In the sermon 'Jesus is Equal with God', the speaker, Michael Templeton, discusses John 5:16-23, focusing on the narrative of Jesus healing a man on the Sabbath and how this act led to conflict with Jewish leaders. The sermon emphasizes that Jesus' actions and declarations affirm His equality with God. Templeton argues that Jesus' healing of the man was not just an act of physical restoration but a demonstration of His divine authority and a precursor to discussing His equality with God. The sermon explores the relationship between Jesus and God the Father, emphasizing that Jesus' works and judgment are in perfect harmony with God's will. Templeton highlights that honoring Jesus glorifies God, as Jesus is not an independent deity but one with the Father. The sermon calls for believers to recognize Jesus as the life-giver and judge, urging them to live in devotion to Him and warning non-believers of the consequences of rejecting His divinity.

Sermon text is Matthew John 5, 16 through 23, start in verse 1. After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. Now there is in Jerusalem by the sheep gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water.

Then whoever stepped in first after the stirring of the water was made well of whatever disease he had. Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity 38 years. When Jesus saw him lying there and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, he said to him, Do you want to be made well? The sick man answered him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming another steps down before me Jesus said to him rise take up your bed and walk and Immediately the man was made well took up his bed and walked That day was the Sabbath The Jews therefore said to him who was cured, it is the Sabbath, it is not lawful for you to carry your bed. He answered them, He who made me well said to me, Take up your bed and walk.

And they asked him, Who is the man who said to you, Take up your bed and walk? But the one who was healed did not know who it was, for Jesus had withdrawn a multitude being in that place. Afterward, Jesus found him in the temple and said to him, see, you have been made well. Sin no more, lest a worse thing come upon you. The man departed and told the Jews that it was Jesus who had made him well.

For this reason, the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill him because he had done these things on the Sabbath. But Jesus answered them, My father has been working until 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. 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 him all things that he himself does, and he will show him greater works in 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. He who does not honor the Son, does not honor the Father who sent Him. Our God, please, Holy Spirit, please, bring Your power.

We need Your power through the preaching of the Word, through Michael, we need Your power through the hearing of Your Word. Oh, please help us. In Jesus' name, Amen. So last week, Jason took us through part of what we just heard, verses 1-15 of chapter 5. Last week, we saw how Jesus picked one out of a multitude needing exactly what the one got.

We saw Jesus speak and it was so after 38 years. In ringing in my mind, Jason pointed us to think beyond just the healing. It's the whole point of John. John tells us the purpose of what is written in the Gospel of John in verse 31. He writes, but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

The Jesus healing the invalid of 38 years was bigger than just healing him and restoring his ability to walk. And I want to argue today that part of the reason in Jesus healing this man was to get to what we are going to talk about today. Let's pray. Oh Lord, help us. Help me.

Help me to preach in the power of your Spirit, Lord. Who is sufficient for these things? These words before us, Lord, are staggering to think upon them, to dwell upon them of how your son can be equal with you, can be one with you yet be a distinct person and not another God competing, but how this only all the more glorifies you Lord. Lord help us to see Jesus more clearly. May be some in our midst to see Him for the first time and to fall on their face and to worship Him as God.

May much honor be heaped upon Jesus today. May that be the net result in all of our hearts, we pray and ask in His name, Amen. Start my timer here. Today I want to argue the main point of verses 16-23 is honoring Jesus as equal with God glorifies God. Say that again to you.

The main point of verses 16-23 is that honoring Jesus as equal with God glorifies God. We should not for a second blush from heaping, we cannot heap an excess, an inappropriate excess of honor on Jesus. It's impossible. And so I'm going to approach the text, I'm going to approach it, just taking sometimes a couple of verses at a time, maybe one verse at a time, we're just going to work our way down through the verses. So starting with verse 16, If you're filling in blanks, we're going to start with verse 16.

Let me read it again. For this reason, the Jews persecuted Jesus and sought to kill Him, because He had done these things on the Sabbath. So there on your handout, the blanks are breaking and Sabbath. Jews persecute and seek to kill Jesus for quote, breaking the Sabbath, unquote. The quotes are significant.

I'm in complete agreement with what Jason said last Sunday. I'm not going to spend a lot of time here on verse 16 because frankly I don't think it's the main point of the passage. And secondly, it's because Jason did such a good job summarizing this controversy, this accusation of Jesus breaking the Sabbath. And let me remind you of the four propositions that Jason gave us last Sunday. The first one was, the Sabbath was in full force here.

