The Testimony of God, 1 John 5:6-12, Adapted from a Steve Shepherd sermon http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-testimony-of-god-steve-shepherd-sermon-on-blood-of-christ-150325.asp

1. The Testimony of God1 John 5:6-12 Adapted from a Steve Shepherd sermon http://www.sermoncentral.com/sermons/the-testimony-of-god-steve-shepherd-sermon-on-blood-of-christ-150325.asp

2. 1 John 5:6 NET Jesus Christ is the one who came by water and blood — not by the water only, but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. 7 For there are three that testify, 8the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three are in agreement.

3. 9If we accept the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, because this is the testimony of God that he has testified concerning his Son. 10(The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has testified concerning his Son.)

4. 11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this eternal life.

5. There are testimonies and there are testimonies. There is God’s testimony and man’s testimony. And there are verbal testimonies and physical testimonies.Mark Hatfield (US Senator from Oregon. He served from January 3, 1967 – January 3, 1997. He is now 89 years old Baptist).

6. Someone said of him: Senator Mark Hatfield told me, and I have also seen him do it, that when he goes to social functions where hard liquor and wines are served, he turns his glass upside down. I have heard the master of ceremonies of a banquet tease him about it but there is no doubt that his testimony and influence against drinking has profound effect.

7. What a great physical testimony that was! Drinking in moderation may be ok but overall, alcohol has been a damnation to the world. I appreciate anyone who takes a stand against it.And it’s fine to take a stand against some things, but at the same time we must take a stand “for” some things. Reminds me of the Aaron Tippin song “You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.”

8. It started with a whisper and ended with a roar. On the campus of Purdue University, strange messages began to appear. They were printed on flyers and scribbled on sidewalks with chalk. The messages asked a simple question: “Do you agree with Matt?” Soon the campus was buzzing with talk about this mysterious Matt and what he might believe.

9. A few days later, more than 900 students began showing up for class in neon-green shirts which said simply, “I agree with Matt.” Students who asked about the meaning were told the story: Matt is a senior Engineering student at Purdue who believes that Jesus Christ is the son of God.

10. All week long, students were invited to a Thursday night meeting on campus where they could learn more. At that meeting, more than 700 people gathered to hear students and former students share their faith in Christ. And it all happened because one young man decided he wanted to share his faith with an entire campus, and began asking God how he might do it.

11. Maybe we’ve made the whole evangelism thing too difficult. Maybe we’ve relied too much on our own creativity, and we need to let God do the heavy lifting. Maybe it’s time for us to start simply praying like Matt obviously did: “Lord, I want to share the good news. Help me see the opportunities that you create.” I agree with Matt. Do you?

12. WHAT A TESTIMONY HE GAVE! He stood up for his belief that Jesus Christ is the son of God. There is man’s testimony of what he believes and there is God’s testimony of eternal truth. The only solid and sure testimony that we have in life is from God as given in His Word. On that, we can depend. Scripture is true. Scripture is God’s testimony to us so we can live a faithful and fruitful life in Christ.

13. Our text reveals the testimony of God. God’s testimony: 1- Jesus came by water and blood2- The Spirit, water and blood agree3- God has given us eternal life

14. JESUS CAME BY WATER AND BLOOD 6Jesus Christ is the one who came by water and blood — not by the water only, but by the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.Many people have said, “Blood is thicker than water.” I believe this means that family relationships are stronger than friendships as they should be!

15. At one point during a game, the coach said to one of his young players, "Do you understand what cooperation is? What a team is?" The little boy nodded in the affirmative."Do you understand that what matters is whether we win together as a team?" The little boy nodded yes.

16. "So," the coach continued, "when a strike is called, or you’re out at first, you don’t argue or curse or attack the umpire. Do you understand all that?" Again the little boy nodded."Good," said the coach. "Now go over there and explain it to your mother." Some people go overboard when they think a family member has been slighted. Who hasn’t known a parent at a ballgame like this?

17. 6a,bJesus Christ is the one who came by water and blood — not by the water only, but by the water and the blood. On the surface, this is a difficult text. Jesus came by water and blood. What does this mean? Is this text talking about the water and blood that came from Christ’s side?

18. John 19:31 NET Then, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies should not stay on the crosses on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was an especially important one), the Jewish leaders asked Pilate to have the victims' legs broken and the bodies taken down.

19. 32So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men who had been crucified with Jesus, first the one and then the other. 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and blood and water flowed out immediately.

