00:00:00 --> 00:00:09 What if God was one of us?
00:00:11 --> 00:00:12 I'm showing my age.
00:00:13 --> 00:00:14 Do you know the song?
00:00:14 --> 00:00:17 What if God was one of us?
00:00:18 --> 00:00:19 There we go.
00:00:19 --> 00:00:23 I'm not allowed to sing anymore because YouTube will give us a strike and kick us off.
00:00:24 --> 00:00:29 However, in 1995, that song was written.
00:00:31 --> 00:00:32 It goes like this.
00:00:32 --> 00:00:35 If God had a face, what would it look like?
00:00:36 --> 00:00:39 And would you want to see if seeing meant believing,
00:00:40 --> 00:00:44 it meant that you would have to believe in things like heaven and Jesus?
00:00:46 --> 00:00:46 God is great.
00:00:47 --> 00:00:48 God is good.
00:00:48 --> 00:00:49 Yeah, yeah, yeah.
00:00:50 --> 00:00:51 What if God was one of us?
00:00:51 --> 00:00:54 Just a slob like one of us.
00:00:54 --> 00:00:58 Just a stranger on a bus trying to make his way home.
00:00:58 --> 00:01:01 Back up to heaven all alone.
00:01:01 --> 00:01:05 Nobody calling on the phone except the Pope maybe in Rome.
00:01:06 --> 00:01:08 What if God was one of us?
00:01:08 --> 00:01:18 I remember being 10 years old on a bus, on the bus to school and hearing that song and
00:01:18 --> 00:01:21 sitting there for the whole bus ride just thinking about that question.
00:01:22 --> 00:01:24 What if God was one of us?
00:01:24 --> 00:01:29 As a kid, though, I missed all the sarcasm and the bitterness in the song.
00:01:31 --> 00:01:33 Because it's the song of a secular person.
00:01:34 --> 00:01:37 It's a song of someone who believes that God doesn't exist.
00:01:38 --> 00:01:42 And even if he does, it wouldn't matter even if he did show up.
00:01:42 --> 00:01:46 But what if God was one of us?
00:01:49 --> 00:01:55 Today we're going to hear from a man like one of us called Jesus, who claimed to be God.
00:01:56 --> 00:01:58 The wildest claim anyone could make.
00:01:59 --> 00:02:02 But if it's true, it really does matter.
00:02:03 --> 00:02:06 Is Jesus really God?
00:02:06 --> 00:02:14 If you went down into Chatswood and asked people that crazy question, what would people say?
00:02:15 --> 00:02:19 They might say, God doesn't exist, so Jesus is a fraud.
00:02:20 --> 00:02:21 Is Jesus really God?
00:02:23 --> 00:02:28 Or God does exist, but he doesn't care or can't or won't do anything.
00:02:29 --> 00:02:32 He's lazy or voiceless or vindictive.
00:02:33 --> 00:02:35 Jesus, no, he doesn't matter.
00:02:35 --> 00:02:39 Or maybe Jesus is God or some other deity.
00:02:40 --> 00:02:41 Maybe they're all the same.
00:02:42 --> 00:02:44 Or I'm a good person.
00:02:45 --> 00:02:46 I live a good life.
00:02:46 --> 00:02:49 So I don't need Jesus, even if he is God.
00:02:50 --> 00:02:51 How would you answer?
00:02:55 --> 00:02:57 I want you to imagine you're on a plane.
00:02:58 --> 00:03:00 But the plane is crashing.
00:03:01 --> 00:03:01 I'm sorry.
00:03:03 --> 00:03:04 The plane is crashing.
00:03:05 --> 00:03:08 What do you worry about in that moment?
00:03:10 --> 00:03:13 Would you be devastated that your life is about to end?
00:03:14 --> 00:03:16 Or angry at a God who doesn't care?
00:03:17 --> 00:03:20 Or be counting up your sins and checking your moral status?
00:03:21 --> 00:03:26 Would you have any assurance of what meeting with God will be like after you die?
00:03:26 --> 00:03:32 The truth is, we are all on a plane like that.
00:03:32 --> 00:03:38 A plane that is our lifetime with no landing gear.
00:03:38 --> 00:03:47 No matter what point in the flight you are, every life hits a mountain called death.
00:03:48 --> 00:03:53 We need someone to give us life beyond the crash before we crash.
00:03:53 --> 00:04:02 And we'll see today that there is only hope for life if Jesus really is God.
00:04:02 --> 00:04:05 So get John chapter 5 in front of you.
00:04:05 --> 00:04:12 The beginning of this chapter, we heard this last week from John Lauer.
00:04:12 --> 00:04:17 And Jesus went to work on the Sabbath day.
00:04:17 --> 00:04:19 When it was illegal to work.
00:04:20 --> 00:04:26 He went and found a man who could not walk and did the work of healing him.
00:04:26 --> 00:04:29 And then in verse 16 of chapter 5 it says,
00:04:30 --> 00:04:33 The religious leaders began to persecute him for doing this.
00:04:34 --> 00:04:35 Why?
00:04:35 --> 00:04:39 Because Jesus deliberately broke the law as they knew it.
00:04:40 --> 00:04:43 It was said that only God could work on the Sabbath.
00:04:44 --> 00:04:48 For God is always working and his work is effortless.
00:04:49 --> 00:04:53 God only needs to speak and creation obeys.
00:04:53 --> 00:04:56 But Jesus says in verse 17,
00:04:57 --> 00:05:00 My father is always at his work to this very day.
00:05:00 --> 00:05:03 And I too am working.
00:05:04 --> 00:05:08 See, Jesus was claiming to be working legally.
00:05:09 --> 00:05:11 He was claiming to be God.
00:05:12 --> 00:05:15 And the religious leaders understood exactly what he claimed.
00:05:16 --> 00:05:19 No longer were they going to just persecute him as a nuisance.
00:05:20 --> 00:05:23 But from that point, as soon as Jesus said that,
00:05:23 --> 00:05:24 they sought to kill him.
00:05:25 --> 00:05:27 Not only was he breaking the Sabbath,
00:05:27 --> 00:05:29 but he was even calling God his own father,
00:05:29 --> 00:05:31 making himself equal with God.
00:05:33 --> 00:05:34 And the rest of the chapter
00:05:34 --> 00:05:41 is Jesus' answer to their charges and judgment of him.
00:05:42 --> 00:05:45 That he was not God and deserved punishment.
00:05:47 --> 00:05:48 Deserved death.
00:05:48 --> 00:05:53 So Jesus stated his case before them in our passage today,
00:05:53 --> 00:05:55 outlining his claims in more detail,
00:05:56 --> 00:06:00 and how he planned to prove that those claims are true.
00:06:03 --> 00:06:05 Jesus claimed to be God.
00:06:07 --> 00:06:10 He said that he was doing God's works,
00:06:10 --> 00:06:14 like a son following in his father's trade.
00:06:14 --> 00:06:18 Imagine a son and a father in a workshop.
00:06:18 --> 00:06:20 Maybe they're working on some wood.
00:06:20 --> 00:06:21 I'm not very handy.
00:06:22 --> 00:06:24 But I'm imagining this is the kind of language
00:06:24 --> 00:06:27 and picture Jesus is trying to paint
00:06:27 --> 00:06:28 when he says in verse 20,
00:06:29 --> 00:06:31 for the father loves the son
00:06:31 --> 00:06:34 and shows him all he does.
00:06:34 --> 00:06:41 Jesus even said he's worthy of worship like the father.
00:06:41 --> 00:06:42 Verse 23.
00:06:43 --> 00:06:45 Whoever does not honor the son
00:06:45 --> 00:06:48 does not honor the father who sent him.
00:06:50 --> 00:06:56 But the two-edged swords of his claim to be God is this,
00:06:57 --> 00:06:58 that he is the judge of all
00:06:58 --> 00:07:01 and he is the giver of life.
00:07:01 --> 00:07:05 Let's read from verse 28.
00:07:07 --> 00:07:10 A time is coming when all who are in their graves
00:07:10 --> 00:07:12 will hear his voice and come out.
00:07:13 --> 00:07:15 Those who have done what is good will rise to live
00:07:15 --> 00:07:16 and those who have done what is evil
00:07:16 --> 00:07:18 will rise to be condemned.
00:07:20 --> 00:07:21 Jesus' accusers were not shocked
00:07:21 --> 00:07:26 that he said every person will be raised to judgment,
00:07:27 --> 00:07:30 either to death and condemnation
00:07:30 --> 00:07:35 or death and to eternal life.
00:07:36 --> 00:07:37 But they were shocked
00:07:37 --> 00:07:41 because Jesus said he is the voice.
00:07:42 --> 00:07:44 He is the voice that would rise the dead
00:07:44 --> 00:07:46 into judgment.
00:07:46 --> 00:07:47 Verse 22.
00:07:48 --> 00:07:51 The father has entrusted all judgment to the son.
00:07:51 --> 00:07:52 Verse 27.
00:07:52 --> 00:07:56 And he has given him authority to judge.