The Sabbath was in full force. And therefore the Sabbath being in full force, the second proposition that he gave us was that Jesus never once violated the Sabbath. And he threw the gauntlet down, didn't he? What did he say after that? If he violated it, then we're still in our sins, because Jesus had his own sins to pay for.

How much more of a gauntlet can be thrown down on how we think about Jesus and his honoring of the Sabbath. Before, I think it was at men's meeting, before I started studying, Jason warned me. And I knew that there were some pitfalls to fall in here. One of those being the Sabbath and to approach this text and use it as a justification to disregard the Sabbath and say it doesn't apply to us anymore and it's actually quite the opposite. It's a reinforcing of the Sabbath, but not in this pious, hypocritical way that we see the Jews trying to lay it on Jesus or the rest of the people around them.

So Jesus never violated the Sabbath. He did violate the traditions of the elders that was compiled in the Mishnah, these 39 categories of work. So he did violate that and he violated it multiple times. Jesus is freeing the Sabbath from all the baloney. That's another quote.

I went back and listened to the sermon, make sure I wrote that down right. The baloney. It is. It's such baloney, isn't it? This man, 38 years, And the thing that they want to fuss about is that he's carrying his mat?

Like, give me a break! Did you not see what was just done? The third proposition was, acts of mercy and necessity have always been lawful in any dispensation of human history. Lastly, number four, the fourth proposition. Jesus never once violates, speaks against, or indicates the Sabbath is passing away.

Jesus never once violates, speaks against, or indicates the Sabbath is passing away. Jesus never once violates, speaks against, or indicates the Sabbath is passing away. Judaism during this time had degenerated into just a pile of pious hypocrisy. Not just about the Sabbath. The Sabbath was just one taste of the pious hypocrisy that they had turned the worship of God into.

And before we pull our fingers out and make fun of these folks fussing about this man carrying his mat, The question is a point of application on verse 16 that I would ask you is, what would Jesus pick a fight with you about as it pertains to your pious hypocrisy? We have all got to be honest enough with ourselves to know that little or small, we all struggle with this. We all have elements that were just hypocritically pious. Maybe it pertains to the Sabbath. One thing that came up in a conversation with a man leading up to today was, your kids, maybe even you, if you're one that says, okay Saturday night at sundown it starts and Sunday at sundown it ends, Are you waiting with bated breath for the sun to go down on Sunday?

Is it, golly, I'm glad that's over. Now let's get to the fun. Let's get back to what I want to get back to. What would Jesus, whether it's the Sabbath, maybe you have that one whipped, but it's going to be something else. What would Jesus, If he came to your house, would he pick a fight with you?

Because he's picking this fight. Because multiple times. And kids, do you think Jesus didn't know it was the Sabbath? Of course he did. He was picking a fight to get to the heart of the matter.

So Jews persecuting and seeking to kill Jesus is quote unquote breaking the Sabbath. Next I want to move on to verses 17 and 18. Read those again as well. But Jesus answered them, My Father has been working until 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.

Self equal with God. There on your handout, Jesus is equal with God in His person. Jesus is equal with God in His person. There on your handout you can see there's a repetitious way that we're gonna approach these verses. Five different ways, five different claims that Jesus is making to reinforce the overarching ideal of 16 through 23 that Jesus is equal with God.

In these two verses, verses 17 and 18, There's a one-two punch, if you will, from Jesus. It doesn't stand out as much, but in the original, It's a not natural emphatic position of my emphasis being on, he's my father. This rarely would a Jew refer to God as my father. I'm not saying they never referred to God as the father, but here Jesus emphatically says, almost like My son. Jesus is not your son.

He's my son. He's my unique and one and only son. Jesus here saying, my father in a unique and one and only way, emphatically saying that God was his Father. And if there's any question about, really, are you making that up? Well, how did the Jews respond in verse 18?

We'll get there. The second part of the one-two punch from Jesus was that He said that I have been working. I have been working. Putting His active working, pointing back to what they are grilling him about and seeking to persecute and to kill him, putting what he just did on the Sabbath and healing that man up on the same level as the continuous ongoing work of God the Father. J.C.

