Sermon
Jesus Christ-The Source of Eternal Life
November 10-11, 2001
Pastor Donald Sheley

Take your Bible. Join with me in a portion that we have been studying now for some time. We're in the book of John and we have, for the last number of weeks, been studying chapter 5. If you're going to use the pew Bible, it's page 717. It's been a fascinating study for me because it's an extremely interesting chapter, and today we'll conclude chapter 5. The Lord willing, we'll start chapter 6 next Sunday.

Now I do this because we have new guests with us at all of our services. Just let me paint a quick backdrop for what I want to say today. Chapter 5 begins with a miracle. Christ walks into a pool of Bethesda and there He looks upon a man who's been ill for 38 years. He asks him if he wants to be healed, and he said yes, and so He healed him. And He tells him to take up his bed and go home. In doing that, He has violated as far as the religious leaders of His day the restrictions that they had placed on the Sabbath day for no one was to carry any burdens on the Sabbath. And so they call Him a Sabbath breaker, and the judgment--death.

Well Jesus immediately responds by saying, just a moment. My Father works all the time and why are you restricting Me to cut off compassion on the day of the Sabbath if My Father works all the time. And He's implying that God Almighty the Creator of the universe is His Father, and that God never takes a vacation. He's at it 7 days a week 24 hours a day sovereignly governing His great universe, expressing His love and His mercy and His compassion. And so Jesus is saying if My Father works all the time and shows His mercy, and His compassion, and His love, why are you trying to put restrictions on Me? The implied was, He was equal to His Father. And so they get Him on another charge--blasphemy. They say, You've made Yourself equal with God. Now He's got two charges: Sabbath breaking and blasphemy. And as the result, as far as they're concerned, He's worthy of death.

Now we come to verse 31 in our chapter of John, and I'll just quickly give it background. Jesus does something very interesting. When I was studying these last verses from verses 31 through 47 I noticed, I think, a dozen different times the word either witness or testify appears in the text. Immediately I thought to myself those are the words that fit into a court scene, and so I decided what we'll do is we'll take these last verses and we'll make a court scene where Christ goes on defense to prove His deity. And in verse 31 He said I will use the Old Testament principle, I'll not be a witness for Myself because the old principle out of Deuteronomy was that a man needs two witnesses other than himself to prove his case.

So Jesus said I'll follow the Old Testament pattern and I'll use witnesses. Comes to verse 32 and He said, there is another that witnesses of Me. So the first person or the first witness is that other person. He doesn't identify him. There is controversy in the fields of theology -- who did Jesus really reference here. Some say He referenced the Father. We'll get down to verse 37 and we'll find that He references the Father as a witness, so many theologians say that He's referring to the Holy Spirit very briefly. You remember as He came out of the waters of baptism there's a dove that lights on His shoulder, and the Scriptures tell us that that dove was representative of the Holy Spirit. So the first witness to Christ's public ministry was that dove, the Holy Spirit.

He says there is another that bears witness of Me, and His witness is true. Then He moves to the next verse--almost moves the witness on and then moves them backwards, moves them off the stage. And He said, then you sent for John. So His second witness is John the Baptist. And we spent a couple Sundays going over all of the verses that reference John the Baptist and His importance, and we realize that Jesus said, of all men born of women, there has been none greater than John the Baptist. And Jesus said if you would have listened to him, you'd have been saved by now. And what was the message of John the Baptist? It was: Behold, the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. It's the message of the church. Jesus Christ-the great sacrifice for our sins, the Lamb slain before the foundations of the world. He died for us, and that message was the message of John, and it's been the message of the church for 2000 years, and it will be the theme of heavens great hymns. When we join the courses in heaven they'll sing blessed is the Lamb that was slain before the foundation.

He said if you would have listened to John, you'd already be saved. Now He moves John away from the witness stand and He now brings up witness number three. He brings up His works, all the great miracles that He did, and what Jesus is really saying: You may not want to hear what I have to say, but all you've got to do is follow Me around and watch what takes place--the dead come back to life, the seas are stilled, the multitudes are fed and only God could do that. All that His works evidenced, His Godhood, His power. Jesus said, My works give witness to who I am. They evidence My deity.

Then witness number three steps down from the witness stand and we come to witness number four that we talked about last week--the witness of His Father. He said My Father, I think it's verse 37, beareth or gives testimony of Me, or testifies of Me. remember, we said that some theologians say that what happened is at His baptism, at the Mount of Transfiguration, and just a few hours before going to the cross, God speaks from heaven and says: This is My beloved Son! And the God of heaven speaks in audible voice and testifies to the deity of His.

