Over 3,000 years ago they called:
The altar, Witness, for it is a witness between us that the Lord
is God. Joshua 22:34.
About 2,000 years ago Jesus said:
“If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is
not true. 32 There is another who bears witness
of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is
true. John 5:31-32.
Those two verses came to us, back-to-back. The first verse was our closing on Sunday. The next our opening on Wednesday.
Do you witness a theme?
Seven times we witness the word witness
in passages written over a thousand years apart; and they just-so- happen
to fall back-to-back, in the lap of our little Church that meets in a little
clubhouse, in a little village, called Whispering Pines.
Seven. God’s perfect
number.
Was the timing by clever, witty, intelligent
design?
Yes, absolutely.
But certainly not mine. (You all know I’m not nearly
that clever, or organized.)
Well then, you may say, we’re in the midst of a study
on the topic of, “witness.”
No, we’re not. Well, at least not on purpose. We don’t
study topically. We walk through book by book, verse by verse, line by line, precept
by precept. Currently we're walking through Joshua on Sunday and John on Wednesday.
We leave the timing of topics to the Lord.
Come to think of it, a couple Sundays ago, it’s as if God
pushed the pause-button. We never made it to the sermon. We tried, but by the
time we finished praying, time had escaped us. So, the following Sunday and Wednesday resulted in the back-to-back witness verses.
What do you think? Was God, aligning His Divine
timing? Can I get a witness?
“If I bear witness of Myself,
My witness is not true. 32 There is another who bears
witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true.
John 5:31-32
Jesus just healed a man who’d been lame for
thirty-eight years.
Instead of rejoicing with the man, the religious
leaders rebuke the Man, because He did it on the Sabbath.
Jesus raises their fury by saying He’s equal with God, and then shares four witnesses to prove it.
33 You have sent to John, and he has borne witness
to the truth. 34 Yet I do not receive testimony from man,
but I say these things that you may be saved. 35 He was
the burning and shining lamp, and you were willing for a time to
rejoice in his light.
FOURFOLD WITNESS:
1. John
the Baptist
The first witness, Jesus brings to the stand is His
cousin, John the Baptist.
He basically says, I don’t need testimony from man,
but since you trusted John, (at least for a little while) I mention him, for
your sake.
He was, a burning and shining lamp, (an idiom
from back then; like saying: he’s a star; or you really shine).
36 But I have a greater witness than John’s; for the
works which the Father has given Me to finish—the very works
that I do—bear witness of Me, that the Father has sent Me.
FOURFOLD WITNESS:
1. John the Baptist
2. Works
The next witness Jesus reveals is His works.
If you don’t believe Me, or John, believe the works,
the signs, the wonders, the healings, the miracles.
Remember, signs and wonders and miracles, are not for just
meeting a temporal need, but are meant to be witnesses to make eternal differences.
37 And the Father Himself, who sent
Me, has testified of Me. You have neither heard His voice at any
time, nor seen His form.
FOURFOLD WITNESS:
1. John the Baptist
2. Works
3. The Father
The Father, is the Witness Jesus spoke about in verse
thirty-one, when He said: There is another who bears
witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is
true.
The Father spoke, but they never heard Him. Not
because they couldn’t, but because they wouldn’t, Hear the Son.
The Father and Son are One.
In the beginning was Word, and the Word
was with God and the Word was God. …The Word became flesh.
John 1:1, 14.
The Father spoke from Heaven to The Son:
1. Jesus’
Baptism, Mark 1:11.
2. Mount
of Transfiguration, Mark 9:7.
3. Jesus’
prayer, “Glorify Your name…” John 12:28.
38 But you
do not have His word abiding in you, because whom He sent, Him you do
not believe. 39 You search the Scriptures, for in them
you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me
FOURFOLD WITNESS:
1. John the Baptist
2. Works
3. The Father
4. The Word
They “think” head knowledge is what matters. They know
the Word of God, but don’t know the God of the Word. They know the book, but
not the Author.
Thy Word have I hid in My heart Ps. 119:11
Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, a light
unto my path Ps. 119:105
Man shall not live by bread alone but by
every word Matt. 4:4
The Word became flesh and dwelt John 1:14
Written over a 1,500-year period. Composed of sixty-six books, with forty different authors (well, they held the pen, while the Holy Spirit moved them). From three different continents, and languages. With only One theme, yet having ZERO contradictions.
God
became the Son of Man, to be the Lamb of God, to take way the sins of the
world.
40 But you
are not willing to come to Me that you may have life.
41 “I do not receive honor from men. 42 But
I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you.
Jesus summarizes by telling them, I’ve told you
clearly who I AM, I’ve shown you witnesses to prove it, yet you still willingly
reject me.
43 I have
come in My Father’s name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes
in his own name, him you will receive. 44 How can you
believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor
that comes from the only God?
When that which withholds is taken out of
the way, then the lawless one will be revealed. 2 Thessalonians 2:7-8.
Matt. 24:5 For many will come in My name claiming to be Christ and will deceive many.
45 Do not
think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there
is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. 46 For
if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. 47 But
if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?”
They twisted Moses’ writings into their manmade rigid religious legalism.
Just as today, many preach Paul as if the
whole Bible revolved around him—rather than Jesus.
Paul never meant for that to happen. Moses never
wanted that either.
God never meant for religion to lead people to Him, but only to show them that they couldn’t reach Him, without Him. That’s why He came, to restore the breach, to bridge the gap, to reconcile our broken relationship.
He told them He is One with the Father in Purpose, Power, Prosecution and Praise. He provides evidence via the witness of John the Baptist, His Works, His Father, and The Word.
He laid it all out, showed them plainly, yet they
wouldn’t recognize the day of their visitation, they refused to perceive
the Lord is among us.
But Jesus didn’t give up.
Even after they sentenced the Innocent to death; after
they scourged, beat, spit upon and mocked while He hung naked on the cross,
even then, He remained faithful and true to His calling.
After His death, burial, and resurrection, He stayed
the course, as He stretched out nail scarred hands and called for yet another
witness…
But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Acts 1:8.
He said those words and ascended into heaven.
Those watching, stood there gawking, staring into clouds—those
words echoing in their ears…still echoing in ours.
A couple angels appeared and said, this same Jesus
will come again, in like manner just as you saw Him go.
When He returns, any minute, will He find you
faithful, as His witness?
Are you, His witness?
Listen, hear Jesus calling…
Can I get a witness?
1 comment:
Powerful thought must be given to these words. Let us work to be the best witness, the best salt and light to this world. So that they may see Jesus in us. Lord, help us with this task.
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