Ryle says that it's as though he said, though my Father rested on the seventh day from his work of creation, He has never rested a moment from his providential government of the world. The Jews agreed on that. What would happen if God stopped working? Kids, do you think when it says in Genesis that He rested, Like that was completely and totally from all of the sustaining and providential work that he does. Let's hope not because it would fall apart.

Don't get in your mind that God wound it up and let it go on its own and step back. God is actively, we believe in active second by second providence of God. And He is actively sustaining the creation and not violating the Sabbath in any way. God is picking back up with Ryle and from his merciful work, meaning God hasn't rested from the providential government of the world and from his merciful work of supplying the daily needs of all his creatures. Were he to rest from such work, the whole frame of nature would stand still." And then Ryle connects Jesus now.

And I also work works of mercy on the Sabbath in the last part here. I don't break the fourth commandment when I heal the sick, any more than my father breaks it when he causes the sun to rise and the grass to grow in the Sabbath. I do not break the fourth commandment when I heal the sick any more than my Father breaks it when he causes the sun to rise and the grass to grow on the Sabbath. We're not Jewish. When we hear, my father has been working until now and I have been working, at least for me, it's mostly confusion, not killing.

So we need to marinate in this. We need to let the reality of how they responded to Jesus help and color what exactly he's meaning when he says my father has been working until now and I have been working Let's turn to Hebrews Turn to Hebrews chapter 1 I Think this helps us helps us get a clearer picture of what's going on here. Hebrews chapter 1 verse 1, I'm going to read verses 1 through 4. God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom also he made the worlds, who, being the brightness of his glory and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. Having become so much better than the angels, as He by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." There in the middle of verse 3.

"...and upholding all things by the word of his power." There in the four verses of chapter 1 of Hebrews, the activity of the Father and the Son. They are all tangled up as I went through that thinking on it multiple times. Where is the Father's activity? Where is the Son's activity? The Son being used as an agent.

I think that is the point. That God the Father and the Son are such in lockstep with one another that that if we didn't have the clear teachings that we who's doing what because they're in such agreement with one another Jesus does not object to the inaccurate Jewish interpretation of the Sabbath. He doesn't even go there like he does in other places where he addresses their confrontation on the Sabbath. He goes directly to putting his work on the same level of God. And as I said, They got it.

In verse 18, they get it. 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. It was Jesus' claim to this same work. Not that God was always working, but that Jesus was claiming to be on the same level as Jesus. They sought all the more to kill him.

Opposition to truth inevitably takes the course of violence. This may be a little hard for us, it's getting easier, but this may be a little hard for us to relate to. Conviction stirs up hatred in those who hold just as strongly to an opposing belief. So what's my point? Just as a point of application before we move on from 17 and 18.

This is the very claim, Jesus pushed it and pushed it and pushed it that what? That got him killed. His claim to be equal with the Father. This claim still gets people killed. Maybe one day it will make you decide am I going to stick with Jesus is God and give up my life or am I gonna come up with some softer answer.

I hope how radical, how counter-cultural even for us, we are in a soup of pluralism that grows minute by minute. And the claim that Jesus is God and He's the only way to come to the Father, it'll at least get you scorned. At the office, like Taylor was saying, I struggle with being so respectable to people. So respectable. Not wanting to offend the person with this agenda or that agenda.

Can't we all get along kind of mentality? And the moment I stand up and I say, Jesus is God and if you don't believe that, you don't know God. At least reputation wise, off with his head. May we be concerned if all think well of us. All people should not think well of us.

I'm not saying go look for a fight. You don't have to. Just Believe what God has said and His Word and stick to it. Verses 19 and 20. Let's read verses 19 and 20 together.

Then Jesus answered and said to them, so this is, we don't know, even with his answer back up in verse 17, we don't really know what they're saying because the word used their answer, it's almost like a defense. So maybe they said something, maybe not. And here, we have the commentary that the Jews were seeking to kill him all the more. Maybe they said some things, maybe they didn't, but Jesus answers and responds directly to their actions wanting to kill him. Why were they wanting to kill him?

Because he was making himself equal with God and in a monotheistic Jewish mind? Blasphemy! We have one God! And Jesus answers them in such a way that says, wait a minute, there is one God, amen to that, and let me explain how it works. He doesn't say, wait a minute, that's not what I meant.

