep or sitting in a chair...So if what you believe matters in those simple decisions, it certainly matters when it comes to your faith! It matters especially when it comes to what you believe about Jesus, because in today’s text, you’ll hear Jesus make a claim you can’t be indifferent on. He makes a claim that doesn’t allow you to say “It doesn’t matter what you believe about him.” So let’s turn to John 5:18-30 and get into it. If you open your bible to the middle, turn a few books to the right you’ll find John. We’ll be in John 5:18-30. The title of today’s message is Equality With God, here’s the big idea. Jesus claimed equality with God... Jesus claimed equality with God, which means it matters what you believe about him.
Context:
Here’s your context. In vs. 1-17 John, the author of this book of the bible, tells us about a time when Jesus heals a guy who’s been crippled for 38 yrs. Well some Jewish religious leaders get upset over it and start accusing Jesus of breaking their Sabbath laws. Vs. 16 even says they started to persecute Jesus for this. So our context is a heated conflict, and as we study vs. 18-30 I want you to notice 3 things. I want you to notice the Claim, the Authority, and the Response...I want you to notice the Claim Jesus makes about himself, the Authority he says he has, and the Response he requires after hearing his claim and authority. Let’s start with the Claim.
The Word:
John 5:18-30 states, “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.” There’s the claim. It says Jesus claimed to be ‘equal with God.’ In vs. 17 Jesus calls God My Father, and in the Jewish culture that meant he was claiming to have a personal relationship with God in ways that others didn’t have. It meant he was claiming to have divine status. In vs. 17 he also claims he was doing the work of the Father by healing the guy on the Sabbath. So the claim Jesus is making is that he’s co-eternal, co-equal with God the Father. Now I know Trinitarian language like this can be confusing, but I’ll address the doctrine and mystery of the trinity in a future sermon. So for now just focus on the claim Jesus is making. He’s claiming he’s both fully human and fully divine. He’s claiming he’s co-eternal, co-equal with God the Father, and it creates a huge uproar, to where the Jews want to kill him. A lot of people think Jesus was killed for what he did, but he wasn’t. He was killed for what he said, he was killed for claiming to be the Son of God, for claiming to be co-eternal, co-equal with God the Father. In fact it’s this very claim that leads to him being crucified. When he was facing trial in the Roman Court System the Jews said this to Roman Governor Pilate: John 19:7, “The Jews answered Pilate, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God.’” Jesus was killed not because of what he did, it was because of what he said. It’s because he claimed to be the Son of God, to be co-eternal, co-equal with God the Father. He claimed to have equality with God, and he presses this claim further in vs. 19.
Vs. 19, “So Jesus said to them, ‘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. 20 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.’” Jesus is like “You’re upset I’m claiming equality with God? Well let me tell you how equal I really am. Whatever the Father does, I do also. Whatever the Father does, the Son does also.” In a sense he’s saying like Father like Son, except in this case the Father and Son are in perfect harmony with each other. Vs. 20 even says the Father loves the Son, showing there’s no rivalry between them. They’re perfectly united with each other in both love and action. It’s because Jesus has equality with God.
Vs. 21, “For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 For the Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.” Okay so we’ve seen the claim Jesus makes about being equal with God, and now we’re seeing the authority Jesus is saying he has. It’s the authority to give us eternal life or eternal judgment. It’s also another claim to having equality with God, because the only one who can grant eternal life or eternal judgement is God. But Jesus is saying he has the authority to grant us eternal life or eternal judgement. He also says we’re to honor the Son like we honor the Father, meaning we’re to honor and worship him as our God, and your belief in that matters. It matters because according to Jesus, it’s the difference between you having eternal life, or eternal judgment. Jesus stresses this point even further in vs. 24-30.
Vs. 24, “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.” There’s the response. We’ve seen the claim Jesus makes about being equal with God, we’ve seen the authority he has which is to grant eternal life or eternal judgement, and now we’re seeing the response he requires, which is to believe. He says whoever hears my word and believes, has eternal life not eternal judgement. Belief is the mega theme of this book of the bible. In fact the word believe is used 241 times in the New Testament part of the Bible, and 41% of the time it’s used right here in John’s gospel. John uses the word believe 98 times to stress the importance of not reading his book like it’s a biography, because it’s way more important than that. It’s way more important than a bunch of biographical facts about Jesus, because what’s at stake is our eternal lives. Jesus claimed equality with God and to have the authority to give us eternal life or eternal judgment. So if you want eternal life in heaven, the response he requires is to hear his words, and believe.