00:07:56 --> 00:08:03 Jesus literally claimed he will judge all people
00:08:03 --> 00:08:04 for the life that they live.
00:08:05 --> 00:08:06 Their eternal destiny,
00:08:06 --> 00:08:08 my eternal destiny,
00:08:09 --> 00:08:11 will be determined by Jesus.
00:08:12 --> 00:08:12 Man.
00:08:13 --> 00:08:17 Speaking in Palestine 2 years ago.
00:08:18 --> 00:08:19 Verse 25.
00:08:19 --> 00:08:22 Very truly I tell you,
00:08:22 --> 00:08:24 a time is coming
00:08:24 --> 00:08:27 when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God
00:08:27 --> 00:08:29 and those who hear will live.
00:08:31 --> 00:08:32 Were you reading along with your Bible?
00:08:33 --> 00:08:34 You've got to hold me accountable here
00:08:34 --> 00:08:35 because I left something out.
00:08:35 --> 00:08:36 I did it on purpose,
00:08:36 --> 00:08:38 but you've got to be reading along.
00:08:39 --> 00:08:40 Because, he says,
00:08:40 --> 00:08:41 a time is coming
00:08:41 --> 00:08:44 and is now here.
00:08:45 --> 00:08:47 The determining of eternal destiny
00:08:47 --> 00:08:52 started the moment we heard Jesus' voice.
00:08:53 --> 00:08:55 The judge of the world has arrived.
00:08:55 --> 00:08:56 He came with a voice
00:08:56 --> 00:08:58 that would condemn
00:08:58 --> 00:09:00 or bring life.
00:09:01 --> 00:09:03 And Jesus also claimed
00:09:03 --> 00:09:05 to be the giver of life.
00:09:08 --> 00:09:09 At the beginning of chapter 5,
00:09:09 --> 00:09:10 he goes to work
00:09:10 --> 00:09:12 and does a healing.
00:09:13 --> 00:09:15 He heals completely dead legs.
00:09:16 --> 00:09:17 And then in verse 12,
00:09:19 --> 00:09:20 he came to be able
00:09:20 --> 00:09:23 to raise the completely dead
00:09:23 --> 00:09:26 just as the Father raises the dead
00:09:26 --> 00:09:28 and gives them life.
00:09:29 --> 00:09:31 Even so, the Son gives life.
00:09:32 --> 00:09:34 It's not just physical death, though,
00:09:34 --> 00:09:36 that he claimed to have power over.
00:09:36 --> 00:09:38 It's spiritual deadness, too.
00:09:39 --> 00:09:40 In verse 24,
00:09:40 --> 00:09:43 whoever hears my word
00:09:43 --> 00:09:46 and believes him who sent me
00:09:46 --> 00:09:47 has eternal life
00:09:47 --> 00:09:49 and will not be judged,
00:09:49 --> 00:09:50 but is crossed over
00:09:50 --> 00:09:52 from death to life.
00:09:54 --> 00:09:55 This judge claimed
00:09:55 --> 00:09:56 to be able
00:09:56 --> 00:09:57 to grant
00:09:57 --> 00:10:00 life
00:10:00 --> 00:10:01 on one condition.
00:10:01 --> 00:10:02 salvation.
00:10:02 --> 00:10:04 And it's backwards
00:10:04 --> 00:10:04 to what people
00:10:04 --> 00:10:05 in our city
00:10:05 --> 00:10:06 might expect.
00:10:06 --> 00:10:07 It's backwards
00:10:07 --> 00:10:08 to what the people
00:10:08 --> 00:10:08 hearing Jesus
00:10:08 --> 00:10:09 expected.
00:10:09 --> 00:10:11 Because it's not merit.
00:10:11 --> 00:10:13 It's not good works.
00:10:13 --> 00:10:14 It's not our own goodness.
00:10:15 --> 00:10:16 Jesus said
00:10:16 --> 00:10:18 just by believing
00:10:18 --> 00:10:20 he would grant
00:10:20 --> 00:10:21 eternal life.
00:10:22 --> 00:10:22 This believing
00:10:22 --> 00:10:24 is hearing Jesus
00:10:24 --> 00:10:25 claim to be God
00:10:25 --> 00:10:27 and agreeing
00:10:27 --> 00:10:28 that God,
00:10:28 --> 00:10:28 the Father,
00:10:29 --> 00:10:29 sent him.
00:10:31 --> 00:10:32 Look again
00:10:32 --> 00:10:33 at verse 24.
00:10:34 --> 00:10:35 Look at this promise.
00:10:37 --> 00:10:38 Jesus said
00:10:38 --> 00:10:39 that by believing
00:10:39 --> 00:10:40 in him
00:10:40 --> 00:10:41 we have
00:10:41 --> 00:10:43 eternal life.
00:10:43 --> 00:10:44 We have
00:10:44 --> 00:10:45 crossed over
00:10:45 --> 00:10:46 from death
00:10:46 --> 00:10:47 to life
00:10:47 --> 00:10:48 at the moment
00:10:48 --> 00:10:49 of believing.
00:10:49 --> 00:10:51 how could
00:10:51 --> 00:10:52 Jesus
00:10:52 --> 00:10:53 promise people
00:10:53 --> 00:10:53 this?
00:10:55 --> 00:10:55 There's a clue
00:10:55 --> 00:10:56 in the next verse.
00:10:57 --> 00:10:58 Verse 25.
00:10:58 --> 00:10:59 A time is coming
00:10:59 --> 00:11:01 and has now come
00:11:01 --> 00:11:02 when the dead
00:11:02 --> 00:11:03 will hear
00:11:03 --> 00:11:03 the voice
00:11:03 --> 00:11:04 of the Son of God
00:11:04 --> 00:11:05 and those who hear
00:11:05 --> 00:11:06 will live.
00:11:07 --> 00:11:08 Jesus is the start
00:11:08 --> 00:11:10 of eternal life.
00:11:10 --> 00:11:11 It's his initiative.
00:11:12 --> 00:11:12 It's his life
00:11:12 --> 00:11:14 and it's his promise.
00:11:15 --> 00:11:15 Believing in him
00:11:15 --> 00:11:16 now
00:11:16 --> 00:11:17 begins
00:11:17 --> 00:11:19 an eternal life.
00:11:19 --> 00:11:20 with him.
00:11:22 --> 00:11:23 We will all
00:11:23 --> 00:11:23 one day
00:11:23 --> 00:11:24 be physically dead
00:11:24 --> 00:11:26 and without
00:11:26 --> 00:11:28 an eternal life
00:11:28 --> 00:11:29 beyond death
00:11:29 --> 00:11:31 where spiritually
00:11:31 --> 00:11:32 is good as dead.
00:11:33 --> 00:11:34 Yet anyone,
00:11:35 --> 00:11:35 Jesus says,
00:11:35 --> 00:11:36 can receive
00:11:36 --> 00:11:37 eternal life
00:11:37 --> 00:11:38 now
00:11:38 --> 00:11:39 by believing
00:11:39 --> 00:11:40 in him
00:11:40 --> 00:11:41 and cross
00:11:41 --> 00:11:42 from death
00:11:42 --> 00:11:43 to immediate
00:11:43 --> 00:11:44 abundant
00:11:44 --> 00:11:45 eternal
00:11:45 --> 00:11:46 life.
00:11:47 --> 00:11:48 Life that begins
00:11:48 --> 00:11:49 in eternity
00:11:49 --> 00:11:49 with him
00:11:49 --> 00:11:50 as your God.
00:11:50 --> 00:11:51 Free from
00:11:51 --> 00:11:52 condemnation,
00:11:52 --> 00:11:53 free from fear,
00:11:54 --> 00:11:54 free from
00:11:54 --> 00:11:55 hopelessness
00:11:55 --> 00:11:56 by simply
00:11:56 --> 00:11:57 believing
00:11:57 --> 00:11:58 that Jesus
00:11:58 --> 00:11:59 really is
00:11:59 --> 00:11:59 God.
00:12:04 --> 00:12:05 These claims
00:12:05 --> 00:12:06 shatter
00:12:06 --> 00:12:07 the expectations
00:12:07 --> 00:12:07 of our city.
00:12:07 --> 00:12:10 God
00:12:10 --> 00:12:10 and over
00:12:10 --> 00:12:11 100 years
00:12:11 --> 00:12:11 ago,
00:12:11 --> 00:12:12 a man
00:12:12 --> 00:12:12 called
00:12:12 --> 00:12:12 C.S.
00:12:12 --> 00:12:13 Lewis
00:12:13 --> 00:12:14 in a
00:12:14 --> 00:12:14 different
00:12:14 --> 00:12:14 city
00:12:14 --> 00:12:17 that didn't
00:12:17 --> 00:12:17 care about
00:12:17 --> 00:12:18 God
00:12:18 --> 00:12:19 and if they
00:12:19 --> 00:12:19 did,
00:12:19 --> 00:12:20 they had
00:12:20 --> 00:12:20 the wrong
00:12:20 --> 00:12:21 expectations.
