The Greatness of Christ: Part 2

But today marks Redeeming Grace Church's sixth anniversary and it's been a glorious privilege to be part of what God has been doing in and through us since 2018. We've had many battles, many folk come and go, ebb and flow, some legit, some for other reasons, but nevertheless we're still here praising the Lord Jesus Christ together and what God has brought us through.

And glory be to Christ. Amen. Glory be to Him. As the old hymn says, little is much when God's in it. And I'd like to say this in the opening part of this message. I'm so thankful to be part of serving the Lord Jesus Christ at Redeeming Grace Church and serving you as God's servant.

And I'm privileged and I'm humbled by this. Here at Redeeming Grace Church, I believe it's very fitting, a fitting verse of scripture that marks Redeeming Grace Church's anniversary actually goes along with today's message.

The Preeminence of Christ in the Church

And I believe this is like what we like to see is and desire more than anything else is that Jesus Christ will be preeminent in all things. That means first place in all things that He is first because it's His church.

Colossians 1 verse 18, chapter 1 verse 18 says this, and He, Jesus Christ, He is the head of the body, the church who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things, not some things, all things, all things, He may have the preeminence, that He may be first place in all things that we do.

I love what Warren Wisbee says. I just read this quote recently this week concerning Christ and having preeminence. He says this, God is glorified when people see the master and not the minister. Amen.

We desire to see Jesus. That is our desire here, is to see the Lord Jesus Christ. Just as John the Baptist says in John 3 30, he cried out, he says, He must increase, but I must decrease. He sets a model for every minister.

Christ must increase, a must. I must decrease. And Jesus said of all men that's been born of women, there was none greater than John the Baptist. And if he says that of himself, how much more shall every minister in this entire country, entire world, as far as that goes, should have that same cry.

John MacArthur, pastor out of California, says this about this text in John 3 30. He called it the first law of ministry. He says this, time again, humility is the first law of ministry and all faithful and honorable ministers make much of Christ and nothing of themselves.

Praise his name. That's why we're here. It's all about Jesus Christ and he is to be glorified. Praise God. Now, in saying that, if you have your Bibles, please turn with me to the gospel of John as we continue our journey.

And we are really at a important passage of about the personal testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ in John chapter 5, gospel of John chapter 5. And let me say this as you turn there with me about the gospel of John.

As you well know, the whole theme and the gospel of John is really about the deity of Jesus Christ, his divinity. And time and time again you see, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, believe. That word is mentioned over probably a hundred times in this gospel.

But the theme of John's gospel is the divinity of Jesus Christ, his deity. That he is the son of man is also as the son of the living God. As we see this in this glorious gospel, that Jesus Christ refers to himself as the great I am.

All the I am statements concerning Jesus Christ that comes from his lips and which he reveals comes from the gospel of John. It is literally given 23 times in the gospel, in this gospel. And several of these, he joins his I am statements seven times, seven tremendous metaphors which are expressive of his saving relationship toward the world.

I'm going to give you just a few. We find this in the gospel of John and this refers to Jesus Christ as being the great I am. That Jesus Christ is God in flesh. The second person of the trinity come in flesh, incarnate.

In John 6 35 and verse 41 and verse 48 and verse 51 he refers to himself as I am the bread of life. In John 8 12 Jesus says I am the light of the world. In John 10 7 verse 9 Jesus says I am the door of the sheep.

In John 10 verse 11 and 14 Jesus says I am the good shepherd. In John 11 25 Jesus again says I am the resurrection and the life. In John 14 6 Jesus once again proclaims that he says I am the way the truth and the life.

And in John 15 1 and in verse 5 he says I am the true vine. And if you notice time and time again he refers to himself as I am. He told the Jews, the religious crowd, before Abraham was I am. I am. And this of course comes from Exodus chapter 3 as you're well familiar with it which the Jews were so familiar with.

And verse 14 in Exodus God said to Moses I am who I am the self-existent God. And he said thus you shall say to the children of Israel I am has sent me to you. Now we come to this chapter chapter 5 in John and the Jews truly understood what Jesus was saying when he was saying he was equal with God.