But not only the voice, Jesus says there's the Scriptures also--verse 39. You search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have life, and they are they which testify of Me. Jesus said you as a nation are very, very studios when it comes to this matter. Remember we went through the details of how they could tell you which was the middle letter of every line, and the middle letter in every page, and the middle letter of every chapter. They had studied the book, the Scriptures.

And that word search, or the phrase there, could be taken two ways. It could say: if you'll SEARCH the Scriptures you'll find out what they talk about. But most likely what He's saying is: you search the Scriptures and you know them meticulously, and yet, you think that just by searching them you're going to have life. But what He's saying is, in all the searching you missed the theme. You missed the heart of the story. You missed the main character, because in all of those Scriptures, and we noted that there are over 300 Old Testament text that speak specifically, clearly, concisely concerning the coming and the ministry of Christ. He said they all speak of Me, and all of your studies did you no good because you missed the main character.

And so His Father and the ancient Scriptures give witness to His deity. Now He's bringing the court case to a close. It's summation time. I'm fascinated. Maybe if I wasn't a preacher, I'd like to be an attorney. I don't know. I like old Matlock. (Congregation chuckles) I find it's exceedingly interesting to me as I watch the attorney brilliantly moving his words, moving his crowd and producing his verdict. That's fascinating to me. So I see this court case before us where Jesus is on defense. He's put up His witnesses. Now it's time to make the summation.

Verse 40, but you will not come to Me so that you may have life. Their eyes were closed. Their heart was hard. They were dull of hearing. He's saying, with all of these witnesses you still will not come, not that you can't, it's just that you won't. Your own disposition of rejection and rebellion--you won't come even though the witnesses are so clear.

When you go back through the Old Testament, one of the great crimes of the ancient prophets was this matter of this constant rejection. God had dealt with that nation of Israel in such beautiful ways. He had given to them the covenants, and He had given to them the beautiful ways of worship. And He had made His presence to them, and they could be aware of it as clouds hung over the old tabernacle and they walked across that sea. God was with them and yet no sooner than something happens they turn against God and bellyache and reject God.

You get to old Isaiah and he's crying out. Here's a people he said, you're a sinful nation laden with iniquity. Even an ox knows its master; you don't even know your master. You've rejected the God who's demonstrated such marvelous love to you.

Old Paul gets to chapter 9 in Romans and he's talking, he's saying, look at, we've been a people blessed in so many ways, but we missed it all because we would not come. We would not believe.

I love history and one of the most tragic stories of a nation is the history of that nation who rejected Christ. Trace them back 2000 years and it's a tragic history. I read a book some years ago. The author was a Jewish gentleman by the name of Max Dumont. The title of the book was 'Jews, God and History'. He wasn't a Christian, but a fascinating book as he tells the story of a nation who were so privileged but lost so much. And one of the lines that has haunted me, since I read it I've never forgotten it. He said, as a nation they rejected their Messiah and the result is that they are the spiritual castaways of history. The spiritual castaways of history. I take that another sentence and add if you reject Jesus Christ, you'll be a spiritual castaway for eternity.

What a summation. What an indictment. I've given to you all of the witnesses, Jesus says. Absolutely unquestionable witnesses, and you know it, and yet, you will not come to Me. Now, you cannot put Jesus on the fence. Jesus is very demanding. He says either you're with Me or you're against Me. I mean, there's no neutrality. You're either gathering with Me or you're scattering abroad. So there's no neutrality when it comes to Jesus, and today we come to the end of His court case and we're the jury. We've all got to make our verdict on where we relate to Christ and what He means to us. And I wrote in my own personal notes there are no hung juries in the decisions of this case. You're either for Him or you're against Him. You're either on His side or you're on the devil's team. You're either headed for heaven or you're headed for hell. I mean there's no middle ground folks. There is none.

Now we come to verse 43, if you're following there in my text, and here probably one of the most solemn statements in this text. Jesus says I come in My Father's name. In other words, I come with all the authority of heaven and eternity, and I've proven it. There's the evidence, and still you won't believe. But if anybody else comes in their name, you'll believe them. Now there's a spiritual law--write it down--it's this: you, when you close your heart to truth you become the victim and the open prey for falsehood.

Jesus said, I come with all the authority of heaven. You won't listen to Me, but anybody else comes you're wide open to falsehood. Now that's a solemn truth and I live with that as your pastor. Year after year, decade after decade, I've stood here and preached, and I've watched people who've wrestled, cast their verdict, walked out the door, and today are in some false cult living in darkness and living in blackness.

The other night Vernita wasn't feeling well and I took her down to the emergency center, down at Peninsula hospital. I sat down and I saw this older lady come in the door and her hair was grayed and straggling and her hands were gnarled with arthritis, and her brow was deeply furrowed. I looked at her and I thought to myself, I've seen her somewhere. I must know her, but I didn't pursue a conversation and finally she walked over to me and she said, are you Pastor Sheley? I said yes. She said I'm Laura. I said yes, and I finished with her last name. And I said you lived at 216 and I gave her house number.