00:12:22 --> 00:12:22 He wrote
00:12:22 --> 00:12:23 this about
00:12:23 --> 00:12:24 all that
00:12:24 --> 00:12:25 Jesus claims
00:12:25 --> 00:12:26 as a challenge
00:12:26 --> 00:12:27 to us.
00:12:27 --> 00:12:30 in the mouth
00:12:30 --> 00:12:30 of any
00:12:30 --> 00:12:31 speaker
00:12:31 --> 00:12:31 who is
00:12:31 --> 00:12:31 not
00:12:31 --> 00:12:32 God,
00:12:32 --> 00:12:32 these words
00:12:32 --> 00:12:33 would imply
00:12:33 --> 00:12:34 what I
00:12:34 --> 00:12:35 can only
00:12:35 --> 00:12:36 regard as
00:12:36 --> 00:12:37 a silliness
00:12:37 --> 00:12:38 and conceit
00:12:38 --> 00:12:39 unrivaled by
00:12:39 --> 00:12:40 any character
00:12:40 --> 00:12:41 in history.
00:12:42 --> 00:12:42 You must
00:12:42 --> 00:12:43 make your
00:12:43 --> 00:12:43 choice.
00:12:43 --> 00:12:44 Either this
00:12:44 --> 00:12:45 man was
00:12:45 --> 00:12:46 and is
00:12:46 --> 00:12:47 the son
00:12:47 --> 00:12:47 of God
00:12:47 --> 00:12:48 or else
00:12:48 --> 00:12:50 a madman
00:12:50 --> 00:12:52 or something
00:12:52 --> 00:12:52 worse.
00:12:53 --> 00:12:54 You can
00:12:54 --> 00:12:54 shut him
00:12:54 --> 00:12:55 up a
00:12:55 --> 00:12:55 fool,
00:12:56 --> 00:12:56 you can
00:12:56 --> 00:12:56 spit at
00:12:56 --> 00:12:57 him and
00:12:57 --> 00:12:57 kill him
00:12:57 --> 00:12:57 as a
00:12:57 --> 00:12:58 demon
00:12:58 --> 00:12:58 or you
00:12:58 --> 00:12:59 can fall
00:12:59 --> 00:12:59 at his
00:12:59 --> 00:13:00 feet and
00:13:00 --> 00:13:00 call him
00:13:00 --> 00:13:01 Lord and
00:13:01 --> 00:13:02 God.
00:13:03 --> 00:13:04 Chatswood,
00:13:05 --> 00:13:05 we've got
00:13:05 --> 00:13:06 to make
00:13:06 --> 00:13:07 a choice.
00:13:08 --> 00:13:09 Is Jesus
00:13:09 --> 00:13:10 a mad fool
00:13:10 --> 00:13:11 worthy of
00:13:11 --> 00:13:12 death or
00:13:12 --> 00:13:13 the judge
00:13:13 --> 00:13:13 of the
00:13:13 --> 00:13:14 world freely
00:13:14 --> 00:13:15 offering you
00:13:15 --> 00:13:16 immediate
00:13:16 --> 00:13:16 abundant
00:13:16 --> 00:13:17 eternal
00:13:17 --> 00:13:18 life?
00:13:20 --> 00:13:21 Those claims
00:13:21 --> 00:13:22 are astonishing.
00:13:23 --> 00:13:24 But Jesus
00:13:24 --> 00:13:24 claimed he
00:13:24 --> 00:13:25 can prove
00:13:25 --> 00:13:25 it to
00:13:25 --> 00:13:26 you.
00:13:28 --> 00:13:28 He lines
00:13:28 --> 00:13:29 up witnesses
00:13:29 --> 00:13:29 to his
00:13:29 --> 00:13:30 claims.
00:13:30 --> 00:13:30 For he
00:13:30 --> 00:13:31 says it's
00:13:31 --> 00:13:31 not enough
00:13:31 --> 00:13:31 for me
00:13:31 --> 00:13:32 just to
00:13:32 --> 00:13:32 say,
00:13:32 --> 00:13:33 in verse
00:13:33 --> 00:13:34 31,
00:13:35 --> 00:13:36 that I
00:13:36 --> 00:13:36 am God.
00:13:37 --> 00:13:37 It's not
00:13:37 --> 00:13:37 enough for
00:13:37 --> 00:13:37 me to
00:13:37 --> 00:13:38 witness to
00:13:38 --> 00:13:38 myself.
00:13:39 --> 00:13:40 According
00:13:40 --> 00:13:40 to Jesus,
00:13:41 --> 00:13:41 John the
00:13:41 --> 00:13:41 Baptist,
00:13:42 --> 00:13:43 the greatest
00:13:43 --> 00:13:43 man of
00:13:43 --> 00:13:44 all time
00:13:44 --> 00:13:44 as Jesus
00:13:44 --> 00:13:45 described him
00:13:45 --> 00:13:46 in Matthew
00:13:46 --> 00:13:46 11,
00:13:48 --> 00:13:48 John the
00:13:48 --> 00:13:48 Baptist
00:13:48 --> 00:13:49 declared
00:13:49 --> 00:13:49 Jesus as
00:13:49 --> 00:13:50 the Lamb
00:13:50 --> 00:13:51 of God.
00:13:52 --> 00:13:53 And God
00:13:53 --> 00:13:54 the Father
00:13:54 --> 00:13:55 declared
00:13:55 --> 00:13:55 audibly from
00:13:55 --> 00:13:56 heaven,
00:13:57 --> 00:13:57 this is
00:13:57 --> 00:13:58 my Son,
00:13:58 --> 00:13:59 listen to
00:13:59 --> 00:13:59 him.
00:14:00 --> 00:14:00 But Jesus
00:14:00 --> 00:14:01 says in
00:14:01 --> 00:14:02 this passage
00:14:02 --> 00:14:04 that his
00:14:04 --> 00:14:05 accusers don't
00:14:05 --> 00:14:06 recognize the
00:14:06 --> 00:14:06 Father.
00:14:07 --> 00:14:07 They've never
00:14:07 --> 00:14:08 seen him,
00:14:08 --> 00:14:08 they don't
00:14:08 --> 00:14:08 know his
00:14:08 --> 00:14:09 voice.
00:14:09 --> 00:14:10 So what he
00:14:10 --> 00:14:10 says of
00:14:10 --> 00:14:11 Jesus goes
00:14:11 --> 00:14:11 unheard.
00:14:12 --> 00:14:13 John 5,
00:14:14 --> 00:14:14 37,
00:14:14 --> 00:14:15 he says,
00:14:15 --> 00:14:15 you've never
00:14:15 --> 00:14:16 heard his
00:14:16 --> 00:14:16 voice.
00:14:16 --> 00:14:19 And
00:14:19 --> 00:14:19 agreeing with
00:14:19 --> 00:14:20 the Father
00:14:20 --> 00:14:20 is scripture
00:14:20 --> 00:14:21 itself.
00:14:22 --> 00:14:22 That whole
00:14:22 --> 00:14:23 Old Testament
00:14:23 --> 00:14:24 that's come
00:14:24 --> 00:14:24 before.
00:14:26 --> 00:14:26 Jesus
00:14:26 --> 00:14:27 summarizes it
00:14:27 --> 00:14:29 as Moses,
00:14:30 --> 00:14:30 the great
00:14:30 --> 00:14:31 prophet and
00:14:31 --> 00:14:32 champion of
00:14:32 --> 00:14:32 Israel.
00:14:32 --> 00:14:33 He says in
00:14:33 --> 00:14:34 verse 46 and
00:14:34 --> 00:14:34 47,
00:14:35 --> 00:14:36 if you
00:14:36 --> 00:14:36 believed
00:14:36 --> 00:14:36 Moses,
00:14:36 --> 00:14:37 you would
00:14:37 --> 00:14:37 have believed
00:14:37 --> 00:14:37 me.
00:14:38 --> 00:14:39 For he
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 wrote about
00:14:39 --> 00:14:39 me.
00:14:40 --> 00:14:40 But since
00:14:40 --> 00:14:41 you do not
00:14:41 --> 00:14:41 believe what
00:14:41 --> 00:14:42 he wrote,
00:14:42 --> 00:14:43 how are you
00:14:43 --> 00:14:43 going to
00:14:43 --> 00:14:43 believe what
00:14:43 --> 00:14:44 I say?
00:14:46 --> 00:14:46 The religious
00:14:46 --> 00:14:47 leaders of
00:14:47 --> 00:14:48 the time had
00:14:48 --> 00:14:48 their heads
00:14:48 --> 00:14:49 buried in
00:14:49 --> 00:14:50 God's words,
00:14:50 --> 00:14:51 but that was
00:14:51 --> 00:14:52 not enough for
00:14:52 --> 00:14:52 them to
00:14:52 --> 00:14:53 recognize God
00:14:53 --> 00:14:54 right in
00:14:54 --> 00:14:55 front of
00:14:55 --> 00:14:55 them.