20. Someone wrote, which I presume is correct: Prior to death, the sustained rapid heartbeat caused by hypovolemic shock also causes fluid to gather in the sack around the heart and around the lungs. This gathering of fluid in the membrane around the heart is called pericardial effusion, and the fluid gathering around the lungs is called pleural effusion.

21. This explains why, after Jesus died and a Roman soldier thrust a spear through Jesus’ side (probably His right side, piercing both the lungs and the heart), blood and water came from His side just as John recorded in his Gospel.

22. John makes it clear that the Jesus he speaks of is not the Gnostic, "phantom" Jesus who was so holy that he had nothing to do with this world. The Jesus we must believe on is the Jesus who came by water and blood; the Jesus who was part of a real, material, flesh-and-blood earth. John returns to a theme he started with in the beginning of the letter: the real, historical foundation for our trust in Jesus Christ.

23. In 1 John 1:1-3 the emphasis was on what was heard,seen,looked atand touched - real stuff, real people, real things. Just like water and blood are real, so was the coming of the Son of God, Jesus Christ. Some believe the water spoke of Jesus’ birth, being born of the "waters of the womb," and blood speaks of His death.

24. If this is the case, John would be essentially writing, "Jesus was born like a man and died like a man. He was completely human, not some super-spiritual being who had no real contact with the material world." The Gnostics in John's day thought of Jesus as just such a super-spiritual being.

25. He who came by water and blood: Probably the best explanation (though there are good points to some of the other ideas) is the oldest recorded Christian understanding of this passage (first recorded by the ancient Christian Tertullian, 160 – 220 AD). Most likely, John means the water of Jesus' baptism, and the blood of His crucifixion.

26. When Jesus was baptized, He was not baptized in repentance for His own sin (He had none), but because He wanted to completely identify with sinful humanity. When He came by water, it was His way of saying, "I am one of you.“ When Jesus died on the cross, He did not die because He had to (death could have no power over Him), but He laid down His life to identify with sinful humanity and to save us from our sin.

27. When He came by . . . blood it was to stand in our place as a guilty sinner, and to take the punishment our sin deserved. This explanation also probably connects the best with what Jesus said in John 3:5 NET Jesus answered, "I tell you the solemn truth, unless a person is born of water and spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. The being born of waterin this passage speaks of the cleansing waters of baptism. (Guzik)

28. 6c And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. The Spirit testified once at Jesus’ baptism by coming down in the form of a dove. Matthew 3:16 NET After Jesus was baptized, just as he was coming up out of the water, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my one dear Son; in him I take great delight.“ .

29. I do believe that both the baptism of Christ and the blood He shed on the cross are vitally important. His baptism didn’t save Him, but He was baptized by John the Baptizer in order to fulfill all righteousness. And we also need to do whatever God asks of us in order to fulfill all righteousness. And baptism is one of those things!But, of course, as we know it’s the blood of Christ that saves us!

30. 1 Peter 1:18 NET You know that from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors you were ransomed — not by perishable things like silver or gold, 19but by precious blood like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, namely Christ. Thank God for the water and the blood! Thank God that Jesus came by both! And we, too, come into the kingdom by both! By the blood of Christ, which we contact in baptism when we die to self.

31. 1 John 1:7 NET But if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. We know from God’s Word how important to our salvation the blood of Christ is. From the same Word of God see for yourself how important baptism is to the applying of Jesus blood to wash away our sins.

32. Acts 22:16 NET And now what are you waiting for? Get up, be baptized, and have your sins washed away, calling on his name.’ 1 Corinthians 10:1 NET For I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our fathers were all under the cloud and all passed through the sea, 2and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,

33. 1 Peter 3:20 NET after they were disobedient long ago when God patiently waited in the days of Noah as an ark was being constructed. In the ark a few, that is eight souls, were delivered through water. 21And this prefigured baptism, which now saves you — not the washing off of physical dirt but the pledge of a good conscience to God — through the resurrection of Jesus Christ

34. Water & Blood “be baptized, and have your sins washed away” “baptism, which now saves you” Baptism is involved in salvation! Noah & his family were saved by passing through the water as were the Israelites. Both are types of our baptism & salvation. The blood of Jesus paid the ransom for our souls & cleanses us from all sin. Baptism must be the place & time Jesus’ blood does its work.

35. THE SPIRIT, WATER AND BLOOD AGREE 7 For there are three that testify, 8 the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three are in agreement. The Spirit, the water and the blood. What a threesome!