Let me read the text to you. It's a tremendous text in chapter 5 and I'm going to begin with verse 16 to read to verse 30. This message today we're just going to scratch the surface on this but it's going to introduce everything that what is being said in this in this great text before us.

We see the honor of the Father and the Son all the way through verse 16 through 23. I'll read to verse 23 beginning with verse 16. Hear the word of the living God. For this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him because he had done these things on the Sabbath.

And Jesus answered them and said my father has been working unto now and I have been working. Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him because he not only broke the Sabbath but also said that God was his father making himself equal with God.

And then Jesus answered and said to them most assuredly I say to you the son can do nothing of himself but what he sees the father do. For whatever he does the son also does in like manner. For the father loves the son and shows himself shows him all things that he himself does.

And he will show him greater works than these that you may marvel. For as the father raises the dead and gives life to them even so the son gives life to whom he will. For the father judges no one but has committed all judgment to the son.

That all should honor the son just as they honor the father. And he who does not honor the son does not honor the father who sent him. Let's stop right there and let's bow in prayer. Our father and our God as you have revealed in your word we say hallowed be thy name.

You are the most holy God. Holy holy holy Lord God almighty. And now we could say our father which art in heaven hallowed be thy name. Father our prayer is that you will glorify your own name this morning.

Just not here but anywhere the gospel is being preached today. Father and you glorify it by thy word. And we need the help of thy holy spirit because we realize father that the letter kills but the but the spirit gives life.

And father we pray that as you honor yourself through your word and through your son the Lord Jesus Christ in whom you are well pleased by the spirit. Lord open eye open the eyes of our hearts that we may see Jesus and Jesus only and change us forever by that grace and mercy.

And we pray this for your honor and glory in Jesus name. Amen. In these verses of scripture from which I've just read to you in John's gospel chapter 5. Jesus claims deity. He claims deity. I think of this all men sooner or later will have to face this earth-shaking shattering claim of Jesus Christ.

The earth-shaking claim that he made the astounding claim that all authority belonged to him. Not some authority but all authority. And how could he make such a astounding claim being the son of man but he is also the son of God.

And the answer to that is because he proclaimed that he possessed equality with God the father. And then he proceeded to give full proof and after proof which unequivocally verified his claim to that in which he said.

Pastor John MacArthur says this concerning John 5 14 through to 47. And I believe I read this last week but it bears repeating again. These verses reveal the ultimate reason Jesus confronted the Jews religious hypocrisy.

The opportunity to declare who he was. This section is Christ's own personal statement of his deity. And he says this as such it is one of the greatest Christological discourses in scripture. End quote.

And I'm going to borrow his outline this morning to give him credit because I don't think I can find a better outline than this that'll help us stay on track. But he touches on this in beginning of verse 17 and 18 then from verse 19 to verse 30.

Jesus begins to unpack these claims in verse 19. We see perfect obedience. Verse 20. We see perfect works. Verse 21 his power to quicken life to give life and raise up the dead. Verse 22 and 23. We see his sovereign control over the whole judicial process.

In verse 24 and 25 his authority over man's destiny to save man from death to life. Verse 26 his energy of life his self-existence his self-existence. Verse 27 his power to execute judgment. In verse 27 his claim to be the son of man and in verse 28 to verse 30 his power to resurrect all men from the grave.

Now that's paraphrased of everything that we're going to be covering. And the outline from MacArthur is basically this. Today we will observe first of all that Jesus Christ is equal with God in his person.

He's equal with God in his person in verse 17 and 18. We cut we touched on this last week but we're going to look at a little bit more today. Second he is equal with God in his works. Verse 19 and 20.

Third he is equal with God in his power and his sovereignty. Verse 21. Then fourth he is equal with God in his judgment. In verse 22. And fifth he is equal with God in his honor and in his glory. In verse 23.

So after we by God's help and grace look at that this morning through the scriptures we will then look at some application personal application that we could take home with us about these wonderful verses.

So to begin with there's no way again that I could do justice to this great text. Beloved by God's help and pray pray for me this morning as we look and dive dive into this speaking about the personal testimony of what Jesus says of himself of this is absolutely staggering.