He doesn't back off from them thinking that he's making himself equal with God. I think he leans in to help them try to understand how can I be equal with God and not set up some competing another God? I think that's what he's doing in verses 19 and 20. Let's read them. 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 him all things that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these that you may marvel." You're filling in blanks, verses 19 and 20. Jesus is equal with God in His works. The first part of verse 19, most assuredly, it's just an emphatic way, verily, verily, if you grew up on the Old English, verily, verily, most assuredly, I'm telling you the truth, Jesus is saying. I am telling you the truth.

In the face of their hostility, Jesus becomes even more forceful about what He is claiming to be and what he's communicating to them. The principal thrust of verse 19 is that whatever Jesus means by making himself equal with God in verse 18, whatever that might mean, Jesus does not mean complete or partial independence from God. Jesus does not mean that He is setting Himself up as God number two, over and against God the Father. The portion in verse 19 when he says that can be terribly confusing, the son can do nothing of himself. I think would be better rendered.

Literally it's from himself. Jesus not doing things on his own initiative. And I hadn't heard it, but the quarter memory text, driving home many of the same points that we're getting here in our text this week. Jesus doesn't do anything on his own initiative, our text says, but only what he sees the Father doing. Jesus is not off doing his own thing.

Verse 19, the second half of verse 19, I want you to look at it with me. The second half of verse 19 starts with the word four. And then If you look at verse 20, another four. And then if you go on down to 21, another four. And then 22, another four.

So we have four consecutive fours. Four consecutive fours. There's a serious minded logic to what Jesus is teaching us here. And I hope that I can make it clear to you. So let's look at the first four there.

For whatever he does, the Son also does in like manner. The thought runs like this. It is impossible for the Son to take independent, self-determined action that would set Him over against the Father as another God. I want you to hear that loud and clear. Jesus can do nothing of his own initiative.

Why? Because he is not setting himself up over and against God as a second alternative to God. Perfect sonship involves perfect identity of will and action with the Father. And for Jesus to say in the second half of verse 19 that whatever He, God, does, He does also. He does in like manner.

It couldn't be clearer. There's so many clear statements. That's why I said that Jesus doesn't back off. He leans into them. There's no other conclusion that you or I can make that Jesus is claiming full equality with God.

The second foreclause is in verse 20, so we are still in verses 19 and 20. The second foreclause, for the Father loves the Son. The question is, what is the foundation for the son's dependence? Why doesn't Jesus do anything on his own initiative? Why does Jesus only do what he sees the Father doing.

Why does Jesus do whatever the Father does? Verse 20 gives us the answer. For or because the Father loves the Son. The second foreclause sets the foundation for the Son's dependence. The Father loves the Son.

The love, this love, is displayed in the continuous disclosure of all the Father does to the Son. The love of the Father, get this kids, the Father loves the Son and He shows Him everything that He is doing. The love of the Son back to the Father is displayed in the perfect obedience that issues in the cross for Jesus. Turn to John chapter 14 to have this cleared a little more. John chapter 14 I'm going to read verses 7 through 11.

There's two conclusions I want us to get In trying to understand verses 19 and 20, that the Son only does what He sees the Father doing, because the Father loves the Son and He shows Him everything. Verse 7 of chapter 14. Jesus says, If you had known Me, you would have known my Father also. And from now on you know Him and have seen Him. Philip said to Him, Lord show us the Father and it's sufficient for us.

Jesus said to him, Have I been with you so long and yet you have not known me Philip?" Who did Philip just ask for Jesus to show him? It was, show us the Father. And Jesus says back to him, Have I been with you so long and you don't know me? Wait a minute, can you maybe perceive a little perplexion on Philip's mind? I asked you to show us the Father and Jesus says, He who has seen me has seen the Father.

Wow! Jesus says, if you've seen me, you have seen the Father. I think this is what's at the heart of our text in verses 19 through 20. That the Father, because he loves the Son, is revealing to Jesus everything that He's doing. So that watching Jesus is like watching the Father walk around on the earth.

That should blow our minds. Watching Jesus, if you were a disciple, and you saw Jesus walking around on the earth, it would be like having the Father lived out before you. Isn't that what he's saying? This is glorious. And the Son, He responds back to this in, Lay your life down obedience, verse 31 of the same chapter, John 14, but that the world may know I love the Father, and as the Father gave me commandments, so I do.

Arise, let us go from here, marching towards Jerusalem to lay his life down. The Son, by His obedience to the Father, is acting in such a way that He is revealing the Father, doing the Father's deeds, performing the Father's will. John 1 verse 18, you remember that one? John 1 verse 18, No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, what does it say?

