Sunday’s Sermons

Text: John 3:31-34                                                            4/19/09 a.m.

Thesis: Since Jesus is above all, his testimony is above all.
Intro: Our day has seen the rise of postmodernism. And tolerance has been redefined to mean affirming every view and lifestyle as equally true.
Have you heard this line, “that may be true for you but it’s not for me”? What about, “there is no absolute truth” or “I’m going to believe whatever I want to believe no matter what”?
What ever you say is true so a person’s testimony no longer means much of anything.
A person’s testimony only matters to himself. If you think it’s true; then it’s true. If you think it happened; then it happened. If you think it didn’t happen; well, it didn’t happen.
History is being revised. What was assumed is now denied.
And here I am holding a book telling you that in this book, to the exclusion of every other book, you will find the truth; truth concerning God, man, sin, Christ, salvation, and life after death.
Many deny this testimony. Many will seek to pile up evidence in attempts to prove that God’s word is not true. But, to the glory of God there will be those who see the supremacy of Jesus Christ over every thing.
God’s people will stand firm in the face of opposition because we know that this is the testimony to Jesus and this is the testimony of Jesus. He is above all and that means his testimony is above all.
Today from John 3 verses 31-34 I want to show you the greatness of Jesus Christ, the necessity of believing Jesus Christ, and how we can rest assured that Jesus Christ is true.

Read John 3:25-36

If you asked me to put verse 31 in simple terms I’d say
I) When you compare anything to Jesus, Jesus always wins
He who comes from above is above all
a)      This means Jesus is greater because of where he comes from.
i)        In the final six verses of chapter three, John the beloved disciple is giving us a summary of Jesus’ testimony to Nicodemus as well as John the Baptist’s witness to Jesus.
ii)       In typical fashion John gives us a compare and contrast. All of humanity is from the earth; all except one who came from heaven.
iii)     Jesus didn’t come from the earth. Jesus’ origin is not like the origin of every other man.
iv)     In fact, as we saw from John chapter 1 verse 1 God the Son has always existed.
v)      Everyone else is different. We didn’t exist as angels or spirits then get a body when we were conceived.
vi)     No part of who we are existed until we were conceived. No soul and no body until conception.
vii)   This is important in our text because of the care John used in distinguishing Jesus and everyone else.
viii)  When verse 31 talks about Jesus it uses the word translated “come” twice; once in the beginning of the verse and again in the end of the verse.
ix)     But when verse 31 talks about the origin of humanity it uses the preposition ‘of’.
x)      He who is of the earth implies creation. Adam was created of the earth and all who are in his line follow suit.
xi)     But Jesus is different. He isn’t of the earth. He has always existed. So John speaks of Jesus coming.
xii)   Not in the sense of Jesus coming into existence but coming onto the scene or coming forward into the public eye.
xiii)  This Jesus who has eternally existed and has come from above, he is above all.
xiv) He is greater than all. He is in authority over all.  Because of his nature Jesus is the greatest.
xv)   Jesus is the only Son of God. When he took on flesh he did not cease to be God.  As God in the flesh Jesus is above all; superior in every way over everyone else.
b)      Even John the Baptist can’t compare
i)        The one who is of the earth could refer to any person but in the context I think it’s best to keep John the Baptist in mind.
ii)       He is of the earth; the origin of John the Baptist is different from the origin of Jesus.
iii)     John the Baptist belongs to the earth or is from the earth.  Since John was fully human and no-part divine he is of an earthly kind.
iv)     Here we are not to think of sinfulness but of limitation.
v)      Jesus said in John 3:6 “that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”
vi)     John is not capable, no human is capable, of what Jesus is capable of.
vii)   This impacts even how we speak. All humanity and John the Baptist in particular speaks in an earthly way.
viii)  Like begets like. Having originated of the earth and being of an earthly kind means John speaks in an earthly way.
ix)     Obviously Jesus must increase and John must decrease.
x)      It is true that John the Baptist spoke of heavenly things but that is true only because God gave John a measure of the Spirit.