00:14:56 --> 00:14:57 But most
00:14:57 --> 00:14:58 of all,
00:14:59 --> 00:14:59 it's Jesus
00:14:59 --> 00:15:00 works
00:15:00 --> 00:15:01 themselves
00:15:01 --> 00:15:02 that witness
00:15:02 --> 00:15:04 strongest to
00:15:04 --> 00:15:05 the truth of
00:15:05 --> 00:15:05 his claim to
00:15:05 --> 00:15:06 be God.
00:15:08 --> 00:15:09 Have a look
00:15:09 --> 00:15:09 at verse
00:15:09 --> 00:15:10 36.
00:15:12 --> 00:15:13 Jesus
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 says,
00:15:13 --> 00:15:13 I have
00:15:13 --> 00:15:14 testimony
00:15:14 --> 00:15:15 weightier
00:15:15 --> 00:15:16 for the
00:15:16 --> 00:15:17 works that
00:15:17 --> 00:15:17 the Father
00:15:17 --> 00:15:18 has given
00:15:18 --> 00:15:18 me to
00:15:18 --> 00:15:18 finish.
00:15:18 --> 00:15:19 The works
00:15:19 --> 00:15:19 that I
00:15:19 --> 00:15:20 am doing
00:15:20 --> 00:15:22 testify that
00:15:22 --> 00:15:22 the Father
00:15:22 --> 00:15:23 has sent
00:15:23 --> 00:15:23 me.
00:15:26 --> 00:15:26 If you've
00:15:26 --> 00:15:27 been following
00:15:27 --> 00:15:27 along with
00:15:27 --> 00:15:28 this at
00:15:28 --> 00:15:28 church,
00:15:28 --> 00:15:29 or if you've
00:15:29 --> 00:15:29 ever read
00:15:29 --> 00:15:30 it before,
00:15:30 --> 00:15:30 the book
00:15:30 --> 00:15:31 of John
00:15:31 --> 00:15:31 describes
00:15:31 --> 00:15:32 Jesus'
00:15:33 --> 00:15:33 miracles,
00:15:33 --> 00:15:34 not with
00:15:34 --> 00:15:34 that word
00:15:34 --> 00:15:35 miracle,
00:15:35 --> 00:15:36 but the
00:15:36 --> 00:15:36 word sign.
00:15:38 --> 00:15:38 Signs
00:15:38 --> 00:15:39 point to
00:15:39 --> 00:15:40 something.
00:15:40 --> 00:15:41 They can
00:15:41 --> 00:15:41 be proved
00:15:41 --> 00:15:42 right or
00:15:42 --> 00:15:42 wrong.
00:15:42 --> 00:15:43 If you
00:15:43 --> 00:15:44 follow
00:15:44 --> 00:15:44 them.
00:15:44 --> 00:15:45 If you're
00:15:45 --> 00:15:46 local or
00:15:46 --> 00:15:46 you've
00:15:46 --> 00:15:46 been around
00:15:46 --> 00:15:47 Chatswood
00:15:47 --> 00:15:47 at all,
00:15:48 --> 00:15:49 or if
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 you've
00:15:49 --> 00:15:49 ever been
00:15:49 --> 00:15:50 to our
00:15:50 --> 00:15:50 church,
00:15:50 --> 00:15:51 you go
00:15:51 --> 00:15:52 straight down
00:15:52 --> 00:15:52 this street
00:15:52 --> 00:15:52 here,
00:15:52 --> 00:15:53 down
00:15:53 --> 00:15:53 Help
00:15:53 --> 00:15:53 Street.
00:15:55 --> 00:15:56 Over
00:15:56 --> 00:15:56 the train
00:15:56 --> 00:15:57 line is a
00:15:57 --> 00:15:58 gigantic
00:15:58 --> 00:15:59 sign.
00:15:59 --> 00:16:00 It looks
00:16:00 --> 00:16:00 like it
00:16:00 --> 00:16:01 could be as
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 big as
00:16:01 --> 00:16:01 that wall
00:16:01 --> 00:16:02 right there.
00:16:02 --> 00:16:03 That sign
00:16:03 --> 00:16:05 is trying to
00:16:05 --> 00:16:05 convince you
00:16:05 --> 00:16:06 that a new
00:16:06 --> 00:16:07 breakfast cereal
00:16:07 --> 00:16:07 or a new
00:16:07 --> 00:16:08 car or a new
00:16:08 --> 00:16:09 hair product
00:16:09 --> 00:16:10 is better
00:16:10 --> 00:16:11 than your
00:16:11 --> 00:16:11 current one.
00:16:12 --> 00:16:12 The
00:16:12 --> 00:16:13 flattering
00:16:13 --> 00:16:15 photoshopped
00:16:15 --> 00:16:15 picture is
00:16:15 --> 00:16:16 its proof
00:16:16 --> 00:16:18 that their
00:16:18 --> 00:16:19 cereal is
00:16:19 --> 00:16:19 tastier,
00:16:20 --> 00:16:21 that the
00:16:21 --> 00:16:21 car has a
00:16:21 --> 00:16:22 smoother ride,
00:16:22 --> 00:16:23 or that you
00:16:23 --> 00:16:23 really can
00:16:23 --> 00:16:24 regrow your
00:16:24 --> 00:16:24 hair.
00:16:26 --> 00:16:27 Chatswood is
00:16:27 --> 00:16:28 a prove-it
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 kind of
00:16:28 --> 00:16:28 place.
00:16:28 --> 00:16:32 If you
00:16:32 --> 00:16:33 made the
00:16:33 --> 00:16:33 claim Jesus
00:16:33 --> 00:16:34 is God
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 in
00:16:34 --> 00:16:34 Chatswood,
00:16:35 --> 00:16:35 if I
00:16:35 --> 00:16:36 put Jesus
00:16:36 --> 00:16:37 is God
00:16:37 --> 00:16:38 on that
00:16:38 --> 00:16:38 sign,
00:16:39 --> 00:16:40 people would
00:16:40 --> 00:16:40 drive down,
00:16:41 --> 00:16:42 it's hilarious,
00:16:42 --> 00:16:43 it's called
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 Help
00:16:43 --> 00:16:43 Street,
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 but they
00:16:44 --> 00:16:44 drive down
00:16:44 --> 00:16:45 Help
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 Street,
00:16:45 --> 00:16:45 look at
00:16:45 --> 00:16:46 that and
00:16:46 --> 00:16:46 go,
00:16:46 --> 00:16:47 prove it.
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 Chatswood
00:16:50 --> 00:16:50 is a
00:16:50 --> 00:16:51 prove-it
00:16:51 --> 00:16:52 kind of
00:16:52 --> 00:16:52 place.
00:16:52 --> 00:16:53 And Jesus
00:16:53 --> 00:16:53 says,
00:16:53 --> 00:16:54 his proof
00:16:54 --> 00:16:55 is in
00:16:55 --> 00:16:55 his signs.
00:16:56 --> 00:16:56 So let's
00:16:56 --> 00:16:57 look to
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 some of
00:16:57 --> 00:16:57 Jesus'
00:16:57 --> 00:16:58 signs.
00:16:58 --> 00:16:59 And see,
00:16:59 --> 00:17:00 can Jesus
00:17:00 --> 00:17:00 really give
00:17:00 --> 00:17:01 us the
00:17:01 --> 00:17:02 life he
00:17:02 --> 00:17:02 claims to
00:17:02 --> 00:17:03 offer?
00:17:05 --> 00:17:05 Look back
00:17:05 --> 00:17:06 at verse
00:17:06 --> 00:17:06 21.
00:17:07 --> 00:17:07 Just as
00:17:07 --> 00:17:08 the Father
00:17:08 --> 00:17:08 raises the
00:17:08 --> 00:17:09 dead,
00:17:09 --> 00:17:10 even so
00:17:10 --> 00:17:10 the Son
00:17:10 --> 00:17:11 gives life
00:17:11 --> 00:17:12 to whom
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 he is
00:17:12 --> 00:17:12 pleased
00:17:12 --> 00:17:14 to give
00:17:14 --> 00:17:14 it.
00:17:16 --> 00:17:16 Jesus
00:17:16 --> 00:17:17 was able
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 to give
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 life to
00:17:17 --> 00:17:17 dead
00:17:17 --> 00:17:18 legs.
00:17:19 --> 00:17:20 Can he
00:17:20 --> 00:17:20 give life
00:17:20 --> 00:17:21 to dead
00:17:21 --> 00:17:21 people?
00:17:23 --> 00:17:23 Can he
00:17:23 --> 00:17:24 give life
00:17:24 --> 00:17:25 beyond the
00:17:25 --> 00:17:25 grave?
00:17:26 --> 00:17:27 Let's
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 look in
00:17:27 --> 00:17:27 John for
00:17:27 --> 00:17:28 some
00:17:28 --> 00:17:28 proof.
00:17:28 --> 00:17:30 John
00:17:30 --> 00:17:31 11.