He has declared Him. Jesus exegetes, like I'm standing up here trying to explain this book to you, actually just these verses, Jesus exegetes the Father. Jesus narrates the Father for us. Are you getting the ideal that the Father wants all eyes on the Son? For me, the study of this text this week, I can't worship Jesus enough.

I cannot heat too much honor on him. It's probably going to get me in lots of trouble in the world. We go to Turkey, it may get me killed. I don't know what it's going to lead to, but Jesus promises if you believe this and teach it and live it out, it will get you into trouble. This is radical.

Do you believe this? Do you believe that Jesus, the Son, is narrating or exegeting the Father to us? The second point to draw out of verses 19 and 20, and this love that's on display. Why does Jesus do only what He sees the Father doing? Because the Father loves Him and He shows Him everything that He Himself does.

The marvelous disclosure of the nature and character of God utterly depends on how much God loves you. Does that sound right? No way. This transaction, what we're seeing lived out here, the foundation of it is the Father's love for the Son. And the Son's love for the Father.

I don't want God's actions in Jesus or in history to be based on His love for me. It is based on, don't hear me say that God doesn't love you, but He does what He does first and foremost for His glory and the love that is on display between the Father and the Son. We could not ask for any firmer foundation for our redemption to be built upon. It is as good as done for your salvation, for providence acting in your life, running history to be built upon the love of the Father for the Son and the love of the Son for the Father. If it's built on His love for you or for me, God help us.

But it's not. Oh Christian, where is room for doubt, fear, anxiety? And where is there room for anything but complete and utter devotion to this? And for you who continue to hear His Word and not believe. Do you realize who you're saying no to?

Verse 24 of chapter 5, Jesus says, Most assuredly I say to you, He who hears My word and believes in Him who sent me as everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death until life. Will you say no to this another day? Will you say no thanks to this another day? Let's move on. The second portion of verse 20.

The second portion of verse 20, and the Father loving the Son and showing him all that he himself does, the text says, and he, the Father will show him, the Son, greater works than these. I think referring back to the healing, the healing back at the pool of Bethesda. That you may marvel. What are those greater works? We're going to see in verses 21 and 22 That it's life to the dead and final judgment.

Do you get the sense that Jesus is just getting warmed up by healing the man at the pool? Jesus is just getting warmed up. Let's look at verse 21. Verse 21 reads, For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will." If you're filling in blanks, it's Jesus is equal with in His power and sovereignty. I planned intentionally not to delve too deeply into verses 21 and 22.

The beauty of God's Word, the beauty of John, next week We'll get another dose of that, But let's look briefly at verse 21. Verse 21, what does it start out with? It starts out with another four. We should look at verses 16 through 23 of just these building blocks on top of each other, just throwing this because of this, and then that because of that. So verse 21 is our third foreclause, and it introduces the first of the two greater works that Jesus refers to back up in verse 20.

My mind immediately runs to John chapter 11. You don't have to turn there, I'm just going to read quickly verse 25. I am the way, I am the resurrection, and the life, Jesus says in John 11, 25. He who believes in me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." Do you believe this?

Jesus asked them. And then of course in chapter 11 we have the actual physical resurrection of Lazarus. So what I want to say though about verse 21, when it says that the Son gives life to whom He will, Number one, who else but God has that power? Who else has the power to raise the dead? I'm talking just physically.

However though, I think Jesus is primarily referring to an eschatological future, an eternal life, that He and the Father together, that just as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son has the same. Even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For one example to reinforce who alone but God has the power to give life, Deuteronomy 32, 39 says, Now see that I, even I am He, and there is no God beside Me. I kill and I make alive, I wound and I heal, nor is there any who can deliver from My hand." I've already said that the life giving of the Son is primarily eschatological. He's referring I think primarily to eternal life that He will hand out.

The atoning life giving work of Jesus saturates the Gospel of John. But almost on every page it feels like Jesus is holding himself forward as the one that can give you life. Just listen to this litany of verses. John chapter 3 verse 3 talking to Nicodemus, unless you're born again. Jesus referring to the new birth that He alone can give.

John chapter 4 verse 14, But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. John 635, I am the bread of life. John 6.51, I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Jesus says, if you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you will live forever.