It is so deep. What we would do at best to scratch the surface and even if I we were to break it down verse by verse and do a whole series on this in a whole year's time we would not scratch the surface folks.

Because of the depth of the infinite infinite son of God that what is all that's been revealed to us through the pages of scripture about himself. It's it is staggering. So I come with an attitude this morning as trembling literally in my feet and my my shoes this morning.

And I'd like to say with Moses I take off the shoes of my heart because we are standing on most holy ground. Well we look at this and my prayer is that God will take his words from the text of holy scripture by his blessed holy spirit spirit make it alive in our hearts and change us forever.

That we're not here just to hear another per se sermon. But this will be a life-changing experience as we come face to face with who Jesus is. This is the living abiding word of God that God almighty is speaking to us and Jesus Christ reveals himself and he speaks to the in context to these religious pharisaical Jews that sought to persecute him.

And by the way they do this as Jesus constantly makes the statements of who he is they persecute him and eventually comes to a climax to take him all the way to the cross and crucify him. This is what crucified him this this is actually the reason why they sought to kill him and to put him on a cross.

And God allowed it in his providence. As Paul the apostle says if they had known who he really was they would not crucify the son of glory. So really Jesus laid down his life for the glory of God and oh and then eventually for our salvation but first for God's glory but in that providence and sovereignty of God.

God allowed this to happen it was already decreed before time even began. Let's look at it now the backdrop of this in verse 16 gives us the setting of verse 17 to verse 30. Verse 16 says for this reason the Jews persecuted Jesus sought to kill him because he had done these things on the sabbath.

Now this is a terrible terrible exposure of the wicked heart hearts of men. It shows that their hearts are exposed and they are religious people by all people. The savior had come and performed a great act of healing in his mercy and love.

Think of this in his goodness and these Jews were literally howling mad. They resented the fact that the miracle took place on the sabbath and we saw that and they were cold-blooded religiousness they were play actors and hypocrites and they were more interested in the ceremonial observances than they were in the blessings and the welfare of the fellow men because their hearts were hardened and cold.

This proves their self-righteousness their wickedness their hypocrisy the so-called religious people the the theologians of that day so to speak. This proves their lostness this proves their separation from God that they did they really did not know who God really was they did not realize that that it was the very one who set apart the sabbath that Jesus is the Lord of the sabbath in the first place who now performed an act of mercy on this day.

The Lord Jesus Christ had not broken the sabbath of course we looked at that and the law forbade just menial work on that day but it did not prohibit the performance of acts of necessity and of acts of mercy and we looked at that last Lord's day we but it's this verse that gives us the backdrop of the verses to come and the first point so we see in verse 17 and 18 that Jesus first of all claims his equality with God the Father in his person in his person.

Verse 17 Jesus answered them and said my father has been working until now and I have been working and to summarize this and we looked at this last week the Lord is basically saying that God finished the works of creation in six days after God worked in six days then God had rested.

What does it mean that God rested from his works on the seventh day. Basically the scripture tells us that after he made all these things he saw that it was good it was good it was very good. Everything that God does is good and very good because he's God.

There's no imperfections in God he makes no mistakes so everything he did and everything he created was good. But however to look at it from the scheme and the big picture when sin entered into the world in which he created that was good.

At one time something happened sin entered into the world and man was responsible for that sin. Adam represented the whole human race and sin came into the world. God's work or should I say God's rest was disturbed it was disturbed and his goodness and his mercy God would now work ceaselessly without stop to bring men and women back to fellowship with himself.

And scripture actually calls this reconciliation that God would work in redemption that God would provide a means of redemption through his son the Lord Jesus Christ to come he would send out the gospel message to every generation then this is why God desires to have the gospel preached in all the world.

And from this time of Adam's fall up into the present time God has been working ceaselessly without stop I should say and he is still working. I ran across a man here several months ago and I say he's no longer in the store.

He has some physical health problems but he's in a the prosperity gospel movement. And he basically was telling me about this dominion theology that is nonsense and not scriptural throwing all these verses of scripture out of context and man-centered not God-centered.

And he basically came up to me one day and told me you know he said I just want to let you know everything that God has is at our disposal and ready for our taking. I said well scripturally speaking and in and through Jesus Christ he has provided all that in Christ.