Now some people say “I can’t believe in a God like that. I can’t believe in a God who’s that exclusive...The God I believe in is a pluralistic, inclusive God who allows multiple ways to get to heaven.” But isn’t every faith exclusive?...Isn’t every faith exclusive to a certain degree?... I mean those who believe in religious pluralism, who believe all religions point to the same God are being exclusive, because they’re saying Christians are wrong in believing the only way to get to heaven is through faith in Jesus. Even those who claim “It doesn’t matter what you believe” are being exclusive, because they’re saying what Jesus says in John 5 doesn’t really matter. But Jesus says it does matter! He says it matters what you believe about HIM! Look every faith is exclusive to a certain degree, and since they mutually exclude each other, it means they can’t all be true. So the question you need to ask yourself is are the things you believe in true? In this case are the things you believe about Jesus true?...Do you believe he’s God, and the only way to get to heaven is through faith in him?...Do you hear his words, and believe what he’s saying is true?
Again vs. 24 states, “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. 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.” He’s talking about the spiritually dead here, meaning those who haven’t already believed in him and his words, which might be some of you. He might be stirring some of your hearts today away from disbelief, so you’ll believe and have eternal life instead of eternal judgment. It’s a promise you can have right here, right now, in this very moment. In vs 24 Jesus said whoever believes has eternal life, not will have eternal life. In vs 25 he says the hour is coming, and is now here. He’s saying there’s both a present and future reality to eternal life with him. It’s something we can have today, we can enjoy today, but it’s also something we won’t get to fully enjoy until the future. There’s a famous phrase a lot of theologians use to capture this, they say Christians are living in an already, not yet reality...It’s an already reality, meaning we get to enjoy some of Jesus’ promises for eternal life now. But it’s also a not yet reality, meaning we’ll get to enjoy Jesus’ promises more fully in the future. So in a sense, eternal life has already began for the Christian. Our eternal life has already began, it just hasn’t been fully experienced yet. It’s why we still struggle with sin, sickness, and sadness. It’s because we’re living in an already, not yet reality, of eternal life with Jesus.
Vs. 26, “For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to execute judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.” Now Jesus is talking about how there will be a physical resurrection of the dead when he comes again in the future, and notice he says all who are in the tombs will experience this, meaning even those who haven’t believed in him. At the sound of his voice every person that’s ever existed will be raised from the dead. It’s the kind of power only God can possess, and Jesus has that power. He says when he comes again he’ll speak a word, and at the sound of his voice every person who’s ever existed will be raised from the dead to experience either eternal life or eternal judgement. Some people think they can ignore Jesus, live a good life now, and that death will be their final resting place. But Jesus is saying that isn’t true. He’s saying those who ignore him now, will be raised to life later, face eternal judgment, and have no resting place in eternity. He’s saying some will be raised to an eternally joyful life with him, but some will be raised to an eternally miserable life apart from him.
Now I know that sounds harsh, but if it’s true...If it’s true, if Jesus is right about all this, then isn’t he being kind by warning us?...Isn’t he being loving by giving us a way out?...I mean the truth is he doesn’t have to warn or save anyone. With the way humanity’s treated him and his creation. With the way we’ve abused his name over the years, abused his world, sinned against him, his creation, and each other. He’d have every right not to save anyone. We often think too highly of ourselves acting like God owes us, but He doesn’t owe us anything. In the words of Tim Keller, “We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe. Yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ, than we ever dared hope.” Jesus could’ve saved no one, but instead he invites everyone to hear his words, believe, and be saved. In vs. 24 he says whoever believes, there’s your inclusivity. Jesus, the gospel, Christianity is very inclusive, because it says whoever believes, meaning anyone can receive this message. It’s exclusive just like other people’s faith claims, because not everybody will believe Jesus and his message. But it’s very inclusive in that whoever believes, will have eternal life not eternal judgment. So it’s not harsh it’s loving for Jesus to warn us, considering he didn’t have to save anyone.
Vs. 30, “I can do nothing on my own. As I hear, I judge, and my judgment is just, because I seek not my own will but the will of him who sent me.’” Once again he’s talking about his unity with the Father. He’s saying his will and the Father’s will are the same, because he’s co-eternal, co-equal with the Father. He’s once again claiming equality with God, and if you believe him, if you believe what he’s saying is true, it’ll affect every aspect of your life. Why? Because what you believe, affects the decisions you make...What you believe, affects the decisions you make... So if you believe Jesus is God, then you’ll want to make decisions that’ll honor him as your God. You’ll want to honor him in your singleness, in your dating relationships, in your marital and family relationships, even in your finances and financial giving to the church like I said earlier. As for the events that take place in John 5, I think believing in Jesus can affect 3 things.
#1 = It can affect how you pray: Believing Jesus is God can affect how you pray. It can affect the things you decide to pray for, and the confidence you have when you pray. You can pray with confidence knowing the same God who had the power to heal the crippled man in John 5, is the same God who has the power to do all you’re praying for. So don’t pray with wishful thinking. Pray like you’re praying to a God who has the power to raise the dead!...But it’s also your belief in Jesus that can help if he says “no” to your prayers, because you trust he has good reasons for saying “no.” You trust the already, not yet reality he talked about. So you trust he said “no” to your present reality, because he’s leading you to a greater joy in your future reality.