And the bread that I shall give is my flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world, and many more, as I said in John's Gospel alone. I picked one from Matthew, Matthew 11 27 all things have been delivered to me by my father no one knows the Son except the Father nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him." Thinking back on my comment earlier, are you getting the picture that the Father wants all attention to be focused on His Son? Matthew 11, 27, You can't even know the Father unless the Son wills to reveal the Father to you. He's got the keys. You can't even know the Father unless the Son wills to reveal Him to you.

How much more could Jesus have life locked down? Life alone is in the Father. You can't even know the Father if Jesus doesn't will for you to know Him. Let's look at verse 22. So we're looking at these two greater works that the Father shows the Son and the Son does, that those that would see them would marvel.

Verse 22 reads, For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son. The Father judges for, another for, for the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son." You are filling in blanks on your handout. This is Jesus is equal with God in His judgment. Jesus is equal with God in his judgment. This is the last of our four clauses.

This is the fourth assertion of Jesus' deity. Since judgment, Just like since life is the sole prerogative of God, judgment in the Old Testament is the sole prerogative of God as well. Jesus again claiming equality with God. Claiming equality with God. The NIV translates verse 22 moreover, which would give the verse the meaning, the demonstration that the Son does whatever the Father does.

It's not only found in the Son's authority to give life to the dead, but also in His authority to give judgment on the last day. I have in my notes, I don't think, I'm no Greek scholar, I'm sure that's not a shock to you. Carson's commentary is the one driving my thinking here. I'm in agreement with him that the new King James got it right when they translated verse 22 for verses moreover. And you may ask, why in the world does that matter Michael?

Well, I think that verse 22 gives further reason and ground for the great claim of verse 21. Listen to the flow of thought between the two verses and you'll understand what I'm trying to say. The Father and the Son both enjoy the prerogative of giving life. In verse 21. For the Father has determined that it will not be His direct task to judge anyone, but instead has entrusted all judgment to the Son." If you see the connection between verses 21 and 22 in this way, the authority to give resurrection life, Remember I said when Jesus says he has the power to give life to whom he will it's primarily resurrection life.

The power, the authority to give that life is the, it comes with it the authority to judge on the last day. This doesn't mean that Jesus is going to exercise judgment independent from the Father, because if you go that route, then what are you going to do with verse 19 that says Jesus doesn't do anything on his own initiative? Jesus isn't off judging and the Father is over here having nothing to do with it. Don't get that sense. It's that God has put forward Jesus.

God has put forward Jesus. He has entrusted judgment to Jesus as a reflection. As a reflection of his consistent determination to please the one who sent him? Jesus walks in lockstep with him. Throughout our gospel, and hear this, throughout the gospel of John, Do we not see revelation and judgment tied together?

Do you understand what I mean when I say that? Throughout the Gospel of John, do we not see the revelation, meaning Jesus going around, teaching who He is, declaring who He is, and then in the same breath what does He say? If you believe these things, you've come into eternal life right now. He says it right there in verse 24. There's a direct connection between revelation that Christ is doing about the Father.

Remember Jesus walking around on the earth because of the Father's love for the Son is like having the Father narrated out before us. And if you reject Him, He will judge you. Right now, this second, if you don't believe the words of Jesus Christ, the wrath of God abides on you. You actively refusing The revelation of God makes Jesus your judge. Do you get the connection?

You can't pull apart rejecting the revelation. You can't pull apart rejecting the revelation and Jesus not standing as judge over you. Verse 18 of chapter 3. He who believes in Him is not condemned. But he who does not believe is condemned already because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

If you don't believe, Jesus is your judge. If you are not believing in the words of the Lord Jesus you are hearing this morning, then judgment is upon you. These two being woven together, that's why I said The part in verse 22 that the Father gives over judgment to the Son, it's foundation that Jesus is the life giver. It's foundation that Jesus is handing out eternal life to those that believe in His name and vice versa. He's handing out wrath and condemnation to those that don't.

Verse 23 to close things out. Verse 23 says, and this is really the purpose statement, why has the Father given over, why has the Father shared life-giving power with the Son? Why has the Father made Jesus the judge? Why has He, to use the words of the text, why has He committed all judgment to the Son. Verse 23.

That all should honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Jesus is no mere representative of God. He is God. Jesus is not God's ambassador.