00:17:35 --> 00:17:36 Later in
00:17:36 --> 00:17:37 John's
00:17:37 --> 00:17:37 Gospel,
00:17:38 --> 00:17:39 Jesus
00:17:39 --> 00:17:39 received a
00:17:39 --> 00:17:40 message that
00:17:40 --> 00:17:40 his friend
00:17:40 --> 00:17:41 Lazarus was
00:17:41 --> 00:17:43 sick and
00:17:43 --> 00:17:43 to come
00:17:43 --> 00:17:44 quick to
00:17:44 --> 00:17:44 the town
00:17:44 --> 00:17:45 nearby and
00:17:45 --> 00:17:45 heal him.
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47 But Jesus
00:17:47 --> 00:17:47 waited.
00:17:49 --> 00:17:50 He waited.
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 He didn't
00:17:50 --> 00:17:50 go.
00:17:52 --> 00:17:53 And when he
00:17:53 --> 00:17:54 finally did
00:17:54 --> 00:17:54 go,
00:17:56 --> 00:17:56 Lazarus had
00:17:56 --> 00:17:56 been dead
00:17:56 --> 00:17:57 four days.
00:17:58 --> 00:18:00 And
00:18:00 --> 00:18:01 Lazarus's
00:18:01 --> 00:18:01 sister
00:18:01 --> 00:18:02 Martha said
00:18:02 --> 00:18:02 to Jesus
00:18:02 --> 00:18:03 in verse
00:18:03 --> 00:18:03 21,
00:18:04 --> 00:18:04 if you'd
00:18:04 --> 00:18:05 been there,
00:18:05 --> 00:18:06 my brother
00:18:06 --> 00:18:06 would not
00:18:06 --> 00:18:07 have died.
00:18:07 --> 00:18:08 And just
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 as an
00:18:08 --> 00:18:08 aside,
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 last week
00:18:09 --> 00:18:09 we looked
00:18:09 --> 00:18:10 at John
00:18:10 --> 00:18:10 4.
00:18:11 --> 00:18:11 There was
00:18:11 --> 00:18:12 a man
00:18:12 --> 00:18:12 who lived
00:18:12 --> 00:18:13 20 miles
00:18:13 --> 00:18:14 away from
00:18:14 --> 00:18:14 where Jesus
00:18:14 --> 00:18:14 was and
00:18:14 --> 00:18:15 he traveled
00:18:15 --> 00:18:16 to Jesus
00:18:16 --> 00:18:17 and asked
00:18:17 --> 00:18:18 him,
00:18:18 --> 00:18:18 can you
00:18:18 --> 00:18:19 come the
00:18:19 --> 00:18:20 20 miles
00:18:20 --> 00:18:20 to my
00:18:20 --> 00:18:21 town to
00:18:21 --> 00:18:22 heal my
00:18:22 --> 00:18:22 dying
00:18:22 --> 00:18:22 son?
00:18:22 --> 00:18:24 And Jesus
00:18:24 --> 00:18:25 just said,
00:18:25 --> 00:18:26 your son
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 will be
00:18:26 --> 00:18:26 healed.
00:18:28 --> 00:18:28 The man
00:18:28 --> 00:18:29 went back
00:18:29 --> 00:18:29 to 20 miles
00:18:29 --> 00:18:30 and found
00:18:30 --> 00:18:31 his son
00:18:31 --> 00:18:31 healed.
00:18:32 --> 00:18:32 Jesus
00:18:32 --> 00:18:33 doesn't
00:18:33 --> 00:18:33 need to
00:18:33 --> 00:18:34 go.
00:18:35 --> 00:18:36 Remember
00:18:36 --> 00:18:36 the signs
00:18:36 --> 00:18:37 people.
00:18:41 --> 00:18:42 So
00:18:42 --> 00:18:42 Lazarus
00:18:42 --> 00:18:43 went with
00:18:43 --> 00:18:43 those in
00:18:43 --> 00:18:44 mourning.
00:18:45 --> 00:18:46 Jesus
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 went with
00:18:46 --> 00:18:46 those in
00:18:46 --> 00:18:47 mourning to
00:18:47 --> 00:18:47 Lazarus's
00:18:47 --> 00:18:48 tomb.
00:18:48 --> 00:18:51 and he
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 commanded
00:18:51 --> 00:18:51 it to
00:18:51 --> 00:18:52 be opened
00:18:52 --> 00:18:54 and the
00:18:54 --> 00:18:54 smell
00:18:54 --> 00:18:56 hit everyone
00:18:56 --> 00:18:56 full in
00:18:56 --> 00:18:57 the face
00:18:57 --> 00:18:59 and Jesus
00:18:59 --> 00:19:00 shouted,
00:19:00 --> 00:19:01 Lazarus
00:19:01 --> 00:19:02 come out
00:19:02 --> 00:19:03 and Lazarus
00:19:03 --> 00:19:04 walked out
00:19:04 --> 00:19:05 in burial
00:19:05 --> 00:19:06 cloths
00:19:06 --> 00:19:07 alive.
00:19:09 --> 00:19:10 Jesus
00:19:10 --> 00:19:10 proved he
00:19:10 --> 00:19:11 could raise
00:19:11 --> 00:19:11 the dead.
00:19:14 --> 00:19:15 He
00:19:15 --> 00:19:15 proved he
00:19:15 --> 00:19:16 could bring
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 dead limbs
00:19:16 --> 00:19:16 back to
00:19:16 --> 00:19:17 life.
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 He
00:19:17 --> 00:19:17 proved he
00:19:17 --> 00:19:18 could bring
00:19:18 --> 00:19:18 dead people
00:19:18 --> 00:19:19 back to
00:19:19 --> 00:19:19 life.
00:19:19 --> 00:19:20 How
00:19:20 --> 00:19:20 could he
00:19:20 --> 00:19:21 prove that
00:19:21 --> 00:19:22 he could
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 offer
00:19:22 --> 00:19:22 eternal
00:19:22 --> 00:19:23 life?
00:19:26 --> 00:19:27 John
00:19:27 --> 00:19:27 knows that
00:19:27 --> 00:19:28 that's
00:19:28 --> 00:19:28 his next
00:19:28 --> 00:19:28 question
00:19:28 --> 00:19:29 because
00:19:29 --> 00:19:29 immediately
00:19:29 --> 00:19:30 after he
00:19:30 --> 00:19:31 describes
00:19:31 --> 00:19:31 this
00:19:31 --> 00:19:32 wonderful
00:19:32 --> 00:19:33 moment of
00:19:33 --> 00:19:33 celebration,
00:19:33 --> 00:19:34 this wonderful
00:19:34 --> 00:19:35 sign,
00:19:36 --> 00:19:36 he says,
00:19:36 --> 00:19:37 and now the
00:19:37 --> 00:19:38 religious leaders
00:19:38 --> 00:19:39 literally signed
00:19:39 --> 00:19:39 his death
00:19:39 --> 00:19:40 warrant.
00:19:40 --> 00:19:41 That was the
00:19:41 --> 00:19:41 moment they
00:19:41 --> 00:19:42 said,
00:19:42 --> 00:19:42 nope,
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 enough is
00:19:43 --> 00:19:43 enough,
00:19:44 --> 00:19:44 no more
00:19:44 --> 00:19:44 planning,
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 he's got
00:19:45 --> 00:19:45 to die
00:19:45 --> 00:19:46 now.
00:19:46 --> 00:19:50 And
00:19:50 --> 00:19:51 spoiler alert,
00:19:51 --> 00:19:51 he did.
00:19:52 --> 00:19:53 Jesus'
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 plane hit
00:19:53 --> 00:19:53 the mountain.
00:19:57 --> 00:19:58 How can a
00:19:58 --> 00:19:58 man that
00:19:58 --> 00:19:59 claims he
00:19:59 --> 00:19:59 is God
00:19:59 --> 00:20:00 and the
00:20:00 --> 00:20:00 giver of
00:20:00 --> 00:20:00 eternal
00:20:00 --> 00:20:01 life be
00:20:01 --> 00:20:01 legitimate
00:20:01 --> 00:20:02 if he
00:20:02 --> 00:20:03 dies?
00:20:05 --> 00:20:05 Well,
00:20:06 --> 00:20:06 in a
00:20:06 --> 00:20:07 similar tomb
00:20:07 --> 00:20:07 to Lazarus,
00:20:09 --> 00:20:09 Jesus was
00:20:09 --> 00:20:09 buried.
00:20:10 --> 00:20:10 And a
00:20:10 --> 00:20:11 couple of
00:20:11 --> 00:20:12 days after
00:20:12 --> 00:20:13 his brutal
00:20:13 --> 00:20:13 murder,
00:20:13 --> 00:20:14 his followers
00:20:14 --> 00:20:15 went to
00:20:15 --> 00:20:15 properly
00:20:15 --> 00:20:16 prepare
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 his dead
00:20:16 --> 00:20:16 body,
00:20:16 --> 00:20:17 because they
00:20:17 --> 00:20:17 couldn't
00:20:17 --> 00:20:17 go on
00:20:17 --> 00:20:17 the
00:20:17 --> 00:20:17 Sabbath,
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 because that
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 would have
00:20:18 --> 00:20:18 been work.