xi)     Even John wasn’t capable. No one is capable.
c)      Jesus is undoubtedly above all
i)        The truth is repeated in the end of 31 for emphasis.
ii)      He who comes from heaven is above all.
iii)     Jesus is better than you. Jesus is smarter than you. Jesus is better than every human. Jesus is smarter than even the collective wisdom of all of humanity.
iv)     He is different than us. He has come to us from heaven.
v)      What does that mean? (Read verse 32)
II) Jesus has every right to tell us about the kingdom of God and we are required to believe him.
a)      Jesus gives us an authoritative eyewitness testimony
i)        The word for verse 32 is “certainty”.
ii)       By his very nature Jesus is above all. But Jesus doesn’t just exist Jesus has a message; he bears witness.
iii)     The words of Jesus are vitally important.
iv)     Jesus said in John 6:63, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life.”
v)      Peter said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (6:68).
vi)     Jesus is not reporting the news or pouring out a never ending flow of insignificant facts.
vii)   Jesus, without any mixture of error, is telling us what he knows. And Jesus’ knowledge is not based on the testimony of someone else.
viii)  Everything Jesus says is a product of what he has seen and heard. 
ix)     The One who comes from above, the One who comes from heaven, he has seen the fullness of God.
x)      He has seen the perfect completion of the will of God. He has heard the words of God from the very mouth of God.
xi)     Everything that Jesus says is true; everything. His testimony is certain. 
xii)   He is above all by nature. His words are 100% accurate and it is His words that lead to life.
xiii)  Trust him. He is trustworthy. He knows what is best
b)      But we all reject him and chose to believe a false testimony
i)        This phrase in the end of verse 32 is one of those depressing phrases like we saw in chapter 1.
ii)       He made the world but the world didn’t know him (1.10)
iii)     He came to his own but his own didn’t receive him (1.11).
iv)     And John 3:32, His testimony is 100% true and leads us to life “but no one receives his testimony.”
v)      Humanity has a deep-rooted problem. We have our origin in the earth. We are limited. We always default to what is earthly.
vi)     So when Jesus comes from above and tells us about the kingdom of God and how everyone must be born from above (3:3) in order to see that kingdom we reject his testimony.
vii)   In the place of Jesus’ testimony we create our own philosophical systems.  Think about evolution.
viii)  We are of the earth, from the earth, and speak in an earthly way. Our default is to reject what is of Christ.
ix)     The false theology of evolution should not surprise us; it is in fact very earthly; very natural.
x)      But natural does not mean true.
c)      God is true
i)        John is expecting us to put some things together here. How is it that we go from our default position of rejection to the new position of receiving?
ii)       This is the work of the Spirit.  Verse 33 is another characteristic of someone who is born again.
iii)    Whoever receives his testimony sets his seal to this, that God is true.
iv)     By accepting Jesus’ testimony you say that God is true.
v)      Do you see the centrality and supremacy of Jesus Christ? Do you see the undeniable significance of the words of Christ?
vi)     It is foolish and a contradiction of Scripture to claim to have a relationship with Christ without regard to doctrine. A relationship with God depends on the words of Christ.
vii)   Keep your theology some say. You know about Jesus but I know Jesus.
viii)  Wrap your arms around words but I’ll wrap my arms around Jesus.
ix)     This is earthly. This is dangerous. By receiving his testimony you affirm that fact that God is true.
x)      The one who received the words of Christ is the one who certifies that God is true.
xi)     By rejecting words, by seeking a relationship without theology or doctrine, you are setting yourself up to call God a liar. It is truly that serious.
xii)   There are many sweet well-meaning people out there who hunger for relationship with God but have  disconnected themselves from God’s word.
xiii)  An earthly pursuit of God is not what we are after. Experience cannot and must not rule what we believe about God.
xiv) What must rule is the testimony of God. It is expected that every Christian receives the testimony of Jesus Christ.
xv)   God expects us to know what Jesus said and why he said it. Bible study, theology, and doctrine should be central.