I agree with you on that. But he went a little further and just started taking it out of context and he started saying this about God. He said that God is no longer working. God is just like this grandfather on the throne and just sitting back and waiting for people just to do their thing.

Now focus. If that was the case we'd all be doomed. We would be doomed to hell. God never slumbers or sleeps. He that keeps Israel never slumbers or sleep. And he's still working folks. And I told this gentleman this I don't consider him a brother because he's in the false teaching and he is really buying it.

And I actually told him one day and I started naming these false teachers one after one in the prosperity gospel movement. And I said false false false love of money love of money. Filthy lucre filthy lucre.

And I said I dare you to prove me wrong. And I said everything that they're teaching you is poison my friend. And to make a long story short he was basically really giving me this nonsense and this lie that God is not working.

He's a passive God folks that is a lie from hell. God is actively working. He's working through his spirit. He works and he still works. And this is what Jesus was telling these pharisaical religious leader in his day.

God is working. He worked yes in redemption. The great act of redemption has been made and paid for. I agree with that 100 but to say that God is no longer working is false and nonsense. God is working and he's still working.

And he was by the way through Jesus Christ engaged Jesus let me say this. Jesus was engaged with his father's business. Jesus was engaged doing his father's business. Every time Jesus did something he says as the father I do everything that pleases the father.

If the father shows it to me I do it. He was one with the father. So his business and his love and grace through his business could not be confined to six days of the week. Actually the text in verse 17 and 18 shows us that Jesus is equal with God the father and a clear claim to equality with the father and the unique son of God intimate relationship reunion with union and oneness with God.

You can read Jesus's prayer which is another great chapter of the great high priestly prayer is called of Christ in John 17 that he's constantly say speaks of the father and him or one. And then his prayer is that the church the church will be one through the love through the father and through the son where there's equality with God.

Philippians 2 6 says this who being in the form of God did not consider it robbery. That word robbery means something to be held or grasped on to be equal with God. The Greek word actually for equal defines things that are exactly the same size in quantity and character and in number in every sense.

Jesus is equal to God and is constantly claimed to be so during his earthly ministry. Verse 18 John 5 says. Therefore the Jews sought all the more to kill him because he not only broke the sabbath but he also but he also said that God was his father because he said my father making himself equal with God.

So Jesus is equal with God in his person in his person. Second we see that he is equal with God in his works. He's equal with God in his works. In verse 19 and 20 says this. And Jesus answered and said to the most assuredly.

Some translation says barely barely or truly truly. But he says most assuredly I say to you that the son can do nothing of himself but what he sees the father do for whatever he does the son also does in like manner.

Verse 20 for the father loves the son and shows him all things that he himself does. And he will show him greater works than these that you may marvel. What a verse. Here we see in this text that Jesus's statement of theses it's a complete unity and dependence with God the father.

And even though he's equal with God he submits to the father's will. And the savior here is so vitally linked in perfect union with the God the father that he could not act independently as he prayed in Gethsemane before he went to the cross.

He didn't. He struggled with great drops of blood as he was facing the cross. And he says he struggles and he says not my will but thy will be done. The struggle was there but yet he went all the way.

Now I was studying this and there's something really great. I've read from a the British minister George Macdonald years ago pointed out a great truth that gives us profound insight into the Lord's miracles and his and his works.

Let me share this with you. George Macdonald said this. Jesus did instantly what the father is always doing slowly. For example in nature as mentioned earlier the father is slowly turning water into wine.

But Jesus did it instantly through the powers. In nature the father is healing broken bodies but Jesus healed them immediately and then. But Jesus heals them immediately. Then nature's nature repeatedly multiplies bread from sowing to the to harvest.

But Jesus multiplied it instantly in his own hands. End quote. I thought that's profound because you see the father is always working as well. But the Lord Jesus Christ is working as well and he does as what the father does slowly.

Christ does it instantly. Beautiful. So Jesus says in an emphatic way. He begins by speaking to these religious pharisees and these jews that rejected him as the messiah and called him a blasphemer. He says verily verily most assuredly and in the original language it says amen amen.