00:20:21 --> 00:20:21 But the
00:20:21 --> 00:20:22 tomb was
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 empty and
00:20:22 --> 00:20:22 the body
00:20:22 --> 00:20:23 was gone.
00:20:24 --> 00:20:25 And then
00:20:25 --> 00:20:25 Jesus revealed
00:20:25 --> 00:20:26 himself as
00:20:26 --> 00:20:27 alive,
00:20:28 --> 00:20:28 unexpectedly
00:20:28 --> 00:20:29 risen,
00:20:30 --> 00:20:31 still scarred
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 from his
00:20:31 --> 00:20:31 cross,
00:20:33 --> 00:20:34 and hundreds
00:20:34 --> 00:20:35 met with
00:20:35 --> 00:20:35 him.
00:20:36 --> 00:20:37 And many
00:20:37 --> 00:20:37 of them
00:20:37 --> 00:20:39 died
00:20:39 --> 00:20:39 witnessing
00:20:39 --> 00:20:40 to his
00:20:40 --> 00:20:41 resurrection.
00:20:42 --> 00:20:43 But one
00:20:43 --> 00:20:43 disciple,
00:20:43 --> 00:20:44 early on,
00:20:44 --> 00:20:45 Thomas,
00:20:46 --> 00:20:47 missed seeing
00:20:47 --> 00:20:48 the risen
00:20:48 --> 00:20:49 Jesus with
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 the rest
00:20:49 --> 00:20:49 of them.
00:20:51 --> 00:20:51 And he
00:20:51 --> 00:20:51 doubted that
00:20:51 --> 00:20:52 Jesus lived,
00:20:52 --> 00:20:53 and he
00:20:53 --> 00:20:53 demanded,
00:20:53 --> 00:20:54 in John
00:20:54 --> 00:20:54 20,
00:20:54 --> 00:20:55 25,
00:20:55 --> 00:20:56 he says,
00:20:56 --> 00:20:57 unless I
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 see and
00:20:57 --> 00:20:57 put my
00:20:57 --> 00:20:58 finger where
00:20:58 --> 00:20:59 the nails
00:20:59 --> 00:20:59 were,
00:20:59 --> 00:21:00 put my
00:21:00 --> 00:21:01 hand in
00:21:01 --> 00:21:01 his side,
00:21:01 --> 00:21:02 I will
00:21:02 --> 00:21:03 not believe.
00:21:04 --> 00:21:05 He challenged
00:21:05 --> 00:21:05 Jesus'
00:21:05 --> 00:21:06 claims.
00:21:06 --> 00:21:06 He's
00:21:06 --> 00:21:07 Chatswood
00:21:07 --> 00:21:08 in that
00:21:08 --> 00:21:08 moment.
00:21:09 --> 00:21:10 We join in
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 with him
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 and we
00:21:10 --> 00:21:10 say,
00:21:11 --> 00:21:11 prove it.
00:21:14 --> 00:21:15 Then Jesus
00:21:15 --> 00:21:15 appeared to
00:21:15 --> 00:21:16 Thomas,
00:21:16 --> 00:21:17 as if to
00:21:17 --> 00:21:17 us,
00:21:18 --> 00:21:20 and said,
00:21:20 --> 00:21:20 go ahead,
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 touch my
00:21:21 --> 00:21:21 scars,
00:21:21 --> 00:21:22 it's really
00:21:22 --> 00:21:22 me.
00:21:23 --> 00:21:23 But for
00:21:23 --> 00:21:24 Thomas,
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 seeing was
00:21:25 --> 00:21:25 believing,
00:21:27 --> 00:21:28 as he
00:21:28 --> 00:21:28 witnessed,
00:21:29 --> 00:21:30 my Lord
00:21:30 --> 00:21:31 and my
00:21:31 --> 00:21:31 God.
00:21:33 --> 00:21:33 Jesus
00:21:33 --> 00:21:34 really is
00:21:34 --> 00:21:35 God.
00:21:37 --> 00:21:38 Jesus
00:21:38 --> 00:21:38 claimed to be
00:21:38 --> 00:21:39 God who can
00:21:39 --> 00:21:40 offer immediate,
00:21:40 --> 00:21:40 abundant,
00:21:41 --> 00:21:42 eternal life,
00:21:42 --> 00:21:43 and proved
00:21:43 --> 00:21:43 it.
00:21:44 --> 00:21:45 He proved
00:21:45 --> 00:21:45 it by signs
00:21:45 --> 00:21:46 he performed
00:21:46 --> 00:21:47 as the
00:21:47 --> 00:21:48 God and
00:21:48 --> 00:21:48 the giver
00:21:48 --> 00:21:49 of life.
00:21:50 --> 00:21:51 And Jesus
00:21:51 --> 00:21:52 was on the
00:21:52 --> 00:21:52 plane of
00:21:52 --> 00:21:53 life like
00:21:53 --> 00:21:53 we are,
00:21:54 --> 00:21:54 and died
00:21:54 --> 00:21:55 like we
00:21:55 --> 00:21:55 will,
00:21:56 --> 00:21:56 yet lives
00:21:56 --> 00:21:57 to prove
00:21:57 --> 00:21:57 that he
00:21:57 --> 00:21:58 has life
00:21:58 --> 00:21:58 to give
00:21:58 --> 00:21:59 for now
00:21:59 --> 00:22:00 and for
00:22:00 --> 00:22:00 eternity.
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 And that's
00:22:02 --> 00:22:02 why this
00:22:02 --> 00:22:03 gospel exists.
00:22:04 --> 00:22:05 Just read it
00:22:05 --> 00:22:05 out before.
00:22:06 --> 00:22:06 John says
00:22:06 --> 00:22:07 immediately after
00:22:07 --> 00:22:08 Thomas'
00:22:08 --> 00:22:08 witnesses to
00:22:08 --> 00:22:09 Jesus,
00:22:09 --> 00:22:10 almost like
00:22:10 --> 00:22:11 he's connecting
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 it on
00:22:11 --> 00:22:11 purpose.
00:22:12 --> 00:22:12 To show
00:22:12 --> 00:22:13 us this
00:22:13 --> 00:22:14 sign.
00:22:15 --> 00:22:16 So that
00:22:16 --> 00:22:17 you may
00:22:17 --> 00:22:18 believe that
00:22:18 --> 00:22:18 Jesus is
00:22:18 --> 00:22:19 the Messiah,
00:22:19 --> 00:22:20 the Son of
00:22:20 --> 00:22:20 God,
00:22:20 --> 00:22:21 and that by
00:22:21 --> 00:22:21 believing you
00:22:21 --> 00:22:22 might have
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 life in
00:22:22 --> 00:22:22 his name.
00:22:23 --> 00:22:24 That's why
00:22:24 --> 00:22:25 he's written
00:22:25 --> 00:22:26 the book.
00:22:26 --> 00:22:27 He hopes
00:22:27 --> 00:22:27 you'll see
00:22:27 --> 00:22:28 Jesus through
00:22:28 --> 00:22:28 his witness.
00:22:30 --> 00:22:30 And that
00:22:30 --> 00:22:31 Jesus really
00:22:31 --> 00:22:31 is the
00:22:31 --> 00:22:32 life-giving
00:22:32 --> 00:22:32 judge of
00:22:32 --> 00:22:33 all people.
00:22:33 --> 00:22:33 And that
00:22:33 --> 00:22:34 Jesus really
00:22:34 --> 00:22:36 is God.
00:22:38 --> 00:22:38 Remember
00:22:38 --> 00:22:39 that song I
00:22:39 --> 00:22:40 quoted at the
00:22:40 --> 00:22:40 beginning?
00:22:40 --> 00:22:41 What if
00:22:41 --> 00:22:42 God was
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 one of
00:22:42 --> 00:22:42 us?
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 I just
00:22:43 --> 00:22:43 want to
00:22:43 --> 00:22:44 point you
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 to verse
00:22:44 --> 00:22:44 two.
00:22:46 --> 00:22:46 Because it
00:22:46 --> 00:22:47 asks this
00:22:47 --> 00:22:47 bitter,
00:22:48 --> 00:22:48 sarcastic
00:22:48 --> 00:22:49 question of
00:22:49 --> 00:22:49 us,
00:22:49 --> 00:22:51 assuming that
00:22:51 --> 00:22:51 it wouldn't
00:22:51 --> 00:22:53 matter if
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 God was
00:22:53 --> 00:22:53 one of
00:22:53 --> 00:22:54 us.
00:22:54 --> 00:22:54 Here's the
00:22:54 --> 00:22:55 question.
00:22:55 --> 00:22:56 If God
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 was one
00:22:56 --> 00:22:56 of us,
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 would you
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 want to
00:22:57 --> 00:22:57 see?