xvi) Obviously this is more than just listening. To set one’s seal is a work of confirmation.
xvii)            In past times people had signet rings. It was your personal sign; it authenticated documents.
xviii)          Oftentimes hot wax would be poured onto a document and a person’s signet ring would be pressed into that hot wax thus sealing and confirming the truthfulness of that document.
xix) Your life, the practical application of doctrine, is your seal on the testimony of Christ.
xx)   Your life, the practical rejection of his testimony, is your condemnation of God as a liar.
xxi) When you read Scripture are you encouraged to obey? Are you convicted, do you feel shame or guilt, when you disobey?
xxii)            Is there any desire to live out what is said in these pages?
xxiii)          Jesus said the wise man is the man who hears Jesus’ words and does them (Matt 7:24).
xxiv)          What Jesus said and what you do with it says a great deal about your trust in God.
xxv)           But how do we know what Jesus said is true?
III) We know Jesus’ testimony is true because the Father sent him, Jesus spoke the Father’s words, and the Father gave Jesus the Spirit without measure.
a)      Follow the argument of verses 33&34.
i)        When you receive Jesus’ testimony you affirm with your life that God is true.
ii)       Jesus’ testimony is so important because he was sent by God.
iii)     God sent his Son to speak God’s words.
iv)     Look at verse 34, “For he whom God has sent utters or speaks the words of God.”
v)      God did not send Jesus just to do something. God sent Jesus to speak something. Read John 5:24
vi)     The word Jesus speaks is the gospel; the good news that God has come in the person of Jesus Christ to pay the penalty for sin.
vii)   God has come in the person of Jesus Christ to fulfill all righteousness for us the unrighteous.
viii)  Repent of your sins, believe in Christ for your salvation, and you will have everlasting life.
ix)     This is the word Jesus spoke, this is the will of the Father that Jesus fulfilled to deny this is to call God a liar.
x)      To receive this truth and have this truth effect your life is to affirm that God is true.
xi)     There is no room in Scripture to accept the loving things Jesus did and reject the hard things that Jesus said.
b)      But how do we know that what Jesus said is true?
i)        We know we was sent by God and we know that he uttered the words of God but so did John the Baptist.
ii)       The difference is found in the last phrase of verse 34, for he gives the Spirit without measure.
iii)     He, being God, gives the Holy Spirit to Jesus Christ without measure.
iv)     Think about days of famine. You carefully measure out your rations. Only a little to drink and a little to eat.
v)      This is not the way God gave his Spirit to His Son.
vi)     The Spirit was poured out without measure on Jesus Christ.  I want you to hear and grow strong because of the truth of this verse.
vii)   1 Corinthians 2:11 tells us that the Spirit of God comprehends the thoughts of God. The knows what God is thinking.
viii)  This all-knowing Holy Spirit of God is given to the perfect Son of God.  The Son of God then speaks the word of God.
ix)     This is exactly what God wanted him to do.  He spoke the words of life.
x)      Empowered by the Spirit of God the supreme Son of God spoke the words of God.
xi)     If you reject this Jesus, meaning if you deny what God has said through him, then you call God a liar.
xii)   But if by the Spirit of God you receive the words of Jesus Christ then with a loud ‘amen’ you proclaim with your mouth and with your life that God is true.
IV) So, whose words do you believe today? Whose words give shape and meaning to your life?
a)      Is it some philosophical system of this earth like postmodernism or evolution?
b)      Is it some religious system of this earth like people who do the right thing go to heaven?
c)      Or today to you recognize that Jesus Christ is above all. Nothing compares to him. Nothing compares to what he has done. Nothing compares to what he has said.
d)      He is the Son of God, filled with the Spirit of God, and he is my savior.  He is my sovereign king.
e)      A lot of people say a lot of things about Jesus but what do you say? Who do you say that he is?  What does your life say that he is?
f)        And know this. One of the best ways we worship God is by taking him at his word and this often begins with repentance.
g)      God you promised to forgive those who trust in Jesus Christ. Forgive me God. Because of Jesus Christ I know you do.