That's you and me. It's astounding and we definitely don't have time to go after it. To think of some of the connections of what I'm talking about this morning and what this means for you and me if we're born again and we have the Spirit of God living inside of us. To withhold honor from the Son is to dishonor God. This does not diminish.

That's really what the Jews were so afraid of. They were so afraid of that this was going to blaspheme God, this was going to dishonor God. If this is true, and that there is, in their minds, another God, but if there is any addition to God, This is what I face in any conversation with a Muslim, is adding anything to God. Putting up anyone else equal with God, It diminishes him. It blasphemes him.

And Philippians, I want you to see it with your own eyes. We'll stop. This is the last text that we'll turn to. In thinking about verse 23, Jesus is equal with God in His honor. There, if you're filling in blanks, I think I ran past that when I read the text.

Jesus is equal with God in His honor. Philippians chapter 2, I'm just going to read verses 9 through 11. And I'm reading this so you can connect. Michael, how does Jesus not do that? How does He not diminish God?

I've told you multiple times, do you not get the ideal that the Father is saying, look at the Son, worship the Son, follow the Son? Do you not get that? I hope you do. I hope that you get that that's what the Father is telling us to do. And we see in Philippians chapter 2 verses 9 through 11 that it does the opposite.

It does not diminish the Father, it glorifies Him. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father. Should have ringing in your ears as you listen to that text, the judgment being given over, life being given over, all, not in any way diminishing God, but to glorify and to magnify God the Father. These claims being true, there's absolutely no middle ground for you. There's no middle ground for me.

There's no middle ground for any person on the planet. Meaning what do I mean by that? By middle ground. If you believe these things, I guess that's the starting question. Do you believe what I've just told you this morning?

In light of Jesus' identity, Christian, how shall you then live? How should we live if Jesus is equal with God? What should our lives look like? What should they reflect? How should this color our appetites and how we spend our time and risk that we are willing to take if we believe that Jesus is no mere ambassador, He is the second person of the Godhead equal with God and we have His words and believe they are true.

How should we then live? And for you non-Christian, this may come across as abrupt. But who do you think you are? You can't believe these things. You can't believe them and reject them.

Nobody's that bold and brash. In your heart of hearts, if you believed that these things were true, and you have yet to profess the Lord Jesus Christ like Philippians says as the Lord of the universe. You'd be running and falling on your face crying out for God to have mercy on you. Jesus is not to be trifled with. Stop trifling with Jesus.

He will stand as your judge. Today, children, Today is the day for you to stop trifling with Jesus. He means what He says. He will stand and He will not have mercy on that day. He will not owe you any mercy on that day.

Are you going to sit another day and reject God? Don't get in your mind. It's just nice Jesus. It's God you're rejecting. Don't wait another day.

In Christian as I said earlier, heap worship on Jesus. You can't make too much of Jesus. Let your speech, let your life, let people be like, all that guy talks about is Jesus For for all these spiritual God fearing people that think they're honoring God that are actually dishonoring him What Let that be the burr in their saddles. Be like, all he talks about is Jesus. Don't you talk about God?

Well, I am! Let's be the kind of people that we just can't talk enough about Jesus Christ. I'm going to end where I started with another rile quote. And now let us think whether it is possible to make too much of Christ in our religion. If we have ever thought so, let us cast aside the thought forever.

Both in His own nature as God and in His office as commissioned mediator, He is worthy of all honor. He that is one with the Father, the Giver of life, the King of kings, the coming Judge can never be too much exalted. The one who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. If we desire salvation, let us lean our whole weight on this mighty Savior. So leaning, We never need be afraid.

Christ is the rock of ages. And he that builds on him shall never be confounded, neither in sickness. Lean on him, Tiffy. Lean on him, people. When you're sick, lean on him as the God Almighty.

The rock that he is saying that he is. The rock of ages. If you build your life on Him, you will never be confounded, He says. The hand that was nailed to the cross is almighty. The Savior of sinners is mighty to save.

Let's pray. Oh Jesus, we worship you and by doing so we honor the Father. I I beg you Father, I beg you to drive these things home by the power of your Spirit, this glorious Trinitarian God that you are. Oh, how sufficient you are for these things. May you take these truths and press them in on hearts that are facing sickness or hardship with children.

And May you press it in on those that yet believe. May they right now in their seats, Father, tremble to think of refusing such a one as this. Lord, we worship you. And I pray that ongoing exultation of Jesus Christ would be the refrain of our lives. In His name I pray, Amen.