00:22:59 --> 00:22:59 If seeing
00:22:59 --> 00:23:00 meant that
00:23:00 --> 00:23:00 you would
00:23:00 --> 00:23:01 have to
00:23:01 --> 00:23:02 believe in
00:23:02 --> 00:23:03 Jesus?
00:23:03 --> 00:23:05 Well,
00:23:05 --> 00:23:06 like Thomas,
00:23:06 --> 00:23:07 your answer
00:23:07 --> 00:23:07 should be
00:23:07 --> 00:23:08 yes.
00:23:08 --> 00:23:09 Yes,
00:23:09 --> 00:23:09 I want
00:23:09 --> 00:23:10 to believe.
00:23:10 --> 00:23:11 I'm
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 on a
00:23:11 --> 00:23:11 crashing
00:23:11 --> 00:23:12 plane and
00:23:12 --> 00:23:12 Jesus is
00:23:12 --> 00:23:13 offering me
00:23:13 --> 00:23:13 life.
00:23:14 --> 00:23:15 No matter
00:23:15 --> 00:23:16 what you
00:23:16 --> 00:23:16 right now
00:23:16 --> 00:23:17 think of
00:23:17 --> 00:23:17 God,
00:23:18 --> 00:23:18 no matter
00:23:18 --> 00:23:19 what,
00:23:21 --> 00:23:21 Jesus
00:23:21 --> 00:23:23 offers you
00:23:23 --> 00:23:24 life.
00:23:25 --> 00:23:25 No matter
00:23:25 --> 00:23:26 what you
00:23:26 --> 00:23:26 think of
00:23:26 --> 00:23:27 your life,
00:23:29 --> 00:23:29 Jesus offers
00:23:29 --> 00:23:30 you an
00:23:30 --> 00:23:30 abundant
00:23:30 --> 00:23:31 life today.
00:23:31 --> 00:23:32 life.
00:23:32 --> 00:23:33 Jesus can
00:23:33 --> 00:23:34 offer it
00:23:34 --> 00:23:34 to you
00:23:34 --> 00:23:36 because he
00:23:36 --> 00:23:37 died your
00:23:37 --> 00:23:37 death.
00:23:38 --> 00:23:38 He
00:23:38 --> 00:23:39 experienced
00:23:39 --> 00:23:40 the crash
00:23:40 --> 00:23:40 of your
00:23:40 --> 00:23:42 life and
00:23:42 --> 00:23:42 all of
00:23:42 --> 00:23:43 your judgment
00:23:43 --> 00:23:44 for you
00:23:44 --> 00:23:45 as he
00:23:45 --> 00:23:45 crashed on
00:23:45 --> 00:23:46 his cross.
00:23:48 --> 00:23:48 His
00:23:48 --> 00:23:49 astonishing
00:23:49 --> 00:23:49 offer of
00:23:49 --> 00:23:51 life is
00:23:51 --> 00:23:52 proved just
00:23:52 --> 00:23:53 and fair
00:23:53 --> 00:23:55 because his
00:23:55 --> 00:23:56 perfect life
00:23:56 --> 00:23:57 deserved no
00:23:57 --> 00:23:58 end.
00:23:58 --> 00:23:59 His life
00:23:59 --> 00:23:59 deserved landing
00:23:59 --> 00:24:00 gear.
00:24:01 --> 00:24:04 instead,
00:24:05 --> 00:24:06 he offers
00:24:06 --> 00:24:06 you a
00:24:06 --> 00:24:07 trade.
00:24:12 --> 00:24:13 If you
00:24:13 --> 00:24:14 claim the
00:24:14 --> 00:24:14 trade Jesus
00:24:14 --> 00:24:15 offers you,
00:24:16 --> 00:24:18 you can
00:24:18 --> 00:24:20 exchange your
00:24:20 --> 00:24:21 life and
00:24:21 --> 00:24:22 your judgments.
00:24:23 --> 00:24:24 Evil for
00:24:24 --> 00:24:25 good.
00:24:26 --> 00:24:26 Condemnation
00:24:26 --> 00:24:28 for life.
00:24:28 --> 00:24:29 life and
00:24:29 --> 00:24:29 he will
00:24:29 --> 00:24:30 give it to
00:24:30 --> 00:24:30 you right
00:24:30 --> 00:24:30 now.
00:24:32 --> 00:24:33 Crossing
00:24:33 --> 00:24:33 over from
00:24:33 --> 00:24:34 death to
00:24:34 --> 00:24:36 life if
00:24:36 --> 00:24:37 you believe.
00:24:39 --> 00:24:39 Only
00:24:39 --> 00:24:40 Jesus can
00:24:40 --> 00:24:41 offer you
00:24:41 --> 00:24:42 an abundant
00:24:42 --> 00:24:44 life which
00:24:44 --> 00:24:45 is rest and
00:24:45 --> 00:24:47 peace from
00:24:47 --> 00:24:49 all that
00:24:49 --> 00:24:50 your life is
00:24:50 --> 00:24:51 striving toward.
00:24:51 --> 00:24:51 forward.
00:24:52 --> 00:24:52 There's no
00:24:52 --> 00:24:53 ticket on
00:24:53 --> 00:24:54 offer here
00:24:54 --> 00:24:54 off this
00:24:54 --> 00:24:55 crashing
00:24:55 --> 00:24:56 plane but
00:24:56 --> 00:24:57 there's rest
00:24:57 --> 00:24:57 and peace
00:24:57 --> 00:24:59 for the
00:24:59 --> 00:24:59 flight and
00:24:59 --> 00:25:00 that's what
00:25:00 --> 00:25:00 Jesus'
00:25:01 --> 00:25:01 abundant
00:25:01 --> 00:25:03 life redeems
00:25:03 --> 00:25:04 you from.
00:25:05 --> 00:25:06 It's a
00:25:06 --> 00:25:07 life at rest
00:25:07 --> 00:25:08 from the
00:25:08 --> 00:25:09 striving that's
00:25:09 --> 00:25:09 underneath all
00:25:09 --> 00:25:10 the work that
00:25:10 --> 00:25:10 you do.
00:25:11 --> 00:25:12 The work in
00:25:12 --> 00:25:12 striving for
00:25:12 --> 00:25:13 your security,
00:25:13 --> 00:25:14 for your
00:25:14 --> 00:25:14 reputation,
00:25:15 --> 00:25:15 for your own
00:25:15 --> 00:25:16 righteousness.
00:25:16 --> 00:25:18 righteousness and
00:25:18 --> 00:25:20 it's peace from
00:25:20 --> 00:25:21 having to work
00:25:21 --> 00:25:22 your works to
00:25:22 --> 00:25:23 earn anything
00:25:23 --> 00:25:24 before God.
00:25:26 --> 00:25:27 You can
00:25:27 --> 00:25:28 receive belief
00:25:28 --> 00:25:29 in him as
00:25:29 --> 00:25:30 an unearned
00:25:30 --> 00:25:30 gift.
00:25:32 --> 00:25:33 Only Jesus
00:25:33 --> 00:25:33 offers you
00:25:33 --> 00:25:35 hope beyond
00:25:35 --> 00:25:35 life.
00:25:37 --> 00:25:37 Here's the
00:25:37 --> 00:25:38 verse I would
00:25:38 --> 00:25:38 write to this
00:25:38 --> 00:25:39 song.
00:25:39 --> 00:25:39 What if God
00:25:39 --> 00:25:40 was one of
00:25:40 --> 00:25:40 us?
00:25:40 --> 00:25:41 In this
00:25:41 --> 00:25:42 broken and
00:25:42 --> 00:25:42 violent,
00:25:42 --> 00:25:43 decaying,
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 deathward
00:25:43 --> 00:25:43 world,
00:25:43 --> 00:25:47 there is
00:25:47 --> 00:25:47 an end to
00:25:47 --> 00:25:48 your fear
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 of
00:25:48 --> 00:25:48 condemnation,
00:25:49 --> 00:25:50 an assurance
00:25:50 --> 00:25:51 that cannot
00:25:51 --> 00:25:51 be shaken.
00:25:52 --> 00:25:53 It's joy for
00:25:53 --> 00:25:53 today and
00:25:53 --> 00:25:54 tomorrow and
00:25:54 --> 00:25:55 hope beyond
00:25:55 --> 00:25:56 death.
00:25:57 --> 00:25:58 For God
00:25:58 --> 00:25:59 was one
00:25:59 --> 00:25:59 of us.
00:26:02 --> 00:26:02 Jesus really
00:26:02 --> 00:26:04 is God.
00:26:06 --> 00:26:07 Is Jesus
00:26:07 --> 00:26:08 really God?
00:26:08 --> 00:26:09 Your answer
00:26:09 --> 00:26:10 should be yes.
00:26:10 --> 00:26:11 I want you
00:26:11 --> 00:26:12 to believe in
00:26:12 --> 00:26:12 Jesus.
00:26:13 --> 00:26:13 You should
00:26:13 --> 00:26:14 want to
00:26:14 --> 00:26:15 believe in
00:26:15 --> 00:26:15 Jesus.