36. Two employees were chatting. "The boss wants a meeting today at 4:30." "Why does he always have to have them on Friday at 4:30?" "Because people tend to agree with him!“ TGIF What does that mean? Thank God it’s Friday. People are always more agreeable when the work week is over!

37. I think it’s a good thing to agree with your boss, especially, when your boss is the Lord God. Some earthly bosses may not be right but God is always right. IT PAYS TO AGREE WITH HIM AND HIS WORD!

38. 7For there are three that testify, 8the Spirit and the water and the blood, and these three are in agreement.What does this mean? I would say that these three agree about Jesus, about who He is and what He did.The water of baptism says of Jesus: Jesus is God’s Son in whom God the Father is pleased.The blood says of Jesus: Jesus is the lamb of God who gave His life’s blood for the sins of the whole world.

39. The Spirit says of Jesus: Jesus is God’s Son. His baptism, His ministry, His miracles all testify to His deity. And the Holy Spirit is the author of all scripture, which points to Jesus as the Christ, the son of the living God. God’s testimony is strong and clear: the Spirit, the water and the blood agree about Jesus. No one should miss the Messiah! Is our testimony strong and clear?

40. GOD HAS GIVEN US ETERNAL LIFE 9If we accept the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, because this is the testimony of God that he has testified concerning his Son. 10(The one who believes in the Son of God has the testimony in himself; the one who does not believe God has made him a liar, because he has not believed in the testimony that God has testified concerning his Son.)

41. 11And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12The one who has the Son has this eternal life; the one who does not have the Son of God does not have this eternal life. That’s strong and clear! It’s all about Jesus. Our salvation is founded in, based on, secured by, and made possible by Jesus alone!

42. John 14:6 NET Jesus replied, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

43. Preacher Charles Spurgeon wrote of Noah’s ark: In the morning, when the ark-door was opened, an observer might see a pair of golden eagles in the sky. But glancing downward, one might see creeping along, a pair of snails, a pair of snakes, a pair of worms. There were pairs of creeping creatures as well as pairs of flying creatures.

44. But there was only one entrance for them all. The eagle must come down to enter it, and the worm must crawl up to it.Ah ha! There it is! ONE DOOR and that’s Jesus. He’s the one door through which we all must enter into the ark of salvation!

45. John Wanamaker, who died in 1922 (At his death his estate was estimated to be $100 million) was one of the country’s greatest merchants. He said: “I have of course made large purchases of property in my lifetime...and the buildings and grounds in which we are now meeting represent a value of approximately twenty million dollars.

46. “But it was as a boy in the country, at eleven years of age, that I made my biggest purchase. In a little mission Sunday school, I bought from my teacher a small, red, leather Bible. The Bible cost me $2.75—which I paid in small installments as I saved. That was my greatest purchase, for that Bible made me what I am today.” WHAT A GREAT TESTIMONY FOR THE LORD!

47. Preacher Dwight L. Moody (died in 1899 at age 62) once said: “If all the time I have spent praying for faith was put together it would be months. I thought that someday faith was going to come down and strike me like lightning. But faith did not come.

48. “Then one day I read in the tenth chapter of Romans, ‘So then faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.’ (Romans 10:17)I had closed my Bible, and prayed for ‘faith.’ I now opened my Bible and began to read God’s Word, and faith has been growing ever since.” Again, a great testimony to the truth and power of God and His Word!

49. Billy Graham said: “In August of 1949, I was so filled with doubts about everything that when I stood to preach and made a statement, I would say to myself: I wonder if that is the truth. I wonder if I can really say that sincerely. My ministry had gone. I then took the Bible up into the high Sierra Nevada mountains in California. I opened it and got on my knees.

50. I pled, ‘Father I cannot understand many things in this Book. I cannot come intellectually all the way, but I accept it by faith to be authoritative, the inspired Word of the living God!’ ” As Vance Havner said, “I don’t understand everything in the Book but I stand on it.”

51. 9If we accept the testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, because this is the testimony of God that he has testified concerning his Son.Man’s testimony is good, but God’s testimony is better and far greater. Man’s verbal testimony is great, but God’s testimony in scripture is better. And God’s testimony seals the deal.

52. Any testimony that points to Jesus as God’s Son is a good testimony. God’s testimony is clear and strong in scripture. Our testimony can be as well. Jesus Christ is the truth of all truths and we must testify for Him.