Jesus was clear about who He was and what His life means for you. Are you clear about that? Be sure to tune in and listen closely today to hear the power of settling in your mind and heart what you think of Jesus. Jump in with us in Sections 43 of the Gospel Harmonies @ https://www.harmonychurch.cc/tracking-jesus-timeline/. IT’S EASY TO GIVE at Harmony, text any amount to (859) 459-0316 to get started (or give online @ my.harmonychurch.cc/give ).
OPENING ILLUSTRATION:
So, I’ve told you guys, growing up I was a turd of a kid. I mean, seriously, I was the worst! I was in 7th grade in middle school I had said something pretty terrible in class – one of those things that teacher’s face turns red and they are doing everything they can not to beat you in the moment. Yeah, it was one of those things. She yelled at me to immediately go to the principles office, do not pass go, do not collect $200. I went to his office, his secretary told me to wait outside his door. He finally called me into his office, I went in and sat down in the chair in front of his desk. He said, “who told you to sit down” I immediately knew I was in trouble so I stood up, he said, “sit down Wagner…” Oh, man… I was in SO much trouble…
I was in that office to be judged for what I had done wrong.
Trust me, if you knew what I said that day, you would want me judged…
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Our world has a problem with “judging” but what we mean is I don’t want anyone telling me what to do.
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The idea of “Justice” – righting wrongs, requires some kind of judgment, doesn’t it?
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If someone were to abuse a child, you would want Justice for that child, wouldn’t you? You would want judgment…
Today, we’re going to jump into a section where Jesus will talk about judgment – it’s following the healing at the pool of Bethesda where Jesus is going to be challenged and he’s going to say some integral things about judging that you WON”T want to miss.
If you remember, Jesus healed this lame guy by the pool of Bethesda, He asked him if he wants to get better and he does. Jesus heals him and tells the guy to pick up his mat and carry it. Which in Jewish tradition is a HUGE no no. The Sabbath – honoring it, was the 4th commandment in the 10 commandments. The Jews believe that work can be constituted by carrying something from one domain to another, so from a pool to your home. They catch this guy and are mad at him for carrying it and he’s like, “I”m just doing what the guy who healed me told me to do…” After this guys saw Jesus at the temple, he turns Jesus in to these leaders – he’s a foreshadow of Judas if you ask me.
But when these guys come and ask Jesus why He’s working on the Sabbath, Jesus says this.
John 5:17
17 In his defense Jesus said to them, “My Father is always at his work to this very day, and I too am working.”
Jesus is, in essence, saying “I’m doing work on the Sabbath because my Father is always working, and I’m just like my Father”
listen to how the Jewish people respond to this…
John 5:18
18 For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.
Jesus’ answer was that He is equal with God and that’s why He can work on the Sabbath – and they want to kill Him for it…
This is one of these points where you can’t just say Jesus is a good teacher – He is either a lunatic, a liar, or He’s Lord…
Jesus will go on…
John 5:19-23
19 Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all he does. Yes, and he will show him even greater works than these, so that you will be amazed.
ILLUSTRATION:
Years ago when our youngest was little, we had told him that knives were bad – they were dangerous. We caught him on video yelling at the knife block in our house, “no, no… knife bad!”
Lol, he was doing what his Father did…
This is crucial to understand about Jesus
When you see Jesus, you are seeing the Father.
Jesus only does what the Father does
Jesus is working towards something big – remember, He said you’d see and be amazed, listen to this…
21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son gives life to whom he is pleased to give it. 22 Moreover, the Father judges no one, but has entrusted all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father, who sent him.
Did you hear what Jesus just said?
Jesus is the one who will judge you…
and me…
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The question is, how do you get the life the Son gives?
right? I mean
If Jesus is the judge, then He’s who you need to please
Jesus is going to tell us how to get life
24 “Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life. 25 Very truly I tell you, a time is coming and has now come when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God and those who hear will live. 26 For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son also to have life in himself. 27 And he has given him authority to judge because he is the Son of Man.
28 “Do not be amazed at this, for a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice 29 and come out—those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned. 30 By myself I can do nothing; I judge only as I hear, and my judgment is just, for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me.
ILLUSTRATION:
When I was a kid and I was reading a book, I’d always want to skip ahead to the end. I wanted to know how it all ended.
Jesus skips to the end – actually, you can read about how this will look in Revelation 20. the scripture says that the dead will rise and they will be brought before a throne, books will be opened and people will be judged, a book of life will be opened and if you name isn’t written in the book of life, you’ll be thrown in a lake of fire – we would call this hell.
Jesus says,
“a time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear [God’s] voice and come out – those who have done what is good will rise to live, and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned”
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So, what is the “good” and what is the “evil”
listen to what Jesus said earlier…
Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life.
The good is to hear Jesus’ words and believe Him…
That’s it!
-It’s not about being a better person – although if you believe His words you’ll end up becoming a better person
-it’s not about not cussing – although a person who believes Him will want to stop cussing
-It’s not about going to church or giving all your money away – although a person who believes Him may end up wanting to do those things
The person who believes Jesus – has settled in their heart and mind that there is no other way but Jesus, that person will NOT be judged!
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The evil is to understand that God has visited us and invited us into His Kingdom and to just ignore it, or just give it lip service.
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It is to remain in the rebellion of Adam & Eve and all mankind – to say to God, “we don’t need you…”
CLOSING ILLUSTRATION:
Don’t get me wrong – God hates Sin – but your sinfulness is ultimately just a result of your unwillingness to submit to Jesus’ vision of life with God. It is your vein’s attempt to hold onto control, the harder you hold on, the darker it gets. The first and only time I tried to water ski, I was sitting in the water waiting for the boat to take off. They had explained about standing up and how to point your skis and how to hold your legs. The boat growled and jumped out of the water. The line tightened up and I could feel my body being propelled on top of the water. I was doing it! For about 3 seconds… My skis split apart and I lost my balance and I went head-first into the water. I remember it kept getting darker and darker, I couldn’t figure out, my life jacket wasn’t working. I was going to die in that dark water. And then it hit me, I was still holding onto the rope – the rope that I thought was my lifeline was dragging me down. I had to let go of that rope for my life jacket to work. The instant I let go, I started moving toward the top..
Man, I need you to hear this today! SO many of you are trying to hold onto the rope in your life – you’re holding onto your own way of life, your own vision, your own idea of what good looks like.
When will you let go of your old life and let Jesus bring you to the surface?
You can find salvation today in Jesus – there is no one else who can free you from the bondage of sin and rebellion.
but you have to hear and believe! Will you believe?
You can escape judgment today and enter into the way of life Jesus offers – you just settle in your heart and mind – there is no other way!