#2 = It can affect how you handle your sin: Believing Jesus is God can affect how you handle your sin. It’ll cause you to take sin serious because Jesus takes it series. He took it serious enough to go to the cross for your sins. Forgiveness of sins is something he offered the crippled man and it’s what he offers us. He forgives our sins right here, right now, in this present reality, and his death on the cross fully atones for all our sins so we don’t have to fear the future reality of judgement day. This means you don’t have to keep beating yourself up over your sin, you don’t have to live like it’s judgement day. Jesus died on the cross to set you free from that misery both now and in the future. You’re free from the slavery of sin’s power and the misery of sin’s shame. You’re not free to sin, but you’re free to live in the joys of being forgiven of your sins. So take your sin serious, but then take it to the cross...and live in the joys of forgiveness with Jesus.
#3 = It can affect how you view your future: Believing Jesus is God can affect how you view your future. It can cause you to view your future as hopeful not miserable. This is a big one for me. I sometimes focus on the misery of what I don’t have in life, instead of the joyful present and hopeful future God has for my life. I’ve even done this when it comes to the joyful, hopeful future of City Awakening. But God’s been shifting my heart teaching me to look forward, to look ahead, to be joyful and hopeful about the future of my life and the future of our church. I mean if Jesus was loving enough to warn us and save us, he’s loving enough to give us a joyful, hopeful future. Jeremiah 29:11 states, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.” Do you believe that?...Do you believe that for your life, for our church?...Jesus didn’t come offering you a miserable life with a miserable future, he came offering you eternal life with a joyful, hopeful future. In John 5 Jesus tells us there’s a joyful, hopeful future for anyone who believes in him. He even rose from the dead to prove there’s a joyful, hopeful future even beyond the grave. So look at the joys you have in Jesus now, and the joys you’ll have in Jesus later. The future is hopeful for us.
The Big Idea:
Look here’s the big idea. Jesus claimed equality with God, which means it matters what you believe about him...It matters what you believe about Jesus, and if you’re not a Christian you really only have 3 options. Jesus claimed he’s God, so you have to decide if he’s a Liar, Lunatic, or Lord. If you believe what he said isn’t true, it means you believe he’s a Liar...If you believe what he said isn’t true, but he didn’t realize it wasn’t true, you believe he’s delusional, he’s a Lunatic...But if you believe what he said was true, then receive him as your Lord today. Believe he’s your Lord and Savior who came to live, die, and rise again for the forgiveness of your sins. Receive him as your Lord today, and follow him as your Lord into a joyful, hopeful future.
If you’re a Christian, there’s so much more joy to be experienced with Jesus than what you’ve already been experiencing, and C.S. Lewis illustrated this in his book “The Last Battle.” Lewis writes, “All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia, had only been the cover and title page. Now at last, they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read. It goes on forever, and every chapter is better than the one before.” City Awakening it’s true...It’s all true...This life is only the cover page, the title page, and soon we’ll be experiencing the fullness of joy in our eternal life with Jesus, where every chapter will be better than the one before it. The future is hopeful for us. We have much to look forward to.
COMMUNION
At this time let’s have those serving communion start passing the plates...Communion’s a reminder of the joyful hope we have in the gospel, the joyful hope we have in Jesus. Jesus told us to do this in remembrance of him, in remembrance of who he is and what he did for us on the cross. So as the plates are being passed take a few minutes to pray, to prepare your hearts by asking Jesus to forgive you of any sins you’ve committed. Then believe he died for those sins on the cross, and thank him for loving you enough to do so. Let’s pray.
On the night Jesus was betrayed he was having a meal with his friends. He took some bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it saying “This is my body which is to be broken for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. As often as you eat it, do so in remembrance of me, in remembrance of who I am and what I’ve done for you.” When supper ended he took the cup, blessed it, gave thanks for it, and said“This cup is a symbol of my blood which is to be shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. As often as you drink of it, do so in remembrance of me, in remembrance of who I am and what I’ve done.” City Awakening let’s eat, let’s drink, then let’s stand and worship Jesus as our loving Lord.
John 19:7, “The Jews answered Pilate, ‘We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die, because he has made himself the Son of God.’”
Tim Keller states, “We are more sinful and flawed in ourselves than we ever dared believe. Yet at the very same time we are more loved and accepted in Jesus Christ, than we ever dared hope.”
#1 = It can affect how you pray
#2 = It can affect how you handle your sin
#3 = It can affect how you view your future
Jeremiah 29:11 states, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Lewis writes, “All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia, had only been the cover and title page. Now at last, they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story, which no one on earth has read. It goes on forever, and every chapter is better than the one before.”