Jesus gives the amen before he says the statement he alone only can do that because he is the amen. You see we say amen after a truth has been spoken right. I speak us truth. A minister speaks the truth.

Or you may speak a truth. We speak the scripture. Actually the scripture is the truth. There's no other truth but the scripture. And it's great embodiment in the sense it's because. And then we say amen.

Paul says let every man be a liar and let God be true. Right. Let God be true. And every man found liar. And all the promises of God are yes and amen. So everything about God is truth. And we say amen.

But when Jesus is making a statement or anytime he makes an emphatic statement he says this statement here time and time again through the gospel of John you see this most assuredly truly truly or verily verily in the old king James meaning amen amen he makes an emphatic truth.

MacArthur says this in response to Jewish hostility at the implications of his assertions of equality with God. Jesus became even more fearless more fear forceful and emphatic. Jesus essentially tied his activities of healing on the sabbath directly to the father in quote.

And I love that part that he says that as all this came the persecution was coming upon him. We would have a tendency to back away. But Jesus goes forward. He's always on the offense. And his brother Ben has been preaching about the head that that we take heaven by force the violent take it by force heavenly violence.

This Jesus Christ is the king of this folks. He is the captain of our salvation. He's the one that is pressing. He's the king. He is even more relentless and righteousness and holiness more fearless more forceful more emphatic.

And he like he presses forward to give the truth. Now here in this text he does not mean that he did not have the power to do anything by himself. Of course he had the power to do things by himself because he is the word made flesh.

What is he saying he is was so closely united in oneness with the father in that perfect union I would say with God that he could only do the very things which he saw the father doing. He was that intimate with the father because he's one with the father because he's God as he said in John 14 you've seen me you've seen you've seen the father.

He was the the reflection of the father because he's God in flesh. A lot of false teachers and false again false movements has come about because of a twisting that passage of scripture because Jesus is not the father he's the son.

But when Jesus says when you see me you've seen the father he's basically saying you've seen the direct exact representation the reflection of who God the father is. He comes to reveal the father. But he is saying I am deity I am God.

He makes himself equal with God he claims. And then for that reason the religious people seek to kill him. Well he he is definitely one with the father. So the Lord Jesus clearly intended the Jews to think of him as equal with God.

He did this purposely. The son could do nothing of himself. He said. He always acted in perfect harmony with some subordination with God the father to the father's will. He always did the father's will perfectly.

And as children of the living God you and I are to do the father's will. Now we cannot do it perfectly. Can we. But we can lean on the Lord Jesus Christ. And that's where our help comes from. Because as much as we seek and desire to do God's will which is everything folks to do the will of God the desire of God God the father Jesus did it perfectly perfectly.

He upheld the law perfectly. It's so glorious to know that as we put our trust and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ he has done all that there is to please the father. Isn't that great comfort. Well his works parallel those of the father in both their nature and instance.

So and he says this. For whatever the father does these things the son also does in like manner. So Christ's statement is a clear declaration of his own divinity. And this is what he's saying. Jesus claim to see what the father is doing in order to make such a claim.

And let's stop and think about this for a second. He must have continual access with the father continually as the son of man. And not only that not only continual access to the father but a complete knowledge of what is going on in heaven.

And he did not only so but Jesus claims to do the very things which he sees the father does. This is certainly a an assertion of equality with God the father that he is omnipotent that he is all powerful.

And Jesus said this before he after he rose again from the dead he gave the great commission. He says all power all authority is given to me he said. That's incredible statement upon that great commission.

Jesus says it is by his authority. All power is given to is given to Christ. So Christ is equal with God in his person. He's equal with God in his works. He's also equal with God in his power and sovereignty.

So it makes gives us open door here to move to the next statement his power and his sovereignty. Look at verse 21. Look what it says there. For as the father raises the dead and gives life to them even so the son gives life to whom he will.

That is a powerful statement. Beloved. This is another clear statement as to the equality of of the son with the father. The jews accused Jesus of making himself equal with God. So he did not deny it.

Of course Jesus did not deny it. He did not deny that charge but rather he set forth the tremendous proofs of the fact that he and the father are one. By asserting this equality with God the father. Jesus claimed that he had the parallel power with God to raise the dead.