Oh she said, you didn't forget me. I said, Laura I could never forget you. I'll tell you the history. Nearly 40 years ago in West Winston Manor I started a Bible class, and Laura was the lovely lady in the community who let us use her home for that Bible class. And in that Bible class many of the ladies of West Winston Manor, in fact, we had just harvest field, I think 20 families came to Christ through that Bible study. But Laura was always just resistive to truth and always rejecting what we believe as Christians.

So one day we all get out of our cars and we're ready to go into the Bible study, and we get to her front porch and she comes out and says there'll be no Bible study today. I said, why Laura? She said because I reject what you say and I've joined the watchtowers. I'm now a Jehovah's Witness, and I don't want you to come. Boy you could have (beats chest)...you got me. I mean my heart was pierced I was just deeply grieved. I've never forgotten Laura. I've prayed for her almost constantly. And I thought to myself I was going through these text, and I thought to myself, there it is. You reject truth and you leave yourself wide open to falsehood.

So when it comes to Christ you say, well I'm going to leave the courtroom today and I'm not going to cast a verdict. You can't do that. There are no hung juries. You are either for Christ or you are against Him. It's just that simple. Neutral you cannot be.

Sixty-six years ago as a little boy five years of age I went to church with my parents, and I remember this so clearly. That's a long time ago, but it's so impressed my mind the song the lady sang, I've never forgotten the words. I remember she had red hair and she started singing and she sounded like an angel. And here's the song that she sang: Jesus is standing in Pilate's hall; friendless, forsaken, despised by all. Harken, what meaneth this sudden call. What will you do with Jesus? And then the refrain: What will you do with Jesus? Neutral you cannot be for someday your heart will be asking, What will He do with me?

You sit today and you'll pass judgment, and you'll walk out of this sanctuary casting your verdict. I'm either for Him or I'm against Him. You may be the judge today, but someday He'll be your judge. Because on that court case He reminded His leaders, God has given to Me the assignment to judge. The case is closed. Court adjourned. But what's your verdict? There's only one Savior. There's no other name given among men whereby we can be saved. Jesus Christ is the divine Son of God who died on Calvary's cross to pay the penalty for your sins and mine, and if you don't trust in Christ for the salvation and the forgiveness of sins, you have no Savior and you have no salvation. When you do, when you trust in Christ, you believe in Him as Lord and Savior, He gives to us the gift of life. He said, you will not come. I'd like to give you life, but you're not willing.

What's that life? It's eternity forever in His presence in heaven, and His wonderful peace and presence here and now. I mean we start eternal life when we let Christ into our life. Eternal life starts then. We'll pass from this scene of life, but eternal life-we'll spend eternity with Christ. They walked away. Months later they nailed Him to a cross, and for 2000 years they're the castaways of history.

What have you done with Jesus? You have to cast a vote today. Let's stand. In all of the services today we've had a marvelous time, people making choices for Jesus. In the last service a number of folks that families have been praying for for years stepped forward and gave their lives to Jesus Christ, and I'm opening this altar area today. And if you want to cast your verdict for Jesus, and you never have publicly. You kind of just put Him aside. I'm not letting you off the hook. When you walk out of that door you either cast your ballot for Him or against Him. And I'm asking you today to make that eternal decision. Jesus, I choose for You and I believe that You're the Savior of the world and I open my heart and I ask You to become my personal Savior.

If you want to make that decision, just slip out and join me here at the altar. A number of these folks have come to join with you and pray with you. If you'd like to be a part of our prayer today, would you like to come? Make this the moment, this beautiful day, when Christ becomes your Savior. Many of us who stand here we've made our decision. We voted for Jesus. I pray that all of you have too.

Let's all pray together. There may be some who stand here with us who would like to pray the prayer but just didn't feel that they wanted to come. Let's pray it all together, shall we? Dear Jesus, here we stand. We're sinners. We need Your grace and forgiveness. We confess our sins. And we put our trust in You, dear Christ. He believe that on that cross 2000 years ago. You took the sins of all mankind including mine, and You paid the price with Your life. You died so that I could live eternally with You. I confess You today as my Savior and I invite You by Your Holy Spirit to come live within my heart now. Thank you Jesus.

May this be a glorious day of new beginnings for these folks, Lord Jesus, throughout this congregation, throughout this day as so many have made decisions. They've cast their verdict for You, dear Jesus, and I thank you for those decisions. Now we leave the sanctuary thanking you for Your presence, in Christ's name, and everybody said, amen. God bless you. (Congregation claps)