00:26:16 --> 00:26:16 Take your
00:26:16 --> 00:26:17 next step
00:26:17 --> 00:26:17 and believe
00:26:17 --> 00:26:18 today.
00:26:19 --> 00:26:20 Receive the
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 eternal life
00:26:20 --> 00:26:20 that he
00:26:20 --> 00:26:21 offers.
00:26:22 --> 00:26:22 For Jesus
00:26:22 --> 00:26:23 really is
00:26:23 --> 00:26:24 God.
00:26:24 --> 00:26:25 And if you
00:26:25 --> 00:26:26 believe Jesus
00:26:26 --> 00:26:26 is God,
00:26:27 --> 00:26:27 then join
00:26:27 --> 00:26:28 in with
00:26:28 --> 00:26:30 John as
00:26:30 --> 00:26:31 a witness
00:26:31 --> 00:26:32 to Jesus.
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 Share
00:26:33 --> 00:26:33 Jesus'
00:26:34 --> 00:26:34 signs with
00:26:34 --> 00:26:35 people so
00:26:35 --> 00:26:35 that they
00:26:35 --> 00:26:36 might believe
00:26:36 --> 00:26:37 in him.
00:26:38 --> 00:26:39 From
00:26:39 --> 00:26:39 belief in
00:26:39 --> 00:26:40 Jesus brings
00:26:40 --> 00:26:42 a desire to
00:26:42 --> 00:26:42 be a sign
00:26:42 --> 00:26:44 that points
00:26:44 --> 00:26:44 people to
00:26:44 --> 00:26:45 Jesus Christ.
00:26:46 --> 00:26:46 I'm going to
00:26:46 --> 00:26:47 do something
00:26:47 --> 00:26:47 we don't
00:26:47 --> 00:26:48 often do in
00:26:48 --> 00:26:48 church,
00:26:48 --> 00:26:49 which is
00:26:49 --> 00:26:50 get out
00:26:50 --> 00:26:50 your phone.
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 Get out
00:26:51 --> 00:26:51 your phone
00:26:51 --> 00:26:52 and point it
00:26:52 --> 00:26:52 at the
00:26:52 --> 00:26:53 screen and
00:26:53 --> 00:26:53 scan this
00:26:53 --> 00:26:54 code.
00:26:54 --> 00:26:54 And if
00:26:54 --> 00:26:55 you do,
00:26:55 --> 00:26:56 you will
00:26:56 --> 00:26:56 download an
00:26:56 --> 00:26:57 app that's
00:26:57 --> 00:26:57 free.
00:26:58 --> 00:26:58 It's a
00:26:58 --> 00:26:59 resource called
00:26:59 --> 00:26:59 Word
00:26:59 --> 00:27:00 One-to-One.
00:27:00 --> 00:27:01 This is the
00:27:01 --> 00:27:01 Gospel of
00:27:01 --> 00:27:02 John and
00:27:02 --> 00:27:03 it's broken
00:27:03 --> 00:27:03 up into
00:27:03 --> 00:27:04 little short
00:27:04 --> 00:27:05 readings.
00:27:06 --> 00:27:06 There's
00:27:06 --> 00:27:07 questions to
00:27:07 --> 00:27:08 ask yourself,
00:27:08 --> 00:27:09 to discuss
00:27:09 --> 00:27:09 with others,
00:27:09 --> 00:27:10 and there's
00:27:10 --> 00:27:11 help to
00:27:11 --> 00:27:11 understand the
00:27:11 --> 00:27:12 context and
00:27:12 --> 00:27:13 the meaning
00:27:13 --> 00:27:14 of the
00:27:14 --> 00:27:14 book of
00:27:14 --> 00:27:15 John.
00:27:17 --> 00:27:18 This app
00:27:18 --> 00:27:19 will help
00:27:19 --> 00:27:20 you share
00:27:20 --> 00:27:21 the good
00:27:21 --> 00:27:21 news of
00:27:21 --> 00:27:22 John,
00:27:22 --> 00:27:23 explore the
00:27:23 --> 00:27:24 claims and
00:27:24 --> 00:27:24 proof that
00:27:24 --> 00:27:25 Jesus really
00:27:25 --> 00:27:26 is God,
00:27:26 --> 00:27:27 and how
00:27:27 --> 00:27:28 it really
00:27:28 --> 00:27:29 matters that
00:27:29 --> 00:27:31 Jesus is
00:27:31 --> 00:27:32 God.
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 Once you
00:27:32 --> 00:27:32 have the
00:27:32 --> 00:27:33 app,
00:27:33 --> 00:27:33 there's a
00:27:33 --> 00:27:34 button called
00:27:34 --> 00:27:34 Share,
00:27:34 --> 00:27:35 and you can
00:27:35 --> 00:27:36 hold that
00:27:36 --> 00:27:36 code out to
00:27:36 --> 00:27:37 anyone who
00:27:37 --> 00:27:38 has a phone,
00:27:38 --> 00:27:39 and you
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 can open
00:27:39 --> 00:27:39 the Bible
00:27:39 --> 00:27:40 with someone
00:27:40 --> 00:27:41 who doesn't
00:27:41 --> 00:27:42 have one,
00:27:42 --> 00:27:42 no matter
00:27:42 --> 00:27:43 where you
00:27:43 --> 00:27:43 are,
00:27:43 --> 00:27:44 as long as
00:27:44 --> 00:27:44 you have
00:27:44 --> 00:27:45 battery on
00:27:45 --> 00:27:45 their phone.
00:27:47 --> 00:27:48 And if
00:27:48 --> 00:27:49 you believe
00:27:49 --> 00:27:49 that Jesus
00:27:49 --> 00:27:50 is really
00:27:50 --> 00:27:50 God,
00:27:51 --> 00:27:53 then he's
00:27:53 --> 00:27:54 worthy of
00:27:54 --> 00:27:54 your worship.
00:27:56 --> 00:27:57 As we enjoy
00:27:57 --> 00:27:57 Jesus'
00:27:57 --> 00:27:58 accomplishments
00:27:58 --> 00:27:59 for us,
00:27:59 --> 00:27:59 and the
00:27:59 --> 00:28:00 peace and
00:28:00 --> 00:28:01 rest in
00:28:01 --> 00:28:02 him,
00:28:02 --> 00:28:03 we reorder
00:28:03 --> 00:28:04 the priorities
00:28:04 --> 00:28:04 of our
00:28:04 --> 00:28:06 life around
00:28:06 --> 00:28:06 his.
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 For he
00:28:08 --> 00:28:08 is worthy
00:28:08 --> 00:28:09 of your
00:28:09 --> 00:28:09 life.
00:28:09 --> 00:28:10 That's why
00:28:10 --> 00:28:11 we've sung
00:28:11 --> 00:28:11 today.
00:28:12 --> 00:28:12 That's why
00:28:12 --> 00:28:13 we teach
00:28:13 --> 00:28:14 and learn
00:28:14 --> 00:28:15 new songs,
00:28:15 --> 00:28:16 because he
00:28:16 --> 00:28:17 inspires works
00:28:17 --> 00:28:18 of thanks
00:28:18 --> 00:28:20 and praise.
00:28:20 --> 00:28:21 So,
00:28:21 --> 00:28:21 what if
00:28:21 --> 00:28:22 God was
00:28:22 --> 00:28:23 one of
00:28:23 --> 00:28:23 us?
00:28:24 --> 00:28:24 He was.
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 He was
00:28:25 --> 00:28:25 one of
00:28:25 --> 00:28:26 us.
00:28:27 --> 00:28:27 He is
00:28:27 --> 00:28:27 Jesus.
00:28:29 --> 00:28:30 He claimed
00:28:30 --> 00:28:31 this,
00:28:31 --> 00:28:31 and he
00:28:31 --> 00:28:32 proved this,
00:28:32 --> 00:28:32 and he
00:28:32 --> 00:28:33 offers you
00:28:33 --> 00:28:34 immediate,
00:28:34 --> 00:28:35 abundant,
00:28:35 --> 00:28:36 eternal life
00:28:36 --> 00:28:37 in him.
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 So,
00:28:37 --> 00:28:37 take your
00:28:37 --> 00:28:38 next step
00:28:38 --> 00:28:39 and open
00:28:39 --> 00:28:39 your Bible
00:28:39 --> 00:28:41 and hear
00:28:41 --> 00:28:42 God speak.
00:28:43 --> 00:28:44 Verse 24,
00:28:44 --> 00:28:45 a time is
00:28:45 --> 00:28:45 coming,
00:28:46 --> 00:28:46 and has
00:28:46 --> 00:28:47 now come,
00:28:48 --> 00:28:48 where the
00:28:48 --> 00:28:49 dead will
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 hear the
00:28:49 --> 00:28:49 voice of
00:28:49 --> 00:28:50 the Son
00:28:50 --> 00:28:50 of God,
00:28:51 --> 00:28:51 and those
00:28:51 --> 00:28:52 who hear
00:28:52 --> 00:28:53 will live.
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 Amen.
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 Amen.
00:28:53 --> 00:28:53 Amen.