Now what do you think of about raising the dead. We think about physical raising the dead. That is true Jesus will raise every dead person in this entire world one day when he comes back. But it goes further than that folks not only is he talking about physical raising the dead he's talking about spiritually raising the dead.

The bible teaches that only God has the power to raise the dead. And the old testament records this evident through the miracles in which God did through Elisha and Elijah in the old testament in several instances because his power is the same as the father Jesus is able to raise the physical dead and the spiritual dead.

And he proves this in chapter 11. And John as he raised Lazarus from the dead he was already several days dead. And the sister of Lazarus who which one was it was it Martha I believe that came up to Jesus and says Lord he's already dead.

He stinks his body starting to decay. And Jesus said did not. I tell you that that your brother will rise again. And then he says I am the resurrection and the life. And he raised he rose him from the dead.

He raised him up. Yes he can raise the physical dead. But moreover let me say this Jesus has the power also to raise up the spiritual dead as well. And that's a greater miracle. That's the greatest miracle.

Jesus says you will marvel at that greater works he says you would do. And that mentioned greater works is talking about those that will be dead in their sins and through the power of the holy spirit and by his word Christ.

And by the word of Christ faith comes by the word of Christ. And also the spiritual dead corpse has come out and lives who could do that. But only God who could do that. And then that's what they were saying.

You know that no wonder they wanted to kill him because he said he was equal with God. He could do this. He was telling him that. But Jesus has the power to give spiritual life to the spiritual dead as well which in truth is far greater miracle.

And again unlike the prophets of old like Elijah and Elisha Jesus did not merely act as God's representative. What makes him unique to raise the dead. Because this is God himself. This is God in flesh.

This is Emmanuel the son of the living God who himself says I am the resurrection and the life. That's awesome. I am this resurrection and life. Jesus says life to whom. And he gives life to whom he wishes to give life.

It's his decision. It's his choice. A lot of people don't like to say that. They hear that they think oh salvation lies within their choice. By no means by no means. The bible says no one seeks God. And then explain to me pastor how is it that people can seek God.

Folks if people are seeking God it is the spirit of the living God that is breathing upon them at that moment. It is God always is first. God always takes the initiative. A dead man cannot make a decision for salvation.

God has made that decision to bring them out from the dead and raise them from newness to newness of life. As God is the very source of life. So Jesus Christ is the very source of life. This is important folks because today in our world and even in church today you hear people talk about God.

And I've heard this so often. And you've met these folks. Haven't you. They talk a lot about God but never do they mention the Lord Jesus Christ. Something is wrong if they call themselves Christians and not to mention the Lord Jesus Christ.

Because to be a Christian is to be a follower of Jesus Christ to be a disciple of Christ a learner of Christ. Well that word Christian is thrown about loosely too. Christ is the source of life. As God chooses when he gives life so does the son choose in perfect agreement with the father.

There's nothing. They work together in everything they've worked together in creation. They work together in redemption. And again when Jesus was here in the flesh and in body in his incarnation he instantly did those things that the father had been doing slowly.

Truth. The greatest miracle of all is the salvation of souls. Isn't that a great. Isn't that a great miracle. Passing from spiritual death to spiritual life from darkness to light from the bondage of sin to liberty.

And Jesus says whom the son makes free is free. Indeed Jesus is equal with God the father and his person and his works and his power and sovereignty and forth. Look at the next statement. Jesus is also equal with God in his judgment and his judgment.

What does that mean. Well look at what it says. For the father judges no one but has committed all judgment to the son. That is a powerful statement that the Lord Jesus Christ makes here. Jesus's authority to grant spiritual life to whomever he chooses to is consistent with the authority to judge all men on the last and final day.

That Jesus himself by his word will raise all the dead and all will appear before the throne the great white throne judgment. And by the way that's all that are lost and damned. But those that are saved will appear before the beam of seat of Christ and be judged according to their works.

Now anyone that's at the great white throne judgment will be all lost there. But nevertheless all will appear before the judgment of God. But the believers do not appear before the judgment of God in condemnation.